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Catherine Shields

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://www.cathyshieldswriter.com

Twitter

Catshields1

Genre

Memoir, Nonfiction, Parenting

Member Since

October 2016

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/60915900-cathy-shields

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Catherine (Cathy) Shields writes about parenting, disabilities, and self-discovery. In debut memoir, The Shape Of Normal, A Memoir Of Motherhood, Disability And Embracing A Different Kind Of Perfect, Cathy explores the truths and lies parents tell themselves. Her book was named a category WINNER in the 2023 American Writing Awards, and her writing has twice been nominated for a Pushcart. Her essays have been published in NBC Today. Newsweek, Bacopa Literary Review, Grown and Flown, Brevity Blog, Mother Magazine, U Revolution, and Write City Magazine. Cathy resides in Miami, Florida with her husband. They enjoy taking long bike rides and kayaking. Follow her on her Instagram @cathyshieldswriter..

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Catherine Shields’s books

Average rating: 4.82 · 74 ratings · 54 reviews · 1 distinct work • Similar authors

The Shape of Normal: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability and Embracing a Different Kind of Perfect

4.82 avg rating — 74 ratings — 2 editions

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Catherine Shields's Blog

Here’s an excerpt from my book, a story published in Bacopa Literary Review

Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/Bacopa-Literar...

The Messenger

My cousin Charlie and I stand six feet apart in my living room. I imagine he has already calculated the prescribed distance before he even stepped over the threshold. He hasn’t changed. Not since I saw him ten years ago when he came to my wedding and wore what seemed to be an exact replica of that long, black coat.

When he call

Catherine is Currently Reading

Catherine Shields is currently reading

The Enchanted Garden Cafe (The South Side Stories Book 1)

by Abigail Drake (Goodreads Author)

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Jun 27, 2024 05:08PM

Catherine Shields is currently reading

But I'm Still Here: Shaking the Tree - brazen. short. memoir. (Vol. 5)

by Marni Freedman

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Jan 29, 2024 02:01PM

Catherine Shields is currently reading

The Book Bible: How to Sell Your Manuscript—No Matter What Genre—Without Going Broke or Insane

by Susan Shapiro (Goodreads Author)

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Nov 01, 2022 01:38PM

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Catherine’s Recent Updates

Catherine Shields made a comment on Lane Melendez’s review of The Shape of Normal: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability and Embracing a Different Kind of Perfect " Thank you so much for writing this review! "
Dec 28, 2025 06:42PM · see review
Catherine Shields liked Lane Melendez's review of The Shape of Normal: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability and Embracing a Different Kind of Perfect: "I found The Shape of Normal to be both brave and beautifully introspective. Shields captures the tension between expectation and reality with remarkable sensitivity. Her daughter’s presence shines throughout the book not as an obstacle, but as a cata" Read more of this review »
Dec 28, 2025 06:41PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Shape of Normal by Catherine Shields. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Shape of Normal by Catherine Shields <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Catherine Shields made a comment on Barry Maher’s review of The Shape of Normal: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability and Embracing a Different Kind of Perfect " Wonderful review! Thank you. "
Dec 28, 2025 06:40PM · see review
Catherine Shields made a comment on Kathryn Potts’s review of The Shape of Normal: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability and Embracing a Different Kind of Perfect " Thank you so much for your comnents! "
Dec 28, 2025 06:39PM · see review
Catherine Shields liked Kathryn Potts's review of The Shape of Normal: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability and Embracing a Different Kind of Perfect: "The Shape of Normal is the kind of memoir that leaves you reflecting long after you finish reading. Shields writes with clarity and emotional precision, offering an unfiltered look at the internal battles parents rarely speak about. What elevates thi" Read more of this review »
Dec 28, 2025 06:38PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Shape of Normal by Catherine Shields. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Shape of Normal by Catherine Shields <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Catherine Shields made a comment on Sandra Cox’s review of The Shape of Normal: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability and Embracing a Different Kind of Perfect " Thank you! "
Dec 28, 2025 06:37PM · see review
Catherine Shields is now following Cheryl Barnes and Kelly
Dec 28, 2025 06:14PM
Catherine Shields made a comment on Ava Wilson’s review of The Shape of Normal: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability and Embracing a Different Kind of Perfect " Thank you! "
Dec 25, 2025 05:39AM · see review
Catherine Shields liked Werner Wolfe's review of The Shape of Normal: A Memoir of Motherhood, Disability and Embracing a Different Kind of Perfect: "This memoir is not just about raising a child with cognitive disabilities it’s about confronting the expectations we set for ourselves and learning to live beyond them. Shields’ writing is elegant and reflective, capturing both the quiet struggles an" Read more of this review »
Dec 22, 2025 05:19PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Shape of Normal by Catherine Shields. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Shape of Normal by Catherine Shields <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Catherine’s Quotes

“For years, I struggled to resist the diagnosis, trying to make Jessica normal, trying to fit her into the mold of my imagined future. But what I now see is the valuable lesson Jessica taught me. I was the one who needed to change.”
― Catherine Shields

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