Sneaky Interviews Chloe, author Lisa Diaz Meyer’s Kitten

~ Debbie ~ Leave a comment

What a pawsome surprise! My guest today is a kitten, the first one on my blog. She is so sweet. Hi, there, Kitty, please introduce yourself and tell me a little about  yourself.

chloe1Hi Sneaky! It’s nice to meet you! My name is Chloe Anne Meyer! I am a 15-week-old kitten and a newly adopted rescue! I am so happy I have found my forever home with the Meyer’s! My owner is Lisa Diaz Meyer, she likes to write books. She has 2 books out already ALL ROADS HOME AND ALL ROADS DESTINED and when I’m not playing with my favorite toys, I sit by her feet when she’s typing!

What fun! I am a character cat, but I know my real-life counterpart, Oliver and his step-brother, Stripey, also enjoy watching my author Debbie type. They find it just as enjoyable as looking out the window at birds.

Have you appeared in any of your owner/author’s books?

I am not in any books. Yet! But she has told me… because I’m so spoiled… that my personality will be used for a cat character in a future book.

Wow, Meow. You must be excited about that. Tell me more about your author’s plans for you.

I will be in a book of four historical romance short stories. My owner wrote them years ago, but needs to revamp them. They will be considered “clean” romance. Clean and sweet, like mew – I mean me. I am told there will be other animals devoted to their character owners as well in that anthology. A horse and dog for two of the other short stories.

Purrfect. Please keep me posted. I’m sure my readers will love to get their paws on that book. It sounds so good. I’d love to include an excerpt of it when you have one to share.

I don’t have an excerpt ready but I do know my character’s owner will be given “me” as a gift and I become a delightful lap cat to her because she is sad and so far away from her home. While my character’s owner questions her life choices, which most period piece women don’t get, my cat character will be by her side for support. I like that my name will be Duchess, even though I will probably be in book number 5.

Are you going to be a talking cat in your books or just a silent one like I am who just meows occasionally?

I’m just a meow-er. My writing owner thinks only the humans should talk. But I’m sure my actions will show my opinions!

Of claws. What advice would you give other cat characters?

My advice is to be cute, loyal and lovable!

You certainly take your own advice.

Can you tell me something about your author, Lisa’s other books? Can you share an excerpt from the latest?
lisa1I definitely can Sneaky! Right meow, my author/human goddess is known for dark fiction, which means her stories are strange or serious and the endings are sad; twisted. She prefers short stories because it is more fun to grab the readers quick. She also writes poems and short stage plays. Her readers enjoy the post apocalyptic, sci-fi ongoing saga The Outposts. Zaxton and George are the main characters that live on the bombed out world of Outposts. They must be really likable because everyone always asks my author about them!  There are so many other stories,too. She is a multi-genre writer.
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Here is an excerpt from ALL ROADS HOME:
“There’s something about tragedy that freezes a mind, freezes it to a time and place, to who and what mattered just before the incident. Even years later, there’s a tethered rope secured to that blissful moment, that moment before you changed. It becomes your hallowed place and you don;t even know it. You’ll hand over hand yourself over that rope or twine or barbed wire until all that burning and bleeding is nothing but a simple puff of air. Your long and painful decisions, your instant impulses – it’s that first real tragedy that forges you. Tragedy after tragedy, the first one brings you home.”
Chloe, your author is very talented. You must be so proud of her. I know my author enjoys reading her Outpost stories. She tells me she can hardly wait for the next installment. Do you know when that will be?
My owner has her third book all written and ready to send off and is waiting patiently to send it off to the publisher. She is hoping around March 2017 and then it will take three months from there. Give or take.

It’s so hard to wait. My author has also finished our third book, but it takes a few months for editing and publishing.

Are you and/or your author on social media? If so, please list your links.

My owner/author so far is on social media. She might make me a facebook page because I am so pretty and adorable. Here are her links:

Website: http://www.lisadiazmeyer.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaDMeyer 

FB: Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/LDMeyerAuthorALLROADS/

Mice. I was thrilled to get my own blog. Just keep batting your pretty eyes at her and make your request. She won’t have the heart to turn you down.

It’s been really fun having you here, and best whiskers to you and Lisa on your books.

chloe2Thanks, Sneaky. Can we play now? I’d love to chase your tail, and I’m really good at hide and seek. 

Actually it’s my naptime, Kitten. These interviews knock me out, but I’m sure your humans will satisfy your abundant energy. Have fun!

 

Sneaky Presents a Friday the 13th Feature Film

~ Debbie ~ 2 Comments

Here’s a short film I thought I’d post in honor of Friday the 13th. Of claws it features a black cat. Even better, Elsie is a real life library cat. Don’t worry that she’s crossing your screen today. She’s only after your mouse, MOL (Meow Out Loud).

The best thing about Friday the 13th is that the next day is Saturday. Have a great weekend everyone (if you make it until tomorrow). I get my sense of humor from my author. She’s a mystery writer.

Sneaky Interviews the Cats from The Winery at Marjim Manor

~ Debbie ~ Leave a comment
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Slinky and Pewter, winery cats at Marjim Manor

Wow, Meow. I have some very special guests here today. They’ve come all the way from a winery in Appleton, New York up near Niagara Falls. I’ve never been to a winery, and the closest I’ve come to imbibing anything alcoholic is when Alicia gave me some catnip as a treat. My author, Debbie, once gave her real life cats a bottle of catnip champagne on New Year’s. That must’ve made their whiskers real tipsy.

As a departure of my interviewing a cat character from a book, I thought speaking with these felines from the winery would be of interest to my readers.

I’m happy to introduce my guests, Slinky, Pewter, and Skipper who are littermates and Tootsie who is also part of the family. Their owner and significant person is Margo Sue Bittner.

Hi, there Kitties. Thank you all for joining me on my blog today. Please tell me about the history of your winery, its name and where it’s located and also how long it’s been around and if it has a a website.

(Slinky said): The Winery at Marjim Manor opening in August 2004. We are located in Appleton, NY right along Lake Ontario, about 40 minutes from Niagara Falls.  We do mostly fruit wines because the owners husband, Jim, grows tree fruit: apples, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines. (Margo and Jim makes Marjim).  Our website is www.MarjimManor.com. We ship wine all over.

Our winery is haunted and we’ve been on Ghost Hunters. Our owner wrote a book called “The Legend of Appleton Hall” which contains all the ghost stories written about the place. She’s working on the “Real History of Appleton Hall” now. She likes to say her job is pouring wine and telling ghost stories. 

Gosh, that sounds pawsome. How long have you lived at the winery? Besides chasing ghosts, do you catch mice at the winery? 

cats-meow-1
William Shakespeare, rescuer cat, now on Rainbow Bridge, graces a label of the Cat’s Meow White Table Wine of The Winery at Marjim Manor

(Pewter purred): We’ve been at the winery for three years. We lived next door, but when the people moved, they left us and our parents behind. Our parents ran off, so William Shakespeare brought each of us to the winery.  He and Meshuganeh took good care of us until they crossed the rainbow bridge. Tootsie was found at a neighbor’s house. The lady was very sick and called us when Tootsie showed up on her porch.  Mom took her in.

We love to catch mice, moles, snakes.  Mostly, we leave them at the back door for Mom to find.  Slinky even caught a squirrel once.

Great backstory, and I love the adventures you describe with the wildlife in your area. Getting back to the winery itself, what type of wine does it produce? 

(Skipper answered): We make mostly fruit wines and have won many gold medals.  The Cat’s Meow is a dry white; Katapalooza has lots of cats on the label and is a sweet blend. Cherry Concerto; Pear Made in Heaven, Applely Ever After are other wines. Some wines tie into the ghost story: Shubal’s Sunset, Sophia’s Sunrise,  Lord of the Manor, Lady in the Window.  We sell the wines at the winery, at farmers markets, at liquor stores and ship to many states.

oliverwine
Debbie’s cat, Oliver, makes a handsome wine label cat.

Purrfect. I also heard the rumor that my author’s cat, Oliver, was put on one of your labels. Is that true?

(Tootsie meowed): Yes. Our owner thought Debbie would enjoy that. She also sending her the bottle of wine with Oliver’s label. 

I’m sure she will. Too bad I can’t get my photo on a label, but I’m only a fictional cat. However, since Oliver and I are both handsome Siamese boys, we bear a remarkable resemblance, so it’s the next best thing. 

What do each of you like most about living at a winery? Are there any special events that your winery sponsors during the year?

(Slinky  replied): People come and visit us. They like our Facebook page (The Cats of Marjim Manor). Some friends bring us treats like catnip pillows and snacks.  The local SPCA came here to take a picture for their calendar.  

(Pewter commented ): Also, our winery has 100 windows with big, wide window sills. It is so much fun to lie in the sun.

(Skipper responded): We do wine and food pairing dinners. Ours are murder mysteries: Glo Knight and the Seven Gnomes, Mall’s Fair in Love and War (all the stores are euphemisms for being drunk); Three Sheets to the Wind (A circus), and about a dozen more. We do three a year.  We also do Victorian Teas and craft classes.  We put out enewsletters with different themes: all our events, about the wines, about the murder mysteries, about the Victorian Teas, even birthday and anniversary ones for customers.

(Tootsie added): We are also part of the Niagara Wine Trail and do events with the other wineries.

What fun, and I love Pewter’s description of the windows. They have a spot for me  on the bay window of the Cobble Cove Library’s Children’s Room, and Debbie also has a bay window in her kitchen where her cat, Stripey likes to sit. Oliver prefers the enclosed outdoor room that has large windows in front of which he can sun and watch the birds from a safe distance.

How did it come about that you got your photos on the wine labels? 

(Slinky explained): All our wines have fun names. Mom likes cats. Then she found out that wines with animals sell more. Once we figured out how to personalize the labels, we started changing the label a lot. The owner’s daughter, Janet works at the winery and she takes care of that.  We do have one wine with a dog on in: True Blue. It is a blueberry wine. Jim likes dogs, so we had to be fair and give him a wine with his dog on it.

MOL (Meow Out Loud). I can relate to that. I have a dog co-star in my books, and I plan to interview some dog characters, too, if any are interested in appearing on my blog. After all, you can’t play animal favorites, although cats are the superior species. Even a fictional feline knows that.

Do you know any other cat wineries or wines with cat labels on them? 

(Pewter put in): Another winery on our wine trail has cats on the labels. Other wineries around here have dogs and horses on the labels.

How interesting. I know there are a lot of animal lovers and, just like books featuring pets are popular, I guess it works for wines, too.

What advice would you give other cats who might want to live on a winery or have their photos featured on wine labels? 

(Skipper advised): Be prepared for lots of love.  Sometimes, you may not want scratchies, then it is OK to sit and pose. People will take your picture.  When the fireplace is on, make sure to stretch out wide so people tell you how cute you are.  If you want to be on a wine label, make sure you pose with your eyes open and sit up tall. Then you get more space.

It looks like Oliver took that advice. I saw the label, and he fills it out nicely.

margo-janet
Margo and Janet

Tell us a little about your owner? You may include her photo if she doesn’t mind. 

(Tootsie told): Margo graduated from Cornell University in 1980. At first she and Jim were dairy farmers then switched to fruit farming. After Jim started selling fruit to other wineries, they thought maybe they should start a winery.  The fruit farm is about 500 acres and their two sons, Kevin and David work there.  Janet works at the winery. She is in charge of wholesale and has the wines in about 150 liquor stores and restaurants. About 30,000 people visit every year.  In the past, Margo was on the local school board and active in PTA.  Today, she is in the Barker Lions Club and is in AM Lockport Toastmasters where she holds the Distinguished Toastmasters degree.  She also participated in American Farm Bureau’s Women’s  Communication Camp and advocates for agriculture.  

Wow, Meow, You all must be quite proud of her. 

(Slinky stated): We certainly are, Sneaky.

I believe you mentioned that your author and the winery are on social media. Can you give the links in case our readers want to follow them? I’m sure Debbie will. She may even want to work a winery into one of our upcoming Cobble Cove mysteries.

(Pewter exclaimed): Of Claws. Here’s the list. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/margosuebittner

https://www.facebook.com/MarjimManor/

https://www.facebook.com/CatsofMarjimManor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoSue

Winery Website: http://www.marjimmanor.com/

Thanks Kitties for such an interesting interview, and best whiskers to your owner on selling lots of Cat’s Meow and other wines from The Winery at Marjim Manor. A catnip toast to you all. Cheers!

 

Sneaky’s News Hot Off the Pawprint Presses

~ Debbie ~ Leave a comment

bignewspicGood morning, folks. It is so cold out here that my paws are frostbitten which makes it hard to type, but I  have some news to share with you.  I just pawed through the Cobble Cove Courier, the local newspaper in our town, and I found a few tidbits of interest to readers of our mysteries.

ccchateditedlgroupeditedFirst, our Cobble Cove character’s Facebook group is growing nicely. The current host, John McKinney, is offering a contest for a reader who submits a photo that might represent him. I don’t want to give away too many hints, but I know John very well. If you’ve read our books, you would be aware that he has dark fur on his head that might have a touch or two of gray, although he’s quite fit and young looking for a man in his mid-forties. He also has an interesting dimple in his cheek that Alicia is crazy about. We cats don’t have dimples. They would get in the way of our whiskers. To join the group and enter the contest, you should click your mouse here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748912598599469/

Another great piece of reporting is that Debbie’s first book in our series, A Stone’s Throw, is being reprinted by Solstice Publishing. Debbie is also nearly ready to also submit the third book of our series, Written in Stone. She is also releasing a romantic comedy novella, When Jack Trumps Ace, in February. This book even has a cat in it, but it’s very different from the Cobble Cove Books. Look for her historical romance, The Seashell and the Stone in Cupid’s Arrow, a Solstice anthology also coming out next month. Of course, you can still pick up the second Cobble Cove book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, that came out in October. This book has been on the Amazon cozy mystery bestseller list and has five pawprint reviews. Keep an eye on this blog and Debbie’s for more information on all her releases. You can also join Debbie’s author newsletter and/or sign up for her blog at https://debbiedelouise.com/. All her books are listed on her Amazon author page at: http://amzn.to/2iVtZu2.

Last, but not least, I have a bit of sad yet hopeful news. Debbie recently learned that a childhood friend passed away in December. She hadn’t been in touch with this man for a long time but, through Facebook, learned of his death. As a tribute to the friendship they shared, because he encouraged her writing even back then, and since one of her characters actually shares his name, she plans to dedicate the new release of A Stone’s Throw to John along with her mother-in-law, Carol, who also is named for one of the book’s characters and whom she had dedicated the original book. Although John never knew Debbie became an author, she can share her work with his family.

That’s all the news for today, Kitties. I’m still seeking interviews of cat characters and, if you are an author of any type of cat book releasing in January,  I would be happy to include it in a new release Cat Book Spotlight. Contact my author and blog assistant Debbie at [email protected] for more information.

 

 

 

Double Feature Friday Film: A Funny Animal Hospital Commercial and Cat Hospital Soap Opera

~ Debbie ~ 2 Comments

TGIF, Kitties. Before I take my weekend catnap, I thought I’d post the Friday weekend film. There are always so many pawsome cat videos on YouTube. Maybe they should have a CatTube. Good idea, heh? Anyway, since I couldn’t choose between these two, I posted both of them. The first one is a commercial and the other a soap opera spoof. Enjoy and have a purrfect weekend.

 

Sneaky’s Interview of Alistair Cat from the Witch’s Cat Mysteries by Delia James

~ Debbie ~ 3 Comments

Hey, there. I’m back. I had a very nice catnap for the holidays, but I’m glad to get digging my paws again into this blog. Debbie is busy editing our third mystery, and I have a new guest to interview.  It’s my pleasure to feature Alistair, Annabelle Ameila Blessingsound Brittan’s cat (phew that’s a mouseful). Their author is Delia James.

Hi, Alistair. Welcome to my library cat blog.  What book(s) have you appeared in? Please list them and their genre.

Familiar_Motives2.inddSo far, two of my books have been released: A Familiar Tail and By Familiar Means.
Are you in a series? If so, please give information about it.
We are.  The Witch’s Cat Mysteries detail how I solve the trickiest, most difficult mysteries in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  The ones that are quite beyond the talents of the local police  Anna helps on occasion.  She is useful for feline to human translation, although she still needs a great deal of coaching.
Don’t they all? I find human characters quite purrplexing, and I believe they feel the same about us cat characters. 
Are you based on a real cat such as your author’s? If so, please give further details.
There is, I believe, in Michigan, a certain gray cat-of-size named Blueberry who is acquainted with Delia and may have stood in for myself on occasion. There is, I believe a photograph.
I would love to see that and so would our readers. Please have Delia send it to us, and I will include it on this post. I love featuring real cats as well as character cats. I’m based on Debbie’s Siamese, and Oliver has even interviewed me-ow truly on this blog.
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Blueberry, Alistair’s real-life look-a-like
Can you share an excerpt from one of your books that features you in an important scene? If so, please include it.
This is how I met my human, from A Familiar Tail:
“Merow?”
The cat on my driver’s seat tucked all four of its paws underneath its belly. He (or she)
was a solid, smoky gray color, with a surprisingly delicate face and bright blue eyes. Somebody had given him a matching blue collar with a silver bell, but I couldn’t see any tags. I also couldn’t see any sign that she (he?) planned to get out of my car any time soon.
I looked at the cat. The cat looked at me. We both blinked. “Shoo?” I suggested.
  The gray cat yawned, displaying a curling pink tongue and a whole lot of very white teeth.
I folded my arms. “All right. What do you want?”
The cat blinked his (her?) slanting blue eyes at me again. It looked uncomfortably like he/she was waiting for me to say something sensible.
“Okay. We’re gonna do this the hard way.”
I lunged forward as if to make a grab. With a rolling growl of feline contempt, the cat flowed away from my hands. Victory! Or so I thought, until I realized the cat was now pressed against the pavement, under the Jeep, and right beside my front tire.
I swore. The cat hugged asphalt and put his ears back.
“Hey. Everything okay out here?” called a man’s voice from behind me.
It was Sean the bartender. He was strolling out from the Pale Ale, wiping his hands on a side towel.
I sighed and sat back on my heels. “I seem to have a cat.”
“Yeah, you sure do.” Sean bent down to peer under the Jeep. He smelled of lime and a little of whiskey, which would have been nice if I was paying attention to such things. “Hey, you know what? That might be Alistair under there. Alistair?” He held out his hand and spoke in that gentle, coaxing tone used by people who were comfortable around animals. “Hello, big guy. You got half the town looking for you, you know that?”
Alistair, if that was the cat’s name, was not impressed. He just pressed his belly closer to the asphalt and glowered at the impertinent human.
“Who’s Alistair?”
“Oh, he’s a local legend.” Sean rested his elbows on his thighs. “Alistair the ghost cat of Portsmouth.”
“Seriously?” I thought about how he’d been inside my locked Jeep just a minute before, and felt a small shiver creep across my neck.
“Seriously,” answered Sean. “His owner died, maybe six months ago, and no
nobody’s been able to lay hands on him since. Whenever anybody gets close, he just..” Sean made a hocus pocus gesture. “Disappears!”
“Well, I’m seeing him now, and he doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. How come nobody took him to a shelter or anything when he lost his owner?” I knew, of course, cats were famous for self-reliance. I also knew this was New England. It was only a matter of time before the weather turned too hot, or too cold, or too wet, for anybody’s comfort.
“Like I said you, it’s like he disappears.’s made himself scarce.” Sean straightened himself up, and it was a long way up. “But we can try. See if you can keep him here, I’ll go round up a box, and some towels.” Sean trotted back toward the inn, leaving me to stare at the cat.
“Okay.” I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. Alistair gave another little growl and extended his claws like he meant to dig in. How was I supposed to keep him there if he decided to take off? Then, I remembered my bag of tacos. I pulled one out, tore it in half, and held it toward the recalcitrant feline.
“Here, kitty,” I inched forward. “Puss, puss, kitty, kitty, kitty?”
Alistair, twitched his ears and shrank backwards, clearly unimpressed. I reminded myself that this cat had lost home and owner. He’d been out in the cold for months. Of course he was nervous around strangers.
“Come on, Alistair.” I leaned forward, bracing myself with one hand against the fender. “You’re not going to turn down free food are you? I warn you, Martine won’t like it.” This time, Alistair stretched his neck out to sniff my offering. He sniffed again. He
took a tentative lick of taco. This was followed by a much more enthusiastic lick, and a nibble. I found myself smiling. I reached out and rubbed him between his ears.
Alistair nibbled and licked at the brisket taco, I noticed the smoke and silver color of his fur, the delicacy of his face and the way it contrasted with his rounded belly and hindquarters. If I’d had to guess, I would have said he weighed in at fifteen pounds of
surprisingly sleek feline, maybe more. What breed was he? And how was he keeping himself fed? He didn’t have any of that ragged, desperate air of an abandoned pet.
“So what’s the answer, big guy?” I held out my fingers so he could lick off the last of the taco sauce. “Huh, Alistair? What’s been keeping you out in the cold?”
Alistair lifted his face and gazed at me with those slanting baby blues.
And he vanished.
Wow, Meow! Great action and plot. You and your author did a pawsome job on that scene.
Thanks, Sneaky.
What do you like most about your role in your authors’ books?
Purrsonally, I do not care to be brought before the reading public.  I think the books spend too much time on the chaotic affairs of the humans, and not enough on the orderly, sensible lives of the cats.
I agree, but humans like reading that stuff, so you have to satisfy your audience.
Are you a talking cat in your books or just a silent one like I am who just meows occasionally?
My owner understands me, eventually.
ROTFC (Rolling on the Floor in Catnip). I feel the same way.
What advice would you give other cat characters?
Patience, always patience.  Humans require a great deal of guidance and encouragement before they are properly trained.
That is so true, Alistair.
Do you have any new books coming out? Please give dates and details.
The third book, Familiar Motives will be out in September, 2017.
Excellent. I will look for it. I am hoping the third Cobble Cove mystery will be out soon, too. It’s already written and just need to be polished. I’m helping Debbie with that, even if she doesn’t always take my editorial opinion.
Are you and/or your author on social media? If so, please list your links.
My author has a website: www.deliajamesmysteries.com, she is also on Facebook as simply Delia James, and on Twitter, MysteryDelia.  She looks forward to hearing from all my readers.
Meow.
Purrfect. Best whiskers to both of you on your future books, and thanks for being on my blog.

Feature Friday Film: Happy New Year Cats!

~ Debbie ~ Leave a comment

newyearcatsI can’t believe that tomorrow is New Year’s Eve and that Sunday is the start of 2017. Time sure flies when you’re having fun. I’ve enjoyed hosting my own blog and helping Debbie write our books. I’ve met many wonderful cat characters and their authors, and my TBP (to-be-pawed) shelf of books is now overflowing.

I am looking forward to more pawsome interviews and guests. If you’d like to participate, Debbie can add you to my calendar. Email her at [email protected] or me at my own pursonal email: [email protected].

Now for our feature film. Happy New Year’s and Purrs!

New Years News to Purr About

~ Debbie ~ Leave a comment

votecountsHey, Kitties. I’m taking a bit of a catnap over the holidays, but I wanted to share some pawsome New Years news with you.  I also need to ask a favor. Between a Rock and a Hard Place is currently 5 stars on Amazon and has been on its bestseller list for cozy mysteries. Now it’s in the running for Best Mystery Novel published in 2016 in the P&E Reader’s Poll. Can you please vote for our book? All you need do is fill out a short form, paw-check the box next to the book’s title, and fill in a simple robot check (darn those robot checks. They make me want to cough up a hairball). After you vote, you will also need to confirm your vote by clicking on a link sent to your email. Every vote counts, so please share this info with all your mystery-loving friends. Debbie and I would really love to win and would appreciate your help. Debbie’s story, The Path to Rainbow Bridge, is also running in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Short story category. Also, don’t forget her pawsome publisher, Solstice Publishing. They are running in the Print/Electronic Book Publishers category. You can vote in each category and only need to confirm one vote for each email. Voting ends on January 14. Here is the link to the poll: http://critters.org/predpoll/novelmys.shtml

ccchateditedlgroupeditedWhile you’re in the voting mood, there are two other polls you might want to try. They are opinion polls. The first is in the Cobble Cove Character Chat group and ends on Christmas Eve. All you need to do is choose a character who you think would make a good host for the January chat. I’m listed, of claws, but I don’t want to sway your decision. If you’re not familiar with this Facebook group, it’s a fun place where readers can go to ask questions of the characters in the Cobble Cove mysteries. Although there is a host each month who usually offers a prize or giveaway, any of the characters can be summoned upon request. The group link with the poll post linked to the top is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748912598599469/

newsletterlogoLast but not least, there is a survey in Debbie’s author’s newsletter that is going out on New Year’s Day. This poll will help Debbie decide her next writing project for 2017. She is giving away a $5 Amazon gift card to a random person who completes the survey. You need to be a subscriber to participate, and I highly recommend that you subscribe because Debbie offers a monthly contest, book news, excerpts, and other fun features in the newsletter. To subscribe, visit her website and fill out the pop-up newsletter subscriber form. You then just need to confirm the email that is sent to you. If you have any problems subscribing, you can just email Debbie and she can manually subscribe you. The link to the newsletter is https://debbiedelouise.com. Debbie’s email is [email protected].

writteninstoneNow that I’ve got all that campaigning stuff out of the way, I can share my New Year’s news. Debbie has completed the third Cobble Cove mystery that she is calling Written in Stone. I’m happy to report that I have some pawsome scenes in it, but I can’t reveal any of them yet because Debbie still has to edit and submit the manuscript to her publisher. I will keep you posted and hope to feature an excerpt for you soon. The editing process is complicated, and sometimes I want to pull my fur out as I watch Debbie struggle with it. But one thing I’ve learned from being an author’s character is that writers are stubborn and don’t give up easily. Lucky for us. I patiently await the next installment of my adventure and, along with you wonderful readers, give her all the support I can.

Debbie and I thank you for all your votes, reviews, comments, and shares this year. They make us purr and all the fur-strations that go with editing and promoting worthwhile. Have a purrfect New Year!

 

Merry Catmus and Happy Kittendays

santaclaws
~ Debbie ~ 2 Comments

bestseller-badge1Meow readers, it’s Sneaky here waiting for Santa Claws. Of course, my feline counterparts, Stripey and Oliver, will get all the real gifts. I know Debbie has bought catnip toys to fill their stockings, but she’s given me an even better gift. She’s written another Cobble Cove mystery. I’ve seen the first draft of it, and I think she’s beefed up my role a bit but there’s always room for improvement. At least she’s on the right track. Now all I have to do is get her and her publisher to put me on one of the covers. That would truly make me purr. I also heard the great news that our second book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, was recently on the Amazon bestseller list for cozy mysteries.

Another pawsome kibble of news for you all is that I wrote, with Debbie’s help, a blog article in Dru’s Book Musings. “A Day in the Life of Sneaky Cat” further explains my life in Cobble Cove and how I came to meet Alicia. There’s information about our book and even a contest to win a copy of each of our first two mysteries in ebook form. Check out the post here: http://wp.me/p3nHH-8Mi

One thing you should be aware of is that Debbie is planning to reprint our first book, A Stone’s Throw. I’m sure this version with a new cover and some additions Debbie is considering will be even better than the first. However, this may take some time, hopefully not too many of my nine lives. In the meantime, although the book is currently not available for purchase, Debbie will continue to offer it as a giveaway.

Today, December 22, is the last day you can vote for Debbie as Author of the Year. If I could vote, I would definitely paw this page and choose Debbie De Louise: http://solsticepublishing.com/vote-for-author-of-the-year/ You might also win some prizes just for casting your vote.

ccchateditedFor those that aren’t aware, the Cobble Cove Character Chat event is now a group where you can ask me or any of the other characters from our mysteries questions. Alicia is the current character host and has been posting to the group, but someone new will take a turn in January. I hope it’s me. If not, you can still send in your questions, and I will purrsonally answer them at anytime. To join the group, just sign up at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748912598599469/

Last but not least, I’m hoping to continue more cat character interviews next year. If your author writes cozy cat mysteries or any books featuring a cat character, please have them contact Debbie at [email protected] to arrange an interview for you. Debbie will even consider dog characters, and I will generously allow Fido to take over my blog and interview them.

santaclaws

I will end this post with a special poem I’ve composed. I call it “The Night Before Catmus”

‘Twas the night before Catmus, when all through Cobble Cove,

Not a creature was stirring, not Sneaky or Fido;

The stockings were hung in the library lounge with care,
In hopes that Santa Claws soon would be there;
The patrons were home all snug in their beds,
While visions of catnip danced in my head,
And Alicia with John, and Sheila and Mac,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap-
When out on Cove Point there arose so much chatter,
I sprang from my cat bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a bird,
Tore apart the blinds, and ripped off the cord.
When, with my sharp cat eyes I glimpsed
a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny kittens,
With a little old driver, sporting whiskers and paws,
I knew in a moment it must be Santa Claws.
More rapid than mice his baby cats came,
And he meowed and purred, and called them by name:
“Now! Kitty now! Tiger, now! Ginger Cat,

“On! Max, on! Missy, on! Smokey and Misty;
Up to the library roof-he flew,
With the sleigh full of cat Toys – and some dog gifts, too:
As I drew in my paws, and was turning to prowl,
Down the library chimney Santa Claws came with a howl:
I meowed when I saw him not meaning to lurk,
He hissed at first, then went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a purr,
And licking his whiskers and then all his fur,

He sprung to his sleigh, to his Kits gave a yowl,
And away they all flew, like they’d been swatted with a towel
But I heard him meow, as he continued his trip
Happy Catmus to all, and to all good catnip.