Interview Cathy Miller

by

Tricia McGill

1) Cathy, Outside Time sounds like just the book I loved to read as a youngster. When did you come up with the idea?

Outside Time started life about six years ago as an early middle-grade reader but that wasn’t where my “voice” was. After I hooked up with my local Romance Writers of America group I knew my niche was for teenagers and young at heart adults. As an unpublished manuscript, OUTSIDE TIME won the YA division of the Silver Lining Contest in 2000.

2) King Arthur and his court have fascinated people for ages, when did you first become intrigued by this period in history?

I’ve been hooked on the man behind the legends since graduate school and a paper I had to write that examined how Mallory attempted to give the English monarchy the same sense of greatness as the French had with Charlemagne.

3) I know you have a follow-up to Outside Time coming up, is this to be a series? If so, how many more can we expect to see?

I never planned OUTSIDE TIME to be a series but Kara has demanded her own story and it is possible that Carl may get more vocal and insist on equal time. At this point the sequel is ready to go to Lorraine in the regular submission process.

4) How did you research the period? Do you, like me, love doing the in-depth research required for historicals and time-travels?

I’ve spent days, weeks, months reading everything I can find about the ancient Celts. I’ve learned to write myself sticky notes with questions I want to look up when I finish writing for the day. Even though I enjoy the research, I really love the freedom of writing paranormals.

5) Tell us about your pets. Do they keep you company when you are writing?

I have three collies who don’t think I can write a word unless at least one of them is in here in my office with me.

6) If you could chose another age to live in, would it be in King Arthur’s time?

While the 5^th century could be harsh and demanding, I think living then would be pretty fun. Although I don’t know. I really enjoy junk food, chocolate and most of our modern conveniences so I might not make a very good transplant.

7) How long have you been writing?

I think the answer here is since forever. My dad was military so we got transferred around a lot. I liked the words and people that I invented in my own head and could take them with me when we moved. As far as writing now? Well, my family is much happier when I’m writing.

8) Do you have young adults in the family who have read your book and offered insight or advice?

My two teenagers have both read the story and handed it to their friends to read who handed it their friends so maybe I’m on the right track. My fifteen year old is my first reader and is very blunt about what she likes and doesn’t. I’m very lucky to have her input.

9) Are you going to write in any other genre in the future?

I’m pretty happy writing time travels but I have an idea or two for straight historicals.

10) Do you have any words of advice to offer budding authors?

Don’t give up. Even as a requested manuscript, OUTSIDE TIME sat at two different publishers for over two years before I submitted it to Wings. You always hear people say that writers write. It isn’t that we write so much as we have to write. So get out there and write.