BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--GUEST CHARACTER AUTHOR DEBBIE DE LOUISE'S ABIGAIL NOSTRAN

Today we sit down for a chat with Abigail (Gilly) Nostran from author Debbie De Louise’s Cobble Cove Mysteries.

What was your life like before your author started pulling your strings?

I can’t remember that. Sorry.

What’s the one trait you like most about yourself?

I like a lot of my traits, so it’s hard to list just one. I’m very modest, as you can tell. I also have a great sense of humor, am as curious as a cat, and will stick with my friends through thick and thin, as I’ve stuck with Alicia, the main character of our series.

What do you like least about yourself?

That’s a tough question, too. I guess I’d have to say I take too many risks. I’ve put myself and Alicia into danger by investigating crimes. I can also be too honest for most people because I speak my mind.

What is the strangest thing your author has had you do or had happen to you?

It wasn’t so strange as it was frightening, but Debbie had my son kidnapped in Book 3 of our series.

Do you argue with your author? If so, what do you argue about?

I don’t argue with Debbie. I think she does me justice just the way I am.

What is your greatest fear?

I’m afraid that I might be written out of the books one day. I know that’s unlikely because I’ve become quite a regular character now that I recently moved to Cobble Cove and gotten a job at the library with Alicia.

What makes you happy?

Seeing my sons grow up happy without my crummy ex and being friends with Alicia and John. My new love also makes me happy, but I don’t want to reveal spoilers about him for those who haven’t read the books yet.

If you could rewrite a part of your story, what would it be? Why?

I wouldn’t rewrite anything. I feel I’ve grown emotionally with each book, which is important for us characters to do.

Of the other characters in your book, which one bugs you the most? Why?

I pretty much get along with all the characters. However, if I had to choose, I might say Donald. He teases me a lot, but then again, so does John. They don’t do it in a mean way. They just like to kid around with me.

Of the other characters in your book, which one would you love to trade places with? Why?

I think most people would love to trade places with Pamela because she has so much money, but money didn’t buy her happiness, so I’d rather trade places with Mac because, although he’s had his share of heartache, he remains very optimistic. I absolutely love his reworded quotes, and he also cooks a lot better than I do. The only drawback is that he's a man, and those who know me will tell you that I enjoy being a woman and using my God-given attributes for harmless flirting. 

The only other character I might consider trading places with would be Sneaky, that cute and intelligent library cat, because everyone gives him treats, and he can sleep all day in the sunny window of the children's room. I also like the fact that he's helped Alicia and me uncover clues and solve mysteries. That's not to put Fido down who has also leant a paw in some of our mysteries, but I'd rather be a cat than a dog. Nonetheless, if I had to be one, it would be my own Ruby who is a sweet girl but hasn't shown any aptitude yet for crime solving.

Tell us a little something about your author. Where can readers find her website/blog?

You can find Debbie at her website where you’ll also find links to her blog and various social media and can sign up for her newsletter. 

What's next for you?

I have no idea, but I love surprises. I know Debbie has some plans for Cobble Cove #5, and I’m sure I’ll play a big role in it along with Alicia.

Love on the Rocks

A Cobble Cove Mystery, Book 4

When Alicia helps plan a Valentine’s Day Party at the Cobble Cove library that also includes a surprise for her newlywed friend, Gilly, things go wrong when a mysterious box of chocolates addressed to the director turns out laced with poison.

Although Alicia promised John she’ll no longer meddle in crime investigations, she and Gilly set out to find the person threatening Sheila who murdered the courier of the deadly candy. While Alicia and Gilly are trying to solve this new Cobble Cove mystery, Sneaky is introduced to Gilly’s new kitten, Kittykai, a calico she brought home from her honeymoon in Hawaii. It’s not like at first sight, but the two cats eventually become friends. They also both play a part in foiling the killer’s murder attempts, but will Alicia and Sheila survive unscathed?

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AUTHOR HEATHER HAVEN'S P.I. LEE ALVAREZ ON TOILET TRAINING HER CAT

Heather Haven is a multi-award winning mystery author. Her work includes the Silicon Valley based Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries, the NYC trail-blazing WWII lady shamus of The Persephone Cole Vintage Mysteries, a stand-alone mystery noir, and an anthology of stories. Her latest endeavor is the soon-to-be-released Christmas Trifle, Book One of the Snow Lake Romantic Suspense Series. Today her P.I. sleuth Lee Alvarez stops by to discuss cat potty training. Learn more about Heather and her books at her website.

How I Potty-Trained My Cat

By P.I. Lee Alvarez

When I was a fairly new cat owner, I was struck by the idea of training my cat Tugger to use the facilities instead of the litter pan I tripped over every time I went into the laundry room. It can’t be so hard, I reasoned, even if he can’t work the flusher. After all, I am a Stanford graduate. I am a private detective. And Tugger is a very intelligent, obedient cat. Okay, he’s very intelligent. That’s a start.

After reading a particularly entrancing ad on the internet, I acted. Several days later, I received a pair of steel, reinforced gloves in the mail and a set of instructions that went like this:

Remember, it’s essential to take the upper hand when laying down the law to your cat. You can achieve your goal if your commands are clear and concise. You will be rewarded by an animal who loves you even more for your discipline. Below are three foolproof steps to employ:

1 – Discuss overall goal with self. You must be in total agreement with self on objective and how to achieve it. Keep cat out of room during this discussion. There is no sense in alerting cat ahead of time. They have their ways.

2 – Now relay overall goal to cat before you begin training process. You will find that sitting cat down in a quiet place, void of distractions, and outlining problem is the way to go. They will usually pay rapt attention to you, especially if you are waving catnip about. They may not remember all you’ve said, but it is a bonding experience.

3 –When you see cat doing business in litter pan, carefully lift animal out of pan while wearing aforementioned, patented gloves and carry to facility. Be sure lid is up. Firmly but gently, place back legs of said animal on either side of seat, smiling and chatting casually. Casualness is essential for success. After a few times of using firm but pleasant voice, you will be rewarded with a cat that accomplishes feat on his or her own.

Here are the steps they left out:

4 – Dry self off after cat and you splash about in toilet bowl. Apply Neosporin to scratches on upper arms and face. Clean up poop that landed on new rug while carrying cat from laundry room to bathroom.

5 – Transfer litter pan from laundry room to bathroom, so it will be closer to ultimate goal.

6 – Using ladder, get wet cat off top shelf of linen closet and towel dry. Put more Neosporin on new bites and scratches, bearing in mind you have to break an egg to make an omelet. Although at the moment, you have no time to cook.

7 – Introduce cat to new location of litter pan in one and only bathroom of house. Leave lid of toilet up even though you are a woman and you are used to it being down when not in use.

8 – Clean up cat poop in laundry room done by now confused cat that went behind dryer on your new, washable silk blouse that fell there earlier in the day and you forgot to retrieve. Rewash blouse. Hope claw marks will not show.

9 – Return to bathroom. Because you left toilet lid up, remove rubber ducky and bottle of expensive perfume that fell in when you and cat were engaged in wrestling match. Wash ducky and perfume bottle thoroughly.

10 – To continue training process, stand guard over litter pan waiting for opportunity to catch cat using again. Sleep in bathtub overnight.

11 –Bandage big toe that got stuck in faucet during night. Wash foot that stepped into litter pan as you were trying to get out of tub, overturning litter pan in process. Curse Internet. Curse cat litter. Curse all cats.

12 – Exhausted, track down cat and spy him curled up in bed on top of your favorite pillow, looking like the innocent you know he isn’t, but you realize you love him, anyway.

13 – Stagger back to bathroom. Shut toilet. Refill and remove litter pan. Return pan to laundry room. On knees, scrub down bathroom and use one hundred twenty-five dollar an ounce perfume to help mask odor you believe to be coming from recently removed litter pan. Realizing it is you who smells. Take shower to remove odor and excess kitty litter from hair and body. Put soothing moisturizer on chaffed knees, re-bandage toe, and reapply Neosporin to bites and scratches. Throw what’s left of perfume behind your ears; what the hey.

14 – Pray cat forgets entire 24-hour experience and will resume litter pan usage in laundry room. While you’re at it, pray boobheads that sold you reinforced gloves will take them back.

15 – Crawl into bed next to sleeping, purring cat that snuggles next to you, while you thank God for short memories.

Marriage Can Be Murder: A Mystery Novella

The Lee Alvarez and Gurn Hanson Mysteries, Book 2

Someone is trying to kill Delores De La Vega, an aging but legendary movie star known as much for her looks and numerous marriages as her acting ability. Now an animal activist and fabulously wealthy, she’s about to change her will in favor of the daughter she gave up at birth for adoption, making a claim on her biological mother’s billions.

With a woman as dramatic as Delores De La Vega, it’s all or nothing, so she’s planning to write out everyone else previously in the will. But can she live long enough to make the changes? And just who is trying to kill her? Is it one or all of her many -exes set to be cut out of millions? Or the onsite vet who might be more than a friend? Or is it one of the dozens of staff members, also being rejected in favor of the newly discovered daughter? Lee and Gurn, the Nick and Nora Charles of Silicon Valley, find no lack of suspects when death stalks a Portola Valley animal sanctuary.

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