It is my pleasure to welcome my first guest of 2016 ~ Cat Nicolaou
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
In 2012, but it was more of an accidental decision, I’d say. I honestly woke up one day and said ‘I want to try and write a book’ and I did. I didn’t write stories before that, not even in my native language and suddenly, now I can’t stop.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It depends on the kind of book I am writing and how hectic my life is at the time. Usually, it is two to three months, but that doesn’t mean the book is published right then.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I am a night owl, so my writing session begins long after midnight and goes well into dawn. Then I get a bit of sleep and I begin my day job and when night falls, it’s writing time again.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I always write my stories on paper first and type them on my laptop later, because if I start something directly on the screen, I get blocked.
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Anything can give me inspiration. Sometimes it is something a friend says or a picture I see and then an idea for a story starts to form. Recently I had a dream, which I’ve decided to turn into a novella.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I listen to music a lot, I try to read for pleasure and I spend time with family and friends.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
Let’s see. I have three complete books and two in progress right now. However, only two out of the three complete ones have been published so far. The one that has not been published is my favourite. It is the first book I wrote and it is called “Is Love Just By Chance?” I am sure that at some point in the future it will see the light of day. For now, it stays hidden in the shadows.
What do you think makes a good story?
I think what makes a good story is creating characters that sound real. Even if you are writing fantasy and you have little monsters in it, they should feel real to the reader. I mostly write romance so I try to make my characters like the people around me, someone all the readers can relate to, one way or another. I think that dialogue is the most important part for a story to be considered a good one.
I have found when authors write for collections but are not involved in their production they tend not to list them as part of their output, but Cat has a co-authored story in a charity collection published by the Cake & Quill Publishing entitled Hearts and Other Dead Things
Cat's Amazon page Cat's Blog
Here is the link to my reviews of two of Cat's books
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