Buzzing with Words: An Interview with Cat Ritchie, author of Mirror and the Bobcat

Cat Ritchie is a writer, healer, bee advocate, bird watcher, and menagerie attendant. She enjoys spending time in her gardens with the visiting birds, bees, and occasional fox or coyote. An avid reader and writer for most of her life, she lives in Bloomington, Minnesota, with her husband Don and numerous pets. Her works have appeared in The Talking Stick: Volumes 16, 17, 19, and Dust and Fire 2008. Her debut MG fantasy, Bosco and the Bees, was published January 2021 and selected by Kirkus Reviews for inclusion in their Best 100 Indie Books of the Year. Her second MG fantasy, Mirror and the Bobcat, was released September 2022.

Check out Cat’s website at boscoandthebees.com.

You can buy the book here.
Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

My eldest daughter, Armin Ritchie, did the artwork for both of my book covers, which meant so much to me. She has such talent, and it was so beautiful to see my characters and their world painted so brightly!

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed reading books. I wrote stories and sketches of stories as a child. I wrote my first book-length story as a teenager, but never thought about becoming a printed author until much later in life. Bosco and the Bees started out as a joke between me and my kids during bedtime reading sessions.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I’ve worked with dolphins at a language-research facility, I’ve earned a black belt in taekwondo, and I’ve worked 21 years with the USPS. I never really decided what I wanted to be when I “grew up.”

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

I love hearing feedback from readers as to what parts they’ve enjoyed the most. It is also pretty neat to see my books on the shelves at the local library! (I fall between Rick Riordan and J.K. Rowling.)

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

I think birds make the best soundtrack. With the bees humming along, of course. (They don’t know the words—they’re too busy!)

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

The beauty, joy, and sheer magic that exists in the natural world all around us.

We all seek different paths as we grow. Books are one path, but they can lead us on so many adventures. The world is incredibly vast and diverse!

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I am currently working on my third book in my Somewhere Stories series. I am also planning new garden habitats to build/plant for the birds and bees.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

Atmosphere Press has grown in the time I’ve worked with them. Their team is professional, encouraging, and responsive to any questions or problems I have. In addition to the basic editing, cover design, and publishing work, they offer quite an array of marketing options and website design too.

I have no hesitation in recommending them as a worthy publishing company.

You can buy the book here.
Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.