Thank you,
Emma, for having me here today. I’m delighted.
Welcome, Cathie! Please share a little bit about yourself.
I write
historical fiction & romantic suspense. My novels aren’t usually category,
but rather a mix of romance and mainstream. In July 2011, I saw my dream come
true when The Wild Rose Press published my historical Scottish romance,
Highland Arms. I was so thrilled.
I have been
writing on and off since I was a teenager, however, I only got a real ‘look in’
when I took a course in Creative Writing a few years ago, learning more about
the craft itself. My mind is constantly thinking up stories. Even as a child,
when I went out to play, I imagined I was George of The Famous Five, inventing
adventures with my friends. Great fun!
I love
exploring the settings for my novels. Living in Scotland makes it easy - just
hop in the car for a visit to the in-laws near Loch Ness for a spot of Nessie
hunting. Along the way, we pass through stunning landscapes such as Glencoe and
the central Highlands. I never tire of the views and probably have thousands of
photos of the same spots.
On a holiday to
Normandy, France, I managed to squeeze in several visits for research purposes.
Visiting Bayeux, Falaise, and Mortagne, I took lots of photos and scribbled
furiously into my notepad. Dark Deceit was in its early stages, still set in
England, and at the time I didn’t know how much influence my break would have
in the end.
Why do you write the stories you write?
I love history,
exploring castle ruins and cathedrals, reading up about long-dead kings and
queens and all their shenanigans. Creating characters, plots and settings in
past eras makes me experience those days, and I’m keen to share those ideas
with my readers.
Whilst living
in Wales, I took part in medieval re-enactment which I thoroughly enjoyed and
which provided me with much in depth knowledge of everyday life. And I even hit
bull’s eye as an archer!
What are your writing goals for this year?
I’m currently
one third through a contemporary suspense novella - my first non-historical.
Still feels weird writing about phones, the internet, cars and guns instead of
horses, swords and ladies in long gowns. Such a different take on characters,
too. An interesting change.
By the summer I
hope to have completed a medieval Scottish romance, and later on in the year
finish at least part 2 in The Anarchy Trilogy, following the recent release of
part 1, Dark Deceit. If all goes well, I might even get to start on part 3 this
year.
Do you have any releases scheduled for this year?
Dark Deceit - a
historical with romantic and mystery elements - has just been released by
Crooked Cat Publishing, and I hope to have part 2 of the trilogy ready for late
autumn. This spring, I’m going to self publish the contemporary novella, just
to see what it’s like. Many of my writer friends have now gone down that route,
and I’m curious how I can make it work for my own stories.
What do you like to read?
I enjoy reading
historical fiction and romance. Nothing better than to escape modern stress by
delving into the past. That way, I can travel across the world and discover all
kinds of different experiences. I don’t limit myself to specific eras -
medieval, Regency, Ancient Egypt, I love them all.
I also like
thrillers - gritty, full of conspiracies, with flawed characters that make such
stories fascinating. While I tend to hide behind a cushion whenever horror or
serious thrillers are on TV, a book allows me to see the story in my own eyes.
Far less scary!
What would you like to know from readers?
I’d love to
know why readers still love Highlanders. They’ve been around for decades. Is it
the drama of Scottish history, the injustice, the brooding men, or the stunning
landscapes? Or is it - pure and simple - a man in a kilt?
Links:
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CathieDunnAuthor
(new page)
twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/cathiedunn
7 comments:
Great interview, ladies! And for me, the highlander is always strong, capable and oh, SO manly! ;)
Rachel x
Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself, Cathie. I like Highlanders because of the accents, the kilt, the dark broody, brawniness of the men. It's all good. :)
Thanks for having me here, Emma. I enjoyed mulling over your questions. :-)
I'm with you on the broody, and the brawniness... fits the rugged landscape.
Rachel, you're so right - he has to be strong. Thanks for stopping by!
Sorry I missed the blog yesterday! Busy getting hubby packed and clothes ironed.
I with Rachel, love a man in a kilt!
Loved Highland Arms, and I'm looking forward to reading Dark Deceit!
Neecy
Thank you for popping in, Neecy! Yes, a kilt adds to a man (unless he's scrawny! lol).
Sadly, no Highlanders in Dark Deceit, but there will be more Highland romance in future...
That is one stunning cover, Cathie. As for your question, all of the above, but especially men in kilts.
Thank you, Mackenzie. Yes, us girls seem to like a man in a kilt. I certainly like my hubby wearing it...
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