Why do you write?
In fourth grade, my teacher enjoyed a story I wrote and encouraged me to write over the summer. I swept the dust out of the barn loft, set up my little yellow table and chair and, until I was booted out so my dad could store the summer hay, that was my writing loft.
I love words and am often stopped in my tracks when I read a thought or idea captured in some unique way. I dream of having that effect on someone else through the written word! There is mystery, as well as craft, in showing instead of telling. When a writer manages to do that well, it is art!

How did you come to write a weekly column for the Watauga Democrat?
As I was preparing for early retirement from Appalachian State University in 2004, the young woman who was writing the community news for Foscoe announced she needed someone to take over the
column. I was concerned about having enough to keep me busy in retirement and that seemed like a good task and just the excuse I needed to sit down and write.
The column has resulted in many new friendships in my local community and, surprisingly, in other locations. Maybe it has been my "fifteen minutes of fame." I say that because of experiences like the afternoon I went to the container site to drop off my trash and a woman approached me to say she knew me through the column. She expressed how she enjoyed reading my article each week. Here I was, a celebrity amongst the dumpsters!  

What challenges and rewards does writing a weekly column bring?
In a small community, there is not a lot of news to report. There have been many weeks when there was absolutely no news or anything of interest to report. Then I resort to my creativity, which is often sorely lacking. But once in a while I have a burst of inspiration that results in kind comments from readers. My husband has threatened to leave if I continue using him for material! 
This has been a good year, with the opportunity to do an occasional article for All About Women magazine. I also had a short story accepted for an anthology called Clothes Lines that came out in late summer. I serve on the book committee of the Watauga County Historical Society. WHS has worked for many years to complete a book on architecture in Watauga County and that beautiful book, An Architectural History of Watauga County, came out recently. While there was no writing involved on my part, working on that book project has been very rewarding. Being involved with writing and books brings me peace in whatever capacity.

Contact Catherine at (heartsongs@skybest.com). Purchase An Architectural History of Watauga County at The Jones House, Mast Store in Boone and Edgewood Cottage in Blowing Rock. Maggie Bishop’s Appalachian Adventure series of mystery and romance is available through bookstore and Amazon.com.