Paranormal Romance with Cathryn Cade

The first time I met our guest this month was years ago when I attended an RWA meeting. I wasn't familiar with Portland, OR and she offered to drive me to the change of address for the meeting. She was so kind, funny, and down-to-earth that I am humbled to call her a friend. 

Cathryn Cade writes steamy romance in genres from contemporary paranormal set in Hawaii, contemporary MC romance, and Sci Fi space opera as CJ Cade. She has over 40 works independently published, with more to come.

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Paty:  Did you intentionally write a paranormal or did it come from the lore of the islands? 

Cathryn: The whole series actually began with a visit to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on top of Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii. In the park headquarters were a series of gorgeous murals depicting Pele, goddess of the volcanoes as a beautiful woman, being honored by exceptionally handsome Hawaiian men in traditional dress. I developed a serious crush on the gentleman in one of the paintings ... And began to imagine a suitable romance for him. He became David Ho'omalu, the hero of WALKING IN FIRE; Book 1 of Hawaiian Heroes.
NOTE: The park headquarters are sadly closed until 2026 to repair damage from several small earthquakes associated with the latest eruptions, but should reopen with fabulous new exhibits.

 
Paty: OUr first trip to Hawaii we went to a show and they had Pele in the show. It was thrilling and fascinating as they depicted the history. How did you come up with the Hawaiian heroes in this series?

Cathryn: Pele's legend is that she used her fire to create the Hawaiian island chain. She now rests under the islands, but still protects them. My idea was that she sent 'heroes' with special powers to do so, the Ho'omalu family. In Hawaiian language, ho'omalu means protector. David's powers come directly from the volcanoes, his older brother Daniel's from the oceans, and from the sea god Kanaloa. Their cousin Lalei Kai-Ho’omalu, a society girl from Honolulu, learns to her shock that she can control the very wind and rain of the Big Island, and cousin Bella Moran, newly arrived from the mainland, discovers that the very plants and trees of the Big Island want to come to her aid.

Paty: The heroes are definitely hunks! Each book in this series is sizzling hot. What made you decide to link the heroes to Pele? 

Cathryn: Pele is depicted in Hawaiian legends as a passionate goddess who longed for a love of her own and sought handsome Hawaiian warriors of old. In the legends, the warriors had to trick her to find a way to be with their true earthly loves. Not to say too much, but this 'may' be a problem for our hunky David ...

Paty:  Each book is different, yet your love interests are mostly tourists. Did that make it easier or harder to ignite the spark between hero and heroine? 

Cathryn:  For me, it was only natural, as I am a serial tourist! My husband and I spend several weeks on the Kona coast of the Big Island every winter. As a tourist, I can easily imagine wanting to find a mate among the beautiful, gracious Hawaiian people, and stay forever, be a true part of the wonderful culture and ambience. I can also imagine a native being reluctant to fall in love with a haole tourist, but I've always enjoyed a spark of antagonism to begin with, heh heh.

 
Paty:  Having finally experienced Hawaii on several islands, I enjoy these books even more. As I read them, I can feel the islands. How did you make the experience so real? 

Cathryn: Thank you! The moment I disembark from the plane in Kona, I take a deep breath of the warm, humid air and just soak in all the scents and sounds of the islands and I feel myself begin to relax. Even just visualizing my favorite places on the island soothes me. So I try to truly immerse my readers in the experience. To me, a big part of the charm of reading books set in other places is feeling as if we've been transported there. It's a gift the author gives us, and a very important one. Otherwise, why not just have every book set in the same place?

Paty: I agree! I love it when I feel like I'm experiencing a new place through a book. What romantic tropes did you use in these books? 

Cathryn: Oooh, lets see, enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine, unexpected pregnancy, fated mates, lost princess, beauty and the beast, alpha hero, magical hero/heroine, super hero/heroine, last chance epiphany to name a few.

 
Paty: Wow! you captured almost all of the tropes! ;) Just for fun – Tell us what is your favorite activity besides writing and reading, because we know that’s a given. 

Cathryn: I'm going to have to say getting more acquainted with our new home here in central Washington state. We built a house, near the grandkids and other wildlife, with a quilt room for me—first one ever​. Meeting new friends and close enough to the old to visit. Not too far from the west coast to explore and fish. Life is good!

Paty: Wildlife and grandkids you can't get better than that! And a room just to quilt in! I quilt in my bedroom. That would be nice to have. Thank you for being a guest. If you want to find out more about Cathryn you can go to her website or Amazon author page: 

Website: https://www.cathryncade.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Cathryn-Cade/e/B003BMTQ40

These Hawaiian heroes are out to save their island… but can their hearts survive unscarred?

For centuries, the Ho'omalu have protected the Big Island for their goddess Pele, while she sleeps beneath her volcanoes. But the battles they now face are the deadliest yet, as a California crime family attempts to move their illicit drug empire to Hawaii. Which will prevail, the paranormal powers of Pele's guardian warriors... or pure evil?

Walking in Fire
Hawaiian Heroes, Book #1 

Passion blooms on a Hawaiian beach… but danger lurks, hot and deadly.
When a young food blogger visits paradise, she falls for a big, handsome Hawaiian… but with glamorous women at his beck and call, she doesn't expect him to notice a freckle-face blonde like her. Until danger throws them together, and passion flows like molten lava on the flanks of Pele's volcano.

Rolling in the Deep
Hawaiian Heroes, Book #2 

Desire as dark as the deep Hawaiian seas… danger poised to strike.
On Hawaii for her best friend's wedding, a young tourist falls for the groom's brother. But the big, tough, tattooed Hawaiian has secrets too dark to share… until passion explodes between them. Caught in desire's net, can he keep her safe and rid his island of evil drug runners… or will he have to choose?

Blooming in the Wild
Hawaiian Heroes, Book #3 

Tropical romance blooms deep in the Hawaiian jungle… but deadly peril is close behind.
A young sporting goods exec leads a team of models and photogs into the remote Hawaiian jungle, for a photo shoot against the backdrop of tropical blooms, along with a cocky, handsome, adventure TV star. But someone wants her plan to wither on the vine. They may even want everyone dead. Good thing she has a hero close at hand… and a rain forest that knows what she needs, even before she does.

Burning Up the Rain
Hawaiian Heroes, Book #4 

Their hook-up is hot enough to set the rain on fire… but danger looms behind the storm.
When a Hawaiian beauty discovers she can ignite storms over the Big Island, she resolves to use her new powers to drive away crooked developers. But to evade the arranged marriage her mother is brokering, she'll need human help. A semi-public hookup with a handsome California tourist should cover it... until they uncover a sizzling passion that neither can deny. And what will happen when he learns she's no ordinary society girl?

Don't miss this sexy, thrilling Hawaiian package--get your copy of HAWAIIAN HEROES Box Set today! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XZWHCKV

Publishing Trends: It's a Great Time to be a Hybrid

I had my first romance, a red hot sci fi shifter tale, published in 2008 with Samhain Publishing.

That was a great time to get pubbed. Readers were making the big shift (if you'll pardon the pun) to ebooks, and uber-sexy romance was hot, hot, hot. My first royalty checks were crazy big. This continued well into 2010, as I wrote and sold the next three books in the series. RT listed me as one of the sci fi romance writers to watch for. Whoopee!

Then, a strange thing happened. More and more publishers leapt into the ebook market. With more and more choices, readers spread their dollars out among them. My royalties dropped--partly because I genre jumped into contemporary paranormal, and readers did not follow me.

My Hawaiian Heroes were highly reviewed--RT and Library Journal loved them, yay! Readers did not vote quite as highly with their dollars. But, I kept writing, Samhain continued to publish my books, and another strange thing happened.

Romance writers began to publish their own books, with no middle-man except the sales platforms such as Amazon and BN.com. With a plethora of more new choices, readers spread their dollars thinner. Yikes, my royalties dropped yet again. Still highly rated on Samhain, still good reviews, but I was becoming extremely worried that I'd made the wrong decision to quit my teaching job and write romance full time.

Then, in June of this year, I went back to my roots. I self-published the first book in my new sci fi romance series, The LodeStar Series. Book 1, Stark Pleasure sold well enough that it earned nearly half as much as my eight books at Samhain. Wow, this was cool.

I got busy and wrote Book 2. Actually, I battled my way through Creed of Pleasure, fighting with the characters and the plot. With the help of my skilled editor, Jessa Slade, I finally wrestled it into the shape of my signature story--red hot romance, action and danger, with a little laughter in the mix. And some fantastical galactic creatures and futuristic inventions, of course. That's the fun of sci fi, after all.

With a gorgeous cover by Christy Carlyle of GildedHeartDesigns, the book went live November 7, 2013.

At latest report, my Amazon author rating is the highest it has ever been, a good indicator of reader interest. The book is the highest on the Zon charts I've ever had a book rise, except for my Free Read, Heart of Stone, another sci fi romance, but you kinda expect free books to go higher.

Celebrating a Return to the Scene ... of my Hawaiian Heroes

Aloha!

In April, my husband and I were given a surprise vacation to Maui, by my husband's folks. Thanks, love you guys! We spent 2 weeks with our toes in the sand and a cold drink in our hands--when we weren't face down in the water over a reef, that is. Snorkeling, my favorite.

Here's the view from our lanai. We walked miles barefoot
here on Sugar Beach, just north of Kihei.
We shopped, and ate lots of pulled pork at Buzz's Wharf,
our favorite marina side cafe in Ma'alea Harbor.

Spent hours wandering through the Maui Aquarium, looking at
all the exotic reef fishes, and sitting in the shark tunnel, watching
sharks and rays swim overhead. That's eerie!

Altogether, we had a very relaxing time.

And, this was a fabulous way to celebrate my latest release,
Burning up the Rain.

The Hawaiian Heroes series is set in Hawaii, so I got to raise a mai tai to my fictional Ho'omalu family and their adventures protecting the Big Island from those who would harm her.

I'll leave you with a quick peek at the cover, which I love.

Stop by my website to read reviews and more.

And here's hoping you find the time to relax, at least in the pages of a great romance.

Mahalo for stopping by,

Cathryn Cade

... red hot romance!

Goodreads, My Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,  My Blog,

And sign up for My Newsletter for a chance to win goodies! 

True Confessions ... Wish I Lived Here

Aloha! I'm so pleased to be the newest Genre-ista.

I'm just as pleased to be writing my FIRST post from
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii.

'Aue! It's 87 degrees here at the Kihei Beach Condos on Sugar Beach, but with the lovely breeze you'd never know it. The air feels like a kiss, soft and humid. Smells like the sea, warm earth and flowers. Sounds like surf  surging on the beach just off our lanai, bird calls (mostly chickens living in the brush across Kihei Road, lol), the occasional Harley roaring past and happy kids playing on the condo lawn and beach.

This vacation is a gift from my in-laws. (Thanks, folks. Love ya bunches) Otherwise I'd be in the middle of a Montana snowstorm--brrr! Rather be here, typing away in my damp swimsuit while I sip iced tea. Not quite time for mai tais, 'cause we're several hours behind you folks on da mainland.

This morning we snorkeled, got nose to nose with two big sea turtles and a number of tropical fishes. Then it was time to hit the local farm stand for pineapple and other fresh fruit and veggies, and back here for lunch.  Some careful suntanning, 'cause it's easy to fry our pale haole, Caucasian hides here in the first few days. Strenuous schedule, I know, but someone has to do it.

Wish I lived here. I mean, I could seriously do this full time. Never too hot, never cold. Always beautiful. But since that's not really in the forecast for the DH and me, I will just keep doing the next best thing! You guessed it--writing stories set here in paradise so I can relive my vacations here and on da Big Island, and YOU can pretend you live here too.

Ready? Let's drop in on the Ho'omalu ohana, family, in Nawea Bay, south Kona, Big Island. It's a small, private beach enclave that's been in the ohana for as long as there have been Ho'omalus on Hawaii. Ho'omalu means guardian in Hawaiian, so it was the perfect name for my Hawaiian Heroes, a family of powerful warriors tasked by the goddess Pele herself with keeping her island safe while she slumbers, deep beneath her volcano, Kilauea.

Book 1

Book 2

In this contemporary series, brothers David and Daniel and their cousins Bella and Leilani discover they have powers gifted to them from Pele herself. David can bring to life the fiery lava of the volcano. Daniel can call upon the denizens of the deep, from the friendly nai'a, dolphins to the not-so-friendly mano, tiger sharks.

Book 3

Bella discovers that the plants and trees of the forest obey her, while Leilani has rain, wind and lightning in her fingertips. They use their powers to battle vicious drug smugglers and ruthless land developers, both very real problems in Hawaii.

Kind of a Hawaiian mixed plate, yeah? And did I mention they're all dead sexy? Kinda goes without saying if you've ever read one of my stories. If you haven't ... pack your heat proof bikini, wahine!

Visit my website for excerpts, reviews and more @ http://www.cathryncade.com

Although the Ho'omalus are not a real ohana, they've become real to me. I fell in love with David, Daniel, Joel and Jack, heroes every one. I suffered along with Melia, Claire as they struggled to find their place in Hawaii as women in love with heroes, and Bella and Leilani as heroes themselves, wielding powers that terrify and exhilarate them. All of them living in paradise, here on Earth.

So if you could live anywhere, where would it be? The tropics, the mountains, a houseboat, the wild west, or even a desert? I'd love to know.

Leave a comment, and I'll enter you to win a FREE ebook from me. Your choice of one my 3 Hawaiian Heroes available now. Book 4, Burning up the Rain debuts next month, Jack and Leilani's story

Be sure and leave your email so I can contact you!

best,
Cathryn Cade

... red hot romance!

Goodreads, My Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,

And sign up for My Newsletter for a chance to win goodies! 

I just visited Hawaii!

Okay, technically I only read a book, but the descriptions were so vivid and the cultural references so plentiful that I feel like I’ve just spent time in that gorgeous place.

Though I’ve never been to Hawaii, I’ve heard about it my whole life. My parents lived there when they were first married. Dad was in the U.S. Navy and Mom fell in love everything about the islands. Her favorite perfume scent was plumeria and I’ve lost count of the number of stories she told me about the lush beauty of Hawaii.

I always thought I’d visit Hawaii someday. I even thought it would be fun to be able to take Mom back for a visit to the place that has lived in her memory for so long as a kind of nostalgic paradise. Living in the Pacific Northwest, a visit to the islands seems closer than ever but it’s still just a “someday” plan with no definite shape or due date.

Then I read Cathryn Cade’s Walking in Fire, the first in her Hawaiian Heroes series. This book is the perfect summer read. It’s set in a haven-like bay near Kona on the Big Island and features a likeable heroine and a super hot (you’ll find out just how true that is if you read the novel!) hero. Cade doesn’t just write lovingly about the scenic beauty of Hawaii, she seasons the entire story with Hawaiian myth, history, and language. While reading her sexy, suspenseful story, I could hear the waves, feel the warm breezes, and smell the heady plumeria that my mom loved so much. I thoroughly enjoyed the love story between Pacific Northwesterner Melia and sizzling hot Hawaiian David “Malu” Ho’omalu, but I loved the fictional visit to the Big Island and a refreshing dip into the mythology and culture of the islands.

If you can’t afford a plane ticket to a tropical paradise, take a trip to Hawaii through the pages of the perfect summer read: Cathryn Cade’s Walking in Fire.

Unfortunately, one visit wasn’t enough for me, so I am eagerly awaiting Cade’s second Hawaiian Heroes novel, Rolling in the Deep, due out at the end of the month.

When’s the last time you read a novel that so totally transported you that you felt you’d visited the story’s setting?