Get ready to learn more about the book Road To Copper Hollow in this discussion with sapphic author Katie Trapp.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Katie Trapp about Road To Copper Hollow, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Wears a Toolbelt category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Road To Copper Hollow?
Initially, I didn’t know what my next book would be but I knew I wanted a memorable location so I started down a rabbit hole of cool places in the US. That led me to Kennecott Copper Mines in Alaska and I knew instantly I wanted to write something with it as the main setting. I dreamed up the plot from that point.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
That would be Vida! A sassy tortoiseshell cat that was modeled after my cat, Kitty, who passed away at 21 years old. Vida has a large personality, just like Kitty. Original name, huh?
What was the biggest challenge writing this book?
The romance. It is a romantic suspense novel. The suspense wasn’t that hard, but the romance was new to me. I had to go back after the first draft and add more emotion and connection between the characters.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
Road To Copper Hollow starts out with MC Blythe Gallamore driving the only road back to her hometown, Copper Hollow. She’s about to start her life all over in the one place she least expected. In that first scene, you see how taking the road to Copper Hollow and arriving at the welcome sign sets the tone for the book.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
The sequel is Redemption In Copper Hollow. Road To Copper Hollow ends with traumas and loose ends that I didn’t think would be fair to just gloss over so I wrote Redemption to work through them thoroughly. There are a few new characters to help move the healing along as well as dealing with their own issues. I’m happy I decided to write it.
Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
My office. Despite writing darker themes like murder, I thrive on light and happy spaces to create. I like to have the windows open so the sun can hit the crystals I have hanging in front of them. Rainbow dots hit the walls, and it’s so pretty. The walls and decor are bright and happy.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
My wife will take me out to dinner and send me flowers. She’s my biggest supporter and always excited for me.
What has helped or hindered you most when writing a book?
I have dyslexia and comprehension issues. Despite having been given practical tools by my Special Education teacher in school to navigate my way around my problems, I still struggle with spelling, letter/word displacement, and sounding out words, and I am a slow learner. I’ve never been hard on myself about it. When I was diagnosed in third grade, it was explained to me that my brain works a little different than others but that I was capable of anything I put my mind to. I took that to heart. I know I have to problem solve or take the long road around more than “normal people” but that doesn’t mean I can’t do what I want. I have a college degree, worked in the mental health field for a decade, and have written three books. Not bad for the kid that didn’t start reading on target until sixth grade.
When you’re writing an emotional or difficult scene, how do you set the mood?
I like to put on music that really tugs at my emotions. It doesn’t necessarily have to be on theme with the scene, but it puts me in that emotional head space. In Road To Copper Hollow, I killed off a character I really liked, and the whole time, I was listening to Whitney Houston’s greatest hits because her voice can bring me to tears. The power and beauty of her voice really allowed me to let go and let the words out.
What books did you grow up reading?
I didn’t start reading at grade level until the end of sixth grade, so once I mastered that, I wasted no time trying to catch up. I read a variety of things, just anything I could get my hands on, but eventually, I found paranormal mysteries. Specifically, I remember reading Darkling by Yasmine Gale. The MC is a newly made vampire named Menolly who is bisexual. It was the first time I read a sex scene between two women in a book I picked up at Walmart. I walked into the store, found the book, and purchased it. I know that may not sound huge to some, but back then, you just couldn’t do that sort of thing. After that, I started looking into more books with WLW characters and found Stone Butch Blues and Annie On My Mind. That started me on the sapphic fiction journey that led me to becoming a writer.
Do you only read books in one genre or do you genre hop?
My favorite genre is apocalypse, specifically zombie apocalypse. I’ve probably read over 200 zombie books. Unfortunately, there are not many in the sapphic world, so I get my fix with mainstream, but whenever there’s a new sapphic one, I will read it almost immediately. I love reading about different styles of survival and types of zombies. My favorite is the Salvation Plague Series by A.L. Masters. She writes strong female characters and the most unique types of zombies I’ve read so far.
