Today I'm talking with Cathy Bryant. She'll be giving away a free copy of Texas Roads (U.S. entries). Be sure to leave your e-mail address with a comment and use name [at] address [dot] com to keep away spammers. I'll put the names on pieces of paper and draw one on Sunday night.
First, tell us a little about yourself. Iām a wife, mom, Nana, and private music instructor. In between all those rolls, I write. I enjoy walking, bicycling, hiking, canoeing, and gardeningābasically anything that gets me outdoors. I live in a century-old Texas farmhouse with my hubby and a phobia-ridden cat.
Were you an avid reader as a child? What did you read? Avid may not be a strong enough word. I learned to read early and read everything I could get my hands on. My favorite book from childhood is Anne of Green Gables.
Why do you write? Call it a calling or a compulsionāeither would be accurate. I never would have guessed that writing would be so difficult and so addicting.
Avid may not be a strong enough word. I learned to read early and read everything I could get my hands on. My favorite book from childhood is Anne of Green Gables.
Tell us about your latest book. Texas Roads is a 2009 ACFW Genesis finalist and contemporary love story available at Amazon. It tells the story of a disillusioned widowās quest for home. Hereās the back cover copy:
Dani Davis longs for a place to call home. With quaint country charm, quirky residents, and loads of business potential, Millerās Creek, Texas seems like the perfect place to start overā¦except for the cowboy who gives her a ride into town. Then malicious rumors and a devastating discovery propel her down a road she never expected to travel.
Cowboy mayor Steve Miller is determined to rescue his dying hometown. When vandals jeopardize the Millerās Creek renovation project he canāt help but suspect Dani, whose strange behavior has become fodder for local gossips. Will Steve and Dani call a truce for a higher cause, and in the process help Dani discover the true meaning of home?
What inspired you to write this particular book? The spiritual theme of the story came from my own longing to put down roots. For several years, my family and I seemed destined to be nomads traveling from one small Texas town to the next. God used this time in my life to teach me that He was my true home. Dani learns this truth during the course of the story.
The idea for the plot came one day when I was out working in my garden. A car passed slowly, the elderly driver staring me down. I immediately got riled up. Then I started playing the āwhat if?ā game. What if a city woman moved to a back roads country town? How would she react to the lack of privacy people sometimes experience in small settings? The story took off from there.
Where do you get ideas for your books? Everywhere. A newspaper article. Snippets of conversation. A humorous anecdote. And often a character will introduce themselves by starting dialogue in my head. (Please donāt lock me in a rubber roomā¦) Once I was taking my daily walk when out of nowhere this prim and proper voice sounded in my head, saying: āTyler, Dent and Snodgrass. Hold please.ā From that came the idea for the book that will be Book Three in the Millerās Creek, Texas series, which will be entitled The Way of Grace.
In three words describe your style of writing. Touching. Humorous. Riveting.
How do you get to know your characters? I fill out extensive character charts for my major characters and a few minor ones before I ever start the story. But they tend to reveal new things about themselves as I write the book.
What themes do you write about? I intend for every novel I write to be interlaced with spiritual truths Iāve learned. A Path Less Traveled, the second book in the series will deal with the natural human tendency to be independent and self-sufficient, when God calls us to put our trust in Him and depend on Him.
Are you a plotter or a pantzer? Iām a HUGE plotter. Canāt help itāitās part of my Type-A, obsessive-compulsive genetic makeup. When I go on a trip, I like to know where Iām going, how Iām getting there, which roads to take, where Iām staying, who Iāll be traveling withā¦well, you get the picture. Writing a book is very much like taking a long trip.
Is there anything else youād like to tell us? I love to connect with people online. Iāve met the most wonderful friends there. You can find me at Facebook and Twitter, at my blog, WordVessel (http://WordVessel.blogspot.com), and my website, www.CatBryant.com.
Thanks so much for allowing me to spend this time at your awesome blog, Gail!
Were you an avid reader as a child? What did you read? Avid may not be a strong enough word. I learned to read early and read everything I could get my hands on. My favorite book from childhood is Anne of Green Gables.
Why do you write? Call it a calling or a compulsionāeither would be accurate. I never would have guessed that writing would be so difficult and so addicting.
Avid may not be a strong enough word. I learned to read early and read everything I could get my hands on. My favorite book from childhood is Anne of Green Gables.
Tell us about your latest book. Texas Roads is a 2009 ACFW Genesis finalist and contemporary love story available at Amazon. It tells the story of a disillusioned widowās quest for home. Hereās the back cover copy:
Dani Davis longs for a place to call home. With quaint country charm, quirky residents, and loads of business potential, Millerās Creek, Texas seems like the perfect place to start overā¦except for the cowboy who gives her a ride into town. Then malicious rumors and a devastating discovery propel her down a road she never expected to travel.
Cowboy mayor Steve Miller is determined to rescue his dying hometown. When vandals jeopardize the Millerās Creek renovation project he canāt help but suspect Dani, whose strange behavior has become fodder for local gossips. Will Steve and Dani call a truce for a higher cause, and in the process help Dani discover the true meaning of home?
What inspired you to write this particular book? The spiritual theme of the story came from my own longing to put down roots. For several years, my family and I seemed destined to be nomads traveling from one small Texas town to the next. God used this time in my life to teach me that He was my true home. Dani learns this truth during the course of the story.
The idea for the plot came one day when I was out working in my garden. A car passed slowly, the elderly driver staring me down. I immediately got riled up. Then I started playing the āwhat if?ā game. What if a city woman moved to a back roads country town? How would she react to the lack of privacy people sometimes experience in small settings? The story took off from there.
Where do you get ideas for your books? Everywhere. A newspaper article. Snippets of conversation. A humorous anecdote. And often a character will introduce themselves by starting dialogue in my head. (Please donāt lock me in a rubber roomā¦) Once I was taking my daily walk when out of nowhere this prim and proper voice sounded in my head, saying: āTyler, Dent and Snodgrass. Hold please.ā From that came the idea for the book that will be Book Three in the Millerās Creek, Texas series, which will be entitled The Way of Grace.
In three words describe your style of writing. Touching. Humorous. Riveting.
How do you get to know your characters? I fill out extensive character charts for my major characters and a few minor ones before I ever start the story. But they tend to reveal new things about themselves as I write the book.
What themes do you write about? I intend for every novel I write to be interlaced with spiritual truths Iāve learned. A Path Less Traveled, the second book in the series will deal with the natural human tendency to be independent and self-sufficient, when God calls us to put our trust in Him and depend on Him.
Are you a plotter or a pantzer? Iām a HUGE plotter. Canāt help itāitās part of my Type-A, obsessive-compulsive genetic makeup. When I go on a trip, I like to know where Iām going, how Iām getting there, which roads to take, where Iām staying, who Iāll be traveling withā¦well, you get the picture. Writing a book is very much like taking a long trip.
Is there anything else youād like to tell us? I love to connect with people online. Iāve met the most wonderful friends there. You can find me at Facebook and Twitter, at my blog, WordVessel (http://WordVessel.blogspot.com), and my website, www.CatBryant.com.
Thanks so much for allowing me to spend this time at your awesome blog, Gail!
Texas Roads is available on Smashwords and Amazon
Comments
First, I love your cover, reminds me of the roads I've walked in some of the places where we've lived.
So what happened with the driver who stared you down? In this day and age, it kinda gives me the willies when strangers do something like that! Eeek!
You have a wonderful premise for your book. Best to you! :)
janmarien[at]embarqmail[dot]com
I also love the three words she used to describe her writeing.
Can't wait to read it and would love to win it.
~Steph
soklad[at]hotmail[dot]com
I fell in love with the photo the first time I saw it, Miss Mae. It reminds me of a road I used to take to get to my grandmother's house. In a small town you get sorta used to people staring--I just stared back. ;)
Thanks, Jan Marie & Steph!
Lourdes11743[at]gmail]dot]com
Nice to meet you--Celia
billd3 (at) gmail (dot) com
Could we be related? I have cousins with the last name Bryant?They live not far from Memhphis, Tennessee.
Gail, put my name in the drawing. Email: landtbeth@yahoo.com
Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.
A J Hawke
ajhawkeauthor[at]aol[dot]com
Ann Lee Miller
Ann_Lee_Miller@msn.com
Blessings,
Jo
ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com
L.M. Montgomery is my absolute favorite children's book author and I think Anne is a lot of my inspiration for writing, too. I really wanted to be like Anne as a child. Every time you find another Anne fan you know there's a kindred spirit out there.
karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
Thanks for letting us know about Cathy's contest. It sounds like fun! And, thanks for stopping by.
Grace, Peace, Love,
Barb Shelton
barbjan10@tx.rr.com