I am proud to feature one of the hardest working and helpful authors I have had the pleasure to meet. Patti Roberts is the author of the hugely popular and fantastic young adult fantasy/paranormal series, Paradox. Between researching her descriptive settings, writing her colorful and captivating stories and marketing her wonderful work, Patti is always very helpful, friendly and supportive. She is the true definition of gracious and caring, and I am so happy to have her appear on my blog again to discuss her new release, the second book in her Paradox Series, Progeny of Innocence. Thank you, Patti, for joining me today. It's great to have you back!
Collette: So let's start with the basics. Tell
us a little about your background. When did you start writing?
Patti: I started writing with the intent of publishing in 2009. I was feeling very
down and misplaced after a failed relationship, and I wanted to do something
positive…. I needed to do something
positive. I wanted to herd up all my
unresolved emotions and put them to good use.
So I went out and bought a new laptop computer and started writing. Hence the reason Paradox – The Angels Are
Here is a little bit EMO! Writing has
been the best therapy and I have never been happier or more fulfilled! I highly recommend writing to anyone that
finds themselves in a similar predicament.
That is when I started writing and how the Paradox Series was born. Out of the ashes…
Collette: I agree completely! I often say that writing is cathartic. So where do you get your ideas?
Patti: For
every warp of life imaginable. Awake or
asleep. And a creative and overworked
imagination.
Collette: What is your writing process?
Patti: I
run different scenarios around for particular chapters in my head. I give the characters dialogue to see were it
leads. It is one thing to have an idea
for a story line but it isn’t until I bring in the characters to see how their
personalities would react in particular circumstances that I really know how it
has to be written.
Collette: Do you write full-time now?
Patti: I do
pretty much. However, much of that time
is also spent planning marketing and promoting.
Collette: That's for sure. A full-time job in itself!
Collette: The Paradox Series is well under way with the recent release of
the second installment. Can you tell us a little bit about Paradox, Progeny
of Innocence?
Patti: Two
Worlds. One Ancient and One New. An immortal
enemy still driven by the desire of being the One supreme power of an ancient
kingdom. The prize he seeks to fulfill
his desires - A young girl, Grace, trapped in the middle between Heaven and
Hell. But who can Grace trust? There
are those around her that live and die to protect and those that want only to
destroy. Who could you trust when the
enemy hides in plain sight and looks just like you. Were could
you run when your enemy is faster, smarter, stronger…
Collette: How long did it take you to complete?
Patti: Progeny took eleven months to research and
write.
Collette: Your settings and descriptions were very detailed. Can you describe
your research into your subject this time around?
Patti: Same as always. Hours of research into ancient civilizations,
myths and legends. From the tiniest red
shiny bead found in the blistering Utopia desert to the magical realm of
ancient forest trees. And of course a
vivid imagination…
Colette: And you obviously have that! Okay, so can we talk a little bit about Grace? She's a young woman coming of
age in this story, and she is certainly growing. Can you tell us about her inner
motivation and how Juliette influences her?
Patti: Grace knows she is different even though she
isn't ready to accept that fact just yet.
She senses a danger in knowing who she really is so she keeps most of
those thoughts to herself by writing in a hidden journal. She has visions of a girl named
Juliette. But she doesn't quite
understand why or who this Juliette is.
Through Grace, Juliette is also starting to come to terms with a past
that she thought was long gone and buried.
Collette: You have also introduced some new characters, most notably Damon….
Hmmm. Is Grace developing a love interest for the future installments?
Patti: Grace is certainly at an age where love is a
priority of any "normal" teenage girl. And Grace so badly wants to be normal. So when Damon Draco comes along she is
instantly drawn to his boyish good looks and mysterious charm. But is there more to it than just a teenage
crush…
Collette: Another favorite is Keyla. Will she be playing a prominent role in
the series?
Patti: Most certainly. Keyla is everything precious and pure. Within her she holds powerful abilities pasted
down from an almost extinct race of people that stretches back to the time
before time. The ancient Bakhna Rakhna
People from the southern mountains.
Collette: Are any of your characters based on real-life friends or
acquaintances?
Patti: I
name some of my characters after friends that have inspired me. Sometimes I will take a friend's personality
and blend it with one of my characters to make them become more real. More dimensional. I give all of my characters birthdates,
favorite colors, particular things they like or dislike. Imagine what their parents are like. Even if I never write about those
things. It makes my characters more
real.
Collette: Do you ever incorporate yourself into your characters?
Patti: My thoughts and feelings most certainly.
Collette: Tell us about your cover. Did you design it yourself?
Patti: Yes, I chose three covers for Progeny and then
I submitted them to the public to vote on.
The cover that came in second (girl in purple mask) I made into a
Special Edition that comprises of the first 2 books in the series. I source the cover art (Dreamstime) and then
design the titles and fonts. I love
cover art – I do judge a book by the cover!!!
Collette: Where did you get the inspiration for your cover?
Patti: I
can spend hours looking at pictures online.
For my covers, locations and my characters. I have to have faces for my characters when I
am writing dialogue for them. I search
until I find a face that matches my character.
Then I print it out and have it on a corkboard in front of me. I feel I can be more consistent with my
characters traits and dialogue if I have a firm image of them to look at.
Collette: Are you still writing the series? If so, what will your future projects entail?
Patti: Next on the agenda is book 3. that is due to be released this year (2012). I will know in the next few months about how I want the 4th book in the series to go.
Collette: Does your reading inspire you and your work?
Patti: Most certainly. It puts my head in the right place. When I wrote for the ancient world I read the
Game of Thrones. So does artwork. Finding the right artwork for my ancient
world is just as important to finding the right face for my characters. Let's face it. We are not talking about an everyday world
here.
Where can we find you online?
Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb_jTh7rj38
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Paradox-Series/150822348341990Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Patti-Roberts/e/B004RXY0OI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Amazon.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_nr_p_n_binding_browse-b_mrr_2?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3APatti+Roberts%2Cp_n_binding_browse-bin%3A368165031&bbn=266239&sort=relevancerank&ie=UTF8&qid=1326647494&rnid=492562011
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=patti+roberts
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/980856.Patti_Roberts
What formats are your books available in?
ebook and paperback
Where are your paperback books available for purchase?
Amazon and Createspace.
Patti, as always, thank you for stopping by my blog. It's always a pleasure! I wish you all the
continued success with your imaginative and fantastic writing projects!
Review of Progeny of Innocence:
"This book was so hard to put down, it was SO good. It was even better than the first. I found that it explained some things that were left unanswered in the first, and I loved how it went more into detail in the past. I'm SO excited to read her next one!"
