People say to write what you know, and for romance author Colet Abedi, that meant using her own experiences for her most recent novel, Uncaged Summer. Following the protagonist Ava’s couch-surfing journey following her divorce, Colet shares how her journey and Miami influenced her writing.
Photo By: Jorge Serrano
How has Miami inspired your past novels?
Miami is such an exciting city. From the beach to the nightlife to the cuisine, my favorites are Sushi Bar and Aba, which are the best. It has a unique flavor. Miami is my go-to place for romance inspiration when I’m under pressure or stressed out and have writer’s block. All I have to do is walk in the city, and I’m good.
You’ve written several books in Miami. Has the city served as a backdrop for those novels?
I’ve written three books in Miami, two of which were romance novels, and of course, I wrote a lot of Uncaged Summer there, too. Many characters from different books have flown in and out of Miami, enjoying all the parts I have—except they’re doing it in my fictional world.
You wrote part of Uncaged Summer while in Miami, among other locations. What made Miami stand out among different places and cities?
I have many friends who live in Miami, and I am at ease in the city. I love the beaches. There was one I walked almost every morning when I was writing Uncaged Summer- it’s right next to the Ritz Carlton, and at that time of day, it was so private I felt like I was the only one in the world. Without a doubt, there is a piece of me that I left out there on those walks of mine. I contemplated a lot of my life out there.
Photo By: Jim Villaflores
A recurring theme in this book is the topic of self-discovery. What did you discover about yourself during writing?
The first thing I discovered was that I had lost myself; I had forgotten who I was, and that spark and that fire inside of me had dimmed, and that’s not my ex-husband’s fault. That's mine, and I genuinely believe we’re the architects of our lives. And I allowed myself and my flame to just kind of flicker off. And now, I'm free. It’s these self-imposed chains, I think, as women, we sometimes place on ourselves, and we don’t know that we’re doing it. We’re trying to conform to please others, and you forget about yourself.
What do you hope your readers walk away with?
I hope my readers walk away with a sense of empowerment; I hope they walk away with a sense of self-love. And if you’re not at peace inside, if you’re not still and if you’re not in love with yourself, you're never going to be in love with anyone else. And you're never going to be able to love anyone else the way that I think God created love to be. I think we forget sometimes that it's really about what’s happening on the inside, first before anything outside.
This book is already set to be adapted for the screen?
Yes, we have a screenwriter, Jenna Mattison. She jumped on board and loved the book. With her background, she understands the cultural aspects of the book. It's a woman's healing journey, and it resonated with her. My best friend Giuliana Rancic is going to be producing. The story itself speaks to every woman in a relationship who has gone through heartache; it doesn’t matter if you’ve been divorced, you could have broken up, and it could have been a terrible experience. We've all gone through it, right? We've all been through heartache. This is a universal story that will speak to everyone.
Photography by: Photo By: Jorge Serrano, Jim Villaflores
