Holton, Cathy

PERSONAL:

Born in Lakeland, FL; married; children: three. Education: Attended Oklahoma State University and Michigan State University.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Chattanooga, TN. Agent— Kristin Lindstrom, 871 N. Greenbrier St., Arlington, VA 22205. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer. Worked as a paralegal in Atlanta, GA, in the 1980s.

WRITINGS:

Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes (novel), Ballantine Books (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Cathy Holton blames her childhood indecision regarding a potential future career for her becoming a writer. Because she could not imagine limiting herself to a single occupation, she chose the one that would allow her to research and imagine doing many different jobs. Writing gave her the opportunity to try on many hats, and to dream up stories to accompany them. Growing up, she was the designated script writer for her friends' games of make believe. In college, she chose courses that would help make her a better reader and writer. After leaving college, she worked as a paralegal, gaining exposure to a variety of colorful people who eventually became the inspirations for the characters in her first novel, Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes. The story follows the lives of three small-town Southern women who rely on each other to get through their daily ups and downs, and to survive marriage to their husbands, three prominent local attorneys who happen to be cheating on them. A contributor for Publishers Weekly wrote: "Though this debut strives to entertain while skewering idiosyncratic social mores in the New South, it lacks real drama." However, Carol Haggas, in a review for Booklist, felt that "Holton's debut is hilarious, a cunning, rollicking addition to the popular Southern ‘steel magnolias’ genre." In a review for Romantic Times, Sherri Melnick concluded: "Holton's debut is deliciously fun. It sparkles with humor, charm and the tight-knit friendship between the three different women at its center."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, February 15, 2006, Carol Haggas, review of Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes, p. 41.

Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2006, review of Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes, p. 199.

Publishers Weekly, February 6, 2006, review of Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes, p. 40.

ONLINE

Cathy Holton Home Page,http://www.cathyholton.com (October 29, 2006).

Romantic Times,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (October 29, 2006), Sheri Melnick, review of Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes.