Meow there and welcome, Charles. I understand you are featured in the great Library Lighthouse mystery series by Eva Gates, the pen name of Vicki Delaney. As a library cat myself, I find this very interesting and would love to learn more about you and these books. Can you fill me in?
I star in the Lighthouse Library series. By Book or By Crook, Booked for Trouble, and Reading Up A Storm, from Penguin/Random House. They are cozy mysteries – cozy, like me. The Lighthouse Library series is set in a library situated in the Bodie Island Lighthouse near Nags Head, North Carolina. When Lucy Richardson, the new librarian, arrives to begin work and to move into the apartment over the library, it’s up to me to take care of her, show her the ropes, keep her from getting into trouble. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to do much of the latter.
Meow Wow! What a furry coincidence. I’m also a library cat and originally my main character lived in an apartment over the library, too. It wasn’t in a lighthouse, though. That sounds so interesting. My author is currently working on a lighthouse novel set in South Carolina, but it’s not a cozy mystery. It still has two cats in it because Debbie can’t help but include them. We seem to have much in common.
Are you based on a real cat such as your author’s? If so, please give further details.
(Sush… my author is more of a dog person. Shudder). I’m hoping to change her mind.
MOL – Meow Out Loud. My author pre-furs cats, but she has nothing against dogs. In fact, my co-star animal in our Cobble Cove books is Fido, the golden retriever. He actually gets more prime parts than I do in my opinion.
Can you share an excerpt from one of your books that features you in an important scene? Something that will get tails swishing.
“Lucy?” Watson said. “I asked who’s Stephanie?”
“A friend of Lucy’s,” Butch put in. “From Raleigh, she said. I didn’t think much of her.”
“She… uh….she’s uh… She’s visiting her mom who’s a friend of Bertie,” I said.
“Does this Stephanie have a last name?”
“I didn’t get it,” Butch said.
“Stanton,” I said. “Same as her mom. She has her mom’s name and not her father’s because…” A gaping chasm opened in front of me. I managed to stop myself before I fell over the cliff and blurted everything out.
“What relevance does that have?” Watson asked. I didn’t like the look in his eyes. He was too darn perceptive.
“None,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. “None at all. Why until last night she didn’t even know…”
I practically jumped out of my skin as the entire returns shelf fell over. Books flew everywhere. The shelf, just a cart on wheels, crashed into the circulation desk, and The Joy of Cooking, easily three inches thick, hit the back of the computer monitor. The monitor wobbled and Connor, who was standing closest, leaped for it. He reached it in time, but his foot slipped on a magazine and his legs spilled out from under him. He fell to the floor in a heap, where he lay wide-eyed and startled, amongst scattered books and magazines.
At the sound of the crashing cart, Watson and Butch had whirled around. Watson was reaching into his jacket, and Butch’s hand lunged for his hip.
“Don’t shoot,” Connor said plaintively.
Butch reached down, grabbed Connor’s hand and pulled him to his feet.
Only I saw Charles slip out from under the overturned cart, carrying a small blue and white ball in his mouth. He tossed the ball to one side, leapt up onto the arm of my chair, and gave me a self-satisfied smirk. I gave him a hearty pat. Extra kibble for you tonight, buddy.
Mice excerpt. Lots of action, and I can just visualize that cart crashing down. What fun!
What do you like most about your role in your authors’ books?
The grace and charm I bring to the lives of the staff and patrons of the Bodie Inland Lighthouse Library.
Worthy causes indeed. I mingle mostly with the Cobble Cove library staff; and, in my new book coming out on October 12, they’ve even given me my own room accessible through the upstairs staff lounge. Since the room has that pawsome invention, a cat flap, I am still free to wander. In Between a Rock and a Hard place, I am also the main attraction at childrens’ story times.
Are you a talking cat in your books or just a silent one like I am who just meows occasionally?
I let my actions speak for themselves.
Always the best policy for us cat characters.
What advice would you give other cat characters?
It takes time and patience when dealing with foolish humans, but I have found that the results can be worth it.
So true, Charles.
Do you have any new books coming out? Please give dates and details.
I have decided to retire. The Lighthouse Library series fell victim to the “great cozy massacre” at Penguin. I have, however, been giving tips to Moriarty the shop cat in Vicki’s new Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series (look for Elementary, She Read in March, 2017). Moriarty doesn’t seem inclined, so far, to pay attention. Just between you and me: I don’t trust him. Vicki has a new book coming out in the Year Round Christmas series, We Wish You a Murderous Christmas, on Nov. 1st. No cats, alas, just Matterhorn the Saint Bernard puppy.
Oh, so sorry about that. Sometimes my owner is glad she publishes with small publishers. Our next book is coming out by Solstice Publishing, and we are both very happy with them so far.
Are you and/or your author on social media? If so, please list your links.
https://www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor/
@vickidelany
@evagatesauthor
Thanks for chattering with me today, Charles, and best whiskers on your retirement. Good luck also to your author on her upcoming books and let her know that I’ll be happy to interview Moriarty after his series releases.
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