“I didn’t want to TALK.” Talking with Havana Scott.

Hello people! How are you?
¡Hola gente! ¿Qué tal?
I bring you an interview I made to author Havana Scott recently on her first indie novel, Paradise Bay. I hope you like it and enjoy reading as I enjoyed making it!
Les traigo una entrevista que le hice a la escritora Havana Scott hace poco sobre su primera novela independiente, Paradise Bay. ¡Espero les guste y disfruten leyéndola como yo disfruté haciéndola!

Read here in Spanish.
Lee aquí en español.

Havana Soctt is the open pseudonym for Gaby Triana, the award-winning author of six YA novels—Wake the Hollow (August, 2016), Summer of Yesterday, Riding the Universe, The Temptress Four, Cubanita, and Backstage Pass, as well as fifteen ghostwritten novels for best-selling authors of romance and science fiction. Originally a 4th grade teacher, Gaby earned Teacher of the Year in 2000, then left teaching to launch a full-time writing career.
She went on to publish young adult novels with HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, win an IRA Teen Choice Award, ALA Best Paperback Award, and Hispanic Magazine’s Good Reads of 2008. She obsesses over Halloween, Christmas, Disney World, cats, whimsical jewelry, cakes, and may be found posting excessive food pics online.
She lives in Miami with her three sons, Michael, Noah, and Murphy, has one dog, Chloe, and two cats—Miss Daisy, and the reformed thug, shooting survivor, Bowie. SURRENDER ISLE is her first indie romance series. Visit her at www.HavanaScottBooks.com.
Her first novel under this name, was recently published and this is what she said when I had the pleasure to interview her:

1. Why do you write?

I write because that’s how I best communicate ideas. I started out writing as a little shy girl because I didn’t want to TALK. Now that I’m a published author, I have to talk to people everywhere I go, so there goes that theory. J

2. Before writing, you used to work as a teacher, and you were good enough to be Teacher of the Year in 2000, why did you change professions? Would you return to it someday?

I quit teaching because of our educational system and the way they don’t support hardworking teachers or make changes based on student needs. This was heartbreaking to witness, and as a mother of three boys, I needed a job that made more money too. Writing has its ups and downs, but it’s my very first love and a natural fit for me.

3. You first started writing YA novels, what made you decide to write adult romance?

I had been ghostwriting romance for several bestselling authors as a way to freelance and make more money, so I sort of fell into it. I love stories about complex relationships, and there’s nothing more complex than falling in love sometimes.

4. Is there any particular reason to change your name for this kind of stories? Do you think you’d do it again in the future?

Yes, to prevent teen readers from searching my real name and finding steam Havana Scott books, I had to use a completely different name. Also, for branding purposes, as they are two completely different kind of books.

5. Would you say there’s a difference between writing YA and writing adult romance? Which one do you enjoy the most?

There’s a huge difference, and that is that in young adult, the characters are new at love, new to their own emotions, and everything feels magnified. Love feels like love x100, hate feels like hate x100. With adult romance, some characters have been there already, experienced love and loss, and they’re more cynical about loving again. Also, obviously, adult romance has sex scenes rarely included in teen books. I love both genres equally, for different reasons.

6. How did the Surrender Isle Series come to your mind? Maybe something related to an essay contest?

I noticed there were a lot of dark, gritty romance novels out there, lots of alpha male billionaire books, and while my hero, Tristan, is rich and super good looking, I wanted to write about a colorful, tropical place like the area I’m from (Miami) to try to offset the darkness. Also, I grew up vacationing on beaches, islands, and cruise ships, and I know they are perfect locations for plenty of drama and trouble in paradise! I’ve come across a few of these essay contests online that advertise winning a dream house or dream vacation and thought about entering them, but I never do, because I feel like I’d never win anyway. I thought this would make a great springboard for getting Paris, who’s lost faith lately, to jump back into love and life.

7. There are many rich, young guys in adult romance books nowadays. For you, what makes Tristan Giovanetti different?

Yes, it’s a trend, one that bothers me a little. It was interesting coming up with a different hero in Tristan while still playing by the “alpha male” rules that many readers love. Tristan is down-to-earth and a go-getter who can sometimes come across as brash to insecure Paris, but he’s a good guy with a great heart. He’s not a macho asshole, and even though he has money, he’s earned every penny of it and comes from a humble upbrining.

8. Why did you decide to publish this series as an indie author? Are there any differences during the editing process?

The romance genre lends itself nicely to independent publishing, because readers are voracious and once they finish one book, they buy the next in the series, whereas teen readers need some some coaxing on which books they should buy and read. Romance readers also love their formula, so as long as the characters are fun, the sex is steamy, and the ending is happy, they’re happy. I can’t blame them. We all need guilty, easy pleasures!

9. What can you tell us about the next book in this series? When are we going to know more about it?

Hideaway Cove – Resort 2 in the Surrender Isle Series is about Simon Coffe, another third of the business trio that started the resort and his encounter with a marine biologist on his island to close down his dolphin encounter attraction. There should be lots of sexy sparks and conflict!

10. Now that it’s published, do you think you’d change something from the book?

I actually love the way this book come out. I don’t dwell on changes I should’ve, could’ve made. Everything I imagined from my first adult romance was written into the novel, so I’m very happy with the outcome.

11. Is there any advice you could give for those who want to write?

Thinking your story has to be perfectly thought out before you start is a big mistake. Just write. Even if it’s terrible, even if it’s not exactly what you want it to be, just write. Play “what if” with a notebook—this is going somewhere comfy and brainstorming a list of all the things that could happen in your story. Before you know it, you’ll have a bunch of events to plug into an outline chronologically, and before you know it, you’ll have a completed novel.  

12. Thanks for your time! Hope to hear soon from you and this series!

Thank you so much! Great questions!

Here’s a little excerpt Miss Scott shared with me from her first indie novel, Paradise Bay!

“Yes, the thought of winning did scare me. Because there was no such thing as paradise on Earth. Because happily ever afters dissolved soon after they began. Because real people didn’t vacation on exotic islands. They stayed stuck at their dead-end jobs. Real people brought leftover soup for lunch. Real people drank reused coffee grinds. 

I stared hard at the photo depicting diamond-studded turquoise waters surrounding Sorendi Isle. I imagined myself there and thought I even felt a breeze blow across my sun-kissed cheeks. Best of all, I imagined coming home with a completed novel under my belt.

Grace was right—I had nothing to lose. It was just money.

“Fine,” I grunted, “but I’ll pay for it. I have some money left.” I would have to eat ramen noodles the rest of the week, but it wouldn’t be the first time.

I closed my eyes and sighed. What would I write? A regular description of the kind of day I would like to have on Sorendi Isle would never do. They would receive hundreds—if not, thousands—of boring entries all saying the same thing. If I was going to do this, my essay had to be different somehow, but still me. Staring at the blinking cursor of the entry field, I began to type:

Dearest Judges,

If I were to win your getaway vacation, each day, I’d awaken to glasses of fresh coconut water on a bed scattered with hibiscus petals, as my tanned feminine arms stretch across gauzy sheets. I’d gaze upon rays of tangerine sunshine filtering through billowy, gossamer curtains. My cabana boy, Serge, a smart-ass alpha male with a heart of gold who spanks me when I’m impertinent and kisses my feet when I step on sea urchins in your crystal blue waters, would flash me his emerald green irises from the goose down pillow next to me. 

“Care for some…breakfast?” he’d coo, swiping my feet into his strong hands, sending rivulets of passion from my toes to my loins.

With lazy brown eyes, I’d stare out the window at your island paradise, as Serge rolls onto me, but I’d pin him onto the bed and make passionate love to him. Because I am one saucy woman with an untamed wild side. With his biceps and abs so hard and sinewy, it’d be like having sex with stone—ancient island stone.

I’d arch my back in wanton pleasure. Our quivers would subside, and I’d send Serge away until I’d need him again later. I’d spend the rest of my day writing my crime novel, The Gates of Lahore, while eating key lime, coconut, and passion fruit macarons, because I admit, I am not dying of cancer. I am merely a writer of fiction, a teller of lies, and writing is all I’d do with my month anyway. Because that’s what we writers do—make shit up for a living. Please pick me. 

An undiscovered author,

Paris Jones”

You can visit her on her web, her Amazon page, on Kobo and even iTunes!

Greetings and hugs!
¡Un saludo y un abrazo!