Author journal

A Cuppa With Catherine

Pop the kettle on and settle in for truthful notes from the writing desk: book news, behind-the-scenes reflections, and the lived-in worlds Catherine brings to life.

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The Bench Where Everything Changed

The moment Maggie stops, and Beth starts to matter.

A lone girl sitting on a bench under a flyover on a grey New Year’s day.

An excerpt and commentary on the first real meeting between Maggie and Beth in The Alpha Flame: Discovery, a moment that changed everything.

21 September 2025

What Does It Mean to Be a Verostic Writer?

Truth. Grit. Emotion. This is the genre I needed to name.

Catherine Lynwood explores the meaning of Verostic fiction, the emotionally raw, psychologically intense genre her work helped define.

12 September 2025

Reader Reactions: The Good, the Hard, and the Honest

Why I welcome tough feedback, and what it means to write a book like this.

A reader sitting quietly with a closed book, deep in thought.

Catherine Lynwood reflects on the intense, emotional, and sometimes difficult responses to The Alpha Flame: Discovery, and why all reactions matter.

11 September 2025

What’s Next for Catherine Lynwood?

Yes, there’s a sequel. And yes, it gets even darker.

A woman walking through a shadowy city street at night, suggesting a dark journey ahead.

A sneak peek at what’s coming after The Alpha Flame: Discovery. Catherine Lynwood teases book two, Reckoning, and shares what she’s working on next.

05 September 2025

The Hardest Decisions I Made Writing The Alpha Flame

Scenes I nearly cut. Moments I couldn’t soften. And choices I still think about.

A writer at a desk with torn pages and low lighting, deep in thought.

Catherine Lynwood shares the toughest writing choices behind The Alpha Flame, including scenes she almost cut, decisions that kept her up at night, and why she refused to flinch from emotional truth.