Spotlight -- Catherine Kirby

Shah Fazli
‎Catherine Kirby, Welcome on Spotlight, do you want to start this interview with telling us something about yourself, something that we cannot read on pages, that exists only in your mind about yourself?






Catherine Kirby My secrets eh? Well, I'm always kind of doodling with bits of stories. I find myself wondering a lot about times past and how people used to live. I like to put myself in their shoes and think what it would be like and how I might cope.



Shah Fazli One more question about you, before we jump onto See Through, so what do you think about yourself, and now tell us what people think about you, and if you care?



Catherine Kirby Big question there, Shah. I've had an interesting and maybe quite unusual sort of life. I've made plenty of mistakes but how can you learn anything without that? I'm happy with where I am and with my life. Others may think I'm a bit of a loner at times but my family and close friends are very precious to me. I think it takes a while in life to be able to stand back and see things more clearly. If we ever do.



Shah Fazli Tell us about See Through, do we see a lot of you in the book?



Catherine Kirby In a veiled mixed up kind of way there's a little of me but it's well hidden. I have named a character after my dad. That would be Jim McDonald. He's a streetwise and loveable young rogue of around 11 years old.



Shah Fazli Thanks, what is this book about, you may want tell us a little bit about it?



Catherine Kirby It's about a couple Fleur and Sean. Their marriage is faltering because Sean's glamorous ex partner Mel is still hanging around. Neither Mel nor Sean have told their daughter, Tammy that Mel is her real mum and not Fleur. This is the kind of elephant in the room that set's Fleur into believing that Sean is still in love with Mel. The only way Fleur thinks she can win him back is to have a daughter herself. In the end this leads to an imaginary pregnancy and Fleur, who has felt invisible for years actually becomes invisible. She splits into two. One version of her lying in the hospital bed and the other invisible and on the move. That's when the mayhem really begins.



Shah Fazli Can you describe Fleur and Sean, you might have given them certain characteristics and looks, please, what kind of people are they?



Catherine Kirby Fleur is artistic and a little nervous that she doesn't match up to Mel's glamour. She's aware that Sean doesn't much appreciate her artistic, thoughtful side. She's always trying to be good enough for him. Sean is blissfully unaware of this. He finds Mel a bit of a bore in fact. He loves Fleur but is lazy when it comes to romance. He's more absorbed in his own world. He's just a little thoughtless and can't face up to telling his daughter the truth. They are in fact, both afraid of rocking the rather unsteady boat of their marriage.



Shah Fazli What do Fleur and Sean say to each other when they come face to face, do you remember, even a few words would be great?



Catherine Kirby They blame each other and justify themselves. It's a bit of a disaster. They can't see the other's point of view.



Shah Fazli Tell us about the role of the man you have given him your father's name please, what is he doing there?



Catherine Kirby Jim is the name of the character with my father's name. He's the son of Sean's landlady. Sean has taken a promotion and moves to Scotland, where he stays with Mrs Mc Donald, Jim McDonald's grandmother. Jim becomes a friend of Sean's and keeps a keen eye on what Sean is up to. He later becomes a family friend and a bit of a go-between of Sean and Fleur. Jim is funny and cute and loveable - rather like my dad was!



Shah Fazli Describe one scene of your book that you like in your own words, what happens there please, anything, a fight, a romantic scene, or an accident?



Catherine Kirby I like the way Fleur decides on the spur of the moment to get rid of Mel from her house. Mel has helped her (without realising it because Fleur is invisible) to get a drunken Sean ...See More



Shah Fazli Thanks, you didn't tell us about the genre of this book, and your motivations of writing in such a genre?



Catherine Kirby It's a light-hearted fantasy. I was thinking at the time about how sometimes people feel misunderstood and unheard - invisible in other words and slowly this story developed from there.



Catherine Kirby I think it's the unusual use of invisibility and the way the relationship between Sean and Fleur spirals from iffy to completely polarised. I was a marriage guidance counsellor (now called Relate) for 10 years. I saw so many relationships where people just didn't listen to each other or appreciate each other. It's amazing how things like that can slowly kill a relationship.



Shah Fazli I will ask you to describe a few more scenes for us later, now tell us what people love about See Through, the characters, the story, what?



Catherine Kirby Well, as above I think the use of invisibility is unusual and the community of invisible people to discover. I think it gives the story another dimention and the goings on between the visible and invisible make for quite a bit of comedy. Also the characters are strong and quirky. I think that's the main pull of the story for readers, or so I'm told!



Shah Fazli Thanks, do you want to describe another scene for us that you like please?



Catherine Kirby The meeting for the first time between Fleur and her 7 year old son stands out. He is the only visible person that can both see and hear Fleur. She's just discovered that she is in...See More



Catherine Kirby Dylan is shocked and runs to find out what has happened. He's delighted to see her and confused to hear that she's invisible. Poor little lad is a bit mixed up by this.



Shah Fazli What would be your message to those who are new to writing, we are enjoying this event, but we don't want to keep you here longer?



Catherine Kirby Just let your words come. Don't try to edit them. Enjoy the mess you'll get from this. You can tidy it up later. If you get your story down you have the ingredients to work with.



Shah Fazli Thank you so much, do you have any links where this book can be bought?



Catherine Kirby Thank you Shah for your time, great questions and interest. These are the links for See Through UK linkhttp://amzn.to/yKzmhN and US link http://amzn.to/AxB7dC. I've had a great time. Thank you so much. :)

See Throughwww.amazon.co.uk
IS NOT SEEING THE SAME AS NOT WANTING TO SEE? With a shock Fleur discovers she's
become invisible: she's not the only one either! Meanwhile her family is falling apart. She can't do anything about it. Communication is impossible: they can neither see nor hear her. Fleur's lif...


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