Interview with Shalalu, Eva Batonne's faithful companion

My guest today is sweet Shalalu, a border collie/labrador mix who shares her home with crime fiction author Eva Batonne. Eva is the author of Resurrection Diva, published by Zumaya Publications.

Eva is also an accomplished artist. Check out her stunning work at www.evamontealegre.com.

Bio: Shalalu is 38 pounds of black and white velvet love. She has the classic markings of the border collie with the sleekness of a Labrador. She can hang out with her head in your lap while you read a book and be perfectly contented or go on the longest walk ever. Shalalu was rescued from animal control (they were going to put her down for being too timid!) but in four months she has learned that life is beautiful. When she gets happy she likes to run and it is a gorgeous site to behold because she is built for speed.

Tell us, Shalalu. Are you the boss of Eva Batonne? Oh, don’t you know that while I won’t say that I’m the boss, I know how to get her on program with food, walks, pets and rides in the car-car.

What type of crime fiction books does Eva write? She writes these grisly murder stories, and that is completely ludicrous because she is such a scaredy-cat. She actually scares herself when she writes and I can feel the tension in the room and before you know it she’s making these weird high pitched noises which can only be described as a frightened whining. All this while click, click, tap, tap, she’s typing away, staring at the computer monitor. Quite a worrisome behavior in my opinion but I can’t break her of it.

I can relate to that! My mom wrote a horror novel but she's a scaredy-cat too! Funny, huh? Authors are creazy, if you ask me. So, Shalalu, I don't mean to be rude, but what’s with your name? Did Eva choose it? What has that done to your self esteem and what does that say about her? The animal control named me Cherry. I wasn’t much impressed with that because they were going to put me down. They said I was too timid and not adoptable. But Eva knew better. She sat with her back to me for forty-five minutes leaning against my cage and so I knew she was a woman who could teach me something. I’m a black Labrador/Border Collie mix with red tinge to my short fur. I have a white flair across my chest and white sox and I would have preferred to be named Lightning as I can run so fast it can take your breath away but Eva named me Sha-la-lu. I don’t know, I guess it is feminine and it does have a magical quality to it. She likes to call it out very loud and emphasize the last syllable which I do find a bit unnerving because she actually does it so it sounds like she is howling and I don’t know, it’s just… it’s a bit much. Doncha think?

Now that you mention it, it does have a magical quality. That's quite a story, Shalalu. I'm so glad Eva adopted you. I was admiring her photo earlier today. For sure she's a kind lady, but is she as stable as she looks? I have to say she is way more fun than those photos would suggest. She doesn’t take herself seriously at all and I like that. Okay, I would say she is a little plumper than those photos suggest but I like it because when we watch television I can lay my head on her tummy and it is very snuggly and comfortable. Who wants to cuddle with a bunch of bones and muscle, I mean, let’s just be honest, okay!

I agree! What does your mom do besides writing? Is she a hermit or does she actually set her foot outdoors? Eva is a bit of a madwoman I have to say, she paints, she dances around. She does this thing with a bunch of other humans called Medicine Dance. I went with her once and was able to watch what she was up to. For five hours she did this. Wow, it was unusual. It’s amazing the things human beings do to entertain themselves. In this regard, I find human beings the most admirable and clever if sometimes a little worrisome.

Leave us with some wise words, Shalalu. What advice would you give to those pets that have to live with irrational, egotistical authors? Bite them in the ass! Ooops, don’t tell my mom I said that. I never actually bit her. Or anyone. I did chase the cat once and caught hell for that so I don’t do that anymore. Jeez, I thought she was going to take me back to animal control. No, no. No! I’m a good girl.

Thanks for spilling the beans, Mademoiselle!