A Second Chance Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Sofie Ryan to the blog today. Sofie writes the Second Chance Cat Mystery series. Telling Tails, the fourth book in the series, was released January 3rd!

Kathy: In the Second Chance Cat Mystery series Sarah Grayson is adopted by a rescue cat named Elvis. Have you ever been adopted by a cat? Or other animal?

SR: I have. Several years ago I was adopted by a big ginger tabby named George. He lived several streets away but he spent part of each day with me. His former owner had been a city councilor and it was fun to talk politics with George. He would listen intently with his head cocked to one side and meow very indignantly when he heard the mayor’s name!


Kathy: Sarah owns a secondhand shop. Lots of bargains and treasures can be found in those types of shops. Do you frequent them yourself? What's the best thing you ever found there?

SR: I love thrift shops and second hand stores. One of my favorite finds is my art table. All it needed was a coat of paint. I use the table every day. My breadmaker came from a thrift store. So did my briefcase.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

SR: I like mysteries because I can make sure the good guys get justice and the bad guys are punished. That doesn’t always happen in real life.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

SR: I’ve also written several young adult novels and I write poetry. I don’t usually show anyone the poetry!


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

SR: The Second Chance series features Sarah Grayson, her cat Elvis, the Angels--a group of senior citizen detectives, and Mr. P., the world’s oldest computer hacker. The books are set in North Harbor, Maine.

The Magical Cats mysteries, which I write as Sofie Kelly, are set in Mayville Heights, Minnesota. Kathleen Paulson is the head librarian there. Her cats, Owen and Hercules, have a “magical” ability to solve crimes.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

SR: I don’t really have a favorite character but I do have a soft spot for Elvis.


Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

SR: I didn’t have a specific inspiration for the series, but several of my mother’s friends did inspire Rose, Charlotte and Liz. Those friends were nothing like the stereotypical image we have of senior citizens. They made me laugh and like their fictional counterparts, they were always drinking tea and trying to feed me.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

SR: I like to tell stories. When I was a kid I’d make up stories to tell my friends.


Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

SR: Kurt Vonnegut, because Welcome to the Monkey House is one of my favourite books. Margaret Maron, because The Bootlegger’s Daughter is a perfectly written mystery. I’d invite Stephen Hawking because I’ve read A Brief History of Time several times and there are still parts I don’t understand. (And I could ask him about being on The Big Bang Theory.) And I’d have to invite Phoebe Gilman. She wrote one of my favorite children’s books, Jillian Jiggs.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

SR: I’m reading Shadow of a Doubt, an account of the murder of Canadian businessman, Richard Oland. I’m also reading The Whole She-Bang 3, an anthology of mystery short stories.


Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

SR: In the good weather we do a lot of hiking. This past summer we visited six different waterfalls and I shared the photos on my website. I run (a little) and I swim. That all makes me seem way more athletic than I really am!


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

SR: Lactose-free milk, coffee, apples and flour (for making bread.)


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

SR: There will be another Magical Cats book in October—A Tale of Two Kitties. And I’ve just finished the next Second Chance Cats story.


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

SR: I really like telling stories to people. I never imagined when I was making up stories to entertain my friends that someday I’d be doing it as a job. It’s also fun to hear from readers from all over the world and hear about their cats.


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