Ask the Author: Catherine Forster
Answered Questions (6)
Catherine Forster
Spend time in nature. I resolve most of my writing issues while on the trail or kayaking. Sometimes, just putting the project away for awhile may be what it needs.
Catherine Forster
When what I've written impacts a reader. Some of my readers have been so moved by Chasing Tarzan that they've bought the book for their local schools and school counselors. That was rewarding beyond measure!
Catherine Forster
You're in good company, so seek out other writers. Join a writers group, go to readings at bookstores, attend workshops if possible. Read voraciously, and read consciously. How do authors you love and respect do what they do? Take notes, mess up those books, and find books on writing that inspire and give you tools.
Catherine Forster
SORRY CAKES FOR SUPPER, a work of fiction. The main character, Judyth, is on the cusp of her fiftieth birthday. She is content with the life she has created, where emotions are kept at arm’s length, until her son shows up on her doorstep and deposits his six-year old daughter. The story alternates between Judyth’s week with her granddaughter and flashbacks of Judyth’s childhood, between 1914 and 1920. Her granddaughter has stopped talking for no apparent reason. The child’s distress and ghost-like presence shatter Judyth’s carefully crafted world. The story takes Judyth from a joyful child to a reticent adult, yet it is the course of one week spent with her granddaughter that is most life-changing.
Catherine Forster
By reading! I am inspired by other writers, by my writing group, and comments/feedback on my own writing.
Catherine Forster
The rekindling of my own memories of being bullied and my daughter's struggle with her tormentors inspired CHASING TARZAN. A family safari trip to Africa brought my own childhood memories to the surface. I imagined Tarzan everywhere: peeking into our tent, riding a bull elephant, running alongside a herd of wildebeest. It was as if he were chasing me––or my memories were. In writing Chasing Tarzan, I upended the paradigm, chasing him, and hunting for the meaning of those hidden memories.
Like many children, I was told that bullying was a fact of life, part of growing up, that one would be stronger for it. It was a different time, but now, in the age of zero-tolerance bullying programs, why was my daughter a target? I promised the day she was born that she would not suffer as I had, but when the time came, I was powerless to stop it. In the beginning, I wrote the book for her, so she would know she was not alone or deserved cruel treatment. My writing group helped me recognize the universal themes of Chasing Tarzan. Through them, I took on the challenge of writing for a broader audience.
Like many children, I was told that bullying was a fact of life, part of growing up, that one would be stronger for it. It was a different time, but now, in the age of zero-tolerance bullying programs, why was my daughter a target? I promised the day she was born that she would not suffer as I had, but when the time came, I was powerless to stop it. In the beginning, I wrote the book for her, so she would know she was not alone or deserved cruel treatment. My writing group helped me recognize the universal themes of Chasing Tarzan. Through them, I took on the challenge of writing for a broader audience.
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