Meet Boboko and Laptop, proud owners of fantasy author Alma Alexander

My guests this week are Laptop and Boboko, proud owners of fantasy author Alma Alexander. Alma writes the exciting Worldweaver series! Read on to find out what's it like living with a fantasy author and what these cats' names have done to their self esteem...

Laptop, since you claim to have twice the brains of your brother Boboko, I'll begin with you. Tell us, how did you two came to live at Alma's household?

She doesn't think I know this, but I do - they wanted two cats, and two of my siblings were grey striped tabbies and she originally wanted at least one of those. But both were spoken for by the time she came to look for us, and it was me who joined Boboko in the household in the end. Boboko, by the way, was ALWAYS first choice - but he's all beauty and no brains and I'm comfortable in my own place. For instance, it is only I who sleep with Alma under the covers, not the Fluffy Prince. So there.

Boboko, are Laptop's claims true? Or is this some annoying feline feminist phase she's going through?

Er, what she says. What's "phase"? Or "Feminist"?... Ooooh, look, shiny toy. 'Scuse me...

What is it like living with a fantasy author?

Laptop: A cat is all about truth and integrity...

Boboko: I thought those were dogs...

Laptop: ....never mind him. He never left kittenhood. As I was saying. A cat is all about truth and integrity, and our Mom, well, tells lies for a living.

Boboko: They're pretty lies.

Laptop: Well, that's neither here nor...

Boboko: And they keep us in kibble. That's true enough.

How did Alma come up with your names and what has that done to your self esteem?

Boboko: There was a cat called Boboko in Charles de Lint's book "Mulengro" which Mom thought was the quintessential cat - and she wanted to call a cat of her own by that name, just because. I don't remotely resemble the Boboko in the book, but I like to think that *I* am her yardstick for the name now, and not that other cat who did nothing other than inspire it...

Laptop: And I was named by Dad, because Mom got to name the Fluffy Prince. Let me tell you we get some weird looks. Laptop? A cat called Laptop? But you know what? it kinda fits, now. And it lends itself to twisting. Apparently Mom thinks I"m a chatty cathy because now and
then I get called Yaptop...

Boboko and Laptop: Of course, we have our REAL names. Which she has no clue about.
That's okay, she's only human, she isn't supposed to. We love her
anyway.

So Laptop, tell us a little about your mom's books and her writing habits? Is she one of those self centered, egotistical authors?

Nah. If anything, the opposite. It takes the concerted effort of all three of us (Dad, me, Fluffy Prince himself) to keep up her self esteem when it comes to her writing. I keep on thinking that if only she'd start writing about CATS I could do a lot more with this.

Boboko, which one of Alma's books is your favorite? Are there any cats in her books?

Well, there's a nook on the shelf of the hardcover "Jin Shei" edition where it's good to nap, so I guess those... and I'm told that there was a cat in that book, an important cat.... ooooh, shiny toy, look!

Who does Alma love the most between you two?

Laptop: There are times I think she ONLY loves FLuffy Prince. But then, in the evenings, she lets me curl up next to her and we hold paws for hours - and there's the fact that she and I are bedmates, especially in the winter, when it's nice and warm under the covers with her. And she worries so when there's something wrong with either or both of us, or when we squabble. She loves us both. We both love her.

Boboko: I know I was a Chosen One. I know that all I ever have to do is ask and what I want is usually given to me. She indulges me shamelessly; I nap inside her oversized red sweater in winter and curl up comfortably against her belly for hours and she would rather die of hunger and thirst than move and disturb me before I'm ready to wake up. She fusses with me when I demand it. She gives me treats. Yes, she loves me. Oh yeah, and she loves my sister, too, She'll make a point of fussing us both if we're in the same range of reach, But she's mine. Mine, mine, mine. MINE.

Tell us something weird about Alma nobody knows.

She can lucid dream. She can control the dreams, sometimes. We know this because we are cats and we can go freely into her dreams when she falls asleep at night.

Sometimes, she even dreams about us.

We make sure of it.

Thanks, kitties!!!

Laptop: (preening) Most welcome, I'm sure.

Boboko: Anything else we can... oooooooh! shiny toy! Scuse me!

Laptop: (quiet sigh) did you know we have our own website? go to www.worldweaversweb.com adn click on "cats" to see our portraits...

Thank you, Kitties!