Those Furry Friends #7

ADA BELL

Ada Bell has loved mysteries most of her life, so it was only natural that this would be the genre she wrote in. From the classics like Nancy Drew and Scooby Doo to Psych and superheros Ada has found her reading heaven. Add in a bit of cake, and you have one happy writer! Her own series include Shady Grove Psycic Mystery and Haunted Haven.

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Emma is thrilled to come into her legacy: not only has she inherited stacks of money and a mansion, she’s got magic! Everything is coming up roses until she finds her new chef dead in the kitchen and her other employee accused of murder. If she can’t find the real killer, this haunted haven might never open for business.

Who is your protagonist’s sidekick?

Pink is some kind of magical being, although the specifics aren’t clear. He used to assist Emma’s grandfather when he was alive. Emma inherited Pink along with the haunted mansion and the magic. He’s a black cat, despite the name, and refuses to spell his name with an exclamation point in homage to the singer.

What role does the animal play in the story?

In the first book, Pink’s role is largely as mentor. Emma doesn’t know what she doesn’t know, and he helps point her in the right direction on more than one occasion. He also uses his magic to assist when necessary.

Does your animal help or hinder your sleuth?

As Emma’s familiar, Pink is supposed to help with her powers. Said assistance is sometimes given in the form of snarky comments, but his magic has gotten her out of a sticky situation or two.

Give us 1 example of the interaction between your main character and the Fury Sidekick.

“Did you want to go in, or should we stare at the house all day?” the cat asked. “If we wait long enough, those clouds should open up and get us nice and soaked.”

That’s right. My new cat talked. It unnerved me a bit, at first, but I was getting used to it.

“Remind me again what you’re doing here?” I asked.

“I’m your familiar,” he said primly. “You need me.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” I said. “And why is a black cat named Pink?”

“My prior partner loved nineties music. And irony.”

“He should have named you Alanis,” I muttered.

“Don’t start,” he said.

Is your book part of a series, if so, tell us about the series.

After years of drifting through life, never feeling like she belonged, Emma has finally found her home. With the help of her ghostly grandfather and magical cat, she’s running a home for people who need a place to go. Unfortunately, she keeps finding herself dragged into murder investigations.

Give the readers a hint of what’s to come for your character in future books.

Emma is learning about her powers and working to expand them in every book. Pink is somewhat of an enigma. She knows he’s a cat. She knows he is much older than cats usually get, and she’s observed some interesting magic. With each new story, Emma discovers a bit more about what each of them can do.

Victoria LK Williams

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Those Furry Friends #6

K.E. O’CONNOR

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/stores/K.E.-OConnor/author/B08KTLJP12

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/keoconnorauthor

www.keoconnor.com

K.E. O’Connor has several cozy /paranormal cozy series; Witch Haven Mystery series, Crypt Witch cosy mysteries, Lorna Shadow ghost mysteries, Holly Holmes baking mysteries, Zee Town paranormal cosy series and the Old Sarum mysteries series. Karen is from the United Kingdom and has received degrees in Archaeology and Cognitive Evolution.

Welcome to the magical mystery of Crimson Cove. A spellbound town full of puzzles and twisty turns. If you love charming magical towns, a cast of lovable characters, and plenty of twisty mystery, you’ll love the Magical Misfits whodunnits. Every Witch Way but Ghouls is book one in the series.

First in Series https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QLF5H6T

Who is your protagonist’s sidekick?

Zandra Crypt is Juno’s sidekick witch. Juno is a magical talking cat and leads the mysteries in this series!

What role does the animal play in the story?

Juno is the boss! She’s an ancient demi-goddess who was trapped inside a cat. She’s got hundreds of years of experience (which doesn’t always make her right.)

Juno leads on the investigations, much to the annoyance of the angels who are supposed to maintain law and order in Crimson Cove.

Does your animal help or hinder your sleuth?

Juno is the sleuth. She’s usually helpful but can get distracted when hunting squirrels or keeping her witch safe.

Give us 1 example of the interaction between your main character and the Furry Sidekick

Taken from Chapter 1 of Every Witch Way but Ghouls!

A small black blur shot out of the hedge and whacked the side of Zandra’s head.

I launched into the air, my claws exposed and a murderous growl shooting out of me, but I was a second too late. The hedgehog pinged off Zandra’s cheek, leaving behind several poisoned quills.

She went to touch her face, but I sprung up and knocked her hand out of the way. “Get on the ground. I’ll extract the quills before the poison spreads.”

“But… the hedgehog! It’s getting away. This is as close as we’ve ever gotten.”

“Down! Now! If that poison gets into your system, you’re toast.”

Zandra dropped to her knees, and I hopped my front paws onto her shoulder and grabbed each quill between my teeth, yanked it out, and spat it on the ground. It must have hurt, but my brave witch didn’t protest.

She grimaced as the last one popped free. “You done?”

“One more thing. Think sparkly, happy thoughts.” I latched onto the side of her face and sucked the poison from each hole.

Zandra shrieked, since there was nothing I could do about my fangs, so she got a few extra holes in her face. But poison bested cat fangs, so she’d have to endure the pain.

Only when I was certain the foul taste of rotten eggs was no longer present on her skin did I stop sucking.

Zandra gingerly touched her swollen cheek. “I know I should thank you, but that burned like dragon’s breath after a spicy curry.”

I licked her cheek, then trotted off and lapped from a slushy puddle to clear the foul taste of poison from my mouth. By the time I was done, Zandra was pulsing a healing spell over her cheek. It took a few minutes, but the swelling faded and the holes closed.

“I see now why Barney doesn’t want to deal with these hedgehogs himself.” Zandra got to her feet and brushed dirt off her knees. “Or maybe this is hazing. All the new recruits get the lousy jobs to see if they can handle the pressure.”

“Barney wouldn’t do that to you. He’s a gentleman.”

“The others might.”

Zandra often reacted like a startled, magically enchanted hedgehog in circumstances she found uncomfortable. She’d fling out prickles and verbal barbs when trapped in an awkward situation. And when she’d met the rest of the team in animal control, things had been a little strained.

“They’ll come around once they get to know you.” I wound around her legs several times until she let out a sigh and petted me. “And although I’d rather these hogs were in their cages safely under lock and key, I admire their spirit. They’ve beaten us for days.” I walked along beside Zandra, sniffing the ground and hoping to find a fresh hedgehog trail.

Zandra scooped me up and settled me on her shoulder. “I sort of agree. We need a new approach, though. This stealth tracking isn’t working. The hogs must be able to hear us approaching. Even your delicate paws cause a vibration.”

“What do you have in mind?”

Is your book part of a series, if so, tell us about the series.

Every Witch Way but Ghouls is book 1 in a (so far) 7 book series. The Magical Misfits Mysteries features Juno – a talking cat. A special cat with magic. A cat who is not what she seems. She is so much more than a witch’s talking familiar.

Juno has a secret she’s hiding under her fluffy paws. A life-changing secret for her and the witch she’s bonded with.

To reveal that secret, she must teach her witch, Zandra Crypt, how to believe in magic, trust her strengths, and work with others to ensure the magical community of Crimson Cover remains safe.

But where there is power, there is danger, murders, and puzzles.

Can this plucky cat help her witch and solve the problem that’s been keeping her trapped for decades? The Magical Misfits Mysteries will answer this twisty problem for you.

Give the readers a hint of what’s to come for your character in future books.

Will Juno ever reveal her big demi-goddess sized secret to her sidekick witch? And what will happen when she does?

And what about her lost fluffy snuggle buddy, Sammy? Why is he being so strange?

And… will Juno evert catch a squirrel??

Newest Book in series https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BSLLP6LZ

What great covers! I just love the white cat, unexpected in a world of black cats and witches. I hope you will enjoy Karen’s series and don’t forget to check out her other books.

Victoria LK Williams

Those Furry Friends #5

WENDY NEUGENT

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5LPGSPT
The prequel to the series is free. Gotcha! is the story of how Olivia finds and
adopts Chico, the parrot character in the series.
Here is a link to Gotcha! https://wendyneugent.com/free-book

Wendy had one of the most interesting jobs, and perfect for collecting data for her cozy mysteries. She as part of an award-winning magic act performing on cruise ships all over the world! Can you just image the people she met in her travels? Her clean cozy mysteries also have an unusual furry (feathered) sidekick-a talking parrot. So grab a box of crackers and get ready to meet Wendy Neugent and her Cruise Ship Mystery series.

Who is your protagonist’s sidekick?
Olivia Morgan is a cruise ship magician. She adopted a talkative Amazon parrot named Chico and incorporated him into her act. Chico loves to sing, is always ready for a snack, and gets grumpy when his nap is interrupted. Chico is full of personality, has a delightful sense of humor, and is my favorite character to write.

What role does the animal play in the story?
Mostly Chico is there for the snacks. 🙂 He loves his treats. Chico is a very chatty parrot and often gives Olivia a clue that leads her to a revelation about the murderer.

Does your animal help or hinder your sleuth?
Chico is an excellent judge of character and has very strong opinions about people. Sometimes it takes Olivia a while to figure out what Chico knows quickly.

Give us 1 example of the interaction between your main character and the Furry
(feathery!) Sidekick.

Chico adores Olivia and her best friend Hayley and loves doing tricks and singing with them. Chico comforts Olivia during stressful times and is a super cute partner in crime. If Chico tells you that he’s “a good, good boy” watch out, because he’s probably causing some kind of trouble.

Is your book part of a series, if so, tell us about the series.
My series, ‘The Olivia Morgan Cruise Ship Mysteries’ is inspired by the 10 years I worked on cruise ships when I was in my 20s to early 30s. Many of the people that work on cruise ships are larger than life characters in real life. They inspired me to make the international cast of characters in my books. I also write bits from adventures I had while on ships, excursions I took, and favorite things I did while working on ships in my books. I take my readers behind the scenes for an insider look at cruise ship life….. but with more murders.

Give the readers a hint of what’s to come for your character in future books.
Olivia and Chico have a lot of shenanigans heading their way in future books. Chico will be busy keeping Olivia safe and out of trouble so she can keep him supplied with treats.

Wow! Cruises, magic, mystery, exotic locations and a talking parrot. This looks like a brilliant series to start.

Victoria LK Williams