Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work.
Today: For author and textile artist A. Catherine Noon, itās all about the yarn, both metaphorical and literal ā spinning a yarn, knitting with yarn, weaving, sewing, painting, sharing stories and good times over a cup of coffee with dark chocolate. She teaches creative writing, creative expression and textile arts.
Thanks so much, Catherine, for joining me!
J. Scott Coatsworth: Have you ever taken a trip to research a story? Tell me about it.Ā
A. Catherine Noon: Rachel Wilder and I started writing together after we met in an online forum. Our first original story is New World Order, which we released on our blog at the time. It was set in Madison, Wisconsin, and we had a blast writing it.
The only trouble is, neither of us are from Madison, Wisconsin.
We decided to travel there and got a hotel. We drove from Chicago and tootled all around town. We found various neighborhoods and drove up and down the streets. We took a ton of pictures and brainstormed where our characters went for lunch, clothes shopping, even to buy groceries.
Then we realized we had a monumental problem.
Our story had a residential building that figured prominently in the plot. A brick āthree flat,ā called a ābrownstoneā back east, housed our main character. And we did not see one single three flat in the entire town. Growing more and more concerned, we finally stopped in at a local realtorās office.
āWhere are the three flats?ā we asked.
āThe what?ā
āYou know, the brick buildings that have three apartments or condos in it.ā
āThere arenāt any.ā
We went around and around. We insisted there had to be this style of construction, and the realtorās staff was just as insistent that it didnāt exist in Madison, Wisconsin. Itās so prevalent in Chicago we just assumed it would be common all over the Midwest.
Long story short, we ended up having to go back in and correct our story. Our main character now lives in a converted Victorian āpainted lady.ā
It worked out, because heās an artist and he could paint it all sorts of really cool colors, but thatās a different story.
JSC: Do you use a pseudonym? If so, why? If not, why not?Ā
ACN: Yes. Two reasons: firstly, during the day I work as an insurance professional. Many of my clients are older men, and I donāt need them knowing that I write āthe sex.ā Secondly, safety. Due to the rise of Christofascism around the world and here in the U.S., my safety and that of my family are at risk from people who want to kill gay people and anyone who doesnāt live the way they think should be.
JSC: How long on average does it take you to write a book?Ā
ACN: This totally depends. I have written a book in under a month (Burning Brightās first draft, 87,000 words, was done in three and a half weeks); Iām just now getting over a prolonged writers block that lasted over six years.
On average, Iād say it takes about four to six months to go from concept to finished draft. Sometimes it can go slower, and sometimes it goes a lot faster.
JSC: Are there underrepresented groups or ideas featured in Emerald Fire? If so, discuss them.Ā
ACN: Yes. Iām bisexual and bi erasure is a real thing. So is female erasure, and erasure of minorities both ethnic and religious. Iām poly and Wiccan, and donāt find many books that reflect my way of being in the world. So I write them.
Our main character in the first two books of the Chicagoland Shifters series, veterinarian trauma surgeon Dr. Sasha Soskoff, is poly and Wiccan. We also try to show the rich tapestry of cultures that are around us in the U.S. by putting ethnic minorities in our books. They reflect our lived experience of being around multiple different cultures of origin. The fantasy homogenaically white America that is in so many books is just not real, and we try to reflect that as honestly as we can.
We write male/male romance in several different ways. Our Persis Chronicles series is set on another planet, and so we got to create the cultures that are present. That is a lot of fun, because we needed a plausible way that male/male relationships came about. We also made poly a totally normal configuration of interpersonal relationships.
JSC: Are you a full-time or part-time writer? How does that affect your writing?Ā
ACN: Currently, Iām a part-time writer. Iāve tried going full time three times before, but I ended up pressuring myself too much. Perfectionism is self-abuse, and has been my drug of choice. Right now, I work by day in the insurance industry and by night as a novelist. I do have a dream of writing and teaching full time one day, and I am learning to figure out the balance.
I do think that working in a primarily left-brained industry grounds me, and makes me a better writer. Having to work on my interpersonal and leadership skills helps me as a writer, presenter, and business owner, all of which help inform my writing. I think it was Chekhov who said, if you want to be a better writer, work on yourself. I think heās right.
JSC: Do your books spring to life from a character first or an idea?Ā
ACN: I write from image. I have a feeling, or a strong sense of something, when I start. That is what inspires me to write the initial scene or scenes of a story, and I explore what Iām seeing. Joan Didion said, āI write to know what I think,ā and thatās definitely true for me. I do that with journaling, too. Iāll sit down and ask myself questions and my thoughts come into shape as I write.
I do think my ideas are more tied to characters, because I need an origin from which to write. By that I mean, Bob sees something, and that has an impact. What does Bob see? Whatās the impact? What are the consequences? And boom, weāre off.
JSC: What other artistic pursuits (if any) do you indulge in apart from writing?Ā
ACN: Yes, definitely. Iām a textile artist and calligrapher. I learned to knit in 2000 in a class (as opposed to many knittersā origin stories that include sitting at the knee of a grandmother or elder auntie). I became a knit lace designer and created shawls and other art. I got into weaving in Chicago at the Chicago Weaving School, and then got obsessed with the rigid heddle loom. I joined the Yarnworker School of Rigid Heddle Weaving a few years ago and have never looked back.
Iāve been a calligrapher my whole life. I recently got into modern calligraphy and love The Postmanās Knock. She launched a premier subscription service in 2024 and Iāve been exploring that. Iām working on sketchbook pages right now.
JSC: What are some day jobs that you have held? If any of them impacted your writing, share an example.Ā
ACN: All of them have impacted my writing. My whole life impacts my writing.Ā š
I think some of the most impactful are I worked as a pizza chef in college, and got really good at it. I also got some burn scars from that blasted oven. Iāve invented several restaurants in our books and we have quite a few characters that cook.
I counted traffic in college as well ā turning movements at intersections for a traffic engineer. I have not given that job to any character (be glad), but it was a good experience to realize what I donāt want to do for the rest of my life.
JSC: What action would your name be if it were a verb?Ā
ACN: Noony. Itās my nickname, but itās also a āthingā as in, āI pulled a Noony.ā I suppose thatās not a verb, but still. It usually means I did something totally impetuous and driven by my gut. Thatās how we got our first publishing contract, actually. I was at a writers conference and pitched it. It was the worst pitch in the history of pitches, but it got the job done.
JSC: What are you working on now, and whatās coming out next? Tell us about it!
ACN: We are writing again! Iām so excited. Itās been a very long period of writers block. We started at the last quarter of 2023 and it was a totally new series, featuring shifter academies and mage colleges. The first series is four books, two with one main character and two with a second. We have completed books 1 and 3 (which are book 1 of the first character and book 1 of the second character); weāre working on book 2 now. Weāll rapid-release them either later in 2025 or 2026.
The idea came from a picture I saw online of a crow caught mid-shift turning into a woman, or vice versa. It was very atmospheric and gothic, and I had an entire ensemble pop into my head. Rachelās been designing the colleges and we now have a whole system of higher education in our world for shifters and for magic users. Sheās been active on our Pinterest board, putting together everything from character profiles to houses and even university campuses.
Thank you so much for having me, Scott!
And now for Catherine’s latest book: Emerald Fire:
The harsh desert world of Persis has developed its own customs far from Old Earth. Keepers are cherished as caregivers and helpmeets to Hunters. During Emerald Keeper Teeka’s first Contract with Senior Hunter Brant, disaster strikes. Brant is killed and Teeka is stranded, surrounded by strangers, and unsure of who to trust. A dark and moody Hunter steps forward with an offer of partnership and protection. Teeka wonders what motivates the scarred and solitary Senior Hunter Quill. Both have hidden motives for agreeing, and both are suspicious of each other. But the Great Valley will force them to work together and build a trust born out of necessity and survival. Between the dangers of the harsh desert and the malice of a hidden enemy, Teeka and Quill must learn to believe in each other to find the truth.
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Excerpt
Chapter One: Stake the Claim
Emerald Keeper Teeka set his waterskin on the sand next to the baku tree and wiped his forehead. The kohl burned a little as it dripped in his eye, and he sighed. He moistened a corner of his outer silks and wiped his face. The turban fought him, the wool still a little scratchy, but he wrestled it back into place around his head. Too new yet, it would soften with washes into a more comfortable garment. He wished he didn’t have to wait. Sure, it looked good against his caramel skin, but he could do with more comfort.
Only another mile remained before Brant got to the sandstone motherlode, and Teeka wondered how long it would take him to get there and back. Several yingtzao, their yellowish orange fronds undulating in a breeze, clumped nearby like a signpost. The lode they had found made any other recent one look minor in comparison. His new Contract seemed pleased as he went off to enter his code in the Claim Stake.
Brant didn’t speak much, but as Contracts went, Teeka could have done worse for his first time. Older than Teeka liked, the Hunter nonetheless seemed to value Teeka and his skills. As an established Senior Hunter of five years, Brant gave Teeka status by sharing Contract. A new Contract with a Hunter would be easier now, even with Teeka’s relative inexperience. A small bit of remorse twinged him for leaving Brant, the fondness having grown over the last two and a half months. But Teeka wanted other Contracts.
At least, that was what he had told Brant the night before. Then Brant stunned Teeka with his offer. “I’ll share the profits of this Stake with you, Keeper. After all, you helped to find it.”
Though he saw Brant’s Contract as business, Teeka would be heartless not to let such a generous gesture warm him. He had hedged when speaking to Brant about extending their time together and said only he would consider it. Truth to tell, the offer excited him — not only to repay his debt to the Keep, but for the respect and status a Claim in his own name would give him.
This Claim stirred excitement for other reasons as well. Brant harvested spurs and left Teeka behind at Kotek City, stating it was too much trouble to move camp for a few days at a time. A lode this big meant Teeka could be out in the Great Valley, even if it was still close to the tent city. He’d always dreamed of going on Stake for real, and not just as a Keeper to a successful Hunter.
The gem Brant had given Teeka as a Welcome Gift more than made up for their difference in age. Teeka pulled his silks open and lifted his tunic to see it. The size of his thumbnail, it nestled in his belly button with the help of a small, inexpensive cyberplant. The dark green stone winked at Teeka as he studied it. He tucked his tunic back down, patting it into place, and took another sip of water.
He wished Brant would hurry up! It was lonely sitting here. It would have been nice if the Hunter had agreed to bring his young truffle; at least that would be company. Brant claimed that he didn’t want to keep track of the little creature as well as a novice Keeper. The morning heat beat down on Teeka’s forehead like a fist, even in the shade. He couldn’t find cover from both suns at the same time, so he hid from Sol’s brighter glare that overwhelmed the softer blue glow of Minah.
He blinked his eyes, heavy with drowsiness, and realized the rhythmic sounds nearby came from footfalls.
“Why are you on the ground?” a harsh voice demanded.
Teeka craned to peer around the trunk of the baku tree. “It’s hot.”
“Get up! It’s not safe here.” The speaker moved closer, dressed in the silks of a Hunter. He unwound the face cloth, and Teeka gasped.
Faded scars, dark red now, split his right cheek from temple to chin. Three of them, they bore mute testimony to the violence of whatever fight had caused them. “What in Landing did that to you?” Next to the scars, the reflective prosthetics on his eyelids seemed less spectacular, even though their dark gray color gave him an intense stare.
The speaker scowled. “You are Teeka.”
He frowned. “Yes.”
“You wait for Brant.”
“Yes.”
“You may call me Quill. Come with me. We must return to Kotek City.”
Teeka cast his mind back, trying to remember this Hunter. Dim recollections of the silent man at dinner festivals, on the outside of the group, came to him. Even when Brant introduced them, Quill had only nodded his greeting. He’d never spoken to Teeka, though, nor anyone else.
Teeka scrambled to his feet as Quill grabbed his provision bag with its precious yingtzao fronds, evidence he’d brought back for Brant. How he’d searched for days in the library files on the net for maps and other geological data! After several weeks of research, he’d located the proof to his theory — yingtzao could only grow that thick over waterstones, and where waterstones lay, there had to be a lode. These fronds, even this close to the tent city, indicated a lode of significant promise, overlooked until now.
Quill slung the bag over his shoulder with a powerful thrust of his arms. His robes flared, and a flash of crimson caught Teeka’s eye. Blood spattered the inside of Quill’s robes and trailed along his left arm.
“You’re bleeding!”
“It’s not mine. A sandboar gored Brant. I killed it.” He shifted, showing the carcass to Teeka. Too big to be carried in its entirety by one Hunter, the traditional cuts included the haunches and forequarters. This one only included the haunches, which spread the length of the back harness.
Teeka’s eyes widened, a chill sparkling down his back. “That is enormous.”
Quill shrugged. “Get your things. There are more in the area.”
A spurt of fear went through him and he glanced around. “You’re kidding! What about Brant?”
Quill studied him, his cold gray eyes remote. “I told you. A sandboar gored him.”
Teeka froze, the air going out of him. “Wait. You mean he’s dead?”
The Hunter turned and set out along the path to Kotek City. Numbness spun out from Teeka’s chest. Dead. Brant was dead?
Tears for the quiet Hunter spilled down his cheeks. They’d only lain together a few times, but Brant seemed patient and gentle. He’d died without Teeka even hearing the attack.
What would to happen to Teeka now? True, he neared the end of his Contract, but he was far from any Keep. After meeting Brant in Cyrus, they had traveled six days to get to Kotek City. What was he going to do?
He followed Quill into the blistering heat, the yingtzao fronds poking out of the corner of the Hunterās pack like an accusation.
The walk back to Kotek City seemed longer than before. The Great Valley spread out from the nearby mountain range like a rippling golden blanket. A wide swath of short grass separated the rough peaks from the sand. Their tent city seemed small, a child’s toy dropped on a carpet, but Kotek City did a brisk trade. Tucked between two crescent-shaped walls, the stones shielded it from the forty to sixty mile-an-hour winds and sand sweeping in from the desert. Close to the mountains, though, the Herders and Riders found plentiful grazing while the Hunters found good goldstone lodes out in the shifting dunes.
Prosperous and settled, Kotek City thrived. He’d been ecstatic to live here as his first Contract.
But in his dream, his Contract lived and breathed.