Patti Roberts is the author of The Paradox Series, available in e-book format from Amazon (US & UK), Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble, and in print format from Amazon/Createspace.
Where
are you from originally?
I was
born in Brisbane Queensland Australia, grew up in Darwin in the
Northern Territory and currently live in Cairns in Far North
Queensland.
Tell
us your latest news?
I've
just met my son's girlfriend
Amanda and she is lovely!!!
If
you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in
history, who would you choose and why?
I have to say George
R. R. Martin because I love the richness of his writing. I would love
to get inside his head! AND – all of my new indie friends – what
a blast that would be!! A few that instantly come to mind are Ella
Melder, Collette Scott, Lenore Wolfe, Starr West, KaSonndra Leigh,
Jayde Scott, Carolyn Hockley, Mary Ting and Carlyle Labuschagne.
That sounds like quite a party! I'll bring hummus and fresh pita.
What
are your current projects?
Helping
to support other indie authors by publishing "First 5 Chapters"
- http://www.facebook.com/groups/356620871049132/
they are ebook publications that allows readers to try the first 5
chapters from some very talented indie authors. Each publication
features 6 authors in similar genres. As you can imagine the idea is
taking off in a big way. You can find "First 5 Chapters"
on Smashwords, Amazon and Barnes & Noble and they are either free
or 99c – less than a cup of coffee
What
books or authors have influenced your writing?
Currently, George
R. R. Martin (LOVE the TV series and the books) because there is so
much going on. Such a huge host of characters. Kingdoms within
kingdoms. It makes your head boggle but I like a book that demands
you pay attention.
I still need to read that one. I love the TV series.
I still need to read that one. I love the TV series.
Is
there an Author that you would really like to meet?
George
R. R. Martin and my indie
author friends.
What
book are you reading now and in what format
(ebook/paperback/hardcover)?
Ebook. Solomon's Men by by
Glenn Starkey and George R. R.
Martin.
Tell
us a little about your background. When did you start writing?
I started writing with the intent on 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… so to speak.
What
is your series about?
An Ancient World and the
New World. It is about two souls being drawn together over the
centuries to the present day. It is about love, loss, betrayal,
Hope. It is about innocence lost. It is about the past and the
present colliding and realising that nothing is as it seems... And
that those that are lost to you, are never very far away. That
behind this portal there are many, many ancient worlds waiting to be
rediscovered.
Excellent. I'll put it on my list for when my new tablet comes and I finally get to read e-books.
Excellent. I'll put it on my list for when my new tablet comes and I finally get to read e-books.
Where
do you get your ideas?
For every warp of life imaginable. Awake or asleep. And a creative
and overworked imagination.
Me too. I find a surprising amount of inspiration in the shower and on the news.
Me too. I find a surprising amount of inspiration in the shower and on the news.
What
is your writing process?
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.
Do
you write full-time now?
I do pretty much.
However, much of that time is also spent planning, researching,
marketing, and promoting. Many hours of marketing!!!
Your
settings and descriptions are
very detailed. Can you describe your research into your subject this
time around? Same as
always. Hours of research into ancient civilizations, myths and
legends. From the tiniest red shiny beads found in the blistering
Utopia desert to the magical realm of ancient forest trees. And of
course a vivid imagination… a must when writing fantasy worlds.
Let
us talk a little bit about Grace, a young woman who is coming of age
in this story. She is certainly growing. Can you tell us about her
inner motivation and how Juliette influences her?
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.
You
have also introduced some new characters, most notably Damon….
Hmmm. Is Grace developing a love interest for the future
installments? Grace is
certainly at an age where love is a priority for 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…
Another
favorite is Keyla. Will she be playing a prominent role in the
series? 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. Home of the Ancients.
Are
any of your characters based on real-life friends or acquaintances?
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 would be
like. Even if I never write about those things. It makes my
characters more real.
Do
you ever incorporate yourself into your characters?
My thoughts and feelings most certainly.
Are
you still writing the series? If so, what will your future projects
entail? 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.
Tell
us about your cover. Did you design it yourself?
Yes, I source the cover art from Dreamstime.com and then design the
titles and fonts. I love cover art – I do judge a book by the
cover!!!
Where
did you get the inspiration for your cover?
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.
Does
your reading inspire you and your work?
Most certainly. It puts my head in the right place. When I writing
for the ancient world I read books like the Game of Thrones. The
visual media – music and artwork - finding the right artwork and
music for my ancient world is just as important as finding the right
face for my characters. Let's face it. We are not talking about an
everyday world here. I have a special post on my blog dedicated to
all that inspires my writing.
Where
can we find you online?
Book
trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb_jTh7rj38
What
formats are your books available in?
ebook and paperback
Where
are your paperback
books available
for purchase? Most online
stores including Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and
Createspace.
Book
Review By Ella Melder
(excerpt)
I do
not remember when I have been more spellbound by a fantasy book
before.
This
book delivers on so many levels. Patti Roberts has grown up. Her
writing skills rival some of the very big names out there and I would
be surprised if awareness of her talent doesn’t sky-rocket within a
few short months. With ‘Progeny Of Innocence’ we have no choice
but to believe. It’s not a fantasy anymore, it is a certainty.
‘It
is a shame,’ Patti says, ‘that real life events very rarely
portray the grandiose victories personified in fiction’. Because we
know, we feel that undercurrent to all of our lives. We’ve always
suspected there is more to this inconsequential human existence and
Patti Roberts makes it easy to imagine what this might be.
Patti
Roberts is so comfortable with her creation that it leaves no
questions unanswered. You can see the prisoners being dragged in, you
can see the forest and its people, you can understand the
relationships between the six ancient races and feel their resistance
to Grigorian rule.
Paradox
is not a story in a place – it is the legend of a whole world.
Win
a signed copy of Book 3 – Bound By Blood
Thank you Courtney! Patti
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