Ten Questions Tuesday with Cat Connor

Today at Miscellaneous Yammering we are pleased and proud to present the lovely and talented not to mention charmingly accented Cat Connor, author of Killerbyte .

K: Cat thank you for flying in from New Zealand to be here with me today. You are far and away the interviewee who travelled the most miles to answer my inane questions. I just hope you get another book deal out of the trip. Or at least a nice hot towel on the return flight….and fyi… I found out that the airline doesn't like it when you strip and use it for a sponge bath…just a heads up.

C: Thank you for having me over. It was a great trip-hardly any jet lag at all; just nice and quiet.

How did you know? It did include another book deal for my next book Terrorbyte, the 2^nd Ellie Conway adventure, [blushes demurely] thanks for asking! And thank you also for the heads up on the sponge bath, Karen, I had no idea. I'll just pop this hot towel down somewhere before things get ugly. I wouldn't want to be the cause of terror on the flight home. (again)

K: Ok, Cat, let's get started shall we? Got your thinking cap firmly in place?

C: I do indeed. Wouldn't cha know it; it's my lucky killerbyte hat.

K: Ah, that explains the bullet holes.

K: Ok, here we go:

TEN QUESTIONS FOR CAT CONNOR

K: Cat, I've heard that the bugs in New Zealand can be as big as a bus. Is that true?

C: Bus, large mouse, it's all very similar, especially if said bug is in your washing machine doing a turn on the top of the towels! I do wish I could introduce you to the large weta that went for a swim, but he didn't look too well after his rescue. I think he realized pretty quickly that I wasn't about to do CPR on a freaking bug! The most he and I could hope for was him drying off on the lawn out back and then limping away. I didn't check

K: Speaking of bugs…your main character said one of the funniest things that I've ever seen in print about honey. She said "Why do people like bee puke so much?" Is that an opinion you share? Or is your MC the only smart ass in the family?

C: Seriously, why do people like bee puke? What is the attraction to that sticky mess? Which by the way, tastes like crushed motion sickness pills-thanks mum. I wish I could say Ellie's the only smart ass-but my nose would grow and I love my nose. It's a great nose.

K: You seem to have been influenced by smart asses all the way through. At one point your MC says to her brother "Sit down, Aiden, you're making the place untidy." Now for me, I instantly heard Bogart saying that line. As a matter of fact I'm now sitting here wondering if he SAID that line in the Maltese Falcon. [glares suspiciously at you] Care to expound on that missy?

C: So what you're saying is….my grandfather was Bogart? That's the first I knew. Wow. That is amazing. Wonder why he never told us kids? Perhaps it was one of those 'take it to your grave' type secrets.

K: You live with children and a husband. How the heck do you get any writing done?

C: Duct tape. It has silencing properties that usually only kidnappers and the like know about. Bit of a writer trade secret really. Combine that with TV and you've got at least two hours (by the time they chew through the tape) of peaceful writing time. Which reminds me, I best get some more tape.

K: When you travel, what is your least favorite thing? Whining in moderation is allowed here; go ahead, you're amongst friends.

C: The actual traveling part. Really for the full experience I insist that you come to New Zealand, I can provide a boisterous highly intelligent 3 yr old and an interesting 10 yr old with ADD and then some, and I will let you spend three hours on the Interislander ferry with no cell phone coverage trying to keep them entertained and safe, oh and fed! It's a joyful time, really it is. So can I count on you in October when I must trek south again?

K: Um….I'll just check my calendar; can I get back to you on that Cat?

K: Ok, now to the important stuff. Best Prince song ever?

C: Wasn't he formerly known as squiggle? The guy who had no backside in his pants…he sung did he? Funny old world we live in. Now had you said Bon Jovi-we'd be here all night!

K: If you were given a dollar and were told that it was a magical dollar, would you a)spend it hoping that what you bought would be magical as well b) give it away to someone in need of magic in their life c) call together great minds in the fields of physics and elemental chemistry to study it d) forget you had it and leave it in the console of your car to be accidently spent at 3:00am at taco bell?

C: I'd like to say I'd give it away to someone in need of magic in their life…but I think we all know I'd put it in my wallet and one of the kids would take it. By the time I realized they took the magic dollar it'd be way too late and the magic school bus would be a reality show.

K: What is a movie that you would never admit to liking in public? (one of these damn days SOMEONE will actually answer this question)But if it's Porky's, reconsider your answer. I would actually revoke my endorsement of Killerbyte if it's Porky's. Or if it's The Sound of Music…that would be worse than Porky's. Christopher Plummer just gives me the willies.

C: He gives us all the willies. I recall Porky's from many years ago, and I hope to never see or hear of it again. There are so many movies to choose from here…let's just say the straight-to-DVD movies Stephen Seagal has done of late (okay, or ever). What's possibly worse, is that I own so many of them. We call him flappy man in our house-yep even have a pet name for the man. I'm sure there is a support group I could join.

K: Speaking of movies that Julie Andrews was in; did you ever see Victor/Victoria? Now THAT'S comedy.

C: I did. He/She's truly fabulous. She's not getting my tiara though. I'm sorry but I came a long way for this loot, and I'm not sharing. As wonderful as Julie is…she can get her own.

And finally,

K: Having travelled all this way…do you think it was worth it? Don't forget to factor in the free Miscellaneous Yammering tee shirt, slippers, tiara and travel coffee mug.

C: This tiara alone is worth it. How did you know I love sparkly things so much. I feel kinda mean for not sharing with Julie Andrews but damn, it was a long flight-and I deserve it! I shall be wearing the tee shirt, slippers, and tiara home while drinking from my fabulous new coffee mug.

K: Cat, thank you for coming in to play Ten Questions Tuesdays with me today. Despite the fact that I have a funny Ohio accent and you had a little trouble understanding me, I think that that went pretty well, don't you? And by the way you are ROCKIN that tiara.

C: I'd like to thank you for not thinking I was Australian (bit of a dirty word down here, that one)and for breaking through the accent barrier…I love your accent by the way, once I got used to it everything was just fine.

I've had a great time and am truly loving this tiara.

Suppose I now have to go rip the duct tape off the family and head back home. Or I could leave it on, and enjoy a quiet trip…….

Hang on a second Cat, let me just look something up….ok, got it...here's a look at a giant weta....holy cow, glad that wasn't in my washing machine…