NK Chats To… Andrea Goyan

Published July 4, 2026 | By Laura

Hi Andrea. Thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me about The Catalyst and what inspired it?

The idea began over twenty years ago when I taught clients Pilates in their homes. I drove all over Los Angeles every day, listening to the radio. One day, I heard a story about advances in DNA testing, and I was struck by both the good and potentially bad ways the advances could be used. I pivoted to how eventually they’d be testing anything organic and fining people for all kinds of silly infractions. I wrote a piece about a detective who had to use her DNA device to locate the owner of a dog who’d defecated on a neighbour’s lawn. My writing group loved the piece and the detective (who is no longer a detective). They encouraged me to write more, and I spent over a year writing, and then reading the first draft at that table.

What were the challenges when writing a novel like this?

I needed to do enough research that I could use some scientific terminology when I needed it. Since this novel was written, subbed, rejected, put away for ten years, rewritten, put away again, and rewritten again for this final draft, I forgot all the research in the interim and needed to dig back into it again. I also struggled with finding the right voice for Kat, ultimately discovering it when I switched her POV chapters from third to first person. That immediacy made her come alive.

What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any writing rituals?

I don’t have rituals. I start my day with coffee, but that’s true whether I write or I don’t. I either just sit my butt in my chair and write, or I procrastinate and deal with the rest of life’s demands. There are always dogs to walk.

What’s your favourite word and why?

Hmm, I don’t have a favourite word, but ruminating while I sit here, I’ll say “yes.”

Yes, because it has so much potential. When I performed improvisational theatre in my twenties, “Yes, and…” was the golden rule.

Which fictional world would you like to visit, and which fictional character would you like to meet?

Okay, I took a trip to my bookshelves for inspiration and realized, I’d be terrified to visit most of the worlds in my favourite novels. The stakes and worlds are too scary! As an actor, I’d visit anywhere because if I’m acting, I can step out of the world at the end of a show. But to really visit? No, thank you. As a child, I dreamed of going to Narnia. There were scary creatures in Narnia, but there was also magic and talking animals. Talking animals are a big draw for me. I would also visit Tove Jansson’s Moomintroll world for similar reasons.

What was your route to publication and what advice do you have for someone wanting to follow a similar path?

I’m not sure any two paths are very similar. My route was very windy with lots of switchbacks and dead ends. Before the novel’s publication, I wrote a lot of short stories and have participated in the endless submission slog. Lots of rejections and some (my favourite word) yeses. Writing those stories honed my craft and acceptances helped my confidence. I participated in many online writing competitions which sparked a lot of creativity and introduced me to an online writing community. But ultimately, it was the volunteer work I did with my publisher that led to The Catalyst’s publication. So, like so many writers, it’s not an easy I did this and then that answer. For me, it came down to getting involved with the writing community. To saying “yes” to opportunities to help other writers.

In your opinion, what elements make up a good story? Do characters or plot come first for you?

Characters usually come first to me. I think that’s an artifact from my acting years. I often hear a conversation between characters. Plots are harder and evolve over time for me—though I’m trying to plot a bit more before I commit too much time to a project. For me to enjoy a story, whether reading or writing one, I want fascinating, flawed characters who face insurmountable obstacles as they go after their objectives. I appreciate carefully crafted world building that sneaks up on me. I love there to be twists I hadn’t anticipated, and depending on the genre I want appropriate and earned heartbreak or comedy, and probably a few animals.

How do you approach the process from idea, research, first draft to final draft? How long does it take you to complete a novel?

It’s a bit different depending on what I’m writing. Working on short stories allows me a lot of creative freedom to experiment and play because I can track everything while I’m working. A novel takes a lot more wrangling. I find it challenging to track. I keep in mind something my mentor taught me; approach a story like you’re looking though a two-by-two-inch frame and can only see that tiny bit at a time. Though I usually have some idea where I’m heading, that helps so I don’t feel overwhelmed.

The amount of research depends on the story. Some stories take very little, and some, like The Catalyst, take more. Thank God for the internet. I cannot imagine what writers went through when they had to do all their research at libraries. I would’ve lost my mind or quit!

I used to love the flurry and discovery of a writing a first draft, and I dreaded the next steps. Those feelings have changed over time. Now, I still love the discovery, but I’ve learned to enjoy honing a story. It’s a many thousand word puzzle that I put together into something that makes a finished picture.

The first iteration of The Catalyst probably took two years, then it sat for years before reworking it, so it’s not a great model. A recent cozy mystery I wrote took about nine months to get through a second draft.

What type of scene do you find the hardest to write?

Action scenes are the hardest for me to write.

Andrea’s Writing Space

Not including your own work, what book would you like to forget just so you have the pleasure of discovering it again?

So many, but I’m going to pick a more recent find. I loved Morowa Yejide’s Creatures of Passage. I listened to her read the book, which was so sublime, I purchased a copy because I wanted to linger over her beautiful language.

Just for fun quick-fire questions – would you rather

Have the ability to see into the future or be able to visit the past?

Tough one, but I pick visit the past. I’d love to step in and out of different historical periods.

Can move things with your mind or read minds?

Move things with my mind. I think reading minds would make me dislike too many people.

Would you rather have magical powers here on earth or live in a magical place without powers?

Magical powers here on earth. I love Earth. I think it’s already pretty magical.

Would you rather have the ability to communicate telepathically or know every single language on the planet?

Great question. If I could communicate with other species, then telepathy. But if not, then every language.

Be able to have a one-minute conversation with your past self or future self?

Past self (especially if I can pick when), though I’m familiar with enough science fiction to know I’d probably mess up my current life!

Live in a world without music or movies?

I’m more of a movie person, but I would keep music. I feel like it’s more universal and is the represented heartbeat of humanity.

Take part in a dating show or a survival show?

Neither, please!

About Andrea Goyan –

Andrea Goyan is an award-winning author and an avid animal person who grew up being called Goat-Girl and Raccoon-Mama. She is a grateful part of a flock of collaborative Magpie Poets whose first collection, An Illegal Feast, was released in 2025. Andrea also co-hosts MetaStellar Magazine’s “Long-Lost Friends” and “Storytime.” In her spare time, she walks her dogs and loves to paint, especially animal portraits.

Many of her stories are available for free on her website.

Say hello to Andrea via her website, Facebook and Bluesky.

About The Catalyst –

When human bodies are found with scales and tails, DNA specialist Kat Crocker is assigned to uncover the cause of the mutations and stop them before they spread. But her growing visibility makes her a target.

As attacks escalate, the trail leads her to a newly released VR game powered by impossible genetics—and to one man: the mentor who taught her everything, the father she buried years ago.

The Catalyst is book one in the Kat Crocker series and was released on 1st July 2026. Click to buy on Amazon UK and Amazon US.