Today on Amberkatze's Book Blog I have a couple of special guests who were kind enough to take some time out of their busy schedule to answer a few questions. Ciara and Shane are the stars of author Jeri Smith-Ready's books Wicked Game & Bad to the Bone.To find out more about Jeri and her books go follow her on Twitter!
Some of you may already be familiar with Jeri's books and/or Ciara and Shane but I am sure some of you out there haven't had the pleasure yet! So enjoy the interview, feel free to leave questions for the guests and make sure you enter the contest to win a great package of prizes!
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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog Ciara & Shane! I think most of my readers already know both of you. Of course Shane is a DJ on WVMP radio and Ciara, you are the brains behind the station?
Ciara: Well, not all the brains.
Shane: Just the brains that are out of the box.
Ciara: That’s kind of gross.
Shane: I meant well.
Amber - So the whole advertisement ploy for the station is that all the DJ's are actually vampires. So lets get the obvious question out of the way already. Shane are you really a vampire? Are any of the DJ's vampires?Shane: You mean really really? (looks at Ciara, who nods) Sure. I’m really a vampire. All of the DJs are. Wink wink, nudge nudge, right?
Ciara: Ha ha.
Amber - While you both have a working relationship I know you are also a couple outside of work. How long have you guys been together? Is it hard working together and having a relationship?
Ciara: It’s been what, a couple years?
Shane: Two years and twenty-five days.
Ciara: Wait, what do you consider our anniversary?
Shane: The first time we kissed.
Ciara: You bit me, then I hit you and threw you out of my apartment. That doesn’t count.
Shane: The second kiss? That would be two years and twenty-four days. Third kiss, two years and twenty days.
Ciara: No no no. Let’s go with the Fourth of July.
Shane: Which had a total lack of kissing.
Ciara: And biting and hitting, so that’s a bonus.
Shane: Fine. One year, eleven months and twenty-two days.
Ciara: What was the other question?
Shane: If it was hard working together and having a relationship.
Ciara: No—we work completely different hours. I’m a 9-5 human and he’s a, well, a late-night DJ. Shane: But when the station has parties and events—
Ciara: Which we do a lot. WVMP is very community-focused.
Shane: —we hang out together at those.
Ciara: And keep our interactions very professional.
Shane: Yeah, you’d never even know we were a couple.Ciara: (pauses) Unless you happened to see us in the alleyway between sets.
Shane: Or in the wine cellar at that one place.
Ciara: Two places.
Shane: Three, actually.
Ciara: It was five. (clears throat) So far.
Amber - About 18 months ago you were both in a bit of trouble. Something about a sect? Maybe you can tell my readers a little about that? Wasn't the story made into a book?
Ciara: Um...well, the fictionalized version—and I do mean fictionalized, because if we ever told the real story we’d be in huge trouble—can be found in Bad to the Bone, which just came out last month.
Shane: Yeah, what’s in the book is not what really happened. We had some problems with a certain group pirating our signal.
Ciara: But in the book it’s exaggerated.
Shane: Highly. Highly exaggerated. No one really tried to set us on fire.
Ciara: And we absolutely did not have sex in the studio while he was on the air.
Amber - Any more plans to write about your lives or the lives of the other WVMP vampires?
Ciara: There are at least two more books coming, but they take place in Spring 2010, so Jeri’s basically just making it all up and then I guess we have to live it, rather than the other way around.
Shane: It makes us nervous.
Ciara: Feels too much like predestination.
Shane: Totally bogus.
Amber - Ciara, I hear you recently got a pet. Was that planned? How does that work out with your schedule?
Ciara: Dexter is my—our—new dog. He was a stray, but a very happy accident. He looks scary, but he’s a complete love bug. Unless you’re a stalker, or a landlord.
Shane: He and I keep the same schedule, so I do most of the dog-walking. He’s nocturnal, like a cat. Except he’s a dog.
Ciara: Um, yeah. I have no idea why that is.
Amber - Shane always dedicates songs to you, Ciara. What I would really love to know is what song would you dedicate to him and why?
Ciara: I would send him “Valentine’s Day” by Steve Earle. He’s one of Shane’s favorite singers. The song is about someone who isn’t very sentimental and sometimes forgets things like holidays and, um, birthdays—sorry—and really sucks at talking about feelings, but…well, here are the lines. I can’t sing, so I’ll just say them:
I know that I swore that I wouldn't forget
I wrote it all down: I lost it I guess
There's so much I want to say
But all the words just slip away
The way you love me every day
Is Valentine's Day
Shane: Wow. That was...I’m...Ciara: Speechless?
Shane: *nods*
Amber - Shane, you, or so the advertising ploy goes, are stuck in the 90's era of music. Who are your favourites from that era and what new bands/singers have you discovered and enjoy nowadays?
Shane: Well, Nirvana’s the obvious favorite. I also love R.E.M., Green Day, Pixies, Nine Inch Nails, and some lesser known bands like Bikini Kill, L7—all the riot grrrl bands, pretty much. I like a lot of punk, of course. When I’m in a more mellow mood I go for Matthew Sweet, Chris Isaak, Joe Jackson, Kate Bush, folks like that. And Steve Earle, like Ciara said. Oh, and Morphine when I feel like getting really low. And Dead Milkmen when things get silly.
You can hear some of my old favorites on my playlist at WVMPradio.com
As for new music, Ciara got me into Flogging Molly and The Killers and—
Ciara: And the Ting Tings.
Shane: You like the Ting Tings, not me. Too bouncy.
Ciara: I keep hoping you’ll forget. But you discovered some cool bands on your own, too.
Shane: Yes, I’m a big boy now. My recent favorites are Dead Confederate, Elbow, and Black Angels. I guess you’d call them psychedelic grunge. Or maybe I just made that term up. Anyway, they’re cool.
Amber - How are you planning on spending the the upcoming months? Any plans for the future?
Ciara: (crosses fingers) I plan to finally finish college after nine years. If Jeri has horrible things in store for me, they better be after next May, or I swear I’m going on strike.
Shane: Strike? How would that work?
Ciara: I wouldn’t show up for Book Four. You and Dexter could carry the story while I go to class.
Shane: I’m not doing love scenes with Dexter.
Amber - When you both have time to relax. What do you enjoy doing? Any hobbies? Favourite TV series/ Films?
Shane: I’m getting a band together, now that I can finally play that Gibson SG Ciara bought me. We’re looking for name suggestions, if anyone has ideas. It’s a cover band, mostly nineties, some eighties and classic rock thrown in. Just for fun, playing local bars and stuff for beer money.
Ciara: Hmm, hobbies. When I’m not studying or working my butt off for the station, I like to read. The more escapist, the better.
Shane: Ciara made me watch Buffy & Angel. They were awesome. Love the dialogue.
Ciara: But we don’t have HBO, so no True Blood.
Shane: We liked the Star Trek movie.
Ciara: Ooh, yeah. Dr. McCoy is my favorite. He reminds me of Franklin. And a little bit of Shane, when he’s had too much coffee, or not enough, you know. The other stuff.
Amber - You are both stranded on a desert island. What 5 things would you both hope to have with you?
Shane: Do we get ten things altogether? Maybe we should discuss it, plan it out and get back to you.
Ciara: I just need three: a boat, a map, and plenty of gas. Shane, you can have my extra two things.
Shane: Can I be on your boat?
Ciara: Of course.
Shane: Then make it six beers and a very dark tarp. So I don’t get, uh, skin cancer.
Amber - A huge thank you to both of you for taking the time to answer my questions. If you want to find out what Ciara and Shane are up to between books then you can follow them on Twitter!
Follow Ciara
Follow Shane
I will now open the floor to my readers! If you have any questions for Ciara or Shane feel free to ask away!
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Contest Time!What can you win? Well the winner will get to choose one of Jeri's books as a prize. Which I will have sent to them as soon as they let me know which one they want. However that isn't all. Jeri will then send the winner a bookplate so the book will be signed, as well as a signed BTTB cover flat and a shiny metal bookmark
with engraved paw prints and quotes about dogs (see picture).
So what do you have to do to win the cool prize package? Tell us about your pets! Funny name, funny kind of pet, interesting story etc. I will leave it up to you guys! But remember - NO Pet = No Entry!
The usual rules apply!
Earn another entry for each place you link this contest on the net. Make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!
You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.
The contest will stay open until Friday 3rd of July 2009 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.
If you are claiming a prize, have emailed me and have not heard back before the 7 day limit is up then post a comment here on the blog. Your email may get sucked into my spam filter.
64 comments:
http://iyamvixenbooks.blogspot.com/2009/06/amberkatzes-interview-with-ciara-and.html
And on WW GDT Booktalk: sorry so flipping hewgah
http://www.weightwatchers.com/community/mbd/post.aspx?page_size=25&rownum=1&page_noHidden=2&threadpage_no=1&sincedate=5%2f28%2f2009+12%3a00%3a00+AM&thread_id=135211460&thread_name=BOOKTALK%3a++The+Original.+Friday+Book+Reviews!&forum_id=1&board_id=2&setview=TRUE&daterange=&viewchange=DATECREATEDDESC
And one more....
http://www.shelfari.com/groups/24743/discussions/128057/Amberkatze-Interview-and-Contest-with-Ciara-and-Shane-of-WVMP
And for the pets....growing up on the maternal grandparents' farm in Kansas, we had all sorts of pets. Along with the usual farm dogs and cats, we had a squirrel (Frisky) and two skunks (Pansy and Petunia). Those last two were orphaned sisters, de-smelled and friendly.
Rags was the best farm dog, sort of a schnauzer. She had a different bark for whatever she found: a snake bark, a possum bark, coyote bark...you get the idea. Grandma Violet always knew which weapon to get according whichever bark Rags had going.
A question for Ciara and Shane: How does one go about getting a WVMP T shirt?
Love the premise of the series and just finished WICKED GAME. Adore Chris Isaak, so the title caught my eye. Thanks for the tune titles for each chapter. Can't wait to read BAD TO THE BONE....love Thorogood, too.
I don't have a pet myself, but my son has this crazy fish. Houdini is a plecostomus. One morning, he woke up and couldn't find him in the tank. Lo and behold, there he was behind the dresser on the floor. Somehow, he managed to push up the lid on the tank and escape. Good grief. We, of course, thought he was a goner, but when we went to get him out of there, he moved. The poor guy was covered with dust and cobwebs from being behind the furniture, so we plopped him into a bowl of water and swished him around to clean him off. Well, that certainly irritated him! Once we got him back into the tank, my son taped the lid down so he couldn't escape again. But every now and then, he will wake up in the middle of the night and hear Houdini bumping against the lid trying to open it. Too funny!
LuAnn: *grin* at the escape artist fish.
My pets are two black cats, Chaos and Mayhem. They definitely live up to their names! I wonder if they would be calmer, less busy kitties if they were named Coma and Trance?
Geezz - what a loaded question. I have 9 cats, truth, 9 of them. The first two Porsha & Gray I brought home as kittens. Then my middle son found Toadie under the portable building. My oldest son's girlfriend found Weezier abandoned at a gas station. My youngest son brought home Isabelle. I inherited my mom's two cats Tiger & Scooter. And then my daughter brought her two over because she can't have them at the new apartment, thus I have Nui & Poki.
I posted the contest on my blog: http://kathyschaos.blogspot.com/2009/06/interview-contest-at-amberkatzes.html
KathyB
Hi Jeri!! So good to read your chat today! I loved your Luna books of the Aspects of the Crow. Those books are all on the keepers shelf here. I can remember the days I read the books and just not being able to do anything but read and being so into the world you created. Even months later now I can still picture Rhia and feel so much! So magical of reads!
I'm deaf so I'm not familiar with the music with the vampire books but its a neat site! I love vamps so I'd love to get BAD TO THE BONE and go to reading them both! I loved getting to know both of the characters of Ciara and Shane! This was a blast to read!!
I have two cats! Misha is black and huge! LOL. She sleeps on my feet to keep them warm. She also noses me in the middle of time night when she wants more food or water or just to be petted! Hunter is tabby cat that is so playful! He has this stick with a play mouse on the end that he brings up and down the stairs when he goes to visit my daughter. Its hilarious to watch. They are both lazy today on the bed here under the fan sleeping! I don't know what I'd do without them.
I'm putting the contest up on my blog and My MySpace and FaceBook now!
http://caffeys-reads.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/auntcaffey
http://www.facebook/cathiecaffey
By the way I couldn't figure out where to put on FaceBook LOL. I'm so not techy. so I posted it on the wall so all my followers and anyone that goes on will know to come and check this post out! It was a blast today. Thanks!
Great Interview.I haven't read the books but am looking forward to.
As for pets-well I have only had 1 pet in my life and it wasn't for long. When I was about 10 my dad got me a dog,it crapped everywhere except where it was supposed to,so about a month later we gave him away and I haven't had a pet since :(
Ohhh you two are just getting tooooo Ummmmm??? How do I ever expect to get my chance with Shane if you two are so smoochy .... maybe book 4 will be me helping out Shane while you finish the degree... LOL
Ummmm band name.... Kidd Blood or
Vital Fluid
I have one missing Jeri book for my collection and would love to get that one filled in !!!.....
and Ciara.... you do know that I love you too..... Just cause I have a thing for your boy doesn't mean I can't share my love.... hey... maybe....??? Um no ... better not go that way... LOL
Ohhh forgot about the pets... lol I have 3 at this time. Winnie, Bear and Eeyore. 2 male manx cats and a border collie blue tick hound mix. The boys like to fight all the time like my 4 sons.... just like real brothers... I got them for my birthday 4 years ago and the Winnie we bought at a yard sale 12 years ago... she got car sick on me on the way home... and she still gets carsick to this day. Adding the contest on my blog site hockeyvampiress.blogspot.com and twittering it as hockeyvampiress
I love you guys - you're so original!
My pet is a calico cat named Calypso. I got her as a birthday present in grade 9 and she's still pretty small. She tends to spend a lot of time hanging around me wanting to be scratched and pat. She can even play fetch! No joke!
Loved the interview. Ciara and Shane, great job.
I have two pets my dog Chauncy who is a laid back lab. The other is the ruler of the roost my cat Lestat, my daughter was a huge Ann Rice fan. He fits the name though, he has some killer vamp teeth and he knows how to use them. It is a constant battle between the males of the house (cat vs husband) they can't stand each other. Lestat has a habit of sitting right in front of my husband when he is on the phone and meowing as loud as he can just to aggravate him. Once he is off the phone the cat leaves the room.
I have two cats, and a chihuahua.. all do weird things. animals are so funny to watch.. my dog has a thing with grunting. he will just sit there and grunt all day long and make really weird noises with his grunts. people get a kick out of this when they come over.
Hi everyone! Shane & Ciara will be by a bit later to answer most of the comments, but for the moment you'll have to settle for me. ;-)
In addition to telling us about your pet (or instead of, if you don't have a pet), feel free to suggest a name for Shane's 90s cover band. If I find one he likes, it might appear in Book 3, which is now officially titled...you heard it here first...because I just found out yesterday...
BRING ON THE NIGHT
which Police fans will recognize as one of their tunes. I'm very psyched I got to keep this title, as it's perfect for the book.
I still don't have an official release date, just that it'll be 2010 and NOT in May like the first two, because that's when my first YA novel, SHADE will be released.
Anyway...
Vickie: I love your story about your dogs having different barks for each prey. When I was a kid I used to be able to tell which parent was coming down the driveway based on my dog's reaction (she loved my mom but absolutely ADORED my dad).
I love Chris Isaak like crazy, and George Thoroughgood, too. My favorite of his is "One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer."
Caffey: I have a cat named Misha, too! He's also huge--but white, and, well, a boy. He also likes to poke us in the face in the middle of the night. That's why he sleeps in the family room all night, so that we can sleep, period. ;-)
afstone: Lestat sounds 100% cat. I love the ones with attitude. :-)
Hey, it's Ciara here! Shane is still getting his first three cups of coffee, so he'll be signing on soon.
Vickie: Funny you should ask about the T-shirts. They can be purchase at the WVMP CafePress store. We even have dog T-shirts now, and bibs that say "Feed the Need." (I thought of that one. Yeah, I'm a sick pupper. ;-)
Chris: LOL, I wonder? Names are very powerful. I got to pick my own when I turned 18. At the time I had this fascination with griffins, plus it sort of sounds like "grifter." It was complicated.
Kathy: Wow, 9 cats??? I can't even imagine. You must either have a big house or a big heart (or both).
elaing8: Now that's just sad. I need to go eat some 70% dark chocolate just to get over that story.
Calliope: A cat who fetches? That's like the best of both worlds. Does she bring it all the way back, or does she drop it a few feet away so you have to get up to throw it again? That's what Dexter does. Grr.
travkru1859: Maybe he's trying to talk? One of these days you'll be laughing at him and suddenly he'll tell you to order him a pizza. Or that he wants power of attorney.
Yo, it's Shane. Trying to wake up. Thank you all for coming out to our interview and making us feel at home. That's really cool.
LuAnn: Houdini sounds like maybe he wants more out of life than a tank. But he needs to learn his limitations, which can be a bitter lesson. Then again, he's a fish.
HockeyVampiress: Vital Fluid is a definite contender. It sounds very grunge, and yet you brought in the vampire angle. Ciara likes it, too.
Thanks to everyone who spread the word on their blogs and stuff. I'm here all night (literally).
i have 6 cats at the mom. 2 adults and 4 kittens ... adult male cajun adult female is wicca then the babies are killian,bella,diva,and jr. ..... my story is more sweet than funny but interesting to me as ive been around dogs and cats all my life and have never to date seen this before ...
wicca was having her kittens and she allowed cajun to be by her and in fact help her with the things that go with getting the kittens free from her etc ... (he is not the father of the kittens). to this day (kittens are now 2.5 months) he helps take care of them teaching them etc. i think he was the best mid-cat i ever seen. whats worse is wicca will not let the father come near the kittens , still lol
great interview you guys !
I loved the interview. I have 4 dogs - Bandit, Teka, Casper, and Butterscotch. Casper and Butterscotch are both puppies and I think I would only prefer having one puppy at a time. Casper is 4 months older than Butterscotch, but Butterscotch does everything that Casper does; talk about double trouble. Butterscotch was a gift from a couple of friends who ended up with the first puppy my husband got before we got Casper, so they decided to get us another to replace that puppy.
Great interview! I have to say Ciara and Shane have great taste in TV and movies. :) And I'm in love with Dexter. I want a big vampire dog of my own! ;-)
As for pets, I have two cats: Bandit and Spot, otherwise known as "the boys." They were both rescue kitties and are the loves of my life. They're 15 years old now, and I just appreciate every day I have with them.
Bandit is half Siamese, so he's the quirky one, and he definitely lets his emotions be known! He has a different cry (at a different volume) for all his moods!
Shane: Since you'll be up all night with us until at least you go on the air, gotta say that the 90s has some good jammin' tunes and bands. My mp3 player (ask Ciara) is full of 60s-current and heavy on some Tom Petty, Green Day, Offspring, REM, RHCP, Lenny Kravitz, Foo Fighters, AC/DC, Blur, Stone Temple Pilots, Blues Traveler.......
I look forward to maybe seeing a compilation of your 'last song' list.
Ciara: I know you won't see this til morning. I like your moxie. I know you are working through your past, but you are who you are. It makes you strong. I look forward to reading the second book of your adventures and meeting the new member of your family. = )
I have five cats (!) and a dog, the maximum number allowed by my city. (They passed a law limiting it to 6 per residence a few years back, because they'd had problems with animal hoarders.)
My dog is a miniature white female German Shepherd named Cafall. She turns 5 on 9/11 this year. She's sweet and shy, knows several tricks, hates fireworks and thunder, and we adopted her from a newspaper ad.
Of my cats: 3 are female, 2 male. The two boys are a black 9-year-old Maine Coon cat named Nicodemus, who my husband found as a stray kitten (weaned too soon) in an empty lot behind the factory where he works; and Wednesday, a 3-year-old Russian Blue I got from a newspaper ad (he's named after Odin).
The 3 females are all domestic shorthairs. Minerva, the oldest, is a grey/brown tabby, named after Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter books; we adopted her from the local ASPCA. Cara, the tortoiseshell, is going on 6, and also came from the ASPCA. Houdini is solid black, very skittish, and the thinnest of the lot, and we got her from the Cats' Haven no-kill shelter in Indianapolis.
They love the catnip and valerian I grow just for them; they love hunting bugs and chasing moths and wasps, and playing with the feather toys I got for them. Two of them, Cara and Wednesday, will go out in the yard in harnesses, on leashes, and love it.
Our pet story is our neighbor's cat. My husband is allergic so we have to live vicariously through them. I've never seen so many outdoor cats in my life, but we love them! (And they come in and nap with us too!)
Well growing up one of our many pets we had was hamsters. My brother's who is evil of course had an evil hamster so nobody but my eldest brother wanted him even though he refused to handle him so he got even more evil. My mom use to have to clean the cages because we were your typical kids and lazy. He bit her one day and so he mysteriously "got out" the cage and disappeared. Red flag one, my parents didn't seem all that freaked that a rodent was running around free in the house. Red flag two, no poop drops anywhere. Anyway one day at our yard sale we see a white, red eyed hamster squeezing out the faucet on the side of the house and then run across the yard towards us. Imagine the horror on my Mom's face when she realized the thing survived her flushing it down the toilet and finding his way back through the plumbing 2 weeks later! It was priceless. She tried to act nonchalant like "oh there he is." But Finally came clean about her treachery. lol
Nonetheless, neither my mom or my oldest brother are allowed near my animals now. Who knows what they will do.
Awesome interview, and such a cool contest!
When I was around 10-11, my brother and I had two lovebirds we named Zanthia and Pikachu. Mum, who is scared of birds, got tired of having to be the one to look after them, so we ended up giving them away.
When I was even younger, maybe 5-6, my uncle kept fish. He bought three goldfish to feed to one of his other fish, but I asked if he could keep one as a pet for me. It never had a name because I didn't know if it was a girl or a boy - which was important at the time. Even though the fish lived at my uncle's house, and I didn't see it very often, it was still my fish in my eyes. When my uncle phoned to tell me it had died, I was devastated. It's a little silly; I was so upset that this pet that wasn't really mine had died. We ended up buring it in part of my Grandma's back garden, where all the family's pets had been buried over the years.
I've linked to this contest in my contest section, right sidebar:
http://jo-scrawls.blogspot.com/
Email: joannestapley[at]googlemail[dot]com
I have two cats. Since I got 'Lady' she changed from extreme-shy to extreme-cuddly and 'Zsa Zsa' is my three-legged cat. Although she misses her left front leg she's as fast as any other cat. (My third one had to be euthanized last month at the age of 18! :-/ )
Growing up we had two dogs one was a poodle and the other was a cocker spaniel. Their names wer Brandy and Whiskey.
Over the years I've had 5 pets, and the one with the biggest personality was my cat Jackson. She weighed maybe 9 pounds soaking wet, but totally bossed around our two 65 pound dogs. Having been raised with them, I'm convinced she thought she was the alpha dog! There was nothing funnier than watching the three of them interact. I had always wanted my very own Incredible Journey cast, and got them with Jackson, Mickey, and Max. All three were girls with boy's names. Learned not to let my hubby name our pets! :)
Thanks for a great interview!
Pet or partner in mischief? Pickles fills both roles equally well. She came to me with that name and I swear her trainers meant it to mean Pickled attitude.
What can I tell you about Pickles, she's a working dog for the deaf. She's my alarm, my doorbell, friend and ears literally. She arrived on my doorstep 2 years after I lost the last of my hearing. A week later we're outside and she looks up at nearby tree, I looked to see what had attracted her gaze. It was a woodpecker. I had tears running down my face. Because of her I was able to enjoy the bird, which I would of otherwise not been aware of being deaf.
Since then we've been inseparable. One other thing that's amazing about Pickles...she's a Katrina survivor. She was abandoned in the hurricane as a pup. Pickles spent a year being transferred from one shelter to another, before the agency I got her from found her. Even after everything she's been through she still finds it in her to trust human beings.
When I first went deaf, I lost my trust in the world in general. I felt alone and abandoned. Pickles showed me how to interact with the world again. How to start over and see life through a different set of eyes. Pickles and I have only been together for two years. I can't imagine what my life would of been like without her constant love and personality.
She's the reason I get up each morning and the first thing I say is, "Let me be the person my dog thinks I am."...I know this was more sappy and not so humorous. But honestly she deserves the honor and love.
There is one incident that stands out. A woman approached me and asked about Pickles being a working dog. I told her I was deaf, and Pickles was my ears. She took it literally and bent over to talk to Pickles. I guess she thought somehow the dog would interpret what she was saying. Thanks for this opportunity! Indigo
ravensquietscreams(at)gmail(dot)com
Hey Jeri, thanks for letting Shane and Ciara out to play. I can't wait to read Bad to the Bone(my TBR list is sooo backed up)! Bring on the Night sounds like a great title! Shane, Ciara, thanks for taking the time to do the interview! :)
I don't have any pets nowadays but as a kid, I had a red-eared slider turtle and a baby crayfish in the same little aquarium. One day, my baby crayfish died. Before we had a chance to fish him out, my turtle ate him. And then a week later, my turtle died. I haven't had a pet since. *sigh*
Shane, I'm with you on the Ting Tings being too bouncy! Ciara, give Dexter a hug from me! Uh, I'll have to think on possible band names but well, I'm not very good at stuff like that.
Linked to this here.
http://unpissenlit.livejournal.com/26786.html
When I was growing up I had a grand total of the following animals:
1 - white rat - cloud was his name. I was only supposed to be watching him for a short while the person never really showed up so I got to keep him!
6 - guinea pigs - Peanut, Beavis, Snowball, Squeaker, and two other ones that I can't remember the names too. Oh for the name Beavis - we watched way too much Beavis and Butthead. But Peanut lasted the longest and we had to put him down because he had a tumor on his back and my Mom wanted to put him out of his misery.
Okay, for fish - I am just going to say that I have bad luck with fish...literally. I had three fish myself, one of the fish had a name, but the other two didn't live long enough to have a name. My first fish was a really small fish - it was about the size of my small fingernail. So I put him in a tank with some bigger fish (that was all we had to put him in), and the next morning I see a headless fish body floating around - turns out a bigger fish took a bite at my little fish. Then we had a pond in the backyard and well my brother gave me one of his fishes, which since it was all white we named it Whitey...he died of shock. People kept sticking their fingers in the pond to pet the fish...it is possible. Then the third fish I had I rode my bike into town and bought myself another fish - on the walk home, the bag fell and popped. Since I had no water with me I had to leave him to his slow death - I didn't want too, but I had no other choice. But all together my family has had lots of goldfish, some black fish, some algae-eaters, and one oscar.
Then we had two cats: There names were Precious and Tigger. Precious was mine and my brothers - and she was alright for an outdoor cat being cooped up indoors. When we moved to a different state we had to give her to a family friend (which we get pictures from every year), and Tigger was really my sister's, and he was good cat. You could carry him to the door and he would scratch you just to stay away from the door. We had to give him to another friend, because we hand another male cat in the house and it didn't turn out good.
We had a couple of cats stay with us for awhile - their names were Bigfoot and Skittles, the unique thing about them was that they had six toes/claws or something like that which was cool. They eventually went to a farm.
Oh, we also had 2 wild pigeons, they could fly - but they were awesome! We eventually let them free - my mom couldn't stand them any more.
Then there was the baby snapping turtle that we so shortly had then Mom told us to get it out of the house.
Then there was the kitten named Munchkin - he was wicked for a kitten. She was an outdoor cat and she wanted outside, but Mom wouldn't let her. So she would bite people and climb up people's legs.
Oh and I couldn't tell you about the dozens and dozens of frogs and toads me and my brother had when we were kids - we had them for a short time until Mom told us yet again to get rid of them. Okay, I think that is it for pets as I can think of for right now.
Ok that was a huge sendoff on the pet category from me. What I would ask Jeri (Hopefully Ciara and Shane won't mind letting her answer), is this how the book comes to be? You imagine a dialogue that takes off with Ciara and Shane? I think it's totally unique if you do. A great way to let the book unfold. Now back to Ciara and Shane. If that's true your actually writing your own book. Jeri is just basically recording history for the tomes (winks) Indigo
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I have a golden retriever by the name of Sadie. As cute of a dog as she is, early on she earned the nickname Cujo because she has these hyper moments when she just goes wild and will run all around in circles, back and forth jumping off of furniture. If you get in her way you might find yourself being nibbled on and she is always making a lot of noise as she goes. In other words if you get her going, watch out. (She's quite harmless, but it's pretty funny to watch.)
Email: pheonixfire_3@hotmail.com
I had a flowerhorn (fish) named Lindsey who swam upside down! Needless to say, she was a great source of amusement for us.
Loved the interview!
I have a cat named Pompon and a dog named Romeo.Pompon makes me laugh when he wants to hide himself. If his head is hidden he thinks no one can see him...which leads to funny situations where he wants to play with me but only hide his head behind the chair while leaving his whole body to view.I usually feign ignorance and let him "attack" me by "surprise" ;)
Romeo follows me everywhere in the house but when i'm not home he take advantage of the house. When i come back from work if i'm discreet enough not to wake him up i can usually find him sprawled on my bed, on his back, with his head on a pillow! (which he's not allowed to do, but it seems when i'm not around the rule doesn't apply) I think he's turning human on me, Lazy human style...
Great Interview Jeri! I haven't got to read the books yet, lpok awesome.
I have two dogs an 11 yr old female black miniature pekingnese and a 2 year old male white miniature poodle - sort of a yin-yang thing going on there lol though wasn't intentional.
Their names are Sapphire and Mr. William and they are alot like Garfield and Odie on the cartoon show. Sapphire is generally a non active dog who loves to sleep and eat and thinks Mr. William is the stupidest thing that ever came into being (yes, I know this by how she looks at him). Mr. William is generally happy and clueless.
I love them both, they are like additional babies in the family.
Pam S
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Hey Great interview-I don't have any pets right now, I lost my last cat(Baby) about a month ago during the May Storms In KS-she was 14 yrs old. My 3 Boys want a Dog but I'm not a dog person- we will just wait and see!!!
Hi ladies - What a fun interview! :) No need to enter me, I'm already one of the fans waiting for the next release. :)
Hi Amber and Wonderful blog, plus two great guests! I love Jerri's books and am part of her Street Team!
A big Hello to Ciara and Shane! Great comments and wonderful interview! I can't wait to read ya'lls next book! :)
As to the contest, I have emailed all my friends and CC'd Miss Amber.
I do have pets, one puppy and several big ol Oscars! No kidding they could feed a family! They like to chase each other around the tank and splash water every where. When it is feeding time they turn into Dolphins and try to grab the food from your hand! Watch the mouths though, they are scratchy and huge!
My puppy is a white lab named Zena, yes for Zena the warrior princess and her father's name is Zeus, honest! They are a huge set of Laboradors but soo cute. :) I mean she barks at things and then runs behind me, like mommy protect me! lol
Shane dude I have been thinking of a few more band names although I am partial to Vital Fluid.... I am glad you liked it and personally answered my coment.... how about House of Plasma or maybe
Claret Extraction Just some Ideas.... from your fave Hockeyvamp
Hi Jeri, Amber, Ciara and Shane *bats eyelashes at Shane* Great interview, thanks.
We've got two rescue dogs, Corrie, a hyperactive Jack Russell/Lab cross, (she’s about the size of a whippet!) and Sophie, a couch-potato German Shepherd/Lab, who doubles as a tummy on legs.
Suzanne xx
Name for Shane's band: Something Wicked
We have two adopted cats, Brooklyn and Jersey. Jersey was found on the side of the highway in a cat carrier..someone left her behind. I decided to keep her and she has turned into the most affectionate, sweetest little girl. I can't imagine anyone wanting to give her up. But we got lucky and have her in our lives!!!!!
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Shane again. It'll be just me and Jeri tonight, because Ciara's off with Lori celebrating--um, I can't say what yet. But it's very cool.
Anyway...
Lena: That's a very interesting family dynamic your cats have. Clearly Wicca knows that Cajun is a good man.
Karen: Well, vampire dogs have their drawbacks. You can't take them out in public much where there might be other dogs. Unlike human vampires, they can't control their predatory urges.
Casse: Wow. Good thing you never bit your mom. Who knows where you would've ended up?
Jo: Sorry about your anonymous androgynous fish. Sounds like your uncle was a really cool guy, though.
tetewa: Sensing a theme with those names. I always thought Tequila would be a good cat name. I'd like to have a cat, but Ciara gets creeped out by things that ignore her.
Indigo: Thanks for sharing that story. It's amazing how one individual, whether it be a person or an animal, can change our lives and make them worth living. And the part about the lady talking to Pickles is pretty hilarious.
Pissenlit: Glad you like the new title. I like it, too, although it's a little ominous for my tastes. After all we've been through, I'd prefer something like Shiny Happy People.
Pam S: I love that your dog's name is Mr. William. I almost want to ask if he's named after someone, but I wouldn't want to get you in trouble, in case the real Mr. William thinks that you think he's the stupidest thing that ever came into being. ;-)
OK, lemme post this before it evaporates.
HockeyVamp: Those are good, too, but I like Vital Fluid because it's a little more ambiguous. (Also could be interpreted as slightly gross, which was big in those days.) I'm a little shy about playing up the vamp angle, as you might've guessed.
Suzanne: Hey there. Every time I see your name I think of the Leonard Cohen song. You know, "Suzanne." (Duh.) Your dogs sound like a trip.
Vickie: I like it. Something Wicked has a ready-made slightly suggestive tagline (i.e., "...this way comes"), which Ciara would appreciate.
Becky: Wow, two puppies at once? That is amazing. We've fostered puppies before, and I'm not sure I would ever have *one* full-time, much less two. I bow down to your saintliness. ;-)
BrigidsBlest: That's so great that your two cats will wear a harness to go outside. Hmm, I wonder if mine would do that. He's pretty cooperative, and he's always running out the door when we come home (he gets as far as the walkway and then "hides" by lying flat on the ground, like we can't see him if he's two-dimensional).
knitv: Sometimes neighbors' pets are the best kind--you can enjoy them with none of the responsibility! :-)
Tooeyfel: That's wonderful that your cat warmed up like that. A friend of mine has had a cat for several years who has literally never let anyone touch her (at least as long as she's been with my friend--she had a different owner before, who died). If someone even comes in the room, she runs and hides under the bed. It's really sad.
Alexia: I LOVED The Incredible Journey! Such an amazing book. I picked up an original hardcover edition at a yard sale recently. It's in terrible shape, but it's got the original cover and everything.
Gayle: Those are great stories. I've always thought it would be cool to have a rat--they're supposed to be very intelligent and affectionate. One thing I remember from having tropical fish as a kid is that angelfish are no angels--they are demons! They decapitated a few of my neon tetras. I needed to be better educated before buying fish.
Indigo: How does the book come to be? It depends whether it's the first in a series or a later book. With the first in a series I usually start with an idea/concept and eventually (could be minutes or years later) characters will attach themselves, and I build the story from there.
With sequels, I usually have a general idea ahead of time what I want to happen. I'm thinking about it as I'm writing the book before it and putting in story elements that will tie in later (although sometimes those tie-ins are actually happy accidents ;-).
Ciara and Shane are a ton of fun to write as a couple. They have very different personalities but really love and respect each other. It's fun to put them in situations where they have to grow and change and deal with their own flaws. A lot of the story comes out of those choices and developments.
That was probably way more info than you wanted to know, right?
Phoenixfire: Sadie sounds like a hoot! I have a puppy book that describes that sort of behavior as FRAP: Frantic Random Activity Period (I think that's what it stands for). So when our foster pups went wild, hurling themselves around the room like total nutballs, we would say they were frapping.
Llehn: Wow, I would've liked to have seen that trick. I just went to an aquarium site to look up the name of a fish (neon tetra) and started thinking...hmmm, maybe it'd be nice to have another tropical tank. But no, my cat and dog are enough work. ;-)
pattiepoilue: Maybe it's just me, but telling a cat to stay off a bed seems like a futile endeavor. :-)
Audra: Oh, I'm so sorry about your cat. How heartbreaking to lose her in a storm. :-( My husband was not a dog person, but we got a greyhound, which are the most catlike dogs--quiet, non-smelly, independent, dignified, etc. Now he loves dogs (especially greyhounds).
Kimberly: Hello, and thanks for stopping by to say hi!
Chris J: Labs are so fun! We've fostered several of them. They are such sweethearts. My dog always instinctively loves them--she knows they are good people. ;-)
Belinda: For some reason, I hear "Jersey" and "side of the road" and think of the movie Being John Malkovich. Maybe that's where she came from (no, that's too weird). In any case, it was wonderful of you to pick her up and keep her--I'm sure she's very grateful!
My pet story is about my 16 lb female tuxedo cat... she loves to get her way (I have learned that most cats DEMAND it) and if you are not paying attention to her she has a hissy-fit. The funniest part is that she will stare at you, standing with her tail in the air and VIBRATE her whole body! LOL, I call it the milkshake! ... It sure does bring all the boys to the yard (SRY - I couldn't help it!)
We have two puppies (now 7 months old, but 4 at the time), who stay outside at night with free access to the woods (lots and lots of woods). One morning when we got up, they were not at the door begging to get in - instead, one was running in large circles in the driveway, nose down as if she had found a scent. Everytime she neared the edge of the drive, though, she didn't drop into the woods to follow it, but circled back around. She didn't respond when called, but that't not unusual in hunting dog on a scent -- so we looked for pup #2. We found her doing something similar in the back of the house, in the woods, but smaller circles and stops to watch something quite invisible run back and forth. Both were navigating the terrain without stumbling or hitting any trees, but appeared not to even notice us at all. After quite a bit of chasing, we managed to snag both of them and get them to the vet - their only idea was they had eaten something (mistletoe from downed trees or mushrooms, perhaps) or gotten into someone's drug stash (please note - hiding such in the woods probably isn't a great idea). By the next day, they were their normal selves. We still haven't figure out what they go into (the only other thing we could think of was a prescription drug delivery - those are often mail order and left on doorsteps these days).
So - the funny part of it all:
This was the only trip in the car they have ever made, without being sick (yes, they were sick the next day, coming home). As of this incident, they were completely housetrained (we had started to wonder if they would ever get the message, one reason they slept outside at night). And the perfectly behaving puppies, but hyperactive and hallucinating, that went to the vet, apparently transformed during their overnight sleep into howling monsters (yes, they were glad to see us come pick them up and the pups were glad to see us in the morning - we've never heard the howling monsters here, even though they have a pen they stay in, now).
They are now known as the terror twins at the vet's office (and unlike many pet's I've had, I think everyone there knows these two's names) - when they went to get spayed, the vet even made jokes about trying to keep the two from wrestling for three days (yeah, like that was going to happen).
Thanks for being here, Ciara and Shane!
I don't have any pets, but I use to have ferret. They are the best pets. They are just full of life and always make you laugh. My ferret Cloud loved Nachos Bellgrande. He would be all over me to get some when I was eating them.
My very first pet was a mixed breed female dog whos name was reds whenw e got her we were told she was spayed come to find out she had 13 puppies talk about a suprise that was one of them she was an awesome dog we had her till i was 12 some mean spirited neighbor and a speeder got her hit and ran her over since then i have had a few pets a hamster who drove me batty and now a dog who is adorably sweet yet slightly norotic
and shane should could his band Soul SiNners
I have a big white male cat named Caspur who I adopted from Street Cats of Tulsa. He is such a sweetie. He fetches, comes when called, and always keeps me company when I'm lonely. I also had a python named Angel, but he passed away back in December after I had him for almost twelve years.
My pets, I have a short haired German Shepard/ Wolf dog and his name is Dante ...He beautiful and he's knows, he will even pose for you ..
My other dog is a Terrior mix and his name is Kody because he's so cute you want to take a Kodak picture of him...Now he's the Hornery one he's cute ..but a meany lol
My best friend when I was in Kindergarden had a cat named Bonkers and a dog named Boogers.
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Dog huh? Well I have 4, lol. All rescues of some sort- whether from the pound the day they were to be put to sleep or as strays severely beaten. I have a chow mix named Emo for a Bar in Austin. Burly a mastiff, lab mix- who at 6 weeks was almost half as big as my chow mix. Tak who is a "designer dog" rat terrier/ italian greyhound mix that was abused who was named after an anime character on Initial D. And his buddy
Doc also named after Tak's Best friend who is a spitz mix of some kind. lol.
I have one dog at the moment. Her name is Luana which is Happy and Content in hawaiian, but she's really anything but half the time. We call her our bi-polar doggy. She likes you to pet her and acts sweet and then BAM! You better watch out or she might bite you. What can I say though? She's a cute.
-Lauren
I LOOOOVEEE Jeri Smith Ready, Wicked Game was the most original twist on the vampire mythos I've read in ages. I can't wait to read Bad to the Bone (and will get to it right after Brooke London's Pitch Dark, another book I'm supposed to be reviewing instead of web surfing, the new Jim Butcher, well, maybe not right away *hangs head in shame*). ^.^°
OK, I don't have a dog of my own, but my neighbours do, and just this week, one day my cousin's husband and their two girls were outside when their dog saw me, and came running to me, the little girl kept calling the dog, but she ignored everyone but me until I carried the dog into the door and closed it on her /the dog). My niece wasn't happy ^.^
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Hi guys....with Ciara elsewhere "evil :)" that leaves me with some Shane time.... I can't wait to get some more deets on the next 2 books.... What are the release dates again?? Who else is in the band? Anyone we know? Just wondering about touring? I know we have discussed coming over the border for a visit but you think a special vamp friendly bus will be in the works??
I've heard nothing but greatness about Jeri's books. Count me in!
My funny pet story: When my bf and I got our latest cat, we were told it was a boy. It took us two weeks, but we finally picked out a name. Merlin. Two days later, I'm rubbing Merlin's belly only to find nipples. "Do boy cats have nipples?" I ask. After some digging we found out no, male cats don't have nipples. Long story short Merlin is now Bella. I'm so glad I didn't get too attached to that name.
Thanks for the opportunity.
-Lisa
I don't know if I'm in the right time zone or not but I have the bestest dogs and I really want one of her books so I'm commenting anyhow!! I have two dogs and they're both goofs...one bats a tennis ball around kind of like a cat--except she weighs as much as at least 8 cats (if they were HUGE)! And she does bellyflops into the pool :D
Hey everyone, sorry I got sidetracked with holiday travels. If anyone is still visiting, thanks for coming back to read my tardy comments!
sveltedreams: Your cat sounds hilarious! My cat does something similar, but he just "twiggles" his tail (it's a cross between twitch and wiggle).
Karen: Wow, I'm in awe of you for having two puppies at the same time. I know it's hard to keep them quiet after a spay--our vet said two weeks no running or playing. Those were the longest two weeks of our lives. ;-)
Katie: Our friends have ferrets, and they are so fun to watch! Incredibly smart, too. Unfortunately they are not an option for us, what with having a greyhound.
SiNa: 13 puppies--I can't even imagine! I'm so sorry about your neighbor's carelessness. Arrgh. Love your suggestion for the band name. ;-)
Ruby: Aww, Caspur sounds like a great guy. I guess you know Street Cats of Tulsa are in the House of Night series, right?
Tanya: Yep, terriers can be terrors all right. ;-) I like the name you picked for him. I bet you have a lot of great shots of both of them.
bridget3420: That poor dog, being named Boogers! Never let kids name pets. ;-) Thanks for spreading the word about the giveaway.
Nicole: Good for you for rescuing those four dogs! They sound wonderful.
Lauren: What a pretty name! That behavior reminds me of most cats. ;-)
sscout: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed Wicked Game, and thanks for spreading the word on your blog.
HockeyVampiress: I don't have exact release dates for the next two vampire books, just that they'll be in 2010 and 2011. I don't know about a tour, but it'll have to be publisher-financed. ;-) Shane's band members are not people we know, and they don't appear until Book Four (though they're mentioned in Bring on the Night, which has WAY too much action in it to have time for a concert--the whole thing takes place in about two weeks).
Lisa: That's a funny story! When we adopted our kitten, we thought he was a girl, too (the vet corrected us). But he does have nipples, like all cats (and people).
BookSp(l)ot: Your dog sounds like a ton of fun! It's so great to watch them play.
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