A chat with Cathy

Interviewing Cathy Kelly is not really an interview in the formal sense it’s like catching up with a friend for a chat. The interview doesn’t strictly follow the questions either. Cathy is an eclectic conversationalist. It the course of our chat we talk about everything from earth goddesses, Irish and Arthurian mythology, vampires, seaplanes (more about that later), dogs (of course!), the mystery of Norwegian encyclopaedias, her recent whiplash, the curative powers of her pupplets, twin boys and more! Cathy is in good spirits, in spite of the ensuing pain of the whiplash and looking forward to her promotional trip to Australia, including Tasmania, to talk about her latest book ‘The House on Willow Street’. Cathy is still desiring to bring her family out to Australia with her on a book tour but unfortunately all her tours thus far have coincided with her twin boys school term.

Ever the caring person, in spite of her own pain(Cathy is having treatment for whiplash, which she surmounts to engage in lively chat) Cathy is only concerned the interview is taking place too late (9pm) and is worried I am shattered (an Irish/UK reference meaning totally tired!).

I ask Cathy about the symbolic use of character names in her new novel including the name ‘Cashel’ for one of her heroes. Will he be a rock for her very likeable heroine Tess, I wonder? If you don’t know the Cashel/rock reference it is worth looking up.

In an extension of our chat about the symbolism of names Cathy goes on to talk about a golfer she and her husband admire. He is Argentinian golfer, Angel Caberra. Cathy tells me his name symbolises his good nature and she reflects on her theory of fame that good people do not let fame change them and in fact that goodness grows along with their career!

Cathy’s new book features on it’s cover original artwork by Nicholas Hely Hutchinson. Cathy explains that book covers go through evolutionary phases. At one time the animated /cartoony representational covers were popular, photograph covers also have been used to great effect and now Cathy’s reprints are featuring the beautiful original artworks by Nicholas.

Cathy has a scene in ‘The House on Willow Street’ in which the character of Cashel is in Australia on business so I ask Cathy if she has ever thought of writing about an Australian character in her novels. Cathy tells me about the ‘ landing a seaplane on the Thames’ test. The term was coined by Robert Harris from his book ‘The Ghost’ about a ghost-writer who makes the profound comment that ‘all good books are different but all bad books are the same’ the sameness refers to the fact that bad books fail to convey believability and an example is given of a novel with a character who would travel to work on a seaplane which he lands on the Thames. This situation wasn’t deemed feasible. So,when something like this happens in a novel we lose our faith in it. This story reminds authors not to write about something they don’t have a familiarity with. Cathy is concerned she doesn’t know enough about Australia yet to write an Australian character but hopefully eventually that will happen.

‘The House on Willow Street’ continues Cathy’s quest to portray strong female characters and characters with an element of grey. Her characters are not without their flaws but in true Cathy Kelly fashion, her protagonists manage to summon the strength to surmount their difficulties through the ability to forgive (sometimes themselves) and move on. Cathy’s females are are quietly beautiful (rather than conventional model looks) but the beauty of their souls is stressed more than their physicality. The strength of her female characters is linked to the idea of the earth goddess and Cathy tells me about a visit she and her husband John and children made to Ardmore a seaside holiday area around Waterford. Cathy talks about the churches and holy wells. Holy wells are sometimes pre Christian and even pre Celtic and are places people go for the healing power of the waters.

The house on willow street is about healing, all four main female characters are healing from the hurt of relationship breakdown and in one case the hurt is even more substantial. Her characters are earthy, real women and so continue the thread of the earth goddess and her healing power. The relationships between the main characters see them aid each other in this healing.

But now back to Cathy’s healing, yes even though she has been chatting so kindly, Cathy has been in real pain and has been seeing a pain specialist who she says ‘is the sweetest person’. At the time of the interview Cathy says her cortisone injections are wearing off and she needs to go to the local chemist to get some pain medication. I ask her just one more question and ever cordial she stops to answer postponing her trip to the chemist. Not all is bad though, John, her husband is taking good care of her, the pet puppies have overwhelmed her, kissing her better as she unwinds on the floor and her twin boys have bravely kissed the cortisone injection shots in her neck even though she explained to them earlier, the marks are vampire bites!

One question that has been intriguing me for some time relates to the information on her biography on Wikepedia which says that she collects Norwegian encyclopaedias. I was wondering what special attribute of Norwegian encyclopaedias has attracted Cathy’s attention. Cathy explained that Wikepedia has not got the whole story. Yes, among her treasured copies of Wilkie Collin’s ‘The Women in White’, ‘Little Women’, ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘Three Men in a Boat’, ‘Dr Zhivago’ and ‘Ivanhoe’ (with her beloved heroine Rebecca) there is one Norwegian encyclopaedia although Cathy isn’t sure how it got there! or at least if she told me I have forgotten!

My question answered, we say our goodbyes almost an hour after starting chatting!

Returning to Cathy’s theory about fame and the golfer Angel Caberra. I would have to say Ms Cathy Kelly is an angel herself!

You can enjoy afternoon tea with Cathy in a special event hosted by Dymocks Bookshop at 2 pm on Sunday the 11th of March at the Royal Hobart Yacht Club.

Paula Xiberras