Below is my interview with author Wendy Waters who has written two romance novels inspired by her musical background and inherited intuition. Waters is a writer who takes her time and uses multiple resources to put out the most polished stories as possible.
When I send out my interview questions, I always ask that the writer or blogger complete a minimum of five questions from each category. Waters is the first person I’ve interviewed to answer every question in every category, a clear mark of a writer who loves to write, even if it’s just to answer my crazy questions.
Check out my interview with Waters below, check out her books, and follow her on social media! You can also find my review of her book, Catch The Moon, Mary here!
About the author and books
Author Name: Wendy Waters
Book Titles: Catch the Moon and Mary and Fields of Grace
Genres: Catch the Moon, Mary is Paranormal Romance/Modern Gothic/Literary Fiction
Fields of Grace is Historical Romance
Author links (links will open in a new tab):
Links to buy:
Book Summaries
CATCH THE MOON, MARY is a magical story about a gifted but vulnerable girl who is both saved and damned by an angel who falls in love with her music and claims it as his own in a Faustian pact.
FIELDS OF GRACE is an epic drama set against a backdrop of war in 1930s’ Europe. Grace Fieldergill, a starry-eyed young actress from Devon, moves to London to pursue her dream of becoming a star. Watching her performance one evening are two people who will change her life forever, London’s most famous actress, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, and a man whose love she never thought she could win.
Book Excerpts
CATCH THE MOON, MARY opening paragraphs
The night was a thin skin of stars and prophecy, the full moon unnaturally bright. All evening he’d felt a presence, as if someone or something was following him, but when he looked around there was no-one there. He was desperate to reach Sydney and take a rest and settle his nerves before embarking on another long, dark night on the wing.
‘I am going mad, creating phantom company.’ He spoke aloud just to hear another voice. ‘If only I still had a lover in Florence.’
Florence, where lovely women left windows open for him and artists begged to paint him. How beautiful he was back then. How perfectly swathed in flesh. He’d posed nude for Michelangelo and Da Vinci, his wings a whisper of light at his shoulder-blades, a hundred tallow candles burnishing his summoned flesh, his sienna eyes and golden curls. In those halcyon Renaissance years, he enjoyed a little respite from the quest, lingering in Florence where human genius had reached extraordinary heights in art and architecture. For almost a hundred years he cast no shadow on earth, sea or cloud. Time moved at a slow, luxurious pace and his flesh was a jacket he could don at will.
Now it stuck to his soul like sin.
FIELDS OF GRACE Prologue
Devon is full of stories, some of them true, others just goblin tales. My grandmother, Hephzibah Llewellyn, was a child when she first heard about amberglow, and to her young ears it sounded like a goblin tale. The story went like this – one autumn morning in 1862 a glowing amber-coloured mist rose from the river Dart and drifted into Stoke Gabriel rusting the frost-hoared sills and cobbled lanes of the village and sending the church bell into an ecstasy of peals. The vicar, still in his nightshirt, scrambled up to the belfry and clung to the enraptured dome, muffling its sacrilege with his own shivering flesh. Mid-morning, the sun drove the siren mist back into the river and three bewitched farmers followed it.
They were found a week later half a mile downstream, tangled in willow hair, riding the currents like reeds. The storyteller, a pagan like my grandmother, warned her to cast a protection spell if ever she encountered the evil light for it was surely a harbinger of death.
My grandmother did not see amberglow again until the night of my birth – 14th April 1912 – when the sky burned molten copper. Terrified the deathlight would steal my mother or me, she cast the protection spell over us. We survived, but 1,517 people did not. Terrible news rocked Stoke Gabriel the next day. At 11.40pm (the exact moment of my birth), the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean and sank.
Review excerpts
Catch the Moon, Mary is one of my six favourite books. – Amanda Redman, actress/director/arts patron/head of ATS, New Tricks, The Good Karma Hospital, Sexy Beast Sunday Express, March 2017
‘Catch the Moon, Mary is “Beyond beautiful”’ – Simon Egerton, singer-songwriter, composer, lyricist
Original and scintillating, tantalising and thought-provoking. Catch the Moon, Mary is a novel about the transformative powers of music and beauty – Hazel Philips OAM, Gold Logie winner, author of Black River, Bright Star
Catch the Moon, Mary weaves a singular spell mesmerising the reader on several levels like a fugue. Wendy Waters and her characters believe deeply in the power of music, which pours lyrically from her sentences’ – Joshua Rosenblum, composer, conductor, music critic
Catch the Moon, Mary is a rare and ingenious glimpse into the real and the surreal. Waters interfaces these twin realities with ease and dexterity, reminding us of the profound yet often neglected depth of imagination. A brave and unique journey’ – Gerry Taylor-Wood, international lecturer on Esoteric Sciences and author of The Journey to the Sacred Well
Talking Shop
What is the central theme or message of your story? What do you want readers to take away from it?
The central theme of Catch the Moon, Mary is the power of music to overcome adversity. I am great believer in partnering with your talent, whatever it may be, to help heal the wounds of the past and forge a pathway into the future. I would like readers to feel inspired to believe in themselves after reading my book and to revisit the injustices of the past and reframe them as building blocks to the person they have become. No matter how scarred we may be wounds close and heal if they are not allowed to fester. Every soul is made of light.
How have you promoted your books? What has worked best? What has failed?
I have promoted my books through a cross-pollination of linking them to my musicals and the friends in the world of theatre. Because music features in both Catch the Moon, Mary and Fields of Grace I have focused on sending copies of my books to people in these fields and would strongly advise other writers to look at promoting their books not only in the usual places like Goodreads and Blogs but also target people working in the fields you have set your story in.
Did you use any professional services before publishing your book? Are there any you recommend to indie authors?
I used a service called Manuscript Assessment Services once I had written several drafts and felt I was too close to my own work to spot issues I sent my MS to a professional assessor whose feedback proved invaluable. I strongly recommend that every author seeks a good editor/proof-reader before publishing or submitting the final draft to publishers or agents.
Name a fact or detail about your story that can’t be found within the pages of your book.
There is in my family a sixth sense that is commonly called the “sight”. It tends to pass through the female line but not exclusively. All the women and some of the men in my family have had Otherworldly experiences, including me. Some of the angel quotes in Catch the Moon, Mary and the experiences of the main character in Fields of Grace come from direct family experiences with Otherworldly entities. I once heard an entire symphony created by an angel. This incredible experience is magnified in the eponymous main character, Mary Granger, in Catch the Moon, Mary.
What’s the best review/compliment that you’ve received about your book?
I have been delighted by many but perhaps the one that stands out is Amanda Redman (New Tricks, Good Karma Hospital) saying Catch the Moon, Mary is one of her six favourite books.
How active are you in the online writing community? How has this community helped you as a writer?
I try to put in a couple of hours a day chatting to people online. I love the online community because they are so supportive and encouraging. If you’re having a down day, they can brighten it with a gif or a compliment or just a prompt to keep going!
What famous books can you compare to your own?
It seems there isn’t a book that deals with quite the same theme in CATCH THE MOON, MARY so excuse me for quoting one review on Amazon.
#5Stars: “Wow! Wow! And Wow! Catch the Moon, Mary is a poignant novel that keeps you spellbound until the last page. I loved it and highly recommend it. It is beautifully written and heartrending. There is no pigeonholing this novel! It shimmers in a genre all on its own, dealing with flawed humanity and celestial beings. Just magical!”
FIELDS OF GRACE has been compared to Wuthering Heights.
What is a fun or strange source of inspiration that ended up in your book?
“The angel resumed his contemplation of the familiar stars. Humanity might speculate about the possibility of surprising worlds out there but he knew better. There was nothing surprising out there. All that was surprising lay unimagined within.”
This is from Catch the Moon, Mary and it’s a direct quote from an angel who spoke to my mother and explained that humanity may well explore space in search of answers, but the real answers lay “unimagined” within. Nothing could support the vital importance of creativity and scientific exploration more than this statement from an angel.
How long did it take to write your book from the day you got the idea to write it to the day you published it?
It took me ten years from original idea to published final draft. I had to redraft many times because when you write about an angel it’s a really good idea not to get preachy. At one point I even thought of making the angel Lucifer but then I decided to “humanize” him instead and let him be an amalgam of a heavenly creature beset with human impulses. This decision gave me an extraordinary canvas and a complex palette of possibilities. Refining this idea took multiple drafts and much assistance from superb assessors along the way. I couldn’t rush the story.
How long have you considered yourself a writer? Did you have any formal training, or is it something you learned as you went?
I think calling yourself a writer is tantamount to pinning the Purple Heart on your lapel! It takes years of dedication. I have always “scribbled” in diaries and notebooks and learned the discipline of writing in a three-year Creative Writing Course I took when I lived in Seattle in the 90s. I considered myself a writer when I completed Catch the Moon, Mary.
What is your day job? How, in any way, does it relate to your life as a writer?
I don’t have a regular day job anymore. But I have had numerous different jobs over the years, all of them fodder for my imagination!
Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of all time great writers?
That’s easy – Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, Truman Capote and Jeannette Winterson.
Are your books for sale at any bookstores? Have you tried any other methods of selling hard copies in person versus online?
Sadly not but I am hoping this will change when the spotlight shines more brightly on both Fields of Grace and Catch the Moon, Mary.
What were your expectations for writing and publishing your first book? Have they changed since then?
My expectation initially was limited to simply writing a book I could be proud of but that shifted when the manuscript was picked up by Linen Press, a small publisher in Scotland. Once the reviews started coming in it became clear that my book had a broader appeal and I wanted it to reach readers who might find inspiration or hope in the story. I have since left Linen Press and taken back control of my book by self-publishing.
Do you have a writing ritual or any odd habits or superstitions?
My writing began as a discipline of two hours in the morning before work, which meant getting up at 4.30am and two hours each evening after dinner, from 7-9pm, repeat that every day for the next ten years! After Catch the Moon, Mary was published my focus shifted to raising awareness of it and then I wrote Fields of Grace or rather, I developed it from a winning short story. Today I write when I have a project.
How well do you handle criticism, either while writing, editing, or reviews? Do you ever use that criticism to change your story?
Having your work assessed means you pay for constructive criticism and it’s wise to use it if you trust the assessor! I also give my manuscripts to five selected readers before I submit to publishers. I listen to the feedback and make changes if the same complaint is made three times. It’s sensible to be discerning about the changes you make because there is an old saying “Try to please all and you will please none.” However, if, as I said, the same complaint surfaces three times then take notice but, if someone has a personal issue with your subject matter, ignore them. Learning to accept constructive criticism is a worthwhile art in itself.
How do you autograph your books?
I just sign my name.
What is the most fun part about writing? The most difficult?
The most fun part of writing is editing. The story is on the page, you’ve done the hard yards and now it’s just a matter of polishing and refining.
The most difficult part is starting!
Do you focus on word count, hours spent writing, page count, or another way to measure your daily or weekly progress?
No. I used to as I said earlier. I had a set number of hours I would write each day and I stuck to it but now I allow myself the luxury of being in the mood to write or when I have a project with a deadline.
What skills have you acquired or information have you learned from writing?
So many it’s difficult to know where to begin. Apart from the obvious character-building things like completing a task and following through on a commitment I have also learned that the soul needs a challenge and talent deserves development and respect. Nothing serves a human being’s higher self better than reaching for the stars.
“What If” Scenarios
If your book ever becomes a movie, and you get final say over the cast, which actors would you hire to play your characters?
In Catch the Moon, Mary I would cast Aidan O’Callaghan as James and Keanu Reeves as Gabriel and all the rest I would love to go to brilliant unknowns whose names would be made.
In Fields of Grace again, my brilliant friend Aidan O’Callaghan would be my first choice as the love interest, John Hopkins-Riemer. Hannah Whyman would play Grace, Suzy Davenport would play the young Peggy Ashcroft and Lauren Lovejoy would play Georgina.
If you could have one person that you admire, living or dead, read your book, who would it be?
Truman Capote.
If you could be in a writer’s group with up to four famous writers, who would they be?
Scott Fitzgerald, Jeannette Winterson, Emily Bronte and Charlotte Bronte.
A wealthy reader buys 100 copies of your book and tells you to hand them out to anyone you wish. Who do you give them to?
I’d give Catch the Moon, Mary to the cast of Hamilton and Fields of Grace to the cast of Downton Abbey.
Your favorite character that you’ve written comes to life for one day. What do you do together for 24 hours?
John Hopkins-Riemer, the gorgeous entrepreneur in Fields of Grace will meet me in Paris and we would plan the productions of my musicals, ALEXANDER and THE LAST TALE.
You are transported inside your book for one day. What role do you play? How do you alter the events of the story?
I am Grace Fielders in Fields of Grace and I would stop my lover, John from going to Berlin in 1936.
You’re offered a contract to rewrite your book in another genre. Which genre do you choose and why?
I wouldn’t change the genres.
You’re given $10,000 to spend on marketing for your book. How do you spend it?
That’s easy. I would fly to London and call a meeting with my theatre friends and brainstorm the possibility of having Fields of Grace made into a BBC mini-series and Catch the Moon, Mary made into a film.
Your book becomes a best seller. What do you do next?
Buy the house of my dreams.
Would you rather own your own bookstore or your own publishing house, and what would you sell or publish?
I would rather own a publishing house and, taking a leaf out of Keanu Reeves’ book and Leonard Woolf’s Hogarth Press and Obelisk Press in 30’s Paris, I would publish works of genius the major houses overlook.
Just For Fun
Your trademark feature.
I have a trademark hairstyle modeled on the Louise Brooks’ bob.
What legacy do you want to leave behind?
I want to leave behind books and musicals that resonate with generations to come and inspire thought and hope.
One year of your life you’d like to do over.
This year when my daughter got married in France and I met my new French relatives whom I adore!
One bucket list item you’ve completed and one that’s still on your list.
Seeing Paris this year and one day seeing the Swiss Alps in spring. Oh, and seeing one of my musicals open on Broadway.
Favorite band, musical artist, or genre/era of music.
My favorite music is Celtic and musical theatre. I adore Sondheim, Brel, Cohen and Nina Simone.
A movie that changed your life.
Harold and Maude.
Favorite time of/part of your day.
10am in the morning and 4pm in the afternoon.
Favorite place you’ve visited/place you want to visit.
Paris.
Food you’d like to win a lifetime supply of.
Red wine! I guess that’s not really food so cheese!
The topic you can’t shut up about/the topic you wish everyone would shut up about.
I can’t shut up about the massively unjust discrepancy between rich and poor on this planet and I wish everyone would STOP denying climate change.
Celebrity you’d want to be friends with.
Keanu Reeves!
Your most unrealistic dream job.
Owning my own theatrical production company.
Favorite Halloween costume ever.
Witch!!!
Name a talent you have and a talent you wish you had.
I am a very good singer, and I wish I could dance!
Buy it!
Buy a copy of Catch The Moon, Mary here, and help support local bookstores. This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
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