• Blog

    Cat Lavoie author of Messing with Matilda author Q&A and blog tour stop

    4/12/2018

    Messing With Matilda by Cat Lavoie Cover Reveal

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    Cat Lavoie – Messing With Matilda
    Messing With Matilda by Cat Lavoie
    Published by Cat Lavoie on April 4, 2018
    Genres: Chick Lit, Romantic Comedy

    As a professional organizer in New York City, Matilda Hart wages war against chaos and clutter on a daily basis for her clients—and she vows to never let it invade her own well-ordered world.

    But when her boyfriend decides to deviate from the path she’s been planning for them, Matilda’s perfectly structured life begins to crumble. She reluctantly finds herself back in the tiny hometown she fled a lifetime ago—determined to lay low and avoid running into anyone she used to know. So why is she reconnecting with her former best friend and putting up with the bridezilla antics of Amber, her high school nemesis?

    When Matilda is tasked with keeping the bride-to-be’s heartbroken ex away from the ceremony, she discovers she has history with the man who’s trying to sabotage the wedding. Matilda quickly realizes that teaming up with cute and quirky—but hopelessly devoted—Silas Flynn could be mutually beneficial. He needs help wooing the woman he considers the love of his life and Matilda can’t pass up the chance to finally get back at the meanest of the mean girls by assisting Silas in his attempts to disrupt her wedding.

    Will everything go according to plan for this mismatched pair? Or will working so closely together make uptight Matilda and laid-back Silas lose sight of their common goal?

    One thing’s for sure—things are about to get messy.

    About Cat Lavoie

    Cat LavoieCat Lavoie is a chick lit writer from Montreal, Canada. She loves writing fun and quirky romantic comedies and is the author of BREAKING THE RULES, ZOEY & THE MOMENT OF ZEN, PERI IN PROGRESS and MESSING WITH MATILDA.

    A fan of all things feline, Cat loves cats and hopes to someday have a house full of them in order to officially become a crazy cat lady. (But one or two cats will do for now.)

    If she isn’t reading or writing, Cat enjoys listening to podcasts (mostly comedy and true crime) and watching way too much TV. She fell in love with London many years ago and hopes to go back one day. Cat is currently at work on her next novel.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    To connect with Cat and find out more about her books, visit CatLavoie.com and follow @CatLavoieBooks on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    Author Q&A
    1. What was the inspiration for your novel?
    I wanted to write a story about two completely mismatched characters who need to work together for
    a common goal. I love a good “opposites attract” story—and so laid-back Silas and uptight Matilda were born.
    2. When did you take up writing?
    I’ve been writing my entire life—I used to scribble stories in my notebooks at school and I started countless short stories that I never finished. But, in my early twenties, I decided to take it seriously and write a novel.
    3. How important is setting/place in your writing?
    I created the fictional town of Messina, Connecticut in my second novel, Zoey & the Moment of Zen. That setting is especially important in Messing with Matilda since Matilda is not very fond of her hometown—it represents a past she doesn’t want to revisit. Unlike Matilda, I’m quite fond of Messina and look forward to setting more stories there.
    4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?
    Definitely Silas. He’s quirky and adorable and I loved writing dialogue for him.

    ​5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?

    Keep writing—everything will eventually fall into place.

    6. Do you have a schedule for writing?
    I have a hectic day job, so I write whenever I can. I try to get a lot of writing done during lunch breaks and weekends.

    7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?
    I’m a plotter. I need to have a plan before I start writing, but if the story takes over and leads me in another direction, I’m willing to toss the plan.

    8. Can you name three of four of your current favourite books?
    In recent months, I’ve loved Tracie Banister’s latest, Izzy As Is, and The Royal Treatment by Melanie Summers. I also quite enjoyed The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn.

    9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?
    I’m in the early stages of plotting and doing research for my next novel. Even though I’m sad to leave Matilda and the gang behind, getting to know new characters is so much fun!

    10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on their journey?
    I’d tell them… believe in yourself and your story. Write the story you want to tell and don’t worry too much about what’s going to happen after “the end.” And, of course, keep writing!

    MESSING WITH MATILDA EXCERPT

    I don’t want to go home. Facing an empty apartment—one I now know I’ll be living in for the foreseeable future—is too much to handle right now. But I can’t stand on the sidewalk forever while strangers walk around me giving me annoyed looks. I can’t be mad at them—if the situation were reversed, I’d be one of those strangers wondering why the idiot in the black cocktail dress isn’t moving.
    So I start moving.
    Since home isn’t an option, I decide to walk to Hart Your Space and partake in one of my favorite activities—ordering office supplies. My newest obsession is colorful paperclips and I feel like ordering two boxes today—look at me being all reckless with money. I also have a few follow-up appointments next week and I should look over my notes again just to make sure I’m adequately prepared. I could schedule a lunch date with Dr. Paxton too, but none of these things are urgent and just thinking of the word “date” makes me want to throw up what little dinner I ate.
    I take out my phone and see a new voicemail from my mother and two emoji-filled texts from Evie with a series of hearts, keys, and question marks. It’s like she knows something’s going on. Ignoring my messages, I fish my headphones out of my bag and connect them to my phone. Inserting the tiny white buds into my ears, I open up the podcast app on my phone and find the episode I was listening to earlier. The smooth voice of the narrator blasts into my ears—blocking out most of the traffic noise and the random conversations of the people walking past me—and I sigh with relief.
    “It was a gruesome crime scene, and I was the first police officer who responded to the call. Even twenty years later, I can still remember every single detail. They are etched into my memory, and I still become emotional when discussing the events of that day.”
    You wouldn’t think that listening to Crime Stalker with Jake Deno—a podcast about an NYPD homicide detective and his most memorable cases—would have a calming effect on anyone, but I’m completely fascinated by it, downloading each episode onto my phone as soon as it’s released. I listen to it at the gym, during my commute when Evie isn’t with me, and when I need to become immersed in someone else’s gory reality to escape my own.
    #
    Forty-five minutes later, I’m a few steps away from my office, and I’ve already decided that I’m taking a cab home when I’m done here. My feet are killing me, and I can’t wait to collapse on my desk chair and kick off the uncomfortable shoes that are giving me blisters. If I had known I’d be storming out of my date with Arthur, I would have worn the orthopedic shoes he prescribed to me after diagnosing me with flat feet, or pes planus as they say in the foot business. The heel is so chunky, it would have been perfect to throw at Arthur’s head when he started talking about Fiona and Boston. I try to forget about those two idiots as I rip the buds out of my ears.

    Comment

    Cat Lavoie
    4/12/2018 04:31:57 pm

    Thank you so much for having me, Monique! I had such a great time answering your questions! 🙂 Thanks for being part of my blog tour!

  • Blog

    Cover reveal for Messing with Matilda by Cat Lavoie

    2/23/2018

    Messing With Matilda by Cat Lavoie Cover Reveal
    Happy Cover Reveal Day to Cat Lavoie! Enjoy the cover of MESSING WITH MATILDA, coming April 4, 2018!

    Sign up for the CatChats email newsletter to be among the first to know when MESSING WITH MATILDA is available! http://bit.ly/CatMailingList
    Cat Lavoie – Messing With MatildaMessing With Matilda by Cat Lavoie Published by Cat Lavoie on April 4, 2018 Genres: Chick Lit, Romantic Comedy

    As a professional organizer in New York City, Matilda Hart wages war against chaos and clutter on a daily basis for her clients—and she vows to never let it invade her own well-ordered world.

    But when her boyfriend decides to deviate from the path she’s been planning for them, Matilda’s perfectly structured life begins to crumble. She reluctantly finds herself back in the tiny hometown she fled a lifetime ago—determined to lay low and avoid running into anyone she used to know. So why is she reconnecting with her former best friend and putting up with the bridezilla antics of Amber, her high school nemesis?

    When Matilda is tasked with keeping the bride-to-be’s heartbroken ex away from the ceremony, she discovers she has history with the man who’s trying to sabotage the wedding. Matilda quickly realizes that teaming up with cute and quirky—but hopelessly devoted—Silas Flynn could be mutually beneficial. He needs help wooing the woman he considers the love of his life and Matilda can’t pass up the chance to finally get back at the meanest of the mean girls by assisting Silas in his attempts to disrupt her wedding.

    Will everything go according to plan for this mismatched pair? Or will working so closely together make uptight Matilda and laid-back Silas lose sight of their common goal?

    One thing’s for sure—things are about to get messy.

    About Cat Lavoie
    Cat LavoieCat Lavoie is a chick lit writer from Montreal, Canada. She loves writing fun and quirky romantic comedies and is the author of BREAKING THE RULES, ZOEY & THE MOMENT OF ZEN, PERI IN PROGRESS and MESSING WITH MATILDA.

    A fan of all things feline, Cat loves cats and hopes to someday have a house full of them in order to officially become a crazy cat lady. (But one or two cats will do for now.)

    If she isn’t reading or writing, Cat enjoys listening to podcasts (mostly comedy and true crime) and watching way too much TV. She fell in love with London many years ago and hopes to go back one day. Cat is currently at work on her next novel.

    To connect with Cat and find out more about her books, visit CatLavoie.com and follow @CatLavoieBooks on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram | Newsletter Signup

    Cover Reveal Organized By:

     

     

     

    Comment
    Cat Lavoie
    2/23/2018 06:51:30 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing, Monique! 🙂

  • Blog

    Author feature – Cat Lavoie with her new release Peri in Progress

    11/4/2015

    Peri in Progress - CoverIN PROGRESS- a new release from Cat Lavoie

    You know what they say about best-laid plans…

    After a disastrous thirty-first birthday party where she gets stood-up by a man she isn’t supposed to be dating, Peri McKenna decides it’s time to change what hasn’t been working—which is pretty much everything. Her love life is going nowhere fast, she’s bored to tears by a job that makes her the office pariah, and the lifelong junk food addiction that used to be somewhat quirky is now positively problematic. To top it all off, her newly-purchased home is falling apart and wishful thinking hasn’t done much to fix the leaky roof.

    It’s time be an adult now that she’s officially ‘thirty-something.’
    But when the first step of Peri’s self-improvement plan backfires, she starts to wonder if change might be overrated.

    Enter Milo Preston, an up-and-coming chef who’s in town to take over a local restaurant. When Peri and Milo begin working together, she finds it hard to ignore his easy charm and captivating emerald-green eyes. Since Milo is her best friend’s estranged brother, Peri has to keep reminding herself that he is completely off-limits. As they grow closer, Milo introduces Peri to new foods, the joy (and pain) of jogging, and makes her think her luck might finally be turning.

    But when the past catches up with them, Peri finds herself back at square one. Will she be able to sort herself out—or will the roof cave in on her once and for all?

    Cat LavoieAbout the Author

    Cat Lavoie lives in Montreal, Canada with her tempestuous cat, Abbie. She is the author of BREAKING THE RULES, ZOEY & THE MOMENT OF ZEN, and PERI IN PROGRESS.

    If Cat isn’t reading or writing, she’s most likely watching too much TV or daydreaming about her next trip to London.

    To find out more about Cat and her books, please visit www.CatLavoie.com and follow @Catenabi on Twitter.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

    Website: http://www.catlavoie.com/
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CatLavoieAuthor
    Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Catenabi

    Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/catlavoie4

    Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/catenabi

    Purchase Links for PERI IN PROGRESS

    Amazon: myBook.to/PeriProgress

    Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/peri-in-progress

    Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1jIEbDv

    Comment

    Cat Lavoie

    11/2/2015 04:54:17 pm

    Thank you for featuring PERI IN PROGRESS, Monique!! 🙂

  • Blog

    Q&A with author of Breaking the Rules – Cat Lavoie

    10/15/2012

    Cat Lavoie1. What was the inspiration for your novel?
    The idea for BREAKING THE RULES came after a conversation with a friend. We were discussing whether men and women can be ‘just friends’ and I started wondering what would happen to a lifelong platonic friendship if it stopped being platonic for a brief moment.

    2. When did you take up writing?
    I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. It started with poems and short stories and, when I was in my late teens, I knew I wanted to be a novelist.

    3. How important is setting/place in your writing?
    Setting plays a significant part in my stories. BREAKING THE RULES is set in New York City and it was very important for me to have my characters live in the hustle and bustle of the big city.

    4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?
    I love Ollie, my main character’s best friend, because he is perfectly flawed and (despite those flaws) he is an awesome best friend and sidekick. And also because he’s cute and funny.

    5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
    Write the book you want to read.

    6. Do you have a schedule for writing?
    Not really. Since I have a pretty hectic day job, I try to write whenever I can—evenings, lunch breaks, and daily commutes.

    7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?
    I am definitely a plotter. I need to have a plan before I start writing—even though I sometimes forget about the plan along the way and let my characters take over.

    8. Can you name three of four of your current favourite books?
    I’ve read a lot of great books in the last few months. To name a few: IN NEED OF THERAPY by Tracie Banister, FINDING LUCAS by Samantha Stroh Bailey, ON THE ISLAND by Tracey Garvis-Graves and CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST by Martha Reynolds.

    9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?
    My second novel is about a woman who gets sent to a tropical resort by her friends and family to get over an ex-boyfriend. A lot of crazy things happen at the resort and (hopefully) hilarity ensues. I’ve also started thinking about a
    sequel to BREAKING THE RULES.

    10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on their journey?
    Write a book that you would want to read. And never give up on your dream.

    Breaking the Rules - CoverBREAKING THE RULES BLURB
    When twenty-seven year old Roxy Rule’s best friend and roommate accepts a glamorous new job overseas, she expects their relationship to continue as it’s always been—carefree and easy—until they share a heart-stopping kiss moments before his departure. Overcome with mixed emotions, she fights the urge to over analyze the situation and resumes back to her normal life in New York City, working for an intolerable boss at a dead end job, creeping further and further away from her own dreams of becoming a professional chef.

    While things become more complicated between her and Ollie, Roxy is sure that nothing can come between two lifelong best friends—not even mild jealousy over a thriving career or a silly little kiss that meant nothing. In fact, it was such a meaningless and forgettable kiss that she convinces herself that it’s not even worth mentioning to her fiancé, although it is all she can think about.

    Roxy’s already topsy-turvy life only gets more complicated when her
    sisters Steffi and Izzie suddenly become her roommates. Steffi is six months
    into a pregnancy she refuses to discuss and Izzie is in the throes of a premature midlife crisis. Roxy tries to take control of her career, her love life and her sisters – but can she really handle it all? And can the Rule family
    keep it together – or break under the pressure?

    You can find Breaking the Rules here:

    PRINT: AMAZONAMAZON UK
    EBOOK: KINDLE & KINDLE (UK) & NOOK & KOBO

    You can find Cat here:

    WEBSITE:http://www.CatLavoie.com
    FACEBOOK:http://www.facebook.com/CatLavoieAuthor
    TWITTER:http://www.twitter.com/Catenabi

    Comments

    Cat Lavoie
    10/15/2012 08:38:49 pm

    Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Monique! 🙂
    Reply
    Monique
    10/16/2012 11:59:25 am

    An absolute pleasure!

    louise wise
    10/15/2012 08:43:51 pm

    The book sounds fab! And I so agree with your advice. You need to be passionate about your work, and you can’t be that unless you like what you do! Best wishes.
    Reply
    Cat Lavoie
    10/16/2012 11:14:08 am

    Thank you so much Louise! 🙂

    Samantha
    10/16/2012 01:44:18 am

    Great interview ladies 🙂

    Meredith Schorr
    10/16/2012 01:59:32 am

    Ooh! You’re 2nd novel sounds fab!
    Reply
    Cat Lavoie
    10/16/2012 11:13:24 am

    Thanks Meredith! 🙂

    Jackie Bouchard
    10/16/2012 12:03:36 pm

    I heard that same advice (“Write the book you want to read”). It is, indeed, great advice!

    I’m almost done with Breaking the Rules and have really enjoyed it! 🙂
    Reply
    Cat Lavoie
    10/17/2012 03:19:59 am

    Thanks Jackie! So glad you’re enjoying it!! 🙂

    Brea Brown
    10/16/2012 12:36:03 pm

    Great interview and advice. Can’t wait to read “Breaking the Rules” and the next one you have to offer.
    Reply
    Cat Lavoie
    10/17/2012 03:21:15 am

    Thank you Brea!! 🙂

    Martha Reynolds
    10/16/2012 01:09:08 pm

    What a great interview! Cat, you wrote a fabulous book and I can’t wait to read your next novel. And thank you for the shout-out, chica. xxx
    Reply
    Cat Lavoie
    10/17/2012 03:23:23 am

    That you so much Martha!! 🙂 Can’t wait to read your next novel either!!

    Samantha Stroh Bailey
    10/16/2012 11:35:41 pm

    Great interview! Thanks for the shout out, Cat! I adore Ollie and would love to read more about him. Your next book sounds amazing! I love the advice you give, Cat, and I can’t wait to read another fantastic novel of yours.
    Reply
    Cat Lavoie
    10/17/2012 03:24:32 am

    Thank you Samantha!! 🙂 Looking forward to your next book as well!! 🙂

    Susan Buchanan
    10/17/2012 05:47:23 am

    great interview. I didn’t quite receive the advice of ‘write the book you want to read’, so much as decide that that’s what I wanted to write. Everything was too fluffy for my liking! Your book does sound great and am off to GR to add it to my TBR. Love the cover, too. Sooz
    Reply
    Cat Lavoie
    10/18/2012 07:32:07 am

    Thank you so much Susan! 🙂

    Tracie Banister
    10/17/2012 11:32:49 pm

    What a great interview! Thanks so much for including IN NEED OF THERAPY on your list of current favorite books, Cat! I’m honored. 🙂 And your advice “Write a book that you would want to read.” really resonates with me. That’s why I continued to write Chick Lit even after I was told by agents and publishers that the genre is dead.

    Looking forward to hearing more about the book set at the resort – such a great premise! Do you have a title yet?

    Brea Brown
    10/18/2012 12:21:14 am

    To sort of quote Mark Twain, “The rumors of the death of chick lit have been greatly exaggerated,” methinks.
    Reply
    Cat Lavoie
    10/18/2012 07:39:22 am

    AMEN, Brea! 🙂

    Cat Lavoie
    10/18/2012 07:37:23 am

    Thanks Tracie! Book #2 is going to be called Zoey & the Moment of Zen! 🙂
    Reply