GEOFF BENNETT: Author James Patterson is a household name to many, having written more than 200 books and selling over 450 million copies worldwide.

His characters are well-known too, like the homicide detective and forensic psychologist Alex Cross.

Patterson has earned the title of the world's bestselling author, but there's one role he cherishes far more, dad.

As Father's Day approaches, he's turning the page from thrillers to something more personal.

In his latest release, "The #1 Dad Book," he offers a heartfelt reflection on fatherhood and what it truly means to him.

I recently sat down with James Patterson to talk about the journey, from growing up with a distant, reserved father to becoming the proud hands-on dad to his son, Jack.

James Patterson, welcome back to the "News Hour."

JAMES PATTERSON, Author, "The #1 Dad Book": Thank you.

GEOFF BENNETT: You have said that this book may be your most important book, the most important book you have ever written by far.

JAMES PATTERSON: Yes.

GEOFF BENNETT: Why is that?

JAMES PATTERSON: Well, it is.

It is.

Let me start here.

My only memory of hugging my father was on his deathbed.

And he apologized to me, and he cried, which he never did.

And I told him that he was a great dad.

But the way a lot of fathers were in that period, they -- hugging was not a thing.

And somewhere along the way, I was at a friend's house.

He's a teacher and my -- his wife were a teacher.

We were having dinner.

And their two boys, both football players, high school football players.

And after dinner, they're walking out the door.

And my friend said: "Come back, come back, come back.

And they had to give him a hug."

And that became -- that hugging thing became a model for me.

And our son, Jack, every time we see him, it's hugs.

And growing up, it was hugs, hugs, hugs.

What this is about, and the title is how to be the best dad you can be in one hour.

And the reason for that is that, for a lot of guys, they will not read the 400-page book.

They just won't.

So this is very practical about it.

And how many things can you do -- one hour, you will be a better tennis player.

This is where this thing gets serious and why it's important.

There are so many guys out there that are lost and overwhelmed, and they're no longer the breadwinners or whatever the heck it is.

And this will help them.

It will help.

Anybody who reads this thing, you will become a better dad, not a perfect dad, just better.

GEOFF BENNETT: How did your own experience with your father influence the kind of dad that you wanted to be?

JAMES PATTERSON: Well, it certainly made me more conscious of things like being able to say "I love you," which I don't -- I never heard my father say that to any of us or to my mother, things like -- and that's what the book is about.

It's just all these things like listening, huge, dads who listen, being able to say I was wrong, just in case it ever happens.

(LAUGHTER) JAMES PATTERSON: Changing diapers, dirty diapers.

Embrace the poop.

And the book deals with being a father at different stages, sometimes in terms of just being a new father, sometimes in being a stepfather, grandfathers.

There's a chapter on grandfathers and how -- grandparents in general, how important that is.

But it tries -- and part of it is, look, if this little thing on hugging doesn't work for you, go to the next page.

The point is that, at the end of this hour, you will have picked up a couple of things that are going to make you a better dad.

And when you look back on life, chances are you're going to realize, maybe too late, that the most important thing you ever did was raising your kids.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, how did you do that?

How did you balance being one of the world's most prolific writers?

JAMES PATTERSON: And talented.

(LAUGHTER) GEOFF BENNETT: Talented.

Talented and prolific.

JAMES PATTERSON: Yes, yes, yes.

GEOFF BENNETT: How did you balance that with being present for your family?

JAMES PATTERSON: Well, that's an interesting thing.

Present is -- and I think it's an important word.

People are always saying, well, what's the most important thing here?

I was around all the time because I write at home, and Jack was there, et cetera, et cetera.

But I wasn't always present when I was present.

You know what I mean?

Especially when they're 6, 7 -- 7, you're not necessarily into there, whatever they're talking about, but to be present, to -- really to listen to them, to whatever they're doing, to have them listen to you.

To really be present, I think is really a key thing and really, really useful.

GEOFF BENNETT: You collaborated with your son a book some years ago.

JAMES PATTERSON: Yes.

Yes.

GEOFF BENNETT: How did that strengthen your bond or test it?

JAMES PATTERSON: No, no, no.

I have never had a collaboration that hasn't been good, all of them.

And people always go, oh, wasn't it hard?

No.

I have collaborated with President Clinton now three times.

It's been a pleasure.

He's a good friend of mine.

Dolly Parton is a really good friend.

I just did, finished one with Viola Davis.

Great.

It's a novel, and I think a really, really good novel.

I'm going to collaborate with MrBeast.

GEOFF BENNETT: I read about that.

Yes.

JAMES PATTERSON: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

So that's a -- yes, and that's been a cool and interesting - - and he's an interesting person.

And then the thing with MrBeast is, we both love to tell stories.

He loves it to make the videos.

I love writing books like "#1 Dad" or Alex Cross.

He loves it.

And we both like to give stuff away.

GEOFF BENNETT: Yes.

JAMES PATTERSON: He gives away a lot of stuff.

I give away a lot of stuff.

GEOFF BENNETT: In the book, you encourage men to seek out male friends... who talk about fatherhood, rather than sports and whatever.

JAMES PATTERSON: Or work friends, honestly, but... GEOFF BENNETT: Right.

Yes.

Why is that important?

JAMES PATTERSON: Because they don't do it.

All of this stuff, why is it important?

It comes down to a lot of this is blocking and tackling.

Yes, but you're not blocking, you're not tackling.

That's why it's important.

And this is -- and what this book is, is, for one hour, just let's talk about stuff.

And I try to make it humorous.

And I say, I don't have all the answers, I just have a lot of thoughts for you to think about, because guys, when they go out, for whatever reason, because they're guys, they will talk about sports, they will talk about cars, they will talk about work.

They won't talk much about their kids or their partners.

GEOFF BENNETT: There are several audiences for a book like this, new fathers, obviously.

What's a veteran dad get when he picks up this book?

JAMES PATTERSON: Same thing.

I mean, there's a lot of stuff here in terms of listening, talking to your kids, telling your kids, your older kids, your story, your values.

What do you stand for?

Tell them.

Don't be afraid to tell them.

And listen to them.

That's -- I mean, it's a key, key thing, and staying in touch.

GEOFF BENNETT: James Patterson.

The book is "The #1 Dad Book: Be the Best Dad You Can Be in 1 Hour."

Thanks so much for being here.

JAMES PATTERSON: And it is the most important book I have ever done.

GEOFF BENNETT: Absolutely.

JAMES PATTERSON: Alex Cross is cool, but this is important.

It's useful.

GEOFF BENNETT: Terrific.