An Interview with Our #2 Top Selling Author, Catherine Astolfo

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Congratulations, Catherine, on being our #2 bestselling author. As one of our most prolific authors, we've watched you promote your books with creativity and excitement.

1. Tell us a bit about your books. What are they about?

Currently, I have five books published by Imajin Books. The first four are part of a series. The Emily Taylor Mysteries revolve around an unusual heroine - the principal of an elementary school. In her late forties, Emily Taylor becomes a reluctant sleuth through a variety of external events. Some of her decisions, however, are based on a fear of discovery, for she has a mysterious past that involves her husband. Readers do not find out the details of this past life until Book 4. My fifth book is a psychological suspense, a standalone, titled SWEET KAROLINE. This novel explores a dysfunctional relationship between two women and what happens when one of them dies violently.

2. Why do you think your books have sold so well?

I believe you must start with a good story. Readers must be caught by the characters, the plot, the setting - or, ideally, all three. After that, it’s good old fashioned hard work - marketing, promoting, networking.

3. Even though you're published by a hybrid/traditional type publisher, you've taken on the role of book promoter. What are some of the ways you've promoted your books?

For the most part, I use social media: Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, my blog, my website, as well as lots of online promotion sites, such as World Literary Cafe. I also network, through Crime Writers of Canada, local libraries, and bookstores to get my name out into the community.

4. What advice would you give to writers considering Imajin Books for their works?

Be prepared to work hard, build your Author Platform, and learn a LOT. Your rewards will be many.

Learn more about Catherine:

Catherine Astolfo's website
Catherine Astolfo on Facebook
Catherine Astolfo on Twitter

Legacy by Catherine Astolfo FREE June 17/18

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Not all legacies are good ones…
While Emily Taylor deals with the dysfunctional Sanderson family at school, seemingly unconnected characters play out their own troubled journeys into the past.
Doro searches for her lost childhood. Alain Reneaux delves into the reasons behind his violent nightmares. The town's new lawyer, Jacob Finch, suffers from guilt about the heartbreaking death of his wife. And two lonely little girls suffer neglect and tragedy. 
As Emily untangles the complexities of the Sanderson children’s lives, the collision of past into future causes an inferno of insanity and death, which ultimately proves how essential family and friendship are to happiness and endurance.

FREE Kindle edition - June 17/18
Editorial Reviews:
"Once in a while a mystery novel comes along that really lives up to its name. Legacy leaves us wanting to read more from its beautifully written opening to its clever closing chapters. A fascinating look at how four lives can collide." —D.J. McIntosh, author of The Witch of Babylon 
"The central image of Catherine Astolfo's "Legacy" is a wishing well, an ironic reminder of the old saying "Be careful what you wish for." In this powerful novel, characters who wish to dominate others spiritually end up creating victims not disciples. Astolfo's searing exploration of the anguish caused by egotism is counterbalanced by her characters' ultimate realization that friendship and community can overcome evil. In "Legacy", Astolfo gives readers an enduring theme wrapped in a gripping narrative." —Gail Bowen, author of the Joanne Kilbourn Mysteries
"In Legacy, Catherine Astolfo poses searching questions about the consequences of childhood trauma. Through the interwoven lives of her small-town characters, she explores not only the corrosive effects of abuse, neglect, and loss but also the healing that comes from facing the darkness." —Kay Stewart, author of Sitting Lady Sutra
"Description, dialogue, plotting, all developed with the skill of a seasoned mystery writer…Your writing is consistently strong and invigorating. It solidified my feeling that you are a writer in for the long haul and should mature into a mystery author of the top rank in Canada." —Don Graves, The Hamilton Spectator
Available at:

New Release: LEGACY by Catherine Astolfo

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Not all legacies are good ones…
While Emily Taylor deals with the dysfunctional Sanderson family at school, seemingly unconnected characters play out their own troubled journeys into the past.
Doro searches for her lost childhood. Alain Reneaux delves into the reasons behind his violent nightmares. The town's new lawyer, Jacob Finch, suffers from guilt about the heartbreaking death of his wife. And two lonely little girls suffer neglect and tragedy. 
As Emily untangles the complexities of the Sanderson children’s lives, the collision of past into future causes an inferno of insanity and death, which ultimately proves how essential family and friendship are to happiness and endurance.
Available at: Amazon (Kindle)