From New York to Saint-Cirq-Souillaguet, Cathy Galière, a former high-level athlete in figure skating, and now a renowned writer, recently stayed in Gourdon. She will participate in the Saint-Cirq-Souillaguet Book Fair in June. Cathy Galière will present her detective trilogy as well as her latest novel, “Le Mystère D’Armance”, published in October 2022 by Des Mots qui trottent. A suspense novel with a historical background, which is a great success; this is its second draw.
A few weeks from the Saint-Cirq show, very available, she answered our questions.
You are a figure skating champion. Tell us.
From the Candeloro generation, from Sarah Abitbol, I was French junior champion, and twice French Elite vice-champion. I could have joined Insep in Paris, but judging me too young, my parents enrolled me in Montpellier in the sports-studies skating section. In the 1990s, I was very involved in the development of this discipline in Europe. And still in Montpellier, in 2001, I created a school of artistic inline skating, a discipline very close to figure skating, in which I still perform the duties of choreographer trainer.
Where does this need to write come from?
For my shows, I have always written stories, texts that I choreographed and that I staged. Writing has always been part of my life. One day, I blacked out words on a white sheet, I had just started writing my first novel, “Le Bal des Morts”. Since then I have written two other black novels, “La Valses des têtes” and “La Danse de l’ombre”. I like to create intrigues, suspense. I am inspired by various and scientific facts or historical events. Moreover, I like observing people and I am sensitive to nature. I put down simple words, sometimes dark, sometimes light, to create a story where I imagine the characters evolving as if they were alive.
You have just participated in the New York Literary Festival, and today you are announcing your participation in the Salon du livre in Saint-Cirq-Souillaguet?
Indeed, Corinne Andries, president of the cultural association Arcuby, organizer of the 3rd edition of the Saint-Cirq-Souillaguet book fair scheduled for June, and her companion, invited me to a signing session at the last fall. I am very honored by this invitation. It’s also an opportunity for me to discover the Lot, so close and so far from Montpellier.
