The Inky Phoenix | The Three Lives of Cate Kay: A Novel
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The Three Lives of Cate Kay: A Novel
Kate Fagan
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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets First Lie Wins in this electric, voice-driven debut novel about an elusive bestselling author who decides to finally confess her true identity after years of hiding from her past.
Cate Kay knows how to craft a story. As the creator of a bestselling book trilogy that struck box office gold as a film series, she’s one of the most successful authors of her generation. The thing is, Cate Kay doesn’t really exist. She’s never attended author events or granted any interviews. Her real identity had been a closely guarded secret, until now.
As a young adult, she and her best friend Amanda dreamed of escaping their difficult homes and moving to California to become movie stars. But the day before their grand adventure, a tragedy shattered their dreams and Cate has been on the run ever since, taking on different names and charting a new future.
But after a shocking revelation, Cate understands that returning home is the only way she’ll be a whole person again.
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Posts about this title from The Inky Phoenix
The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Aug 19 2025
Our 2025 Inky Phoenix picks so far …
Which are your favorites?
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Mar 15 2025
Zoom Recording for THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY w/ Kate Fagan
Better late than never!
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Feb 19 2025
THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY book club Zoom with Kate Fagan!
Also: Who’s ready for the movie version of Cate Kay?! Listen to Kate share her Hollywood inspo behind her main characters.
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Feb 14 2025
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 24 2025
Is it aspirational or a trap?
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 14 2025
Kate + Kathryn on the Gays Reading podcast.
Had an absolute blast talking with @jasonblitman on the @gaysreading podcast. Tune in to hear my lovely wife talk about her debut as well as what I’m reading, love for STRANGE BEASTS and LOCAL HEAVENS, plus bonding over our musical theatre background!
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 13 2025
The whirlwind that was Kate Fagan’s U.S. THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY book tour!
Boulder! St. Louis! NYC! Old Greenwich!
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 11 2025
The Three Lives of Cate Kay Haus of Phoenix Bookclub
She juicy!
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 8 2025
TODAY IS THE DAY! I’m having trouble typing this because I’m so shaky with excitement. We just boarded our flight to Denver for Kate’s first book launch stop and HER BOOK IS IN THE AIRPORT!
Like woah. What? YAS!
But that’s not even all — she is the @target Jan pick, @bookofthemonth AND @reesewitherspoon’s @reesesbookclub pick! I AM GOING TO BURST WITH PRIDE.
@katefagan3 : you are my (very talented) everything. Your family (all of us) is soaking up every second of this. 💫
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 1 2025
Our first pick of 2025 is here!
THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY!
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Dec 27 2024
THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY in Cosmo!
With a shout out to STRANGE BEASTS!
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jun 10 2024
for my wife’s debut novel …
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Posts about this book from across Bindery
The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Aug 19 2025
Our 2025 Inky Phoenix picks so far …
Which are your favorites?
8 books
4
The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Mar 15 2025
\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/item/Qf6osmhdt4BJgiau7YbI/)
Zoom Recording for THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY w/ Kate Fagan
Better late than never!
1 book
3
The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Feb 19 2025
\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/item/h0EgEmF9ahAk60NiFv5N/)
THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY book club Zoom with Kate Fagan!
Also: Who’s ready for the movie version of Cate Kay?! Listen to Kate share her Hollywood inspo behind her main characters.
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Feb 14 2025
A list of our favorite “romances” from Inky Phoenix titles for people who don’t do romance.
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 24 2025
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Harrizona Draft\ \ Linzy Taylor\ \ • Jan 19 2025
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\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://harrizona.binderybooks.com/item/KDVDC4A1kP5pFVtm5PD2/)
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 14 2025
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 13 2025
The whirlwind that was Kate Fagan’s U.S. THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY book tour!
Boulder! St. Louis! NYC! Old Greenwich!
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Not So Well Read\ \ Courtney\ \ • Jan 12 2025
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[Look! Week two of me doing something I said I would do! Am I... better than everyone? We shall see...\ \ This Week in the Book World: \ \ Fable hosted their town hall and it was... weird. There was a lot of self-promotion, a weird section where they talked about feature requests, and then very little time spent actually addressing the reason we were all there.\ \ Long story short, they said they're removing the AI for now. However, their founder made it very clear that they will continue to invest in AI in the future. So, while I am staying on the platform for now, that is subject to change.\ \ This week's publishing news: \ \ There were some great horror deals announced this week, and even some from one of my favorite new authors:\ \
- Donyae Coles (Midnight Rooms) announced two new horror novels. The Sunken, The Adored is a historical horror novel about a freed slave and something sinister in the canals of 1700s Venice. What Kills You is a gothic novel about a Black family and the "inescapable realities of poverty".\
- Johnny Compton (The Spite House, Devils Kill Devils) announced a new short story collection called Midnight Somewhere.\
- In debut news, Ruth McKell's Honey in Her Veins is described as a "cottagecore fantasy romance set in Appalachia". This one sounds absolutely incredible and I cannot wait to leanr more!\
- And then in YA news, we had Ravenfield Hall by Leanna Renee, which was pitched as "Rebecca, but written by the Bronte Sisters" about a spirtualist, ghost ships, and robber barons. Say less.\ \ This week's new releases:\ \
- A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young (Adult, fiction)\
- All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall (Adult, distopian)\
- The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan (Adult, ficiton): The Three Lives of Cate Kay is an adrenaline rush of a story that doesn't compromise on sincerity. Whether she is exploring first love, queer identity, female friendship, or self-forgiveness, Fagan leaves everything on the page and delivers a novel that demands to be deeply felt by its readers.\ \ What I read this week: \ \ Immortal Dark (Finished)\ \ We all know I’m forever in my vampire era–especially after seeing Nosferatu–and this is one of the most unique vampire books I’ve ever read. Immortal Dark marries dark academia with Ethiopian-inspired vampire lore. The characters, the magic system, and Uxlay University are so well thought-out and complex. Plus, this Romantasy is true enemies-to-lovers in a way that felt substantial, but didn’t cross a line too far into bully romance.\ \ PS: I would say this one is definitely upper YA/new adult with some content that may be a bit too much for younger teens.\ \ The Sirens (Finished)\ \ I adore Emilia Hart. Her debut novel, Weyward was one of my favorite debuts of the last few years, and this one was just as wonderful. A family mystery, siren lore, women protecting women, and history all wrapped into one. I just finished this one today and haven't collected my thoughts yet, so more to come!\ \ Fagin the Thief (52%)\ \ Similar to Emilia Hart, Allison Epstein is one of my favorite authors of the last few years. If you haven't read any of her books, I suggest starting with A Tip for the Hangman, which absolutely destroyed me emotioanlly in the same way Song of Achilles did. I'm about 52% through this one and am ready to be hurt again.\ \ Elatsoe (22%)\ \ I just started this one today! It's our mostly fantasy book club pick for January (join here if you w ant), which is great, because it's a backlist pick that's been on my TBR for years. I had no idea this one had so much magic in it! I thought it was just Elatsoe, but there's vampires, fae, and all kinds of other creatures. I can't wait to get further in.\ \ What I bought/shelved \ \ This week was all about mermaids, sirens, and selkies. I posted this thread and go so many recs that I spun up an entire list of books. You can check the full list out in this post , but here are some that I was particulary drawn to:\ \
- Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods (Totally forgot she had a mermaid book coming out!)\
- In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy\
- Called to the Deep by Desiree M. Niccoli\ \ This is a non-mermaid book, but here's another one I shelved the other day\ \
- Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson\ \ Other musings: \ \ In none book news, my husband and I started playing It Takes Two on xb0x and it's so fun!! We have been absolutely cackling over this one and our many failed attempts (i.e. deaths) at some of the puzzles and challenges. If you like couch co-op games, this is one of the best ones I've played in years!\ \ Join the Discord! It will be fun, I promise!\ \ Become a paid subscriber! I will appreciate you endlessly.](https://notsowellread.binderybooks.com/item/cBjVMNNcYDIzV9FQ3MrM/)
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 11 2025
\ \ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/item/qwJKgwosllG0MSkGq9iw/)
The Three Lives of Cate Kay Haus of Phoenix Bookclub
She juicy!
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 8 2025
Like woah. What? YAS!
But that’s not even all — she is the @target Jan pick, @bookofthemonth AND @reesewitherspoon’s @reesesbookclub pick! I AM GOING TO BURST WITH PRIDE.
@katefagan3 : you are my (very talented) everything. Your family (all of us) is soaking up every second of this. 💫
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jan 1 2025
Our first pick of 2025 is here!
THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY!
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Dec 27 2024
THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY in Cosmo!
With a shout out to STRANGE BEASTS!
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Not So Well Read\ \ Courtney\ \ • Dec 3 2024
Join for free
November was definitely a slower month. I didn't read nearly as much as I usually do, but I'm totally okay with that, because almost all of the books I did read were complete banger.
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Not So Well Read\ \ Courtney\ \ • Nov 8 2024
Join for free
This video is for everyone else feeling lost or unmoored right now. PS: I find it helps to focus on what you have done for yourself rather than what you haven’t accomplished. Be gentle with your brain this week.
#readingupdate #readingvlog #booktok #booktoker #bookstagram
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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Jun 10 2024
for my wife’s debut novel …
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