J. B. Lynn: Bits of Real Life (a guest post)

I'm once again honored to welcome J. B. Lynn to Girl Who Reads. She is celebrating the release of her second novel, Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman. I LOVED this book (in case you haven't figured it out for yourself). Thank you, J. B., for taking the time to share about one of my favorite characters!
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Fiction is made up, but I happen to think that every author puts a bit of themselves in their work.

Maybe they use a setting they’re familiar with, or perhaps they base a character on someone they know, or maybe they use some of their own likes/dislikes or quirks to flesh out a character.

For example, my love of animals is put to use in CONFESSIONS OF A SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC HITWOMAN. After Maggie Lee is involved in an auto accident and suffers a head injury, she can suddenly talk to animals.

This sudden “gift” Maggie has received just complicates her life further. Not only is she responsible for the care of her niece’s pet lizard, Godzilla, he happens to be a smarmy, know-it-all, who doesn’t shut up.

Is it time for Wheel of Fortune?

Personally, I’d jump at the chance to figure out what goes on in the heads of my pets.

Why is Senegal Sam the parrot, so enamored of lying on his back in the palm of my hand? It exposes his belly. Why doesn’t he have the instinct to protect himself?

Phoebe and Teddy

Or why does Teddy, my smaller dog, growl like Cujo if you dare to pet him after ten at night? Is he part Gremlin?

And why does Phoebe, the big dog, think she’s a lap dog? Seventy pounds is waaaayyyyyyy too big for a lap dog, but try telling her that!

While my animals provide unconditional love, Godzilla ends up serving as Maggie’s sounding board throughout CONFESSIONS OF A SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC HITWOMAN, often asking her the tough questions or calling her on the very things she’d rather forget about.

Yet another animal (its identity would be a spoiler, so I can’t reveal who) ends up being a major player in the climax of the book.

Needless to say, animals are important to me…both the ones who keep me company in real life and those who play in my imagination.

If you could talk to any animal, living or dead, real or imagined, who would it be? And what would you ask them?

If you haven't picked up a copy of Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman, WHY NOT? Seriously, you need to read it. Get your copy at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.

Anole photo credit: Clicksy via photopin cc
Dogs photo credit: J. B. Lynn via http://jblynn.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/my-favorite-readers/

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