Meet and Greet: Catherine West

Book Giveaway Drawing! 
Read the details later in this post.

Catherine West

Educated in Bermuda, England and Canada, Catherine holds a degree in English from the University of Toronto. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or tending to her roses and orchids. Catherine and her husband live on the beautiful island of Bermuda, with their two college-aged children. Catherine is a member of Romance Writers of America, and American Christian Fiction Writers, and is a founding member of International Christian Fiction Writers. Catherine’s debut novel Yesterday’s Tomorrow, will release in March 2011, through Oak Tara Publishers. 

BRC: Welcome! What brings you to Book Readers Central?

I’m a new author, my debut novel, Yesterday’s Tomorrow, releases on March 15^th!

BRC: What genres do you write?

I write contemporary romance and women’s fiction. I love my books to have a spiritual theme woven into the plot, and of course I’m big on romance, so that’s definitely in there!

BRC: Why are you an author?

I write because I love it! There’s something very satisfying about creating a story, watching characters come alive on the page, and then later, hearing feedback from readers who really resonated with the themes in the book.

BRC: How would you describe your book?

Yesterday’s Tomorrow is an Inspirational Contemporary Romance. Here’s the blurb:

It’s 1967 and Kristin Taylor wants to go to Vietnam to report on the war, and honor her father’s memory by becoming an award-winning journalist like he was. But no editor will send her. So she strikes out on her own and steps into a world more terrifying than she’d imagined.

As she encounters the horrors of war, Kristin struggles to report the truth while desperately trying to keep tabs on her only brother who enlisted some time ago, but both tasks seem impossible.

When she meets photographer Luke Maddox, Kristin knows she’s found a story. The mystery beneath his brooding eyes triggers her curiosity. She’s convinced he’s hiding something and determines to discover his secrets. The only trouble is, he won’t let her within three feet of him.

In an unexpected twist, Kristin and Luke are forced to work together. With war raging all around them, they engage in their own tumultuous battle of emotions. Headstrong and willing to risk it all for what they believe in, they’ll do whatever it takes to fulfill their own private agendas. Kristin is after a story that might get her the Pulitzer. Luke wants retribution from the enemy that took away his family. In the face of death, Kristin and Luke must decide if they’re willing to set aside selfish ambition for the love that seems to have ambushed them and captured their hearts.

BRC: What do you hope the reader takes away after reading it?

I would love for readers to gain a better understanding of that tumultuous time period and the hard decisions people had to make. Also, I hope they receive the underlying message that God is there through the hard times, even when we don’t think He is, and that He’s working for good in our lives.

BRC: Which is your favorite character from your book?

Luke. J He’s gone through some really horrendous things, yet he refuses to give in to the pain. And I love his sense of commitment to his country and the ones he loves.

BRC: Do you have a funny or touching story that relates to your book?

Researching Yesterday’s Tomorrow was a time-consuming process. Admittedly, I really knew very little about The Vietnam War. Once I was immersed in the research and writing of this book, my whole outlook on war and the men and women on the frontlines had changed. I have a deep admiration and utmost respect for those who serve their country and lay down their lives in the name of freedom. I had to think about those who protest war as well, because they also believe in what they stand for. I’m not sure I’ll ever make sense of it all, just like my heroine, Kristin, didn’t, but I do know that we all need to honor our Veterans and never forget the price they paid.

BRC: Good thoughts. 

          Tell us about your writing process.

I’m a Seat-of-the-Pantser, meaning I don’t plot. I try to come up with a bit of an outline once I have a story idea taking shape in my head. I spend a lot of time working on my characters first, and then go from there. I also tend to edit as I go, which is time consuming and a habit I’d like to break, but it’s pretty ingrained in me now!

BRC: What will you write next?

I’m working on a family saga type novel called Reprisal. It’s about five estranged siblings who reunite to decide what to do with their family estate in Nantucket that they can no longer afford, and their elderly father who is showing signs of dementia.

BRC: Which books do you recommend to readers?

I think if readers are looking for good quality fiction, any book in *CBA fits the bill, and we have plenty of genres to choose from! Outside of *CBA my favorite authors are those who write in a similar vein – Lisa Wingate, Debbie Macomber, I love Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher.

BRC: Where can readers find you online?

Visit my website: http://www.catherinejwest.com

Blog: http://www.catherinewestblog.blogspot.com

Twitter @CathWest

Facebook Author Page

Posted by Janalyn Voigt, author of novel books

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Book Giveaway Drawing: Catherine West will give away a free copy of Yesterday's Tomorrow to a reader of this blog. To enter, leave a comment to this post. If you are a follower of Book Readers Central and tell me so in a separate comment, I'll give you an extra chance to win. 

Please include a valid email address in an anti-spam format (example: youremailhandle[at]gmail[dot]com]) or your entry will become invalid. Entries will be accepted until this Thursday at midnight (Pacific Time/US).

I'll announce the winner on Book Readers Central on Friday. The winner must respond within two weeks of notification. Detailed rules of giveaways on Book Reader's Central are located in the footer of this blog.