Intimate Conversation with Catherine Flowers
Catherine Flowers is a former registered nurse who also majored in English/Professional Writing at Mount Mary University. She is the creator of www.freefrombondage.com, a Christian website, and is a contributing writer for www.lovettpublishing.com. In her spare time she enjoys writing on-line content for other websites as well as providing content editing for up-and-coming authors. Her second novel A Sad Soul Can Kill You is the sequel to Yesterday's Eyes and will be released in May 2015.
BPM: How did you get to be where you are in your life today? Who or what motivated you?
I've always had a love for writing. I think I started writing poetry at the age of 10 or 13 years old. I always envisioned seeing my book in a bookstore one day. But life happens. Sometimes dreams get put on hold and I'm not so sure that's a good thing. Anyway, after practicing nursing for 16 years, I began to wonder when I would pursue my life-long desire to become a published author.
It was a chain of events that motivated me to end my nursing career and pursue my dream. First, I came across a saying at the bottom of a magazine one day. I can't remember the exact wording but it read something like this: "You will never swim the ocean, if you're afraid to step away from the shore." I remember tearing that piece of paper out of the magazine and taping it to the top of my alarm clock where it stayed for a long time.
Then an acquaintance announced she was leaving her office job to pursue her true passion which had nothing to do with the corporate world. I took that as a sign that I should be doing something else (writing). I began praying for direction, and after many months of praying, I stepped out on faith. I resigned from my nursing position, and began pursuing my dream of becoming a published author.
BPM: Who does your body of literary work speak to?
My work speaks to those who are imprisoned by the past and are unable or unwilling to forgive. Without forgiveness there can be no healing. Without healing there can be no moving forward, and without movement you can never be free.
BPM: What inspired you to sit down and actually start writing this book?
The book had actually been written years ago but the manuscript was just sitting in a drawer. When my youngest child graduated from high school, I felt like it was now or never. I began to notice so many people holding on to unnecessary grudges and the emotional pain it was causing. As a Christian, I know that Jesus is the answer. He is the deliverer. He sets the captives free. We just have to surrender our will and let His will be done. I wanted to inspire those people to turn to Jesus for deliverance.
BPM: Where do your book ideas come from? Are your books plot-driven or character-driven?
I get ideas for my books from everyday life, the people around me, and people on television. My books are mainly character-driven but it's the plot that causes action or a reaction from the character. So I would say my books have a little bit of both - plot-driven and character-driven.
BPM: Could you tell us something about your most recent work?
My most recent novel A Sad Soul Can Kill You is due to be released in May 2015. It's a sequel to my first novel, Yesterday's Eyes. Although this second novel is also a work of fiction, the topics are taken from real-life issues. My characters are all connected in some way and each of them is dealing with issues that range from homelessness to addiction.
BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special?
One of the main characters in Yesterday's Eyes is Tia, a six-year old girl. The story follows her through an abusive and neglectful childhood into young adulthood. She grows up fatherless, and with a lot of resentment towards her mother and grandmother.
The other two main characters are Tia's mother and grandmother. All three characters are dealing with unresolved issues that have kept them estranged from one another. All of them are special because underneath their pain is a desire to be set free, to love and be loved.
BPM: Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured in your book? If so, discuss them.
Yes, I touch on the plight of single mothers living in poverty, and a system that is not designed to help as much as it is to hinder.
BPM: How does your book relate to your present situation, education, spiritual practice or journey?
Yesterday's Eyes relates to my belief in the power of Jesus Christ. No thing is impossible with Him.
BPM: What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
My goal was to let people know that Jesus is the answer. I wanted to inspire people to turn to Him for deliverance from whatever burdens or grudges they may be carrying. I feel that I have achieved that goal. I've had people tell me that the book really touched on some of their own personal issues. When people ask me how the book is doing, I tell them, "It's doing exactly what God wants it to do!"
BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
I've just completed the sequel A Sad Soul Can Kill You. It's due for release in May 2015.
BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
Readers can visit my website www.freefrombondage.com to learn more about me. I can also be reached on Facebook: Author Catherine Flowers, and Twitter @YesterdaysEyes.
Connect with Catherine Flowers, author of Yesterday's Eyes
Facebook: Author Catherine Flowers
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@YesterdaysEyes
Website: http://www.freefrombondage.com
Breaking the chains of bondage one link at a time!
