Q&A With Catherine Bybee 

I had the pleasure of reading & speeding through Catherine Bybee’s upcoming release which is the beginning of the new Queen Anne Hill series titled Lead Me Home which will be released on June 9th. I’m even more excited about doing this interview with her! Catherine is the author of several contemporary romances, paranormal romances & romantic suspense. Catherine’s other series are the Not Quite Series, The Weekday Brides series, Most Likely To series, The First Wives series, the Richter series, the Creek Canyon series, The D’Angelos series & The Heirs series. 

Q: Welcome to Book Notions Catherine! I’m very excited about interviewing you! Would you like to give a brief description of your series starting with your upcoming release, Lead Me Home? 

A: LEAD ME HOME is the first book in my newest series which centers on the residents of an old Victorian house. Which is haunted. Which may resemble a home this author lived in as a child… ghost and all. 

 Luna and her siblings inherited the house from their grandmother and in this book, she’s living there with her best friend. I’m a huge fan of strong heroines, even if they don’t know how strong they really are, and Luna is no exception. 

She is the product of real generational trauma which has completely altered her outlook on love and happily ever after. In comes Nate, the ex-FBI agent that she is teamed up with for a work assignment. This guy comes in waving his green flag around like a mantra. But when you don’t love yourself, it’s hard to see what is right in front of you. Between the case they’re working, stolen cars and an unwanted family visitor…these two manage to fall…and fall hard.  Did I mention the haunted house?

Q: I saw on your author website that you are not a plotter but a pantser when it comes to writing your stories. How long does it take you to write a novel? What drew you into writing in the romance genres? 

A: What motivates me?  My deadline? Unless my characters have taken root in my head and won’t stop talking to me. That gets really annoying at two AM. 

As for how long it takes to write a book…it really depends on the book. Some take a while for me to see where the characters are going. Others fly onto the page. 

I’ve always been a romance reader. And when I decided to take a chance and writing my own stories…they had to have a happily-ever-after. I mean… I worked as a trauma nurse. My day-to-day life was filled with people having a truly shit day. No one comes to the ER to have a good time. Well…maybe some of the psych patients…but I digress. I never set out to be an author that made a living writing fiction…but here we are. I’m proof that you can plan one life, and end up living something completely different. 

Q: What are messages and emotions you hope readers come away with once they finish reading your stories? 

A: Each story has a different core message. Anyone who has read me knows I’m not afraid of pushing the limits of human emotion and experience. I truly want my readers, mainly women, to feel empowered to live their lives to the fullest. Sure, most of us aren’t going to chase down bad guys and literally kick ass on a Tuesday, but if my books inspire my readers to stand up for themselves, speak out and live a little larger… I’m good. 

In LEAD ME HOME, I want my readers to come away knowing it’s okay to seek help to work through a past that may be holding them back. That when the right man comes along, he’s set that bar so far out of reach, you’re the one looking up at it. 

And don’t settle. 

Don’t settle for the wrong man just ‘cuz he’s there. 

Don’t settle for the life someone else wants you to live. 

Don’t settle for someone else’s dreams. 

We have one trip on this floating rock in space. Take hold of this life and LIVE IT! 

Q: It was hard for me to choose my favorite scene in Lead Me Home because I loved everything about it from the romance, suspense and the ghost. Which scenes did you enjoy creating the most & why? 

A: The lunch scene where Luna is with Harper and Luna goes off about what dating looks like in 2026…and subsequently Nate reflecting on that conversation. And Texas. I mean… Texas. I love the moments that force my characters to take a good long look at themselves as they’re falling in love. The flirting…the giving in for that first taste. Nate in gray sweatpants…shirtless…and cooking. What isn’t to love about that? 

Q: What can fans expect in the sequel to Lead Me Home? I know it left me wanting more. How many books will there be in the Queen Anne Hill series & are you currently writing book 3? Or are you juggling multiple projects right now? 

A: Susie Sunshine and the Cop. There is some history there. Ash loves pushing Miley’s buttons and push them he does! That would be book two. Releasing January of 2027. 

I’m currently working on Harper’s story. And holy crap am I having fun messing up her life even more so that her HEA is sweeter than all of them. (Summer 2027)

As for how many books in this series. Right now I’m planning four. Jorden has to get her story. And I have a super fun meet cute bouncing around in my head to spark her story. We’ll see what happens after that. 

And no. I don’t juggle. I’m much too ADHD to add that kind of stress to my life. 

But truth be told. I’m picking my way back to my time travel books…cuz I really want/need to get back to that family! 

Q: Does Hollywood have the rights to any of your books? In your mind, who would be the perfect cast to play the characters from Lead Me Home? 

A: This question is asked a lot. NO… Damnit. C’mon Hollywood… get the memo already. LOL. As for the cast of characters… I wouldn’t even know where to start. Nate has an easy sex appeal…Ryan Gossling comes to mind. Though I’m not sure that quite hits. Sandra Bullock would ace Luna’s character. Then again, I’m channeling some Practical Magic vibes. I can’t wait for the next movie to come out. And while we’re at it… Nicole Kidman would be a fabulous Miley. Just sayin’. 

Q: How does it feel knowing your work is on the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal & Indie Reader Bestsellers Lists? Congratulations are in order! 

A: Thank you! No one was more surprised than I was when my books started showing up on the charts. I’m especially proud of the fact that I hit these lists with a self-published book back when self-publishing was frowned upon. I like to think I was part of the group of authors that crushed the glass ceilings of traditional publishing and paved the way to where it stands now. As for how it feels… accomplished. Being part of the small group of authors who can boast these accolades is something that can never be taken away. 

Never give up on your dreams. If a girl who hardly pulled a “C” out of English Lit classes…and still can’t spell her way out of a paper bag can do it… so can you. 

Think about it. If The Rock can sell shampoo, anything is possible. 

Q: In your opinion, what makes the perfect romance story? What is your advice for anyone wanting to write romance whether its contemporary romance, paranormal romance or romantic suspense? 

A: Writing a romance requires you to sit in the chair and put your fingers on the keyboard. My advice to all writers is to WRITE. 

As for the perfect romance. There is no ONE perfect story. Every book hits differently. No two love stories are the same. But if the characters don’t grow and change throughout the story, then the book falls flat. But that’s with any work of fiction. In romance…there must be a happily ever after. That’s the only promise every writer of romance needs to fulfill. Which isn’t any different for a mystery writer putting mystery within the pages of their novels. 

Everyone’s HEA is different. Sometimes my books end with a ring and a promise…or a promise of forever. Or a wedding. Or a delayed honeymoon. Sometimes I let the future play out in other books in the series. But every book should leave the reader with the sense that these two characters are in it for the long haul. They’ve gone through the shit and they came out together.  

Thank you again for having me here to answer your questions. I hope your followers love my books as much as you do. 

Happy Reading

Catherine