Interview with Louise Amy Kennedy

Tell us about your latest book.
Bailey Boat Cat – Adventures of a Feline Afloat is written from a cat's eye view detailing my cat Bailey's observations about life aboard our boat (a Tayana 37) and sailing in general. Whilst it deals with some of the practicalities and facts about sailing it is done in a light-hearted way designed to appeal to all ages and to sailors and cat lovers alike.


What advice do you have for other writers?
Go for it! Write, read lots and keep writing! I never imagined that Bailey Boat Cat would become a book; it was purely a way for me to get into the habit of writing daily and being creative. Something which started mostly as a bit of fun has turned into a very successful website and book. If you’re passionate about what you’re writing it will shine through on the page and others will take something from it.

What's the best thing about being a writer?
Being creative! I love letting my imagination run wild and actually achieving something tangible at the end! I’m inspired constantly by my surroundings and love to note down ideas for new stories and articles.

Where can people find out more about you and your writing?
Bailey Boat Cat has a daily blog which can be found at www.baileyboatcat.com which chronicles his life afloat.  I also now have a new writer’s website www.louiseamykennedy.com where people can interact with me directly and get updates on new works, interviews and articles.

Why do you think readers are going to enjoy your book?
I hope readers will enjoy Bailey Boat Cat – Adventures of a Feline Afloat because it is completely unique with a very photogenic furry narrator. I believe that cat lovers, sailors and people with little or no knowledge of either will take something away from the book. It was designed to appeal to all ages and hopefully be shared and enjoyed within families.

Did you learn anything from writing your book that was unexpected?
I was approached by Adlard Coles (an imprint of Bloomsbury) to write the book after they loved the Bailey Boat Cat blog. I had never had anything published before so the whole process was a huge learning curve for me. I really enjoyed learning about each stage of the publishing process and working with my editor Jessica Cole and the designer Kevin Knight to create a book that I’m very proud of. I feel extremely lucky to have worked with such a friendly and professional team who made sure I felt at ease and able to ask whenever I had questions. I loved watching the book develop from a manuscript, into a BLAD and finally a book. The day I received my advanced copy of the book I was still finding it hard to believe my dream of being published was actually happening.
  
Where can a reader purchase your book?
The book has already been released in the U.K and Australia and is due to be released in America on the 2nd of September.  It can be found in most major bookstores or online for the kindle.

Does your family support you in your writing career? How?
Yes very much so. I was always brought up to believe that anything is possible if you work hard enough for it. My mum Ruth was (and still is) a stickler for grammar and is still frequently my first proof reader. My partner James is also very supportive, he encouraged me to take a sabbatical this year to give me the opportunity to really concentrate on my writing and follow my dreams. I’m extremely lucky to have a very supportive family network around me.

What are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading my way through a list of maritime classics as I’m working on a ‘bunk side reading’ piece for Bailey to celebrate the Bailey Boat Cat book launch in America this September.

When you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
I live on a boat with Bailey and my partner James. We’re currently based in a marina just outside of Rome. When we can, we love to get out of the marina and sail. Otherwise we enjoy doing lots of boat projects and spending time with friends in and around the marina. I personally spend most of the time I’m not writing or managing Bailey’s projects with my head in a book. I wish there were more hours in the day to get through my ‘to read’ list!

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1 Comments

  1. Kitties Blue21 July 2014 at 18:57

    Thanks for doing this interview with Lou. Good job. Thanks for visiting on our 2nd blogoversary to celebrate with us! XO, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

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