Unpacking ‘An Unexpected Catch’ with Abby Downey

Announcements We have another incredible line up for our final Coffee and Books event this year on Saturday December 7th from 1:00-2:00pm EST. Join authors Karen Witemyer, Jodi Basye, and Abbey Downey for an hour of book talk. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign up for this free event today!   Authors we have KyLee Woodley joining us tomorrow Saturday November 9th from 12:00-1:00pm EST to talk about book proposals. Getting your creative works in front of professionals in the Christian Book Market can be challenging. You need to showcase your best writing and understand what industry professionals are looking for. This class teaches you to polish a query letter, proposal, and writing sample. Additionally, we will preview resources for improving writing and where to find agents and editors. Finally, this class provides three templates to get you started. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign-up for this training today.   Today I am excited to bring author Abbey Downey back on the podcast. She is the author of the Adventurous Hearts series featuring when who make a splash in sports and exploring in the early 1900’s. If you enjoy a sweet romance with spunky characters, then be sure to check out her books.   I also want to mention that Abbey and I will be hosting a couple of adventurous reader events in 2025, so stay tuned for those announcements!   Now let’s hop into today’s author interview with Abbey Downey!   Episode Notes   In this episode of the Literary Escape podcast, host Melissa welcomes author Abbey Downey to discuss her latest release, ‘An Unexpected Catch.’ Set in 1907, the novel features a female umpire and a pitcher navigating their unexpected romance amidst the challenges of their time. Abbey shares insights into her characters, the historical context of the story, and the research that informed her writing. The conversation also touches on the dynamics between characters, the role of supporting figures, and the challenges of writing compelling antagonists. Abbey hints at her future projects, including a new book that breaks away from the sports theme.   Takeaways   ‘An Unexpected Catch’ is set in 1907 and features a female umpire. The story is inspired by real-life umpire Amanda Clement. Emmett, the male lead, is a confident pitcher with hidden depths. Character dynamics play a crucial role in the story. Supporting characters significantly impact the main characters’ arcs. Villains in stories should be complex and not caricatures. Research on historical sports adds depth to the narrative. The book balances romance with historical context. Future projects may explore themes beyond sports. Abbey’s newsletter includes fun trivia and games for readers.   Connect with Abbey at: https://abbeydowney.com/ Get your copy of An Unexpected Catch here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D5BQ28TF View the show notes for this episode here: https://www.literaryscape.com/podcast/135