The making of The Catch
Once a year, I revisit both the book and movie versions of my two favorite Jane Austen novels: Persuasion, and Pride and Prejudice (the Colin Firth version, of course... fight me 😂). This annual ritual provided the inspiration for The Catch, a second chance contemporary romance about rediscovering lost love.
Writing fiction has always been my way of learning about the world. It was no different with The Catch. In order to (hopefully) sound like I know what I'm writing about, I took several trips to Pier 45, the last working pier in San Francisco. I extensively interviewed the fishermen and toured the fish processing plants there. I also interviewed people in the restaurant and legal industries.
In the process, I fell in love with the San Francisco Bay Area that I now call home.
Read an excerpt!
He was still thinking of her, eleven years later...
"Julia.”
His voice was unsteady, his face warped with apprehension. Finally, he pointed to the slips across the water.
“Do you see that boat docked over there?”
“Yeah?”
“That’s a catamaran. It has a double-hull, so it’s more stable and smooth out on the open ocean. Good for carrying passengers.”
“Okay,” she said, unsure why he was telling her this.
He looked out at it and said quietly, “It’s for sale.”
“Are you thinking of buying it?”
He shrugged. “Or something like it.”
“What are you going to use it for?” she asked, and instantly knew the answer. “Whale watching.”
He turned to her now, his face sphinx-like.
He shifted his weight and looked back out at the catamaran.
“Oh,” she said. “Oh.”
Against her better judgment, against her will even, her spirits soared. He was thinking of her. Making plans that involved her.
“It will take a lot of time,” he said so quietly that she almost couldn’t hear him. “I would have to get a license. I’d have to actually buy the thing. We’d have to make a business plan.”
“We.”
She reddened, realizing she had said it out loud. He turned a piercing gaze on her.
“Give me a minute,” she said, sitting down right there on the pier.
To her further amazement, he sat down next to her. “If you’ll do it with me, you’ll be my business partner.”
She took a few deep breaths. Collected herself. “Forgive me, but – how are you going to buy a boat like that?”
“I saved most of the money I made in Alaska.”
Had he really made that much money? “William. Like I told you, I don’t know if I have the time or the luxury to work on this. Also, my future is a bit uncertain right now. I’m still married. I don’t know what will happen if he ever comes back.”
“Will you go back to him?”
She saw the pain in his eyes, the creases in his forehead. She drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.
“This is all so sudden,” she murmured. “I need a little time. I’m not saying no. To any of it. I just need time.”
He nodded his understanding. After sitting together with him for another minute, she stood up, and he stood as well. Then she turned to go back inside.
The first thing she did was pull out her cell phone, retrieve the slip of paper from her wallet, and dial her lawyer's number.
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