Author Interview: Catherine Evans

About the author:
Catherine Evans writes stories set in Australia's outback and country towns. Although she grew up in Sydney, she moved to the country as soon as she could and loves it. After working in agriculture for many years, she now works with her creative side and writes about the places she loves. She lives with her husband in a small town on the coast of New South Wales, Australia.

What inspires you to write romantic fiction?
Love is everywhere, yet it's so difficult to define and understand. It's a necessary part of life. Learning to love (not just with romantic love) is something I do all the time, and I'm continually adjusting my understanding. Romantic love is one of the most fascinating aspects of life and I'm drawn to writing about things I haven't fully worked out.

Tell us about how you write.
An idea pops into my head, and then I write to find my story. I try write a fast first draft. It's not the easiest way to write (but it's how I work) because sometimes I go down dead ends, or mess up parts, and I have all sorts of grammatical and technical problems.

Once the mess is on the page, then I can go back and sort it out to be a story someone else might enjoy. I'm very glad I wasn't a writer when there was only paper and a quill – I would have had hand cramps and a huge paper and ink bill!

Do you listen to or talk to to your characters?
I listen to them a lot – or else I go down dead ends and have to rewrite lots! When I write, I don't see pictures, I hear my characters telling me their story (and yes, I know that sounds nuts). I write to find out who they are, what they're problems are, and how they can find their love.

What advice would you give other romance writers?
I've had lots and lots of help from so many other writers. My advice is to find other writers, work with them, enjoy their company, learn from each other, work with each other. Writing a story is very much a solo effort, but having people around you who understand makes the journey so much more enjoyable.

You might notice that all my books are stories with other people. I am writing a book of my own, but it's having loads of rewriting issues, and so I've worked with others-learning more, and having fun-while I mess around trying to get my own story right. One day it may see the light of day!

How did you decide how to publish your books?
Initially, I went with a publisher because I wanted to know that someone impartial liked my story and writing. I figured if an editor/publisher liked it, and then it went through the editing process, I would be sure I wasn't just a fluke or people being nice to me.

The current book "Untamed Destinies" was random, out of the blue. I met a writer at a workshop and she asked if I wanted to work with her and a friend. I'm learning heaps and heaps about self-publishing and I'd like to do more in the future because it's been fun (hard work, but interesting).

What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I'm excited for the future of book publishing. I've been a book addict all my life and it just seems easier and easier to get my hands on books now, and find books that are different and unusual and perfectly what I'd like to read. On my e-reader, I can read whatever I want, without anyone seeing or commenting, and that opens up all sorts of interesting reads and stops any feelings of shame or guilt that I may have had in the past.

Which romance sub-genere(s) fit your stories best?
country or western or rural romance

My books are available in the following formats:
eBook

Find this author on:


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.