In 2004 Patten became one of the founding board members for Business for Diplomatic Action, a US-based non-profit organization dedicated to public diplomacy In 2008, Patten declared the "Great American novel ... dead" when interviewed for in a cover story on Grand Theft Auto IV in Albany, New York's Metroland. He is also currently writing his first book 1972 - The First Year of the 21st Century for publication in 2009. Selected bibliography *President Sarah Palin? for Examiner.com *Barack Obama vs. John McCain: The Election That Almost Was for Examiner.com, has lots of links to other stories *The Best Pop Culture Icons for Examiner.com *Early-Onset Shuffleboard for the New York Times *Motor City in Motion for the Globe and Mail. *Terror That Bores - Review of Martin Amis' The Second Plane for the Vancouver Sun *The One That Got Away - George McGovern for the Globe and Mail *Be a Junkie. Be a Thief. But Must You Date Kate Moss? - Babyshambles' Pete Doherty for the New York Times