What was your life like before your author started pulling your strings?
Although I almost died during the first weeks of my life when I was caught up in the swirling waters of Hurricane Katrina, I was fortunate to be rescued by Mother Blair. Unlike her son, the rat who Sarah was married to, Mother Blair doted on me. Thanks to her, I lived a life of luxury. When she died and her son had to take care of me, I feared for my safety and well-being, but the rat did one decent thing in his life – he conned Sarah into taking me in. Although she had no experience with Siamese cats, or pets of any kind, she immediately gave me love and security. That’s why it was a joy, when we found out about them, to be able to share with Sarah the good things Mother Blair’s will provided for my well-being.
What’s the one trait you like most about yourself?
Isn’t it obvious? I love the fact that I’m confident and therefore have no fear of being in control of any situation.
What do you like least about yourself?
Nothing. I’m simply purr-fect.
What is the strangest thing your author has had you do or had happen to you?
The strangest thing happened in the first book, One Taste Too Many, when my author had Sarah and me pretend that I was a different cat. My author was only trying to protect me, but it was weird being called a different name, given a physical description that obviously didn’t match my natural beauty in terms of color or characteristics, and being described as dependent on Sarah and my “real owner” for everything rather than being my natural independent self.
Do you argue with your author? If so, what do you argue about?
From day one, my author and I agreed that I would be a “real” cat. Consequently, I don’t talk, have mental thoughts, or do anything a Siamese cat wouldn’t do. However, I’m the alpha character in our house. Occasionally, my author thinks Sarah should control a situation rather than deferring to me. When that happens, I dig in until my author, and of course, Sarah, come around to seeing things my way.
What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is that my author won’t continue chronicling my escapades. I love being in a bookstore and having people fall in love with me after seeing my picture on the cover of one of the books in the series (Five Belles Too Many, Four Cuts Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, and One Taste Too Many). At the moment, I’m excited about the cover for Five Belles because it not only showcases me, but it let’s people know about the chaos that occurs when a New York TV show comes to Wheaton, Alabama to film Southern belles competing to win a perfect Southern wedding.
What makes you happy?
Although I have everything I could want, I’m particularly happy at night when I cuddle up next to Sarah. My warm body nestled into her legs or the small of her back comforts her, but being truthful, it makes me happy, too.
If you could rewrite a part of your story, what would it be? Why?
This is a hard question. Obviously, it was frightening to be caught in the swirling waters of Hurricane Katrina, but if that hadn’t happened, I would never have ended up in Mother Blair and eventually Sarah’s lives. There was a period of time in One Taste Too Many when Sarah had to give me up to her greatest nemesis, Jane, but as bad as that was, I got a lot of satisfaction out of tormenting Jane and of course, eventually coming back to live with Sarah. Perhaps, if I could rewrite a part of my story, it would be the times I’m unable to protect Sarah from the repercussions of her amateur sleuthing. Unfortunately, I’m not always with her when she gets into a pickle. I have nine lives, but I’m not sure if she does.
Of the other characters in your book, which one bugs you the most? Why?
At times, the character that bugs me most is Fluffy, the dog Sarah rescued. He follows me everywhere and constantly defers to me, all of which makes me very happy to be the alpha animal in our household, but there are times I’d rather not share Sarah’s time with her. For example, in Five Belles Too Many, while Sarah spends a week chaperoning her mother as a Southern Belle contestant, we’re forced to spend a lot of time home alone or with Sarah’s twin, Chef Emily. The small periods of time Sarah is able to spend with us would be nicer if she didn’t have to pay attention to Fluffy, too.
Of the other characters in your book, which one would you love to trade places with? Why?
There is no character that I’d like to trade places with. I have wealth, comfort, love, and confidence. All the other characters are scrounging for something – a new restaurant, job security, true love, or simple happiness. Nope, wouldn’t want to be any of them for even a moment.
Tell us a little something about your author. Where can readers find her website/blog?
I love Debra H. Goldstein. She’s a little shy but has a great sense of humor. She’s done a good job of bringing Sarah, a woman who finds being in the kitchen more frightening than murder, and me alive. You can learn about Sarah and me through the five books in the series, and about Debra by going to her website. Her personal blog, It’s Not Always a Mystery, features Debra and various friends every other Monday. She also blogs for The Stiletto Gang, Writers Who Kill, and Booklovers Bench.
What's next for you?
Next Tuesday, I’m excited to announce that Five Belles Too Many, which is available for pre-order, will be formally released. It is one of my author’s favorite books in the series, and I’m partial to it, too.
A Sarah Blair Mystery, Book 5
Whoever thought a sixty plus year old bride-to-be competing for the perfect Southern wedding would need a chaperone? But no, the television show’s rules require all five of the Southern Belle finalists to be chaperoned at night. Because Sarah Blair’s twin works nights at her restaurant and Mother Maybelle doesn’t want to inconvenience any of her friends, Sarah is “stuck” with the task.
It's bad enough juggling her day job and taking care of her own furry pets, RahRah and Fluffy, while on chaperone duty, but the show contracted for rooms for the Belles and their chaperones at her all-time nemesis, Jane Clark’s, bed and breakfast. Mother Maybelle assured Sarah that she could survive the few hours a night she’d have to be at Jane’s Place, especially since she’d be sleeping, but Maybelle didn’t take into account she and Sarah finding the show’s producer lying dead in the front hall with Jane, blood on her hands, bending over his body on the first night of their stay.
In the last year, Sarah unraveled several murders in Wheaton, Alabama, but she has a dilemma. Sarah hates Jane. Jane is the bimbo who broke up Sarah’s marriage, forced her to go from a life of luxury to an efficiency apartment, tried to steal RahRah, the Siamese cat that was the only thing she got out of her marriage, and has been a consistent thorn in her side, but Sarah doesn’t think Jane is a murderer. One part of Sarah wants to ignore Jane’s plea for help, but her loyalty and fears for her mother’s well-being prompt her to get involved before Mother Maybelle or any of the other contestants are permanently eliminated from the competition.
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Thanks so much for having me today. I mean, let's face it, how often does a cat get to tell his side of things?
ReplyDeleteDebra, we should discuss a play date for Rahrah and Catherine the Great.
ReplyDeleteCould we leave them with Anastasia's mother-in-law?
ReplyDelete