Interview with Balto, Aaron Lazar's New Dog

It's not easy living in the shadow of your owner's previous dog, especially if said dog has passed away. Here to tell us about it is Balto, Aaron Lazar's new dog. Aaron has written several novels about a dude who solves mysteries. They're published by Twilight Times Books, which happens to be one of my mom's publishers. He keeps a blog, too. My mom once reviewed one of his books, Tremolo. I hate to admit this, but Balto is as harmless as he looks in that photo. Either that, or he's giving hell of a performance.

Bio: BALTO is a half King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and half poodle, sometimes known as a “Cavipoo.” His fur is soft as a bunny rabbit’s and it curls into little ringlets. He is known for his skills as a therapy dog, has expressive big brown eyes, and can often be found on Aaron and Dale’s laps. He sleeps with them every night, and has given them an enormous amount of comfort since the passing of their dog, Max, in 2007.

Welcome to my blog, Balto. Tell us about your human dad, mystery author Aaron Lazar. What kind of person is he?

Aaron is a bit obsessed with his writing. Every morning, he wakes me up when it’s still dark out. After he lets me out on the run, he stokes up the woodstove and we both sit on the comfy couch under a thick blanket. That laptop is a touchy subject, though, because every time I try to put my paw on it, he stops me. Sometimes he lets me lay my head on the corner, though. It’s warm. These morning writing sessions are one of my favorite times of the day. Just me and him. Cozy and snuggling. If it weren’t for the incessant tapping of the keyboard, it would be perfect.

I agree that tapping can be very annoying at times, especially when I'm trying to sleep.What type of books does Aaron write?

He calls them mysteries, but they’re really more like life in the country with a bunch of bad guys who keep getting in the way. I recognize lots of our life in there, from the kids, to the gardens, big country feasts, walks in the woods, and more.

Of all his books, which one is your favorite? Why?

I’m only two, am I’m struggling to fill the paws of my predecessor, Max. Aaron tells me he loves me every day, he fusses over me, lets me sleep with him and the missus, and takes real good care of me. But I still feel like I’m in the shadow of Max every day. The missus still has Max’s old collar hung on her bedpost, and his picture is the one on the wall. He’s featured in all of Aaron’s books, and wow, does Aaron glamorize him. Max even saves Gus LeGarde’s life in Double Forté. Even though I’m a teensy bit jealous of Max, I think that book is my favorite.

Hmm. Balto, this blog is supposed to be funny, yet here you are, making me cry (I must keep my macho reputation, so please make an effort, man). Er, okay (blinking away any sign of tears), does Aaron fall asleep when he reads a book? Does he snore? What titles keep him awake the longest?

Always, especially when we’re in bed. We get all settled, with me in the crook of his legs. It’s nice and warm there, especially with the down comforter to snuggle into. He props up his pillows, puts on the light and his reading glasses, opens the book, and within a few minutes, I am jolted awake by this horrible thunderous roar that shakes the walls. Then I go over and curl up with the missus.

Okay... Does he snack compulsively while he writes? Sometimes I have to block the entrance to the kitchen to prevent my author mom from snacking so much. Of course, then she calls ME overweight.

Aaron LOVES to eat, and always says, “Don’t feed the dog! It’s not good for his heart!” But he always sneaks me a little something in spite of his high falootin’ ideas. For some reason it’s always healthy stuff, like green beans and Brussel sprouts. Once in a while I get a juicy morsel of swordfish, and that’s the best. My favorite is string cheese, but I can only get that from the missus. She’s a real pushover.

Woof! Woof! I won't even bother to shift my bottom for healthy stuff like that!

Look at My Angel Eyes...

More news, my dear pets!

Willow the Dandie continues to make headlines in the doggie world! Now he has started his own blog, Dandie Dog Blog.

He was upset when he learned I had interviewed Osiris the Cat. He accussed me of lowering myself... But I told him it was no good for my blog business to be prejudiced against stuck-up cats...

On his post today, Willow put an innocent photo of his 'angel' eyes. I told him I can also look as sweet and innocent anytime I want, and here's the photo to prove it.

Interview with Osiris, Bev Walton Porter's Masterful Cat

With a name like that, a cat is destined to have delusions of greatness, so I don't blame him (I'm feeling cat friendly today, plus I don't want to scare away future feline guests--a smart business move for my blog). His author mom, Bev Walton Porter, is a multigenre author, writing coach, and Editor-in-Chief of Scribe & Quill Ezine.

She keeps two blogs: Elemental Musings and Elemental Muse. She had doubts about Osiris being my guest, but she didn't have any choice. As you will see, Osiris OWNS her. Oh yes, he so does...

Bio: As a lonely black cat cast aside into the lonely and cruel night, Osiris was rescued from a busy Colorado Springs, CO street at ten o’clock at night in June 2002 by his Lady Author, Bev Walton-Porter. Dirty, fatigued and unsure he was going to make it through the night, his Lady fed and watered him, cleaned him up, stroked his fur gently and stayed up all night with him to be sure he’d make it through till morn. Now, seven years later, he’s fat, happy, sassy and shining inside and out with optimum health.

The truth, Osiris. Are you the boss of Bev Walton-Porter?

Of course! I’m a cat! I’m Lord and Master of ALL I survey! Silly human. *tsk tsk*! You know, she thinks differently, but what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. I’ve got her wrapped around my furry little paw, and she loves it! *maniacal meow*

What type of books does your human mom write?

She has a split writing personality, really. The woman can’t decide if she wants to stick with nonfiction or fiction. Most of the time she plays it safe (or so I think) with nonfiction (Sun Signs for Writers and The Complete Writer: A Guide To Tapping Your Full Potential), but every now and then she lets her fiction goddess out to play. I like her best when she writes those hot love scenes in her romance books (Mending Fences and Hidden Fire). She writes those under a pen name (and her birth name) Star Ferris. She gets these mischievous, naughty looks on her face when she writes those “heaving bosom”-type of books!

How long does she work each day on a book and ignores you?

Is there a number THAT big? Just kidding. Seriously, she’s pretty chill about that type of thing. She usually lets me sit on the desk next to her while she’s typing away. When she’s puzzling over something or simply musing (daydreaming/brainstorming), she reaches over the scratches me behind the ears (LOVE IT!) or gives me a kitty back/shoulder massage (LOVE IT EVEN MORE!)

What do you do for amusement while Bev pounds at the computer all day? It must be bad for your self esteem to be ignored like that.

I terrorize the oldest cat, Kiki, who’s turning 18 on March 16^th. When I get finished with that, I chase Isis (the other black cat) and bat her around a bit. Next, if I’m still bored and not gettin’ any lovin’, I chew on some of the many plants in our household (there’s about twenty, none of them poisonous). If she still doesn’t take a break and acknowledge me, I sit in the middle of the hallway and let out a painful, heartbreaking meow accented by hooded eyelids and a downtrodden gaze. I’m quite good at it if I must say so myself. When she turns around to finally look at me (after about 50 yowls), I throw her my “poor me!” gaze and swish my tail. Usually works!

I like to stare at my mom while she writes to make her feel guilty. What do you do to annoy Bev? Give my pet readers some evil ideas.

Sometimes, when I get incredibly impatient, I nudge my way in front of her – nose first – and plop down between her and the keyboard. That’s my way of saying, “Hey, can I get some attention here?” after she’s ignored me for far too long. This move generally gives her the vapors and causes her to grouse quite a bit. After all, I’m a 17-lb cat, so when I plop down between her and the computer keyboard, I usually get half of my hefty, sexy cat body on part of her keyboard, which sometimes accidentally erases her carefully crafted words, sentences and paragraphs or adds to them with assorted nonsensical characters and marks. This, of course, makes my Lady Author very cross, and she usually scootches my behind off the desk and keyboard with a cacophony of curse words and bothering sighs. I take it all in stride because I know I “let” her push me off, but I WILL be back again. Oh yes I will *insert nefarious, shifty-eyed glance at audience*

Again, I own her. OH YES I DO! =^-^=

(psychotic laugh) HA, HA, HA, HA, HA.....! Keep up the good work, Osiris!

I'm becoming famous... and I LIKE it!

In fact, I was so happy, I jumped in the mud!

Publicist and Virtual Book Tour Coordinator Angela Wilson blogged about me on her popular blog, Market My Novel.

Also, author Raul Ramos y Sanchez (winner of the International Latino Book Award for Best Novel 2008, no less!) tweetered about Pets and Authors. Raul's fish, Barry, will be stopping by this April to give us the lowdown. I'm looking forward to that! (evil doggie grin)

There have been some more developments for Willow the Dandy, who was my first interviewee a few days ago. After he appeared here and hijacked Lucy Coat's blog the next day, some dude from an important terrier club invited him to write an article for their 100th anniversary magazine issue.

Dear pets: if you appear here on my blog, only good things are on the horizon for you... fame and fortune await you!

My author mom, Mayra Calvani, has been trying to steal my spotlight and take credit for this blog idea--how dare she? Let me roll in the mud a bit more, that should teach her a lesson....