365 Interviews

Interview 107: CatRyer

1. Can you tell me about yourself?

 I grew up in rural America with a wonderful family.  I call only a few ‘friend’ but the best of friends they truly are.  I believe quality is much more endearing than quantity.  I think common sense, hard work and a good heart will take you far in life. If you want something work for it and make it happen!

2. What inspired you to write?  

I had a very realistic dream and when I woke up it stayed with me.  I couldn’t get it out of my head, so I sat down at my computer and began writing.  I had to fill in all the missing pieces of course but the story grew from that seed.  I have not shared that story on wattpad yet. 

3. If you could have one of your characters come to life who would it be and why? What would you do with them?  

Garrett, because I always thought it would be nice to have a big brother.

4. Where do your ideas come from?

 Sometimes they just come to me out of the blue and I go from there.  Other times I sit and ponder things until I come up with something that I like, then I play out the scenarios in my mind to see where they lead.

5. Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

 I do both.  Sometimes my story just flows naturally and I let it lead me.  But when that river runs dry then yes I have to jot down notes and create a general direction for the story to progress.

6. How do you think you've evolved creatively?

 I think I write now with more awareness of my readers and I’m not sure that is a good thing.  I began my story like everyone else.  I whipped out a chapter and truly didn’t expect anything to happen.  Then out of the blue a dozen people read it.  I was so excited to know that someone actually read it and liked it.  I began writing every chance I had. My reads grew fast and suddenly instead of just writing freely, I worried what everyone would think about this or that.  I began to second guess everything I wrote and began censoring myself.  That has been one of the biggest challenges for me.  I have had to rethink the whole thing and overcome self-censoring with a new approach and attitude towards the process of ‘live writing’ or updating.

7. What is the hardest thing about writing?

 Oops, I answered that in with six.

8. What's the weirdest thing a fan has said to you?  

I can’t repeat it!  Most of my fans are genuine and say the sweetest things but on occasion there will be that odd nut that falls from the tree!  I’m kidding.  I truly love all my fans and their amazing support. I think that some people look for more than stories on wattpad.  My advice to them is that there are loads of dating websites out there and this is not one of them!  ;)  I am honored to have made a handful of friends from all around the world on this site!  I enjoy discussing writing, wattpad and whatnot with them, but again that is just a handful because for some reason things just click naturally with them.

9. Are you working on any new story you can tell me about?

 I have my first story that spawned from ‘the dream’ almost complete.  It is a romance of course, but it has a darker side to it than “For the Love of Ethan”.  This story involves Colombian drug lords and secret societies.  The story surrounds a young woman named Natalie and her childhood friend Jon.  The interesting thing about this story is that for Natalie, nothing is as it seems.  Her life is filled with secrets and she struggles with repressed memories that surface later in the book.  Her perfect world slowly unravels when she returns home and her memories resurface.

I hope to write a Vampire novel someday soon but it is still just scribbled thoughts on a piece of paper at the moment.

10. What is your favorite quote?  

This quote is featured at the beginning of my first book.  It implies so much in so few words.  It is steamily romantic and suits my two characters very well.  It also serves as inspiration for my writing.

“Thou art to me a delicious torment.”   - Ralph Waldo Emerson

11. What is your favorite film and why?

Pride and Prejudice because I love angst.  Darcy is overflowing with it!

12. Where can you see yourself in 5 years time?  In five years I hope to be published.  I’m not sure if I have what it takes but I do intend to try, someday.

13. Would you call yourself a wattpad celebrity? Why so, or why not?

No, because there are so many variables that come together to put a book/author on the “What’s Hot” list or to even rank their story.  Total reads don’t always go hand in hand with what’s popular at the moment. I am however flattered by the overwhelming response to my story. 

14. What advice would you give to your younger self?  

Toughen up and believe in yourself more.  Just get up and go for it!

15. Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? 

Kind David, because his life has always fascinated me and he was such a flawed character with a moving story.  His triumphs and failures along with his happiness and sorrow are easily felt.

16. If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?  

I really don’t have one that comes to mind because a writer’s work is so much a part of them that it would feel like stealing but I do love the work of Cassandra Clare.

17. How's it like to be the Most Followed Wattpad user?

I’m not sure how that whole thing works and it is again based on more than just the number of followers because I don’t have that many compared to some.  But to answer your question I consider it to be an honor and I know that my fans are the reason for it!  I can’t thank everyone enough for all of the support that I have been shown.  It never ceases to amaze me.

18.Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

 I have learned that I am a lousy proofreader and that my fingers can’t type fast enough to keep up with my brain when the story is flowing freely.  I have learned that writer’s block is a very difficult thing to overcome and it gets worse with each passing day. Sometimes you have to unplug and walk away.  It is makes a psychological mess of my thought processes.

19.Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I know it will sound cliché but truly from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this amazing journey with me!

 20. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Keep your focus and story near your heart.  Don't get to distracted with the social side of writing.  It can throw you off your writing.  Keep your story true to what you foresee and stay true to your characters regardless of the comments that roll in.  Sometime we write negative things for our characters.  No one likes that but it is part of what makes the story what it is and guides the character on the path that they are to take.  Life isn't perfect.  People are not perfect.  Why should your story be any different?  Imagine it and pen it!