Cathy West-Bridge of Faith, and a reminder.

Today on TFTR, I have a guest!

Her name is Cathy West, and we met 2 years ago in Indianapolis at ACFW 2013.

Here's a bit about Cathy...

Catherine West is an award-winning author who writes stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. Educated in Bermuda, England and Canada, Catherine holds a degree in English from the University of Toronto. When she's not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or tending to her roses and orchids. She and her husband have two college-aged children. Catherine is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America, and is represented by Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such Literary Management. Catherine loves to connect with her readers and can be reached at Catherine@catherinejwest.com 

And people, TRUST ME!! She is going to rock and rumble contemporary fiction!!!

1) What started you on the writer's road?

I've always loved writing. It was the one thing at school I was actually good at. Well, that and art. And lunch. Once I was married and pregnant with our first, I was home and bored and started writing a story. For fun. My sister-in-law asked to read it, so, knowing how much of a reader she was, I reluctantly agreed. And she convinced me I was pretty good and should start pursuing publication. So that is how I got started. Funnily enough, 20 something years later, a version of that first story is now published under the title of Yesterday's Tomorrow. :) (http://www.amazon.com/Yesterdays-Tomorrow-Catherine-West-ebook/dp/B00MXLUY46/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429135426&sr=8-1&keywords=Catherine+West)

2)If you feel like reading for pleasure, which books do you return to?

It depends. I have a lot of author friends, so I'm always reading something by somebody I know, which is tons of fun - Katie Ganshert, Beth Vogt, Kristy Cambron, Susan Meissner (one day I'll be reading a Jennifer Major book), but when I read outside of CBA my favorite authors are Sarah Addison Allen, Jojo Moyes (if I want a good cry), Elizabeth Gilbert and Kate Atkinson, to name a few. I'm also a huge Anne Lamott fan and can read her books over and over again. I love the classics, and you might find me pulling out some Jane Austen or Charles Dickens when the mood strikes. For poetry I hit up Emily Dickinson, Yeats or Longfellow. Did I mention I was an English major? :) 

3)What is a famous piece of classic literature that you loathed?

Hmm. I can't say I've ever loathed any piece of literature, classic or otherwise … oh, wait … there's this one book … yeah I loathe that one but refuse to give it any space on your lovely blog … let's see. Maybe the Greek philosophers. Plato, Socrates. Boring as dust. Never did get into them. 

… Ducks as Zeus hurls down the thunderbolts … 

4)Coke or Pepsi?

Neither. I'm not a big soda (or pop as the Canadians say) drinker. Unless we're putting rum in it. Can I say that? Well, I did. Okay if you're gonna make me choose, Coke. But diet. And only if we're out of water. Or rum. 

5)How often have you looked at your work and said "I am so sorry!" and then realized these are fake people?

I have no idea what you're talking about. Fake people? Who? Um, yeah. I'm very invested in my characters. I actually cry if they have to die. Except the baddies. Because they deserve it. But I'm confused. I don't think I write about baddies, do I? No. No, I don't. I do put my characters into terrible circumstances however. And most of the time it's their fault. And because they're always stubborn and slow to see the light (kind of like me, ahem), they get to wallow awhile. But … I'm a firm believer in sin. Haha, that sounds funny right? What I mean is this - if we don't expose the sin, i.e. talk about it, get real upclose and personal with it, how can we ever think we have the right to point people to the cross? Therefore by the grace of God go I. I've said it so many times, but it's true. And God has pulled me out of more pits than I care to remember, but honestly, when He does, when you experience that kind of grace and mercy? Wow. How can we not share that? 

And that's probably more than you wanted to know and a bag of chips. 

But thanks for having me on your blog, and thanks for being one of my 

besties. :) 

~~~~~

Aww, you're welcome! And thank you for visiting!

So, Redheads, here is the link to Bridge of Faith - http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Faith-Catherine-West-ebook/dp/B00VUA2HIM/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Yes, I know I said it already, but, trust me!!

Scoot over and buy the book!!

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Remember, the chance to enter the draw for Lori Benton's gift basket ends Sunday night! Be SURE you leave your email on THAT post!!