It was an ordinary day. Reading about one of my favorite authors, James Patterson. Mr. Patterson has written hundreds of books, many of which have been bestsellers and adapted for movies and television. And...he did it all with a pencil in hand...no computer or even a typewriter for this 77-year-old. Now...I must confess that all my stories that I post to my website have all been typed on my computer. But...then again...my stories are usually a page or two long and not a book long. Mr. Patterson has found success with novels, children's books as well as co-writing a few books with famous faces, like President Clinton and Dolly Parton. Now James is taking on a real life sports phenom in his new, unauthorized biography, Tiger, Tiger, which is billed as "a hole-in-one thriller." In it he explores the rises and falls of one of the world's greatest golfers: Tiger Woods (sorry to say not a relative of mine even though we share the same "sir" name). Jeanne Wolf recently questioned James with three questions. The following are the responses that she managed to get from Mr. Patterson.
1. Jeanne: You witnessed "Tigermania" as you put together your book. What was it that propelled Tiger to the top and then nearly destroyed him?
James Patterson: His father, Earl, was present throughout his life. He helped Tiger work on his game and his mental toughness. What was fascinating was that his mother was also a major influence. Tilda was of the "Go out there and kill them; you must crush them" school. As a result, Tiger was nothing if not competitive. By the time he entered his 20s, he really hadn't experienced life. He hadn't dated much before he got married. He was very sheltered. But, Tiger overcame a lot of growing up. He was so nearsighted he was practically legally blind and had to wear thick corrective "Coke Bottle" lenses. Kids teased him by calling him Uriel. At school and on white dominated golf courses, he was stared at and called names because he was Black. Yet, even now, he's got that competitive edge.
2. Jeanne: Tiger had a pretty hefty price to pay for fame. I've never heard you say that it's hard to be a public figure. Has success made you a target too?
James Patterson: I grew up in a small town, so one of my blessings is that I still look at the world through the eyes of this kid from Newburgh, New York. I try to be as positive as I can, but not naive. If reviews of my books are negative but fair and honest, that's okay. I might learn something from them. I advise making a list of all the stuff that really irritates and makes you see red. Then, the things you can't do something about, you just cross off the list and forget about them. But do work at what you can help fix.
3. Jeanne: You said of Tiger, he tried to keep his career afloat, "Sometimes you can't think and swing at the same time." Is that true of you, too?
James Patterson: Unfortunately, I have not mastered that myself. I think way too much. I'm in competition with myself, trying to make my next book the best one, but you always hope it's going to be great. I came across this quote: "My time here is short. What can I do most beautifully?" That really drives my choices now. I feel it is mostly to be a good husband, a good dad, and to write stories. I can't imagine my life without writing.
Jeanne Wolf is the Post's West Coast editor. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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