Guest Author Post - Betty Hechtman

Ms. Betty Hechtman, author of the national best selling Crochet Mystery series and the Yarn Retreat Mystery series, is joining us today.  I reviewed her new release, A Tangled Yarn (click here.)  Please welcome Ms. Hechtman to our blog.

The Real Identity

Are any of my characters based on real people? Nope, they are all completely fictitious, but the animals are all real. I thought it was time to reveal one of their real identities.

When I was thinking of a animal companion for Casey Feldstein in the Yarn Retreat Series, I immediately thought of a cat that lived down the street. He might have lived there, but he spent a lot of time in our yard and on our front porch and he even walked inside once when the door was open. His name was Julius and he shared his household with a corgi. His owner, a not so friendly guy, would walk the lumbering short legged corgi, and Julius would tag along on his own.

He had slightly long black fur and an attitude. I know what you’re saying - all cats have attitude.  Julius had even more. It was the way he made eye contact while holding his ground. He never walked fast, but sauntered as if he owned the world. I talk about him in the past tense because Julius and his family moved away a number of years ago. Now we just have Fake Julius. He or she, I’m not sure, though I’m betting on a he, lives nearby and considers our yard part of his domain. He has the same longish black fur and arresting yellow eyes. I would say that Julius just moved in with someone else when his family left, but I saw both black cat in our yard at once.  And Julius wore a name tag, Fake Julius wears none.

The Julius in my book is a little different. He has the same attitude, but he starts out as a stray.  Although I don’t go into it in the book, I think of him having been abandoned and living off the snacks he’s being fed by the kitchen help at the hotel and conference center that hosts the yarn retreats Casey puts on. It’s called Vista Del Mar and is on the edge of the Monterey Peninsula.  The grounds are filled with Monterey Pines and Monterey Cypress and ground cover that grows on its own. In other words, it is kind of wild and untamed. The buildings are dark and moody and there is lots of fog.

The manager of Vista Del Mar is not happy with Julius’s presence on the grounds and uses his golf cart to try to chase him away. The fictitious Julius acts very much like the real cat. He gets out of the way of golf cart, but then stands his ground and stares at the manager with his arresting yellow eyes.

Casey has never had a pet and has no idea how it works with cats. She doesn’t know you don’t pick them, they pick you. However, she finds out when Julius decides she’s the human for him and follows her home.

A TANGLED YARN, is the fifth book in the series and by now Julius has done a good job of training Casey on how to be his human. He has her stocking his favorite food, she calls stink fish for the obvious reason, and has her feeding him it on his command. Much as she’d like to keep him safe as an indoor cat, he has to have his freedom. However, when he gets accused of making a mess of her retreaters’ yarn, he gets put under house arrest. Poor Julius doesn’t even get his day in court.

Though she started out uncertain about their parnteship, Julius has etched a space in Casey’s heart and she knows that whatever happens and wherever she goes, Julius will be coming along. 

Whenever I see Fake Julius, I wonder if he has any idea of the job he’s inherited as my inspiration and the adventures I’ve made up for him.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Betty Hechtman grew up in Chicago and has a degree in Fine Arts. She has been into mystery and  handicrafts since she was a kid. Being able to mix her two loves in the national best selling Crochet Mystery series and the Yarn Retreat Mystery series is like a dream come true. She has many eclectic interests and has taken classes in everything from improv comedy to magic.

She has written newspaper and magazine pieces, short stories and screenplays, along with a children’s mystery, STOLEN TREASURE which also includes the 13 year-old- babysitters favorite recipes.

The current release in the Yarn Retreat series is A TANGLED YARN and HOOKING FOR TROUBLE is the latest in the Crochet series.  She lives in Southern California with her family and a lot of yarn. Over the years she has had thirteen animal companions, a number of whom have shown up at her front door, but is now down to one very affectionate cat. The welcome mat is always out for any abandoned pets looking for a home.

For more information 
website: BettyHechman.com 
Facebook: Betty Hechtman author 
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

THANK You Ms. Hechtman for your visit.  I have two brother black cats now that I rescued from a shelter/rescue.  I love Julius in the book and this was fun to learn more about how his character was inspired.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Speaking of cats...
Purchase some wine here and a portion goes to the cat

rescue I support - win-win!
We have several to choose from: 
Merlot  
Cabernet Sauvignon  
Chardonnay  
Malbec 
Carmenere and  
Sauvignon Blanc  

  Each bottle features one of our sweet furry angels on the label.  This is a great gift idea for family, friends and co-workers! All of the wines are made with certified organic grapes and are vegan friendly.  They are nice Chilean wines, I have tasted most of them!  The shelter gets a good percentage of each bottle sold, so buy a bottle now.

Click here to buy