Bound 4 Escape

Caddy Rowland grew up with a stack of books that almost reached the ceiling before she was five. Books, along with her vivid imagination, have always been some of her closest friends.

She lives with her husband, who was her high school sweetheart. They are owned by two parrots. Besides being a writer, she is an artist. One can often find her “makin’ love to the color” (painting) with loud music blaring.

Her goal as an author is to make readers laugh, cry, think, and become intimately connected with her main characters. She writes dramatic novels showcasing the sublime joy and bitter tragedy of being human.

Q&A with Caddy Rowland

Where are you from and what is your background?

I live in Minnesota with my husband and two parrots. Before becoming a writer I was self- employed for about sixteen years in sports marketing/advertising for various NFL fan newspapers across the country. After that I spent a few years writing for a company who sold coffee table books featuring independent businesses in Minnesota. I was self-employed then, too. I’ve been self-employed most of my working life, as I like calling my own shots.

I wrote and published The Gastien Series as an indie for the same reason. I have now, however, signed with Beau Coup Publishing for my next saga/series.

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?

Well, I have always wanted to write a novel. It was on that “someday” pile. I had started a couple but never got beyond a couple chapters. Also, like most teenage girls, I wrote a lot of bad poetry back in my youth.

Who or what inspired you to be a writer?

Getting breast cancer. There is nothing like hearing you have a disease that might be killing you to force you to get priorities straight. All of a sudden, all you have is now. I knew I wanted to write that novel.

Once it was done, it was so long I had two novels. Soon I realized the story had more novels in it, and The Gastien Series turned into five books.

In regard to the breast cancer, I am almost 4 years cancer free. They caught it very early, at only Stage 0. My doctor says to plan on eventually dying from something else. I’m very thankful about them finding it so early, and I’m thankful for the wake-up call that let me know this: If there are things you truly want to accomplish, do them now. No one is guaranteed any time past right now.

Where did you get the idea for the Gastien series?

I’m also a painter and the whole bohemian art era in Paris during the last half of the nineteenth century and first decade or so of the twentieth has always fascinated me. Painting is in my blood and soul. A story about a peasant who desperately wants to become a famous artist spoke to me.

Have you written other books besides the Gastien series? I saw that you’re currently working on a new saga. Can you tell me a little about it and when you think it will be released?

I wrote a children’s book and did the illustrations for it. It’s not published, and I don’t know if I ever will. It’s about the circle of life, and was written for children who are terminally ill. The title is One Little Snowflake. I may publish it, but right now I’m so busy and have so many books in my head, I’m not sure.

My new saga, There Was a House, is a continuing story of revenge and redemption. It’s about a girl who runs away from an abusive home and gets trafficked into prostitution. She vows to find a way to ruin the man who owns her and the others who come to use underage prostitutes. The first book in the saga/series is House of Pleasure and it’s out now. Each book is novel length, but the story arc moves across the books.

I seem to always write dark, emotional, gritty novels. I like to say I write about the sublime joy and bitter tragedy of being human. There will be other books coming up that I do independently, as well as more with Beau Coup Publishing (I hope).

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not writing or painting?

I like to read, go for walks with my husband, play cards (especially Texas Hold ‘Em and bridge), play with my parrots, hang out with friends and watch movies (especially indie films).

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I hope people reading this will give The Gastien Series a shot. It is definitely for adults, and has graphic scenes with adult scenes, so if that is offensive to you, be warned. Also, although the book is historical fiction I do use more modern language for a strong reason: The bohemian artists were far, far ahead of their time in their style and thinking. One way to show this was to modernize their dialog. Some historical fiction buffs may be put off by that, but I feel my reason is legitimate. They were sexual, earthy people who didn’t much care for the status quo. At the same time, I don’t use contractions in the first two books, as the method of speaking was more formal. So, good or bad, that’s how I decided to show my characters. I hope those who choose to read it find the story compelling.

When young Gastien Beauchamp flees the farm for Paris, the late nineteenth century bohemian era is in full swing. Color has always called to him, beseeching him to capture it on canvas and show people a new way of seeing things. His father belittled his dream of being an artist and tried to beat him into giving it up. The dream wouldn’t die, but Gastien would have had he not left.

He also yearns to become a great lover. After the years of anguish he has endured at the hand of his father, it would be heaven to feel pleasure instead of pain.

However, the city of Paris has a ruthless agenda. Unless a man has money and connections, Paris unfeelingly crushes dreams and destroys souls. With neither of the required assets, Gastien faces living in alleys, digging in trash bins for food, and sleeping where a man is often killed for his threadbare blanket.

Left with nothing but his dreams, Gastien clings to the hope that the impossible is possible. He pushes on, regardless of the cost.

This historical fiction novel is book 1 of a 5 book drama/family saga for adults (The Gastien Series). As such, it contains adult themes and graphic scenes. Each book can stand on its own, but is most compelling read in order.

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Sometimes the “impossible” is possible—but the cost can be extremely high.

Buy links for Gastien Part 1: The Cost of the Dream:

http://tinyurl.com/3ecu8ku For Kindle readers

http://tinyurl.com/3luddg7 To order paperback (Part 1)

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Gastien Fanpage: facebook.com/Gastien.Beauchamp

Author Blog: caddyrowlandblog.blogspot.com

Author Central Page: http://amazon.com/-/e/B005FW8BZE

Goodreads Author Page: https://goodreads.com/author/show/5106723.Caddy_Rowland

Author Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @caddyorpims