Catherine Bybee: Our First Feature Author Takes a Look At 7 Years in Publishing

Seven years ago a newly-minted New York Times Bestselling author sat down for an interview with an untried, but determined new publisher trying to launch her dream magazine. Since then, both the author and the magazine have risen to heights neither imagined. And, during those years both have worked, grown, wizened, and loved every single minute. So, as InD’tale Magazine celebrates its seventh year in business, we thought we would catch up with the amazing author who helped start it all!

InD: When I went back to that very first interview, I couldn’t believe it is only around three pages long!
CB: I know! Considering what you do now, I think, “Man, I missed out. I didn't get that!” I really enjoy the longer interviews.
InD: I think we’re the only magazine that does a feature interview that is in-depth enough that you really get to know the person and not just the PR. It was fun reading that very first interview with you and seeing how far you’ve come, though. At the time, you had just hit the New York Times Bestseller’s list with "Wife by Wednesday" as one of the very first Indie authors ever to do that! We talked a little about how, right out of high school, you got in your car and drove to L.A. to become an actress and how you ended up as an ER nurse, but I do think people need to know more about you and where you came from to understand, and really appreciate, where you are now.
CB: It all started with my mother.
InD: As all stories do...
CB: I come from a family of four, and while we each came from the same uterus, we all had different sperm donors. Boom! Opening line of a book. Right?
Whenever I give a keynote address, I usually point out that I’m standing there in a gazillion dollar dress and heels and I'm wearing whatever jewelry I can afford. I purposely present myself looking like a gazillion dollars. I want to show the world what a successful author looks like. It’s like Hollywood, you want to see the star-studded actors in all their finery. It’s how dreams are born.   It is the things you dream about that make you want to work harder. We want that shiny dress moment. I enjoy the shiny dress moments, then I like to strip it all away with my backstory.  I have been a victim of people looking at the outside and assuming things about me then treating me accordingly. So, I know how important it is to strip that down and not assume things about people.
I’ve been a published author for over ten years. I’ve been successful for seven of those years, BUT, a lot of stuff happened before I got to the point where I can afford those Jimmy Choos. Remember, I did come from that family with four different sperm donors.
InD: And that is what I think people need to understand. So many look at someone who is very, very successful and that person is all they see.
CB: Some things about this job, for any successful author, is luck. I’m lucky to have written at the time "Wife By Wednesday" came out  and that my storyline resonated well with lots and lots of readers. To a certain extent, that was the luck of the draw. But, a lot of it was very planned and didn’t happen on accident. You have to have talent and the tenacity that will push you to achieve the things you believe in. For me, that stems from a childhood of turmoil and a life of struggle and difficulty early on.

Read the entire interview in the June 2019 issue of InD'Tale magazine.

You can just click on the magazine image on the left hand side of our home page to open and enjoy!

OR

If you would like to receive the magazine every month (for FREE!), just sign up on our home page. Once you do, an e-mail validation notice will be sent directly to you. Just open and click the link and you're in - forever!  Each month the magazine will be delivered directly to your inbox to downlad and read!