My INTERVIEW With CATE MASTERS

Kiki: What is your favorite genre to read in, and what is it about that genre that attracts you to it? If you like a specific mix of genres, please state that particular combination.

Cate: Genre isn’t a concern to me. If I hear good things about a book, I’ll read it, whether literary, mainstream, romance, urban fantasy, historical, contemporary or whatever. My bookshelves are filled with any and all of the above, and then some. Labels aren’t important, it’s how well the author engages readers in the story, how compelling the plot, and the depth of the characters portrayed.

Kiki: What is your favorite author to read in that genre, and why? Also, please tell me a little about the best book by that author you have read.

Cate: Again, it’s not dependent on genre, and I have difficulty picking any favorites. The authors I most admire defy categorization.

Kiki: Do you have a Favorite Book of All Time? Of course, please tell us what about that book makes it your favorite.

Cate: I honestly don’t. Certain authors made a deep and lasting impression on me so I seek out their books: Alice Hoffman, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, Michael Chabon and TC Boyle.

Kiki: What is the best book you read last month, and would you recommend it to a friend?

Cate: Natasha Mostert’s Season of the Witch, which had elements of urban fantasy, literary, suspense and romance. It was a wonderful read because all those elements worked seamlessly together. Definitely a recommended read.

Kiki: What are your reading habits like? For example, how many books do you read on average in a week, what format do you prefer to read in, what time of day do you read, and what setting is ideal for you to get lost in that book?

Cate: My reading habits are sporadic. I keep a book tucked in my handbag, about a dozen at my bedside and have dozens of ebooks on my computer. I sneak in a read whenever there’s downtime. Luckily I have some great critique partners whose stories always keep me entertained too – I love having a sneak peek at their work.

Kiki: If pressed, could you choose a favorite from the books you have written? Why is it your favorite?

Cate: No, that would be like picking a favorite child. It’s always the one I’m writing at the time because I fall in love with the characters. My books span from contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy to mainstream, romance, speculative – whatever idea strikes me hard enough to follow through.

Kiki: How do you become inspired to write?

Cate: One of my favorite quotes is from the bestselling novelist Barbara Kingsolver: Chain that muse to the desk and get the job done. I don’t wait for inspiration. I sit at the computer and write, or jot story lines in a notebook whenever possible.

Kiki: What part of the story do you think is your strength to write?

Cate: My critique partners tell me my descriptions make them feel as if they’re in the story. Others have praised dialogue as realistic. Several reviewers wrote they were pulled into my stories and didn’t want to stop.

Kiki: Please share with ABA readers something I did not think to ask you about.

Cate: Well I could tell you about my releases. :) Eternal Press published Fever Dreams, a contemporary novel with fantasy elements, on May 7 (ebook and print), and will release a short speculative, Winning, on July 7. In August, Whiskey Creek Press will release Surfacing, a fantasy novel, and Eternal Press will release a historical novel, Follow the Stars Home. Another historical novel, Angels Sinners and Madmen, is awaiting a release date from Freya’s Bower, hopefully this summer.

I also want to thank you for allowing me to be a guest at ABA – it’s been a pleasure.

Kiki: Thanks, it has been great to get to know you better.  And, now it looks like I have to dust off Season of the Witch, and finally begin reading it!  I love historicals, and the cover to Angels, Sinners and Madmen is really enticing. J 

Cate Masters

 www.catemasters.com

 http://catemasters.blogspot.com