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Cate Cavanagh Biography & Book Data

Cate Cavanagh - Poet, Columnist, Author, Radio Commentator

Cate Cavanagh grew up in Ocean-Hill Brownsville in Brooklyn, New York where it was as ethnically diverse as her own mixed racial heritage. Although Cate had been a social worker for much of her adult life, she always wanted to be a writer.

Cate is now a widely published poet, columnist & author with a background in both political radio commentary and political podcasting. She is also an eclectic Witch and the Founder of Quantum Spirituality: The Science of Change.

Cate’s first book, the semi-autobiographical Gifts of the Spirit, was published in 2003 and continues to receive rave reviews. Cate’s newest book, Her Godmother, was published last fall and continues to sell out at both barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com.

Cate is living her childhood dream of country life in upstate New York with her husband, Ralph. They have a menagerie of animals, including four horses, five cats, two dogs and a temperamental parrot. Cate’s third book of original poetry, entitled Grief Dance, will be released later this year.

Her Godmother - A Closer Look

Young Allie is in the chaos of a dysfunctional family. We first encounter her on her journey to upstate New York with her mother Darla, who has left Allie's alcoholic father. He has become reckless and Darla decides to relocate in order to help Allie make the transition to a single parent household.

Arriving in the charming sleepy town of Livingston Manor, Allie stays with her godmother Brigid, who has opened her heart and her home while Darla strives to build a new life for her daughter. What Allie is about to discover is that Brigid is rather…colorful.

During her time with Brigid, Allie discovers the wonder of the wildlife on the property. Some of the unforgettable characters are Jasper, the squirrel that taps on Brigid's window for peanuts, and Sally, the huge, fat bellied cat who is really a helpful and magical spirit (or familiar) that chose Brigid many years ago. Also present are Jupiter, the non-magical, huge, mischievous mutt, and a family of skunks that live under the house.

Soon Allie begins to heal from the pain of her parents' separation as Brigid teaches her about wildlife and respect for all living things. Allie is having a wonderful time until one night when, awakened by a thunderstorm, she peeks out of her window to see her godmother dancing on the lawn in the rain. Allie begins to wonder, just who is this person her mother left her with?

Readers venture with Allie on her path to healing, self discovery, and self empowerment and are able to see how ordinary life is really a series of enchantments.

Her Godmother is an honest & authentic, yet enchanting & imaginative coming of age story that tells the tale of young Allie and the godmother who teaches her to find the beauty that exists within what would seem to be a broken life. It is an invitation to readers of all ages to look beyond the obstacles they face to seek the only true magic to be found in everyday life: love, healing, and forgiveness.

Her Godmother - A Closer Look

Books about magic, including Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and Harry Potter, continue to elicit rising interest in both the magical & fantasy genres and appeal to both children and adults alike.

Her Godmother is different than other books of this nature in that it dispels erroneous thinking about magic & Wicca, replacing myth and fantasy with an accurate representation of this gentle, caring belief system by offering a true depiction of magic as practiced in the magical or Wiccan community.

An additional layer of realism is added as readers discover that living in the magical community offers no guarantee against experiencing the issues of alcoholism and divorce. Her Godmother educates readers about the disease while providing insight into the healing process by introducing into the storyline the tools that are necessary for healing the wounds that children and adult children of alcoholics carry within. Her Godmother is as much a book of healing as it is of magic.

Although written for girls aged 9-12, this book is equally adored by adults. While the subject matter may be of concern to some parents, rest assured that Cate, who is a parent herself, manages this by using both a responsible and sensitive style; remembering always her audience and her goal: to help those readers who share in Allie’s experiences to draw strength and inspiration to begin their own journey of healing, self discovery, and self empowerment.

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