So without further ado...
Good
Morning Cookie! Thanks for stopping by the blog for a chat. We brought a
carafe of coffee and some scones to bribe you over. We hope you will be
willing to answer a few questions from two of your biggest fans…YES, we are
huge Cookie fans. So sit back, relax for change, and let us pry a few
tidbits from you.
Huge
Cookie fans? I’m honored! Thank you so much. I had no idea I had fans. I feel
like I should go to a spa or something. Get pampered.
First
off, we have no idea how you do it!! How DO you handle raising a tween
and Charley at the same time? Is that the real reason for the coffee
addiction? Do you get any sleep or are you a closet insomniac? We all
know sleep is something needed, just look what happened to Charley when she tried
to go without.
Oy!
Charley is chaos incarnate WITH enough sleep. You can imagine how she is
without. As far as raising Charley and my daughter Amber at the same time,
bravo! That is exactly how I feel sometimes. With Amber it’s more of a
do-your-homework and eat-all-your-vegetables kind of thing. With Charley it’s
more like a stop-fighting-with-dead-people and
you-paid-how-much-for-those-shoes ordeal. In trying to keep up with them, I
have resorted to abusing coffee. I use several times a day and start going
through withdrawal if I don’t get a fix every couple of hours. I do get enough
sleep on those nights I’m not called to the hospital to pick up Charley or
called to the jail to post bail. Those nights are great.
We know
the pay isn’t that good, or the coffee is laced with something extra, but
truly, why work for Charley? Do you still feel safe after this last time with
Amber or is there something more to being her friend? Are you something like a
token that keeps her grounded?
I
think I work for Charley because we make a difference. We save lives. And
you’re right. Charley needs me. I’ve woken to cold sweats worrying about what
she will do without me if that time ever comes. Not that I’m likely to die
first, but . . . I think
As
far as feeling safe, I know it’s weird, but I think I feel safer being around
Charley than not. She knows what’s going on in a world I can’t see. What’s
going on underneath the surface of our own existence. For some reason, I like
that. Then again, before Charley came along I’d never been shot at. Amber had
never had a gun pointed at her head. Hmmmm…
We have
to say that we might just stick around for all the yummy eye candy on
display. Which one of the hotties is your favorite? Garrett?
Or is some, say uncle, catching your eye?
There
is that! The constant barrage of eye candy is like being at a Disney Land
created specifically for hormonal, middle-aged women. I tell you, that Garrett
is a knee-melter. I can hardly be around that boy without needing one of those
tiny, portable fans. While I love looking at that guy, there is something about
a certain uncle of Charley’s that is just so endearing. I’m not sure if it’s
his loyalty to Charley, or his quirky temper that makes him so attractive. It
could be his moustache and his deep, expressive eyes.
Speaking
of H-O-T…Reyes…just that name alone holds a lot of weight. What is your take on the Son of Satan?
Hot just
about covers it. Everything else is icing. Like the fact that his arms are
incredible, corded with tendon and muscle. And they are attached to the most
amazing shoulders. Which has this gorgeous head on top with this face that
makes you want to cry it’s so beautiful. Or maybe it’s just me. I think I
ovulate everytime I see him.
How about
this new neighbor…you going to let us in on who it is? Is it Reyes?
Let’s
just say this place got way more interesting recently.
If
Charley would quit tomorrow, as she fanaticized recently, what would you
do? Would you remain friends with no cases to solve and no otherworldly
experiences?
I
can’t imagine us NOT being friends. I believe in fate. Destiny. And I believe
we were destined to be besties. If we didn’t have cases to solve together, I’m
sure we’d find something else to do. Like open our own carwash. Or go on tour
together. I sing a mean Adele. I don’t sound like her or anything, but throw a
couple of margaritas down me, and I can belt out the tunes like nobody’s
business.
Since
being a reaper doesn’t seem to be a job you can quit, it looks like we get a
lot more Cookie…Don’t we?
She’ll
definitely always have the grim reaper gig. As long as she’s reapering, I’ll be
there for her.
And can
you let us in on how it is going with Charley and figuring out what she is
capable of? Is part of that figuring out if she should stick with Reyes or try
on some Garrett or Donovan for a change?
She
is coming into her abilities slowly but surely, and it’s one of the most
amazing things I’ve ever witnessed. Honestly, we didn’t even know there was
more to come until Reyes told her. And it’s like her knowing has made her
abilities blossom.
As
far as the hunks in her life, she’s a flirt. Always has been. But if you saw
the look on her face every time she talks about Reyes . . . As much as she
likes the other two hotties, I think her heart is set on the son of Satan.
Which sounds bad when you say it aloud.
Biker
gangs, Nuns that curse, Angels, Satan, Mr. Wong, Guardian Dogs…what more can
come our way? Anything you want to share? Anything that you think
you might not be able to handle, like a war? Are you afraid?
There
have been hints of a war, and that worries me more than a little. But I’d
rather be in the know instead of completely clueless when things on Earth go
south. I think Charley and Reyes can handle just about anything if they can
stop bickering long enough. If not, the human race could be in trouble.
Well, no
matter what it is we hope it includes a man for you! You need a little
dream escaping of your own. What do you think? You ready for love?
Aw,
I couldn’t agree more! I do some love. I may have to get aggressive. Make my
feelings known and just go for it. I am quite ready.
Darn, we
are now out of coffee and have eaten all the scones. Guess this means our
time is up. Thanks again for stopping by.
Drop by any time!!
Thank you
so much for having me! I’ll keep cheering Charley on and hope for the best.
Prayers are welcome, for those so inclined.
********************************************************************
Now A Special Excerpt From Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet...
With
renewed energy, I pulled back onto Academy— after hitting a
drive- through for a mocha latte—
and had just started for home when
my phone rang.
“Yes?” I
said, illegally talking on the phone while driving within the
city limits. Scoping for cops, I
waited for Uncle Bob to stop talking to
whomever he was talking to and get
back to me.
My uncle
Bob, or Ubie as I most often referred to him, was a detective
for APD, and I helped him on cases
from time to time. He knew I
could see the departed and used
that to his advantage. Not that I could
blame him.
“Get that
to her, then call the ME ay- sap.”
“Okay,” I
said, “but I’m not sure what calling the medical examiner
ay- sap is going to accomplish.
I’m pretty sure his name is George.”
“Oh, hey,
Charley.”
“Hey, Uncle
Bob. What’s up?”
“Are you
driving?”
“No.”
“Have you
heard anything?”
Our
conversations often went like this. Uncle Bob with his random
questions. Me with my trying to
come up with answers just as random.
Not that I had to try very hard.
“I heard that Tiff any Gorham, a girl I
knew in grade school, still stuff
s her bra. But that’s just a rumor.”
“About the
case,” he said through clenched teeth. I could tell his teeth
were clenched because his words
were suddenly forced. That meant he
was frustrated. Too bad I had no
idea what he was talking about.
“I wasn’t
aware that we had a case.”
“Oh, didn’t
Cookie call you?”
“She called
me a doody- head once.”
“About the
case.” His teeth were totally clenched again.
“We have a
case?”
But I’d
lost him. He was talking to another officer. Or a detective. Or
a hooker, depending on his
location and accessibility to cash. Though I
doubted he would tell a hooker to
check the status of the DOA’s autopsy
report. Unless he was way kinkier
than I’d ever given him credit for.
I found his calling me only to
talk to other people very challenging.
“I’ll call
you right back,” he said. No idea to whom.
The call
disconnected as I sat at a light, wondering what guacamole
would look like if avocados were orange.
I finally
shifted my attention to the dead kid in my backseat. He had
shoulder- length blond hair and
bright blue eyes and looked somewhere
between fifteen and seventeen.
“You come
here often?” I asked him, but my phone rang before he
could say anything. That was okay.
He had a vacant stare, so I doubted
he would have answered me anyway.
“Sorry
about that,” Uncle Bob said. “Do you want to discuss the
case?”
“We have a
case?” I said again, perking up.
“How are
you?”
He asked me
that every time he called now. “Peachy. Am I the case? If
so, I can solve this puppy in
about three seconds. I’m heading down San
Mateo toward Central in a cherry
red Jeep Wrangler with a questionable
exhaust system.”
“Charley.”
“Hurry,
before I get away!”
***************************************************************
***************************************************************
Now the Blog Tour Giveaway!!
Try and Win One Copy of Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
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Make sure you head out and pick up your copy of Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet on October 30! Or pre-order like we did!!
New
York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous
awards for her work including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a RITA®, and a
Daphne du Maurier. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing
damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by,
annoying man and beast alike. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment,
also known as New Mexico, with her husband and two beautiful sons, the Mighty,
Mighty Jones Boys.Thanks to Darynda Jones and the Grimlet Street Team for letting us join in the fun!!
Happy Reading!!
~Kiki & Jules
