She's done it again! One of our favorite writers, Patricia Leavy, has a new novel that is, already, the must-read book of the year. Twinkle of Doubt is a testament to the humanity in our lives—the joys of love, friendship, and laughter, as well as the challenges of trauma and life-changing events. I started reading it as a gift to myself and wished that I had it sooner to hold in my heart during the last difficult year.
I’m not alone. The book has already received high praise from leading authors and educators who have called it “beautiful” and “a masterpiece,” many noting the lessons linger.
You, too, will cherish this novel for all that it holds, for all that it teaches, and for all that it inspires. It’s THAT GOOD. Highly recommended.
Here’s a synopsis:
Tess Lee is a wildly successful and world-famous novelist whose inspirational books explore our innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Jack Miller is a federal agent who has spent decades working in counterterrorism—a violent world that has left an inevitable residue on his psyche. Two years into their marriage, as Tess and Jack both heal from past trauma, their epic love, fostered by their ability to truly see one another, has brought them profound happiness. When an anonymous threat is made against Tess’s life, however, everything changes. Will they learn to lean on each other, or will they fall apart into the darkness? In Twinkle of Doubt, the second Celestial Bodies Romance, Tess, Jack, and their chosen family explore the nature of doubt and the struggle to feel worthy of love.
We were lucky enough to interview Patricia Leavy to learn more about this inspiring book. Here’s our conversation.
Your novels often operate on two levels. There’s the thing it’s obviously about—the plot—and then the thing it’s really about—the message. What would you say about Twinkle of Doubt?
Thank you so much. I love character-driven novels. To me, my books are always about personal journeys about growth and transformation. But of course, every novel also needs a plot. With this book I really wanted to keep readers engaged, so I opted for a high-stakes, dramatic plot point. There is an external threat against Tess to keep the pages turning. But in reality, it’s just a plot device so Tess and Jack have an opportunity to grow, individually and as a couple. The book is really about doubt, which is at the core of a lot of suffering. So often we doubt ourselves. We don’t feel like we are enough. There’s an audio in our heads telling us we’re not good enough, successful enough, attractive enough, popular enough. In short, we may play an audio in our heads that says we don’t measure up, we’re not loveable, or we’re not really worthy of love. That internal voice can be louder than any external voice. So, the novel isn’t really about anything external, it’s about the internal wars we wage against ourselves and how love can change the way we see ourselves and others.
This is one of those rare novels that has both great humor and deeply emotional, raw scenes, with a big dose of suspense mixed in. How’d you manage that?
When I tackle a challenging subject, I try to create a balance between the lighter and darker moments. I think of the light, airy, funny bits as the soufflé. These parts aren’t trivial though, because they create balance. These lighter parts allow me to take on some of the darker topics in the book, such as the re-traumatization Tess experiences when her childhood abuse resurfaces or the trauma Jack relives from his job as a federal agent and the death of his daughter, when they are both forced to deal with the threat against Tess’s life. This is heavy stuff, but ultimately, I wanted to write a book that moves between darkness and light. The funny bits, whether it’s outrageous sex talk at a black-tie gala, or the humorous conversations between Tess and her best friend Omar, allows the story to breathe. In the end, the message of the book is all about learning to breathe through the tough times, and, learning to move through darkness to light. I tried to mirror that theme with my approach to story-telling.
Twinkle of Doubt is a follow-up to Shooting Stars Above, although it can definitely be read as a stand-alone novel. What inspired you to write this book?
When I wrote Shooting Stars Above, I fell in love with the characters. Not only did I want to experience more of their journey, but I saw great potential with them to explore the many dimensions of love. I’m using these characters to explore love, to write a love letter to love, one that will unfold over at least six books. Shooting Stars Above explored love and healing. Twinkle of Doubt explores love and doubt. The next book, Constellations of Love, explores love and intimacy. And so on. The whole series is a grand love letter to love itself. That said, it was important to me to write each as a stand-alone novel so that readers can pick up any that may be of interest.
Relationships are central to the narrative—both romantic and friendship. What is the story this novel tells about our intimate relationships?
At the core, this is a book centered on relationships—with lovers, with friends, and most of all, the relationship we have with ourselves. The characters model incredible grace with how they treat one another, whether it’s through their shared laughter or tears. I hope the novel shows what quality relationships might look like and feel like and how we can build families that are chosen. Love is a verb. It’s an action. It’s not something we have for one another, it’s something we do. I hope Twinkle of Doubt shows what love looks like in action. The closeness the characters share is really beautiful and something that ultimately raises them up. This is something we can all strive for.
There are both positive and negative examples of masculinity. Please talk about this.
Other than Tess, all the main characters are men. They each model different positive versions of masculinity, as an alternative to much of what we see in pop culture. These are good men, aspirational men. However, dark male forces lurk in the background, and we see the impact of that misogyny and violence on the characters. Jack, who is the ultimate good guy, wrestles with his own dark side when Tess’s life is under threat and he feels responsible for protecting her. Through this experience, they have important conversations about gendered ideas society often holds about what it means to make someone feel safe, protected, and loved. Together, they reach new understandings.
The novel is set in Washington, DC, which is integral to the story. Please talk about this, including your choice to have a woman president of the United States.
Jack is a federal agent and so setting the novel in Washington, DC was natural. There’s a suspenseful twist in this book, when Tess’s life is threatened and federal agencies are involved in keeping her safe. DC was the perfect home. It also allowed me to weave the president into the narrative. The president is a woman because we need to normalize the idea of women at the highest levels of our government and fiction is one way to do this. Whatever we can imagine, we can achieve. I also wanted to create a special friendship between the president and Tess, as two successful, powerful, and famous women. In Twinkle of Doubt, the president hosts an international gala to celebrate arts and peace. At the gala, Tess meets the president. They find they have quite a bit in common and forge a friendship that leads to some funny encounters later in the novel. After all, how many people hang out in the White House residence eating mac and cheese, baking cookies, and talking politics? Twinkle of Doubt has some tough bits, dealing with past trauma, so balancing that with humor was important. The president was a conduit to some of those moments.
Although we don’t see the characters in Hawaii, the book begins and ends with discussion of romantic holidays Tess and Jack spend there. It’s clearly a special place for them. Why Hawaii?
When the novel opens, they’ve returned from celebrating their second wedding anniversary in a private house they rented in Maui. They had a magical time alone there and the place becomes a signifier for several things: escaping their world of darkness and light to live in color, building the life they dream of, and letting go of expectations and learning to breathe. I won’t say how it all turns out because I don’t want to spoil anything, but Hawaii becomes their special place and is revisited in future series titles. I chose Hawaii because it’s beautiful and it’s a fantasy escape for many people, even if only in their dreams. Many people honeymoon there for those very reasons. Tess and Jack can live that dream. Also, I wanted contrast with their daily city life in Washington, DC, and the weight of their jobs. Hawaii was a perfect choice as somewhere colorful, full of outdoor life, and where they could have a romantic getaway, content in each other’s arms simply breathing the briny sea air.
What message do you hope readers get from the book?
We are enough. We are worthy of love. Healing from trauma is possible, but it is a process, not a destination. Self-love is the hardest and most important love. Challenges will always come in life, but we can learn to breathe through them.
What's up next for you?
My professional memoir, The Artist Academic, came out recently and I’m doing promotion for it, including some speaking events I’m excited about. It’s a book about building the career and life you want, one that doesn’t just look good on paper, but actually feels good. I have two novels coming out in the next six months. Both contemporary romances that I’m super excited about but I’m trying to keep the details quiet for now. I also want to let people know that in honor of the release of Twinkle of Doubt, we’ve put the e-book for Shooting Stars Above on sale for only .99cents. This is temporary, so anyone interested should grab a copy for themselves or a loved one. While each book in the series can be read as a stand-alone, there’s an overarching narrative, so it’s always fun to start at the beginning.
About the Author
Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., is a best-selling author. She has published more than 50 books, and her books have been translated into many languages. She has received over 100 book awards. She has also received career awards from the National Art Education Association, the American Creativity Association, the New England Sociological Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the American Educational Research Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” In 2024, the London Arts-Based Research Centre established “The Patricia Leavy Award for Arts-Based Research.”
Learn more:
Twinkle of Doubt on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FCYS4J1T
Twinkle of Doubt on Simon & Schuster: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Twinkle-of-Doubt/Patricia-Leavy/The-Celestial-Bodies-Romances/9798896361329
The Artist Academic on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Artist-Academic-Literary-Scholar/dp/1737862441
Shooting Stars Above on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shooting-Stars-Above-Patricia-Leavy/dp/1647428548
Shooting Stars Above on Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shooting-stars-above-patricia-leavy/1145931749
Website: www.patricialeavy.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenWhoWrite/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricialeavy