Interview with the lovely Cate Masters

Thanks so much for having me at Fiction Dreams, Suzy! I love your blog header – so cute! :)
It's my pleasure, Cate! It's great to have you here :)

Do dreams ever inspire your writing? What did you last dream about?
I wish! I’ve never dreamed a story like some writers do. However, I spend a good part of the day daydreaming. :)
I do dream almost every night, but usually wake up with only a vague recollection of the actual dream. When I was young, I kept a dream diary and still vividly recall some of those – riding on white horses with The Beatles (yes, I was a Beatlemaniac), a very cool castle under the ocean.
Last night’s dream, I remember because it was kind of awful. I was forced to return to a job I hated, one that stole all my energy and time and focus. I was miserable when I worked there because I had zero time to write.

When did you first start writing? And when were you first published?
Long, long ago in a galaxy far away.... lol. A solitary childhood brought out the writer in me at age 11, mainly poems back then. I was on the school newspaper staffs, and loved essays. In my 20s, I turned to fiction, though I didn’t seriously pursue publication for another decade, at least. Aside from a few short stories published in literary magazines and ezines, my first stories were with online publishers in 2009.

What is it about 'chick lit' that appeals to you the most? Do you read other genres? 
I love the humor of chick lit, but love that it’s also so realistic. The heroines are women I’d love to befriend!
I read any genre, really, if the book blurb catches my interest. I’m not a fan of labels, actually.

Can you tell us a little about your latest book?

Love to! Goddess, Awakened is the first in The Goddess Connection series, in which every heroine learns she’s related to a goddess. For this book, the goddess is Iris, a somewhat obscure goddess but she seemed perfect when I learned she was the Goddess of the Rainbow, the bridge between mortals and the realm beyond.
The heroine’s a little different too – she’s in her forties, widowed, and in starting her life over, she purchases a rundown bed and breakfast, in hopes customers will love the dishes she makes with the lavender she grows. Little does she know it sits atop a ley line, and those in The Underworld want to gain control of its power.
Here’s the blurb:
With a little help from a goddess, battling evil is a piece of cake for Jocelyn Gibson.
A descendant of the goddess Iris, Jocelyn Gibson may have forgotten about the realm of magic, but it hasn’t forgotten her. When Eric Hendricks is targeted by a demon, Joss must step in to battle the evil and save the town’s awkward, but endearing, vet…who also happens to be the man she loves.
Joss’s new inn, a culinary career specializing in cooking with lavender and a new love all make for a fine recipe of disaster. She needs to embrace her inner goddess and harness the powers she never knew she had before it’s too late.
Available from:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance eBooks | Kensington

What inspired you to write it?
The Goddess Connection series tag line is: Every woman should embrace her inner goddess. I’m very passionate about this idea! Too many women are so busy taking care of everyone else in their lives, they don’t nurture themselves enough.
Although every book in this series will be a stand-alone, another common thread is that each heroine’s lifelong quirks will become her strengths. Another idea I love – that being different is wonderful, and everyone should develop their talents and follow their bliss.
Lastly, I’m a huge fan of mythology, so had great fun researching and writing these stories. I have the draft of another finished, and am more than halfway done with the third.

Have you ever spotted anyone reading your books anywhere?
Not yet. Someday I hope to! :)

Who designs your covers?
The publishers assign cover artists, but do ask for suggestions so writers can have some input. For the ones I self-pubbed, I designed those covers. I love working with graphics – designing ads and book videos are a good creative outlet for me too.

If your latest book was made into a film, who would you cast?
I’d always imagined Diane Lane as Joss. Judi Dench would be fabulous as Gram, and Susan Sullivan would be perfect as Joss’s aunt. Oo, Jamie Foxx as Lord Plouton (aka Satan) would be amazing! For Sheree, the waitress-turned-demon, I’d love Helena Bonham-Carter, please. :)
I had an entire cast already assembled, lol.

What's your favourite Chick Lit book that made it to the big screen?
Hm, the one that springs to mind is Bridget Jones, though I’m sure I’ve seen others!

What were the last two books you read?
Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells, an action-packed paranormal set in a unique world, and Alice Hoffman’s The Museum of Extraordinary Things – love, love love her magical realism.

Name one female author who you think deserves to be better known.
Gosh, there are so many! Honestly, so many wonderful writers are published by electronic presses who deserve widespread recognition. Maria Zannini, for example – a fantastic author. Everyone should check her out.

Where do you write?
Mostly in my office, though I sometimes cart my laptop outside. I’ve also been known to scribble in notebooks in the car.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I am the seventh child of two parents who each had seven in their families. Probably not such a random fact for my mom and dad! (I opted for less than seven children, btw)

Who would play you in the movie about your life?

photo credit: nick step via photopin cc

According to the Buzzfeed quiz I took awhile back, Tina Fey. I agree, I think she’d be great!

Tell us an interesting fact about where you live.
My town doesn’t appear on most maps. It’s rather remote, and our house is set among the apple orchards. Absolutely gorgeous during any season.

What are your (writing) plans for the future?
To keep writing! And hopefully pleasing readers, enough so my books make it onto the bestseller lists!

Tell us one thing that's on your bucket list.
I’ve long wanted to travel around the world, and there are several writing workshops that would combine those two loves! One is Francis Ford Coppolla’s workshop in Belize, and another is in Italy.

Favourite myth / fairytale?
Oh, tough question. I’ve always been a huge Grimm fan (and now love the TV series), and mythology’s fraught with drama and treachery and romance. Hard to pick just one, seriously. The next subject for The Goddess Connection will be Persephone, though – she intrigues me. I also loved the idea of constellations portraying mythological figures, and wove that into a literary family saga called Orion Rising, under my other pen name: http://paintingfirewithwords.blogspot.com/p/orion-rising.html

Who (or what) did you want to be when you were a kid?
Originally, I wanted to be a journalist, or possibly a photojournalist. That changed when I fell in love with fiction.

Thanks again for having me today, Suzy! It was a real pleasure.

You're welcome here any time Cate! :)

Cate Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
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Twitter: @CateMasters

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