Lessons in writing and beer tasting.
The CHOW visits with Catherine Manett, an author living her creative dream
The CHOW (Clueless Hack on Writing) interview is my look into the minds of writers, whose books haven’t been optioned for Netflix, but are finding ways to be shared with the world. These writers are booktrepreneurs who are hustling to get one small bit of attention for their books and trying to make a business out of it. If you like the specific genre, I encourage you to find it and buy. I’ll tell you, they’ll know and celebrate your purchase.
Catherine Manett
Catherine is a graduate of Hofstra University where she studied creative writing. Since then, Catherine started a career as a caseworker for Adult Protective Services. In her position, she assists her community’s most vulnerable adults with connecting to services that meet their essential needs. Through her work, Catherine has found a passion for helping those who battle homelessness. Growing up on Long Island, it became clear to Catherine that the price of living in New York is unaffordable. Because of this, she became a volunteer with a myriad of not-for-profit organizations including, Habitat For Humanity.
Welcome. Catherine, with your background in creative writing, you've studied the process of writing. What drove you to write Run Away Home?
Run Away Home has been a passion project of mine. The characters have been with me since I was a child, although they’ve changed drastically over time. In grade school, I really loved Peter Pan, and this is actually how I came to name the main character of my series. As I grew older, I became passionate about foster care and adoption because of stories like Peter Pan, where the hero was either orphaned or in the system. Through time however, I realized that these stories use these characters as a plot device without so much exploring the actual social issues that surround these tropes.
When I was 25, I started a career at Adult Protective Services of Suffolk County. It’s my job to investigate allegations of abuse and neglect of disabled and vulnerable adults. My eyes were opened to a myriad of issues that our community faces including homelessness and addiction.
Run Away Home became a way for me to educate our young adults through an entertaining story.
Tell us a little bit about your book?
RUN AWAY HOME: TEMPERED, is the first of what will be a three-book series.
It follows Peter and Hayley, who are two young adults set to age out of Long Island’s foster care system together. It’s an exciting time for the two, and life should be fun without rules and the watchful eye of a foster parent. However, with the news of their foster mother’s terminal illness, Peter has decided to adopt Danny, a thirteen-year-old boy also in her care. Now, Peter’s life isn’t the same.
The three must continue to live together in a new apartment. Peter hopes he has created the perfect family, despite their differences. He soon learns what a tremendous burden he’s taken on at the young age of twenty-one. Being the sole breadwinner and a new parent means giving up the opportunity to live a carefree life with Hayley. As she continues to struggle with addiction, Hayley competes with Danny for Peter’s attention and affection. When that seems to fail, she turns to her new boyfriend and opioid dealer, Tristian, to fill that void.
Peter and Tristian clash immediately. With the prospect of his plans for a perfect family falling apart, Peter begins to hallucinate and flashback to a past he fled on a Scottish Island many years ago.
What was the hardest part to write? The beginning, the middle, or the end?
The end of book one is actually what I wrote first, but although this is true, I can’t say that any of it was difficult to write. I’ve known the entire story, including books two and three for years, it really just came down to dumping it onto paper.
For some, plotting a singular novel is tough enough. As part of a three-part series, how do you map it all out?
I literally have calendars laid out on the floor of my office when I’m writing. The events of book one all fall on very specific dates in 2016, and this is how I keep track of the timeline. Because I want the story to be slice-of-life, I try to incorporate a decent amount of pop culture into the mix.
What was the biggest eye-opener about the business of publishing?
Expect the unexpected and do not give up. I unfortunately had to part ways with my current publisher RhetAskew. Although this is true, RUN AWAY HOME is not going anywhere, and my readers should still expect to see book 2, RUN AWAY HOME: SHATTERED hit shelves in 2024. I will be working with a new publisher, Red Penguin Books (Emperor Books imprint), to republish TEMPERED, and the rest of the series.
What genre do you like to read? And what is the most inspiring book you've read in the last year?
I’m a huge mystery, suspense, and horror fan. I always comp my book to the likes of the YOU series by Caroline Kepnes, and many titles by Sharri Lapena.
For most inspiring though, I’d have to go with so many of my local/ indie author friends. I met Sean McDonough (horror writer) at a brewery where he was selling is books. This inspired me to reach out to my local brewery for an event of my own! I picked up his horror book, THE THIRTEEN BLACK CATS OF EDITH PENN, and really enjoyed it!
Like me, you've had some book signings at breweries. What's your favorite local brewery?
I have to go with Moriches Field in Center Moriches. Not only do they have some of the best local beer, but they even named one after my series! The owner Rich Flynn is one of the kindest people you will ever meet. You are guaranteed to have a good time there.
When you hit a new brewery, what are your deciding factors in choosing a beer?
I really like amber ales, so I’m usually on the lookout for those. The best way to choose, of course, is to get a flight, try them all, and rate them on Untappd with your friends!
Thank you for joining me, congrats on the success of Run Away Home and good luck with the next book in the series, out later this year!