Frequently Asked Questions
Ayva, Collette’s canine writing assistant. She’s sat on Collette’s lap during the writing of every book except Highlander’s Hope
This page is about Collette’s career as an author. If you are looking for Tidbits and Trivia about Collette, take a peek here. If you are looking for her Biography, you need to go here.
When did you decide you wanted to be an author?
I confess, I wasn’t one of those authors who knew from the time I could hold a pen or pencil I wanted to be an author. Though I’ve always enjoyed writing, I didn’t sit down to write my first historical romance until February 2011. I’d toyed with the idea of writing a book “someday” but had no intention of writing a romance. A had a scene bouncing around in my head and wanted to see if I could write an entire novel around it. I did, and the result was Highlander’s Hope. I didn’t consider myself an author until I had three books published, though.
When you’re not writing, what do you do?
I used to be a substitute teacher, but now that I’ve become an obsessed writer, I’ve put that career aside. I enjoy gardening, though again, writing has dipped into my time outdoors playing in the dirt. I also love hikes (In Oregon we have lots of beautiful hiking trails) and because I grew up along the Oregon coast, I get to the beach whenever I can. I’m a bit of a bird-watcher, and I also love to bake, travel, and read, of course!
Why did you choose romance?
I started reading Barbara Cartland romances at the tender age of thirteen. Nope, my mom didn’t know. I soon became a voracious reader. When I discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss, all was lost. I became a historical romance addict, going so far as to name my daughter Brianna after Heather Brianna in The Flame and the Flower. Though I loved reading romance, I didn’t set out to write the genre, but after completing my first novel, I was good and hooked. I only wish I’d started sooner!
Do you have any other genres you’d like to write?
Oh, indeed I do! I have a Young Adult series I’m dying to start, and I also have a time-travel series, an inspirational paranormal series, an inspirational series, and even some contemporaries burbling around in my head. Well, actually, I write the ideas down in a notebook because there are simply too many to keep track of.
What’s the best way to keep up-to-date on your book releases, sales, reviews, and other news?
—My Mailing List: I promise, I’ll always tell you about book sales & new releases, as well as contests, giveaways, and books available for pre-order. My newsletters are friendly, chatty, and humorous. Read a newsletter if you don’t believe me. The signup is on every webpage, and you can unsubscribe at any time. I will never share your email address!
— Bookbub: When you simply want a brief notice about releases that Bookbub always sends.
— Goodreads: Sends you a monthly notice, highlighting the authors you follow.
—Amazon: Sends you notices about authors you follow.
—Facebook: No longer as good a source for book news, but a great way to chat with me.
So please join, follow, read away, and most of all, enjoy!
— xoxo Collette
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