Ask the Author: Catherine Anderson
Answered Questions (19)
Catherine Anderson
It is a completely logical assumption -- but wrong -- that the author of a book makes the decision about when and if it is released in electronic format. I am sorry to say those decisions are entirely in the hands of the publishers. I am no longer with the publishing house that released "Annie's Song," and I have no idea of what their plans are for releasing it in digital format. If they do have any intention of doing so, they have not contacted me.
Many readers have asked me about this. If it were up to me, I would release it in digital format tomorrow!
Many readers have asked me about this. If it were up to me, I would release it in digital format tomorrow!
Catherine Anderson
I have contracts for several more novels in the Mystic Creek series, but that doesn't mean I have given up writing historicals by any means. I still have Esa Paxton's story to share, and I am giving serious consideration to writing another book in the Comanche series. More historicals will definitely be coming!
Catherine Anderson
Because my publishing contract requires it. They want a series that features a new romance with each novel, although continuing characters do show up in the other books.
Catherine Anderson
I don't know the answer to that, Alexis. I have written several, but they seem to be few and far between. I am at a loss to explain why. I have written a romance about a wheelchair-bound heroine called "Phantom Waltz" that I might recommend to you, if you haven't already read it.
Catherine Anderson
Did you know that there are three more books in that series? The second one is Comanche Heart, the third one is Indigo Blue, and the fourth one is Comanche Magic.
Catherine Anderson
I'm not sure right now, Lyn...I have a couple of contract books I must write first, but I do intend to expand on that series. I fell in love with Gabe!
Catherine Anderson
I haven't written Esa's story yet and I have a few contracted books to write first, but no worries...Esa's story will be told.
Catherine Anderson
It is available in audio book form, Danielle!
Catherine Anderson
The title is "Mulberry Moon," and Ben Sterling will be the hero! As to when it will be out -- I am still writing it. Thank you for your condolences...I am moving ahead, but sometimes it is still hard.
Catherine Anderson
This is a question I can never really answer. I fall in love with each and every book and hero, and it feels wrong within me to hold fast to a favorite.
Catherine Anderson
I definitely plan to write Esa's story. Timing will depend upon my publisher's schedule.
Catherine Anderson
Annie's story spoke to my heart in so many ways that it is difficult for me to choose only one scene that is my absolute favorite. Having said that, my aim for Annie in the story was for her to be able to lead a normal life, so I suppose my favorite scenes were toward the end of the novel when she prevailed by learning to speak, read, and be self-sufficient enough to be a wife and mother. Nowadays, the hearing impaired accomplish much grander achievements and compete in the workforce with those who are not hearing impaired, but for Annie, in her era, her achievements were pretty spectacular. With some education and the support of one man, she broke away from the bondage of silence.
Catherine Anderson
I taught preschool at a day care center, and one day a little girl named Tina was placed in my care. Tina was deaf, and through her I experienced what it might be like to be trapped in a world of silence. I fell wildly in love with this child. One day Tina's mother told me that she was thinking about putting Tina up for adoption, not because she didn't love Tina, but because she feared that she would be financially unable to get Tina the special education that she would need to live a normal and productive life. That night I approached my husband Sid about our adopting this precious little girl. Sid came to my classroom to meet Tina, and she immediately stole his heart. In the end, Tina's mother opted to keep Tina. I was sad, but also very glad. There was a striking family resemblance between Tina, her mother, and her grandmother. It would have been such a shame for Tina to grow up without knowing her actual relatives.
It is difficult to put my feelings for Tina into words. One morning I found her on the floor with a toy truck. As she pushed it back and forth, she pressed her face against it and made moaning, guttural sounds. I sat beside her and discovered that the truck vibrated when it moved. For perhaps the first time, Tina was "hearing" something. I was fascinated and overjoyed for her.
When Tina left my classroom, she took a part of my heart with her, and I vowed to myself that if I ever became a published writer, I would write a book about a deaf girl. There was so little public understanding of deafness at the time, and I hoped my novel would give readers a glimpse of how it might feel to live in silence.
Right around the time that Annie's Song was released, a new Miss America was crowned, and she was deaf. A film was also released about a deaf woman. I like to think it was a year that changed our world, making it a better place for the hearing impaired.
It is difficult to put my feelings for Tina into words. One morning I found her on the floor with a toy truck. As she pushed it back and forth, she pressed her face against it and made moaning, guttural sounds. I sat beside her and discovered that the truck vibrated when it moved. For perhaps the first time, Tina was "hearing" something. I was fascinated and overjoyed for her.
When Tina left my classroom, she took a part of my heart with her, and I vowed to myself that if I ever became a published writer, I would write a book about a deaf girl. There was so little public understanding of deafness at the time, and I hoped my novel would give readers a glimpse of how it might feel to live in silence.
Right around the time that Annie's Song was released, a new Miss America was crowned, and she was deaf. A film was also released about a deaf woman. I like to think it was a year that changed our world, making it a better place for the hearing impaired.
Catherine Anderson
I force myself to write. In my opinion, there is no such thing as writer's block. There is only life and stress getting in the way of writing. At that point, you must force yourself to write. And if it doesn't turn your crank. keep writing. Eventually, the bug will bite you.
Catherine Anderson
I wanted to be a writer all of my life. And in my mid-thirties, with fabulous support from my husband, I became a professional writer. I imagined living on a mountaintop and being rich, so rich that I could type away all day and enjoy nature to inspire me. Well, I found my mountaintop, and it was glorious, but dreams are seldom what we believe they will be. In short, money is a concern no matter who we are. And as a writer, you can't ignore the rest of the world. And the world moves in on you, with those people thinking you don't have a "real" job. No boss, in their minds. No set hours. They want your attention NOW. You just play all day, in other words. So I can't really say that there is something great about being a writer, except that I struggle to find time to do what I love to do and I can earn a decent living at it. That said, it is a struggle to find the time to write, and I burn a lot of midnight oil.
Catherine Anderson
Read copiously in your favored genre and write. Write, revise, and write. Then send it in. Go to writer conferences to learn. In short, if you yearn to put a story on a page, JUST DO IT!
Catherine Anderson
I just sent off the final edit of NEW LEAF today. So now I'm focusing on the next story that I absolutely "must" write. I have no title yet.
Catherine Anderson
I honestly can't explain my writing process. I experience something. I meet someone. I read about someone. And it haunts me. And then I have a story I absolutely must tell.
Catherine Anderson
I get ideas for books from observing real life. My most recent book was SILVER THAW. I lived through a horrible ice storm. It paralyzed our community in ways I never thought possible, and in the book, practically everything you will read about due to the ice storm actually happened in my world. Marble, the ewe, who lay down, froze to the ground, and ripped off half of her wool was a casualty of that storm. She lived by benefit of a wool jacket, just as Marble in the book does. The mourning doves lived on Cinnamon Ridge, and the female froze to the ground. Her mate mourned her death and died three days later. Anyway, I digress. I get story ideas from the world around me, sometimes up close and personal, sometimes by things I see on the news.
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