Counting down to the official release of The Cat Lady’s Secret and the “Meet The Pelican Book Group Authors” Facebook party with Carla Rossi and Virginia Tenery. So excited! I’m sharing excerpts from the book this week from each of the main characters’ POVs. Monday, we saw at Millie at work. Today, we’ll take peek at Emily, and the story’s first introduction of Scott:

The doorbell rang downstairs, and she headed to answer. Her apartment was on the second floor of the old Woolworth’s building in downtown Dogwood. The first floor served as a cat refuge, The Litter Box. As she crossed to the front door, the resident felines eyed her lazily from gray, carpeted structures intended to keep them happy and playful.

She scooped up a calico to keep it from dashing outside and toed away a neon-green tennis ball from the glass-paneled door. Pulling aside the blue full-length drapes she’d had made for privacy, she peeked out.

Dr. Scott Barlow stood on the other side of the glass, juggling a thirty-pound bag of kitty litter and another of dry cat food. His smile had made her heart mushy since they were kids. Funny how the tables had turned. Back then, he’d been too timid to ask her out. Now, she was the one who shied from his invitations.

With a smile, she unlocked the door and pulled it open. “What’s this?”

“A little present from Barlow Animal Clinic. Where do you want them?”

“You are too sweet for words, you know that? Bring them back here.” She led the way to the storeroom, snaking around cat toys, oversized litter boxes, and half-empty food bowls.

She pulled open the storeroom door and pointed to the corner. “You can put the bags here.”

But Scott hadn’t followed her. He dropped the bags in front of an old glass display counter several feet away and stooped his lean frame to peek into a tan pet carrier.

She backtracked to join him.

On the countertop, a yellow tabby cowered in the corner of the molded plastic carrier. Emily lowered her head next to Scott’s and glanced in. “This is Daisy. Millie thought you’d like her.”

“She does know how to pick her cats.”

The musky fragrance of Scott’s cologne zinged Emily’s senses into full-alert mode, and she took a step back.

Emily turned out to be far more complex than I’d first intended, but that just makes her more interesting. That’s what happens when your characters surprise you. You get to learn more about them and develop them into living beings who remain in your heart forever as dear, close friends. I just know you’re going to love her as much as I do!

~~~

I’m on Inkslingers today with a little story about how Billy surprised me on my birthday. I hope you drop by and see what how he did it! I’ll be there Friday too, with an explanation of why I write romance. But the quick answer is: How could I not?

Also on Friday, I’ll be a guest of Joanne Sher on her FaithWriters blog. If you’re an author, come see what tidbit of info we share there!

I’ll be doing several other blog hops, special guest posts/interviews, and other giveaways for the next few weeks, so keep watch! The first official party is this Friday, when I join friends for the “Meet the Pelican Book Group Authors” giveaway party on Facebook. You won’t want to miss it!

Joining me will be:

Carla Rossi, fellow Texan and Writers on the Storm member, and the author of The Unexpected Wedding:

and Virginia Tenery, another fellow Texan, mystery writer, and author of Dead Ringer.

And of course, my new book will be up for grabs! Y’all come play with us. It’ll be a blast!

If you’re interested in coming, let me know. I’ll send you a Facebook invitation. All are welcome!