Why Me?: Chimeras, Conundrums, and Dead Goldfish
by Charlotte Stuart
Marina Pets
by Bryn Baczek, responsible pet owner
I admit it, I never thought I would become attached to a cat, especially not to a cantankerous, orange creature with the ability to manipulate me like no human, not even my mother, has ever been able to do. (Although my mother never gives up trying.) I met Macavity at an animal shelter. I was there with a friend who was looking for a cat. When his two different colored eyes gazed into my two different colored eyes, I couldn’t resist adopting him. Or maybe he adopted me, I’m not sure which.
He’s a handsome animal, his orange fur accented with dark swirls on both sides of his body like he’s been tie-dyed. I named him Macavity for the T.S. Eliot poem, not aware of how fitting the name might be. My Macavity may not be quite as fiendish as the one in Eliot’s poem, but he is a true mystery cat: He’s broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity.
If Macavity could talk he would probably tell you that I get what I deserve from him. I frequently run out of his favorite foods. I often move my sailboat, his home, around within the marina. Sometimes I even take off and sail – or motor – to other places. The reason these things are significant is that Macavity likes routine and consistency. I’m quite certain he would have preferred a stay-at-home owner who shopped on the same day every week, got up and went to bed at the same time every day, and who perhaps had a fenced back yard instead of a marina community that is constantly changing.
On the other hand, Macavity and I have developed a complementary relationship. I provide food and shelter and he occasionally deigns to let me fawn over him. But when I say something to him like, “Speak up – cat got your tongue,” he immediately lets me know that I’ve crossed the wordplay line. Even given the limited facial muscles of the feline, he manages to communicate a look of disdain. And he sometimes goes on walkabout just to emphasize that he is the one in control.
I do have another pet in addition to Macavity. It’s a goldfish with multiple lives. That is, it’s a goldfish that looks exactly like previous goldfish I’ve had. The original fish was a gift from a person I used to consider a friend. I wouldn’t have cared when it died, the first time, but my niece Emma had just named it Bubbles. Emma is five years old, and, as her aunt, I don’t think it should fall to me to tell her about death and how pets will come and go over her lifetime. That’s why I now own Bubbles IV, although I don’t call out his lineage in front of Emma.
The question that plagues me is why my goldfish keep dying. Granted, one was dispatched by a murderer trying to warn me off of an investigation, but the others died on their own. I’ve tried everything to keep them alive. My current theory is that they are near death when I purchase them. Or maybe, when it comes to goldfish, I just have bad karma.
Anyway, I wanted to share something about myself with you, my readers, and I think what pets someone has and how they treat them tells you a lot about who they are. Although please don’t think I’m a pushover because I let Macavity be the alpha in our relationship. And remember that I do try to keep my goldfish alive. I even buy them miniature decorations like arches and pirate chests to jazz up their limited living space. And each time one dies I say a few words as I commit their golden bodies to the shallow waters of the lake. I even fantasize that as they hit the cold water they come back to life and swim off. That’s the kind of optimistic and caring person I am.
About Why Me?:
Chimeras, Conundrums, and Dead Goldfish
Why Me?: Chimeras, Conundrums, and Dead Goldfish
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Taylor and Seale Publishing LLC (November 18, 2019)
Paperback: 255 pages
ISBN-10: 1950613321
ISBN-13: 978-1950613328
Digital Print Length: 194 pages
ASIN: B083JN3TK8
In ancient Greece, the chimera was a bad omen. In WHY ME?, it’s a motive for murder. Bryn Baczek, a Seattle consultant, is vacationing in Scotland, hiking alone in a downpour, surrounded by midges, when she sees a body at the bottom of a ravine. Before she can return to the scene with the mountain rescue team, the body disappears. She learns that he was a scientist and that his laptop containing his cutting-edge research has disappeared. Rumors that Bryn has the laptop make her a target.
About Charlotte Stuart
In a world filled with uncertainty and too little chocolate, Charlotte Stuart, PhD, has taught college courses in communication, gone commercial fishing in Alaska, and was the VP of HR and Training for a large credit union. Her current passion is for writing lighthearted mysteries with a pinch of adventure and a dollop of humor. She is the VP for the Puget Sound Sisters in Crime. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys watching herons, eagles, seals and other sea life from her Vashon Island home office.
Social Media Links: Website – Twitter – Facebook – Goodreads
Purchase Links
Amazon – Barnes and Noble – IndieBound
Also by Charlotte Stuart
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Great Escapes Praise for Why Me?: Chimeras, Conundrums, and Dead Goldfish
by Charlotte Stuart
Full of fascinating characters, crafty clues, and a few unexpected twists that make it a great read for cozy mystery fans. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews
Why Me?: Chimeras, Conundrums, and Dead Goldfish is another fun and crazy cozy mystery from Charlotte Stuart. I love the way Charlotte Stuart writes her main characters. I embrace them as my friends right away.
~CHRISTY’S COZY CORNERS
Why Me? was quite a crazy, funny, cozy mystery! . . . I absolutely loved this story, that characters were funny, likeable and engaging and the twists that were thrown in to throw you off were done well,
~EBook addicts
This is a delightful and quirky new mystery and it will definitely keep you on your toes.
~Storeybook Reviews
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
April 1 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 2 – Baroness’ Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – Ascroft, eh?– CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 3 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
April 4 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
April 5 – Diane Reviews Books – GUEST POST
April 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW
April 6 – EBook addicts – REVIEW
April 6 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 7 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 7 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
April 8 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
April 9 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST
April 9 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT
April 10 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
April 11 – T’s stuff – SPOTLIGHT
April 12 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
April 13 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
April 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – CHARACTER GUEST POST
Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent