Cathy Perkins's Blog, page 145
June 4, 2013
New Beginnings
I had to write a business letter this past week that was very difficult. I had the assignment for a few months and kept putting it off but I learned a long time ago procrastinating would not make the requirement go away, just shorten the deadline.
I finally got it done at the eleventh hour. I had decided to keep it short and the tone pleasant.
Hi –
For someone who has started a writing career, starting this message has been somewhat difficult. I almost didn’t write it at all. I thought I would t...
June 3, 2013
How do you find your books?
I often talk about writing, but today, decided to talk about another obsession…reading.
My reading habits have changed greatly over the years. As a teen, my absolute favorite trip would be to the bookstore, where I would spend hours pouring over back-cover-blurbs, trying to find the just-right read. I was most definitely the loyal reader–meaning if I loved one of your books, I bought every backlist title as well. AND I would find new authors by recommendations of authors I already loved. This...
May 29, 2013
Rock Star Fantasy For A Day
Most days being a writer is enough of a fantasy existence for me. I mean, spending hours creating at a computer keyboard, trying to keep my muse focused when all she wants to do is play Pocket Frogs, having imaginary people talk back to me, knowing I have a job that, at any moment, could send me running for the emotional haven of cleaning the bathroom? Seriously, this is a dream life! But, once in a while, a person simply has to escape and do something truly unique. Just to break the routine...
May 28, 2013
Puppies and Hush Puppies
It’s no secret I’m a sucker for a Dachshund. It’s a weakness the local humane society enthusiastically exploits—er—supports (I’m on their doxie sucker call list). Okay, not really, but it sometimes seems that way. I am the owner of five dogs four of which are of the noble Germanic but height-challenged breed. The newest addition to the Denton pack is Charlie Mahoney. At seven months, Charlie Mahoney is a chewing, digging, barking ball of energy although he came to us on May 3 emaciated, cover...
May 26, 2013
Revise, rewrite … Release!
I’ve never participated in NaNo before. NaNo being National Novel Writing Month –write a novel or at least a big chunk of one in a month. Spew words onto the page without editing? No outline, breadcrumbs or even anidea who dunnit? Uhm, not my writing style.
So what does any of that have to do with a new release?
Everything.
A series of coincidences (of course The Artist’s Way calls it synchronicity; the 60s, serendipity – both are more positive terms, aren’t they?) included a Savvy newsletter, E...
May 23, 2013
Take the Midnight Train to Paris with Juliette Sobanet!
Today I’m privileged to welcome my dear friend, fellow writer, and intrepid CP Juliette Sobanet to the Muse. A Montlake author of four charming womens’ fiction novels with a French twist, Juliette has agreed to offer us a window into her Parisian-inspired world and her new serialized novelMidnight Train to Paris. It’s truly ooh la la!
Thanks, Sharon! One year ago, my husband and I made the cross-country move from Washington, DC to San Diego. During our first month in the land of sunshine and m...
May 17, 2013
Authenticity – Dale Mayer
Hi everyone,
It is with great relief to say that I have handed off book 5 of my Psychic Vision series to myeditor (first round with first editor). I am clarifying the editor situation just in case you think the book will be available for sale in the next week or two – because it won’t be ready that quickly. As much as I’d like that, it never seems to work out quite so neatly.
Getting this book to this point is a huge weight off my shoulders. Not only are these books convoluted in plot, but they...
May 15, 2013
May 14, 2013
Gatsby
I went to see Baz Luhrmann’s Gatsby with a friend on Saturday night. The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of my favorite books growing up. I’m not alone. The Great Gatsby is widely considered to be a literary classic and quite possibly ‘The Great American Novel’. The book explores themes of decadence, idealism, social upheaval, and excess in the prosperous early 1920s. The ‘roaring’ twenties as it were.

Courtesy-Warner Bros.
And I don’t care what the critics say about this la...
May 7, 2013
Dads and Writing
I saw “42″ last week. I saw it mainly for my Dad whom I lost to a heart attack 30+ years ago. One of my strongest memories of him was a very brief conversation we kind of had about the Dodgers.
It was World Series time and my Dad was watching the game with a lot of interest. I don’t remember who the Dodgers’ competition was, but I remember asking him who he was rooting for.
“The Dodgers,” he growled with a nod at the television. He also gave me a look that seemed to say “Who else would I root f...