Cathy McCrumb graduated from Biola University with a degree in English Literature and a love for stories. She and her husband, whom she met while writing letters to soldiers, have five children and currently live within the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. While writing is one of her favorite things to do, she also enjoys reading, long hikes and long naps, gluten-free brownies and raspberries, and crocheting while watching science fiction movies with friends and family.
In this interview, Cathy talks with us about the latest book in her Children of the Consortium Series, Aberration.
FF: What inspired the story in your book?
Aberration is the second book in the Children of the Consortium trilogy, and the first book, Recorder, is rooted in the conviction that each person is unique and valuable and that God works all things together for good. Recorder drew inspiration from dreams and conversations with friends, but one of the additional things that inspired Aberration was the question, What comes next? My characters’ trajectories may be set, but their stories aren’t finished yet.
Diving into the individuality of each character pulled me further into the story, amplifying the themes. The themes themselves are like music, and my fingers dance the story to their backbeat.
FF: What can you tell us about the main characters in your book?
In Aberration, the Recorder grapples with her new understanding of concepts like friendship, freedom, and love, but she also faces more uncomfortable ideas—loss, hurt, and deciding to forgive.
We meet other Recorders as well, and catching a glimpse of their motivations shows their humanity as well—whether or not they have the chance to express it. The individuality and value of each human, citizen or Consortium-born, is apparent. Perhaps citizens have misjudged Recorders as a whole. Perhaps the Recorder herself isn’t really an aberration, after all.
FF: Which character surprised you the most?
Oh, this is a hard one. I really shouldn’t name the character who took me by surprise (SPOILERS!), but I can say that I’d known what would happen for years, long before I finished writing Recorder. Even knowing how that particular story would go, when that moment came, the storyline gutted me. It was one of the hardest chapters to write.
There were new characters who suddenly showed up, and those surprised me, too, though not always in the same, gut-wrenching way. One of them in particular continues to be tremendous fun to write.
FF: Why do you think storytelling is such a powerful way to share truth?
People tend to remember stories because those stories sneak into our hearts. Finding out that we are not alone and others have dealt with the same issues or fears can give us the courage to press on. Fiction presents the unique opportunity to present truth and hope from new angles, to make impossibilities tangible, and to offer a safe place to work through emotions.
Someone recently reminded me that when we pour our hearts and experiences into stories, those words can be used by God as a ministry, allowing others to heal. It is my hope that my stories whisper to readers, You are not alone, and you have value.
FF: What can readers expect from the rest of this series?
By the beginning of Aberration, a system-wide threat has emerged, and the Recorder is part of the team assigned to track the threat’s origins. She isn’t what people expect her to be, however, and she constantly faces opposition when she shatters people’s preconceived notions.
Throughout the rest of the series and between ongoing debates over tea, expect more running, suspense, friendship, cats, insects, loss, and love.
And in Aberration, we discover the significance of socks.
FF: How do you get into the right frame of mind to write for your genre/audience?
First, I need to remove as many distractions as I can, which as a mother of five isn’t always easy. (Ha!)
Writing Aberration was very different from writing Recorder. Deadlines can be tough taskmasters!
When I needed a way to sink into the world, orchestral music, tea, and coffee helped me find the feelings that I needed in order to get my first draft down. I have a fairly long playlist of songs for characters, but I only listen to that while I’m doing other things—driving, cooking, chores. While I wrote the first three quarters of Aberration, I listened to the playlist for Recorder, but once I hit the last part of the book, I might have played a single orchestral piece on loop. Even now, when that plays, I am back with the Recorder and her friends.
FF: What do you want readers to take away after reading your book?
In the first book, the Recorder catches a glimpse of her personal worth, and in Aberration, she needs to take that idea one step further. While she is unique and valuable, she runs head-on into some of her own preconceptions and prejudices, grappling with the idea that no one should be judged by first impressions.
My biggest hope, though, is that readers close the book with a sense that our very imperfections can be used by God for good. My hope, then, is hope itself.
FF: What are the biggest challenges for you as an author writing in your specific genre?
Research. All the research.
I have spent hours reading through online scientific journals with my dictionary at my side. So much time went into NCBI, PubMed, and reviews of psychology, physics, and microbiology. I try to keep the story grounded in actual science, but that can also be a burden, since I simply can’t address everything. After all, it is still fiction.
And then there’s the writing itself!
FF: What authors or books have inspired you as an author?
I am really thankful for Enclave and the wonderful books they publish, because clean, character-driven science fiction that is informed by faith can be hard to find.
Favorite authors? That is a long, long list. A few of them are Jane Austen, Lloyd Alexander, Dorothy L. Sayers, Georgette Heyer, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Terry Brooks, and Agatha Christie.
FF: How has your faith or world view impacted the way you tell stories?
Faith adds depth and meaning to life, which I hope spills over into my writing.
At its deepest roots, the Children of the Consortium trilogy discusses hope deferred and dreams fulfilled, restoration, and how freedom, love, and sacrifice intersect. Those themes are firmly rooted in my worldview, which is founded in my faith that God loves each of us more than we can comprehend.
Aberration
Children of the Consortium Series #2
Cathy McCrumb
Enclave
Genres: Sci-Fi/Dystopian
Release Date: November 15, 2022
ASIN: B09ZNNT4R2
ISBN-13: 979-8886050189
Book Summary:
When rogue drones threaten citizens and the ship’s crew falls ill, the Recorder answers their call for help, once again drawing scrutiny from the Consortium.
With no other option and under an Elder’s overbearing watch, she returns to Pallas Station where she nearly lost her life in the hope of finding something—anything—to save her friends and countless others. Her friends are determined to keep her safe, but for the Recorder, saving others comes first, no matter the cost.
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