Welcome today’s guest…Elysa Hendricks and her latest release… MUST LOVE CATS – The Nine Lives of Thomas Cash Riley – Book I
Blurb:
Thomas Cash (TC) Riley is mad, bad and –dead. Killed in a one car wreck the twenty-nine-year old playboy is given one last chance to redeem himself for living a selfish, unfulfilled life and to determine his soul’s final destination.
To help his young daughter recover from the loss of her mother, Daniel Bishop, a widower who dislikes the country and is allergic to anything with fur, has moved back to his wife’s rural hometown to be close to her large family.
Katherine Sinclair, the local veterinarian and the single mother of an adventurous ten-year old son, is wary of the handsome newcomer. Once before she’d given her heart to a wealthy, charming man and she’d ended up pregnant and alone.
With the help of a lonely little girl and a brash young boy, can TC find a way to bring these two damaged people together? Can he remember his past and save his soul in the allotted time?
And can he do it all as a cat?
Excerpt:
Daniel stood by the counter with a can of beer in his hand. He glanced at me then at the untouched cat food on the floor. “Not hungry?”
I walked over to the disgusting stuff and gave it a whack with my paw. The bowl flipped, spilling the congealed lump onto the floor with a wet splat.
“Guess you don’t care for that brand.” Daniel grinned down at me then grabbed some paper towel, wiped the mess away and tossed it in the trash. “Can’t say I blame you. I wonder why cat food is so . . . aromatic. You cats are supposed to have a more sensitive sense of smell than humans, and I think the stuff stinks.”
Maybe there was hope for a decent meal yet.
“Maybe you’d like some of the dry stuff better?” He pulled a bag out of the pantry and started to open it.
I butted my head against his leg with enough force to knock him slightly off balance.
He looked down in surprise. “Easy there, tiger. You’ll get fed.”
“Not with that crap,” I yowled and grabbed his ankle with the tips of my claws.
He jumped. The bag tipped and fell off the counter. Cat kibble spilled over the floor. I sat on my hunches and glared at the offensive stuff.
“Damn cat!” Muttering under his breath he swept up the kibble then grabbed up his beer. “Now you’ll just have to wait until I have a drink. It’s been a long, hot, difficult day.”
Condensation beaded on the can. I watched as he lifted the can to open it. My mouth watered at the thought of an ice-cold beer sliding down my parched throat.
Remembering my frustration from earlier, I couldn’t keep myself from grinning.
He lowered the can and regarded me curiously. “Well, not all of it was bad. Kat’s a great woman. Beautiful. Caring. Funny. Smart. After the scare with Alana we all had fun. I can relax and be myself with her in a way I never thought possible.” He pressed the can against his forehead. “I just don’t know if I’m ready for a relationship yet. It’s been less than a year since Hannah died. It feels disloyal to consider being with another woman. And that’s if she’d even have me.”
He leaned back against the counter. “Which do you think is more selfish? Pursuing Kat? Or keeping the status quo? Alana likes her. A girl needs a mother. But do I need a woman complicating my life?”
In order to accomplish my mission, I knew I needed to help him find the answers to his questions, but even as a man I doubted I’d have had the right words, the right answers. As a cat I couldn’t begin to offer advice. I ground my teeth is frustration.
He shook his head. “Look at me. Talking to a damned cat.”
“Cat?” I mewed in affronted protest. All the sympathy I felt for the man evaporated. I waited.
He popped the tab. The eruption was just what I’d hoped for. Beer spewed upward, drenching his face and chest. My satisfaction was short-lived. He jerked the can out from his body and beer cascaded down over me. With a squawk I bolted up, but not before I was covered in sticky foam.
On Sale for .99 at Amazon through September:
http://www.amazon.com/Must-Love-Lives-Thomas-Riley-ebook/dp/B00FXCWTHW
Giveaway:
Print copy of STAR CRASH and a mystery gift. (Shipping to US only. If the winner lives outside the US an ebook version will be substituted.) (Comment to enter)
And now, let’s get to know Elysa…
What was the most difficult thing about writing this book?
Writing MUST LOVE CATS – Book I of The Nine Lives of Thomas Cash Riley was so much fun I barely remember the usual angst I suffer when writing a book. I got to put myself not only into the mind of a man; I also delved into what it would be like to be a cat.
I’ve been an animal lover all my life. I’ve owned or been owned by all variety of furred, feathered, and scaled creatures. Cats are a particular favorite. People who are not owned by a cat might find cats aloof, but we feline-loving folk know better. While dogs bound into our lives and hearts, giving us their love and devotion with fearless abandon, cats are more selective. We have to earn their trust and respect before they allow us to be their support staff.
I’ve always said that if I come back after I die I want to do so as someone’s pampered pussy cat. MUST LOVE CATS is my take on what it would be like.
MUST LOVE CATS is a contemporary fantasy about a man who, in order to redeem his soul, is reincarnated as a cat and tasked with helping two damaged people find love.
Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and how do you like it?
In my bio I describe myself as a writer, a wife, a mother, and a daughter. Over the years I’ve worked many jobs, store clerk, insurance underwriter, video store owner, textbook buyer, writing instructor, daycare provider, and the list goes on. In each of these occupations I found things I enjoyed, but none of them excite me and fill me with joy the way writing does.
What do you want readers to come away with after they read your book?
I’d love for my readers to experience along with the hero and heroine the emotions of falling in love. I want them to laugh and cry, and at the end to close the book with a satisfied sigh eager to pick up my next book and do it all over again.
Would you rather have a bad review or no review?
Though of course a good review is always better than a bad review, any review that explains why the book was (in the reader’s opinion) good or bad is appreciated. One of my favorite reviews for my sexy sci-fi romance STAR CRASH called the book “bad porn.” My question is: How much porn do you have to read to tell the difference between good porn and bad porn. My husband’s answer: There’s no such thing as bad porn. As you can tell, hubby and I have a twisted sense of humor. Amazingly, after that review posted, sales on STAR CRASH went up.
What is your favorite quote?
“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” Somerset Maugham
If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?
An unlimited supply of dark chocolate, paper, and pencils.
What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?
Bear Grylls from Man Vs Wild, for two reasons. He’d take care of the survival part and he’s cute. But, even though he’s not much of an outdoorsman, I’d rather be stranded with my husband.
Your favorite…
Movie – It’s a tie between White Christmas and the original The Day The Earth Stood Still
Music – My favorite song is Margaritaville
Place you’ve visited – Hawaii
Place you’d like to visit (again) – Hawaii
TV show from childhood – Bewitched
TV show from adulthood – Any of the Star Trek series
Food – Dark chocolate
Sports team – Sports? You’ve got to be kidding.
Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? TV
To enter the giveaway, in the comment section answer:
Do you love cats? Why or why not? (Loving cats is not mandatory to win.) Winner will be chosen at random on 9/30/15 from all commenters.
Thank you for joining me, Elysa…I enjoyed the interview. Bewitched was one of my favorite childhood tv shows too! I still enjoy reruns when I can catch them. 🙂
About Elysa:
Bio:
Elysa Hendricks is 5’6” tall. She has brown eyes and curly hair. She’s a writer, a wife, a mother, and a daughter. Everything else is subject to change without notice.
Contact Info:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elysa-Hendricks-Author/137316289643103
Web Site:
Author Alicia Dean 