About Cate
I have been a professional writer for more than a decade and, around the same time, was walloped by that 'by golly, I'm going to write a book' epiphany. As many of us know, it's super easy to be struck by such a thought -- it's not quite so easy to sit down and write a WHOLE book! Since then, I'd say I've questioned the sanity of that particular decision ...oh, maybe a couple of thousand times! But I take some comfort in the knowledge that virtually every other fiction writer in the world has wondered why on earth they thought they could write a book, so I'm not alone in this whole crazy process.
The term 'voracious reader' certainly describes me, right from toddler-hood when my two big sisters taught me to read New Zealand's famous Ladybird books.
Copyright 2009 cateharris.com
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Cate Harris
Apprentice Author
As a five-year-old starting out at school, I truly couldn't fathom why others didn't love and read books the way I did. Book club was the BEST and I read adventure tales from Arthur Ransome and horse stories from Monica Edwards and much, much more every chance I got ... that is, until my folks gave in to my constant pestering and arranged for me to ride a friend's old pony, which meant my weekends were actually spent outdoors doing something active, rather than curled up with a book beside the dog on the floor. Then my eldest sister introduced me to Agatha Christie and the Dick Francis referral came from my grandfather, and my love for mysteries and suspense novels was well and truly born.
Despite my lively imagination and love of books, the compelling need to write my own stories didn't develop until I realised that I really loved books with happy endings. I happened across Romance Writers of New Zealand's annual writers' conference where I heard Australian super-author Stephanie Laurens describe romances as 'entertainment'. A ha! But romance is ... well, a bit tawdry, isn't it? Somewhat low rent..? Not at all -- in fact, I discovered a whole new world -- a world full of happy endings! Literary proprietary and all that carry-on can do whatever they like. I was going to write entertaining books, books that made people laugh, cry and celebrate with my characters.
I eventually came across romantic suspense as a genre and then knew I'd really struck gold. I'm forever grateful to the splendiferous Barbara Clendon of Barbara's Books in Auckland for introducing me to the Stephanie Plum stories where I learned that a humorous, first person style worked for a suspense novel - go Janet!
The works of Janet Evanovich and Nelson De Mille and many others continue to entertain and delight, but my weekends are now more often filled with thrills, spills and romantic scenes created in my own mind. Fear and danger alongside a ripping great love story with a believable, satisfying ending ... and there you have it ... high stakes, true love. All set in New Zealand, the country I unashamedly and parochially love to bits. Oh, and don't forget an animal or two, because it wouldn't quite be MY story without them.
Some of my favourite things:
- Losing myself in the characters and their story when writing
- Potato chips (or crisps)
- New Zealand wine
- My darling man (and soon to be my husband!)
- Our animals: Georgie, Tana and Bob
- My writing friends - you're an amazing and generous group :)
- Travelling and all its delights ... and then coming home again
- Being able to work from home
- Books, books and more BOOKS!
