A multi-genre author and poet, Cathrine Swift says her earliest memory of falling in love with reading involved a book called Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede. The book features a young princess who runs away from marriage and castle life to live with dragons. Swift says, “My DNA was forever changed by it, and the rest of the series, The Enchanted Forest Chronicles. I saw (badass, femme) women (and gentle, loving men) doing badass things for the greater good, and my writing blueprint was created. Of course, I didn’t know or fully understand it at the time, but looking back now, the evidence is right there.”
The year is 1456: Queen Amelia has barely survived her first year of marriage to the wicked King Alaric. When she accepted his marriage proposal arranged by their fathers, she believed it her sole opportunity to fulfill her birthright as ruler of Dathoviel and protect her brother from the throne he feared. But she can no longer sit back and watch helplessly as her husband destroys her land and starves her people. She must find the strength to fight back.
~Let It Reign by Cathrine Swift
Q: What has been the most unexpected lesson you’ve learned about yourself through writing?
A: That your art isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. My books are written for a specific group of people. It’s a broad group, to be sure, but we as authors have a target audience, and it’s a marketing term for sure, but at the end of the day it’s just about finding our people. The ones who are going to be touched by the themes and circumstances of our books. And the rest, the people who don’t get it…well, that just means that particularly story wasn’t meant for them. But it is meant for someone. For a lot of someones. So don’t give up, your people will find you, and your art will impact their lives—for the better.
Q: When do you feel most “in the zone” with your writing—early mornings, late nights, or somewhere in between?
A: I learned early on in motherhood that I had two choices: learn how to write amdist the chaos, or probably never ‘find the time’ to do it. So, I do what I have to do, when I have to do it. Sometimes that means waking up early or staying up late. Sometimes that means writing on my phone in the car. Sometimes that means bringing the laptop along for the 45 minutes my daughter is in dance class once a week. Being creative is like breathing to me. I am always thinking plots and character arcs and writing playlists and saving pins on Pinterest. And when I can, I borrow a few moments until the next time I find myself with a blissful opportunity to steal a whole hour, or if I’m really lucky—more.
Q: Do you find inspiration in other art forms (music, film, visual art)? If so, how does it shape your work?
A: I love film and cinema, and television too, of course. This has led me to being an author who writes in a very cinematic way. I have a hard time writing one-person POV for example because I can’t just stay in one character’s head. I see it all at once, and so I tend to write multi-POV. And when I write my scenes, I see them in my head playing out like a movie. Like my brain is the camera, sweeping over the scene and picking up details. From there I direct the audience’s attention, and I attempt to guide my actors—characters—to sticking to the script, aka the outline. They rarely listen. But it’s a dance of will and stubbornness and undeniable creative energy.
Q: What themes do you find yourself returning to again and again in your work?
A: Healing, found family, and empowerment. No matter what era or genre or number of characters I am working with, you can bet all three of these will be intrinsic to the storyline.
Q: What’s the most rewarding feedback you’ve ever received from a reader?
A: The most recent one was a woman who shared with me that reading my book, Let it Reign allowed her to open a conversation with her bisexual daughter about how best she can support her. THAT is why I do what I do. That is why I write what I write. To help my target audience feel seen, absolutely, but also I always hope and pray that my work will be able to open minds. And every time one of these stories comes back to me, it brings tears to my eyes, and I’m so grateful for the world of indie publishing.
Q: What do you wish readers understood better about the writing or publishing process?
A: That authors are human beings. I can’t speak for all other authors or writers, but I know for me, one of the most painful things to hear is when readers complain about how quickly authors put out books. Like, if it’s been ten years or something, I totally get it. But anyone with an artistic bone in their body probably understands that sometimes the muse just doesn’t cooperate. Sometimes the characters don’t cooperate. Sometimes it’s something in the industry. No author – at least not one I’ve spoken with – is sitting on a book and procrastinating for fun. We are in the trenches, bleeding for our work.
So, instead of reaching out to an author and giving them crap for not putting a book out in (what you consider) a timely fashion, maybe consider writing them a fan letter instead. Tell them how excited you are for the next book. How much you love their characters and the world they’ve built. The old saying, “you get more flies with honey than vinegar” applies well here. Encourage and love and support your favourite authors, and I promise it will feed their souls.
Q: What have you written that you found to be the most fun to write?
A: I absolutely love writing contemporary rom-coms. Especially holiday ones. There is just so much you can do with this genre, both comedically but also cinematically. There’s a reason Hallmark and Netflix Christmas movies are so beloved, even the bad ones. It’s a gold mine, and I encourage anyone who’s stuck creatively or just wants to bring a little fun and refreshing energy into their writing life to try it out!
Q: If you could live in the world of one of your books for a day, which would it be and why?
A: I would love to go to a Blue Light Days concert, which is the fictional band I created for my first Jet Set Romance book, Words & Music. To see Thur and the rest of the band members live…I would probably just cry the whole time. (Yes, I’m one of those girls who cries at concerts, and I’m not ashamed of it.)
Q: If your life were a novel, what would the title be?
A: Love Swiftly. It’s a play on words of my last name, but it’s also in reference to the fact that in real life I love hard and fast. (Tell you I’m an Aries without telling you I’m an Aries, amiright?) I think this is the perfect novel to encapsulate my essence because LOVE is my reason for everything. For existing, for breathing, for healing and growing. The love I have for my daughter, for myself, my friends and family, art in general, and just the world in general. Love is messy and beautiful and the reason the world goes round, and as Ferris Bueller said, if we don’t stop and look around once in a while, we’re going to miss life entirely. Love helps us stop and slow down and breathe.
Q: What’s a new genre or style you’d love to experiment with in the future?
A: Before my writing career is completed, my goal is to have a published work in every genre, but I think sometime in the next few years, once I complete my current series, I would like to finish my fantasy and sci-fi books. I certainly cannot rest until I’ve put something on paper that involves my love of Star Trek, Star Wars, and dragons. (Not all at once though. These are different series, I promise. Though….the idea of dragons in space….)
Q: What projects are you working on at the present?
A: At the time of this interview I am deep in the trenches of juggling real life and freelance clients with FINALLY bringing to life the first book idea I ever completed. This book has evolved so much over the last (almost) twenty years of my life in theme and quality as my craft has grown, and I finally feel like I’ve lived enough life to do it justice. Kyle and Trudence’s story is one that has been with me since I was fifteen years old and they’ve remained a steady constant in the back of my mind, waiting patiently. And as long as the muse continues feeding me and I keep typing, I am confident that my next solo publication will be Remembering Our Paris. It’s the much-anticipated second book in my Jet Set series that I’m dubbing a nostalgic contemporary romance about healing, second chance romance, and self-discovery.
Q: What do your plans for future projects include?
A: Aside from working on ROP every sneaky chance I get, I’m focused right now on the final weeks of prep and marketing for Classic Conversations, which is an anthology I am leading inspired by classic literature and the authors who paved the road modern authors walk now. I have a team of seventeen authors from around the world, and we each tackled a classic work from the public domain, reimagining it and breathing new life into it through the art of conversation.
I’m proud to say that this is the first publication for a few authors on the team, which is one of my favourite parts of running anthologies: helping writers either grow their backlist or start it! My personal short story is a continuation of Robin Hood and Maid Marion’s love affair, but readers will get to return to Jane Austen works, a noir version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and so much more! The book contains multiple genres from romance to horror, women’s fiction, tragedy…you name it, we got it! And all the royalties go to local libraries, which I think is really special.
Cathrine Swift writes multi-genre fiction and poetry that pulses with cinematic emotion. Sometimes steamy, always inclusive, her stories explore found family, identity, empowerment, and healing. She believes love, in all its forms, deserves to be seen.
Beyond writing, she’s a lifestyle & wedding photographer, book doula, and co-host of The Energy Within podcast. She’s building a thriving community of writers through Abundant Artists, empowering creatives to rise together.
When Swift is not lost in fictional worlds, she’s homeschooling her daughter, dreaming of NYC, or indulging in her love of fandoms (Marvel, Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who & more). Her heart beats swiftly—for stories, for words, and for love itself.
Connect with the author
- Website: https://cathrineswift.wixsite.com/authorcathrineswift
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcathrineswift/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcathrineswift/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/janeyharper
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorcathrineswift
- Buy Cathrine Swift books today!
Now available in print and on Kindle!
While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my latest suspense novel, It Had to Happen, now available in print and on Kindle!
Book Summary
When Jack Utley loses his daughter just as his business is about to soar, it seems he’s traded financial gain for Callie’s life. After an encounter with a mysterious woman on the eve of Callie’s funeral, Jack wakes up to find that time has somehow rewound to the morning of Callie’s accident. Jack gets an opportunity that most grieving parents can only dream of – he saves his daughter’s life.
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Write on the World 