By: Marisol Vega
Patricia Leavy has long been recognized as a trailblazer in the world of arts-based research, but her latest book, The Artist Academic, offers a more personal invitation into her life and work. Blending memoir with guidebook, it explores how she built a career that bridges academic rigor with creative storytelling. The book responds to the question she is asked most often: How did you do it? Readers often want to know how she transitioned from a traditional academic life to becoming a widely read commercial novelist and public scholar. They want to understand how she found the courage to follow her instincts, and what steps allowed her to create both the career and the life she truly wanted. The Artist Academic is her answer.
Leavy’s journey began with a successful but unfulfilling academic career. She earned early tenure and promotion and amassed an impressive list of publications. On paper, it all looked ideal. Yet behind the scenes, she felt a nagging sense that something essential was missing. Her work was secure, but it did not feel meaningful beyond the confines of the academy. She recognized that although academic journals publish research on subjects the public cares deeply about, the work rarely reaches those who might benefit from it. These journals often live behind paywalls and use language that is inaccessible to most readers. Even within universities, the readership can be surprisingly limited. Faced with this reality, Leavy began to question why she should continue creating work that so few people would ever read.
Her response was to experiment. She tried using literary forms such as poetry and narrative writing to convey ideas that mattered to her. Once she stepped into creative work, she quickly realized she had found a more authentic way to communicate. She never turned back. Those early experiments became the foundation of her artistic identity and eventually led to the development of her social fiction novels, works that weave scholarly concerns into accessible and engaging stories.
Still, her transition came with tension. Early in her fiction writing, she continued working with academic publishers. They saw her novels as research products and wanted supplemental material that explained her process, themes, and citations. Readers outside the academic world, however, reacted very differently. They wanted the art to speak for itself. They did not want prefaces that told them how they should interpret a story. They simply wanted a novel. Leavy found herself at a crossroads. While academia teaches scholars to map every intellectual influence and methodological step, she knew that this approach did not belong in her creative work. Novels are experienced emotionally and intuitively, not through instruction. That realization became a major turning point and helped her step fully into her identity as an artist.
This journey also led her to reflect on the gap between appearance and reality. She notes that we often compare our insides to others’ outsides. Social media shows highlight reels and polished images that rarely reflect the complexities of a person’s full life. The same is true in the professional world. A career may look perfect from a distance yet feel entirely different to the person who is living it. Leavy wanted to pull back the curtain and tell the truth about the difference between looking good and feeling good. She hopes her story empowers others to recognize when they are unfulfilled and to give themselves permission to make a change. For her, the greatest reward has been finding her true calling and living her purpose.
Yet the path was not without internal challenges. Leavy admits that one of her biggest obstacles was herself. She had to let go of fear and stop worrying about how others might react to her choices. Criticism, she says, is an inevitable sign that work is being seen. The only way to avoid it entirely is to create work that never reaches an audience. By accepting this truth, she freed herself from the pressure of trying to please everyone. Instead, she focused on clarity of intention, trusting her instincts, and refusing to compromise her creative vision.
The Artist Academic reflects all of these lessons. It is both a personal story and a practical guide for others who feel torn between the expectations of traditional career paths and the desire to create. Leavy shares the turning points that helped her build the life she wanted and offers encouragement for readers who may be searching for their own. Her message is simple but powerful. It is never too late to reinvent your life. It is never too late to trust your creative voice. And it is always worth choosing the path that feels right, even if it leads you away from what others expect.
Through her candid storytelling, she invites readers to rethink how they define success and to consider what it means to build a life that aligns with their values and passions. The Artist Academic is more than a memoir. It is a companion for anyone who feels caught between worlds. It is a guide for those seeking to merge intellect with imagination. And most of all, it is an inspiring reminder that we each have the ability to craft lives that reflect who we truly are.
Get your copy of The Artist Academic on Amazon today.
