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- About CathyI hail from: I was raised in Olathe, KS. I am a Kansan by nature–stubborn, loyal, independent. I now consider Virginia my home and think I have adapted well to the Southern way of life (although I’ll never be a good cook!) My family: Children, two dogs, a cat, and two horses. They keep me busy, busy, busy. My favorite quote: From Debbie Macomber, “Attitude is the key . . . each one of us is as successful as we make up our minds to be.” My most embarrassing moment: I have many. I’m gullible. If you have a good practical joke, I’m the one to play it on. I would dress for a costume party as: Wanda, the Good Witch. O to be perpetually pleasant! But notice that she didn’t put up with any nonsense from the Munchkins. The most dangerous thing I have done: Marry a man I’d known less than a month. He made me laugh (and looked good in uniform). Kevin passed away almost twenty-five years to date he asked me to marry him. It was a great marriage. We both enjoyed a good laugh and I respected his compassion and generosity of spirit, two qualities…
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Book Clubs! Laura Lee Guhrke
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Hello my wonderful readers! I have a recommendation for your next Romance Book Club meeting: THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE AND DUKES by Laura Lee Guhrke. Her book NO MISTRESS OF MINE is a 2017 Rita Finalist with Romance Writers of America. So there you have it, I’m not recommending just any writer. Plus, THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE AND DUKES is …
Read MoreWe Did It! A Romance Yarn Report
The first Romance reading program in Richmond, A Romance Yarn, was held November 4th. What a great evening! First, Dances with Wool proved to be the perfect venue. The shop is cozy and welcoming. There were comfy chairs as well as folding ones. Some people brought their knitting and settled right in. There was wine, cocoa, tea, and chocolate. …
Read MoreGood bye, Beautiful Richmond/Get Ready, Austin!
I’m moving from Richmond and to be honest, I’m a bit surprised I am. I love it here. I raised my children in this city. I’ve established myself and had a grand doing it. I adore my house. Of course, I knew that someday I’d move. The kids are no longer here. I’m pragmatic. The time would come when …
Read MoreOnce More with Gusto—Organizing the Writer
I’m desperate to get myself organized. Yes, this stuff is usually reserved for January and a new year but I’m preparing to move from my wonderful Richmond to Austin. Big changes are coming. (I’ll share more info as I go along) and I know if I don’t reset my goals and focus, I will get nothing done over these next …
Read MoreLessons I’ve Learned Along the Way
I started seriously writing in 1991. This coming May 2016, I will have been at this profession for twenty-five years. That’s a good milestone. So, here are a few things I’ve learned over the years. I’ll add more as I consider them: No one will believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself. Few of us are asked …
Read MoreAlan Alda, Dead Cats, and Making Story Matter
I heard Alan Alda speak last Saturday night. He was charming and fun. He grew up in Vaudeville and knows how to tell a story. What I wasn’t expecting was a bit of plot development insight. Referring to Aristotle’s observation that a story has “a beginning, a middle, and an end,” he observed that so does a dead cat. …
Read MoreAdvice on Author Readings? Go!
It isn’t unusual for authors of other genres to read their work at book signings. However, in Romance, we haven’t done it that often until Hope Tarr, Maya Rodale, and others started Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC. Now there are a host of Romance genre reading programs, many using the “Lady Jane” in the title, around the country. The first …
Read MoreTrademark Me: Be Love
Some people go for tattoos; others for significant jewelry—and use them to create symbols that define their lives. I’ve done one of the two. I’ll let you decide which. However, recently, I found myself mulling over the idea of a definitive statement for me. What truly defined me? What principle has guided everything I have done in my life, …
Read MoreWhat to Say to a Veteran
This was first published on foxnews.com November 12, 2012. It is currently being used by the Palliative Care Unit of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital on their certificates honoring the service of their patients: Thank you for stepping forward when others step back. Thank you for placing yourself between us and danger. Thank you for delaying plans for college, marriage, and …
Read MoreMaxwell’s Thoughts About Endings—
I received a request for general rules on how to end a good, loving story. Or any story for that matter. Although I HATE writing rules, here are my thoughts. Good endings wrap up loose ends. All questions should be answered. When I start your book, you and I have a pact: I’ll read to the end; you’ll tie …
Read MoreComing Soon!
