Author Kathy Otten
S: Welcome, Kathy! Tell me, where do you do your best thinking?
K: I live in the country, quiet roads, woods with trails, Amish buggies, and tractors. I do my best thinking when I walk. On a beautiful day, like now, when it’s still warm and the sky is blue and the leaves are turning. It’s peaceful and cleanses my mind.
S: That sounds like a perfect setting to relax and let your mind flow! Do you have alternative occupation?
K: I do have a day job. I work in a group home with men who have mental health and intellectual disabilities. I work the weekend shift which compresses 40 hours into three days. I can’t wait to retire and write full-time.
S: That sounds like a rewarding job and it sounds perfect for a writer! Complete this sentence-- “Writing is…
K: ...more than what I do, it’s who I am.”
S: I think most writers would understand that. If you could have any animal in the universe as a pet, what would it be and why?
K: Except for a brief time when I was a kid and wanted a tiger, I have always wanted a horse. I was lucky enough to get my first horse when I was 14 and had them for 35 years. While I do miss not having them, I don’t miss being tied to chores every day. Over the years, we have had dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, fish, a hamster, horses, cows, and chickens. A few months ago, I lost my German Shepherd Max after 14 years. He was my buddy, and I’d like that back. So my choice would be another German Shepherd.
S: My condolences. Losing a beloved pet is always hard. I hope you find another German Shepherd to love!
Speaking of love, do you believe you only fall in love once?
K: All love ends in pain. People lose family members every day: A parent, brother, sister, life partner, a child. While the heartbreak of that loss can rip you in half, love is expansive. It doesn’t replace one person for another, it stretches wide to embrace new people, a new partner, a step-parent, another child. Some folks don’t find love again, and that’s okay. I think if you need it, you’ll find love again.
S: I agree with you. I think if you need love and are open to it, you will find it!
Tell me about your book, "A Place In Your Heart."
K: Sure, here's the blurb--
Gracie McBride isn’t looking for love; she’s looking for respect. But in this man’s world of Civil War medicine, Gracie is expected to maintain her place changing beds and writing letters. Her biggest nemesis is the ward surgeon, Doctor Charles Ellard, who seems determined to woo her with arrogant kisses and terrible jokes.
Charles is an excellent surgeon. He assumed he would be well received by an army at war. He was not. Friendless and alone, he struggles to hide the panic attacks that plague him, while the only person who understands him is a feisty Irish nurse clearly resolved to keep him at a distance.
But, Charles is sent to the battlefield, and Gracie is left with a wounded soldier, a box of toys, and a mystery which can only be solved by the one man she wishes could love her, both as a woman and a nurse.
S: I agree with you. I think if you need love and are open to it, you will find it!
Tell me about your book, "A Place In Your Heart."
K: Sure, here's the blurb--
Gracie McBride isn’t looking for love; she’s looking for respect. But in this man’s world of Civil War medicine, Gracie is expected to maintain her place changing beds and writing letters. Her biggest nemesis is the ward surgeon, Doctor Charles Ellard, who seems determined to woo her with arrogant kisses and terrible jokes.
Charles is an excellent surgeon. He assumed he would be well received by an army at war. He was not. Friendless and alone, he struggles to hide the panic attacks that plague him, while the only person who understands him is a feisty Irish nurse clearly resolved to keep him at a distance.
But, Charles is sent to the battlefield, and Gracie is left with a wounded soldier, a box of toys, and a mystery which can only be solved by the one man she wishes could love her, both as a woman and a nurse.
S: Sounds fascinating. Even though this is a historical romance, it touches on some of the issues we are dealing with in today's workplace. Where can your book be purchased?
K: It is available on Amazon. Here's the buy link:
S: Kathy, thanks so much for joining me today! To learn more about Kathy and her books, please visit:
Website https://www.kathyottenauthor.com
Next week in The Loft: Author Caroline Clemmons!
Great interview. I enjoyed what you had to say, Kathy--especially about love. Your book sounds very interesting. And my fave romance genre is historical fiction. Is your book also available at Kobo?
ReplyDeleteMaggie,
DeleteI apologize for not replying sooner, but I was stuck at work all weekend with no computer. Yes, this book is available at Kobo.
Thank you for stopping by.