Author Interview: Kathy Cretsinger

Every now and then, you "meet" someone online and then have the blessing of getting to meet her in person, too. Kathy Cretsinger and I "met" through a Christian Writers' email group almost eighteen years ago. And back in 2018, we got to meet in person at KenTen Writers' Retreat. She's a blessing to many, and has helped quite a few authors see their dreams come true. I hope you enjoy getting to know her a bit more, too. Keep reading.


Kathy, I know macular degeneration has taken a lot of your eyesight over the last few years. What keeps you from getting discouraged and giving up on writing?
 
KC: Oh, I do get discouraged, but I have friends who have the same condition, and we talk. My father had Dry Macular Degeneration also, and I am encouraged that he didn’t stop. If I stopped doing any of the things I like to do, I’d die. You must keep going and going. I also have a device that helps me see. It’s IrisVision, and it enlarges things for me to read, watch tv, and a lot of other things. I’ve even taken it to football games to watch my grandson. Finding the IrisVision has made a big difference.
 
In the last couple of years, you've started a cozy mystery series. What made you switch from writing mostly romance to mysteries?
 
KC: I’ve read cozy mysteries for years. I love the shortness of the books and the quirky characters. I also like to write in first person. Most cozy mysteries are in first person. You don’t have to keep up with three other points of view.
 
When people "visit" Shady Valley in your books, what can they expect to find?
 
KC: First you will find mountains. The Appalachian Trail runs through the top of Holston Mountain, and it is beautiful in each season of the year. The people are friendly, and we’re related to most of them. The quiet of the mountains and the gurgling of the streams makes Shady Valley a peaceful place to spend some time listening. You will also find bears. There is only one restaurant, one country store, and a new Dollar General Store. At the restaurant and the country store, you pay with cash or check. I’m sure Dollar General Store uses credit cards, but nothing else does. I love it! 

What's up next in your writing life?
 
KC: I pray there are many more years of writing. Right now, I’m working on the second book in the series, Nothing Shady Ever Happens in Shady Valley. The title is Death by Doubloons. There are no sunken treasures in Shady Valley, but some happen to show up there. The main character is Liberty Garcia from Miami, FL. She is the recipe creator for Smart Living Enterprises. The book releases November 5, 2022.
 
Sounds fun. Okay, shifting gears now.
​I know you're one of the main people who plan the KenTen Writing Retreat each year. I've enjoyed it every time I've attended. What are you most excited about with this coming retreat in June?
 
KC: Yes, I am on the planning committee again this year. It is so much fun to plan a conference, and I’ve worked on each year’s event for KenTen Writers Conference. We are calling it a conference this year, and we’ve moved the event to Martin, TN. I am so excited about the whole conference. DiAnn Mills will again be our keynote speaker, and she is doing an Early Bird session on Marketing. I am very excited about that. DiAnn loves our conference. The conference will be held June 20-22, 2022. Please check out the conference at kentenwriters.org. It is going to be so much fun. We will have a writer’s contest again this year and you do not have to be present to enter. We will be judging both unpublished authors and published authors. Registration for the contest and the conference is open now. The contest closes March 15, 2022.
 
What would you say is the biggest benefit of getting together with other writers?
 
KC: Writers do not work in an office with several people. We are a lonely group. I learn so much from other authors. I love to listen to them. Writer’s groups and conferences help us to recharge. I love helping and working with authors.
 
I love getting together with other writers, too. Anything else you'd like to add about the retreat?
 
KC: The Early Bird is not included in the registration fee, but it is low enough for most people to attend. I know I do not have a large following and I need to learn more about getting people to know me. It is on June 20 from 1:00 to 5:00. We’ve always had a picnic, but this year we have a meal provided by a catering service. The winners of the Sandra Robbins Inspirational Award will be announced after dinner.
 
Okay, one last thing. Please leave us with a random fact about you that very few people know.
 
KC: I do not have a bellybutton. 

I can honestly say that may be one of the most interesting facts I've gotten so far! Thanks for stopping by and chatting today, Kathy!

Keep reading to find out more about her latest book as well as ways to keep up with her, too.

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City girl Daisy McQueen inherits her grandmother’s farm in the mountains of East Tennessee–Shady Valley to be exact. Daisy owns a company, Smart Living, that teaches people how to live healthy, and she is used to city life. Shady Valley only has one small store and one restaurant.
Daisy finds a dead body in her cranberry bog, and she is the number one murder suspect. Harry Greer helps her with her investigation without realizing Daisy is one of the richest women in the world with her company, Smart Living.
Hunters are secretly entering her property from the Appalachian Trail at night. Harry wants to protect her, but Daisy wants to teach the people in Shady Valley how to eat and live healthy.
Someone wants her dead.

​Check it out here. 

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Kathy Cretsinger and her husband migrated from the hills of East Tennessee to the flatlands of Kentucky several years ago to be close to their children and grandchildren. This brought another change in their lives. Kathy began publishing her books, and a few years later, she decided to help other authors who are having a hard time in the publishing industry by starting Mantle Rock Publishing LLC. Recently, Kathy sold most of her authors to Scrivenings Press.
Kathy loves being close to her family and enjoys growing orchids, which continue to multiply. She is now finding more time to write the books that have lived in her heart for the last few years. Visit her at kathycretsinger.com where she has a weekly blog.
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