CATHY MAXWELL
Today I have the distinct pleasure of interviewing New York Times best selling author, CATHY MAXWELL! Okay Clan, let's get started!
Cathy Maxwell is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty historical romance novels. She never minds spending hours in front of her computer pondering the question, "Why do people fall in love?" To her, it remains the great mystery of life and the secret to happiness.
How long have you been writing, and have you always wanted to be a writer?
I started writing in 1991. I always knew I would write a book . . . but it wasn’t until I read Jennifer Blake’s FIERCE EDEN that I knew I wanted to write romance. Her book captured my imagination.
The media hypes e-books as a replacement for print books. This comment has some of the "old-school" well-established writers a bit disgruntled. As a print author what are your feelings?
I don’t have feelings one way or the other. A few years ago I organized an ebook symposium for the Virginia Romance Writers. By the way, it was not well attended even though we had a great line up of speakers including Malle Vallik. I learned a lot. The information was all part of my general education in the business. By the way, a good number of my backlist is in e-print and the symposium gave me some great ideas on how I wanted to market myself.
Look, this business, the entertainment business, is tough. I think the more venues for writers to jump in the fray the better.
Do you have any news you'd like to share with us~~new releases, WIPs?
The second in my “Seductions and Scandals” series, THE EARL CLAIMS HIS WIFE, came out last month. Now I’m turning my promotion energy on the third book in the series --THE MARRIAGE RING which will be hitting the stores in March ’10.
What is your writing routine like?
I’ll let you know when I develop one. The last couple of years have been hectic for me, major changes what with the kids all leaving for school. I seem to write better under pressure. This having all the time in the world to write isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Too much time leads to an idle mind. I’m in the process of changing that. I’ve been trying different methods although I draw a line at adopting more children. I don’t need that much pressure.
How do we find out about you and your books? Do you have a web site or Blog?
You can find me at www.cathymaxwell.com plus I spend too much time on Facebook. I’m always looking for new friends.
What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
I live life fully. I have my children, my horses, my Free Clinic work, and my love of travel.
How do you define the type of writer you are? Do you outline or go with the flow?
Each book seems to have its own pace and needs. I’d do voodoo if it would make the process easier, but I hate the smell of burnt chicken feathers. Embracing the work, realizing my process is what it is, and putting my butt in the chair seems to be the only method that works for me.
How important is a critique partner to a writer's success?
Important to success? Not very. Can a good critique partner help shorten the time it takes to see the mistakes? You betcha!
How important is the happily-ever-after ending?
It’s the reason I read romance. When my son was fourteen he suggested I do a book where the hero dies in the end. I asked why and he said so I could be different. I told him to stop being so male.
Explicit love scenes yes or no; if yes please explain; if not please explain.
I think whatever works for the story is what the writer should do. I’ve read riveting books where the hero and heroine didn’t hold hands and boring reads where they went at each other like monkeys.
What does it mean to be a New York Times Best Selling Author?
Sometimes I think it means I got lucky! What it doesn’t mean is that the writing process is easier, or that readers and critics will go easy on me, or that what I’ve written will outlast my lifetime. I’m very fortunate I hit the market when I did and found a readership who “gets” what I’m trying to do. I love my job. The success is the cherry on top of the whipped cream . . . but there are no guarantees. I stated earlier we are in the entertainment business. It’s fickle and depends a lot on luck. On the upside, I’m having the time of my life. I’m doing exactly what I want to do and there aren’t many people who can make that claim. Whenever I become discouraged, I ask myself if writing makes me happy. So far the answer has been yes and I keep going. The day I think this isn’t fun, I’ll quit--and that has been my attitude even before I was published.
Any advice or tips for those authors who have yet to be published?
Believe in yourself. You can’t make it if you don’t. Also, meet writers you admire and listen to how they run their careers. I believe in role models.
Where do your ideas come from?
You had to ask, didn’t you? <<<<Wink, wink, nudge, nudge>>>
Do you have a ritual you go through before sitting down to write? (Shaking a chicken bone at the screen, lighting candles, or gulping down a gallon of coffee)
I’m working on one. I’ll let you know if I’m successful.
What was the pivotal decision you made which elevated your career to becoming a NYT Best Selling author?
I tried to build a team of people I respected. I made an A list of agents and editors and a B list. I didn’t bother with the C list because no editor and no agent is better than a mediocre one. They can stall a career before it even gets started. On the A list were the professionals I most admired. The B list was composed of those I respected but weren’t my “dream” choice. I also did my research and knew why these people were on my lists. I didn’t take word-of-mouth. I did everything in my power to meet these people. I bought tapes of their talks at different conferences around the country and if an editor or agent came within a hundred miles of where I lived, I climbed in my car and drove to meet them. I didn’t have to have an interview. It was more important to observe how they handled themselves and witness how other industry professionals reacted to them.
I did the same with the writers whose careers I respected. I flew across country once to hear Judith McNaught speak. She gave advice in that speech that has been invaluable to me at the different stages of the career. The same is true of Heather Graham, Nora Roberts, and Kathleen Gilles Seidel amongst others. I have a good long list of authors I greatly admire and I still learn something new from them whenever I have the opportunity to hear them speak.
I’m going to climb on my soapbox here--I think we give too much credence to editors and agents without realizing our own power in this industry. It’s the writers who drive the stories. We come up with the new ideas and the trends that make readers dash into bookstores. Certainly it is a team effort to see a book published well but let us never forget the importance of the storyteller, the creator. I believe we must continually empower ourselves to keep our work fresh, imaginative, and alive. By the way, that’s tough to do in commercial fiction. All the more reason to search out those writers who do it well and listen to what they have to say.
Where can your readers find you?
I have my website . . . but I also get out from time to time. In May I’ll be a guest of the Wisconsin Romance Writers as one of their Write Touch Conference speakers. I’ve never been to Wisconsin before and am looking forward to meeting everyone.
Cathy is also the moderator of a radio program on Romance Talk Radio. You can catch one of her shows at www.authorsonair.com.
Thanks for taking time out from your busy schedule, Cathy, especially since this was short notice. We wish you continued success with your novels, and also a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks, Lisa! I enjoyed our visit. And a happy Thanksgiving to you, too!