Kate Cann Interview

1. How many rejections did you get before you found an agent? *** An agent contacted me after I’d got my first book Diving In published. Which I managed by photocopying the ms 10 times and sending it round to 10 different publishers and sitting back and waiting with eyes, legs and fingers crossed …..








2. How did you get beyond your agent's slush pile? *** Most publishers got back to me, they were very fair. Then The Women’s Press (now sadly out of business) contacted me and said, if I made some changes (specifically cutting the length and toning the sex down!) they’d publish the book.







3. What is the best part about getting a book deal? *** Without a doubt, the surety and confidence it gives you. After Diving In, I always had contracts for my books. But I’ve just written a book for adults without a contract and it’s been tough to keep going sometimes with no idea if it will find a publisher.







4. What has been your favorite part of publication and why? *** Getting the finished book in your hands. It’s wonderful. The best goody bag going.







5. Do you sign books? How can I (the reader) get mine to you to sign? *** Usually I sign books at events and visits. What if I posted you a sticky label with my signature on it?







6. What books or authors influenced you the most as a young adult? What books do you enjoy reading today? ***As a teenager I loved the late 19th C French writer Colette. So passionate and realistic, and honest about sex. I named my heroin in the Diving In series after her. As for today – all and everything. At the moment I’m reading Jung. Be impressed!!

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7. What fostered your love of writing? *** Doing it, I suppose! And all the wonderful feedback I’ve had from readers over the years. It’s meant such a lot to me.







8. Do you ever get comments on your work that is totally conflicting? *** Oh yes, and that’s wonderful, because in my writing I don’t want to direct people how to respond. I want them to make their own minds up. For example, most people think Rayne in Possessed is really strong, but some readers think she’s too much of a follower …







9. How much of writing success is gift, and how much is sweat? *** H’mmm. 60 % gift, 40 % sweat I’d say ….totally off the top of my head!







10. Thanks! Is there anything else you'd like to say or have me put on my blog? *** Yes please! I’m just publishing the fourth in the Diving In series – it’s called Art’s Story and it tells you if Coll and Art make it together in the end. It will be available any day now from my website www.katecann.com And (see question 5) I will of course be able to sign and dedicate it for you before I ship it out!

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Check out all her books here: http://www.katecann.com/books.asp
And visit her site here: http://www.katecann.com/default.asp