Interview with Fuzzle, Margot Finke's Purrrrry Cat

My guest today is Fuzzle, Margot Finke's cat! Margot is the author of many children's picture books as well as a freelance editor extraordinaire. Visit her website and Blog to learn more about her work and freelance editing services.

Bio: Fuzzle Finke ( alliteration unintentional) was born in 1994 on a chair on Margot's side porch. His mom was an independent lady who wanted a home birth. He is one of 5 siblings. Fuzzle is now edging into his "golden years," and feels age gives him the right to do and meow whatever comes into his swelled and furry head. Dare we add racial origins? Yea, with Barak Obama now Fuzzle's President, as well as Margot's, let's go for it - PC or not. Fuzzle is proud to be a mix of American shorthair, prize winning Persian, plus a whisker or two of a quirky gene that adds to his mystique. (HAH! He made me write that!)

Fuzzle likes to vege out on Margot's desk and look at her book illustrations,
eat tuna, stalk birds, eat chicken, chase the young whippersnapper tabby that tries to poach birds off his property, eat salmon, and sit on Margot's lap at night and purr, while they watch TV together. Oh yes, eat more chicken, while arguing long and hard ( hiss, scratch, purr, growl @#$%) whatever it takes, to get Margot to write a book about HIM.

*Favorite food: anything named meat, fish or fowl.
*Hobbies: You gotta be kidding! Fuzzle is too busy for hobbies.


Thanks for stopping by this side of the woods, Fuzzle, though I wish you hadn't talked so much about food. My mouth got watery. As you know, my vet said I'm fat and I'm on a diet. So, let's have it. Give us the lowdown on Margot!

My human is named Margot Finke, and she writes rhyming books for children. If she finds out I’m “grassing” on her, the whole balance of our feline/human relationship will crash. So be warned, I WILL take the 5th. She works at her computer all day, in a special room, with just me for company. I’m guessing her computer is for her what catnip is for me - gotta have it!

She could lose some weight. Maybe climb a few trees with me, and then go get her hair cut. It really needs some TLC. Her computer is chock full of the children’s books she has written, and piles of files about writing, publishing, and promoting her books. She has a website that helps writers, and shows off all her books + how and where to buy them. I’m not sure what a Manuscript Critique Service is, but she has one, and a Blog as well. Humans need a bunch of stuff keep them happy.

She sounds pretty busy... and addicted to the computer, just like my mom! So tell us, are you the boss of her?

Do I need a lawyer to answer that – you connected to the CIA and all. You look harmless, but can I trust you to keep my opinions under your hat? Oh well, I guess this “dirt” is just too good to waste. Listen, Margot thinks she’s the boss, but what does she know? One long purr is good for a can of cat food and a tummy rub. And pitiful meows bring her running every time. So, who do you think is boss?

You can always trust a golden retriever, Fuzzle. Never forget that (evil grin). I'm glad you're her boss. The thing with humans is, they think we need them, but they need us more than we need them. Which points to their weakness. But let's keep talking about Margot! What type of books does she write?

(Arching back, and fizzing up like a demented porcupine.) That woman writes rhyming picture books like, Mama Grizzly Bear, Never Say BOO to a Frilly, Humdinger Hummers, Prairie Dog’s Play Day, Don’t Eat Platypus Stew, Kangaroo Clues, Squirrels Can’t Help Being Nuts, Rattlesnake Jam, and a whole bunch more. Margot SAYS her books tell fun facts about animals from the USA, and that Down-under place she comes from, where I suspect everyone walks upside-down.

Has she ever written fun facts about ME in one of her books? NO SIR! Apparently, I’m not picture book material. Only Tasmanian Devils, Bald Eagles, Koalas and the like, are good enough for Ms Margot Finke to write about.

Humph!! We fight about this all the time. It’s the one thing I can’t make her do. And, what’s really scary, is that she’ll feel s-o-o-o guilty after I die, that she’ll finally write about me AFTER I’m gone – and dedicate it to me posthumously. Me-o-o-o-owe!!!!

That's pretty mean of her, wouldn't you say? After your demise, make sure to appear in ghost form while she sleeps and tickle her feet with your raspy tongue. That'll give her a fright well deserved. So tell us, of all your mom’s books, which one is your favorite?

(glaring at interviewer, eyeball-to-eyeball) You’re really determined to rub it in, aren’t you? Obviously, a book about ME would be the definite paws-down winner. Guess that’s not going to happen any day soon, though: not until I’m in cat heaven – or maybe after this interview, in the other place.

Okay, okay, I promise I won’t be too catty. Margot lets me nap on her desk while she writes on her computer, and I took a cat fancy to her latest rhyming book, Ruthie and the Hippo’s Fat Behind. Yeah, I know there’s a Hippo in the title, but that critter’s kinda cool, and the story tells how Ruthie and the Hippo change for the better. I really like it, because this time, Margot’s main character is a girl, not some dumb animal that isn’t ME! I hear Ruthie will be available soon, in soft cover and download (whatever that means), and published by Guardian Angel Publishing. The pictures for Ruthie’s story (illustrations Margot calls them) will be done by a human named K.C. Snider. This K.C. can really draw! I’ve peeked at the samples she sent Margot.

Oh yes, I had the chance to look at the cover. (And the vet thinks I'm fat?) For some reason, the cover brings to mind Jennifer Lopez... (clearing my throat). Anyway, what's with your warm and fuzzy name... tsk, tsk, tsk. What has that done to your self esteem?

(Sigh) Yes, a macho dude like me would kill for a name like Butch, or Konan. Being named Fuzzle sucks big time. What can you expect, from a writer who has stories named Tasmanian Devil Dance and The Stinker (skunk). Can you imagine the razzing I get from local Toms, when they hear Margot calling me. But I’m stuck with Fuzzle.

Geez... that must be extremely embarrasing! I feel for you. There's one thing I'm wondering about, so tell me the truth... is Margot as disciplined as she said she was in her last interview?

What are you offering? Dirt like this is priceless – way better than soiled kitty litter. Hey, no need to get nasty. Can’t blame a cat for trying. Margot actually does put in the hours. If she isn’t updating her website, or adding a new Blog entry, she’s either reworking a story, or critiquing one of those manuscript thingies for a client. Now, what I’m “grassing” about here is top secret – mainly because I’ve no idea what any of it means. She spends lots of time promoting her books, and doing mysterious things like Twittering, Pinging, Googling, and social networking on places called FaceBook, JacketFlap and Linkedin. Who knows how smart cats could become if we all had computers?

Have you read any of Margot's book? Are they really as good as she thinks they are?

Don’t you know anything? Cats can’t read, dummy! But we love the pictures. I only know what I HEAR. And the humans who read Margot’s books tell us they are fun, educational, and wonderful for kids. She has a REVIEWS page on her website to prove it!

Well, you know, maybe that's one thing I can offer you in exchange for all the dirt you've shared with us: a reading microchip inserted in your feline brain. I'll contact the CIA later today and send you the details. By the way, I was just looking at Margot's photo last night. She looks quite sweet and harmless... but if there's something I've learned at the CIA, is that looks can be deceiving. Is she as stable as she looks in her photo?

Are you kidding. The woman needs a vacation like I need new kitty litter. She’s always yakking about wanting more hours in the day. When she looks like she’s about to BLOW, I hop on her lap and rev up the purrs. Works every time!!

What are her working habits like?

Margot’s a night owl. Her best ideas come late at night, in the bathroom . I know, because she turfs me off the bed every time she sneaks there to write down some new idea or plot twist. Broken sleep is the price I pay for great food, clean litter, and tummy rubs.

What does Margot like to do besides writing?

Margot loves to garden, read and travel. I hate when she travels. It means putting up with neighbors who throw food into my bowl, forget to clean my litter, and never think of tummy rubs. When Margot goes on vacation, my purring apparatus gets pretty rusty.

It’s fun when she gardens. I get to sit with her in the sun as she pulls weeds, prunes shrubs, or plants new seeds. Margot has a bad knee at the moment, so I encourage her to take it easy. If she has to go to hospital for an operation, I’ll be stuck with the neighbors again. Gotta keep that woman off her legs until her knee is better.

I'm sorry to hear about her knee and hope she gets well! To wrap this up, maybe you can talk a bit about book promotion. What does Margot do to promote her books?

Listen, if promotion was a lottery, my human would buy tickets every day. I hear her talk to other writers. “There is never enough book promotion time,” she says. That scares me. What if her desire to promote and sell more books forces her to have that operation on her knee? Can I survive weeks of lousy food, no tummy rubs, and yucky kitty litter? Hmmm. . . I guess for her I can. She’d do the same for me – I know.

Well, you are a warm and fuzzy kitty, after all, behind that macho tough attitude!
Thanks for visiting, Fuzzle, and come back anytime. Woof!

By the way, here's the book trailer for Rattlesnake Jam and below that a slide show of all her children's books. Enjoy!