CassAsks - Cath Grace

This month's CassAsks is very exciting for me - if you don't know her name, Cath Grace is the very talented artist behind many of my covers!

When I started my journey in publishing (over 4 years ago, now!! Which is CRAZY), I made my own covers. And they were TERRIBLE lmao. Because I am so not an artist. But I never tried to get a cover made for me for multiple reasons -

1. I didn't have a network. There are many things I like a lot about indie writing/publishing, but one of the worst aspects when I was just starting out in my career was that I really felt like an island. I didn't know anyone in the community on a personal level. I'd been an avid reader, so I knew who many authors were, but never spoke to them.

• fun fact, I aspired to reach Monica's success level!!! I wanted to talk to her a lot, but was far too intimidated lol

2. With my job back then, I could have never afforded a nice cover to be made for me.

But a couple of years ago, I desperately wanted to have nice, new covers for my books. So, I made it a priority, and I found Cath on instagram, where she primarily redesigned book covers for sapphic romances as an interest.

And, here we are! I am so grateful for her rebranding TWW, WYLEI, and ITLR, even though I rarely have a super clear vision for what I want done. She is not only talented but very patient!

Without further adieu, here is her interview:

1.     You are well-known on my patreon as – drum roll – you are the mind/designer/illustrator behind the amazing covers you have created for my books! What about designing covers appeals to you?

I’ve always wanted to create and discovered sapphic fiction in 2018. It was a strange time where I was beginning to crave a creative outlet. The idea of designing book covers started to appeal to me and I eventually tapped into this creative outlet I was craving by designing depictions of the books I was reading. When I first started illustrating covers it was purely a hobby. I never thought that one day I’d be creating designs for authors.

2.     Though you are most known in the sapphic literature community for creating covers, is there other artwork you are passionate about creating? Or is it tied to your enjoyment of reading?

At the moment, everything I create is linked to reading and the sapphic community. Although, my day job definitely involves me being creative from a marketing and design aspect. I would love to dive back into oil painting as I adore this medium. The only thing holding me back is a total lack of free time! I need to get better at carving out small pockets of time.
 

3.     I knew from a young age that I loved to read and write – was it the same for you, regarding your art? When/how did you discover your passion for creating art?

This is a great question. My mum was adamant about fostering a love of creativity within my sister and I when we were growing up. I had this incredible set of Derwent pencils and would spend hours drawing scenes and objects from around the house. I studied art in high school and was offered a place at a local university to complete an art degree. I turned the offer down though as I felt I needed to complete a more “sensible” degree. It’s only years later that I’m realising I’m happiest when creativity is weaved into my life

4. What was your first fandom you ever joined (if you were into a fandom)? Did you read fic for it?

My first fandom was probably The Devil Wears Prada. After reading so much praise online for Telanu’s Truth and Measure I had to check it out and that created a fanfic spark for me.  

5. What have you learned about yourself through your work?

I’ve learned so much, but maybe the biggest take away is that I’m braver than I think. Once upon a time I never would have thought I could put my work out there for so many others to see.

6.  What is the most difficult part about working on a new project? What is the best part?

Ooh, another good question! When I first started illustrating for authors I found it difficult to gauge what a client wanted from a design as many authors come to me with no brief or sense of what they want on their cover. That was a challenging time but I’ve since gotten better at refining this process and working out what appeals to an individual client. The best aspects of designing are when an author tells me they love their cover and I know they have a design they’re happy to share with the world. But I also love when sometimes, during the design process, I’ll try a concept or process and everything just clicks and looks like it’s meant to be. I live for those small moments.

7. Where do you tend to get the most inspiration?

Mostly an author’s manuscript, which I read before coming up with a design idea. I also get inspiration from other cover artists though. My personal Instagram account is filled with the works of incredible cover artists I follow and admire. But I’m also inspired by artwork, posters and other graphic material.

8. What is your favorite food/meal of the day?

My favourite food is pizza but my favourite meal would have to be brunch on a lazy weekend. Eating an early lunch made up entirely of breakfast foods cannot be beat.

9. If you could have dinner with one artist, dead or alive, who would it be?

Either Malika Favre, who’s a French graphic artist and a goddess when it comes to working with negative space and minimalism, or CJ Hendry, an Australian artist known for hyper-realism. My style is completely different from CJ, but her work is phenomenal and she seems like she’d be a really amazing person to sit down with.

10. Do you have a favorite creation/cover that you’ve created? 

That’s a tough question! I like the cover I created for Iona Kane and A Game of Two Hearts. It’s a little different to other covers I’ve illustrated and I always love the chance to create something out of the realm I’m usually in.

11. What book got you into reading?

I can’t think of one title that kicked off my love of reading, as books have always been a part of my life. But the picture book Window by Jeannie Baker was hugely influential for me. The book is wordless and features a series of collage images created by the author. I had no idea that art could take such a form and was absolutely riveted by the book as a kid.

12. What book got you into reading sapphic romance?

Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton. It was a random weekday night, I’d just finished reading a Stephen King book and was looking for something lighter to read, and thought “why not try lesbian romance”. I literally punched ‘best lesbian romance books’ into my phone and up popped this bright yellow cover with great reviews. That started everything. I stayed up all night reading the book and haven’t looked back since.

13. What is your process when you’re preparing for a day of work? What does that look like?

I need a tidy workspace, caffeine and a good playlist when I set up – I can’t have silence when illustrating. 

14. What is your favorite Taylor Swift song and/or lyric?

It’s funny you ask this as I’ve only just gotten into Taylor Swift (don’t hate me), thanks to a very passionate friend who has taken it upon herself to slowly convert the world to Taylor, starting with me. At the moment, I can’t stop listening to the haunting duo of Bon Iver and TS in exile, but I’m also mildly obsessed with You’re On Your Own, Kid.

15. Have you ever read a book and/or loved a work of art that is criminally underrated? Now is your chance to advertise it:

If you’re into a side of action and escapism with your romance I beg you to read The One Who Eats Monsters by Casey Matthews. The plot is brilliant, the worldbuilding astounding and I cannot get enough of this book.

16. Do you ever work on more than one piece at a time? How hard is it to switch between works when you’re done with one?

Never. I work my schedule so this doesn’t happen. I feel like an author and their book deserve all of my time and headspace in a given moment. This probably wouldn’t be the case if I illustrated covers fulltime though! It’s a small luxury I get to enjoy.

17. What would you title your auto-biography?

Girl Tries For Louder.

18. Finally – where would you put these characters on a seating chart: 

Sutton Spencer from Those Who Wait by me
Rebecca Keane from Ask, Tell by EJ Noyes
Vivian Carlisle from Truth and Measure by Roslyn Sinclair
Samantha Thomson from Who'd Have Thought by G Benson
Robyn Ward from And Playing the Role of Herself by KE Lane
Catherine Ayers from The Red Files by Lee Winter

Catherine Ayers and Vivian Carlisle have to be at the heads of the table as they own every space they’re in.

Rebecca Keane and Samantha Thomson on either side of Vivian as they could hold their own and a riveting conversation with the powerhouse editor.

Then Sutton Spencer and Robyn Ward across from each other as I feel like Sutton would be quietly fanning-out at being near the Hollywood actor and investigative journalist.