Interview with Basil, Douglas Quinn's fictional cat

Woof! Please welcome my guest, Basil the Cat. Now, Basil is not your regular kitty cat. For one thing, he's a fictional cat based on a real-life cat that died years ago, and he's a character in Douglas Quinn's mystery novels... Basil is here to talk about the fictional world he lives in and about the book's protagonist, Webb Sawyer.

Now, the author responsible for these creations, Douglas Quinn, is also an editor and book reviewer. You can find him at Gather. He loves writing for adults but also for children. In fact, his first children's book will come out before Christmas!

Sounds complicated? Just read the interview to find out!

Hi there, Basil! To begin with, where are you from?

Well, I was the last survivor of a litter living in and around the British Cemetery in Ocracoke Village on Ocracoke Island. That’s part of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Every now and again I’d see this lady in a wheelchair go by. The first time she actually saw me, I was peeking out from behind a tombstone. She called to me and I bounded over to her, through the wrought iron fence and jumped up on her lap. I rode with her all the way to the grocery store and back to her house. I didn’t even think twice about going back into that creepy cemetery. The lady’s name was Blythe Parsons.

Tell us how you came to live with Webb Sawyer.

Oddly enough, Blythe was allergic to cats, so I wondered why she let me come live with her. As it turned out, she kept me out on her deck for a few weeks. Then one day we got into her van, which was converted for wheelchair-bound people, and made a several-hour trip up Ocracoke Island, across the ferry to Hatteras, then all the way up to Nags Head. She dropped me off with a man named Brant Cloninger, who took me on a skiff from his bait and tackle shop to a stilt house at Blue Heron Marsh.

I wasn’t sure what was up, but when the man named Webb Sawyer came home, I knew I had found the person I was meant to be with. Oh, he wasn’t too sure at first, but I soon charmed him into loving me–no problem.

Just who is this Webb Sawyer and what does he do?

Webb Sawyer was created by author Douglas Quinn. Webb’s a retired army sergeant–well, he was kind of forced out because he shot a captured Serbian death-squad leader in the face. But that’s another story. At any rate, he’s a little bit of a loner, although he has a few really good friends. He likes to fish and he takes me out with him when he fishes in the marsh. At first, he just fed me the scraps, but now I get to share some of the good parts.

As for what he does besides fish? Well, he seems to get himself mixed up with not-so-nice people who bother his friends. For instance, some Colombian guy was bothering Nehi, a girl who works for Webb’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, Nan–by the way, I like Nan. At any rate, Webb broke the guy’s finger and, in turn, this guy and three of his friends came in the middle of the night by boat and tried to kill Webb and burn our house down. I hid until the next day. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but when it was all over, one guy was dead in the marsh water and the other three got back in their boat and sped off. There was a lot of shooting. I was really scared.

What kind of fictional world do you live in? Describe it a bit.

I love it here at Blue Heron Marsh. Webb’s house sits up ten feet out of the water on stilts. It originally was a fishing house, but was remodeled into a real home with all the conveniences. It’s got a closed in front porch that faces the Roanoke Sound. Webb calls it the back porch because he doesn’t like the idea of the front of his house facing any direction people might be traveling by, even if by boat. His real back porch is open but roofed and faces the marshes. Sometimes we fish right off the porch. Underneath the house is a landing dock and a raised area where Webb keeps a freezer with extra fish. He stored a body in there once. It was one of the bad guys. It’s a great place for a cat to live.

I like to sit in the window facing the causeway that runs between Nags Head and Roanoke Island and watch for anyone coming out to the house. Usually it’s Nan. It was there that I heard the bad guys coming and woke up Webb to warn him.

Do you get to take part in adventures in the book, or are you mainly a watcher?

Oh, Webb takes me some places, but so far I haven’t really gotten into the action. That’s probably for the best. I subscribe to the old saying, “Make love, not war.” I heard Webb say that once. Funny, since he was in the army and, as I said before, gets himself wrapped up in some violent situations. He really is an easy-going man. He just won’t put up with evil or corrupt people who bother him or his friends. He wants to make things right. That seems to get him into troublesome situations.

I hear Webb is a beer snob. Is that true?

He only likes Grolsch. I guess it’s a taste bud thing. If in a pickle, he might condescend to drink Heineken. He drank an Oranjeboom once but wasn’t happy about it. Besides that, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him go outside the Dutch brews. His friend, Ben Straker, from the Uwharries region of North Carolina, drinks Bass Ale. Webb calls it Panther Piss–if you will excuse my language. Me, I don’t see how humans can drink that stuff. Now, coffee, that’s a different story.

Who is your favorite character in the story? Why?

I presume you mean in Pelican Point. In Blue Heron Marsh, I didn’t show up until the epilogue, so I missed all the characters and the fun in that one. In Pelican Point I’ve got to say that Preston’s (Webb’s son’s) girlfriend, Sunshine Bledsoe, is my favorite. When I met her she seemed kinda shy and meek but I heard that at the end of the story she turned out to be a real spitfire. Also, while I still like Nan Ftorek, she and Webb seem to be currently on the outs, and I have taken a liking to a new lady in Webb’s life named Clarky Ayers. She likes to fish and is good at it, too.

Where can readers find Pelican Point and the other Douglas Quinn books?

All the major online booksellers carry them. Amazon is the best as they deliver the quickest. Also it can be ordered by any local bookstore through the distributor, Ingram. By the way, I’ve asked the author if I can have a really exciting scene in Swan’s Landing, the next Webb Sawyer Mystery, and he promised me I would. “Hurrah for my side!” I learned that one from Webb.

How does it feel to be a fictional cat?

I don’t know about other fictional cats but I have a great friend in Webb Sawyer, a great place to live, get to go fishing all the time, have plenty of food and drink and get to go places in his old Ford pickup he calls Trusty Rusty. What more could a cat ask for? Come to think of it, maybe Webb could find a girlfriend with a female feline. Hee-hee!

Give us some fictional feline advice.

As a well-known cat once said, “Truth may be stranger than fiction, but fiction is truer.”

Thanks for the interview, Basil!

Note: The Character, Basil, is based on the author’s cat who, as a neighbor’s kitten, came to visit, decided he liked it better at Douglas Quinn’s house and, when the neighbors moved, stayed. A couple of years later, he was found dead, killed, it is believed, by a local gray fox. He was extremely friendly and trusting. That’s probably what led to his demise.

Interview with Patches, owner of author Beverly McClure

Hello, woof, my faithful readers! Today I'd like to introduce you to Patches, owner of young adult author Beverly McClure. Beverly is a super nice lady (or so my mom keeps saying) and the author of many young adult novels published by Twilight Times Books and 4RV Publishing. Check out her website and her blog!


Hey Patches, how you doing, Man?

I’m trying to stay out of trouble, but it isn’t easy.

That sounds like the story of my life. Anyway, thanks for stopping by! Woof! Here are some questions for you, dude.

Meow! Goodie! I like to talk.

Who is Patches, the Cat?

I don’t know my exact birthday, but I’m about three years old, according to the vet. I’m a calico, and I guess my former owners decided they didn’t want me. One day I found myself in the country, no home, nobody to love me, nothing to eat. That’s when I learned to keep trying. This pretty white house had a patio with lots of insects flying around the floodlights. I’m a great jumper, so I sprang up and caught a moth. It took several to fill my empty stomach. Then Beverly saw me. It was love at first sight, at least for me. She brought me in the house and fed me chicken from a can. I’ve been her cat ever since.

So what's it like living with Beverly?

She’s easy to live with. She gives me yummy food and makes sure my water dish is full. I snuggle beside her at night, and she doesn’t roll over and crush me. When I tell her I want to go outside, she opens the door for me. She has her moments, though, like when I sharpen my toenails on her furniture. Then she fusses at me. She bought a couple of scratching posts, she calls them, for me to use. But they aren’t as good as the chair. She also moves me when I try to type on her computer. How’s a cat to write a story, without a keyboard? I can’t hold a pencil in my paw to write on a yellow tablet.

She looks so sweet in the photo. Is she as harmless as she looks?

Looking over my shoulder to see where she is. No Beverly in sight. Good. This is just between you and me, Amigo. Yup, she is harmless, except when she’s working on a story, which is most of each morning. If I want to take a nap in her lap then, she says I distract her and tells me to sleep on the sofa. I pout a little, but being the understanding cat that I am, I do what she says.

I'm not as understanding, I admit. I sulk BIG TIME. I hear Beverly writes stories for young adults--that's teenagers, right? How does she know what teenagers want to read?

I think she’s never grown up. Inside she’s still a teenager and likes to relive those years through her characters. Kids today have some of the same problems kids years ago had. (No, I’m not telling you how many years ago; Beverly has sworn me to secrecy.) Another reason she knows a little about teenagers (no one knows everything about teens, not even teens themselves) is because she has three sons who were once teenagers and gets ideas from things they did.

Of all of Beverly's books, which one is your favorite? Are you in any of them?

I like Rebel in Blue Jeans best, because of the animals in it. No, she hasn’t included me in any of her books, and I don’t understand why. I’m loyal, loveable, and pretty. But do you know what kind of cat she put in Rebel? A Siamese. Do you believe it? A Siamese. Beverly claims she wrote the story before she met me, or she’d have put me in, and she can’t change it now. I still think I’d be a more interesting character.

I heard those Siamese are really infantile, always begging for affection. Anyway, tell us about Beverly's latest novel. How long did it take her to write it?

She has two novels coming out this fall/winter: Caves, Cannons and Crinolines and Just Breeze. She told me from start—getting the idea and doing the research for Caves—to finish took about four years. At the same time she worked on that one, she wrote Breeze, in about three years.

Did she ignore you during that time? What did you do to get her attention?

I wasn’t her pet when she started either story, but towards the last I came on the scene. She was really busy writing and hated interruptions. When I wanted her attention, I did different things: One, I rubbed against her legs and gave her my politest meow, letting her know I was lonesome and needed cuddling. Two, I stretched out on the floor by her desk, rolled onto my back, and smiled, showing her how beautiful and big I am. If that didn’t work, I jumped up on the dining table. That got her attention fast. She says the table is for eating on, not cat naps.

Leave us with some feline words of wisdom.

If you want something bad enough, keep trying. When I spot a juicy grasshopper or a tasty mouse, I crouch and wait, not moving a muscle. Then, at the right second, I pounce. The critter never sees me coming. Oh, yeah, sometimes a fast mouse escapes, or a grasshopper lucks out and flies too high for me to reach. But if I hang in there I succeed. So keep trying. Say “I can do this.” Set your eye on the target. And pounce. What I’d really like to catch is a rabbit. I don’t like them anymore than you do, Amigo.

Sending a soft “purr.”

Thank you, Patches! Woof!

Baby Dog Beans Comes Home, by Jennie Hale Book

Hey there, dear audience... my mom reviewed this cute little picture book about a two golden retrievers. I took a peek at the photographs and they're adorable--but then, what's NOT adorable about golden retrievers? (big sigh)...

Baby Dog Beans Comes Home

A Paul and Beans Adventure

by Jennie Hale Book

www.AbbottAvenuePress.com

ISBN: 0-9767514-2-9

Hardcover, 24 pages, $13.95

Children’s, 2 and up

What is it about golden retrievers that makes a dog lover, young or old, go wild?

In Baby Dog Beans Comes Home, author Jennie Hale captures the sweet “magic” of these gentle, devoted, intelligent dogs while offering young children an important message they can identify with.

The story is seen from the perspective of Paul, the older dog who until now has been the only “child” in the family, and Beans, the new baby brother. More than anything, Beans wishes to be accepted by his older brother, but Paul is not ready to be friends, play catch, or share any of his toys. As a matter of fact, Paul liked it a lot better when it was just him. All this changes when Beans runs into serious trouble and Paul rescues him.

As Paul realizes in the end, “It’s not always easy when a new brother or sister comes into the family. But even if you’re not best friends right away… give them a chance and you’ll have someone who’ll be there for you your whole life. And that’s pretty great.”

This is a book that can be read to a very young child, and one that early readers will relish on their own. The large, adorable photographs are sure to delight people of all ages.

Interview with Cosmo the Cat, owner of Melissa Burmester

Say hello to Cosmo, spoiled cat and proud owner of Melissa Burmester... who happens to be a 15-year old author! Yes, this talented young lady is the published author of the vampire teen novel, Ginger High.

And here to tell us all about it is Cosmo...

Thanks for stopping by this side of the woods, Cosmo. How did you come to live with Melissa?

Hello, my name is Cosmo, I was born in 2004. My mom and her family were looking for a pet and decided on a cat. My mom mentioned to her 5th grade teacher that she wanted to adopt a pet. The teacher’s cat just had kittens. Since I was such a handsome kitty, they decided to take me home. I was a terror in the beginning scratching at the furniture and I quickly learned not to do that. I love my whole family. They spoil me!

I understand Melissa is a 15-year old published author! How cool is that! When did she start writing?

She began to write the novel when she was 12 years old. I would see her writing short stories, but she spent the most time on “Ginger High”.

I hear she likes to write about vampires. What's her book about? Tell us all about it!

As my mom was typing, I could see that the book was about a very special school called Ginger High. The students who went there had mystical powers. There were many unexplained murders at the school. Daisy Fisher attended the school after her old school burned down and she realizes that she also has a special gift. She befriends Matthias, Amanta and Taeru who come to earth via a portal from a parallel universe. One of her friends is a vampire and she plays an important part in the storyline. I do not want to tell you anymore because I do not want to give the whole story away. I loved the cover, it looks sooo cool. I hope you like my mom’s book. I had fun watching her write it.

Do you give her ideas for her writing? What do you do while she works?

I always tell her to put a lot of cats (I do not like dogs) in the story but she did not listen to me. Maybe in the next book she will put in a cat or two. I can only wish! I like to jump on her lap, purring, and she has to stop working for 15 minutes so she can pet me. I can be very persuasive, and I will never give up. If she writes on the table, I like to sit on the laptop keys. It is so warm and cozy.

What do you mean you don't like dogs? Okay, I'll pretend I didn't hear that! So, when does Melissa write? During her school hours?

She told me that she would write during lunch. She was allowed to use a laptop during school time. My mom loves to write in the living room on the recliner. When the fireplace is lit, I like to lie near it and sleep.

What do her friends think of her? Are they supportive? What about her teachers?

One of her 8th grade teachers was told about the book and she mentioned it to her class. They were so excited that they invited her to the 2009 graduation and gave her an award. Boy was she excited. I wanted to go but everyone said I had to stay home. I love to ride in the car. Her friends have all read the book and loved it.

How did she publish her book? Was it difficult?

She tried to get an agent, but she was rejected many times. She decided to self- publish. It took about 2 months for it to be published. My other mom, Eileen, helped her to find the right publisher.

Well, good for herAny last words?

Thanks for interviewing me Amigo. Check out my mom’s website at www.gingerhigh.com where you can buy an autographed copy.

She also has a cool blog http://melissa-gingerhigh.blogspot.com/. (meow)

Thank you, Cosmo! You should be mighty proud of your young author mom!

Check out this book trailer!

My canine friend Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog now has a trailer to help promote his book, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog.

The book has already sold about 10,000 copies! Super! This is an important book for kids, folks. It teaches what kids need to know on how to prevent fires.

Sparkles was adopted from a shelter by firefighter Dayna Hilton and later trained to be a help dog. Sparkles, man, I'm proud of you!!!!

Review of Homer's Odyssey, by Gwen Cooper

Hey, my mom recently reviewed Homer's Odyssey, written by Gwen Cooper for Blogcritic's 'Reviews in Brief'.

I thought I'd share it with you all... Enjoy! Woof!

Would you adopt a four-week-old stray kitten with a serious handicap? This is what author Gwen Cooper did and she writes her anecdotes in Homer's Odyssey, a book that will warm the hearts of cat lovers.

Homer's Odyssey is the story of an unusual cat — not only because he's blind, but because he's one of the most resourceful, intrepid and clever felines you'll ever meet. From the day he's adopted, to the time he saves Gwen from a burglar, to the horrific day on that tragic September 11th, Homer's antics will charm and surprise you. It'll also pull at your heart strings.

Cooper's prose is light and witty and shines with insight into the loving bond that can develop between a cat and a human. There's a little of romance and a lot of humor thrown into the mix. The interesting narrative and lovely flow kept me turning pages as if I were reading a fiction story.

The book also offers an important message: we must never give up on what at first glance seems hopeless. Indeed, a little love, faith and perseverance can go a long way.

I highly recommend this tender, sweet account about a very special cat, a very special lady, and how they changed each other's lives for the better.

--Mayra Calvani

Interview with super star cat Homer, owner of Gwen Cooper

Oh boy... my guest today is a super star cat who has been featured in The NY Times, USA Today, Christian Science Monitor and a zillion other publications... (God, I'm jealous!)... Let's give a warm welcome to Homer, star of Homer's Odyssey, written by his human, Gwen Cooper!

Homer's story will fill you with a little sadness but also with hope and laughter... what a cat! And, believe me, I don't say this lightly (you know me and cats). For one, Homer is blind--yes, blind--but at the same time he's one of the most brave, adventurous and heroic cats you'll ever meet.

You have to take a look at his book--and it's not just for cat lovers, by the way.

I'm telling you, Homer, my human mom wasn't able to put your story, Homer's Odyssey, down. She even got tear-eyed at times. Tell us a little about your kitty babyhood and how Gwen came to adopt you.

First, thanks so much for interviewing me! Everybody always wants to interview my mom. Even being interviewed by a dog is better than nothing. (Oops! No offense! I used to live with a couple of dogs, and they were actually pretty cool!)

I’m so glad your mom liked the book, by the way. Sometimes my mom’s eyes also got teary while she was writing it!

The way I came to live with my human mom is that my “real” cat mom abandoned me when I was only two weeks old. I was very hungry and scared, and I had a bad eye infection so I couldn’t see anything. Some humans found me and brought me to a veterinarian my mom knew. When they heard I would be blind forever, they thought I should be put to sleep because they said I wouldn’t have a good life. Even though everybody said I was a “hopeless” case, the vet disagreed. She tried very hard to find somebody who would adopt me, but nobody wanted a blind kitten. Then the vet called Gwen, my mom.

She was going through a pretty rough time—she had this very low-paying job doing charity work, plus she already had two cats—but when she heard my story she wanted to meet me. As soon as I heard her voice for the first time, I knew she was going to be my mom! I crawled right into her arms and started purring, and she told the vet she would take me home. My mom always says that when she met me, it was love at first sight!

What made Gwen wanna write a book about you? You didn't force her at gunpoint, did you? (considering all your talents, that wouldn't surprise me)

As if! I hate it when my mom’s writing, because it means she has less time to play with me! Although she usually lets me sleep in her lap while she’s writing, which is my favorite place to be anyway.

My mom has always loved great stories, especially great adventure stories, and she said that the story of our life together had all the makings of a classic “boy and his dog” story. (even though she’s a girl and I’m a cat!) She also thinks that sometimes humans give up on themselves or the other humans and pets in their lives too easily. So she wanted to tell everybody all about somebody like me, who was supposed to be “hopeless” and who nobody had wanted, but who went on to prove everybody wrong and have a really terrific life.

But mostly she just likes when stories make people happy. She thought my story might make people happy.

Gwen tells some wonderful anecdotes in her book: your demonic dexterity at catching flies and roaches, not to mention how you scared away a burglar in the middle of the night! These are mighty accomplishments for a feline, I have to admit, but even more so because you're blind. Where on earth did you get all that spunk, man?

I got so mad the night that burglar broke in! I was so mad, I totally forgot how little I am (I only weigh about three pounds). It was late at night and my mom was sleeping, and I heard the man come into our bedroom where we were both sleeping in bed. I started growling and that woke my mom up. I could feel how scared and tense she got when she saw someone in our bedroom. That made me really angry! Nobody scares my mom while I’m around! I tried to claw his face, and when he turned and ran I ran right after him. My mom had to chase after me, and she yelled at me for running after the burglar. (Of course, I knew I totally did the right thing.) But then she calmed down and apologized, and the police came, so everything was all right.

Everybody always wants to know how a blind cat like me can do so many things. But I’ve always been blind, so I don’t know any different way to be. Plus, my senses of hearing and smell are much stronger than other cats’ or even dogs’ (no offense!). I can tell the difference between a can of tuna fish (which I loooooooove) and a can of tomato soup (ewwww!) while they’re still in the can, just by smelling them. Even my sisters, Vashti and Scarlett, can’t do that! My mom always says I have “superpowers,” like the comic book superhero Daredevil.

Alert! Disgusting question: You eat flies but not roaches. Why?

Well, it’s hard to catch a fly in your mouth and not eat it. But the roaches in Miami, where I’m from originally, were a lot bigger. Some of them were almost as big as me! I always thought they’d make a neat gift for my mom, because she does so much for me. So whenever I caught a bunch of really big ones, I’d leave them in a pile for her at the foot of her bed as a present. She always said “thank you!”

On 9/11, you were right there just blocks away from the twin towers. What was your reaction when you heard the explosion? I understand Gwen wasn't at home then. What did you do until you were able to reunite with her?

She was with us when the planes hit the towers, but she thought it was just a car backfiring so she went to work. I knew right away, though, that something was very wrong. I could hear and smell all kinds of things that made me very nervous. I tried to tell her—I hissed and growled and ran back and forth between her and the windows in our apartment—and she ended up leaving for work later than she usually did because she was trying to calm me down. But she still didn’t believe me that something was wrong, so she finally left even though I was still upset. She still blames herself for not listening to me.

It took her three days to get back to us because they weren’t letting people back into the area where we lived. It was only a few blocks from Ground Zero. I knew my mom would never abandon us, but I didn’t understand why it was taking her so long to come back! We ran out of food and water and clean litter, and it was pretty awful. Plus, it smelled and sounded really, really scary down there! But I never lost faith that she would come to get us. And now I know how many people she begged and bribed and got help from just so she could come back and rescue us.

Between you and me, what's it like living with Gwen? Come on, she can't be that perfect! Most authors are psychotic, if you ask me.

She definitely has her moods! And her schedule gets all weird when she’s writing. I like things to happen the same way and at the same time every day, but it doesn’t always work out like that when she’s on a deadline. But she always says that being with me makes her feel better.

Are your feline 'sisters', Vashti and Scarlett, coping well with your stardom?

My mom and the human she married always make sure we all get the same amount of attention. But I’ve been doing some photo and video shoots lately, and when that happens I get all the treats and catnip I want. I pretend like I can’t be “trained,” so that they have to give me treats to make me do what they want me to do for the cameras. I think that makes Vashti and Scarlett a little jealous.

Did Gwen have any trouble selling the manuscript? I bet the first NY editor loved it, you lucky dude!

It actually took her a few tries. Some of the editors who read it didn’t think I was “special” enough, and one even said I was “creepy!” I don’t think I’ve ever heard my mom get so angry (or use so many bad words). But we love Caitlin, the editor at Random House we ended up with. She loves cats, too, and she’s the best!

How are YOU coping with stardom, huh?

People say you shouldn’t let fame go to your head, but I don’t see why. I am a cat, after all! I always thought I was pretty great because my mom tells me so all the time. Still, it’s nice to know that other people realize that now, too!

Any last words of cat wisdom?

Just that there’s nothing you can’t do as long as you have a little “cat-itude.” I was the kitten who nobody wanted or believed in, and look at me now!

I have to say, Homer, that even though you're a cat, it's been an honor having you here!