In Me & Patsy Kickin’ Up Dust (Grand Central, Apr.), Lynn recalls her friendship with country singer Patsy Cline.

Why this book now?

Well, me and Patsy [Lynn’s daughter, Patsy Lynn Russell] got to talking about it, and we decided we should do it. Me and Patsy [Cline] bonded as sisters. I miss her, and as the years have passed, I haven’t stopped loving her or talking to her. She changed my life forever. I want folks to know how good Patsy was—at music, at business, and at being a friend.

This is your fourth book. What was it like writing this one?

Coal Miner’s Daughter was the hardest book to write, because it was all about me and my life. This was one easier, because it was all about Patsy and me and our running around together and about all the things we went through together.

What is your favorite memory of Patsy?

She was a great cook. There was nothing she couldn’t do. God got a good one when she left us. I think my funniest memories of me and her are just of us riding around in the car talking girl talk.

How did Patsy influence you?

She helped bring me up in the business and taught me a lot about how to run my business. I felt she was watching over me, and I still feel that way. I know she is, because sometimes when I’m getting ready to do a show and my knees start to shake, I’ll look up and see Patsy. She’ll tell me, “You’ve got this.” My life without her would have been a lot emptier.

If she had lived, what do you think her music would be like today?

I think she’d be doing pop music with a little country flavor. She’d have a lot of hits. Turn her loose and she could sing anything.

What was her greatest contribution to music?

She made a great contribution to all kinds of music, not just in Nashville. Willie Nelson, who gave her the song “Crazy,” knew what kind of talent she was. She loved to be a friend with the guys because she got along better with them than she did with the women, though she got along with them, too. Patsy was well-liked by everyone.

What would you like readers to take from your book?

I hope they have a friend like I had; if they don’t have one, they need to get a friend like the one I had in Patsy.