Yesterday's Eyes by Catherine Flowers

Click Here for Amazon

About the Book

 

Ida has never been close to her mother, Mavis, but she is a little too close to Mavis's husband, the less-than-godly preacher of First Presbyterian Church. When Ida gives birth to a baby boy, she claims the preacher is the baby's father.

 

After Ida is convicted of negligent homicide and goes to prison, Mavis finds herself faced with the task of raising Ida's six-year-old daughter, Tia. Mavis barely knows her grandchild, and must find a way to form a bond while she's still struggling with her husband's betrayal.

 

Tia has already spent time with an abusive foster parent, and now must learn to survive with her emotionally distant grandmother.

 

Catherine Flowers debut novel brings readers the powerful story of three generations of women who must come to terms with the past and learn how to forgive one another if there is any hope of healing.

 

 Five Minutes With The Author

 

Which book did you find the hardest to birth?

Yesterday’s Eyes is the only book I’ve completed thus far. I’m currently working on a collection of short stories, and one of the stories proved to be more of a challenge than the others because I couldn’t decide the fate of the central character.   
Which book is your current favorite?

Well, since Yesterday’s Eyes is my only novel so far, I’d have to say that’s my favorite!  

How would you describe your writing style?

 

What works for me is writing in a style that is somewhat tight, compact, and to the point.   I try to minimize unnecessary words (or remove them altogether) in order to keep the story flowing. As a Christian author, I’m always trying to make sure I’m writing for the glory of God. So, my style of writing doesn’t just address real-life issues, but it also incorporates a solution to the problem which is Jesus Christ.

 

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind?

 

Occasionally, I may turn on classical music in the hopes of further inspiring my creative side. But mostly, I prefer to write in complete silence.  

 Tell us anything about you as a writer that you think might be interesting or unusual.

Yesterday’s Eyes originally started out as a five page story about a girl whose brother was killed in an automobile accident. I wrote the entire story in one night back in 1981. Later, I revisited the story, changed the entire content of it, and it evolved into a 200 plus page novel. Then, I revised it once more after I rededicated myself to Jesus Christ because some of the content was inappropriate. 

 

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Ernest Hemingway said, “The writer must write what he has to say, not speak it.” So, my advice to aspiring writers would be to stop talking and write! I would also recommend taking creative writing courses to improve their craft. And the writer should always make sure that whatever is written has substance and resonates. 

Writers are often encouraged to write what they know. Have you found that to be the case with your writing?

 

Only to a degree. It’s good to write about what you know from a technical point of view as far as describing locations and setting timelines; this gives the story more credibility. But when it comes to situations and characters - embellishment is the key. That’s when the imagination gets to come out and play. That’s why it’s called fiction.

Author Bio 

Catherine Flowers currently holds a degree in nursing. She has also majored in English/Professional Writing at Mount Mary University. Her flash fiction story, “The Patient”, was published in the English Department’s Fall 2011 issue ofPaper Clips. She is the creator of the Christian website, www.freefrombondage.com, and writes on-line content for other websites as well. To contact the author, please visit:

 

http://www.freefrombondage.com(Breaking the chains of bondage one link at a time)
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@YesterdaysEyes
Facebook: Author Catherine Flowers