Friday, January 24, 2014

The Nun and the Narc By Catherine Castle ~ Goddess Fish Virtual Book Tour ~ Giveaway ~ Excerpt ~ Interview



The Nun and the Narc
By Catherine Castle 


Catherine will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter between this tour and her Name Before the Masses tour. So please be sure to leave a comment below along with your email address in case you are the lucky winner. To increase your chances of winning please visit the other tour stops. You may find those locations here.... http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/12/virtual-book-tour-nun-narc-by-catherine.html
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Interview: 

Crystal: Today as part of the Goddess Fish Virtual Book tour, I have the opportunity to interview Catherine Castle.  Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?

Catherine: I’m married to my high school sweetheart and we have one grown child, whom we live close enough to that we can visit whenever we want. I love gardening and my hillside garden won a local gardening club award a few years ago. I like to quilt and have lots of UFOs (unfinished objects). The Nun and the Narc  is my debut novel.

Crystal: Where did you come up with the idea for The Nun and the Narc?

Catherine: I honestly have to credit one of my critique partners for the nun portion of this book. Originally, the heroine was a missionary, not a nun, who was building houses in Mexico. But the story wasn’t working for me until my critique partner suggested making her a nun. After that the story took off.  I think part of the reason this happened is because of the humor element Sister Margaret Mary brought to the book. One of the publishing houses who wanted the book, but didn’t want the nun, actually considered asking me to make the heroine back into a missionary. Ultimately, they gave up the idea because they said doing so would lose so much of the humor in the book.

Crystal: What are you currently working on?

Catherine: I have several projects that are partially finished, which makes it hard to decide which direction I want to go next. One book is a romantic comedy, another a historical inspirational romance, and I just came up with two more ideas for sweet romances with an inspirational element.

Crystal: Do you have any special routine that you follow when you are writing?

Catherine: I always print out the pages I’ve completed at the end of a writing session. I developed that habit after losing 50 pages of a book when my computer crashed as I was backing the file up. If I hadn’t had an old copy of the manuscript I would have lost the entire book. Also, I can see errors on paper better than on a computer screen. When I start work the next day, I will go back and read and correct any errors I found on the previous day’s work. It makes for a much cleaner copy when it’s time to revise the entire book.

Crystal: Did you have to do a lot of research for this book or any other? If so do you have a fascinating fact that you have learned you would like to share with us?

Catherine: Since I’ve never been to Mexico, don’t know anything about the drug trade, nor have I ever been a nun, I had a fair amount of research to do. Thank heavens for the internet. You can find anything you need in cyberspace.
As for fascinating facts, I discovered there is a patron saint for drug dealers. There are Mexican drug dealers whose religious faith (which seems a bit oxymoronical to me considering their line of work) involves the adoration of Jesus Malverde, a 19th-century bandit regarded by many as the special patron saint of drug dealers. Who knew drug dealers had a patron saint?

Crystal: Who are some of your favorite authors that you like to read?

Catherine: As a youngster I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder. Still do. I read all of her books multiple times, and we read them to our daughter when she was little, too. C.S. Lewis and his Narnia series is also a favorite. I discovered J.R.R. Tolkein and Robert Heinlein when I was a teenager. I don’t think I have a favorite current author. If the book sounds interesting, I’ll pick it up.

Crystal: Is there a genre you haven't written that you would like to try?

Catherine: I’d like to try writing a cozy mystery some time. I like watching shows like Agatha Christie and Murder She Wrote and think it would be fun to take a shot at writing something like that.

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BLURB:

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicable attracted to him he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them, because he is making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what

Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

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EXCERPT:

Margaret inched forward, hoping to hear what they were saying. A mariachi band nearby blared out a tune, the polka-like melody destroying any hope of eavesdropping. The shriek of off-key brass sent chills up her spine. She covered her ears and moved closer to Rafael and the stranger.

After a couple of minutes of conversation, the man removed an envelope from his jacket and pulled out a handful of bills. He folded them in half and then slipped them into Rafael’s extended hand. With a furtive glance around, Rafael moved closer to the man, blocking Margaret’s direct view, and handed something to the stranger.


A wave of apprehension swept over Margaret. The chapulines she’d snacked on earlier that morning threatened to see the light of day.


A drug deal! Of all the things Rafael could do, this was the worst.


Esperanza had fought so hard to keep her son away from bad influences. Now he appeared to be involved in the very thing she’d hated most. Margaret imagined Esperanza banging on the gates of purgatory, trying to get out and rescue her son.


She hesitated for a moment, hearing Mother Superior’s admonishment. Stay out of trouble while you are in Mexico, Sister.


Silencing the nagging voice in her head, Margaret charged forward, protective instincts in full swing.


Stopping Rafael and talking to him about the dangers of drugs surely wouldn’t qualify as trouble. Bluntness, maybe, but not trouble. It was more like saving. Yes, that’s it. I’m saving him.


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:


Catherine Castle has been writing all her life. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. Besides writing, Catherine loves traveling with her husband, singing, and attending theatre. In the winter she loves to quilt and has a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place to be is in her garden. She’s passionate about gardening and even won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.

Her debut inspiration romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from  Soul Mate Publishing was an ACFW Genesis Finalist and is a 2013 EPIC finalist.


Buy links:


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CHU9DH2/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B00CHU9DH2&link_code=as3&tag=revibycrys-20


Print version:


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1619352966/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1619352966&link_code=as3&tag=revibycrys-20


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-nun-and-the-narc-catherine-castle/1116942061?ean=9781619352964


Catherine’s website: http://catherinecastle1.wordpress.com


Catherine’s blog: http://catherinecastle1.wordpress.com/blog/


Catherine’s Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/author/catherinecastle


Catherine’s Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7085414.Catherine_Castle


Twitter: @AuthorCCastle


Facebook: http://facebook.com/catherinecastleauthor


36 comments:

  1. Hi, you can come & work on my garden any time you please. It sounds like you are creative in quite a few areas.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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    1. What kind of garden do you have, Mary? Mine is mostly flowers, but I've been adding veggies the past few years. Sort of a food among the flowers thing. Thanks for coming by.

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    2. Hi Mary! Thank you so much for stopping by today. It sounds like I could use some help from both of you on our garden :) Catherine it sounds like your garden is beautiful :)

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    3. Hi, Crystal! What kind of garden do you have? I've got some pics of my flowers on my website if anyone is interested.

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  2. Excellent interview and excerpt! Just started reading The Nun and the Narc...LOVE IT!

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    1. Aw, thanks, Joanne. There's nothing more warming to an author's heart than hearing someone loves her book. Thanks for the kind words and for stopping by.

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    2. I agree Joanne, I do enjoyed the interview and excerpt. This sounds like a great story that I'm going to need to add to my ever growing to be read mountain :) Thanks for stopping by today :)

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    3. Crystal, thanks for the kind words. I hope you'll enjoy the book whenever you get around to it. Reviewers have called it a gotta-read- just-one-more-chapter book.

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  3. Thanks for hosting me today. I'm looking forward to meeting some new people and hopefully, potential new readers.

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  4. I also love working in the garden. There's something very relaxing about it when you are out there digging in the dirt. lol I can't wait for spring so I can buy flowers.

    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. The garden is my tension reliever. I keep saying just one more flowerbed or one more patch and soon I'm out there twice as long as I intended to be. Thanks for coming by. It's great to meet other gardeners.

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    2. The garden is my tension reliever. I keep saying just one more flowerbed or one more patch and soon I'm out there twice as long as I intended to be. Thanks for coming by. It's great to meet other gardeners.

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    3. Working in a garden is relaxing. It's always fun to see how everything turns out as well :) Thank you very much for stopping by today :)

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  5. Thanks for sharing the interview and excerpt! Sounds like a great book! evamillien at gmail dot com

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    1. I agree Eva, it does sound like a good book. Thank you very much for stopping by today :)

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  6. Eva, you're welcome. Thank you for coming by and taking the time to read my excerpt and interview. It's always fun to meet potential readers.

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  7. Nice interview and excerpt

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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    1. BN, I'm glad you liked the interview and excerpt. I hope you'll enjoy the book, too.

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  8. So glad you enjoyed it. Appreciate your comments.

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  9. It's been fun chatting with everyone. Thanks for coming by. Thanks again to Reviews by Crystal for hosting me.

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    1. Hi Catherine! I'm sorry I'm a day late catching up. I had a small emergency yesterday and I wasn't home all day. I'm really enjoying all the comments and post. Thanks for stopping by to chat with everyone. It truly was my pleasure to host you today :)

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  10. Sounds like a fun story, thanks for sharing.

    elewkf1 at yahoo dot com

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    1. My pleasure to share a bit about Sister Margaret Mary, ELF. Thanks for taking the time to read the excerpt and comment.

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  12. Sounds like a good read. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

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    1. Hi, Patrick. I hope you'll enjoy the book whenever you read it. Thanks for commenting

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  13. really sounsd like a good book excited to read

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  14. Thank, Denise. Readers have called it a lose-sleep kind of book. I hope you'll enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by.

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  15. Added to my tbr (and I'm already losing sleep, LOL)

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    1. Oh, dear, and I'm probably going to add to your insomnia. Thanks for adding me to your TBR pile. When you're done I'd love to know what you think. Thanks for stopping by.

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  16. Great interview!
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com

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    1. Thank you for being part of my tour, Natasha. Good luck.

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