Interview with Author Vanessa Nitsche
Vanessa Nitsche
I am thrilled to have interviewed author Vanessa Nitsche, who shared with us details of her writing life, her book ‘Cocoa the Cat‘, which was released on 31st January 2022, and answered a few fun questions. This post contains affiliate links.
Vanessa Nitsche is a writer and actress born in London. After attending school in Germany, she returned to the United Kingdom in 1991 to attend university, where she obtained a PhD in viral oncology. Since then, she has worked as a science writer, scriptwriter and as an actress. ‘Cocoa the Cat’ is her first book title.
1) Where did the inspiration for your book come from?
Suddenly my life became very small and what was happening in my garden became the centre of my world. ‘Cocoa the Cat’ is the story of an unlikely friendship between a stray cat and a lonely, anxious woman.
2) How did you plan out the plot?
With good old-fashioned pen and paper.
3) When did you choose the title for your book?
Right at the end. In the first draft of the book the feline character had a different name, but it didn’t quite work, so I changed the name to Cocoa at proof stage. That decision came from me, not from my publisher – in fact, I probably made my publisher’s life more difficult by making such a last-minute change!
4) How did you come up with the names for your characters?
The name Cocoa has a universal ring to it – and the story is a universal story that, I hope, will resonate with many people.
5) How did you go about researching the content for your book?
I observed what was happening in my garden and put it into words.
6) What made you choose this genre?
I did not choose it, to be honest – my publisher did. I did not decide to write a children’s book. I tell stories that I connect with emotionally and that I feel compelled to write down – that’s all I do. I don’t write with the intention of targeting a particular audience. ‘Cocoa the Cat’ is a book that will appeal to people of all ages.
7) How long did it take you to complete your book?
‘Cocoa the Cat’ was written in the spring of 2020. It was published in January 2022. It was important to me to have illustrations that were atmospheric rather than cartoon-ish, so getting that right was a time-consuming process.
8) Can you describe your book in three words?
Uplifting, heart-warming, honest
9) What’s the hardest part of being a writer?
Finding something that you feel inspired enough to write about. A story that you feel just needs to be told. Everything else just flows from there.
10) Why should our readers pick your book up?
It is an uplifting book that may resonate with anyone who feels isolated or anxious. It is a gentle reminder that friends can be found in the unlikeliest of places, whatever the situation, if you take a moment to see what is right in front of you.
Publisher – Austin Macauley
Pages – 20
Release Date – 31st January 2022
ISBN 13 – 978-1398425163
Format – ebook, paperback
Synopsis
‘I arm myself with an extra sweater and some garden gloves, fully expecting him to dig his killer claws into my chest, potentially infecting me with the coronavirus in the process. I have anxiety issues, you see.’
It is the spring of 2020: the world is in the grip of a pandemic. In the midst of the national lockdown, a lonely, anxious woman is self-isolating at home with no one for company but the bird-slaying tom cat terrorising her garden, whose violence she detests. Love at first sight it is not. Until one day Cocoa, the tom cat, manages to get inside her flat and all of a sudden shows his vulnerable side.
Slowly, a friendship develops between these two unlikely bed fellows. Cocoa the Cat is a story about isolation, loneliness, friendship and acceptance. It is a homage to all those furry friends without whom lockdown would have been an even lonelier place.
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Fun Questions
1) Do you have a writing buddy (i.e. a pet)?
I do – a domestic short hair whose name I cannot reveal because he values his privacy. Suffice to say, without him ‘Cocoa the Cat’ would not have been possible. Pets are the best writing buddies in the world, particularly cats. Writing is a quiet, solitary activity and cats don’t like noise, so writers and cats can happily co-exist.
2) Do you have any writing quirks?
As I have mentioned already, I tend to do my writing on paper rather than on a laptop. When I am happy with what I have written on paper I transfer everything over to my laptop. Time-consuming, I know, but that way I feel I can give every word the attention it deserves.
3) Where do you write?
At home, in no particular location – I can write on the sofa, in bed or at my desk. I just need it to be quiet.
4) Your book has been made into a movie, you’ve been offered a cameo role, what will you be doing?
The real question is: Who would play Cocoa the Cat? There are animal talent agencies, of course, but I am not entirely convinced that they’d be able to provide a feline actor able to deliver Cocoa’s unique blend of aggressiveness and vulnerability. I think an animated film may be our only option.
5) A talking owl has just finished reading your book, what’s the first thing he says to you?
‘Three birds, one frog and an assortment of slugs? Too-wit too-woo, so good to see the little fellow has finally found a home – he was cramping my style!’
Author links
TikTok
Goodreads
Website
A big thank you to Vanessa Nitsche for sharing her writing life with us and for a wonderful interview.
Cat in garden: Photography by Vanessa Nitsche
