Well, perhaps not everything!
Recently, I was featured in Julia Bodwell’s Author Spotlight Blog. Julia is the Proprietor of The Gilded Page—a wonderful Indie bookstore in Tarpon Springs, Florida!
I thought you might enjoy excerpts from the interview!
A little bit about me:
Before becoming a full-time author of sweet paranormal romance, I had careers in health care, as a K-college educator, and later as a library administrator. Along the way, I met wonderful people who made a positive impact on my life and, in turn, inspired my stories, but in a magical way!
Why did I choose to write in the sweet paranormal romance genre?
While I love reading all types of fiction, I’ve always been drawn to paranormal romance stories that take me out of the commonplace world. In the beginning, I tried writing traditional romance. But my characters had other ideas! The best thing I ever did as an author was to get out of my own way and let the characters tell their stories how they wanted them written.
Ray Bradbury said it best. “First, find out what your hero/heroine wants, then just follow them!”
What’s so special about my characters?
Many are ordinary people living in extraordinary worlds. But most are anything but ordinary! They have charming and lovable sides. But they also have their flaws, issues, and backstories. And most of my characters have a special gift. It’s quite a list: witches, wizards, time-travelers, ghosts, mediums, psychics, shifters, and fae. I have a snarky know-it-all cat in almost every book who’s also magical. Often, the story starts when non-magical and magical humans discover they’ve fallen in love.
How did I become an indie author?
After years of writing for small publishers, I decided to leap full indie! That decision was scary and exhilarating at the same time. In 2022, I launched my first indie series, Baga Shores Romance. So far, the series includes Bewitching Andie, Charming Sabrina, and Enchanting Robbi. My new book is Convincing Emily, free when you sign up for my newsletter on my website, CandaceColt.com.
Baga Shores is a fictional quaint coastal town on Florida’s West Coast. About half the residents are Ordinary with no magical gifts. The rest are anything but Ordinary!
Coming soon is a new limited series, A Witch In Space. Rhea Tanner, a quirky witch with less-than-perfect meditation skills, ends up on a spaceship. The first thing she wants is to get home. The last thing she wants is to fall broom over kettle in love with the alien captain.
My favorite question from Julia was this: “If you were transported to the setting of the book you’re currently reading or writing, where would you be?”
Right where I am! My Baga Shores series is set in a small coastal town on the Gulf of Mexico, a short hop from Tampa, and is based on the small town where I live. The only difference is that Baga Shores is populated with magical people. Sadly, my town isn’t—or is it?
Are there any “Easter eggs” secrets/truths in my books that only a few people will find?
I hope readers see beyond the fictional settings and tropes and discover that everyone is worthy of a “HEA” no matter who or what they are, where they come from, or how life’s treated them.
What scenes do I find hard to write and why?
The ending! I know how I want the story to end and usually have that in mind throughout. The hard part is ensuring a satisfying emotional impact for the reader. I usually rewrite the ending three or four times to get it where it needs to be.
What’s something about me — personality traits, habits, background, etc.— useful in my writing?
I’ve always been a people watcher. Humans are so interesting, and making up stories about them is fun. Let’s pretend I see a woman sitting alone on a park bench during a busy farmer’s market day. The next thing I know, I’ve made her into the heroine in my next book. Maybe she’s just tired or waiting for someone. But in my story, she’s just arrived from the seventeenth century and has no idea where or why she’s there. The guy running the vegetable stand feels sorry for her and offers her a peach. Their gazes meet, and whammo! A story!
Is there anything else you want to know about me or my stories?
Let’s continue the conversation on FB Candace Colt, Author. Follow me on Instagram, “X,” Bookbub, and Goodreads.