Cate Tayler Writes Sports Romances

Today, I am  interviewing romance author Cate Tayler. She talks about her writing life, her military experience, and her upcoming release. AND I am honored to be revealing the cover of Body Stroke for the first time on the web.

Welcome Cate Tayler 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m originally from Connecticut, grew up on Long Island Sound. But after a tour in the Air Force, where I met my husband, I settled down in Maryland. Center of the state, 3+ hours to the nearest coast. But I’ve gotten used to it and I enjoy the mountains and lakes here.

I am a mom to four, a stepmom to three, and a grandma to one little girl who, at the time of this interview, is due at any moment! I also have a rescue lab/husky mix, Shiloh, whom we adore.

What interesting jobs have you had? How have those jobs affected your writing?

I was an intel analyst in the Air Force, and then I worked at the State Department as a security liaison with Diplomatic Security. Both sound so much more glamorous than they were! But they were definitely interesting.

They haven’t played much of a role in my currently published pieces, but I have been working on a trilogy centering around three female Air Force veterans. That’s my labor of love. What I’ve experienced and the experiences of the connections I’ve made do influence those stories.

I also work for a Catholic school and non-profit outreach center, which inspired me to work on a cozy mystery I will be shopping to publishers this summer.

Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

Oh yes! I mentioned it above. It’s the first book in a trilogy of female Air Force veterans, all dealing with their own issues once back home, and all tied together by their relationship with an Afghan woman they knew when overseas who disappeared. I have come so very close to having it picked up, but in the end I’ve gotten the same thing. My heroine (who suffers PTSD) just isn’t “likeable” enough. I respectfully disagree. I think readers would like a female combat vet who isn’t warm and fuzzy. But I know it will find a home somewhere or I’ll self-publish the trilogy on my own.

Can you tell us about any other upcoming books, series, or writing plans?

I am planning on releasing book two in the Lacrosse My Heart series, Spin Move, this summer. I am also nearly done with a new cozy mystery series that I hope to pitch to publishers this summer, as well. And I have three other projects –Fast Break (Lacrosse My Heart #3), Love Me Tonight (Mystic Point #5), and a holiday romance—I want to work on before the end of the year.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

Body Check is a complete work of fiction. However, there are elements from real life that inspired me. First, I chose lacrosse as the focal point because all of my children play, or have played, and my husband is a coach of my daughter’s team. I made my heroine Puerto Rican and determined, because I wanted my older daughter to see herself in a character. And, funny story, I created the fictional Women’s Professional Lacrosse League because at the time there wasn’t one in real life. But shortly after writing the book, the WPLL came into existence! One of the changes I made for the re-release of this book was to change the name of my women’s league, so I wouldn’t run into any trademark issues and so I could take more liberties with how the sport was run.

Every one of my books has a bit of me in it, too. So there are certain scenes or bits of dialogue that I may have taken from real life.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that my children actually came up with the series name, Lacrosse My Heart!

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Body Check by Cate Taylor

Professional lacrosse player Avalon Rivera, “The Ice Queen”, has been in love with her best friend’s older brother since she was a kid. But after his stinging rejection, she wrote him off for good. Eight years later, he’s back in her life and the lacrosse star is forced to work with him to salvage her team’s reputation, or she’ll lose the career she’s fought hard for.

JJ Jennings is a premier player in men’s professional lacrosse, both on the field and off. But when he is reunited with Ava, the young girl he once thought of like a sister, he’s tempted into becoming a one-woman man. If only he can convince The Ice Queen to give him another chance to heat up her sheets and thaw her heart.

(Previously published as Taking the Shot)

Now for the Cover Reveal!

Isn’t it gorgeous!

Releasing May 8th!

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Learn More about Cate Tayler

Website: https://www.catetayler.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcatetayler/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cate-tayler

Twitter: https://twitter.com/writercate

Instagram: https://instagram.com/writercate

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cate-Tayler/e/B06WW17WKV

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16485484.Cate_Tayler

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Cate Tayler would love to hear from you.

Please post your questions and comments below.