About
You’ve always wanted to write, but someone told you that writing was no way to make a living
Hi! I’m Cate Conte. I’m also Liz Mugavero. Between the two of us, we are the bestselling author (authors?) of three mystery series, two with Kensington Books and one with St. Martin’s Press. As Liz, I write the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, the first of which was an Agatha Award nominee for Best First Novel. As Cate, I write the Cat Cafe Mysteries and the Full Moon Mysteries, featuring newbie witch Violet Mooney. I’m also a creativity coach, helping other writers fulfill their creative dreams—with a touch of woo woo, of course!
And guess what—there were MANY someones who told me that writing was no way to make a living.
So what did I do? Proved them wrong, of course!
But…it took a long time, some big mindset shifts, and most of all, a dedication to my computer and getting my butt in the chair. And a lifelong dream to see my stories out in the world.
I know, you may be thinking…
“But Cate! I don’t have time to write. I need big chunks of time and I JUST DON’T HAVE THEM.”
“Even when I can find time, I can’t get my mind quiet enough to focus.”
Or, “I have no idea how to write a book (or a story, or a blog)…Maybe I should give up on the idea of being a writer.”
Some of you may even be thinking, What the hell is wrong with me for not making time for my dreams?
Trust me, I’ve been there. I’ve felt lost and uncreative. I know what it feels like to have my soul sucked out of me at a job I hate, all the while cursing the hours ticking by where I could have been writing. I also know how it feels to come home from that job and have no creative brain cells available.
But still, I wrote. And wrote. And wrote until it paid off.
What does this mean for you? It means I’m the person who can get you from all those poopy thoughts and beliefs to an inspired, productive, creative SUPERSTAR.
To a place where writing is a priority. Where you wake up inspired. You have a structure/plan/program that works for you. You schedule your writing into your life—and you write EVERY DAY.
To someone who is living your dream.
Sounds good, right?
So what do you need to know about me?
I’ve been a writer since I could hold a pen. As a kid, I used to demand my mother read to me until I could do it on my own, and from then on my nose was always stuck in a book. I wrote it all—bad poetry, short stories, even the outline for a soap opera during a Days of Our Lives kick. I would even sit at my mother’s old typewriter and type out chapters of my favorite books to see what it felt like to actually write a book. In fifth grade, I wrote an essay describing my success as an author, and I’ve been on the path to achieving that dream ever since.
I blame my grandfather for my fascination with crime, serial killers and murder—he was a detective, and although he never regaled me with any really juicy tales, it didn’t stop me from making them up. I was—still am—obsessed.
There was no doubt in my mind that I would study writing in school, despite the advice I got from family members urging me to “have a backup plan.” I got an English degree from Salem State, and a master’s in writing and publishing from Emerson, where I wrote my (mostly terrible) first novel as a thesis.
And then realized murder and mayhem were my sweet spot and I needed to focus there. So I started to write a mystery, and began the long process of getting it published.
In 2013, my first Pawsitively Organic Mystery, Kneading to Die, was published and subsequently nominated for an Agatha best first novel. This seven-book series features Stan Connor, a corporate PR maven turned gourmet pet food chef who solves murders in her spare time in her new picturesque small Connecticut town.
My alter ego Cate hit the scene in 2014 with The Cat Cafe Mysteries featuring Maddie James, who moves back to her childhood home on Daybreak Island off the coast of Massachusetts and subsequently opens a cat cafe to help with island rescue efforts. Of course, people are murdered along the way and Maddie discovers she has another skill—solving crimes.
My latest series, the Full Moon Mysteries, is a confluence of all my favorite things—witches, crystals, cats, moon phases and magic.
If you’re a reader, THANK YOU! I love readers 🙂 Check out my books in the navigation above.
If you’re a writer—or want to find your creative happy place and get started writing—find out how you can work with me here!
I can’t wait to create with you!
Oh—before you go…
Don’t forget to download my freebie, Writing Strategies That Will Skyrocket Your Career. I collected strategies for success from top writers—and I’m sharing them with you so you can feel inspired, motivated and ready to create. Make sure you grab it now!
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