Today upon the blog we have the very lovely Cathryn Hein guest posting.
First,the basics…
Who are you? Australian romance author, mad keen but inept golfer, and die-hard Sydney Swans supporter.
What occupies your time? Writing. And getting drunk on the power that comes from playing god with my characters’ lives.
Where do you live? Melbourne, but only for two more months. Then it’s off to the outer fringes of Sydney for me.
Who do you live with?? My partner of 20 years. What a hero to put up with me for so long!
Interesting stuff I’d like to know about you…
1. Finish the sentence…
I love… Restauranting! (and the Sydney Swans)
I hate… People that don’t pick up their dog’s poo!
2. Tell me a story about your car/ a car you loved??
I used to work for a pasture seed company and spent a lot of time driving around the countryside. One time, after a field day, I decided to take a short cut home via a really steep logging track. It was rough and isolated, but it was nearing 5 o’clock on a Friday and the route cut close to an hour off my driving time.
About halfway down I blew a tyre. With nowhere to stop safely, I nursed the car to the bottom of the hill and set about changing the tyre, only to find the wheel nuts were done up so tight I couldn’t get the rotten things off. Naturally, I had no mobile signal, which left me no choice but to wait for someone to come along.
About ten minutes later, much to my joy, a car appeared so I waved it down then wished I hadn’t as out hopped this barefoot, Stubbie shorts and torn singlet-wearing hairy bloke who proceeded to grin at me with what I thought was rather slobbery excitement.
Despite my protests that all I needed was the nuts undone, he insisted on changing the tyre for me. I was so freaked out I spent the entire time standing twelve feet away from him with my tyre lever clutched in my mitt ready to smack him one. Poor man actually turned out to be a nice, if slightly odd, bloke who probably thought I was the unstable one. That’ll teach me to be such a judgmental cow.
But the incident frightened me enough that afterwards I always carried a length of pipe to fit over the tyre lever for extra leverage.
I used to adore winter, and I still have a soft spot for a good stormy night where we can nest inside eating something rich and casserole-y and glug red wine, but these days I’m a complete sucker for the tropics. Hot is good!
4. What are you reading at the moment?? Is it good / bad??
I’ve just finished Gilian Flynn’s Gone Girl, which was brilliant, so now I’m reading the first draft of my crit buddy’s new book. About 20% in and loving it.
5. What frugal thing do you do?? Have you got a sneaky money saving tip??
We bought one of those entertainment books, full of restaurant discount vouchers. Fantastic thing! We love to eat out and it’s saved us a lot, plus we’re trying restaurants and going to locations we probably wouldn’t have otherwise bothered with. It’s been great fun.
6. Do you do something awesome to save the planet
Um… I don’t have a car, so I walk, cycle or catch public transport.
7. Most amazing place you’ve ever been? What made it so amazing?? Have you got a pic?
Hmm. I’m not sure I can choose. Every place is amazing in its own way but Venice was breathtaking. We visited in November,when it was freezing, but being outside of tourist season it was wonderfully quiet. The gondola ride we took close to sunset was an absolute highlight. I know it’s a terrible cliché but it really was incredibly romantic. I still sigh at the memory.
8. Tell me about your secret weakness…
Cherries. They are my absolute favourite fruit and it’s nearly the season for them. Ooh, the excitement!
Nitty Gritty at the end…
Cathryn's latest book is Heart of the Valley.
Brooke Kingston is smart, capable and strong willed some might even say stubborn and lives in the beautiful Hunter Valley on her family property. More at home on horseback than in heels, her life revolves around her beloved ‘boys,’ showjumpers Poddy, Oddy and Sod.
Then a tragic accident leaves Brooke a mess. Newcomer Lachie Cambridge is hired to manage the farm, and Brooke finds herself out of a job and out of luck. But she won¹t go without a fight.
What she doesn’t expect is Lachie himself a handsome, gentle giant with a will to match her own. But with every day that Lachie stays, Brooke’s future on the farm is more uncertain. Will she be forced to choose between her home and the man she’s falling for?
A vivid, moving and passionate story of love and redemption from the author of Promises.
Out now from Penguin Australia.
Where can we find you…
5 people love me:
I enjoyed this interview — thanks. Agree, Venice is the most amazing place. you also reminded me of my very first car -- a little red mini -- man, I loved that car.
Thanks, Anne. Venice was soooo romantic, and especially so in the winter. Walking the labyrinthine streets with no one else around was wonderfully spooky. Sigh. Feel gooey just thinking about it. And don't get me started on the art. The entire place was one massive gallery.
My first car was a Hillman Hunter which broke down all the time but it did have the advantage of teaching me the basics of how an engine works!
Oooh Anne, will you come and tell us about your Mini one day?? I love Minis :) And Venice is now on my Must Visit list. Well okay! It was already there, but I've bumped it up!!
Hi Cathryn! Loved your car story. Had similar problems on a recent trip, changing a massive 4WD tyre on a stinking hot day. Thank god for big hairy blokes who come along and can pick a tyre up and fit it as though it belongs on Barbie's convertible :-)
Gotta love a big hairy bloke, Louise. So very handy!
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