Patti Davis's new novel is The Earth Breaks in Colors.From her Q & A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: How did you come up with the idea for The Earth Breaks in Colors, and what does the novel’s title signify for you?--Marshal Zeringue
A: The title came long after the book was finished...I thought of two elements of the book, the racial issues and the fact that the earth broke—there was an earthquake. I thought of "Earth Breaks," and was Googling to see what titles were taken.
Q: And how did you think of the concept for the novel?
A: Sometimes I know how I come up with story ideas, and sometimes it’s a total mystery. This was a total mystery! I saw the first scene play out in my head. I thought when I saw a girl looking out the window, and she saw someone burying something, I thought, I wonder what he’s burying?...There was a gold clock—I wonder why he’s doing that? I kept following...[read on]