Author Interview: Cathy Woodman

Today it's my pleasure to welcome Cathy Woodman, bestselling author of the Talyton St George series,  to the blog for a chat about her latest book Springtime at Cherry Tree Cottage which was published yesterday.  Over the years I have read and enjoyed reading this series so when I was asked about taking part in this blog tour I didn't hesitate to say yes although I was too ashamed to admit that I am a little behind on the series, I still had a review copy of Follow Me Home to read (review will follow soon) plus I've still not read Vets on Call which I bought last Summer. 

Hello Shaz. 

Thank you very much for hosting this stop on my tour with ‘Springtime at Cherry Tree Cottage.’   
When you first started writing Trust Me I'm a Vet, had you always planned that it would be the first in a series that 6 years later would still be running and as popular as ever?  
When I started writing the Talyton St George series, I planned a trilogy about the Otterhouse vets, Maz and Emma, but it snowballed. I didn’t expect to be here telling you about the tenth book, but I’m delighted that it’s still running and very happy that people still want more!       

Springtime at Cherry Tree Cottage is the latest book in the series, can you tell us a little bit about it?
I had great fun writing ‘Springtime at Cherry Tree Cottage’. It’s about Flick who achieves her dream of becoming one of the first female blacksmiths in the country, but when she starts her first job, she is faced with naughty and neglected ponies, stubborn donkeys and a very diva-esque horse. She finds that not only is she an object of scrutiny by the local horse owners, she also has to prove herself and overcome a certain amount of sexism, just as much from the women as the men.  

There is one person on her side though and that is stunt rider Robbie Salterton who gallops around the Devon countryside on his beautiful black stallion (Think Poldark).

I enjoyed writing about the new characters, and revisiting some of the old ones too, including Tessa and Jack from ‘The Village Vet’, and Matt from ‘Vets In Love’.  

I love the title, how did that come about?  
I’m glad that you like the title. Originally, I called it ‘The Village Blacksmith’, but it didn’t really work. I was worried that it conjured up the impression that it was the story of a man working in a village forge, making gates and ironwork signs, so that one went out of the window and I was back to square one. Titles really aren’t my thing. I can write a novel, but I find it very difficult to create a title of a few words, so I had a chat with my editor who suggested a title with ‘springtime’ in it, and then I thought of ‘Cherry Tree cottage’ which was partly inspired by the name of the yard, Cherry Tree Stables, where I used to keep my horse. We put them together and came up with ‘Springtime at Cherry Tree Cottage’ which I think sounds very sweet and fresh.    

Blog Tour: Inspiration behind Zara in Follow Me Home by Cathy Woodman

Today is my stop on the Follow Me Home blog tour and I'm delighted to welcome Cathy Woodman who has written a guest piece about what inspired her to create her central character Zara.

Hello Shaz

Thank you very much for welcoming me to your blog as I continue on my tour with my new book, ‘Follow Me Home’. 

When I set out to write this book, the latest in the Talyton St George series, I wanted to tell the story of someone who plays a key role in the community and a midwife seemed to fit perfectly. I called her Zara, and decided to have her move in with her grandmother who runs the newsagent’s, selling bric a brac as well as sweets and newspapers to make ends meet. 

 A picture of Zara holding her sister’s baby popped into my head and I asked myself the question: How would she feel if she found out she couldn’t have children when she was looking after pregnant women and delivering babies every day?

Guest Post: My daily writing routine by Cathy Woodman

Today I'm pleased to welcome Cathy Woodman back to my blog as part of her Country Loving blog tour.

Regulars of my blog will know that I'm a huge fan of Cathy's Talyton St. George series and have read all the books in the series, including Country Loving which I reviewed earlier this year, and have previously interviewed Cathy a couple of times.  Today Cathy gives us a quick glimpse into her daily writing routine so I'll hand you over to Cathy...

My life is somewhat chaotic, but on the days when nothing out of the ordinary happens – which isn’t very often – this is my writing routine.

I’m an early bird rather than a night owl, so I’ll get up at six or seven to walk the dogs and muck out the pony. The dogs aren’t as lively as when they were puppies and sometimes they look at me as if to say, ‘Can’t we have a lie-in this morning?’

I find it useful to walk because that’s when I have time to think. Occasionally, I’ll record my ideas on my mobile phone because it’s really annoying when you get home and find that the brilliant idea you had has slipped your mind. I have become quite expert at managing three dogs on leads and a mobile!   

Books Read: Cathy Woodman - Country Loving

Successful city accountant Stevie receives two surprises in one week: a proposal of marriage from her boyfriend Nick and a phone call begging her to return to the family farm in Devon to help out after her father has a stroke.

But what she thought would be a long weekend in the country turns into much longer as she struggles to bring order to her father's rundown farm. Finally, she decides to give up her job - and her fiance - and take on the farm permanently. She dreams of turning it into a tourist attraction, never realising it would be so difficult. But with the help of many of Talyton St George's local residents, and the locum vet Leon, she is starting to make progress.

Until a life-changing complication throws all her plans into disarray, and destroys her growing romance with Leon...

Books Read: Cathy Woodman - Vets in Love

Glamorous GP Nicci (aka the galloping doctor), and Matt, the very handsome equine vet, have caught each other's eyes. On paper it looks like a match made in heaven.

There are problems, however: Matt's jealous ex-girlfriend being one of them. But the main trouble is Nicci's determination to qualify for the Badminton horse trials. Because although Matt treats horses for a living, a tragedy in his past makes him terrified every time Nicci competes.

So when Nicci has a terrible accident, a devastated Matt gives her an ultimatum: it's either him or the riding. 

Nicci can't believe he means it. But can she risk putting him to the test?

Christmas Shorts with... Cathy Woodman

Today's Christmas Shorts interviewee is bestselling author Cathy Woodman.  I have really enjoyed reading Cathy's Talyton St George series over the last couple of years especially the latest one,  Vets In Love, which was published last month so I was delighted when Cathy agreed to answer my Christmas related questions.  

So who did Cathy say she'd like to kiss under the mistletoe?  Read on to find out...

What is your earliest Christmas memory?  
The sense of anticipation and excitement on waking up in the middle of the night with the weight of a pillowcase of presents on my feet.  Having woken my parents and parents, my siblings and I were sent back to bed with instructions not to get up until dawn.  We sat on our beds in the dark, trying to guess what was in our presents, shaking and squeezing them and peeking under the wrapping paper.   

What is your favourite Christmas tradition?
My favourite Christmas tradition is putting out the sherry, mince pies and carrots for Father Christmas and his reindeer on Christmas Eve.  My teenage children tell me Father Christmas doesn't exist, but I don't believe them!   

Books Read: Cathy Woodman - The Village Vet

Source - Received from publisher to review

In Talyton St George, vet nurse Tessa Wilde is on the way to her wedding...

It should be the happiest day of her life. But then her car hits a dog, and though the dog is saved thanks to the Otter House vets, her wedding is not.

Animal welfare officer and part time fire-fighter Jack Miller spends his life saving animals and people. As one of Tessa's oldest friends, he feels he has the right to interrupt her wedding and rescue her from a marriage that can only end in tears.

But does he? Tessa is sure she doesn't need rescuing, least of all by Jack. 

When they begin to work together at the Animal Rescue centre, however, Tessa begins to wonder whether being rescued by Jack might not be such a bad thing after all.

Author Interview: Cathy Woodman

Over the last couple of years I have read and loved all four of the previous books in the Talyton St George series written by Cathy Woodman.  The latest book in the series, The Village Vet, has just been published and I'm glad to be able to welcome Cathy to the blog today to answer a few questions.
 
How long did it take you to get your first book published?

About nine years! Having received many rejections from agents and publishers, I had my lucky break when I entered the Harry Bowling competition for a synopsis and first chapter of a novel set in London and was joint winner in 2002. I met my agent, Laura, at the award ceremony.

Do you have a set daily writing routine?

I have a chaotic life combining writing with teaching Animal Management and Vet Nursing at a local college, along with acting as taxi driver for my teenage offspring and looking after two horses, three dogs, cat and rat, so I tend to write until late at night. When I’m getting close to a deadline for sending a manuscript to my editor, I have been known to stay up all night, something I did several times while writing The Village Vet.

Books Read: Cathy Woodman - It's a Vet's Life

Source - Second hand copy received from friend

Christmas is coming, and life is busy for vet Maz Harwood.

She has a beautiful baby boy, George, and she will soon be marrying fellow vet Alex Fox-Gifford.  Frankly, though, life is not as rosy as it looks.  Because between arranging the wedding, performing life-saving animal surgery, and taking care of George, Maz doesn't have much time left for Alex, and even if she did, he's working even harder than her so she rarely sees him.  And as Alex won't do anything to make life easier, Maz has decided that she will have to take matters into her own hands.

But Maz's solution has truly terrible consequences for them all, and as the wedding approaches, Maz realises that it will take a Christmas miracle to get and Alex to the altar.