Indie Support Sunday: Kate Cole

The indie author community is both huge and small, because having common friends is the only way that Kate Cole and I could have met. And since we first connected, I’ve watched Kate do so many amazing things. I’d bought a copy of her debut, Under Construction, a while ago and finally read it a few weekends ago. And this is my message to the world that they must absolutely read Avery and Kent’s story. Outside of being the smoothest storytelling and writing, the journey the characters go on really hook you and get you so very invested. 

Hot Work is the second in Kate’s Women in Trades series and released yesterday! I can’t wait to dive into it this week, because after meeting Violet briefly in the first book, I’m looking forward to spending more time with her.

Both of Kate’s books are available right now. Visit her profile for links to bookstores where you can order your copy!

BEING AN AUTHOR

Who or what inspired you to write?

I’ve always been a prolific reader and wrote creatively many years ago. I suppose the creativity was lying dormant, somewhere inside. But I never imagined that I would write a romance novel. Amy Lea must’ve awakened it when she asked me one day “have you ever thought about writing your own book?” I insisted the answer was no, but then the ideas started coming…and they haven’t stopped. Four months after she asked the question, I had my first draft of Under Construction written.

What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author? 

I love the creative control it gives me, and being able to do things on my own terms. But the other side of the coin is being the one ultimately accountable for all decisions. I get to celebrate the successes and accomplishments, but I also bear the burden of the flops! Time management is also a real challenge when you have to write, format, publish, market and still leave enough time and energy left in the tank to do it all over again.

Why did you choose to self-publish instead of going the traditional route?

I never even considered querying Under Construction. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it was a mix of just not knowing any better and impostor syndrome. I did query Hot Work for a few months, after the success of UC, but despite positive feedback on my writing, agents said they didn’t know how to sell my series. In the end, I decided to stay indie. I didn’t want to lose the momentum I’d built with UC, and to be honest, I really enjoy the creative control I have over these women’s stories and the Women in Trades Romance brand.

I wouldn’t rule out querying again, but right now this series is in the best possible hands.  

I’m not sure I really weighed the pros and cons. The querying process certainly seems daunting, and for some reason the indie route just seemed like the right path for me. I wouldn’t rule out traditional publishing, but the creative control I’ve got right now will be awfully hard to let go of.

When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?

I’m a big yogi! If I need to get the story moving, a session of hot yoga often does the trick. A long walk in nature also seems to work some magic. 

If you were to recommend books to me (in any genre), what would they be?

If you wanted recommendations from me, I’d say start with an appetizer of The Hating Game (by Sally Thorne), throw in a side of All Souls Trilogy (Deborah Harkness), sprinkle in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, add a garnish of The Sight of You (Holly Miller), and then enjoy The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger) for dessert. While these books are completely unique, they share a common thread of incredible MMCs and an undercurrent of destined romance. Seriously swoon worthy stuff.

What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?

1. Find a mentor. I’ve had the benefit of incredible mentorship as I navigate the self-publishing journey and I couldn’t have done it without them. 

2. Pay that mentorship forward. Find someone who needs your help and give it to them. It keeps that cycle of kindness going, but it will also fill you up with so much good karma that you’ll think it’s a selfish act! 

3. Find your people. They’re out there. Fellow authors who are also struggling to be read, readers who identify with your characters. If you haven’t found them yet, keep looking. Also, Let those who aren’t your people go. You will know who they are. 

4. Be kind to yourself. We put so much on ourselves. As I get older, I’m better at remembering this one. 

5. Don’t push it. Writing does require discipline, but it also can’t be forced. If you force the words, it will show. If the words aren’t flowing, give it time and space and ask yourself why. You’d be amazed by how easily the answer comes (most of the time).

ROMANCE AS A GENRE

Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?

The world is full of unhappy endings. Something has always comforted me about the happily ever after. It’s so reassuring to know that even if the characters have a winding road, they still end up at that happy destination.

If not romance/subgenres of romance, what genre would you like to write in?

I’d love to try historical fiction. 

What are your most and least favorite tropes?

My fave, by far, is enemies-to-lovers. I eat it up. My least favourite is surprise pregnancy. I think accidental pregnancy belongs more in the horror genre. Lol But seriously, I think I have a problem with any trope that involves a woman giving up her agency.

What are some tropes you want to write in the future?

I’m definitely drawn to second chance romance. I have lots of ideas brewing there. I’ve just released an age gap where the FMC is ten years older, and had so much fun with it. I’d like to explore that again with the MMC as the older of the two. I’m working on an opposites attract romance next and can’t wait to see where these characters take me.

What are some topics (sensitive and otherwise) that you think should exist more in romance?

I think the untold aspects of being a woman should be highlighted. I want menstruation, menopause, aging, body image, and all of the unvarnished truths to find their way into romance books. We absolutely can do so while still being sexy and romantic. It will only make the stories more real.

If you write open door romance, why did you choose that and what inspires your sex scenes?

I didn’t set out to write an open door romance, but by the time Kent and Avery made their connection in Under Construction (it’s a bit of a slow burn) I felt the audience had earned the right to see what that looked like. I didn’t want to deprive them. Each story will be assessed individually and I will let the characters tell me what is right. 

YOUR BOOKS

What inspired your published stories? How and when did you come up with these stories and plots?

I wish I could answer this, but to be honest it’s been a bit of an out-of-body experience. I wake up with ideas and just hope that they never stop coming.

Can you briefly tell me about your books?

I have a series of books–the Women in Trades Romance series–that feature women in trade professions. These are occupations and roles traditionally held by men. I work in a male-dominated field and am endlessly inspired by the women I work with on the scaffold, on the job site, or in the workshop. I want to share their experiences and inspiring stories with the world.

In Under Construction you meet Avery, a heritage stone mason, in Hot Work, you meet Violet, a commercial diver. Central to their stories is the found family and female support they find in each other. I call it Sex and the City in steel-toed boots.

Under Construction is an enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance with the fun twist that he is a project manager and SHE is a heritage stone mason. Avery thinks she has her workplace nemesis all figured out as a buttoned-up budget boy, but through several worlds collide moments, they see each other in an entirely new light and come to realize that maybe there’s more to each other than meets the eye. 

Told from Avery’s perspective, her experiences as a woman in the trades serves as a backdrop to their story. We also meet her fellow Women in Trades who support and celebrate each other, and help one another navigate the challenge of being the only female in their chosen professions.

Do you already have a favorite character from the stories you’ve written?

I really love the character that I’ve just written. Her name is Violet. I think her character arc is so wonderful. It seems odd to say it (as the author), but was rooting for her throughout. She’s over 40 and a great example of how–no matter how old we are–we’re still learning about ourselves and growing as people.

If you were to cast your book for a movie/television show, who would you cast in the lead roles?

For Hot Work I’d say Theo James would make a great Cooper, and Sienna Miller might make a good Violet. For Under Construction,  Kent would be a slightly younger Matt Bomer (sigh!) and Avery would be an odd mix of Ginnifer Goodwin and Demi Moore as GI Jane. 

How much of yourself do you put into these characters?

People often ask if Avery is really me because we both have short hair. I wish I was Avery, that I was as strong and as capable as she is. I suppose there are parts of me in her—certainly shared experiences–but that’s all there is. I like to put little parts of myself into the stories, though. UC is my love letter to yoga, and HW is my love letter to knitting.

What is a story/stories that you really want to tell?

I have so many ideas rolling around in my head, but once I’ve told my stories about women in the trades, I am tempted to find other occupations and groups where women have been marginalized and tell their stories too.

Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?

My current series features women in trade professions who hold positions typically held by men. I aim to amplify voices of women who are often the lone female in the crowd, to share what that might be like in complex scenarios and even the most practical sense. For example, what happens when you’re the only female in tight quarters and expected to perform your duties? How does one excel and find professional success and still hold on to their sense of self when they’re completely outnumbered? 

What’s next on the bookshelf for you? Anything you can tell us about a future project?

I’m currently working on book three in my Women in Trades Romance series. You meet this FMC in Under Construction and again in Hot Work and she is also a formidable and feminist character who is no damsel in distress but beautifully vulnerable in her own way. I think readers will really like her.

When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?

I want it to be a completely immersive experience, as if you’ve stepped into the shoes (or panties!) of the FMC and the real world just fades away.

AUTHOR’S CHOICE

• Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks

• Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense

• Single or Dual POV

• Standalones, series or standalones in a series

• Open door, ajar door or closed door romances

• Music or silence when writing

• Plotter, pantser or plantser

• Water, tea, coffee or….wine?

• Cold or warm weather

• Write better in the morning, afternoon or night?

• Illustrated or photo cover?—I want to pick option C–discreet covers!

Stay updated on all of Kate’s books, events and signings by following her on Instagram and via her newsletter. You can also know more about Kate on her website and TikTok.