January | 2020 | Sneaky The Library Cat's Blog

Meow, there! It’s Hermione with a new kitty column. I’ve been a bit busy, but I thought I’d “cat”ch you up on what’s going on in the De Louise house. The exciting news is that Debbie recently won a cat scratching post. When it arrived, we were all curious as to what was in the box.

This

Once the box was open, and Debbie’s daughter assembled the cat scratcher, it was obvious to us cats that it wasn’t any ordinary cat scratcher–it’s a MaxScratch scratching post from Hauspanther.

Harry, Stripey, and I love it. There are lots of great features that we like about it. One feature that’s really pawsome is its top perch. Harry and I enjoy sitting up there. Stripey hasn’t tried the top yet, but he enjoys stretching out and scratching it.

Two other great features are that it has a heavy base so won’t fall over even under my brother and Stripey’s weight, and it’s tall enough for us to stretch out full length.

Since action speaks louder than words, here are me and Harry using the MaxScratcher when we first got it.

I hope you enjoyed learning about the MaxScratch scratching post. If you have cats, they might like one, too. Until next time, Hermione meowing off.

Today, I have a dog guest here. Welcome. Please introduce yourself and your author.

My name is WonderDog. My author is Barbara Silkstone.

I’ve been described as looking like a child’s sketch of the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. I’m guessing he must be a rather handsome wolf, as women can’t resist petting my head whenever they see me. My best friend is Puff, a snow-white cat. My mistress is Lizzy and Puff’s servant is Olive. The two gals are partners in a beachside business called Nonna’s Cold Cream. From what I understand, it’s a special cream that ladies like to smear on their faces. Humans do the silliest things.

You and your co-characters sound very interesting. One day, I’d love to cat chat with Puff, too. What book(s) have you appeared in? Please list them and their genre.

Puff and I have appeared in all six of the Cold Cream Murders. I’m usually the action hero although she’s had her share of adventures.

Excellent. I have a dog co-star, Fido the Golden Retriever, in my Cobble Cove series, too. Tell me more about your series?

COLD CREAM MURDERS—series

When Olive Peroni put out her family therapy sign, she never thought her top client would be the retired head of a New York crime family. When Olive’s Nonna dies leaving her a condo in Florida and a secret recipe for miracle cold cream, Olive grabs the chance at a new life in Starfish Cove, Florida, making designer creams for ladies who spend far too much time at the beach.

But when the quiet little community on the Gulf of Mexico soon begins to compete with a certain notorious coastal village in Maine, Olive finds herself solving odd-ball murders as often as she soothes wrinkles.

Clean, wholesome, and loaded with laughs!

Each book contains a recipe for homemade cosmetics!

GLOSSY LIPS – BOOK 1

SMOKEY EYES – BOOK 2

SOAP ON A ROPE – BOOK 3

SUN SCREAM – BOOK 4

LAVENDER TOES – BOOK 5

GRAMS’ CHRISTMAS BABY – SPECIAL EDITION

Those books sound pawsome.

Are you based on a real animal such as your author’s? If so, please give further details.

My character is based on Lizzy’s rescue hound, WonderDog. He became a bit of a legend on the beaches. Not so much for heroics as for his stunning good looks and total disregard for things humans think important— like not tinkling in elevators.

Meow Out Loud! I love your sense of humor. I was loosely based on my author’s Siamese who has since travelled to Rainbow Bridge.

Can you share an excerpt from one of your books that features you in an important scene? If so, please include it.

SMOKEY EYES – BOOK 2 COLD CREAM MURDERS

This is Olive thinking/speaking. She has a phobia about getting water on her face.

Déjà vu all over again. I remembered Sunday’s disaster like it was yesterday, actually the day before the day before yesterday. I swayed on the edge of the boat gripping the safety line for dear life.

Nancy stood at the steering wheel cackling as she backed out of the slip full throttle. The engine wasn’t powerful but the Very Crabby lurched and I broke into my Cirque du Soleil clown act.

My nose scraped the hull as I hung onto the safety line and looked to see where the Very Crabby was going. She was headed out of the marina—bound for the high seas where the sharks gather.

Lizzy stood on the dock, screaming something unintelligible.

I had to do the unthinkable. Let go and drop into the icky water. I hesitated, steeling myself for the ordeal. Less than twenty-four hours ago I was complaining about the chlorine in a crystal-clear pool, not recognizing Nirvana when I smelled it.

Splashing in, I bobbed to the surface. Alarmed—Lizzy was fifty yards away—I waved to her. I sunk, came up, tried to replicate my semi-swimming success in the pool and sunk again. Then repeated. And repeated again. I was getting dizzy from spitting out foul water. I was definitely losing my sense of humor.

My lightheadedness increased dramatically. I was a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade…floating…floating…Wait! I was floating!

Something was under me, lifting me out of the water. Dolphins sometimes rescue people. Could it be?

My face reached the surface. I coughed out more nasty water. Whatever was beneath me was soft and furry. As I forced my eyes open, a big fuzzy head came up under my chin. WonderDog!

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “You’re my hero!” I said between gasps.

He doggie-paddled me toward Lizzy.

“Good boy!” I whispered.

We were only about five yards closer to the dock when WonderDog began to falter. He didn’t seem to be a great swimmer and I was dragging him down. I couldn’t hold on to him much longer without drowning both of us.

Lizzy freed her foot and hopped up and down on one bare foot and one wedgie waving her arms like an over-caffeinated aerobics instructor. She screamed, “Hey!” over and over, pointing both hands at us with each yell. What was she doing?

A wave washed over me, and something hit me in the back of the head. “Use that for flotation until I can drag you and that mutt in!”

I looked over my shoulder. Jess’s boat rocked and splashed about ten feet away where he’d brought it to an abrupt halt also causing the water to lap into my face.

Ewww! I put my arm and WonderDog’s head on the life jacket that bopped me.

Jess slowly shook his head and tsk-tsked. “I thought we agreed you weren’t going to get into more boat fights.”

Excellent excerpt. Thanks for sharing.

What do you like most about your role in your authors’ books?

I enjoy being a super sleuth along with Lizzy, Olive, and Grams. They need my sniffing skills and thug-pinning jaws. Being needed makes me feel like a hero. In Puff’s eyes I am a hero. The best part of any adventure is cuddling with her after it’s over. When she looks at me with those huge blue eyes, I feel quite proud of myself.

How sweet! Good for you.

Are you a talking dog in your books or just a silent pet like I am who just meows occasionally?

Puff and I don’t have the ability to speak. We use the eye-thing to get our message across. Sometimes it can be very frustrating.

I agree. Pet to human communication can be a bit trying.

What advice would you give other dog characters?

For cats or dogs my best advice is when you sense your human roommate is worried or feeling down about something—a good cuddle can lift their spirits. I envy cats their ability to purr. I’ve seen a good purr sort out an entire mystery.

Great advice. Purrs can work wonders, Wonderdog.

Do you have any new books coming out? Please give dates and details.

I just released Lavender Toes. It will be another two or three months before Book 6 in the series is published. If readers will follow me on BookBub or FaceBook or my NewsLetter they’ll have notice when Book 6 arrives.

I’m sure they will want to do that. All your links and a giveaway are included in the blog tour I’m sharing below. Thanks so much for dropping by, and tail wags to you and your author on your new release.

Lavender Toes (A Cold Cream Murder Mystery)
by Barbara Silkstone

About Lavender Toes

Lavender Toes (A Cold Cream Murder Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Independently Published (December 1, 2019)
Paperback: 174 pages
ISBN-10: 1712435833
ISBN-13: 978-1712435830
Digital ASIN: B0821NHR9V

Someone dear to Olive is found dead—toes up and barefooted—in Digby’s Bees lavender field. Olive and Lizzy team up with WonderDog to find the killer. Digby’s hives are home to the wondrous Soprano bees. The little buzzers are the source of the secret ingredient that powers their Nonna’s Cold Cream—a fountain of youth in a jar.

Finding the killer becomes more of a challenge as the gals protect Digby’s bees from a determined land developer who wants the beekeeper’s farm. The clock ticks as saving the honeybees becomes every bit as important as finding the cousin-killer.

While Olive and Lizzy buzz about, Grams, nonagenarian ace reporter for the Silverfish Gazette, takes on the story of a diamond heist in nearby Sarasota. Can the gals protect Grams from another near catastrophe or can the feisty lady handle it alone?

Help the Cold Cream gals solve the mystery of the Lavender Toes while once again bailing Grams out of trouble. And what about those bees?

Every book comes with a recipe for a homemade beauty product.

About Barbara Silkstone

Barbara Silkstone‘s most current series is COLD CREAM MURDERS ~ GLOSSY LIPS, SMOKEY EYES ~SOAP ON A ROPE. Coming this fall Book 5 in the series: LAVENDER TOES. This series will have at least 6 books when complete. The adventures take place in the imaginary burg of Starfish Cove, Florida ~ a place near and dear to Silkstone’s hometown of Redington Beach on the Gulf of Mexico just north of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Barbara currently lives in Central Florida with her eccentric kitty who adores Liam Neeson and chasing lizards (the cat, not Barbara) 🙂

Silkstone is the best-selling author of both Regency Pride and Prejudice variations, including the popular the MISTER DARCY SERIES OF COMEDIC MYSTERIES ~ PRIDE AND PREJUDICE contemporary variations. All her books are light-hearted adventures based on Jane Austen’s timeless tales of love denied and love discovered. “Feel good” tales to warm your heart.

She is also the author of the Wendy Darlin Comedy Mystery series. Five coffee-snorting tales that combine Cozy with outrageous adventures.

Plus a mixed bag of standalone cozy comedy mysteries: Zo White and the Seven Morphs, Cold Case Morphs, The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland … and more.

Author Links –

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Barbara-Silkstone-Author-156097004489447/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/barbsilkstone

Amazon Author page http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-Silkstone/e/B0047L8A8W

Book Bub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-silkstone

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 13 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

January 13 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

January 14 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 14 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST