Tea for BumpyBoobs: Inside the Creative Mind of Author Catherine Brunelle

Written by Possibiliteas. Posted in Blog

Catherine Brunelle is author of Claire Never-Ending, which she very successfully crowdfunded in 2013. Pulling together her insights from that experience, she now has a series on YouTube called Crowdfunding for Writers. When not writing fiction, Catherine also blogs about life over at Bumpyboobs.com, and hosts a podcast called Write Along Radio about the art & business of writing. A survivor of breast cancer at the age of 27, Catherine is an inspiration to us all, reminding us to “write through the garbage” and let our passion shine through, even in the face of all other stuff life throws at us. (And if you want to see what life does throw at Catherine, check out her blog, aptly named BumpyBoobs).

What does creativity mean to you?
Creativity is where imagination meets action. It’s about giving time to your whims without any guilt about whether something being produced is worthwhile, productive or correctly done. It’s simply fun, and often joyful. I also happen to think that being creative is deeply healing.

How has being a creative person supported your journey as a cancer survivor?
Creativity gives my heart an outlet for all its feeling. That’s quite powerful. Cancer is in my life, of course, but I strive to not make it my entire life. I’d much rather build upon my identity and craft as a storyteller than focus on being a person with cancer.

Describe your creative process. Who, or what inspires you? What is the journey like from beginning to end of a creative work?
Deadlines inspire me. As do writing groups. Oh, and long train rides with little else to do but work, which is why I love visiting my family-in-laws in Hungary. They have the slowest trains in Hungary.

It’s the quiet moments where my mind really starts to churn out the good stuff. The process of getting from start to finish (as I really become serious about a project) can be so difficult. The ‘bit of fun’ suddenly becomes important to me. When things become important, I have to work that much harder to keep them going and not just freak out instead. Ha! It’s ridiculous, I know.

It’s National Novel Writing Month. Any tips for writers as they come down the home stretch with their works-in-progress?
Hmm. Well, I once heard an author explain how she tracked her writing. On the good days, she’d leave a happy face in the corners of her pages. On the bad days, there would be a frown. Months later (when she looked at the book again with ‘fresh’ eyes) the book read quite similarly between her good and bad days. All that to say, just write through the garbage. Our emotions don’t always reveal the truth about our writing.

What do you think accounts for your success with crowdfunding your first book?
Well, it was certainly a challenging time in my life. People showed up with support from all over. But also, my wanting to publishing Claire Never Ending wasn’t news to anyone. I let people know well in advance and even shared bits of the project before hand  – and I had one great email list building. Actually, I’ve put all that I’ve learnt into a video series over on Youtube. It’s so worth watching if anyone is going to crowdfund their novel.

If you could spend the life in one day of any fictional character who would it be and why?
Anne of Green Gables. I’d like to drink some of Marilla’s Raspberry Cordial and give Matthew a hug. (My first thought was Alice, from Alice in Wonderful, but then I decided that was way too trippy.)

Your hosting a tea party and can invite only 3 guests, living or deceased. Who gets invited?
I’ll give you my author version: L.M. Montgomery, Jane Austen and Margaret Atwood. J

Describe a favorite ritual for preparing tea. Attach a picture of your favorite teacup or teapot.
My favorite ritual for tea is ordering it from the tea shop, sitting down in a comfortable chair, and disappearing into my daydreams via computer, book, or window.

Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Well, if you’d like to say hello, I’m over on Twitter @Bumpyboobs and Instagram as CatherineWrites. I quite like meeting new folks and love hearing about fantastic projects, so don’t be shy. My novel, Claire Never Ending is a piece of my heart, and available at www.CatherineBrunelle.com

The Tea for Creatives brings you insightful and eye-opening profiles of the best and brightest creative professionals across various industries. Join us on Facebook and Twitter for more conversations on creativity..and tea!

Tags: artist, author, breast cancer survivor, Bumpy Boobs blog, cancer, Catherine Brunelle, Claire Never Ending, Creating Outside the Lines, creative minds, creative process, creative writing, creativity, Creativity Coaching, crowdfunding, entrepreneurship, inspiration, novel, photographer, publishing, writer resources, writer tips, writing tips

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