Cathy, describe yourself for our visitors.
I love exploring ruins and historical sites, old diaries and books, attic trunks– places and things that time forgot. My imagination runs wild in those moments and I conjure stories and images that lead me down all sorts of rabbit holes.
I love campfires. One of my favorite things is to sit around the campfire by our house on a chilly evening, listening to my son play his guitar while we all sing or grow mellow– after eating too many roasted marshmallows!
I also love reading good books and those moments when I’m writing and feel in sync with the Lord, prepared and partnered for the mission He’s given me. I love riding my bike on a sunny day and dancing with my husband.
I love hands on mission work, Bible Study classes, mentoring, and Christian drama. I love talking with family and friends– sharing our lives and the joys of the Gospel. There is nothing like an animated discussion to make my heart sing– not because we agree or disagree, but because God is everything.
How do you find time to connect with God?
I begin praying with my first conscious morning thought and keep that conversation running with the Lord until I fall asleep at night. I am the child and He the parent watching over me, walking beside me in all I do. I know I can go to Him with the smallest need or delight– mine or others. That constantly amazes me. Spending time in Scripture is important for me. It reminds me that nothing is new under the sun, and that God’s Word is applicable to every situation in every generation. No matter how many times I’ve read a passage, I’m continually surprised by joy and how He has gone ahead, fulfilling our needs before we know we have them. Worship in community centers me, and I am so grateful for services at my church.
Tell us about your journey to publication.
My first publication was in a local newspaper. I started with a letter to the editor, then did feature and in-depth stories for that and other newspapers. Some of my poetry was published locally, my plays and monologues were performed on local stages, and I won an honorable mention in Writer’s Digest’s short story competition. I submitted essays that were published in “My Turn To Care– Care Givers of Aging Parents”; “Chicken Soup for the Single’s Soul”; and “Woman’s World.” I submitted “William Henry is a Fine Name” individually to a number of secular publishers and to Writer’s Edge to reach the Christian market. My editor from Moody Publishers saw the book listed on Writer’s Edge and contacted me.
Tell us about your current book.
It is 1859 in William Henry is a Fine Name when thirteen-year-old Robert is torn between loyalty to his abolitionist father and his mother’s slave-holding family.
After his best friend, William Henry, is trapped in a deadly scheme to protect secrets of the Underground Railroad, Robert vows never to get involved again. But when he discovers his grandfather’s plan to sell his own son, born of a slave woman, Robert must decide whether to stand idly by or risk everything to help him escape.
William Henry Is A Fine Name is a coming of age story, a tale of friends — and a nation — caught in the chaos of slavery.
How did you come up with ideas for your current release?
I’ve long been fascinated by the daring and commitment of Underground Railroad runners, conductors, and station masters and knew I wanted to write about that. I imagined the friendship of two boys, of different races, caught in the crossfire of their grownups’ conflict and a nation’s turmoil. When I learned about the false bottom wagon on display at Mendenhall Plantation in North Carolina, I was off and running. I was married in a historic North Carolina church with a balcony that had once been a slave gallery. I’d often imagined that the bell tower of that church would be a good place to hide. The story fell into place naturally once I understood the significance of William Henry’s name and the relationship of the slave, Jeremiah, to the Ashton family.
List your most recent books.
“William Henry is a Fine Name” is my first novel. I contributed stories to “Chicken Soup for the Single’s Soul” and “My Turn To Care– Encouragement for Caregivers of Aging Parents.”
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a stand-alone sequel to “William Henry is a Fine Name” that will follow my characters through conflicts of the Civil War. The projected release date is January 2008.
Where can visitors find you online?
“William Henry is a Fine Name” is available through Moody, Christianbook.com, Amazon, and Crossings.com.
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