Collette Scott
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Collette's Blog

Featuring some of the author interviews I've had the pleasure of participating in and a series of posts with updates, announcements and fun stuff.

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Devlan and Diana Doyle from Hannah's Blessing talk to me about their love of Hawaii

8/29/2012

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After months of waiting, I was finally able to pin down Devlan and Diana Doyle to talk with them about their favorite things to do on the islands of Hawaii. Although busy, the couple was very gracious and polite, and they spent the afternoon with me without complaint. I was even more charmed in person than I thought I would be. It was quite an experience. Our conversation wandered more often than not, but I had a wonderful time hanging out with the lovely couple.
 
The interview took place on a Sunday afternoon in the Doyle’s Malibu home. The home itself is more beautiful than anything I have ever had the pleasure to visit and has certainly graced the cover of a few magazines. But the
scattered children’s toys gave it a homey feel. Looking around, I could easily see little Bryce Doyle riding down the bannister or even trying to swing from the huge chandelier in the foyer, and the curving staircase is going to be a perfect spot to make an entrance for lovely little Hannah when she starts dating. The two kids came and went during the interview, and, like their parents, they are beautiful and gracious children, wise beyond their years. Hannah, now nine, is the spitting image of her mother, and Bryce, now three, is a handsome image of his father. Watching their parents interact with the kids showed me a level of patience that you would never expect from such a busy couple. But after a few minutes, it was easy to tell that their children come first. I think I liked that the most about the Doyles. Despite their fame and fortune, they’re very family-oriented.

Collette:  Thank you for offering to meet with me in your beautiful home. 

Diana *laughing*: Of course. It was actually easier for us this way. Bryce still takes an afternoon nap, so this way he can still rest and not be in the way. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about the kids interrupting.

Collette: I have three kids of my own. Trust me, I understand.

Diana: You do? Oh, wow. Three? That’s so neat. I have so many questions for you. Do you mind if I ask you a few?

Devlan *reaching out to cover Diana's hand with his*: She’s here to ask you questions, not the other way around.

When Diana turns to Devlan, frowning, I immediately step in. 
 
Collette: Of course you can. I don’t mind sharing. My kids are very special to me; I love talking about them.

Several minutes pass where Diana tosses her head and smiles triumphantly at Devlan. He sits back and crosses his legs at the ankle to wait. Although I know he’s bored, he never lets on that he’s impatient, and I realize my fears of an argument were completely unfounded. It’s obvious that Devlan adores Diana. He watches her as we speak, only occasionally glancing at me when he pipes in to share an anecdote about the kids. It comes to my attention that Diana is considering getting pregnant a third time, but they’ve been very busy traveling and doing charity work. She fears she might not have time to devote to a third child. That’s where I step in and say that it’s very doable. I have three, and we’re a tight family even though we’re always busy. Having my youngest was a true blessing that I wouldn’t change for the world. I think Diana and Devlan have much to talk about when I’m gone.
 
Collette: So where should we start? I wanted to ask you a few questions about your trip to Hawaii.

Devlan: Which one?

Collette: Oh, so you’ve been back?

Diana: We go twice a year now.

Collette: You’re very fortunate.

Devlan *grinning at Diana*: She tells me all the time that we have the boat and may as well use it.

Collette: If you go twice a year now, obviously you enjoy Hawaii. Do you have a favorite island?

Diana and Devlan together: Maui.

Collette *laughing*
: Obviously you love Maui. Can you tell me why? What is it about the island that you like the most?

Diana
: It’s not as built up as Oahu, but it’s more built up than say, Kauai, for instance. It’s the best of both worlds. Enough quiet yet places to shop and eat.

Collette: Do you explore the islands every time you go to the ship?

Devlan: Absolutely. Hannah and Bryce love to play in the sand, and the boat gets a  little small after a few days on board. We like to go ashore to stretch our legs.

Diana: Play some golf, you mean?

Devlan *grinning sheepishly*: And Diana likes to shop. She hits the flea market on Honolulu every time we come out.

Diana: Hannah’s a little daredevil, and her latest thing is spending the day on the zipline. There’s a good spot where they take kids as young as five. 

Collette: To Devlan: You don’t mind watching Hannah hovering thirty feet or more off the ground?

Devlan: Of course I do. I swear that young lady will give me another heart attack one of these days. She’s
tough.

Diana *giggling*: You should see her surf.

Collette: She surfs too?

Devlan *proudly*: I’m teaching her.

Collette: Is Bryce doing his best to keep up with Hannah?

Diana: Hannah’s very overprotective of Bryce. When he tries to follow her around, she very calmly and patiently tells him why it’s so dangerous. Considering how eager she is for an adventure, I find it amusing that she’s so careful with him.

Collette: They are funny aren’t they? So what other activities do you enjoy in Hawaii?

Devlan: Our next best thing is snorkeling. The kids love sea turtles, and they’re plentiful on the islands. We must have hit every beach in the island chain, but one of my favorite places to go is Ke’e Beach on Kuwaii. It’s right near the trailhead to the Napali Coastline. Have you ever been out there, Collette?

Collette: As a matter of fact, I have. I didn’t hike the entire trail, but we went out a ways. What a sight! It’s beautiful.

Diana: We brought the kids out to the end when Bryce was 16 months. 
 
Devlan *rolling his eyes*: It was a nightmare.

Diana *laughing*: That’s an exaggeration, honey. 

Devlan: Collette, if you had a toddler, a seven-year-old and a tent walking through a tropical downpour that did not stop until almost midnight, would you consider that a good time?

Collette: Absolutely not.

Devlan: That’s exactly my point. We were wet, hot, and the baby was miserable. Even Hannah got fed up and cranky. We hiked out first thing in the morning.

Diana: Only because you insisted. The beach was beautiful, and it was deserted that night. I seem to remember you enjoying that part.

Devlan *clears throat and smiles*: That was the only redeeming quality on that particular adventure.

Collette: Do you still attend luaus?

Devlan: Bryce gets scared of the costumes, so we’ve put those on hold. Sometimes we just prefer to stay out of the limelight.

Collette: I understand that.

Diana: You’d think after all this time the paparazzi would leave us alone. But after Roxanne got into trouble, it all fired up again.

Collette: How is Roxanne?

Devlan: Thankfully down in San Diego and out of our hair.

Diana: Honey! Be nice.

Devlan: Why? She’s been cruel to you.

Diana: She’s had her reasons.

Devlan:  That’s no excuse. I hope that guy keeps her in line down there.

Collette: A guy? 

Devlan: I don’t know, so don’t ask. All I’ve heard is that she’s been clashing with someone down there.

Diana: I think she’s finally met her match.

Devlan: It’s about time.

Collette: My time’s growing short. Is there anything else you can add about your favorite things to do on Hawaii?

Devlan: Driving around the islands. You can see a lot from the ship, but actually getting in a car and driving through the islands is a gift not to be missed. They’re so beautiful, and you just can’t appreciate the beauty of them until you’re right in the middle.

Diana: I love the volcano on the Big Island. Seeing the lava flows is a great reminder of how little we are.

Collette: Do the kids have any favorites?

Diana: They both love to see the whales and dolphins swim alongside the boat. They  immediately run topside when they spot one, but I get nervous when the whales go under our boat. It’s not my favorite, that’s for sure. The spring visit is the worst. It seems as though the water’s teeming with whales then.

Devlan: She’s afraid they’ll punch a hole in the boat.

Collette: It would have to be a big whale. I’ve seen photos of your yacht. It’s pretty large.

Devlan: That’s what I tell her, but she doesn’t listen.

Diana: I listen when I need to.

Collette:  Well, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time. Thank you for being so warm and inviting. I’ve had a wonderful time.

Devlan
:  It was our pleasure. I hope you’ll come to visit again soon.

Diana:  Yes, please. I’d love to talk more about how you juggle three kids around.

Collette:  I’d be honored.

They walked me to the door, and I left grinning like a fool. I had so much fun visiting with Diana and Devlan, and Hannah and Bryce are just delightful. It was not until I got home that I realized we got off topic so many times that I wasn’t able to ask half the questions I wanted to. The one interesting thing I did get was a bit of gossip. Roxanne has a new guy… Now that little tidbit was worth losing some of my
questions!


 

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Scenes from Hannah's Blessing

8/24/2012

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Does anyone else ever Google images of scenes where books they’ve read take place? I admit I do sometimes no matter how detailed the description is. Although I’m not necessarily a visual learner, there’s just something to be said about being able to see with your own eyes where a particular scene took place. 

With that being said, I’ve gone through some of my old photo albums to locate photos of places I’ve visited that appear in my books. I decided to post them here in the hopes some of you may take as great pleasure in seeing the locations as I do. So let's start with lovely Hannah's Blessing. Although I haven't been lucky enough to tour the islands from a luxurious yacht, I've been down there a few times and have to say it truly is a magical place.

I hope you enjoy this series of posts!

In Hannah's Blessing, the main characters are fortunate enough to take a tour of the Hawaiian Islands via a luxurious yacht. There was some snorkeling, swimming, a day at one of the beaches, of course sightseeing of the islands and naturally a luau. From the ship, these photos could very well be some of the views our characters saw, enjoyed and stored away for a lifetime of memories. 
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A Chat with Patti Roberts about Progeny of Innocence

8/1/2012

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This blog post originally appeared on January 16, 2012 on http://collettescott.blogspot.com.

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!

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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.

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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.

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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?
 
Blog: http://theangelsarehere.wordpress.com/
Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb_jTh7rj38
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!

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My teenage 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!"

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