Welcome to my interview with Catherine Cavendish – author of Gothic, ghostly and historical horror!
Welcome to my interview with Catherine Cavendish – author of Gothic, ghostly and historical horror
Thank
you for having me.
What inspired you to write?
I
can’t actually remember a time when I didn’t write. Certainly since I could
hold a pencil in my chubby little girl hand. I was a precociously early reader
and my love of stories led me to want to create my own. As an only child, I
invented characters to inhabit my world.
What’s the best book you’ve read this year?
CREATURE by Hunter Shea. I love all his books but with
this one, he has surpassed himself. It’s a horror novel but it works on so many
different levels and over-riding everything is a story of a woman’s struggle
with a terrifying auto-immune disease. This one comes from the author’s heart
and soul. Incredible work. For me, his best yet.
I’m nuts about horror, and I’ve read and reviewed your book ‘Miss Abigail’s Room’ which I really enjoyed.
Oh thank you! That’s very encouraging to know!
What’s your favourite thing that you have written?
That’s
a hard one to narrow down. I always love what I am working on at the moment
because if I didn’t, what would be the point in continuing with it? But I do
have a really soft spot for my latest novel – Damned by the Ancients. It’s the third in my Nemesis of the Gods trilogy and is mostly set in my favourite city
– Vienna. My villain – Dr Emeryk Quintillus – is particularly evil in it and
there is a starring role for a beautiful black cat, although she is far more
than what she seems.
What are you working on writing now?
I am
at the planning stage for a novella set in a hospital where a woman is
recovering from a life-changing operation. There are forces within the hospital
though. Things that shouldn’t be there. Things long dead.
Forest, country, beach or city?
That
really depends on my mood and on the time of the year but in spring and summer,
you can’t beat the countryside – and I would include forests in that, especially
on a really hot day when you can shelter among the shady pine trees.
What’s the best vacation you’ve ever had?
Every
time I’ve been to Vienna – and I have visited there a lot over the years. It
has so much culture and history, the architecture is stunning but it is also a
surprising city. Down narrow streets, all manner of curiosities are waiting to
be found. It is such an easy place to get around, with excellent,
straightforward and remarkably cheap public transport and, of course, the best
coffee in the world.
What movie can you watch over and over
again?
Murder by Death. It’s absolutely hilarious – a spoof on a
host of fictional sleuths from Hercule Poirot to the Thin Man and with an
all-star cast including Peter Sellers, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Elsa
Lanchester and Alec Guinness. It was written by Neil Simon so, need I say more?
It’s my favourite feel-good movie.
What’s your favourite TV show?
This
changes from season to season in many instances but currently, it’s Killing Eve – a tightly woven
psychological drama series that has really got into my head. I am also enjoying
American Horror Story: Apocalypse – which
I think is one of the best in this franchise. Sarah Paulson and Kathy Bates are
superb.
Name three people you admire and give your
reasons.
Barack
Obama – in my opinion, a true statesman who remained dignified and collected no
matter what was thrown at him while he was President and continues to do so.
Nelson
Mandela – his courage and dignity are a constant source of hope and inspiration
even though he is no longer with us.
Princess
Diana – she broke through taboos and gave a voice to people who had none. She
wasn’t afraid to speak out on unpopular issues and embrace – literally – people
others would cross the street to avoid. I think her sons bear true testimony to
her legacy.
What’s your favourite quote ever?
Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone – Dorothy Parker
Where can readers find your books?
My books are widely available so readers can choose their favourite store.
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Apple | Google | Kobo
Kensington Publishing
Where can we follow you on social media?
Readers can visit my Catherine Cavendish website or find me on Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads.
Thanks for being here with us today, Catherine!
Thanks again, Book Squirrel!
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