About Cathy Walker:
An avid reader since childhood, I used to wake up early in the morning to read before going to school. The books that first fired my imagination were the Black Stallion books by Walter Farley. My daydreams leaned toward finding myself stranded on a desert island with a black stallion only I could ride. Those daydreams helped me make it through, what I considered, the drudgery of school. Who wouldn’t rather be romping in the freedom of the outdoors taming a wild stallion?
As I matured, so did my taste in books along with my daydreams. Escaping into the pages of a book captured my attention and pumped my senses like nothing else. Unfortunately, I was always of the mind that I could never actually write a book. You had to be a writer to do something like that. Eventually, I came to my senses. As my fortieth birthday approached, I decided to write a book. I had no idea how to write, what to write about, or even how to begin, but, imbued with Capricorn stubborness, I wrote anyway.
Currently, I am living my life-long dream on 50 acre farm in Ontario, Canada. This move to the country has proven to be time consuming, especially since a friend gave me two baby goats as a farm-warming gift. I have added to the herd and now own 12 goats, not to mention my Welsh pony, 3 dogs and 2 cats.
My husband, Fred, and I, own and operate a martial arts and wellness centre as well as run an archery range and store on our farm. I also work a part time job in order to help feed my menagerie of animals.
What inspires you to write?
I’ve always loved to write. When I was younger, I started with poetry and then one day I decided to write a book and have been writing ever since. I am inspired and motivated mostly when I go down to the barn and spend time with my animals or just going for a walk in the woods and soaking in the energy all around me.
Tell us about your writing process.
I am a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of writer. I get an idea and just sit down and start writing. This can sometimes by limiting because I have no idea what comes next and that can stall the writing process, but I always manage to get through it no problem.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I don’t talk to them, but I imagine them as real people and how they would act in any given situation.
What advice would you give other writers?
My best advice is to make sure that you don’t publish your work before it’s ready. You need to have a quality product as mistake free as possible. Many first time authors are so anxious to get published that they don’t take the time to edit and re-check their work. Trust me, once your skills develop, you don’t want to look back on your first published novel and cringe.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I published traditionally originally, but with the ease of self-publishing these days I decided I’d like to try self-publishing. It gives me so much more control over all aspects and I can actually check on my sales daily, which is kind of nice…and it’s motivating as well.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
It’s changing so much and so quickly, I’d hate to hazard a guess. But I honestly can’t see how it can anywhere but towards more e-books.
What do you use?: Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: fantasy and romance
What formats are your books in?: eBook
Website(s)
Cathy Walker Home Page Link
Link To Cathy Walker Page On Amazon
