A Cuppa With Catherine

Pop the kettle on and settle in for a cuppa. Catherine Lynwood invites you to share in her updates, reflections, and the worlds and characters she brings to life—like old friends having a natter over tea.

Sort by Results per page

What Readers Are Saying About The Alpha Flame (So Far)

From emotional firestorms to fierce connection, here’s how early readers are responding, and what it means to me.
A screen shot of the Goodreads review page for The Alpha Flame Discovery

Two early reviews, two powerful perspectives. Here’s what readers are already saying about The Alpha Flame, and why feedback like this matters more than you think.

Read more...

30 July 2025

No Easy Answers: Embracing Moral Ambiguity in The Alpha Flame

Why I refused neat heroes and villains in telling Maggie and Beth’s story.
Portrait of a woman in shadow and light with a thoughtful, ambiguous expression.

The Alpha Flame doesn’t offer easy moral judgments. Here’s why its characters live in the grey, and why that matters.

Read more...

29 July 2025

Writing Trauma with Empathy: Fiction That Feels Without Breaking You

Because the hardest stories deserve to be told, but never mishandled.
A symbolic scene of emotional weight — light through cracked darkness.

The Alpha Flame deals with dark things, but not in a dark way. Here’s why I believe stories about trauma need care, empathy, and fire.

Read more...

27 July 2025

Meet Maggie: Fierce, Flawed, and Fighting to Stay Human

She’s sharp-tongued, hot-tempered, and doesn’t always play fair. But there’s more to Maggie than muscle and bravado.
Fierce woman with a guarded expression standing against a gritty urban backdrop.

Maggie Grant isn’t your usual heroine. She’s fierce, reckless, and a little too ready to burn bridges. But underneath? There’s loyalty, fear, and something heartbreakingly human.

Read more...

26 July 2025

If You Loved Sharp Objects

Why The Alpha Flame might be your next dark, unsettling read.
Moody scene with an open book, candlelight, and a glass of whiskey on a worn table.

If you loved Sharp Objects for its dark secrets, messy characters, and psychological depth, The Alpha Flame: Discovery might be your next unforgettable read.

Read more...

25 July 2025

Washing Away the Blood: Writing Violence, Survival, and Care

Why The Alpha Flame doesn’t flinch from brutality, but also refuses to forget compassion.
Intimate scene of two young women in a warm-lit bathroom, one helping wash the other

A reflection on writing violence and survival in The Alpha Flame, and how moments of care and tenderness can exist even in the aftermath of trauma.

Read more...

24 July 2025

Got an idea for a future blog post?

If you would like to ask me a question or have a suggestion for a future blog them please don't be shy. Go to my ask a question form and let me know.