INSPIRATION: What inspires Ann Patchett?

Ann Patchett, the author of Bel Canto  and her newest, Commonwealth, was having lunch with Ralph Fiennes. It was during her freelancing days and she had flown to London to interview him. He was at the height of his “Ralph Fiennes-ness,” Patchett quipped. After a waiter came up and told Fiennes he was an actor too, she…