About
Cathy McCrumb graduated from Biola University with a degree in English Literature and a love for stories. She and her husband, whom she met while writing letters to soldiers, have five children. They currently live in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.
She enjoys long hikes (followed by long naps), gluten-free brownies, raspberries, and crocheting while watching science fiction, mystery, or fantasy movies with friends and family.
Most of her imaginary friends are nice people.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Recorder your first book, and did it take you long to write?
Yes, and yes and no. I wrote the whole thing in less than a year, but rewrote and rewrote it perhaps twenty times.
2. I heard that you wrote it on a Kindle. Is that true? Why?
Yes, it’s true. I didn’t have a computer, and I started writing flash fiction, then began what is now Recorder on my Kindle, usually sitting on the floor in my kids’ room after reading them bedtime stories, then emailed it to myself. I would use the library computers to edit it and save it into a document. Eventually, I was given a computer, which enabled me to edit at home. It was a tremendous blessing.
5. Do you still write on a Kindle?
Sadly, my original Kindle is no more. (This is what happens when your kids spill water on it.) But! I was sent a NEW Kindle and I did write some of Guardian on it!
Mostly, I write on my phone and on a computer now. Once in a while, though, I use paper and pen again, but having the right pen is important.
3. How did you come up with the idea?
It was a combination of so many things, from discussions after work in the library parking lot to the news to dreams. I have vivid dreams, and one began with what is now chapter two of Recorder. And yes, when I went to write it down, people just showed up. Jordan, Timmons, Spanos (though he had a different last name), and the Recorder simply were there, almost the same as they are now.
4. Okay, the cats. Why those names?
In 1997, Kyleigh and the cats showed up, and I tried (and failed) to write that story down for almost two decades. I reached chapter ten, and she showed up. And if Kye showed up, I knew the cats would, too. I am going to blame the cats’ names on Kye, since I know she has a copy of Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. (This may or may not be related to the fact that my sons loved those poems as bedtime stories, and I love the rhythm of the words. And tuxedo cats may or may not be some of my favorites.)
6. The insects … seriously?? WHY?
They have always been there, though the story reasons WHY *might* be explained. And no, I do not have extremely negative experiences with that species. Not a huge fan, but nothing traumatic happened. I seriously did not expect them to matter very much, or I would have taken better notes. You do NOT want to know how many tens of hours have been spent researching anatomy and physiology. For a while, I would close my eyes and see afterimages. And the scenes I cut before submitting it … You are welcome.
7. Do you know her name?
Yes, she picked it out ages ago. (I wonder if that might be revealed in Guardian…)
8. Was it hard to write a sequel?
Horribly. It was also hard to type END since I have been writing these characters for years.
9. When is the next book coming out?
Guardian, the final book in the Children of the Consortium trilogy, is coming out in February 2024! So soon, and yet…not.
10. What’s after that?
I’m not sure yet. I realize that’s a vague answer, but that’s all I have at the moment. I have ideas for a “heart novel,” which would be a change of pace into fantasy, but I have a hard sci-fi novella and ideas for stories within the Recorder’s world, including one for another Recorder who may or not have been mentioned in the first book. We shall see.
And now for the (hopefully entertaining)
Infrequently Asked Questions*
1. What is your favorite dinosaur and why?
Triceratops! It was the first one I learned about, and it looked like a sort of unicorn-pachyderm hybrid. Plus, my dad brought me a model on a business trip, and it made me happy.
2. Are computers friends or foes?
Depends on the day. Usually friends. Usually…
3. Which of the following potions would you like to possess: a Love Potion, a Sleeping Potion, an Invisibility Potion, or Coffee?
My sense of smell was messed up a couple years back, but if I had to choose, I’d still be predictable and go with COFFEE.
4. What mythical creature do you most wish to be real?
Unicorns, unless it’s a hypogriff and will be my friend.
5. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?
Tough question. Fundamentally, I feel like I might be more of a dog person, but there is something ineffable about a cat.
6. If you were to plan a “literary crossover” where the casts/worlds of two books were to combine, which would you choose and how would it go down?
I would love a sci-fi version of Persuasion or Sense and Sensibility meets Whose Body?
Or! A fantasy version of The Count of Monte Cristo meets Ender’s Game.
7. Which bear is best?
Paddington. Hands down, it has to be Paddington Bear.
8. On a scale of 1 to 10, what do you think your chances are of surviving the zombie invasion?
Hahaha! Maybe a 4? (Maybe I should exercise more, though really, I only have to be faster than the person next to me, right?)
9. Write me some Vogon Poetry. (Vogon poetry is so awful that it’s considered a method of torture in many corners of the galaxy. So give us your worst).
I haven’t written poetry in ages, but several times the Muse has visited. I should post it somewhere around here.
I was rather proud of “The Epic Ballad of Polly the Purple Rat” when I was younger. The first stanza went something like this:
Oh, Polly was a purple rat,
And in her hair of pink
She wore a bright red ribbon
For she said it helped her think.
10. If stories were drinks, what would your stories be?
I think it might be espresso. Dark, rich, smooth, slightly bitter, with undertones of chocolate and berries. Sometimes, I add steamed cream and it’s more of a latte.
Many thanks to H.L. Burke for her help with the questions. You can find her at https://www.hlburkeauthor.com/