Beagle Bailey spills the beans on mystery author Lauren Carr

Hey, Beagle Bailey. Last year, your brother Ziggy told my readers about how he came to become part of the Carr household. Now, I believe in giving equal time. How would you like to tell us your story?

Thanks, Amigo! It’s about time someone asked. As a young orphaned pup, I was fortunate to have ended up with a good foster family. I had a lot of foster brothers and sisters, but with my charming personality, I quickly became a favorite among the human children. They used to fight over whose bed I got to sleep in at night.

But, as is so often the case with foster homes, I was only meant to stay there temporarily. One day, a call came from this family that was seeking a companion for a young boy whose dog had recently passed away. It was hard saying good-bye to this family that I had come to love so much, but, alas, this boy, whose name is Tristan, needed me to mend his broken heart.

His mom, now mine, turned out to be Lauren Carr. She writes murder mysteries, which I guess is supposed to be cool. Even better, she’s a swell mom.

Do you mind telling us what breed you are?

I’m a blend of only the best and greatest of the breeds. I’m beagle, which explains my extraordinary sense of smell. I’m Italian greyhound, which explains my fast-on-my-paws moves and slender figure. To round out the package, I’m fox terrier, which Dad says makes me a little crazy. I prefer to use the word “passionate”.

Why does your dad say you’re crazy?

Everyone has a quirk! Okay? Everyone has something that makes them just a little bit crazy. For me, that’s thunderstorms. Dad insists that my barking at the thunderstorms doesn’t make them go away. I say hogwash! It works. I swear. I bark at the storms and they do go away. Sometimes it takes a lot of barking for a really long time, but eventually, they always go away.

Meanwhile, while I’m working my tail and vocal cords off barking at the storms, Ziggy just sits there looking at me like I’m crazy, which doesn’t help if you ask me.

Tell my readers about your brother Ziggy.

He’s an Australian shepherd. Boy, let me tell you about Ziggy.

Mom and Dad had promised me that I would get to be an only dog. For over a year, everything was fine. We were one big—okay, not big, but small—happy family. And then, what happens? One day, Tristan and his mom go out for a football game and what do they come back with? A puppy! This squirt isn’t even housebroken! And I’m supposed to share my toys and family with him?

For the first couple of weeks after Ziggy moved in, I kept threatening to sue over breach of contract. We had a deal! But eventually, the squirt grew on me. Then he grew bigger than me. I have to admit it was nice having someone to frame for my messes. Did I say that? I mean someone to play with.

After a few months, Mom called a dog trainer in to analyze this nutty dog. You see, I do what I’m told, which isn’t very much. I eat, sleep, follow Tristan around and look adorable. How hard is that? But Ziggy refused to get with the program. You’d tell him what to do and he’d say, “That may be what you want, but I’m going to do things my way.” Then he’d get into trouble and act like it was worth it.

So, this dog trainer analyzes both of us and says that Ziggy keeps getting into trouble—get this—because he’s so smart!

Translation: I, Beagle Bailey, don’t get into trouble because I’m dumb. Ziggy gets into trouble because he’s so smart that he gets bored and gets into trouble to liven things up!

Psychiatry is for the birds.

What is it like living with Lauren? Is she one of those egotistical authors (like my mom)?

Would you believe that Mom is the only female in our family? She’s always taking care of everyone: Getting Tristan ready for school and letting us outside. Then, it is time to get Dad up and making the coffee. After she lets us back in, it is time for our before-breakfast biscuit. Then the family needs their breakfast. After she feeds them, then it is time for our breakfast. Then, while she is cleaning up, we need to get our bite of leftover toast from their breakfast. Then we need to go outside again to see if anything changed since the last time we were out. You have to keep an eye out for stuff like that. Then—I don’t know what Mom does after that because then it’s time for my mid-morning nap. But you get the point.

Mom stays up late at night to write when it is quiet. I like to sit across from her in her studio on those quiet times and inspire her.

Tell us about Lauren's book! I hear one of her characters is a dog name Gnarly.

Gnarly is a German shepherd. She based him on Ziggy, which is why that squirt has such a big head. Let me tell you how smart Ziggy is—Sorry, you asked about Gnarly. His name means extreme and that’s Ziggy, that’s for sure. Gnarly is either very bad or very good, but always loveable. He’s the only dog to be dishonorably discharged from the United States Army. The army refuses to talk about him. I have some thoughts about that.

In It’s Murder, My Son, homicide detective Mac Faraday was on the brink of bankruptcy when he inherits his birth mother’s estate. It ends up she was Robin Spencer, the American version of Agatha Christie. In addition to her swanky estate in a small resort town on Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, he inherits Gnarly, her German shepherd. The very first time the reader meets Gnarly when he’s standing on Mac’s chest when he first arrives at Spencer Manor. He finds out that Robin had saved Gnarly from being put down after he almost died trying to save his mistress, the next door neighbor, from being murdered.

So Gnarly is a witness to his mistress’s murder?

Yes, and he leads Mac Faraday to the killer. Gnarly becomes Mac Faraday’s sidekick.

They work together again in Old Loves Die Hard. Mac’s ex-wife shows up on account that he’s now rich. But before Mac can tell her to leave, she and her estranged lover are found dead in his private penthouse suite. Now Mac has to work not only to clear his name, but the reputation of the Spencer Inn, the five-star resort he had also inherited from his birth mother. In this book, Gnarly saves Mac’s life!

You have to read them both! They are both available in both print and Kindle, and all the e-book formats on Mom’s website, Amazon, and anywhere you can get books.

Does Lauren have a website?

Sure does. It’s at http://laurencarr.webs.com/.

What do you do while she writes and ignores you?

I often sleep at her feet and inspire her. I really like it when she puts a fire in the fireplace and I can curl up in front of the fire. Since I don’t have as much fur as Ziggy, I get cold easy. I do that when I’m not napping in what Mom claims to be her writer’s studio. She would be able to spend more time in it if she wasn’t always so busy taking take of everyone.

Every now and then to break things up, Ziggy and I will wrestle and play around. Our favorite thing is to go tearing around the house. We have all hardwood floors here so when we get running really fast it can be like skating. I love to nip at the back of Ziggy’s legs and chase him into the living room where he’ll hit the Oriental rug at top speed and slide it all the way across the room and Wham! end with a body slam against the French doors! Then Dad comes in and finds the rug up against the doors and chews out Ziggy for messing up the living room. There are advantages to being the good dog. (ha-ha!)

What do you love most about Lauren?

She’s a softie. I was watching television and saw this old show called Lassie. Lassie would do this thing where he’ll would sit there all pretty and lift up a paw and look so loveable. So, I tried that. And it worked! I’ll lead Mom into the kitchen and perch there in front of the cabinet where the biscuits are and put on the most adorable face, and then I’ll lift my paw. Works every time!

Leave us with some canine words of wisdom.

Always leave room in your schedule for a good nap.

Interview with Prince Jakob, proud owner of author Sharon Kay Roberts

Hey, long time no see! Okay, I admit it. It's been a while since I last posted, but what can I say? I've been traveling the world all summer without a laptop. Okay, it's a lie, but a WHITE lie, I swear! I don't like admiting I've been lazy!

But I'm back and this time with a great interview with a horse, Prince Jacob. His Highness shares his estate with author Sharon Kay Roberts...

So, Prince Jacob, what type of books does your human mom write?

Horse books of course. She sometimes thinks she is knowledgeable about horses. She has written one for tweens and one for teens.

Of all your mom’s books, which one is your favorite?

“Honey, A Pony’s Story, http://www.horse-books-pony-stories.com/horse-crazy.html

Why?

Because my friends and I actually wrote it. Mom loves us ponies and even The Dog, who is obnoxious at best. The cats are OK. But she really isn’t as tuned into what goes on in our minds as she likes to think. Often when she is out scratching and grooming us her thoughts are elsewhere. It took all of us working together to reach her. Even then we had to do it when she was sleeping. I think humans are the only species who are not evolved enough to use the morphogenetic fields at will. So we had to slip into hers while “her logic” was turned off.

What’s with your name? Did Sharon choose it?

Yes Mom did name me.

What has that done to your self esteem and what does that say about her?

I am Ok with my name. Prince refers to my heritage as a United Kingdom Shetland Pony, which I am very proud of. We UK Shetlands have shared the life, love and toils of our humans for many years. Mom has a grandson named Jakob so I believe it is also an honor to carry his name. At least I know that is how she meant it.

Have you read any of Sharon’s other books? Are they really as good as she thinks they are?

While we were sharing Honey’s story with Mom she was thinking of her other book “Olympic Gold for Cat and Toby.” She wrote it for teens. Toby is a fictional horse and so isn’t nearly as interesting as our story of Honey. You might need your friends in the CIA to do a cover-up there. I wouldn’t want to hurt Mom’s feeling, but she doesn’t write as good when we aren’t feeding her the story line by line. http://www.coalition-independent-authors.com/teen-horse-fiction.html

What do you do for amusement while Sharon pounds at the computer all day and ignores you?

I am fortunate to live with six other ponies. We have sixteen acres in rural Arkansas, so we have plenty to do. We have a lot of deer who come in a graze with us. They can so easily jump over the fences, so they get to eat the good grass I can’t reach.

What does your mom do besides writing?

She says she is building a CIA website. She says it is Authors Helping Authors. www.coalition-independent-authors.com

Is she a hermit or does she actually set her foot outdoors? My mom has to be dragged outside.

My Mom is a hermit in that she hates to go to town. She is happiest at home. She likes to spend time with us, take The Dog for a daily walk around the property and dig in the dirt. She plants things that aren’t good to eat, but it seems to make her happy, so I am OK with that.

Does Sharon ask your advice when she’s stuck? Yes she does. Does she even listen?

I think she tries to listen, but sometimes her own thoughts are so busy bumping into each other that she can’t hear our thoughts. I wish she could hear us better, I know she would be happier and more at peace if she did.

Thanks, Your Highness!

Hey, readers, Sharon's Corner Bookstore has horse books to entertain, educate, and enlighten you. Be sure to check it out!

www.horse-books-pony-stories.com

Interview with Jax Mundo, proud owner of Frank Mundo

Say hello to Jax. Jax Mundo (cool name or what?). Jax is a one year-old half shihtzu/half poodle and the proud owner for Frank Mundo, author of a very unique book called The Brubury Tales, a modern version of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in Los Angeles. The entire book is written in poetry, 8,300+ lines of poetry fun--yeah, I'm NOT kidding! Thanks God Jax is here to explain how this situation came about. I mean, come on, people--if you write a book with 8,300+ lines of poetry you must be either crazy or a genius (I'm not trying to be mean, I swear! Let's just say I'm not good at poetry...)

Oh, before I forget: Frank is the LA Books Examiner, so be sure to check out his column!

No more delays! Here's the interview...

Hey, Jax Mundo. Cool name. Who gave it to you?

My humans think that it's important that my name reflects my unique qualities as a member of the Mundo family -- at least that's the official story. The truth is, my full name is Jacqueline, which is nice and all, but I don't like it very much,and I never answer to that name. I'm much morethan an LA canine and I feel I have a lot to offer the world. Not only do I have a degree in Obedience from California State University at Northridge (8 weeks of master classes), I protect our home from outside and other forces that might upset the harmony of our existence. I inspire my humans and encourage them always to be at their most creative -- not to mention my company is topnotch and I'm also an excellent singer -- as long as it's not late at night; my humans get very upset by my late-night singing, for some reason. So Jacqueline became Jackie and Jackie became just Jax, which I really liked and finally accepted as my name.

I hear you live with human writer Frank Mundo. How’s that like? (No sugar coating allowed, buddy!)

Unlike my other human, Nancy, Frank works from home. All day long he sits at the computer writing. In the morning it's tough for me. He starts his day at 5 a.m. and most days I have to lick his face a lot to get him up and working. Throughout the day he tries to pay me some attention, but I can forget all about that if he has a deadline!!! But I understand. He has to pay the mortgage and those deadlines are important. Plus he also writes about books and authors and shares with the reading community all of the cool books events occuring around town at his website -- and that's good, too. Humans should read more. Besides, I have a lot to do, too, during the day. Sometimes I wish I could go with him to his readings, but my job at the home is more important than these events.

What’s this about Frank’s book, The Brubury Tales, a modern version of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales? My mom hated those tales in college—not your human’s, but Chaucer’s!

Well, perhaps your mom hated the tales because they are 700 years old and written in an older form of English called Middle English. As bilingual dogs, we're masters of the nuances of language, and it's difficult for us to go backwards. The cool thing about Frank's Brubury Tales is, although it's an homage to Chaucer's older work, it's a modern version of the story set in Los Angeles just after the riots. All of the characters speak the modern American Englishwe're used to. And it's funny. There are seven security guards working at the Holiday Inn in Downton LA on the graveyard, and they each want the exact same vacation days (probably to spend with their dogs) that only one of them can take. So, to make things fair, they decide to have a story-telling competition for this prize, and that's where the fun begins. They each share their stories throughout the night, battling it out as they fight and get closer and we learn all about their personalities. The best part, you don't have to know anything about Chaucer or the tales to read the book -- although Frank hopes that the book might encourage readers to read the classics and share them with their dogs.

Is there a dog in the book? Then I like it!

There are 13 tales and, even though there's only one tale about a dog, I still like it and I think you will, too. It's funny, modern and the poetry makes me want to sing...Woof woof!

According to bestselling author Carolyn See of The Washington Post and LA Times, "The Brubury Tales is a landmark book, in what is going to be -- and already is -- an exceptional, distinguished literary career." Wow! I bet that went straight to your human’s head!

Yes, it's all we heard about for days -- my goodness. He went on and on and on like a cat or something! But, I guess I understand. After all, it took Frank nine years to write to this book. He worked really hard to make it modern and funny while still honoring the original works. And while he bragged about those comments from Carolyn See, a true literary legend in California writing, Frank knows that he doesn't compare to Chaucer or any of the great writers discussed in the book. No one can compete with these writers. I try to remind him of that whenever he gets a little big-headed.

Why are you essential to Frank’s success?

It's true that I didn't come along until after much of the work on this book was completed. But Frank, like a lot of writers, is a passionate (think moody) person and I know that my love and loyalty calms his nerves and betters his life. Before I came along, he was actually a cat person -- can you believe that?

But I think I've turned him and he's much wiser because of it. I think you'll see it in his newer work. He gives a lot of credit to Nancy, my other human, but really it's me.

Okay, so give us Frank’s blog and website, so we can check it out!

The Brubury Tales is available for purchase online here http://tinyurl.com/2bdxkk2 where you can read a bit of it first to see if you like it. It's also available on Amazon and soon will be available as an eBook, whatever that is. Frank's books website is http://www.examiner.com/x-5892-LA-Books-Examiner where you can read his book reviews and author interviews.

Leave us with some words of canine wisdom.

This is a message for humans. Rescue a dog and he or she will save your life. I promise you, no other friendship will be as rewarding. Can I get a woof woof for that!!

Woof! Woof! Well said!

Chia talks about her human mom, author Smoky Trudeau

Woof! Woof! Say hello to my guest Chia! She's here today to talk about her human mom, Smoky Trudeau, a talented author of both fiction and nonfiction.

Meet Chia...

Chia is a nine-year-old shepherd mix who was rescued from an animal shelter when she was a five-pound puppy. She grew quickly on a steady diet of kibble and puppy biscuits, and now tips the scales at a whopping seventy-six pounds. When not sleeping under Smoky’s desk, she enjoys playing with her squeaky vet and squeaky lamb chew toys, chasing her cat siblings, Beetlejuice and Po, around the living room, and trying to eat lizards while taking leisurely walks through the neighborhood.

(Hmm. Quick calculation here... how much is 76 pounds in kilos. Aha! 34... Darn, I'm fatter than her!)

Chia lives with her family in a ramshackle cottage in the woods overlooking the San Gabriel Valley and Mountains beyond. While she tries to maintain a low profile, the same cannot be said for her human, Smoky. You can learn more about Smoky at her Website, www.smokytrudeau.com; at her blog on Xanga (authorsmokytrudeau.xanga.com), and on Facebook. She also hosts guests on her radio show!

Okay, all this is very sweet, but let's get to the real stuff, Chia. What's with Smoky? Give us the lowdown!

Smoky is deeply connected to our Mother Earth and to all its creatures, and that connection comes through in her writing. Of course, it’s most obvious in her latest release, Observations of an Earth Mage, which is a collection of essays and poems she wrote about her connection to our planet. I helped her a lot in writing that one. I’m in at least three of the essays; we go walking together a lot, along with her male human, Scott. There’s even a cute picture of me in the book on page 73. The entire book is illustrated with more than 50 of Smoky’s beautiful nature photographs.

But her love of nature is also very evident in her two novels, Redeeming Grace and The Cabin. She describes the beauty of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and the Southern Appalachian Mountains like the true earth mage she is. I know this because I heard her read the books aloud to my human grandmother, who can’t see very well, when the books were first published.

Hmm. She sounds pretty good. But is she a good pet owner?

As a pet owner, she’s the best. My kibble dish is promptly filled at breakfast and supper time, and she takes me to the vet every six months. I have toys and two cat companions, although Beetlejuice and Po can be pretty annoying at times.

I can imagine! But really, Chia, one can't expect much from cats...

But then again, they unanimously agreed I should be Smoky’s spokesdog for this interview, so I guess they aren’t all that bad. Of course, it helps that I outweigh them both by about seventy pounds. They don’t argue with me too often.

Tell us more about Smoky's books!

I’ve already told you a little about Observations of an Earth Mage. I features stories and photos of places of beauty and wonder all across the country, from the Great Smoky Mountains of the east to the great deserts of Joshua Tree National Park and Red Rock Canyon in the west, to Yosemite National Park and the tidepools of Big Sur on the west coast. I’ve heard her friends talk about the book; they say reading her stories makes it possible for them to visit these places in their minds without having to step foot outside their front door. I’ve heard Smoky tell people her goal in writing the book was to get people to do that very thing, though: get outdoors and take a hike. I agree with her on that one. I love my walkies!

But she writes fiction, too. Redeeming Grace is her first novel. It’s about a young woman’s struggle to save her young sister from the verbal and physical abuse of their father, a zealot preacher on a downward spiral toward insanity who uses biblical verse to justify his behavior. Grace’s husband, Otto, is struggling over his guilt about an accident that claimed the life of a young woman and left his brother severely brain damaged. Tragedy strikes just as Otto’s secret is uncovered, unleashing demons that threaten to destroy the entire family. Grace has to find the strength to save them all, and in the process find her own redemption.

Redeeming Grace is pretty heavy stuff, but it’s been very popular among readers of women’s spirituality fiction and people who enjoy theological debate.

The Cabin is Smoky’s second novel. James-Cyrus Hoffmann has just inherited his grandfather’s farm in Virginia, and with it a mysterious cabin deep in the woods. When James-Cyrus enters the cabin, he is vaulted back through time to the Civil War era, where he meets Elizabeth, the brave young woman who lives in the cabin, and Malachi, a runaway slave. Cora Spellmacher, his elderly friend and neighbor, begins to unravel the secret of how he is able to make his fantastic leaps back and forth through time. In doing so, Cora begins to hope a tragic wrong from her own past can be righted, and that she can regain something precious that was lost to her many years earlier. When James-Cyrus realizes Elizabeth and Malachi are in terrible danger, he undertakes a daring plan of rescue that promises to rewrite his family history and change all their lives forever.

The Cabin is a really exciting read. People interested in Civil War history, time travel, or just a good read will like this book a lot.

Smoky also wrote two books especially for writers. Front-word, Back-word, Insight Out: Lessons on Writing the Novel Lurking Inside You From Start to Finish is a complete writing workshop in a book. Her other writing book, Left Brained, Write Brained, is 366 writing prompts and exercises to help writers stimulate their muse. Whatever a muse is...I’m not sure. I’m a dog.

What the heck! That is a LOT of stuff and in different genres! You must be proud of Smoky. Of all these books, which one is your favorite?

Well, I’d have to say Observations of an Earth Mage, because I’m in it. But she memorialized my dog sister Chance in The Cabin by naming James-Cyrus’s horse Chance; and my dog brother Chico by having James-Cyrus refer to a little chipmunk as “Little Man.” That’s what she used to call Chico. I thought that was nice of her, to make sure they lived on in her books.

So what's with your name: CHIA?

I like my name! People tend to pronounce in CHEE-a, like those silly things you see on TV. They think I’m a CHEE-a pet, which would have been a really dorky name, don’t you think? But actually, it’s pronounced with a long-I sound: CHI-a. Chia means “shadow” in the Bangladeshi language. And I am definitely Smoky’s shadow! So the name is a really good one. It fits me. And actually, Smoky didn’t name me. Her daughter Robin did. Robin was only ten years old at the time; pretty cool a ten-year-old came up with such an exotic name.

Okay, okay, no need to get defensive... jeez... I admit Shadow is a great name.
Does Smoky let you sit on her lap while she writes?

That would be kind of hard. I’m a big girl! But she lets me curl up under her desk, and she scratches my tummy with her toes while she works. That feels really good.

My mom does the same, Chia. So I can relate.

Interview with Corley, Elizabeth Eagan-Cox's canine companion

Say Woof to my canine guest today: Corley. She's here to spill the beans about her author mom, Elizabeth Eagan-Cox. Take it away, Corley!


“I’m Corley, a half lab, half Sharpei mix. It’s a good ancestry because I have the smarts and loyalty of a Lab and the Sharpei prowess for guarding and protecting. I love to fetch. I love to make doggie angels in the snow and in summer I love to swim in the creek. And I love our bed, it’s an air mattress, I have my own sleep number, it’s 35! Another number I like is 7, ‘cause that’s my age in people years.

"I hate free-loading animals, like the raccoons that come into my yard.
Rah-erh! You better watch out coons, I’ll get ya!

(I can relate to that, Corley--I hate the rabbits in my backyard. They pretend they're so cute and fuffly. It's all an act!)

"I’m the proud dog and BFF of author Elizabeth Eagan-Cox. She’s my Mom and she writes paranormal mystery novels. Her books have dogs in them, I think this is due to my influence over her. You can learn more about us on my Mom’s Web site: http://www.ElizabethEaganCox.net”

So, Corley, what’s with your name? Did Elizabeth choose it? What has this done to your self-esteem and what does that say about Elizabeth?

Huh? My name? It’s an Irish name. Whadda ya mean, what’s with my name? Can’t you pronounce my name?

It’s C-O-R-L-E-Y. Here, I’ll make it easy for you. It’s CORE , like an apple core, then LEE, like, well, I don’t know, um… like the name LEE. A Long time ago, it was MacCorley.

It’s a good name, a really good name ’cause I have my very own street. Yeah, for rea,l I do! There’s a picture of the street on Elizabeth’s Web site. It’s a proud name and it makes me feel proud! ‘Cause, well, I was adopted. And my Mom (okay, you should call her Elizabeth, but to me, she’s my Mom) wanted to make me feel special, she said she gave me the name of a street named for her great-grandmother Elizabeth Corley.

I’ve got the best name ever, because I’m the best dog ever! My Mom said it was a special name for a special dog, ‘cause, well… this is a secret, I chose my mom, she didn’t choose me. You see, it happened like this…

A puppy caretaker named Zara had taken me and my sibs to this big adoption day at a mega-giant pet supply store. And I told my sibs: “Hey, look cute, put a sparkle in your eyes, this is a great opportunity to put your best paw forward!”

I knew I could pick out the best mom for me. There we were in this little pen and I looked up, and W-O-W, it was like in a dream, there she was: my mom-to-be was walking down the aisle rolling a big basket with a huge bag of puppy food in it. W-O-W! Like magic, ya know. I jumped up and almost cleared the pen, but I got stuck, that’s when she saw me. She came over and picked me up and then I heard her say to Zara: “This is Corley, I just know it is.”

The rest of the day was a blur. We went for a long ride in a JEEP, a real JEEP, and when we stopped, we were home, in a place that is another world, maybe another planet! Mountains and forest! Trees are everywhere! Yippee! I’m a mountain dog!

So…uh, about my name…it’s a legendary name and was meant to be for me, ‘cause I’m special, I know this ‘cause my Mom told me so.

That's quite a story, Corley! Tell me the truth… is Elizabeth as disciplined as she said she was in her last interview?

Yep, she sure is, and then some! She works so hard, by the end of the day, she'’s the one who’s dogged tired. That’s when I’m super appreciated. I do things to make her laugh. Like when I told her she shouldn’t feel bad for not making up our bed, because “Mom, our bed is not messy. Uh-uh! Our bed oozes with doggie-lover’s ambiance!” Or I’ll ask silly questions like: “Mom, how come you have only two boobs and I have eight?” HA! We always laugh at that question.

Does Elizabeth plot like a madwoman or just write ‘down the bones'?

My Mom plots like the dickens, she does. A madwoman, you ask? No, not at all, more like a mad dog. She gets this crazy look in her eyes and starts to foam at the mouth, a real Cujo. She reminds me of a bloodhound on the scent of a criminal. ‘Cause ya know, it’s takes that kind of determination to turn an ordinary book into a page-turning murder mystery!

This reminds me of the time I stole my mom's piece of pizza... she started foaming at the mouth too...

Psst… if you want to know the secret to my Mom’s plotting strategy, well, she uses recipe cards to keep all the twists and turns straight! People think she’s writing food recipes, when actually she figuring out how to murder someone. My Mom is sly as a fox.

My mom uses index cards!

What’s the best part of having an author as a mom? The worst part?

Well, some times during our work day, we sneak down to the bedroom, kickback on the bed, switch on the TV and watch reruns of the Sam and Dean show….uh wait, wait! That’s not the real name that’s our code name for Supernatural. Yeah, Supernatural. Mom can’t decide whom she likes best, Sam or Dean. But me…most definitely, I’m a Sam girl! WOOF! I’d do a lab dance for Sam, cause, ya know, I’m part lab.

Hmm…the worst part? Well, when we go out for walks, I get sooo annoyed when people stop us and yakity yak about a book that they’ve written and they want my Mom to read their manuscript and blah, blah, blah. Those are the times I pretend I’m a boy and I mosey up to the wannabe author and ever so slowly I lift my leg! You should see the look on their face! Mom pretends to be shocked and pulls me away and then I take the lead and we get outta there, fast! So ya see, even the worst part can have a good part.

Will you be boasting to your other pet friends about this interview? Do you think they’ll be able to take it?

Boast…uh-uh, but I will do a lot of barking. Mom promised me she would too and she said we would tweet about it on Twitter! Though, it would seem to me that Twitter is just for the birds and I don’t think birds will give a hoot for what a dog has to say. And she promised I could howl at the moon about it. In fact, she said I could bay like a banshee and she wouldn’t stop me. And, Mom said she would talk about my interview when she goes on the radio. Boy-oh-Boy, my Mom does lot of radio appearances. I’m waiting with baited breath (hmm, make that bacon breath) for my interview to hit the cyber waves.

Will my pals be able to handle my celebrity status? Oh sure, why not. Now my foes, they might get their hackles up, but I don’t care and besides, the only real foe I have is Crabby Rose (that’s not her real name, it’s really Abby Rose), the cat that lives here. She’s just a cat, and a sour puss… whadda she know, anyway! Cats drool and Dogs Rule! WOOF!

Thanks, Corley! Good talk, girl!

Interview with Teddy, proud owner of author and model L.E. Harvey

My guest this week is Teddy the cat (no, he's not named after a teddy bear, you people, but after Roosevelt!). teddy shares his home with author and model L.E. Harvey, who's written a number of novels in the suspense, mainstream and romance genres. Check out her website and blog. You can also find her on twitter and facebook.


BIO: “Teddy Roosevelt” is a Maine Coon that was found homeless and dumped in Las Vegas, Nevada. His outgoing personality quickly won over the heart of contemporary fiction writer, L. E. Harvey. He is the youngest of the four felines and one canine Harvey household. Bold and outgoing, he is more than happy to discuss his life with his fellow felines, a canine, and a crazy writer.

What’s with your name? Did Lauren choose it?

Yes, Mommy Lauren named me Theodore Aloysius Satan Roosevelt Cuprillowitz Rocker, III. Ummm…As far as my self-esteem goes, I try not to let it get to me. I figure that many names must make me memorable!  What it says about her is that she has too much time on her hands if she can give me that many names. I mean, I was supposed to be Theodore Roosevelt, and she turned it into that! Clearly, she needs to get out more!

I agree! Tell us, is your mom as stable as she looks in her website photo?

No. Mommy Melinda thinks that Mommy Lauren doesn’t look stable in that picture any way. Regardless, she is anything but stable! She sings and dances around the house a lot. And she holds one-sided conversation with me and my other siblings. That’s not normal, is it?

Not if she does it hours and hours. I agree that's odd. But then most authors are weird!

Writer’s block… yeah right! The fantasies lazy writers come up with! What excuses does Lauren give for her procrastination?

She blames us a lot. She always complains about taking care of four cats, a dog, a three year old and cleaning the house takes away from her writing time. I don’t get it. I mean, all she does is feed us, clean the litter box, let Yankee (my doggie brother) in and out of the house (I still don’t understand why), pick up our fur balls, and play and feed with the little girl. That’s not much!

My mom uses similar excuses... Does Lauren let you sit on her lap while working at the computer?

No. I’m not allowed near the computer at all. Neither of my Mommies like my gifts of mouse and computer wire pieces. They say I destroy their computer equipment. I call it art.

Will you be boasting to your other pet friends about this interview? Do you think they’ll be able to take it?

Oh, I am absolutely boasting about this. I mean, I have three cat brothers, a cat sister and a dog brother and I was the one to spill the beans! My oldest cat brother, Chantico, is going to be really jealous. He thinks he rules the house. Little does he know, it’s all about me! 

That's pretty evil for a cat named Teddy... Woof!

Interview with Tigger, proud owner of Chelle Cordero

My guest today is a kitty named Tigger. He shares his home with romance and suspense author Chelle Cordero. Also with two other cats (see below right). Tigger is here today to spill the beans on Chelle...

Tell us, Tigger. How did you come to live with Chelle?

My mom, Chelle arrived at the Animal Shelter in Pomona, NY one day in September 2008 where I had just been dropped off a few days earlier. She had some 2-legged family members with her and they were quite noisy coming into the room where I was sleeping – actually I was imprisoned behind bars!
I heard them come in and began waving frantically for rescue. Chelle heard me and saw my paw signaling to her. I heard her talk with Mark (my
dad) about my age, I was three years old then, and they said I needed “saving”.

I was really thankful and made sure to cozy up to them in the
“acquaintance room”. They started the paperwork to adopt me… but before I could get them to make our great escape, they picked out two kittens to come home with us as well. (Actually I’ve grown pretty close to my new brothers.)

Why did she name you Tigger? Is she a Winnie de Pooh fan?

Tigger was the name on the cage where they found me – the people I lived with before had called me that. I was told they had to give me up because of allergies, it was a bummer. But good things came out of it and I
am very happy being here.

What's it like living with Chelle?

I think it’s pretty great living here. Chelle is “My person” and I’ve made that pretty clear to my brothers, Mario and Luigi, and the other two-legged residents here.

Mom and Dad have always had feline family members and I’ve seen lots of pictures of my past brothers and sisters – the house is fairly well broken in for comfort. We get served our meals twice a day but there’s always water and crunchies if we feel like snacking ‘round the clock. And we have our own bathroom downstairs with two litter boxes so we never have to wait. They also buy us toys and play with us a lot.

I hear she writes books... Tell us about them.

She writes a lot! Sometimes she gets so busy and I try to help her, but I get a lot of typos on the keyboard. I do send a lot of her emails though, that’s easy, I just hit the mouse on her desk for her – unfortunately I don’t always wait for her to finish typing her email.

She writes mostly romantic suspense – quite steamy! (I’m neutered so I don’t really understand about all that) I’ve heard that the love stories are very deep and a lot of people enjoy reading them. Let me see if I can remember all of the titles – Bartlett’s Rule, Forgotten, Within the Law, Courage of the Heart, Final Sin, Hostage Heart and her most recent
A Chaunce of Riches. Final Sin is a murder mystery.

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

I would feel better about her books if she had a nice cat or two in them…

I’ve changed my favorites a few times with some of her newer books. Right now I think I am partial to Hostage Heart. The hero, Ryan, is not the man that the heroine, Deanna, thinks he is, and that really makes the story interesting. Also Hostage Heart is post Katrina and Ike and Chelle did a lot of research into that since much of the action takes place down south. Just
reading it really makes me want to meow with a southern drawl. Just recently author and editor Carolyn Howard-Johnson named Bartlett’s Rule by Chelle to her Top Ten Reads list of 2009! It’s a really good book with a story that is well worth telling.

Authors are pretty busy... does she have time for you?

She always manages to make time although sometimes I want more. I think Chelle originated the attack-hug and she even purrs at me. I like it when she scratches my ears.

Since she has a home office, I try to “go to work” with her every day. Sometimes it’s a very long day and we are both so tired at the end of the day. I love the commute though!

Are you allowed to sit on her lap while she writes?

I let her type at my desk. Actually it started out as hers but I sort of took it over. I have this one favorite spot to curl up right under her desk lamp so I feel all warm and relaxed. Chelle keeps a small bowl on the desk and a bottle of water so when I get thirsty I can have a drink of
water – it helps me think when we are trying to work out a story plot.

Does she have a website and blog?

Yes, yes and yes. Chelle has a very nice website at http://ChelleCordero.com and she has an author blog at http://ChelleCordero.blogspot.com. Everyone can read about her books and all
of the other websites she is involved with. They also can see how to connect with her on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

Chelle also offers a weekly online writing course available with a Kindle subscription called Living, Breathing, Writing (http://bit.ly/pILcG). She gets down to the nitty-gritty of writing and being a professional writing. Her weekly articles are full of great tips and she always offers
writing prompts and exercises – I love it when she lets me try out a writing prompt or two.

Thanks so much for letting me talk about my mom, author Chelle Cordero. I think she’s kind of purr-fect.

Thank you for spilling the beans, Tigger!

Interview with ConneryBeagle, proud owner of Doranna Durgin

Happy New Year, everyone!

What a great way to start the year...

My guest today is doggy blogger ConneryBeagle, faithful companion to award-winning fantasy author and wildlife illustrator Doranna Durgin. ConneryBeagle's blog can be found at http://connerybeagle.livejournal.com/ (way to go, dude!). His mom, Doranna, has published numerous books... just take a look at her website. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the interview!


Here's a little about ConneryBeagle, in his own words...

My name is CONNERYBEAGLE.

Well maybe not. Maybe that's what mymom calls me when she says, "I love you, ConneryBeagle!" My special name is CH MACH Cedar Ridge DoubleOSeven CD RE EAC EJC CGC. That means I took a CANINE GOOD CITIZEN test, and I showed off my handsomeness in the BREED RING and now I do a little obedience, a lot of rally obedience, and a LOT of AGILITY! When I got my MACH, mymom went running around the ring like a crazy person with me, and the whole trial stopped and everyone CHEERED. And then I qualified for the 2010 AKC Nationals. BAWHSOME!

What's it like living with an award-winning author who's published over 20 novels? What do you do while she pounds at the keyboard and ignores you?

I sleep on her feet. I sleep on Belle's head. I inspect the yard for stinky things. I put squeaky toys in her lap. I put them on her KEYBOARD. I yodel at her. I sit behind her and I put my paw on her leg to remind her it is time to do TRAINING THINGS.

I can do that for a VERY LONG TIME.

I heard she won the 1995 Compton Crook/Stephen Tall award for the best first book in the fantasy, science fiction, and horror genres. Did the award go to her head?

I am NOT THAT OLD. I am not that old by LOTS. So she has the same head she had when I got here. But she HUGS THAT BOOK a lot. She keeps its cover on her wall--it is the new cover from the new publisher, and it is BIG. I don't know if it went to her head but it WENT TO HER HEART.

So you're on the cover of her latest book? How did that happen? Did you threaten her at gunpoint? (that's what I did).

Mymom made the first book with DALE the veterinarian and SULLY the BEAGLE before I was here. She said it was a VERY CLEVER cover but the dog was from the wrong breeding. She looked at me and she squinted and she said, "You don't look like Sully Beagle, really. You don't have a blaze and you are almost two inches BIGGER. But you a LOT CLOSER than STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY." Then she stood on a chair with a big camera and told me to SIT and made LIFE EXCITING so we played the BAWHing game and there I am.

Tell us about your mom's mystery series with a vet and a Beagle? That sounds like something my mommy would like to read!

Mymom goes "hee hee hee!" ALL THE TIME when she writes about Dale and Sully. I think she likes them. She likes Flagstaff where the people in the books live--we lived there for most all the time I have been alive--and she likes writing with animal things. That is convenient since Dale is a vet and Sully is a BEAGLE. Sully isn't supposed to be me. "There is only ONE ConneryBeagle!" is what mymom says. But maybe we both do some BEAGLE THINGS. Sometimes when mymom writes these books I think she has a little bit of BEAGLE in her and that is why they are FUN. But she cares about the people in the books and sometimes she sniffles for them too.

Okay, so I sniffed around your mom's website and saw the photo with her LONG, LONG hair... Is it true she cut it and send it to Locks of Love? What was that about?

SHE DID THAT. It was very long. It was down past her BUTT. But Flagstaff is wind, wind, WIND. So she was sad but she cut it off, and decided it would feel better if she sent it to LOCKS OF LOVE for children who have FORGOTTEN HOW TO HAVE HAIR. And she did.

Doranna also works with horses and with other dogs. Do you ever get jealous of them?

Maybe. If I didn't know I was the MOST IMPORTANT. I might. But I am. Right?

I heard you keep a blog. Tell us all about it!

It is my LIVEJOURNAL and it is at http://connerybeagle.livejournal.com. I have ALWAYS HAD IT. I have friends there! Sometimes Belle visits. She thinks more about what mymom is doing. She giggles a lot, too.

Thanks for stopping by this side of the woods, ConneryBeagle!

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!

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!