Catherine Stine

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

I live in New York State and grew up in Philly. I've been writing and drawing since I was five. I went to art school but continued to write. At some point I made a choice (explained more in the next interview questions) to pursue writing. Found my sweet spot in writing urban, paranormal and historical fantasy. I love crafting quirky characters, twisty plot-lines, and taking readers on a wild journey! I love to go to book-fests and talk directly to readers. Readers rule! Check my website events page to see if I'm coming to one near you, and say hi!

When and why did you start writing books?

I was always painting (went to art school) and writing. Even in elementary school I recall writing the first chapter or two of a story and drawing a book cover for it. At some point, I realized I was more drawn to writing because I was obsessed with the narrative, the saga, the characters. The world is made up of stories. I had a good track record of selling my art and getting reviews, but I've never regretted my decision to write novels.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

I wanted to take writing seriously and take readers on pulse-pounding, magical journeys. Stephen King says that a writer's job is to entertain and I totally agree.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

Right now it is Celestine LeBlanc, a witch, wolf shifter and prophetic artist, and her Shadow Salon detective partner, Luna Finley, a winged mermaid with water magic. Celestine is brassy, potty-mouthed, and impatient. Luna has a sweet and patient outer shell, but she is fierce and brave and clever inside. I love Ruby, the healer from Ruby's Fire. Also Evalina, from Witch of the Wild Beasts. She's an animal mage accused of witchcraft when her pet bird flies down her evil boss's throat and chokes him to death. Writing that scene was so satisfying. LOL.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

I did a year's worth of research for my very first book, Refugees. Come to think of it, I do research for all of my books. I happen to love that process of discovering new history and info I had no idea about. My Witch of the Wild Beasts is set in old Philadelphia. I grew up in Philly and thought I knew everything about it. I learned a LOT of new things that blew me away - from the names and turfs of Victorian gangs, to the wacky state of medicine in 1854.

Who is your favourite author and book?

Oh, my, that's an impossible ask. The early books that inspired my journey to writing fantasy and STILL inspire me are Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles and Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. I teach creative writing on occasion, and I always include these reads in the syllabus.

What book are you reading right now?

I read more than one book at once. LOL. I'm reading Merlin Sheldrake's Entangled Life, Kim Harrison's Hallows series and about three other urban fantasy books on my kindle.

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

From all over!!! From news headlines, elements of aberrant psychology, things that I'm obsessed with such as extreme cults, unusual characters, nature, our amazing connections to animals, reading about interesting magic systems and supernatural beings, myths, video games... on and on and on.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I love going to book-fests to meet readers. I am a seasoned gardener, and I also like to take walks and laze around with my beagle, Benny.

Do you have any new books in the works?

I’m working on a new urban fantasy detective series! It’s set in spooky and lush Savannah, Georgia, one of my favorite cities. The two-woman detective team stars Celestine LeBlanc, artist intuitive, witch and wolf shifter, and Luna, a winged mermaid and water mage. They have an art gallery called Shadow Salon, a cover for their base of operations. Most of my books have slow-burn romance. They also have a thriller edge, so private investigators solving supernatural crimes is a perfect segue! The books can be read in any order because each follows a new case. Book 1 is Guardian of Monsters, Book 2 is Theater of Curses, book 3 (forthcoming fall 2024) is called Cult of the Covens. I will also write more of my historical witch novels