Over the years, while working as an account executive for an advertising agency, Victoria Scott saw her passion for reading flourish. “I was an avid reader of the ‘Hunger Games’ and the ‘Twilight’ series,” she says. Her hours spent reading helped her to write engaging copy and commercials, but she says she felt something was missing. Scott’s husband encouraged her to pursue writing her own book, and soon after, Scott completed her debut novel, “The Collector.” The novel — the first book of a paranormal trilogy geared toward young adults — is based loosely on people Scott has encountered and what she felt was missing in the young-adult genre. “Popular books for teenagers have these 17-year-old guys that are selfless and always say the right thing,” Scott says. “I knew it was a risk, but I wanted my main character to be the cocky jerk, and the lead female to be an unattractive nerd.” In the plot, the arrogant protagonist, Dante Walker, is a “soul collector” who is asked to steal nerdy Charlie Cooper’s soul to gain a ticket out of Hell. Scott says, “So many times, cocky guys in books are one-dimensional, but from my experience I know that guys like this often are acting out for attention and are deeply insecure, and I enjoyed being able to convey those different facets through Dante.” Scott says she loved her own high school years — she was a cheerleader in New Braunfels, Texas — which is part of what motivates her to write for young adults. “Teenagers are fun to write because they are able to engage in adult activities without all of the adult baggage that comes with a mortgage or a career, so the story is fast-paced and engaging,” Scott says, adding that these days teenagers are tough critics because they’ll immediately put their book down and pick up their iPad if they lose interest. Last year Scott and her husband moved to Lake Highlands after several years living in downtown Dallas and a brief time living in Frisco. Scott says she is thrilled to live where there is a strong neighborhood feel in such close proximity to the city. She says the natural beauty of the lake, trees and wildlife inspires her writing and helps her to be more creative. Many days during the week, Scott can be found writing at White Rock Coffee. The next book in Scott’s Dante Walker trilogy, “The Liberator,” will be available August 27.
Order “The Collector” via amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com or victoriascottya.com.