Cat Blount Interview

[This is the transcribed version of the live show with Sass Bloom and Cat Blount]

Announcer:  We love her, and here she is…  Saaaassssssss Bloom!

Audience Cheers!

Sass:  Thank you all!!!  Yes!  I’m excited too!  You know who we have here today, don’t you?  I know you do!  It’s our very own Cat Blount!  Come on out here, Cat.

Cat Blount enters the room.
Audience stands and cheers!

Sass:  Well hello there!

Cat:  Hello, Sass!  Hello everyone!

Sass:  Ok, this is going to be a very unique interview because I already know all about you.

Cat:  Yes, you do, LOL.

Sass:  So, what I am going to do is pretend that I don’t know THAT much about you.  How’s that?

Cat:  I love it!

Sass:  Ok, here we go.  Are you ready audience?

Audience:  YES!

Sass:  They’re so happy to have you here.

Cat:  I’m so happy to be here!  I love it here in Blountville, and I love all of the dear people who live here.  It’s  a wonderful place.

Sass:  Now, I know that you have a home here.  Any plans on moving here permanently?

Cat:  I’m not quite sure about that yet, but I will always have a home here in Blountville.

Sass:  Ok, let’s get started.  Let’s ask the question that I always hear asked.

Cat:  Uh, oh.

Sass:  Where are the pictures of you?  What’s going on with the logos all over the place?

Cat:  LOL.  I’m laughing because I know you know the answer to that.

Sass:  We’re pretending that I don’t.

Cat: Ok, well, I am an extremely private person.  Anyone who knows me, or has read through my author website, knows that about me.  And it’s not just your “normal private,” it’s a “weird” private thing.

Sass:  A “weird” private thing.

Cat: Yes, LOL!  I take it to the extreme.  And also, as I have stated on my website, I want people to focus on the story and the illustrations, not my face.

Sass:  And being “weird private,” as you kind of put it, does that have any type of influence on  your career as an author at all?

Cat:  Um, I would say with social media, yes.  Social media is just what it says.  It’s a “social” platform.  How is one social?  By sharing.  How does a private person share?  They don’t really, LOL.  I have to say though, I feel that I am getting better at sharing more.  It’s not very comfortable for me though, and it can sometimes feel a bit inauthentic.

Sass:  Can you explain how it can feel inauthentic?

Cat:  Well, you are told as an author that social media is key for selling more books.  They tell you to interact, not sell, but interact, with your base and/or peers, and that will, after some time, bring about sales.

Sass:  Ahhhh…  So it feels that if you interact, it is only for the purpose of “some future day” selling more books.

Cat:  Exactly, and I don’t want to do that, and I don’t want people to feel that if I do interact, it is for the purpose of them buying a book.  I really, truly just want to write the stories that come to me, and publish them.  So, when I do post on social media, it is for what I am using it for, to sell my books, and to place them in front of readers.  You will see posts for free book days, new releases, what I am working on, and things like that.

Sass:  You stated that you want to “write the stories that come to you.”  That’s a perfect way to move into talking more about your titles.  Now, you have 20 titles, right?

Cat:  Yes.  The 20th title will be available again, soon.

Sass:  Available again?

Cat:  Yes.  In the beginning of the year 2015, I made the decision to remove all of my titles from the market.

Sass:  Whoa, how many at the time?

Cat:  Seven, LOL.  They were my seven original pieces of work that I loved, but didn’t 100% write them from within.

Sass:  Doesn’t every author write from within?

Cat:  Well, I’m not sure about “every author,” but I was not producing my work from the inside.  When I first started publishing, I would make changes to the original story based on what I felt others would think about the story.  I thought things like, “Well, they probably won’t get that,” or “They won’t think that’s funny,” and so on.  I wasn’t just pouring out the story, as is, from the inside, like all artists do.

Sass:  So I guess we now know the reason for categorizing your stories under “organic.”

Cat:  Yes, unadulterated creative expression.  100% pure.  Organic.

Sass:  I like that.

Cat:  Thank you.  I really do too.  And I have not looked back since!

Sass:  That’s wonderful, Cat!  I can’t imagine doing something day after day that I don’t completely enjoy doing.  So it’s great that you, I assume, now completely enjoy creating your work.

Cat:  Yes, I do.  100%.

Sass:  So the title that you are working on now is soon to be available again?

Cat:  Yes, and I can’t wait!  I am so excited about this title being introduced once again to the public, written purely from within.  And my illustrations have come a long way; so that’s exciting too! It’s a wonderful story, one to be read for sure.  Filled with lessons for everyone.

Sass:  I read the story when it originally came out.  I simply loved it.  I remember not being able to wait to find out what was going on at that lake.  Were the rabbits from before being paranoid?  Did the mom not get the full story?  Was Jessica right?  Oh my gosh!

Cat:  Oh that’s wonderful to hear!

Sass:  Yeah.  And then when I found out the truth, it literally gave me goosebumps.  I kid you not.

Cat:  Oh, Sass, that is music to my ears, thank you.

Sass:  No, thank you!  It’s a great story, and I can’t wait for others to experience it.

Cat:  Well, soon, LOL.

Sass:  You have so many stories, and they all are completely different.  How do you do it?  You mentioned that your stories come to you?  What do you mean by that?

Cat:  Simple.  I know that my stories are placed in my head by God.  I 100% know that.  Do I feel that He is using me as a vessel to communicate to people through my stories?  I’m not sure.  All of them do have lessons, but I think that it is as simple as God answering the prayer I prayed to Him as a little girl to become an author.  He answered my prayer.

Sass:  Oh that’s beautiful.  That brought tears to my eyes.

Cat:  I am so grateful that He has given me this opportunity, and I can’t thank Him enough.

Sass:  How often are your stories placed in your mind?  Is it a constant thing?

Cat:  Yep.  Stories are always popping up in my brain.  The full story, from start to finish.  It’s pretty awesome.  That’s how I know it’s God.  I started writing when I was a little girl, but I never was able to finish a story.  Nothing came to me.  I stopped writing for years.  One day, at my parent’s home, I wrote a story for my daughter and nephew about a fast-moving turtle.  I wrote that story in literally minutes.  The whole thing!  I couldn’t believe it.  It had a twist and everything.  I’ve been writing stories, just like that, ever since.  I’m given the story.  I grab a pencil and paper.  I sit down.  I write.  If I think about the story, it doesn’t come out right.  I do not think, I literally just write.  And then I look back and say, “Wow!”

Sass:  Wow, indeed.  That’s pretty special, and interesting because I know that each author has his or her own story about their writing process.  This is definitely an interesting one.  Now, I would like to switch gears a bit.  I know that not only your fans are out there listening to this interview, but other indie authors as well.  There is a very common question that is asked by indie authors to other indies.  Do you know what that question is?

Cat:  Probably either a marketing question, or perhaps how many books have you sold.

Sass:  The first…  What would you say is the best marketing effort that has sold most of your titles.

Cat:  Well, I do not like marketing my books, at all.  I am not the best “tooter” of my own horn, LOL.  There is something that seems to be paying off.

Sass:  What’s that?  All indie authors out there are listening at the edges of their seats.

Cat:  LOL.  Writing more.  Pretend that you walk into a library and then proceed to find the children’s picture book area.  When you get there, you see shelves and shelves and shelves of books by one author.  Chances are, you will pick up one of those books.  I think that this is occurring with my titles now.  I could, when I first started off, go for months without seeing any sales at all.  Now that is not the case.  I am beginning to sell more frequently.  Also, when a story is liked by the reader, they look for other works by you.  And again, more sales.  So, I recommend writing more, and getting your books published as your primary marketing effort.

Sass:  You hear that indies.  Go out and keep creating!  Cat, it has been a pleasure to sit down with you, and talk to you today!  Am I right audience?

Audience: Yes!!!!!!!!

Cat:  Thank you so much!  This was really wonderful.  You and the audience were great!

Sass:  Well, we have one more question for you, and it’s a question that was sent in by your youngest daughter.

Cat:  Oh my gosh, that’s so sweet!  Oh I love it!

Sass:  Cat, Ana wants to know, “Mommy, what was your first story about that you tried to write when you were a little girl?  I can’t remember what you told me about it.”

Cat:  Well, Ana, my first story was about an ant family that lived deep under the ground.  And pretty much, I didn’t write anything further than that, LOL!  Yeah, Mommy wasn’t able to get far in her stories back then.  Thank you Ana!  Hugs and kisses.

Sass:  Yes, thank you, Ana, and we love you, Cat, and we can’t wait to see what else is placed in your brain for you to bring to life.

Cat: Thank you, Sass!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPERIENCE CAT’S ORGANIC STORIES, PLEASE VISIT HER LIBRARY OF BOOKS!
https://catblog.catblountstories.com/cats-organic-stories/