Interview with the Author - Patti Roberts on the new Paradox book, Equilibrium, to be released on Christmas Eve

Today's interview is with Patti Roberts, author of the Paradox series and the Witchwood Estate series.

 

 

So, I understand you're about to release the long-awaited conclusion of the Paradox series. Are there any big surprises in store for your readers?

Angela would answer that with "Is that a rhetorical question?" 

Kate has lost her memory.... but not all of it! Grace discovers her special ability. Clair goes home to Altair to find her real father. Abaddon and Lyssa join forces - but who is the real monster? Angela makes a heartbreaking decision. Joshua kisses a girl, and it isn't Angela. Has Damon lost Juliette again? Riley realizes he has made a terrible mistake, putting Grace's future in grave danger.

Exciting times ahead! And do we have a release date for this book?

Christmas Eve.


Speaking of Angela, who I must admit is my favourite character, one of the things that really strike me about this series is the tremendously detailed descriptions of historical events - were any of your characters inspired by historical figures?

Yes. I love using actual events in the paradox series. In bk 2 Progeny of Innocence, Grace has a vision of a little girl, aged 5, called Hilda. This character was loosely based on Hildegard of Bingen, also known as Saint Hildegard, and Sibyl of the Rhine. She was a German writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath. Elected a magistra by her fellow nuns in 1136, she founded the monasteries of Rupertsberg in 1150 and Eibingen in 1165.

Oh yes, I remember that bit, and it was pretty clear who it was. So, this series has been a long time in the making, what are your plans once it's finished? May we ask if you have a new project in the wings?

There will be a Book 5. It is very clear that the story still has much to offer to fans of the Paradox series. And there is also the Witchwood Estate series that I'm working on. Book 4 is due out early 2014.

Ah, so the Paradox series is not going to be over after all, then! I'm sure a lot of people will be delighted to hear that. And the immensely popular Witchwood Estate series, of course, will be continuing.

Would you like to give us a little preview of what we can expect in the next episode of that?


Alexandria uncovers secrets that may reveal the truth about her parents deaths. Her heart is torn between River and Bran, the mysterious newcomer to Ferntree Falls.That is very vague, I know, because when i write the story it is very character driven and I very rarely know which outside influences can reshape and change the direction of the story at any time.



Now something I've been wondering; I notice you always have a lot of pictures of your characters in your posts, and I get the impression that your creative process has a very visual side to it; how does that work for you? Do you ever find a picture and 'recognise' a character in it that you subsequently create in your writing? Or is it more a case of writing the character and then looking for the picture to match him?

I have an idea what my character looks like in my head, which can make it very difficult to find the right person to portray that particular character. It is much easier to find an actor to portray and influence your character. For example, Jonathan Rhys Meyers was always in my mind as the Abaddon character, so when it was announced that he would be playing the part of Dracula in the new TV series, I knew he'd be perfect for the part, because I had already likened him to being a vampire.

Do you envisage a film or television adaptation of Paradox in the future?

I'll let Angela answer that - "Is that a rhetorical question?" Me, i would LOVE it. It would be a dream come true! I'm a huge fan of TV series, they have a longer shelf life if they are successful. TV series characters are in your living room week after week, and I love that - whereas movies, as great as they are at the time, come and go.

Any other casting choices you'd like to see on the screen?

Travis Fimmel (Vikings) and Chris Hemsworth (Thor) have both been inspirational for the Lord Cerberus character.

Every writer has days when it's hard to continue - what inspires you to keep on when the going is tough?

There is nothing tough about writing either the Paradox or the Witchwood series. I love writing them. I think if I found it tough, I wouldn't continue writing them, but rather move on to something else. The characters inspire me, and their stories. They are talking in my head constantly. Of course great reviews inspire you, too, but for me, it is definitely the characters.

And lastly, are there any writers in particular that you feel have influenced you, either in the kind of thing you write or in the way that you write it?

 Oh yes. George R R Martin, author of the Game Of Thrones series. Anne Rice, Dan Brown, to name just a few.
Well, there you go, readers! Equilibrium, the fourth book in the Paradox series, due out on Christmas Eve.