Writers Wednesday - Catherine Sabatina

Catherine Sabatina

 

 

 

Allow me to introduce myself!

My name is Catherine Sabatina and I am the dyslexic author and producer of supernatural chick-lit romps "The Sweet Jasmine Series." Think Charmed meets Sex and the City. I launched both my books in the UK, and Rome Italia.

My books are incredibly witty, feminine, fun and full of English charm, due to being set in London, (Upper Street and Covent Garden to be precise ) and The New Forest of Hampshire. (Well known for its connection with all things witchy and paranormal)

The books are part of a series, with Sweet Jasmine Cakes and Magic being the first, and newly launched Sweet Jasmine Stakes and Magic being the second. I have also received wonderful reviews from Amazon.

I do hope you enjoy my work and my blog.

Genre

Female Chick-Lit, paranormal comedy/romance, light horror

Target Audience

Savvy, contemporary and young-minded females. For women who like to laugh, they read to relax and manage their lives whilst juggling relationships as best they can.

She's a fan of paranormal romance, urban fantasy and escapism. She could be a mum, a student, a friend, a grandmother, a woman who can identify with the leading lady characters from the series.

She could be anything from 15-75, as my books have most certainly gained the attention of plenty of readers at present.

Flavour

My books are very pro-female, with strong leading and memorable characters. The reader will discover twists and magical turns throughout its pages plus recipes, quotes and tips located at each charming chapter.

What's it about?

The books follows the lives of a group of extraordinary women, who dwell in modern day London. They are intelligent, strong, hilariously funny, talented, and just so happen to be witches. Adrianna Jasmine Mariposa Poppleapple Forthright-Punch, is a charming likeable leading lady, who is determined to never fall in love, but of course she does and results in hilarious, although darkly disastrous circumstances.

The twists and turns that manifest throughout the first book, transform this light and frothy read into something quite unimaginable. With its cliff-hanger ending, the reader is left thirsty for more. Luckily, 'Sweet Jasmine Stakes and Magic' flies to the rescue, but be warned! Although the characters are all back including the recipes, the book’s unique style and the quirky spells located throughout the story, the sequel is much darker.

Enjoy my darlings!

 

Questions for Catherine Sabatina

 

 

1 – Considering your battle against dyslexia, did you ever see yourself being in the position you are now, as a published author?

I feel like I've gone full circle. As a child I adored writing stories and I was always praised for my creative mind. I wanted to write, act and dance, however figure skating was my route, and figure skating I did. You see, maths and English grammar weren't my thing, and my parents were concerned that if I didn't pursue the skating, I would end up in a poor paid, dead end job. No one knew at the time that my learning difficulties were down to dyslexia. I discovered in adulthood (27) that I was dyslexic and once I knew all the ins and outs of dyslexia, I settled into my own head. Grammar is a challenge but I have a wonderful chap called Colin, who deals with all things grammatical before my work is released. However, my old editions of Sweet Jasmine Cakes and Magic are peppered with mistakes, unfortunately I never knew him back in 2012 when I first self-published my work. The latest editions are clean thanks to him!

 

2 – In your series there is a clever link between the novel itself and the recipes too, did this help with the promotional aspect of the book, having an extra hook to attract people?

 

I like being different, adding recipes, quotes and tips at each chapter certainly helps the book to appear more than what it is. I'm like that as a person, even in the exercise classes that I teach. I like to pack my classes with content, so the customer receives more. I also love the fact that people use the recipes from my book, so not only can they enjoy a good story, they can create something edible from it too. It also helps the reader connect more with the books, and characters. It's almost like they can touch and taste the story!

3 – What have you found to be the hardest part of your journey into becoming an author so far?

There have been a lot of difficulties, one minute I'm praised by a book store, the next a door is slammed in my face. I was asked to do a signing in Roma, Italia, back in November 2013, and it was simply wonderful. Then we asked a local bookstore if they too would be interested. Let's just say Italy was warmer! Trying to market and promote the books is a challenge, and because I'm not familiar with the marketing world, I'm constantly racking my brain, and asking people who know about that world for advice. I would like to spend more time writing than on the marketing side.

 

4 – What advice would you give to anyone starting out on their journey into writing and wanting to make a success of it?



There are times when authors feel like they are hitting a wall and become frustrated. They take it out on themselves, friends and worst still, 'the book.' The author needs to be careful that their pride and joy, their creation, doesn't turn into a monster. This is when the author needs to take a step back, re-stock and try again later. Negativity is a dangerous emotion, and when one starts to feel negative, nothing positive will return.

 

5 – What can we expect from you with your writing in the future?

I'm working on the third and final instalment of The Sweet Jasmine Series. So for all you fans of Adrianna Jasmine, Sicily and co., fear not I'm planning to complete part three by end of 2014. I love anything to do with urban fantasy and the supernatural, so maybe I'll write something new and different once the series have been completed. I'd like to! I'm also fascinated by the Victorian period. There’s something very spooky about that time and I'd love to let my imagination loose on it.

 

 

 

 

 

Links for Catherine Sabatina

 

Blog - www.catherinesabatina@wordpress.com

Twitter - https://twitter.com/_sweetjasmine_

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CatherineSabatina

Outlets to purchase the books -

My book is no longer stocked at Waterstones in Castlepoint, however I did enjoy a book signing there summer 2012.

Amazon – Paperback and Kindle editions available
A Coven of Witches (Burley)