Patrice will give copies to three lucky winners who sign up for her newsletter at www.patricewilton.com.
How did you get started writing?
I loved to read from the age of twelve on, and decided that if I had one gift, it would be to give back to the world the pleasure of books. My second passion was to discover the world that I wanted to write about. I became a flight attendant for seventeen years, married and then traveled the world with my husband and family. We moved from Canada to Australia for six years, and then to England for three. My children were in school, and I was unable to work in these foreign countries so I decided that the time had come. If I wanted to write, what was I waiting for?? I sat down and wrote my first book– in longhand! A Harlequin romance that was firmly rejected. Who knew that they couldn’t have a married hero? I mean, it was the eighties!! lol. After 20 years of writing, and hundreds of rejection, I found an agent who believed in me, and success as a writer.
What genre(s) do you write in and why?
I write contemporary romance, Women’s Fiction and Romantic comedy. I love all three. They allow me to explore female bonding and the power of friendships, emotional issues, the joy of falling in love over and over again, and to showcase my sense of humor that shocks me at times!
Tell us about your current series.
I have had such positive response with my SERENDIPITY FALLS series and they have been so much fun to write. They are light, sexy, and fun—with a mischievous Cupid who watches over the sweet mountain town in the foothills of Mammoth, California. People believe there’s a love bug in the spring water, or some mysterious force at work. In a town of ten thousand, there’s several weddings a month and divorce is non existent. This collection completes the series, but I’m taking Cupid on the road—to Vegas. This will be another fun, sexy, lol series, hopefully to debut this summer.
What inspired your latest book?
I am currently working on another new series, and the setting is in the Florida Keys. Three young women (sisters) and their mother are running a small seaside resort. They lost their father in the Twin Towers, and living in a small, laid back community gives the eldest daughter (first book) a feeling of safety that she never had living in the city, after 9/11. A Boston cardiac surgeon arrives on his sailboat and books a cottage for three months. He lost his daughter to Leukemia and his marriage to grief. He makes his living mending broken hearts, but he can’t heal his own.
Aw…. don’t you just love it!!!!
What is your favorite part of writing?
The creative journey – discovering who these people are, what they want, and what’s going to happen to keep them from getting it. At some point during the story, I come to a complete halt, and think this is terrible, I have no conflict, where am I going, and then I magically figure it out!
What is your least favorite part of writing?
All of the above!
What is your next project and when will it be released?
My next project is my Paradise Cove series, and I hope it will be released this summer, but it’s in the hands of my agent, so it could take a lot longer!
How has your experience with self-publishing been?
My experience with self-publishing has been wonderful! I never really made it until Kindle came along, and then readers found me! My first book on Kindle, Replacing Barnie, is the first book in my successful Candy Bar series, and it went all the way down to a ranking of 300—out of a million books!) without any help from me. Readers found my books, they loved my stories, and validated me as an author. It was the most rewarding thing of all to read the beautiful reviews, which I do everyday, and know that I achieved my childhood dream. I can make people laugh, and cry, and bring them the joy of reading. Oh, happy me, I am so very blessed!
What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
I advise anyone who has a well written, edited book with a professional cover to take that leap of faith and put it up there for the world of readers to discover. If you don’t, who will?
Tell us a little about yourself and your latest book.
I moved to West Palm Beach after a divorce in 2000. I met a wonderful man, a retired golf pro and we have been together for ten years. Between us we have 4 grown children, and are blessed with 10 wonderful grandchildren, a constant joy and delight. I play tennis, golf, and write nearly every single day. I made the USA Today best seller list with two popular box sets last year. I’m am still working hard and fulfilling my dreams!
For anyone who is not published and still holding on to that dream —DON’T GIVE UP! It took me years and years of heartache and rejections, but when I finally found that small, glimmer of success, it made the entire journey worthwhile. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it!!!!
Links for Serendipity Falls
http://tinyurl.com/o7cvhbx amz – 3 book set
#iBooks http://tinyurl.com/lgdhnko —3 book set
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/serendipity-falls
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/serendipity-falls/id891043170?ls=1&mt=11
“These three books are a delight to read,a little spice,a lot of romance and a funny quirk which has the town wondering..”
SERENDIPITY FALLS -“What a cute story. I could see this being a Lifetime or Hallmark movie.”
http://tinyurl.com/krwwey8 AMAZON
http://tinyurl.com/pa3ghn8 b&n
http://tinyurl.com/lmr3a8b IbOOKS
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/serendipity-falls
20% off this weekend Enter code 3E7KVVLX5LK4P
at checkout. details
PROLOGUE
I’m Cupid. You know, that cute, angelic little body that floats around with a tiny bow and arrow? Well, let me tell you something-it’s not so cute when you’re 180 years old. Not in human life, but in Cupid life. We live to be at least 500 or so and give joy and love to the humans who don’t even know we’re here.
Not that I’m grumpy, but this sure is a thankless job. If you have a moment I’ll tell you why. I live in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. It’s a pretty place and a tourist spot due to the spectacular, two hundred foot waterfall that streams down the side of the mountain and pools into an emerald green lake. It’s the last place to fuel up, stretch your legs, or grab a bite to eat before you reach the ski hills at Mammoth, and that mountain is sure aptly named. We’re talking gigantic, with the highest elevation of any ski area around–over 11,000 feet, and if that doesn’t scare you, nothing will.
I tried playing Cupid up there because I like the cool mountain air, and I was fed up with competing in “the big city” with Cupids younger than me, but that didn’t work out. To be honest, I’m scared of heights, so I skedaddled out of there and ended up in this idyllic town. For all my grouching, I’m sure glad I did. The population is small so you’d think I’d get bored and move on, but that’s not the case.
We have a brand spanking new mall that’s attracting visitors to the area, and it has sporting good shops, snazzy boutiques and a slew of big name stores, like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, a Macy’s, even Sears too. There’s also a Multiplex movie theatre, an ice-skating rink, and several restaurants to satisfy your appetite.
I have plenty of people to use as target practice, but still, for all the zapping I do I never get any credit. That’s my biggest beef with this place. The town folk boast about their falls and the natural spring water, and how romance blooms in Serendipity. I listen to them marvel about the unnatural amount of weddings, and I want to stamp my feet. Yes, I do have feet, pointy little ears, and a perfectly good bow and arrow, which I should use to pierce their backsides with. Perhaps, then I’d get some respect!
The only day I ever get recognition is Valentine’s Day, and for me that’s Christmas, Easter, every memorable holiday wrapped into one. I celebrate by binging on chocolate, and although I haven’t met a truffle I didn’t like, I’m especially partial to Godiva. Oh, dear, I got side-tracked, didn’t I?
What I was saying is that in a town of ten thousand, we’re having at least one wedding a month, and they think the water is responsible for that? Come on! I’m shooting pink darts, and I’m not so old that my aim’s off either. I alternate my time between the mall and the restaurant across from the falls where I have the best view, the best leftover nibbles, and can see all the travelers who come through the door.
If you don’t believe me, come by and see for yourself.
Oh, wait. Someone just walked in. A pretty young lady. She’s alone and looks distraught. I better wander over and hear her story. You might want to listen in.
AUTHOR BIO
Patrice Wilton knew from the age of twelve that she wanted to write books that would take the reader to faraway places. She was born in Vancouver, Canada, and had a great need to see the world that she had read about.
Patrice became a flight attendant for seventeen years and traveled the world. At the age of forty she sat down to write her first book—in longhand! Her interests include tennis, golf, and writing stories for women of all ages.
She is a mother of two, has four lovely grand-daughters, and a wonderful man at her side. They live in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he teaches her golf, and she teaches him patience.
Her best selling books are TEN CHRISTMAS BRIDES, the Candy Bar series, the Serendipity Falls series, and her returning war hero series. She is a USA Today best selling author.