‘Something Wicked’ is born in Ontario

Catherine Mulvany flips through ‘Something Wicked’ at her Ontario home Monday. The novel is a romance thriller and is the sixth novel to be published by the local author. She also has a novella published. To watch a trailer for Mulvany’s latest book, check-out her Web site at www.catherinemulvany.com.

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“My editor wanted me to write a vampire story, so I read and watched a lot of different vampire plots. I even got hooked on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’” she said.

Mulvany said the book’s appeal is geared mostly toward adult women.

“This is definitely not a children’s book,” she said.

Mulvany holds a master’s degree in popular fiction from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania and said she has “no clue” where her writing inspiration comes from.

“I just get weird ideas … just kind of ‘what ifs,’” she said. “I don’t like to write things that are too far out there. I like things to be grounded in the real world.”

In addition to being a successful author, Mulvany has also been an elementary school teacher for the past 18 years. She taught five years at Pioneer Elementary School in Weiser and the last 13 years at Annex Elementary School. She has taught various grades through the years, but will teach combined third-, fourth- and fifth-grades this year.

Mulvany said most of her students do not really know she’s an author, and the ones that do ask her to write children’s books.

“Maybe someday that will be a direction to go, but I see myself writing straight mystery, but even that’s not there yet. The problem is you need to focus on one genre,” Mulvany said.

If she does later decide to write mysteries, Mulvany said she will definitely use a different name when switching genres.

“I thought about using a different name (originally), but when I started with Bantam they wanted me to use my original name and it has just carried over,” she said.

Originally from Ohio, Mulvany — a wife, mother and grandmother — said she started writing as a “little kid” and wrote her first story when she was just 9 years old.

“It was about five pages long and was about an exchange student. I always wanted to be an exchange student,” she laughed.

Mulvany said it took her a long time to get her writing organized.

“It felt like I was stumbling around in the dark for a long time,” she said.

Then Mulvany received a letter from an agent she had queried telling her she should join the Romance Writers of America.

At that time Mulvany was a stay-at-home mom and could not afford the $100 it cost to join the group.

“That doesn’t sound like much money now, but it was at the time,” she said.

It was not until five years later that Mulvany joined the group.

“The RWA was and is very helpful. Being in the group you get an insider’s view. It’s a great resource,” she added.

Mulvany’s first book, “Upon a Midnight Clear,” took about six months to write and was picked up in 1996 after submitting a query to only two editors.

“It was so exciting! You get a call and you’re so excited that you almost say ‘I’ll pay you,’” she laughed.

The book was published in 1997 by Bantam, and the modest author described the first-time process as fun.

“When you’re not published you have no deadline, so it was a lot of fun to write. It was pretty funny too,” she said.

Her first two books were published without an agent and that is not something Mulvany recommends.

“It’s a good idea to have an agent but it’s also a catch 22 sometimes because you can’t always sell a book without an agent, and you can’t always get an agent without being published,” she said.

Mulvany said she received $4,000 for her first book, but now earns a substantial amount more.

“I’m totally not an overnight success. You have to have a thick skin and be pretty stubborn. I sent out about a million other queries before that first one was picked up,” she said.

Mulvany is now in publication with Pocket Star Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Inc., and belongs to several online chapter groups as well as the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and Sisters in Crime organizations.

When asked why she decided to write romance novels, Mulvany said she didn’t really even know she was writing romance.

“I thought I was writing mystery,” she said.

Mulvany said she thought about being an architect as a child, and when going to college thought about getting into the newspaper business or becoming a lawyer.

“At one time I thought I’d be a good lawyer. I’m good at arguing, but it would have been too much time away from my family,” she said.

While writing may be her passion now, Mulvany said the job can definitely be stressful.

“When I don’t have enough time and things have to be done in a short time span, and my editor says she needs it (my work) at the end of the week, and I’m teaching too … then … I have to lose sleep. That’s stressful,” she said.

Writing is not just a ‘summers only’ job for Mulvany either.

“I write all the time,” she said.

During the school year, the author devotes Monday through Friday to teaching. On the weekends and all vacations, she writes.

“I write pretty intensely during that time,” she noted.

Mulvany said she spends a lot of time thinking before she writes and likes it quiet with no distractions.

“I can write whenever I have the time. Mornings and evenings are my most productive times,” she said.

Her at-home office is adorned with posters, and Mulvany said she spends most of her time in there.

“I spend insane amounts of time in front of that computer,” she said. “I will probably write until the day I die or until I go senile.”

Upon retirement, which Mulvany said is “no time soon,” she plans to focus solely on her writing.

“I think that would be a nice thing to do with my retirement — just write and write. It would be so nice,” she said.

Mulvany said the one thing she enjoys most and also is the most proud of, is being finished with a book.

“Every time you finish a book, it’s just YES!” she smiled. “It’s just such torture. I don’t know why I do it. It’s fun to be done though,” she added.

Through her experiences, Mulvany said she has learned to be persistent and to not give up.

“If it’s something you really want to do, then just do it,” she said.

Mulvany offered these profound words of wisdom for anyone considering writing as a profession:

“Just don’t expect a quick return. You have to be able to take criticism because you’ll get more criticism than praise. You have to have a thick skin, and you have to believe in yourself. You have to write because you want to write. Going into it for the money is the wrong idea. Going into it for the recognition is the wrong idea. The only reason you should go into writing is because you can’t stand not to write.”

Mulvany’s face was aglow when asked what she sees in her future.

“I would love to win a RITA. It’s like an Oscar for writers. I was a finalist once with ‘Aquama-rine’ (her third novel). … And I would like to make it to the New York Times best selling list — on my own. It would be so cool,” she smiled.

Yes, Mulvany’s future is very bright, but right now she is recovering from a broken wrist while moving into a new classroom, as well as feeling the pressure of the quickly approaching deadline of her next book, due Sept. 1. A book that Mulvany said is not finished.

“It will all work out. I know it will,” she said confidently.