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.
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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!
