Conversations with the Inspiring Patricia L. Brooks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia L. Brooks.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started writing memoir fifteen years ago, I had written for business and academia prior to that time. I have been in a critique group and a writing group, sometimes more than one, for all of that time. I have written three memoirs, Gifts of Sisterhood, Three Husbands and a Thousand Boyfriends and Sick as My Secrets. I am working on a fourth book entitled Write the Memoir You’re Afraid to Write. I teach a workshop with the same title several times a year.

I founded my writers group over twelve years and plan a speaker and dinner for my members monthly. I started a publishing company with my husband that same year, and we have published my three books, his book and books for about a dozen other authors.

I attend several book festivals per year, do many events with my book, usually speaking events and promote my writer’s group whenever I can. I use social media extensively to promote both my books and my group. My passion for my books is to help others.

Has it been a smooth road?
It has not always been easy. Writing is a lonely journey. I write from home in a home office. I started my writer’s group to have the camaraderie of other women writers.

The success of that group has been amazing. I highly recommend joining a writers group, attending conferences and mingling with other authors and writers often. I have made true friends with the women in my critique group, they are sincerely there for me with my pages each month.

My biggest struggle has been to find the time to write at the right time. I prefer to write in the morning and make early morning the best time for me, even with my exercise time and my meditation time. I rise about 5:00 am to make that happen and take a nap later in the day if I need to and I go to bed consistently by 10:00 and do not end the day with the news!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Scottsdale Society of Women Writers story. Tell us more about the business.
My work currently is in advocacy. I write memoir and on topics such as love addiction, domestic violence, addiction and alcoholism and am an advocate for domestic violence awareness and addiction awareness and speak out on those topics frequently, including at the AZ State Capital.

I am also known for being a leader and a doer with founding the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers. I bring in top-notch speakers each month and run an organized and professional group, maintaining 70 women at all times. And I have had the group consistently for over 12 years.

I am known in the community as a leader and as an organized person. I am a go-to person for information on publishing and am constantly getting calls of our website for editors, design people and other aspects of publishing a book. I refer those calls out to my list of freelance people. It works well. See Brooks Goldmann Publishing, LLC.

For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
Women are well positioned as speakers and to share their stories. I believe that women are the storytellers of the world and need to share their truth and wisdom. This is an opportune time for women to learn speaking skills and to become an authority on a topic and to seek speaking engagements. I am constantly being asked to speak – paid and unpaid – I never say no – you never know who may be in the audience.

I am an authority on writing memoir.
I am an authority on survival for women from trauma, domestic violence, violent crime.
I am an authority on book publishing and marketing.
I am an authority on recovery from alcoholism and dealing with addiction.
I am an authority on spirituality.

Pricing:

• Sick as My Secrets sells for $14.95 and ebook $3.95
• Three Husbands and a Thousand Boyfriends sells for $12.95 and ebook $3.95
• Gifts of Sisterhood sells for $12.95 and ebook $3.99

Contact Info:

• Address: Patricia L. Brooks, MAOM
  Scottsdale, AZ
• Website: www.brooksgoldmannpublishing.com
• Phone: 480-250-5556 call and text
• Email: patricia@plbrooks.com
• Instagram: Patricia Brooks
• Facebook: Patricia L. Brooks
• Twitter: @PatriciaBrooks
• Other: Linked In – Patricia L Brooks

Image Credit:
Cassandra Tomei – Tomei Studios

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.