Cathy Welch

Cathy Welch says her life is an eclectic mix of career and family. She earned her Bachelors degree in business administration at Christopher Newport University, minoring in Spanish (which helps in Mexico.) Her career has been full- and part-time as an administrator, an engineering assistant, a bookseller, a merchandiser, a naval photography layout assistant, an office manager, a grant writer, a human resource manager and a temp—all giving her experiences that feed her writing.

Cathy loves interviewing people, especially artists and entrepreneurs. She finds other humans fascinating and is inspired as she sits with them and experiences the paths they’ve traveled. She has several photography mentors who feed her love for the craft. She is proud to be a Grissom Writer at Grissom Library.

Cathy is married to “the best guy in the world;” has three beautiful adult daughters (Kate, Lauren and Melissa); an amazing sister (Wendy); a hard-working brother (Chip); an avid Clemson Tiger son-in-law (Geoff); Kate’s dear, dear, Vincent; the most beautiful and delightful niece, Brooke; and ten-month-old granddaughter (Alexandra) who is the light of her life. She fosters pups for Misfit Animal Rescue of Virginia and does what she can to bless those who are in need, whether human or canine.

In my real life, this is what I do:
I am a freelance writer for Oyster Pointer, Virginia Living Magazine, Coastal Virginia Magazine, Coastal Virginia Biz, Health Journal and Williamsburg’s Next Door Neighbors magazine. My first international publishing credit was a story in leadership mentor, John Maxwell’s Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, in which my story is in Chapter One and I am a footnote. I have my sights on several national publications for upcoming submissions. I am a member of Orcutt Baptist Church in Newport News, where I sing and work with amazing people.

And this is what I do for fun: Spend time with my amazing family—especially with my granddaughter, Alexandra, who I hope to be an example for as my grandmother was for me. And travel, travel, travel!

My favorite writer is: Whoever I am obsessed with at the moment, which right now is Henri Nouwen (nonfiction) and David Baldacci (fiction). I am always simultaneously reading one nonfiction and one fiction book.

My favorite books are: The Bible and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

When I have time for myself, I especially like to: Read and walk my pups: six-year-old Grace (a golden mix) and eight-month-old Tucker (a black lab mix). I hope to find the time to get back into my oil painting.

My favorite places I’ve traveled to are: Bangalore, India and Tulum, Mexico (can’t choose). Sedona, Arizona (everyone should experience a Pink Jeep Tour on the Broken Arrow Trail) and San Francisco are also fabulous.

I would like to travel to: Everywhere, but my next goal is Greece.

Three people I most admire are:

1. My mother, Maxine Ramey, for her giving and nurturing spirit. I could never measure up to her, but I continue to try.
2. My Grandmother, Claryce Petty, who lived to be 100 and never gave up on me. She was my rock and constant supporter. She is the one who made my mom and my Aunt Pug, the godly and loving women they are.
3. My husband, Keith Welch, who is my home and is the reason for my writing career.

On my bucket list, I would like to:

1. Build a dream cabin on our Smith Mountain Lake lot.
2. Submit one of my novels written for National Novel Writing Months over the past six years for publication. Right now, self-publishing on Kindle is my goal.
3. Have enough resources to live in a large urban center (with only public transportation and walking) for about a month at a time, then return to suburbia to recuperate before heading back into the fray.