Thank you so much for having me, Ruby!
Where do I begin? I live in Montreal, Canada with my cat, Abbie. I work as a claims analyst for an insurance company by day and I write chick lit. BREAKING THE RULES is my first novel.
• When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
I've loved reading for as long as I can remember but I fell in love with writing when I was a teenager and tried to write a romance novel. From that moment on, I knew that writing was what I wanted to do.
• What's your favorite book/author?
That's a tough one. If I had to pick just one book, I'd say CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC by Sophie Kinsella. I knew I wanted to write chick lit after reading that novel and Sophie Kinsella remains one of my favorite authors to this day.
I loved that book too. I don't think Sophie Kinsella wrote a book that I didn't like.
• What are you doing when you're not reading or writing?
I'm usually either watching cooking and home improvement shows or trying to bake something without setting off the smoke alarm.
• What inspires you when you write?
I'm inspired by everything around me. I like to observe how people interact with each other and—on more than one occasion—I've overheard snippets of conversation from complete strangers on the bus or subway and integrated that into a story.
• What your favorite and your least favorite part of the writing process?
I love almost everything about the writing process—from the initial spark when you get an idea and run with it to editing and whipping your manuscript into shape. I guess my least favorite part is that it takes me a lot of time to complete a first draft. I wish I could write faster.
• Are you a plotter or a panster?
I'm definitely a plotter. I like to have a pretty detailed outline before I start writing.
• What projects do you have for the future?
I'm currently writing my second chick lit novel called ZOEY & THE MOMENT OF ZEN and I'm hoping to finish it by the end of the year.
I can't wait to read it! Thanks for stopping by!
Bio:
Cat Lavoie was born in the small town of Jonquière in Québec, Canada. At the age of nineteen, she packed up her things (mostly books) and moved to the big city of Montreal where she currently lives with her tempestuous cat Abbie—who is both adorable and quite possibly evil.
An incurable Anglophile since her university days where she studied English Literature, she can often be found daydreaming about her next trip to London. Since she’s an expert at the art of procrastination, Cat is easily distracted by cooking and home improvement shows—even though she’s not particularly good at either.
Cat grew up watching soap operas and legal dramas and—had she not decided to be a claims analyst by day and write chick lit by night—she would have probably become a designer suit-wearing lawyer. Or a character on All My Children (which is what she really wanted to be when she was twelve).
Cat is not sure whether she’s a geek or a nerd—and is afraid she might be both. Breaking the Rules is her first novel.
Cat blogs about the writing life and posts adorable pictures of Abbie over at the Catenabi Chronicles. Come say hello at: www.CatLavoie.com and follow @Catenabi on Twitter.
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