Who’s that cute kitty in the bag? I believe it’s another of author Marie Lavender’s cats. As much as I enjoy interviewing character cats, I love to cat chat with the real ones. So, puss, can you please introduce yourself and tell me a little about yourself?
My name is Katerina (Kit Kat or Kit). Have you noticed cat owners love nicknames? It’s rather strange. I’m a black kitty with a lush coat and a few small spots of white. I am a rescue cat too. I lived outside for a long time, but then three years later a family brought me in one winter, exclaiming how cold I must be! I have the life, I tell you. I’m warm when I need to be, and cool when it’s too hot outside. I get to sniff all the strawberries I want (I grew up around a strawberry patch, so I have a lot of memories of that). And Marie loves to give me catnip! Plus, I secretly think it’s funny that I never got declawed when the other two cats had their nails done years ago (before I met them). I am a big tease, and I love it. Sometimes when one of my pet humans gets close to me, trying to reach out and caress me, I run away. Then I come right back to taunt them. It’s a fun game! My favorite place to lounge is the new treadmill. The humans say it’s theirs, but I totally own it. I also get all the scratching pads I want.
You’d think I’d miss my old life, being free and running wild. But, it was really scary out there! I never knew when I’d get to eat next, and dogs and mean male cats would try to attack me. (Shudders.) Sure, there are times when I’d love to visit the outdoors a bit, to chase squirrels and such, but I can still watch them and the birds from the windows. When the humans open all the windows, I get a real treat too!
Sounds like quite the cat life.
Have you appeared in any of your owner/author’s books?
No, I haven’t appeared in one of Marie Lavender’s books yet. It doesn’t offend me, like certain other felines around!
(Lifts a paw.) According to the people in the house here, I squeak a lot. That’s my version of a meow. Occasionally, if I get really worried about something, I’ll start really meowing big time. Like at night, when everyone goes to sleep and I’m suddenly so lonely! Then they know I’m doing the real cat thing, and I mean business.
My author’s cat can be quite loud in the early morning hours, and he certainly doesn’t squeak. I think that’s cute. I wonder if you frighten the mice – MOL (Meow Out Loud).
What advice would you give other cats?
Well, stay sweet so your owners know you still love them. Humans enjoy being flattered. Other than that, know when to stand up for yourself. If you don’t like something that is happening, ‘no’ means no! And use your claws if you must.
Claws are a great defense as long as you know when to use them if hissing isn’t effective enough.
Can you tell me something about your author, Marie’s other books? Can you share an excerpt from the latest?
Marie is very talented! I can tell because of how hard she works on every book. She spends a lot of time polishing each novel before putting one out. Not to mention all the effort she puts into blogging and promoting. She wears me out, just thinking about it! So, I won’t.
Did you see that?…I think it was a bug. I need to chase it! Be right back.
So, where was I? Oh, yeah…Marie, right? She takes on the title of ‘multi-genre author’, likely because there is no other way to describe someone who dabbles in pretty much everything. Her latest book is Directions of the Heart, a modern romantic drama collection. However, because I am such a tease in real life, I’m gonna let you have a sneak peek at Blood Instincts, her upcoming futuristic paranormal romance/urban fantasy novel, also book two of the Blood at First Sight Series. Plus, as a black cat, I am naturally a fan of the supernatural! Here it is:
Oliver shook himself with a reminder that he didn’t need to get involved with her to watch or train the woman. He’d go out with her tonight, but following her might be a better idea after all. Oliver finished dressing and went to the car he’d rented, a Lamborghini Aventador, for the evening. He wanted to celebrate this woman in style, to really treat her right. When he realized how that sounded, he cursed. It was too late to change his plans now, though.
By six-thirty on the dot, when he was sure the sun was low enough to avoiding burning his retinas and skin, he stood at the door to her apartment. Clearly being a practical woman, he knew she’d appreciate punctuality. Absently, he ran a hand through his short hair, then looked down, saw the single rose in his hand and scowled. He couldn’t have made his intentions clearer if he’d tried. Myah would think he was interested, and not just for the short-term. Of course, it was possible that she didn’t know the meaning of flowers as he did, for a single red rose meant ‘life-long devotion and love’. His chest began to ache, and he attributed it to guilt. He didn’t want to use her, he realized, not for blood and not for her body. His libido might disagree, but she deserved…more.
He took a deep breath, and then knocked. A few seconds later, the door swung open. He was still looking down at the bloom in his hand when he caught her scent. His nostrils flared, aware of the heady combination of jasmine and the sweet fluid in her veins.
“Oliver, is everything all right?”
“Yes, it’s…” His gaze swung back up to hers, but didn’t stop there. Oliver took her in like a man long deprived of water.
Tonight, her hair had a fine sheen and was straight as if she’d ironed it. It fell in a line down her back and she’d gone to a little more trouble with her makeup, yet she still appeared natural. She’d done something amazing around her eyes, however, and they really stood out. He wanted to drown in her espresso gaze. How silly, he thought, but then got a look at the rest of her. Her silver earrings dangled down in a marquis pattern. Her neck and the top of her chest were somewhat exposed as she’d squeezed herself in a mid-thigh length black dress with thin straps. The dress was made of soft black lace, causing him to wonder if she wore matching panties as well. Her legs were athletic, but smooth, and he had to stifle the strong urge to drop to his knees and kiss all the way up her perfect thighs. Her small feet were strapped into shining black heels.
“Oliver, did you hear me? Are you okay?”
He cleared his throat, forcing his eyes back to her face. “Ah…I’m fine. My God, you look amazing.” His throat was incredibly dry, and he was aware of a thirst that not only related to her appearance but her life essence. He worked on suppressing the bloodlust.
The blush which moved across her cheekbones was charming. “Oh, thank you. You clean up well too, Mr. King.”
He smiled, then handed her the rose. “This pales in comparison to your beauty, but I wanted to give you something.”
“Oh, it’s lovely! How sweet.” She leaned down, inhaling, and as her nose got closer to the red rose, he thought she made quite the picture. He wished to paint her again; he’d use the brush strokes to really capture who this woman was. When she looked back at him, there was a teasing light in her eyes.
“What?”
She shook her head. “Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Tell me,” he urged.
“I wasn’t sure you were really interested the other night or if you just felt bad for me and did this to appease your guilt.”
He shook his head. “I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t interested. I thought the diner was the way to try to make up for what happened to you, of course, but the more I saw you, the more I wanted to know.” He didn’t add that his foolish, impulsive side didn’t seem to want to listen to anything he told it. ‘No’ clearly wasn’t in its vocabulary.
That pretty blush returned to her face. “Ah…let me put this rose in a vase.”
“Sure.”
When she came back, he saw she’d put on a fine black coat, closing the two buttons in the front as she got to the door.
“Do you have everything you need?”
She nodded.
“Great. Shall we?”
“Of course.” Myah locked up, and they left the apartment building. Outside he led her to the sleek black car with custom red wheel disks at the curb. “This is yours?”
He shook his head. “A rental. It is nice, but I don’t usually drive cars.”
“May I ask why?”
Oliver shrugged. “I just prefer walking, that’s all.”
She stared at him with a strange look on her face for a moment when he opened her door.
“Is there a problem?”
She shook her head and smiled. “Not at all. I am partial to walking as well. But, this car…it’s very fine and appropriate for the evening.”
“That’s what I was going for.” Her cheek dimpled and he couldn’t resist leaning forward and pressing his lips against it. Her face was warm, incredibly soft beneath his mouth, and he had to move away before he did something truly stupid. Such as find out what other parts of her were silky.
Wow, Meow. That was purrfect. I especially like the male character’s name. Oliver is my author’s cat. Of claws, that’s where the similarity ends.
Do you know when Marie’s next book will be out?
I’m just a kitty. How would I know? If I could read a human’s mind, I think we’d all be in a lot of trouble! But I imagine Marie will be informing us in her monthly newsletter, whenever the novel releases. I know her latest book, Directions of the Heart, just came out on July 25th.
Yes, some of her other cats have alerted me to that.
Are you and/or your author on social media? If so, please list your links.
No…at least I don’t think I am! Shouldn’t someone have informed me? Oh, no! What am I going to do?
(Murmurs in the background.) Marie assures me I’m okay. I don’t have unanswered messages to attend to. These are her links, however.
Pawsome. She certainly makes up for your unsocial media presence. No offense. I don’t have a facebook page or that birdie thing either. Just this blog.
http://marielavender.com/
http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender
https://twitter.com/marielavender1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MarieLavender/posts
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10a
Amazon author page: Author.to/MarieLavender
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender
http://marielavender1.allauthor.com/
http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/1578-marie-lavender
http://www.pw.org/content/marie_lavender
http://manicreaders.com/marielavender/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJu8HjRVYCFOqcIoX6ZxdqQ/videos
Great cat chatting with you, Kit. Be careful on Halloween. Flash your white spots, so you stay lucky. Best whiskers to you and Marie. It was almost as fun as playing inside a brown paper bag..
Sneaky The Library Cat's Blog 
Katrina–what a pretty cat! Great blog post–Thanks!
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