Welcome to Fallen Angels Reviews Catherine! We are so glad you took time out of your schedule to answer a few questions for us about your upcoming release Blue Skies (the 4th installment in your Kendrick/Coulter series), what we can look for in 2004, and about writing and life in general.

What inspired you to become a writer? Is it something you have always wanted to do?

My mother was a writer. As a small child, I played with my dolls at her feet, creating my own stories as she typed away on an old Underwood typewriter. I grew up wanting to become a writer, and that was all I ever truly wanted to do. I didn't, however, believe that it was a very practical pursuit and focused on accounting in college. I'm ever so glad to say that I soon saw the error of my ways and chose instead to try writing.

You have a new installment of the Kendrick/Coulter series, Blue Skies, coming out next month. Congratulations on that! Can you tell us a little about this story?

Blue Skies is reminiscent of Phantom Waltz, the second book in the Kendrick/Coulter series. It is about a young woman named Carly Adams who was born with lattice dystrophy, an eye disease that rendered her blind from birth. Growing up blind has given Carly courage and backbone, but it has left her hopelessly inexperienced with members of the opposite sex. At the opening of the book, she has just undergone surgery to restore her sight. She has never actually seen a man at close range when she meets Hank Coulter, who turns on the charm and sweeps her off her feet, straight onto the backseat of his pickup truck.

This is an emotional, touching story about dreams that are destroyed and new, impossible dreams that come true. I hope all of you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Can we expect more books in the Kendrick/Coulter series after Blue Skies?

You can! I just finished writing Bright Eyes, Zeke Coulter's book. It will be released in the summer of 2004. I'm not positive what month it will be yet.

How did you feel when you first got published?

I was absolutely elated when I first got published. For a writer, there is no feeling quite like that. I've had many successes and elation-filled moments since, but nothing will ever quite compare to that first phone call.

Has your life changed since you were first published? If so, how?

I know that many readers believe writers lead glamorous, glitzy lives, and I suppose that some do. My husband and I choose to live very simply, though. My schedule is much busier now than it used to be. Sometimes I work for long stretches without a break. But when I do get down time, we are very centered on the ordinary, enjoying family and friends, both the human and furry variety. We have a very large tract of woodland, surrounded by wilderness. Our idea of a special evening is to take a walk in the forest with our dogs. Until the snow flies, deer gather in our backyard, providing us with immeasurable enjoyment, for both of us are wildlife lovers. Writing has enabled me to live in a remote place, surrounded by the things I love-animals, mountains, and trees-but otherwise, I think our lives are pretty much as they would have been had I not become a writer. We were just able to live on a mountain ridge a bit sooner this way. Our home is large but ordinary, the kind of place where people immediately feel welcome and at ease. Our guests tend to gather in our kitchen around the center work island. No matter what the occasion, it's always casual in the end. The setting, with endless vistas of forestland and mountain peaks, doesn't lend itself well to glamour. People want to sit on the decks or go hiking or find a hammock to read and nap.

We like it that way. When I must go to a city on business, we enjoy the cultural diversity, the shopping opportunities, and the fine dining, but we're always eager to come home to our ridge where life is quiet and simple. As a kid who dreamed of becoming a writer, I envisioned a life pretty much like the one I have now, so I suppose it's fair to say that trees and mountain views are my idea of paradise.

You write Contemporary and Historicals. Do you enjoy writing one genre more than the other?

I enjoy writing both very much, and I'm thrilled to report that NAL has just purchased my first historical in a good many years, which will be the second or third book in my new contract. I'm not sure what it will be about yet, but if you're a fan of my historicals, rest assured another will soon be on its way.

What inspires you to write your stories? Do they just 'come to you' or do you plan them out?

I'm inspired by a great many things-seeing someone on a sidewalk or reading something in a magazine. I never know what may grab me next. When I do come upon a story idea, I map out the plot in synopsis form. I don't necesessarily stick to the road map as I'm writing. My characters tend to take over. But at least I have something to guide me along the way.

What authors do you enjoy reading?

This is a question I must dodge, not because I don't have favorite authors, but because I have many friends in this business and I want to keep them! What if I forget to mention someone? I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Suffice it to say that I have broad reading tastes and enjoy all kinds of books. I will say, though, that I read mostly romance. It is my first love, and I believe it always will be.

Have you ever suffered from 'writer's block'? If so, how did you get out of it?

Gosh, don't all writers hit a brick wall at one point or another? I certainly have. I am blessed in my husband, who is always there for me. I'm also blessed in my faith. When I grow exhausted or discouraged, I pray about it. The third and possibly most important thing that helps me keep going is my readers. Just when I'm convinced I can't write my way out of a paper bag, I'll get a letter from someone who tells me my book helped her through the darkest period of her life. That reassures me that I'm doing something worthwhile. I also need those everyday letters from readers who just write to say they enjoy my work. I truly don't know what I would do without my readers, so if you've almost written to an author and didn't because you felt shy, don't hesitate. He or she may be needing a word of encouragement!

Of all your published books, do you have a favorite?

No, I really don't have a favorite. I used to try my best to name one special book when asked this question, but they're all special to me in some way or I wouldn't have written them. As a result, they're all a favorite in some way.

Blue Skies is scheduled to come out in January 2004. Can you tell us what else we can look forward to in 2004?

In 2004, you can be looking for Bright Eyes, Zeke Coulter's story. It's a funny, romantic book with a bit of a mystery tossed into the mix to keep you turning the pages. Rest assured, though, that the main focus is the wonderful romance, as it always is in my books, with the external plot remaining external.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

Don't get stuck rewriting the first few chapters. Write the book and finish it. I've known many very talented beginning writers who stalled out on the first three chapters. That is so sad and such a loss to the publishing world. I also recommend that you join a critique group-a good one, which means you should leave after a session feeling encouraged and excited, not depressed. Classes given by published writers are also helpful. Lastly, believe in yourself.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

I am blessedly between projects right now and enjoying my family. After New Year's, I will begin plotting a synopsis for my next book, but for now, I'm doing ordinary, holiday stuff.

When you're not writing, what do you enjoy doing? Do you have any hobbies?

When I'm not writing, I enjoy reading, painting, crocheting, walking in the woods, and spending time with family and friends.

Anything else you would like to add?

I want to tell my readers how very much I appreciate their unfailing loyalty and support. Without you, where would I be? Thank you so much for all you're wonderful letters. You are what it's all about.

Thank you again, Catherine, for interviewing with us!


Interviewed by:
Cindy