Interview and Book Giveaway with Catie Cordero, Author of Ramble and Roar

 

Hello, folks! I know I haven’t blogged in quite a while–I’ve been keeping busy cramming in as many hours of writing as I can this year. BUT I have to share about author Catie Cordero. Isn’t her book cover above gorgeous? It’s original artwork and she and her husband, Jonathan, modeled for it!

I met Catie at the Breathe Writers Conference in Michigan last October. Catie’s story resonated with me–not just her fictional story, but her journey-to-publication story. I knew Catie was writing the kind of historical novel I would enjoy–realistic, redemptive, and crossover. And it was set in the Roaring 20’s, which I have always been fascinated with.

Fast forward to this year…I was honored to read and endorse Catie’s novel, Ramble and Roar, before its publication. Here’s my full endorsement:

“A debut that blasts out of the gate with all the exuberance of the Roaring Twenties, Ramble and Roar is a joyride of a book. Charged with the sinuous power and passion of 1920’s New York City, this story vividly portrays a world where mobs rule the streets–and once you’re in, there’s no getting out. A prodigal tale that speaks to rebels without a cause, drawing them back to the truth with gentle hands. Catie Cordero is an author to watch, and this book is going on my keeper shelf.” ~Heather Day Gilbert, award-winning, bestselling author of The Vikings of the New World Saga

Ramble and Roar is now available for e-book, but will soon be available in softcover, as well! Be sure to read to the end of this post to enter for a chance to win your own e-book copy of this amazing book! (Note–this novel is geared toward a mainstream audience, and although written from a Christian worldview, isn’t labeled Christian fiction.)

And now, here’s a bit more about Catie:

Catie Cordero is passionate about writing stories that are honest and will resonate with its readers long after they flip the last page. She resides in West Michigan on a small hobby farm. She is a novelist, storyteller, and blogger at catiecordero.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview with Author Catie Cordero:

HG: Hi, Catie, so glad to have you on my blog! And it was such a pleasure to meet you at the Breathe Writers Conference. I’m sure I have some writer/readers who wonder if conferences are worth it—what would you say your takeaways were from Breathe?

CC: Yes, conferences are definitely worth it. Breathe Writers Conference has been the best conference I have ever attended. Each time I attend, I learn and grow as a writer. Not only is it inspiring to be among a group of people who love cultivating words, but it stretches me beyond my comfort zone. There were so many takeaways from the 2017 conference, but a few highlights were these questions that were posed:

1. What gift can I give the world today through my writing?
2. Why am I writing? Am I motivated by fear, superiority, or pride, or am I motivated by a longing to help others and show God’s love?
3. Are you building community with those around you? (Some examples for writers:  Join Facebook groups and engage, do blog-link-ups, attend local events, etc).

HG: As you know, I read and loved Ramble and Roar. It was truly such a fresh take on a prodigal tale. Like many of my books, it sort of straddles the line between Christian and mainstream fiction, and I know you’re marketing it mainstream. Tell me the kind of reader you think will enjoy your novel.

CC: I believe there are many Christians and non-Christians who desire to read honest and gritty literature. They’re not content with just “feel good.” They long to read a book and say, “Yes, I understand this character. I relate to them. I relate to their struggles. I relate to their brokenness.” I chose to go mainstream because I want to reach a larger spectrum of people who need to hear truth in an honest and real way through honest and real characters. If readers like Charles Martin, Julie Klassen, Sue Monk Kidd, or Dennis Lehane, then I think they’ll enjoy Ramble and Roar.

HG: You aren’t new to independent (indie) publishing—you have a lovely children’s book out that you illustrated yourself. Tell me more about that book and publishing experience.

CC: In 2017, I started my own indie publishing company called Flywheel Books. Since I’m a huge fan of the Christmas season (I start listening to Christmas carols in August), I thought it would be fun to have my debut book be a holiday children’s book. I bounced ideas back and forth with my husband until we came to the final plot: Twins, Willow and Wendell, discover a snow globe in an antique shop that transports them to three magical realms. I entitled the book: The Magic Snow Globe. The point of the book was to demonstrate the importance of giving the gift of kindness and love just like Jesus gives to all of us.

HG: It’s such a lovely book! What stirred your interest in the 1920s era? Did you come up with your characters or the setting first?

CC: My favorite genre of literature has always been historical fiction, and I’m a huge fan of antique stores. I love looking at old photographs of flappers and the old cloche and fedora hats. I bought a brown felt fedora with a black band in 2006, which I still wear today. That hat made me think of who might have worn it and what life they had lived. So in 2008, I decided to learn more about the 1920s. I brought home 18 books from the library and immersed myself. I was drawn to the stories set in New York City and the bootlegging underworld. That became my setting. New York City was first run by the Irish mob. Hence, one of my main characters became an Irish-American mobster with something to prove; meet Warren Moore. Warren, a man wrestling with his own demons, needed to clash with someone innocent, someone who would make the battle inside his soul worse. What better character than pure, bright-eyed debutante, Eliza Belcourt, from Pennsylvania who thinks Manhattan is the key to fulfilling her dreams. Warren and Eliza meet on a train: sparks fly, questions rise, doubts are triggered, and the rest is found in Ramble and Roar.

HG: Yes, Eliza was the perfect counterpart to Warren. The love story in this book is unusual, and it made me all the more endeared to the characters, because it was believable. I loved how you really got into Eliza’s head and showed how she was torn between two lifestyles. Was Eliza an easy or a more difficult character to write?

CC: Eliza was both easy and hard to write. The truth is that Eliza is a lot like me, which made understanding and writing her character easier but made telling the truth about her inner wounds hard. Eliza is tenacious. She’ll do anything to become a successful jazz singer. Her tenacity isn’t bad, but the inner motive behind her drive isn’t good. She measures her worth as a person through her achievements. Hence, she is fiercely determined to succeed. I chose to make Eliza’s wound the same as my own, though I knew it would be difficult. But I thought if Eliza can find freedom from the fear of inadequacy, then maybe I can too. Some scenes I didn’t want to go deep, so I skimmed the surface. But every time I read those scenes, I felt like a fraud. It hurt telling the truth. It hurt to say, “God, I am so broken inside. I don’t know what to do. Eliza doesn’t know what to do. I can’t help her. I can’t help myself. Now what?” God didn’t answer right away, which is probably why it took me so long to complete this first novel! However, one day, God did speak. He said, “You’re enough, Catie. Right now. You don’t have to do anything to be worthy. Even if you never write again. Even if you never publish a book. You’re enough. You are worthy because you are my child. I made you in my image. You don’t have to achieve anything to be worthy.” Tears filled my eyes as that truth set in. Jesus loves me. I don’t have to prove my worth. I don’t need the approval of others or a contract to make me special. Jesus loves me for me. Not for what I can do. He wants a relationship with me, and I don’t have to do anything at all to make Him love me. He already does. That moment has been changing me ever since. That moment shaped Eliza too.

HG: This is a revelation we all need to hear–and I totally relate to you, because I’m very driven in this writing/publishing world myself. Finally, please tell us what you’re working on now. Is there another novel in the works?

CC: Currently, I’m finishing the illustrations for my next children’s book, entitled Superhero Levi. It will be releasing July 31^st this year. It’s a story about my nephew, Levi, who has MECP2 Duplication syndrome. This story teaches children about special needs and disabilities through a viewpoint that they can comprehend: a superhero that embarks on a life adventure, encountering obstacles and triumphs. When children are not taught about special needs and celebrating our differences, they might respond in a negative manner when they encounter a child who isn’t like them. By teaching our children about special needs and disabilities, we promote a healthy and beautiful interpretation of the words “different” and “special” for all children are wonderfully made and gifted.

In addition, I am working on the sequel to Ramble and Roar called, Marvel and Mayhem. Audacious flapper, Mattie O’Keefe must undertake her own journey that will drop her in a place she never dreamed of, a farm, in the middle of nowhere. She would rather work her pitiful life away in a crummy diner than be on this forsaken farm, but she’s stuck. If she leaves its concealed security, it could mean her death, and she’s not ready to die. Marvel and Mayhem is due to release in January 2019.

HG: You know I can’t wait to read Mattie’s story–I’m fond of feisty redheads myself!

***Readers, please leave a comment below for a chance to win an e-book copy of Ramble and Roar–I will notify the winner next Monday! Please answer this question: What character have you most related to in a fictional book/series? You don’t have to explain why, but feel free to if you want!***