I heard about Katie Cawood the way I hear about most indie authors—Instagram. A friend recommended her book and since then I’ve been loving on everything she’s created. I read her first two books earlier this year and enjoyed them thoroughly, enough that I would highly recommend them to everyone. They’re set in a small town and follow teachers, which is something I didn’t think I would be interested in. The characters are so beautifully crafted, the romance swoony and let’s not even forget the delicious wide open doors we’re invited through. Sarah, Kendall, Owen, Mason and, most importantly, Finley have my whole heart.
Which is why I cannot wait for her upcoming book, Yesterday’s News. All of the teasers that she’s posted so far have been fantastic. It’s the perfect tease, without giving anything away, and I can already tell that these characters are going to be two of my all time favorites.
You can read Lesson Learned and Love Lessons in Kindle Unlimited right now. Yesterday’s News, releases November 19th!
BEING AN AUTHOR
Who or what inspired you to write?
Reading! I’ve been an avid reader since I was a kid, and that quickly turned into wanting to write my own stories. I wanted to be just like Judy Blume.
What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author?
The best part is being in complete control of the final product. The story, the cover, the release schedule—that’s all up to me. On the other hand, being in complete control is ALSO the worst part. Sometimes I’d like to hand this work off to someone else!
Why did you choose to self-publish instead of going the traditional route?
Besides what I said previously about wanting to be in control, I’m also impatient. I was eager to get my book out into the world, and I knew I was capable of doing it myself. I also enjoy marketing more than the average person, so that’s a plus!
When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?
When am I not writing? Kidding! I also enjoy photography, even if I only use my phone for it nowadays.
If you were to recommend books to me (in any genre), what would they be?
Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks, Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows, and The Write Place by Allie Samberts are some indie faves of mine.
What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?
Learn not to take the negative reviews personally and instead wear them like a badge of honor. It means you’ve made it!
It’s okay to take writing breaks and walk away from your WIP for a week or two. I’ve done that with every novel so far, and it got me out of a writing slump each time.
Know your genre and understand the expectations before you publish.
Remember that other authors are your peers, not your competition.
And to go off of that last one, keep in mind that everyone’s journey is different and sometimes it’s just luck.
ROMANCE AS A GENRE
Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?
I’ve always read and written romantic stories, even as a teen. I love writing about the complexities of romantic relationships. My favorite thing about writing romance is creating a book boyfriend that makes readers swoon.
Seeing the way readers have fallen in love with Owen Gardner brings me SO. MUCH. JOY.
If not romance/subgenres of romance, what genre would you like to write in?
I have plans to write some YA standalones in the future under a different pen name.
What are your most and least favorite tropes?
Most favorite: friends to lovers (especially longtime/childhood friends)
Least favorite: alpha male heroes
What are some tropes you want to write in the future?
Age gap, single mom, and fake dating are all tropes I want to write within the next few years.
What are some topics (sensitive and otherwise) that you think should exist more in romance?
Characters with chronic illnesses or disabilities. I plan on doing something with this in book 4 of my Woodvale series.
If you write open door romance, why did you choose that and what inspires your sex scenes?
Here’s a fun fact: my first book was originally going to be closed door, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Sarah and Owen’s first time together and how it would feel to finally be at that level of intimacy with each other. The kiss just wasn’t enough. It wasn’t necessarily a choice—it just happened! Now I’ll never go back. So as you can guess, my characters themselves have always inspired my sex scenes. Where they’re at emotionally dictates how the scenes are written.
YOUR BOOKS
What inspired your published stories? How and when did you come up with these stories and plots?
Lesson Learned came to me during one sleepless night when I sat up and wrote “a love story like Jim and Pam—but make them teachers” in my notes app. The school setting made sense to me as a former teacher.
Can you briefly tell me about your books?
I write swoony, funny romance with a healthy helping of angst. The first two books in my Woodvale series, Lesson Learned and Love Lessons, center around teachers, since I’m a former teacher myself. This is now becoming a five-book series not just about teachers, but a whole (eventual) friend group in the town. My next book, Yesterday’s News, centers around a couple of reporters.
Do you already have a favorite character from the stories you’ve written?
Owen Gardner, the MMC from Lesson Learned, is my baby. He seems to be everyone else’s favorite, too!
If you were to cast your book for a movie/television show, who would you cast in the lead roles?
Pretty sure people would come after me with pitchforks if I didn’t say Jim Halpert/John Krasinski for Owen! I was picturing Emmy Rossum for Sarah as I wrote.
How much of yourself do you put into these characters?
I put a little bit of myself into ALL of my main characters, including the MMCs.
What is a story/stories that you really want to tell?
I mentioned it above, but Book 4 will center around a woman who is not yet diagnosed with a chronic illness, and she’s currently in the what-is-wrong-with-me stage where doctors keep saying her tests are “great!” The pain and frustration she feels when she can’t get answers reflect some things I’ve been through personally. This one is going to hurt to write.
Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?
Men who are sensitive, kind, and respectful—but not perfect.
What’s next on the bookshelf for you? Anything you can tell us about a future project?
Next for me is Yesterday’s News, and I’ll reveal something here I haven’t spoken about yet: this book touches on the theme of grief. My FMC, Meghan, has lost both of her parents, and though it’s been a few years, she still feels their absence every day. There are a couple gut-wrenching scenes in this book I think people might not expect from me.
When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?
I want my readers giggling and kicking their feet over the MMC. As long as I’m getting DMs describing just that, I’ll keep writing. 😊
AUTHOR’S CHOICE
Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks
Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense
Single or Dual POV
Standalones, series or standalones in a series
Open door, ajar door or closed door romances
Music or silence when writing
Plotter, pantser or plantser
Water, tea, coffee or….wine?
Cold or warm weather
Write better in the morning, afternoon or night?
Illustrated or photo cover?
You can find Katie on Instagram, TikTok and her Facebook group. For exclusive content and early access to future projects, join her Patreon! And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter and for other Katie related updates, check out her website.
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