Thursday, January 26, 2023

An Interview with Ohio Author Catherine Pomeroy

An Interview with Ohio Author Catherine Pomeroy

The author of two novels, The Gulch Jumpers and Four and a Half Billion People (No Bad Books Press), Catherine Pomeroy writes family-life fiction and thrilling scenarios that entertains and engages readers. Her debut novel, The Gulch Jumpers, “was an exercise in love – a love letter, really, to my “down on the farm” family roots, the power of music, what it means to be a parent, and my belief that law is personal. The story was also a fun way for me to indulge my sense of adventure, travel and the magic of a road trip.”

Welcome, Catherine!

GM: Happy New Year! What is your 2023 New Year's Resolution?

CP:  I’ve given this lots of thought! It’s certainly not a tough question, but I wanted to try to really reflect and answer honestly, for myself as well as for the blog.  The answer is to dig deep and connect with my “why.”  Why I make the choices I do in my personal and professional life. To connect writing and work to a greater purpose and use that as motivation.  In writing, finding the “why” seems linked to identifying the theme of one’s book. And for me, the theme is often not evident at the beginning or even mid-way in the writing process. So, in addition to finding the “why” I suppose my resolution is to keep going, keep trying, get up every day and work at it even while feeling lost, keeping some patience and hope that the “why” will surface and become apparent organically. On a much more mundane level, I also resolve to exercise, eat healthy, etc.  And, or course, to improve and strive to become a better writer.

GM: What is the premise for your new book?
CP:  Four and a Half Billion People, which was released in June of 2022, is a novel about a single mother in small-town southern Ohio grappling with the after effects when her neurodivergent teenage son is arrested for Vehicular Manslaughter. There are elements about the legal system and how juveniles are treated in that system. There are also some speculative elements. The book also includes a strong side story about bicycle touring, including the infamous Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV), a two hundred-two-day ride from Columbus to Portsmouth and back that takes place annually in Ohio.

GM: What are you currently writing?
CP:  My current WIP is about how a handful of neighbors in an isolated housing development in exurbia start interacting with each other after a solar flare knocks out electricity and satellites. While that is the premise, I want it to be more of a family and human relations story rather than a disaster story.

GM: How do you maintain thoughts and ideas for new manuscripts, etc.?
CP: Reflective time for imagination, but also forcing myself to sit down and start producing something. Getting anything down on paper is a start. One can always go back later and tinker.

GM: Who is your favorite author?
CP:  It’s tough to pick just one. Some of my favorite authors are Homer Hickam, Charles Frazier, Jodi Picoult, Elena Ferrante, and Elizabeth Strout. I recently discovered Kim Michele Richardson who wrote The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. I like anyone who writes well. I especially enjoy stories that are set in Appalachian regions.

GM: Do you have advice for novice writers and those looking to begin their first manuscript?
CP:  Start writing, and if you slip into your zone and a state of flow, keep going!  Later, when you go back to edit, email the document to yourself.  I do this because it allows me to read it on my phone in addition to on my laptop. I also print a hard copy. It’s surprising how many things you catch reading over a document in various formats.

GM: Authors say that writing is easy, but marketing is difficult. Do you have any advice for authors regarding marketing and promotion?
CP:  This is probably my greatest weakness. It is hard not to feel shameless about any self-promotion, but marketing is necessary to connect to readers. Word of mouth and appearing at author fairs and events has worked for me. Word of mouth has especially been helpful getting book clubs to take up my novels. If a reader reaches out with complimentary feedback, I know I should request them to write a review, but I struggle with overcoming my shyness to make that ask.

GM: When you're not writing, what do you like to do for fun?
CP:  I love cycling! I do solo rides and ride with a club when time allows. I set mileage goals for myself. I’ve been fortunate enough to see some beautiful places from my bicycle. I also enjoy going out to dinner and relaxing with a good book.
Catherine riding her bike

GM: List 10 things your fans may not know about you...
CP:
  1. I grew up visiting my mother’s childhood home in Jackson County, Ohio, which is where Four and a Half Billion People is set. This was my grandparents’ farmhouse, and later the home of my aunt, who was also a writer.
  2. I’m a child welfare lawyer. My books incorporate quotes from Supreme Court cases.
  3. My inner geek loves the maps and historical information posted at highway rest stops.
  4. When I was a teenager, I twice completed the two-day two-hundred-mile bicycle tour (TOSRV) described in Four and a Half Billion People. I also biked from Cleveland to Mammoth Cave Kentucky and back when I was seventeen years old. The year I turned fifty, I biked from Washington D.C. to Pittsburgh.
  5. Need to come up with a big idea as “sixty” approaches!
  6. Sometimes I go to hunt for a specific book or author, but I also really enjoy free form browsing at the library. There’s no cost to borrowing a library book so giving something unusual a try is literally a no-risk/no-guilt treat.
  7. During the pandemic, with my grown children living out-of-state, and other relatives equally as far flung, I started a private Facebook group where we can all post pictures of what we are making for Sunday dinner. Not everyone participates, and it’s a bit of a friendly competition, but a nice way to stay in touch.
  8. Sometimes I go months at a time without writing, and then get back into it.\
  9. I love music – live concerts, listening in my car, playing the violin. Researching various genres, artists and musical history for my first novel, The Gulch Jumpers, was enjoyable.
  10.  Donuts? Oh, yes. Yes, yes.

Connect with Catherine:
Twitter: catpomeroy
Purchase Catherine’s titles at www.nobadbookspress.com or on Amazon and other bookselling platforms.
 

1 comment:

Paulette Moore said...

I have read both of Catherine books and anticipate reading her next book. The stories flow with ease and are captivating. I find her books hard to put down once I begin reading them. I would highly recommend her books to anyone.

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