Today I have Catherine Converse, author of The In Between and Fade to Silver, on my blog talking about her life as an author.
Interview
Do you write full-time? If so, what is your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I am a mom full time right now. So my writing time is quite limited. Everyone is at pre-school/school three days a week so I squeeze a few hours in those days. But it is super hard to find the time right now, but it’s also my sanity. Writing soothes me in the chaos.
What is the best thing about being a writer? The worst?
The best thing about being a writer is setting the stories free. I love releasing them into the world and making them real. It is such a great feeling. The worst is what it feels like to stare at a blank page or feel completely stuck. Not fun!
What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)
The worst advice (as a self-pub author) has been to fit into a formula. This story should be so and so # of words and characters fits these molds and story has a defined flow and so on. I do believe in story structure and character development, but I do also think a story needs room to breathe and thrive. The best advice was to get an editor. This is the one area I wouldn’t ever do myself personally!
What fuels you as an author to continue to write?
What fuels me? Coffee. And the people that write me and say, “when is the next book coming out????”, and my kids. They think I am cool because I am an author. That in itself is enought to keep going.
How do you conceive your plot ideas?
My plots seem to slowly come to me over time. Music is a huge piece. It really spurs my imagination. Fade to Silver was written to The Xx and Florence and the Machine mostly. Once I turn that music on, my brains just fires off. It’s cool. I have always been a daydreamer that way.
Do you outline your books or just start writing?
The first book, I just started writing because I had no idea I was actually writing a book! The sequel had a very loose outline, but my characters basically had their own ideas and it ended up very far from the outline, but sooooo much better!
What kind of research did you do for this book?
Research: I did a ton. I shocked myself when I started writing and it became science fiction. So I had to see where I might go with technology. Also there are psychological factors with some of my characters that I wanted to make sure I understood.
Did you base any of your characters on real people?
I think there is probably a little bit of people I know in every character. But not necessarily based on one particular person. Experiences I have had over time with different people and relationships I have had definitely have impacted how my characters developed. People are complex so I really appreciate differences and I am super intrigued by the brain. I’dlove to explore this even more in future books to help shape my characters.
If you could be one of the characters from any of your books, who would it be and why?
If I could be any character in my book, I’d be Dannika. I know she’s wild and has some mental issues, but she’s strong and loyal and her heart is always in the right place. Also, she kicks a lot of butt!
If you could meet two authors, who would you pick and why?
I would have loved to meet the late Phillip K. Dick. After seeing the movie The Adjustmaent Bureau, I read the short story and then got hooked. Started reading lots of his stuff. His style spoke to me as a storyteller and a writer and his work has definitely inspired me and this series. I would also love to meet T. Greenwood. She writes beautiful literary fiction about the human condition, and delves into the psychological issues behind common issues in everyday families that struggle with economic and social issues. It’s always heartfelt and has so much depth. Just love her.
Book Description
Adie is forced into new territory when her dream overlaps with a complete stranger in a different part of the country, while Dannika escapes from Research, not accepting the new assets in her brain that will change the way she works forever. Despite their separation, their lives merge once again to solve a major corporate conspiracy case, where one man has already lost his life, and Adie has set interference in motion on the next victim in line. But the corporation holds something that is so special, they aren’t the only ones that are willing to kill for it.
With two young men battling for her affection, Adie struggles to keep focus on the case. Once again, Adie and Dannika become the targets, as they become identified as obstacles for those who are after the corporation’s unique discovery. Until it becomes clear that only one person has the power to stop the chain reaction that has begun. And only one question will reveal that person. Who holds the key?
About the Author
Catherine Converse lives with her husband and four children in beautiful Montana.
If not writing, or researching, she would really like to be outside with her family, preferably snowboarding in winter, and playing with their horses in summer.
Grateful for such a blessed life and the ability to do the kind of work she loves, she just hopes to bring stories of all kinds to life, and enjoyment to those who read them.
Catherine also writes children’s books under the pen name Lizzy Anne Reid. Check out Wubba the Wizard and the Sally Series on Amazon Kindle.
You can find out more about Catherine on her website or receive updates on current books and new releases on Facebook.
You can see all of Catherine’s books on her Amazon Author page or go straight to The In Between or Fade to Silver to purchase them.
You can see video trailers for her books here.
Into Another World 