Cat sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings.
What is your full name?
Hi, I’m Catalina Wright-Hawl, Cat for short, a true cuss word in Barkview, the dog friendliest city in America.
How old are you?
I’ll admit to 30-something-unmentionable. I never really thought about my age until my first gray hair kicked my butt. Now, I practice the never-see-my-roots rule of hair maintenance.
What is your profession?
I have one of those jobs coveted by dog lover’s everywhere. I produce and manage KDOG TV and my aunt, Doctor Charlotte Barklay’s, dog psychiatry show, Throw Him a Bone. A look at all things from Fido’s perspective.
Do you have a significant other?
I am a newlywed. After nearly losing my new husband on our honeymoon, I’m thankfully adjusting to life with a significant other.
What is their name and profession?
Russ Hawl is ex-FBI and now owns a security company headquartered in Barkview. I admit his investigative skills are exceptional.
Do you have any children?
Not yet, but my biological clock reminds me with annoying frequency.
Do you have any siblings?
A half-sister who showed up last year on my doorstep and enrolled in college at Bark U less than a mile from my home. If she’d choose a major already, maybe my mother’s over-the-top scrutiny would lessen. Like it’s my fault Lani keeps getting into mischief.
Are your parents nearby?
That’s part of the problem. My mother and the Commander are stationed in Hawaii, where my stepfather is a US Coast Guard officer. After years of barely talking, Mom and I have found a common interest in solving mysteries. Turns out my mom’s a natural sleuth. Who knew all those stuffy Mah Jong games would net a Sherlock Holmes worthy information network?
Who is your best friend?
Do I need to choose just one? Sandy Wynn, my toe-headed, voice of millennia assistant, is the sister I chose and the very best computer researcher around. My aunt Char, Barkview’s mayor, is my mentor and conscience. Let’s not forget my husband and Uncle G… I love them all.
Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
I am the go-to dog sitter for all crime challenged canines. Some, whose name will remain unmentioned, call these interactions my journey to find the perfect dog. I’m not so sure. I don’t hate dogs. I just prefer sleek, independent and litterbox trained cats which is a true four-letter word in a town overrun with over-the-top dog lovers.
What town do you live in?
Barkview, CA. A small, seaside community with more secrets than any Victorian town should have. Did I mention it’s the dog-friendliest city in America? Here designated leash lanes lead to hound playgrounds and every resident has a BFF—that’s a best furry friend—except me. Which makes me the most unpopular person in town.
What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
My new husband and I recently remodeled a Victorian house which is part of my aunt’s late husband’s estate. The house has stories to tell, I’m sure. Having been home to generations of Barklays, I wonder if Great Aunt Celeste stood on the same bluffs admiring the sunset or searching for rogue Japanese subs lurking in the Pacific Ocean.
What is your favorite spot in your home?
Sunset on the backyard patio. I love the dramatic golds and oranges painting the sky over the ocean and the chance to catch the elusive ‘green flash.’
What is your favorite meal and dessert?
A single favorite? Wow, how do I choose? Obvious from my curvy figure, I’m a foodie. Hawaiian fusion is probably my favorite, but Cajun, Thai and Chinese come in close seconds. Don’t get me started on dessert.
Do you have any hobbies?
I’m a tournament pickleball player. Seriously, Sandy and I play women’s doubles and Russ and I play mixed. With all the running around I do on the court, you’d think I’d be in good shape, right? Not a prayer. Long hikes and staircases remind me that I need to make gym time.
What music do you listen to?
I’m musically illiterate. Not that I don’t like a good country song. News reels and critiquing KDOG episodes dominate my windshield time.
What is your favorite color?
Blue. Azure blue to be exact. Reminds me of exotic scuba diving adventures.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
Canine Cay, Australia. Where gourmet food meets exceptional scuba diving in a foodie’s paradise.
Are you a morning or night person?
Can we go with in transit? I have always been a night person until I married up-with-the-sun Russ. Now, I’m not so sure. I guess, it’s true that couples do adapt to each other.
What is your idea of a really fun time?
What can be better than relaxing on the backyard patio enjoying a shiraz-du-jour with my ought-to-be-illegally-handsome husband and friends? Add a mystery to solve and I’m happy.
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Untold Secrets. Heaven knows I’ve uncovered enough. Who knew an idyllic, historic town like Barkview could have so many skeletons?
Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
More like reluctant sleuth. My crazy desire to uncover secrets gets me into trouble with Barkview’s police chief. While I call the chief Uncle, he is not a blood relation, but rather my Aunt Char’s second husband’s brother-in-law. Not that it gets me special treatment either. I’m still ticketed for failure to yield to an oncoming Pekinese.
What is a typical day in your life like?
Seriously, no day is the same. Between keeping up with the local news and chairing Barkview’s annual holiday Gingerbread Dog House Competition, my days are busy. When the crowd’s favorite chef is murdered and her award-winning recipe stolen, the Dachshunds turn the Victorian Holiday Market upside down burrowing for the killer.
Dachshund to Death, A Barkview Mystery Book #9
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: November 2023
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link
A murdered chef, a missing gingerbread recipe
and a holiday secret to die for…
A murdered pastry chef and a stolen family recipe turn Barkview’s annual holiday gingerbread dog house competition into a canine cat-astrophy.
Has this competition turned dog-eat-dog or is it something more sinister? A tent full of knife-proficient suspects complicates everything. When Sandy’s sister is accused of the crime, Cat Hawl is on the scent. The deeper she digs she realizes that the recipe itself leads to something far more valuable than the perfect holiday treat.
With the help of two devilish Dachshunds, Cat must run with the big dogs to find a 1930’s treasure before the prize is eaten by time.
About the author
The award-winning author of the critically acclaimed Barkview Mysteries series, C.B. Wilson’s love of writing was spurred by an early childhood encounter with a Nancy Drew book where she precociously wrote what she felt was a better ending. After studying at the Gemology Institute of America, she developed a passion for researching lost, stolen and missing diamonds–the big kind. Her fascination with dogs and their passionate owners inspired Barkview, California, the dog friendliest city in America.
C.B. lives in Peoria, AZ with her husband. She is an avid pickleball player who enjoys traveling to play tournaments. She admits to chocoholic tendencies and laughing out loud at dog comics.
To connect with C.B Wilson at her website at cbwilsonauthor.com, on Facebook, and on YouTube.