Meet Katie Mettner

We were lucky to catch up with Katie Mettner recently and have shared our conversation below.

Katie, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

After I became an amputee, I struggled to identify with other heroines in the novels I read. Dissatisfied with what was in the marketplace, I sat down and wrote a novel that represented the disabled community as it should be. After releasing Sugar’s Dance, featuring Sugar, an amputee heroine, readers contacted me to say how much they connected with Sugar and how nice it was to see themselves represented in their favorite genre. That was the moment I found my purpose. I would write the stories readers with disabilities yearned to read so they could finally have fair and accurate representation in their favorite novels.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’ve been disabled most of my life, starting at age 13 when I shattered my ankle on the bunny hill. I lived with pain and limited mobility until I was 35, when I had my leg amputated due to the original injury.

Being an avid romance reader, I searched for romance novels featuring characters with disabilities and was incredibly disappointed. Not only were they hard to find, but they were also often disgustingly inaccurate or relegated the character to the role of ‘poor, pitiful best friend.’

As a wife, mother, and employed person with a disability, I wanted to change that—so I sat down and wrote Sugar’s Dance. When it was released, the response from readers was phenomenal. They wanted more Sugar and more novels where people with disabilities were written with honesty and integrity. Now, thirteen years later, I’ve published over 60 novels that all feature characters with disabilities!

I’m now writing for Harlequin Intrigue, bringing my signature stories about people with disabilities to their suspense lines and allowing more readers to see themselves represented. You can find up-to-date information on my website, www.Katiemettner.com, regarding my new releases.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

When it comes to being a writer, perseverance and dedication are two qualities you’ll need to be successful. If you aren’t dedicated to your story and characters, you’ll find it challenging to get up every morning or stay up late at night to tell your story. You must be dedicated to putting your novel in the hands of readers to persevere through the countless rewrites, edits, and proofreading required to submit to a publisher or self-publish. The third skill/area of knowledge I found the most useful was working as a medical transcriptionist for a dozen years. Not only could I type fast, but I also had endless experience and knowledge of medical conditions and disabilities from which I could draw ideas for my novels.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me was encourage and foster my love of reading. We went to the library weekly with my dad and continued to go alone once we were old enough. My parents were huge readers, so not only did they take us to the library and make sure we always had books to read, but they also modeled that behavior themselves. When you see your parents enjoying literature, it’s easy to find that love of reading within yourself. I will always be grateful that they encouraged and helped us become strong readers, as it has benefited me throughout my life.

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Image Credits

WCCO CBS News photo/Joe Berglove
Love Rekindled/Lindsey Sinnett
A Christmas at Gingerbread Falls/Debbie Macomber Blog

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