Interview with Patti Ann Colt

Debut Author of the Daddy Spell

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with romance writer Patti Ann Colt, whose debut novel, The Daddy Spell, will be released by The Wild Rose Press just in time for Thanksgiving 2007. Patti Ann arrived at the interview with infant grandson Zachary in tow, and I could clearly see that he was the light of her life. Over the next few hours, we discussed her breakthrough publication, her background in romance writing, and what the future holds for Patti Ann.

Tiffany: Thank you for talking to me today. Let me start by asking you to tell me a little bit about yourself - what you want your readers to know about Patti Ann, the person.

Patti Ann: There are so many words that can describe my life. I am an Army wife, the mom of three grown children, and just recently became a grannie as well. I've been an avid reader all of my life. My father used to read Heidi, by Johanna Spyri, to me when I was a little girl and I started reading novels on my own in fourth grade when I became enthralled with Nancy Drew. It wasn't until high school that I discovered the world of romance.

Tiffany: Have you always known that you would one day become a romance writer?

Patti Ann: No, not at all. After my children were born, I quit my job to stay home with them. During that time, I read a few romance novels that I would refer to as "wallbangers" - they were so bad that I wanted to throw them against the wall. It was then that I began writing my own novels.

Tiffany: When you began writing, did you start out in the romance genre?

Patti Ann: Absolutely. That's what I've always read and enjoyed and so it was where I automatically gravitated. I learned that the romance writing community is very good about sharing knowledge, so it wasn't hard for me to get started and get on track and learn the craft.

Tiffany: Going from raising babies to writing fiction is quite a change. How did you prepare to write romance novels?

Patti Ann: I hit the bookstore and bought a few how-to books, and then signed up for classes online that were offered by published romance authors. After that, I simply began to write.

Tiffany: What was the most valuable lesson that you learned when you began to write your first work?