The Dog Dish welcomes authors Mina Carter and BJ Barnes (and their critters)

Hi all! This is Dakota... my mom was busy today, so asked me to introduce our guests. Seems like there's a new book out called "Taming the Vixen", and the authors are busy touring the internet to promote it. Since they're owned by their own critters, so I asked to talk to them. Oops, I've just been told that Mina has fish, and they aren't talking, so BJ asked her four-legged family to visit instead. I hope you'll all make them feel welcome!

I hear that if you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win a cool prize: a $10 Amazon GC. It's no meaty bone, but it'll have to do. If you click that purple banner under here, you'll get to see all the other neat places they'll be on their tour.



So, your human writes books. Does this mean she is home all day and easy to access? Elaborate if necessary.

Queenie: Thanks for having “us”. “Us” includes myself, Queenie (Domestic Shorthair tabby & white kitty - constant indoor and writing companion of Bethany J. Barnes), Devon (Thoroughbred/Quarter Horse cross - longtime trail riding, team penning companion), Tristan (Friesian horse – tall, dark & handsome, newest member of the Barnes family) and Nika (spastic ball chasing, Frisbee catching Australian Shepherd dog). My sisters, Tig and Zoe, declined to participate in this interview. They are too busy taking naps. Ransom, our third horse “sibling” is sunbathing. He’s got to look good for the ladies. I’ll be doing the typing, since my paws are the smallest.

Devon: Tristan’s hooves are too big. He would have crushed the entire laptop. (snickers)

Tristan: Sounds like someone has hoof envy.

Devon: Shut up, I do not! (swishes tail and pins ears back)

Tristan: (satisfied horse smirk)

Queenie: Knock it off you two. It’s bad enough that you kick your stall at all hours, Devon. Sheesh! Yes, our human – Bethany J. Barnes – is home all day and we have access to her 24/7. I usually sit next to her while she’s writing. I love that she’s able to spend so much time at home. More cuddles and pets for me.

What are your techniques for distracting your human during crucial writing moments, just because it's fun? Whose primary job is it? What do the rest of you do to support the one doing the main distracting?

Queenie: I like to meow at her a lot and try to crawl into her lap when she’s writing. It’s not very easy, since she’s using a laptop.

Devon: I kick the inside of my stall to make noise to get her to come out to see me…

Tristan: Yeah and then she yells at you to stop kicking.

Devon: So – it works. She’s MY human.

Tristan: Insecurity is such an ugly thing.

Devon: Shut up. You’re nothing more than the horse version of Fabio.

Tristan: (smiles and poses for the camera)

Queenie: (rolls eyes and looks bored) *yawn* They can do this all day long. Moving on…

What indignities and neglect have you suffered because of your human's writing career?

Devon: She doesn’t take me out for trail rides in the mountains as much as she used to. Heck, she doesn’t ride any of us horses as much as she used to.

Tristan: I’d have to agree.

Devon: She doesn’t ride you because you outgrew your bridle, you big, long-haired bas –

Queenie: (cuts off Devon’s tirade and bad language) I haven’t suffered at all. She’s been in the house more than she used to because of her writing.

Tell me about the animals in your human's fiction. How often do they appear and how big a part do they play?

Queenie: Bethany and her co-author of “Taming The Wildcat”, Mina Carter, didn’t write about real animals in their book. They made up some nasty tempered beast called a wild “Hasang” and mentioned it in passing.

Tristan: Nasty tempered? I wonder who they based that on? Any ideas, Devon?

Devon: (glares and bares teeth) Certainly NOT me.

Queenie: I do know that Bethany has two horses in one of her works in progress. I’m sure she’ll add a pretty tabby and white cat before the books is up. (feline grin)

Nika: (comes running in) Someone throw the Frisbee for me! Play, play, play!

Queenie: Silly dog. Why don’t you go back outside and chase your short, stubby tail until you get dizzy and fall over?

Nika: That sounds like fun! Thanks. (runs out to do just that)

Queenie, Devon and Tristan: (all rolling eyes)

On the off-chance your human has yet to incorporate animals into a story, what are your plans for making sure she rectifies this egregious error and demonstration of poor writing skills?

Devon: Well, she’d have to write something that isn’t set in outer space for one. I just plan on taking her for some great trail rides in the mountains this summer. That will spark her imagination to write a sweeping epic romance that the heroine also happens to have this great looking bay colored horse –

Tristan: It will be a big, long-haired black Friesian horse, not some spindly-legged bay horse.

Queenie: Moving on again. (bored cat sigh)

What movies involving animals does your human enjoy sharing with you? Books with animals?

Tristan: She doesn’t let any of us horses in the house.

Devon: (snickers) Yeah, I think she’s worried we’ll scratch up the hardwood floors.

Tristan: And perhaps leave a big stinky present…

(both laughing at that one)

Queenie: She loves watching movies that have horses in them. A few of the movies she watches have the same breed of horse featured as the hero’s horse as what Tristan is.

Tristan: Baby, I’m a star.

Devon: It wasn’t actually you in those movies, bonehead. You wish!

Tristan: True, I’m better looking than those horses. I’ve been featured on the Cowboy Magic Facebook page more than once.

Devon: So have I.

Tristan: Only once.

If you could make one change to your human, what would it be?

Devon: That she’d spend more time with me and take me out for long rides.

Tristan: Ditto.

Queenie: I’m perfectly happy with her.

Are you happy with your human? If you could tell your human one thing, what would it be?

Devon: Yes, I’m very happy with her. I’ve been with her the longest. Eighteen years. Beat that, Tristan. She trained me herself and we’ve spent countless days riding in the desert around Tucson, Arizona. We moved two years ago up to Idaho. I tell her I love her all the time now, by hugging her.

Tristan: I’m very happy with her. She loves all of her horses, but I give the best hugs. I’d tell her I’m glad she picked me out of all the Friesians she had to choose from. She drove all the way from Idaho, through Arizona first to visit a friend, to eastern Kansas to pick me up. All by herself! I, too, tell her I love her.

Queenie: I already answered…I’m happy. I’d tell her to get off the damned computer and pet me more. Just kidding. I’d tell her how much I like cuddling with her.

Nika: (barking from outside) Very happy! Happy dog. (pants) I’d tell her to throw the Frisbee! Or even a ball. A ball would be good too! (gets distracted by small furry animal) SQUIRREL!

What things does your human do that would mortify her it if known? What does your human do that most annoys?

Queenie: We’re sworn to secrecy. She feeds us and takes care of us, so we’d never tell anything too embarrassing. Um…she makes faces when she’s writing or reading. It’s quite funny.

What’s most annoying about Bethany? How she sometimes has to get up to do something right after I’ve made myself comfortable on her lap. It’s so rude to make me move after I’ve found the perfect, comfy position.

Devon: When she gives Tristan or Ransom apples, carrots or treats before me. She doesn’t do it often though. Seniority rules!

Tristan: Seniority drools! Senior is right, old man. Didn’t you just turn 20 this month?

Devon: Yes, I did. You know what you need, Tristan?

Tristan: No. What’s that?

Devon: (kicks Tristan and watches him falls down) Respect for your elders! (snickers)

Tristan: (groans)

Has your human named a character for you? Are you pleased? If not, why?

Tristan: Yes, she has. (big horsey grin) In her work in progress that she’s taking her own sweet time writing, she has a horse that is a dead ringer for me. I’d have to say it IS me, since she even named it Tristan…after yours truly. I’m very pleased.

Devon: Braggart! She hasn’t named one after me yet, but I know for a fact that she based the other horse in that book on me and my sparkling person…er…horsenality. Even though it doesn’t look like me, it’s me.

And did your human name you for a fictional character? Hate it or love it? If you could rename yourself, what would your name be?

Tristan: Yes, she named me after Tristan Aragon, from “Tristan and Isolde”. Also after Tristan Ludlow from “Legends of The Fall” and Tristan from a movie called “Stardust”…and of course, let’s not forget Tristan of Camelot and the legend of the knights of the Round Table. I love the name she gave me. It’s easier to pronounce than my registered name, which is Thijs. I was born in The Netherlands in 2006 and imported to the United States in July 2009. Wow…I’ve been in America for two years now!

Devon: Do you ever shut up? I wasn’t named after a fictional character, but a place. Two places actually. Devon, England…because Bethany would love to go there some day to see the countryside there and Devon, Pennsylvania…because there are a lot of horse shows there that she’s watched on TV for years. I love my name.

Queenie: Okay, before Tristan starts talking about how beautiful he is again, I’d better thank you for allowing us to stop by and visit with you. It’s really cool that your human lets you interview other author’s pets. For the readers of Marianne’s blog (your very cool and hip human) Please check out our human’s book, “Taming The Wildcat” that she wrote with her friend and co-author, Mina Carter. We hope you like Bethany and Mina’s book.

Devon: Oh gross! Tristan farted. Time to go.

Tristan: I did not!

Queenie: (wrinkles nose) Oh dear…and on that note, we’ll be leaving now. I’m off for a cat nap and these two nags have to get back to the barn...but if your human’s friends have any questions for us, I’ll be back after my nap to answer to the best of my ability. We’ll make sure that Tristan chews up a few boxes of Gas-X before we bring him into an enclosed area again. Meow for now. =D

Fresh out of a disciplinary that almost ruined her career and landed her in jail, Summer King is out for a much needed night on the town...or bar district in her local space station. It seems this King girl can't stay out of trouble though, causing a bar brawl within minutes of her arrival.

Roz Taren is a mercenary, leader of the Wildcats, and a man who knows what he wants. Right now, that's the pretty girl in the purple dress. Rescuing her from the unwanted attentions of a bunch of drunks lands her right in his bed for the hottest weeked he's ever experienced.

Then she's recalled and Roz discovers his little firebird is a fleet pilot aka insane crazy with a side of total fruitloop. Fleet pilots live fast, die young and leave legends behind. When he receives word her ship is lost with all hands, Roz must bury her along with his heart.

Only this firebird isn't your garden variety. This bird is a Phoenix...one out to tame a Wildcat

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BJ Barnes -

A fiery-tempered stay at home mom by day, Bethany J. Barnes is really a superhero in disguise. Equally at home creating fantastical worlds and the men and women who inhabit them or driving armed across county to collect a hot male (her gorgeous horse, Tristan), she'll happily wrestle rattlesnakes, rescue baby owls or perform strenuous casting tests for male leads in her stories. An active RPGer, B.J. is equally happy writing hot paranormal or steamy sci-fi and is the mainstay of many online games. An accomplished photographer, B.J.'s specialties are concert and equine photography. She’s dabbled in wedding photography, but has no patience for Bridezillas.

PS – She’s been known to shoot a bumble bee hovering in midair. Not a lady to be messed with!

Mina Carter - Mina Carter was born and raised in Middle Earth (otherwise known as the Midlands, England). After a slew of careers ranging from logistics to land-surveying she can now be found in the wilds of Leicestershire with her husband and young daughter…the true boss of the family.

Suffering the curse of eternal curiosity Mina never tires of learning new skills which has led to Aromatherapy, Corsetry, Chain-maille making, Welding, Canoeing, Shooting, and pole-dancing to name but a few. A veteran Star Trek RPGer, she’s run both games and groups of games but now finds her home in Bravo Fleet, one of the internet’s oldest Star Trek simm groups.

She juggles being a mum, working full time and writing, tossing another ball in the air with her cover artwork. For Mina, writing time is the wee hours of the morning before anyone wakes up and starts making demands, or any spare minute that can be begged, bought or conned.

Her first stories were penned at age 11, when she used a stationery set meant for Christmas thank you letters to write stories instead. More recently, she wrote for her own amusement and to save on outrageous monthly book bills. Now she’s totally addicted and needs her daily writing fix or heads roll!
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