INTERVIEW WITH C.L. CATTANO

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FACETIME WITH C.L. CATTANO, WHO I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO SHARE A TABLE WITH IN P-TOWN LAST YEAR AT THE WOMEN’S WEEK EVENT. WE FINALLY HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE THE DRINK WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING WHEN WE FACETIMED. C.L. IS A HARD CIDER FAN, SO SHE HAD A STRONGBOW. I HAD AN OMISSION LAGER (STILL HOPING FOR THE GLUTEN FREE VERSION OF GUINESS).

C.L. LIVES IN THE MIDWEST WITH HER PARTNER AND THEIR DOG. SHE AND HER PARTNER HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO INDULGE THEIR LOVE OF TRAVEL AND VISIT MANY COUNTRIES, WHICH SHE LIKES TO UTILIZE IN HER WORKS. SHE RELEASED “CURSED HEARTS” LAST YEAR, AND HAS A NEW SERIES “SALVAGGIO’S LIGHT” WHICH SHE’S WORKING ON. THE THIRD IN THE SERIES “SECRETS & RIVALRY” CAME OUT LAST THURSDAY. Check it out here. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071GJCHKZ

SO, C.L. DO YOU WRITE BOOKS UNDER DIFFERENT PEN NAMES, OR IS C.L. THE ONLY ONE?
C.L. Cattano. If I decide to write in a different style, or change my writing game plan as far as who publishes me, or the type of stories I write, I would probably use a different pen name.

DO YOU WANT EACH BOOK TO STAND ON ITS OWN, OR ARE YOU TRYING TO BUILD A BODY OF WORK WITH CONNECTIONS BETWEEN EACH BOOK?
I am actually doing both at the moment. I have one stand-alone published – “Cursed Hearts”, and am working on a serial called “Salvaggio’s Light” that will be a ten book series. At the moment I have the three of the books in the series out. This series is really one continuous story that, while focused on a specific time period for the characters, actually tells almost the entire life story of the main character, Rafaella Salvaggio. Well, at least the important parts that pertain to what is happening in the story. The first book in the series is “Shattered Paradise” and it sets the base for the rest of the books. You are introduced to into the world all of the many characters and the problems, relationships and drama happening in their world. It and the books that follow are full of all kinds of drama, action and surprises for the characters. I like both the stand alone and the serial books projects, and have stories for both types in the works.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A MAJOR UNDERTAKING. DO YOU FIND THAT WRITING ENERGIZES YOU OR EXHAUSTS YOU?
The actual writing part of writing excites me… The rush from getting my story idea outlined and then fleshing it out is the same rush I get when I’m creating a painting, making a video or doing other creative projects. I really get into my characters and their stories.

SOME WRITERS HIDE SECRETS IN THEIR BOOKS ONLY A FEW PEOPLE WILL FIND. DO YOU DO THAT?
Oh yes, there are lots of secrets and surprises in the “Salvaggio’s Light” books. I suggest reading from the beginning or you may miss a lot of important information and themes throughout the books. Sometimes the reader will know more than the characters and at times the reader, unless they are very astute, will be as surprised about things as the characters.

WHAT IS YOUR WRITING PROCESS LIKE? Well DO YOU WRITE MORE BY LOGIC OR INTUITION, OR SOME COMBINATION OF THE TWO? PANTSER OR PLOTTER?
I will add a different term and call myself a planster. I usually start with an idea, character or problem. Then I plot a basic path, timeline or endgame for the book then I throw up road blocks that characters have to dig out of to move forward. What determines their success or failure is based on how the character is molded and how malleable or concrete they become as the story flows and the problems arise. Sometimes the character drives the story in a way that changes my initial intent and that’s when things get interesting. After getting the basic book, or series, finished I go back and pay a lot of attention to the interaction of the characters and make sure they all keep within the psychological profile I’ve given them.

IS THERE A CERTAIN TYPE OF SCENE THAT’S HARDER FOR YOU TO WRITE THAN OTHERS? LOVE? ACTION? RACY?
It’s not scenes that give me issues. It’s certain characters. For example in “Salvaggio’s Light” it was very difficult for me to write Eden Kingsley at times because she has issues I’ve never had to deal with in real life. I can only hope that I did her justice and portrayed her and her serious issue of chronic anxiety with care and in an authentic way. I know it’s fiction, and writers take a lot of license at times, but when we give characters certain issues we need to be careful and educate as well as present them as authentically as we can within the parameters of the story.

WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE PRESENT?
I’m currently on a mission to get the entire “Salvaggio’s Light Serial” edited and published by next year. I’ve written a few other things while waiting for my editor and hope to publish them at some point.

WHAT DO YOUR PLANS FOR FUTURE PROJECTS INCLUDE?
I plan to release the projects I’ve done while I go through the editing process with my serial. I also have plans for another series of books that will me more crime and mystery oriented.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST THING THAT PEOPLE “THINK” THEY KNOW ABOUT YOUR SUBJECT/GENRE THAT ISN’T SO?
That’s a tough one. Maybe they think that they can’t read a story with an LGBT character if they are not LGBT themselves. Believe me, LGBT people read books with straight people so it won’t hurt anyone to read a book with an LGBT character. I can understand people not wanting to read the erotica but there is so much more in LGBT literature than that genre. There are some very powerful and moving stories out there that are worthy of being on the shelf with all the other types of mainstream literature.

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS THAT YOU FEEL WERE INFLUENTIAL YOUR WORK? AND WHAT TYPE OF IMPACT, IF ANY, DO YOU THINK THEY’VE HAD ON YOUR WRITING?
I started reading Edgar Rice Burroughs when I was young. (Yes, I saw myself as Tarzan.) Other influences are Elizabeth Peters, Piers Anthony, Terry Goodkind and Robin Hobb. Notice a pattern…they all have written serial books. I guess their influence is that I am not afraid to create a world for my characters and tell their story even if it takes more than one book to do it.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR BEST MARKTING TIPS?
I like anything free as a self-publishing author. Free sometimes means a time investment, so technically it isn’t totally free. But there are a lot of free tools out there to help like Bulk Buffer, Mail Chimp and ThunderClap to name a few. My best tip is don’t re-invent the wheel. There are a lot of authors out there who have put out podcasts and videos about marketing so take the time to listen, learn and repeat.

WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE PART OF THE PUBLISHING/WRITING PROCESS? Waiting for someone to write a review…

NOW FOR SOME MORE PERSONAL QUESTIONS. YOU WRITE ROMANCE. SO, DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?
No. I know, rough for a romance writer. But, I do believe in lust at first sight…

YOU KNOW HOW WE LESBIANS LOVE THE ANIMALS. SO CAT OR DOG?
In my experience, though we have a dog, cats are less needy. My parents had a cat when I was younger but it was an outdoor cat so I really hardly saw it except when it was hungry. I would not, however, want an indoor cat as they are pretty smelly… Remember I am grossed out a lot. If I could choose a pet, I would probably choose – maybe a hermit crab…maybe just the shell so people would think I had a pet…

AS A PERSON THAT WEARS A T-SHIRT WITH THE SAME SYMBOL ON IT EVERY DAY, I WONDER IF YOU HAD TO WEAR A T-SHIRT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WITH ONE SYMBOL OR WORD ON IT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Ratiocination

EXCELLENT!!
I AM A TOTAL FOODIE AT HEART, SO I HAVE TO ASK, IF YOU WERE TO MAKE DINNER FOR A SPECIAL GUEST, WHAT WOULD YOU COOK?
Something Mexican – Can’t go too wrong there, especially if it is a build your own taco or burrito.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SCARS WITH INTERESTING STORIES?
I have a large scar on my left arm that is part of a series of scars I got as a child when I was severely burned with scalding water. I’d rather not tell the story. BUT - My partner has a lightning bolt scar on her inner thigh… yea, I went there. She still drinks tea.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TV SHOW OF ALL TIME?
Of ALL time… that’s a tough one. Probably the “Masterpiece Mysteries”. I love Sherlock, Hercules, Mrs. Marple and all the others.

OF ALL THE GILLIGAN’S ISLAND CHARACTERS, WHO ARE YOU MOST LIKE (AND WHY)?
I would probably be Mr. or Mrs. Howell. I over pack.

I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. IS THERE A BOOK YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE WRITTEN, AND WHY?
The Bible. Of course it would be totally different if I had…

DID NOT SEE THAT ONE COMING EITHER. EXCELLENT CHOICE. SO THANKS, C.L. FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TALK WITH ME. HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYS THIS AS MUCH AS I DID. TO CHECK OUT C.L.’S WORK TRY ANY OF THE FOLLOWING LINKS.

Website: https://www.clcattano.com
Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/clcattano.com (Find my books here in eBook or paperback)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCL.Cat...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CL_Cattano