Hey, there, pussycats. What are your names and your author’s name?
Hi, Sneaky. We’re Mason and Della. The woman in front of the computer is Lorraine Bartlett.
Mice to meet you all.
What book(s) have you appeared in? Please list them and their genre.
The Victoria Square Mysteries. They’re cozy!
A Crafty Killing
The Walled Flower
One Hot Murder
Dead, Bath and Beyond
Yule Be Dead
Murder Ink
A Murderous Misconception
Dead Man’s Hand
A Lethal Lake Effect
Wow, Meow! You and your author are purrlific.
Tell me about your series.
The Victoria Square Mysteries feature our cat mom, Katie Bonner, owner/manager of Artisans Alley, the anchor of Victoria Square, a quaint business district in the village of McKinlay Mill, New York. (Just west of Rochester.) She’s part of the companion series Life On Victoria Square. We’re indoor cats, so we don’t get to participate much in those stories.
I see.
Are you based on a real cat such as your author’s? If so, please give further details.
Well, we were. Our “real” names were Betsy and Bonnie. (Lorraine based Mason on Betsy.) Bonnie crossed the rainbow bridge 12 years ago and Betsy 7 years ago, but we’re proud they still live through us, Mason and Della.
I was based on my author’s Siamese Oliver who is also on Rainbow Bridge now, but I carry on his legacy in my Cobble Cove series.
Can you share an excerpt from one of your books that features you in an important scene? If so, please include it.
This is from A Lethal Lake Effect:
Katie forced herself not to react. She just stared at Andy with pity. How had she ever thought she’d loved him?
Her lack of reaction seemed to infuriate him, and for a moment, Katie thought he might hit her. Instead, his fist clenched the grease-stained bag and crushed what was left of the calzone before he hurled it on the floor. Then, without another word, he stalked over to the door, threw it open, and slammed it shut behind him.
The cats went flying at the racket, knocking over the glass on the floor and spilling its contents, but there was nowhere for them to go, and they ended up cowering under the love seat. Katie strode to the door and threw the deadbolt. Then she grabbed some paper towels and crouched down to mop up the mess, thankful the glass hadn’t broken. The sudden pounding in her head beat a tattoo. She took several deep breaths before she felt calm enough to address her cats. “I’m sorry, guys,” she said softly, swallowing down a pang of regret. She collected their treat bowls, filled them with their favorite crunchy snack, and set them near them. The cats looked up at her warily.
“Never mind. You can eat when you’re ready.”
Pawsome! Thanks for sharing.
What do you like most about your role in your authors’ books?
We like to think of ourselves as Katie’s anchor. At the end of the day, it’s usually just the three of us. We’re her emotional support, and she’s our emotional support. It works out pretty well. (And we get lots of kitty love and snacks!) We’re on a couple of covers, too. Well, on the versions for the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South African editions of the books. That’s Mason on the covers of A Crafty Killing, we’re both on The Walled Flower, Mason shines on One Hot Murder, and we make the cover for Recipes To Die For, A Victoria Square Cookbook really special.
It’s always nice to be on a cover. The only book of my series that I’m on is Written in Stone.
Are you a talking cat in your books or just a silent one like me, who just meows occasionally?
While we’re firm in our opinions, we can only communicate with our cat mom with purrs, head butts, and the occasional meow.
That’s cool. That’s my method of communication with Alicia, although in my later books I communicate with the other pets in the series.
What advice would you give other cat characters?
Don’t use up your nine lives too quickly.
MOL (Meow Out Loud). Purrfect advice!
Do you have any new books coming out? Please give dates and details.
Yes! We play an essential part in the current book. It’s called A Lethal Lake Effect. Um…lake effect happens during the winter when we get a LOT of snow off Lake Ontario. But this book takes place in May. Go figure! It’s available right now. Here’s a description.
A LETHAL LAKE EFFECT: Things go awry for Katie Bonner when her former mother-in-law, Margo, throws a housewarming party at her lakeside renta,l and one of her guests ends up dead in the water. Maxwell Preston was a devoted husband—and a not-so-great dad. He was a beloved pharmacist who didn’t take care of his ramshackle property, destined to be a hot commodity on Victoria Square when his heir puts it up for sale. But most of all, Pettis was a stranger to the others who attended the party.
Meanwhile, Nona Fiske takes charge of Victoria Square’s big summer extravaganza—a disaster in the making as what little power she’s seized has gone straight to her head. The Davenport sisters have their own agenda, and they’ve not only been poking around to find out more about the dead man but other mischief that’s been going on around the Square.
So, who killed Maxwell Preston and why? That’s what Katie wants to know, and she’s willing to risk everything to find out.
Find out more about the book here: https://lorrainebartlett.com/a-lethal-lake-effect/
Lorraine also writes the Booktown Mysteries as Lorna Barrett. A Controversial Cover comes out on July 16th. You can find out more information about it here: https://lornabarrett.com/a-controversial-cover/
The immensely popular Booktown Mystery series is what first put Lorraine Bartlett’s pen name, Lorna Barrett, on the New York Times Bestseller list, but it’s her talent — whether writing as Lorna, L.L. Bartlett, or Lorraine Bartlett—that keeps her in her readers’ hearts. This multi-published, Agatha-nominated author also pens the exciting Jeff Resnick Mysteries as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square and Lotus Bay Mystery series, and the Tales of Blythe Cove Manor, and has many short stories and novellas to her name(s).
Check out A Lethal Lake Effect on Lorraine’s website, where you can read an excerpt and watch the book trailer: https://lorrainebartlett.com/a-lethal-lake-effect.
Wonderful! I will definitely check it out and hope my readers do, too. I’m also sharing the blog tour below. Best whiskers to you and your author on your new release.
A Lethal Lake Effect (A Victoria Square Mystery)
by Lorraine Bartlett
About A Lethal Lake Effect
A Lethal Lake Effect (A Victoria Square Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting – Victoria Square, McKinlay Mill, NY
Publisher : Polaris Press (June 6, 2024)
Number of Pages: 306
Digital ASIN : B0CYYDN1GH
Things go awry for Katie Bonner when her former mother-in-law, Margo, throws a housewarming party at her lakeside rental and one of her guests ends up dead in the water. Maxwell Preston was a devoted husband–and a not-so-great dad. He was a beloved pharmacist who didn’t take care of his ramshackle property, which is destined to be a hot commodity on Victoria Square when his heir puts it up for sale. But most of all, Preston was a stranger to the others who attended the party.
Meanwhile, Nona Fiske takes charge of Victoria Square big summer extravaganza—a disaster in the making as what little power she’s seized has gone straight to her head. The Davenport sisters have their own agenda, and they’ve not only been poking around to find out more about the dead man, but what other mischief has been going on around the Square.
So, who killed Maxwell Preston and why? That’s what Katie wants to know—and she’s willing to risk everything to find out.
About Lorraine Bartlett
The immensely popular Booktown Mystery series is what first put Lorraine Bartlett’s pen name Lorna Barrett on the New York Times Bestseller list, but it’s her talent — whether writing as Lorna, or L.L. Bartlett, or Lorraine Bartlett—that keeps her in her readers’ hearts. This multi-published, Agatha-nominated author also pens the exciting Jeff Resnick Mysteries as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square and Lotus Bay Mystery series, and the Tales of Blythe Cove Manor, and has many short stories and novellas to her name(s).
Author Links
Newsletter List: http://oi.vresp.com?fid=aee11a8d64
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lorraine-bartlett
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/lorraine.bartlett
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/LorraineBartlett.author/
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LorraineBartlettmysteries/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bartlett_lorraine/
Website: http://www.lorrainebartlett.com
Amazon: https://amzn.to/44njWmo
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4017727.Lorraine_Bartlett
Purchase Links
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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 6 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 7 – Rebecca M. Douglass, Author – REVIEW
June 7 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
June 8 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
June 9 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
June 10 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 11 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 12 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
June 12 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 13 – Boys’ Mom Raads! – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 14 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
June 15 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 17 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 18 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
June 18 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
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