Author to Visit Marlborough Library Tonight

Tell us about yourself. When did you develop an interest in writing?

 When I was growing up I was the kind of kid who was always using my imagination and doing something creative. I wrote cartoon stories when I was young and enjoyed writing stories and making home movies. As a college student I wrote a daily cartoon strip. I got a job as a writer for an advertising agency (and I still do that today), so writing has always been part of my life. 

How did you come up with the idea for your first book? 

Inspiration struck me when I was reading fairy tales to my daughter many years ago. While reading the Jack and the Beanstalk story, it occurred to me that I could have a lot of fun writing a 'sequel' to a famous fairy tale like that. But it would take place many years after the original story, and Jack would be an old man and a minor character. That way it would be a new story instead of retelling an old story, and I could find a way to make it fresh and different. That became my first novel,The Thief and the Beanstalk.

How would describe your genre? Is it straightforward adventure, or something in the vein of Tolkien and Harry Potter? 

My first five novels were all inspired by classic Grimm's fairy tales. Those were pure fantasy-adventures with a lot of action, scares and narrow escapes - like fairy tales expanded into novel length, but treated in a gritty and realistic fashion. My style is to use character's emotion and vivid description to make you feel like it's really happening. The new series, The Books of Umber trilogy, is a bit of a mash-up of genres. On its surface it feels like a fantasy, but once you dive in you find an unexpected dash of science-fiction, a little 'steam-punk', and a hint of dystopian fiction. Many readers have said they haven't read anything quite like it before, which is a big compliment.

What inspires your writing?

All of my novels really sprang from that initial inspiration I took from classic fairy tales, and after that my imagination took over. Even the idea for The Books of Umber sprang out of those earlier books. I think further inspiration comes from the adventure movies I loved when I was a kid - films like The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad and the original King Kong. I always loved monsters, and you're guaranteed to find a creepy monster in every one of my stories.

What will you talk about at the Marlborough Public Library?

I'll talk about some of the same things I've mentioned in these answers. And also about how I write, and how I improve my stories. I'll also take questions from the audience, which is always fun.

What is next for you? What are you working on?

It's too early to say, but I am currently working on a new idea. It will be something adventurous for sure though. People can check my website, pwcatanese.com or my facebook page, facebook.com/pwcatanese if they want to know the latest. 

Call the Marlborough Public Library with any questions. No registration is for this evening's event that begins at 6:30 p.m., but space is limited to 70 people, so come early.

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