Monday, January 16, 2012

A Chat with Patti Roberts about Progeny of Innocence

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?

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Paradox-Series/150822348341990

Amazon: 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:

My fourteen-year-old daughter is a huge fan of Patti's series Paradox. Eagerly awaiting Book Two of the series, she read it in just two sittings and happily posted a review. Though brief, I think her words say it all:

"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!"

3 comments:

Patti Roberts said...

Thank you so much Collette, you are so kind! xxx Patti

So what is the Paradox Series all about??? http://theangelsarehere.wordpress.com/readers-questions-answered/

Emma Meade said...

Patti is one of the most helpful and supportive authors around.
Love your book covers. You're very talented.

Collette said...

Emma, you are so right in everything you say!

Thank you for telling her so. I think she needs to hear it more often :D

XOXO,

Collette