JEZEBEL:
Heya, Avid Fans! Welcome back to Cat and Muse, the only Internet talk-radio show (that we know of) that stars authors’ characters. I’m your host, the former demon Jezebel. With me, as always, is the terribly tragic producer of the show, forced to speak in clichés and pop culture references…the Muse of Tragedy, Melpomene!

[APPLAUSE]

Hi, Mel!

MELPOMENE:
YO.

JEZ:
Our next guest is someone who understands that the devil is in the details. Publishers Weekly calls Sara Rosett’s Mom Zone Mysteries as “satisfying and well-executed” cozies, and the Mystery Gazette declares that “Fans of amateur sleuth mysteries will relish GETTING AWAY IS DEADLY as the tale contains a delightful whodunit that serves as a tour of Washington DC.”

A delightful whodunit! Ooh!

MEL:
THE BUTLER DID IT.

JEZ:
Now, now, Mel. You have to read the book before you can say that. Boys and girls, give a hotter than hot welcome to the star of Sara Rosett’s GETTING AWAY IS DEADLY…Ellie Avery!

[APPLAUSE]

Heya, Ellie!

ELLIE:
Hey, everyone! Nice to be here.

JEZ:
[GLANCES AT CUE CARD] So a military spouse goes to Washington, D.C., wanting some R&R while her pilot husband goes to a training class, but her vacation time is cut short after she witnesses a murder in the Metro. My, my. That can put a crimp in anyone’s plans. Unless, you know, you get off on that sort of thing…?

ELLIE:
It’s supposed to be a vacation, but I’m traipsing all over D.C., following these ladies that are in my tour group with me, because some of them are acting weird and after I saw that man get pushed onto the Metro tracks I don’t want to be next, so I’d say that’s a pretty crazy situation to be in.

JEZ:
So what you’re saying is death is not a turn-on.

MEL:
TO EACH THEIR OWN.

ELLIE:
Worst thing is, I’m pregnant, and Sara’s got me running all over downtown D.C. following suspects and then being chased by them.

JEZ:
I like how you take the witnessing a murder thing in stride, but the pregnancy, not so much.

ELLIE:
And she kept forgetting to feed me—a must when you’re pregnant!

JEZ:
Heh. I’ll take your word on that one. Between the murder and the running and the suspecting and the, um, pregnancying, did you get any down time?

ELLIE:
[GRINS] Sight-seeing and shopping, the two best vacation activities.

JEZ:
And not just for travelers anymore! I see you like to dress for comfort.

ELLIE:
[NODS] T-shirt and jeans. Not very exciting, but who has time to worry about fashion? I’ve got one kid and one on the way, so there you go.

JEZ:
Yes indeed!

ELLIE:
Now, purses, those are another story. I love leather under glass!

JEZ:
Me, I just likee the leather. Okay, spill. You and your husband. Who’s on top? Or are there other preferred positions?

ELLIE:
Positions? I can barely remember what those are. I’m a mom with one kid under two and another on the way, so I’m doing good if I’m awake after 7:30.

JEZ:
Hah! Well then, what’s your romantic fantasy?

ELLIE:
Chinese food and a romantic comedy.

JEZ:
I have to admit, that’s a little different from what I was expecting.

ELLIE:
[SHRUGS] Not incredibly exciting, but I have enough excitement in my life right now.

JEZ:
Which is better: sex or chocolate?

ELLIE:
I have to choose?

JEZ:
Yeah, I’m just evil that way.

ELLIE:
How about I say C, both.

JEZ:
Duly noted.

ELLIE:
[SIGHS] I’m sure *some day* I won’t be this tired and I’ll be interested in both.

JEZ:
So, in GETTING AWAY IS DEADLY, were there any parts of the story where you were like, Sara, sweetie, what the Hell are you making me do? Or were you and your Creator in sync the entire time?

ELLIE:
In sync. Well, except for the food. Missing meals is just wrong.

JEZ:
I know demons of Gluttony who would heartily agree with you.

ELLIE:
And then there was the time when one of the other characters surprised us both.

JEZ:
Like in a popping-out-of-a-cake way, or something a tad more sinister?

ELLIE:
I thought he was an out-and-out baddie, but he turned out to be undercover.

JEZ:
Mmm. I have a soft spot for undercover cops.

ELLIE:
Of course, Sara says she knew it all along, but I know the truth.

JEZ:
Yeah, these Creator types think they can pull off the omniscience, don’t they? [GLARES AT COMPUTER SCREEN] Ellie, if you had your way, what would you change about the book?

ELLIE:
There are some incredible restaurants in D.C. You’d think she could send me to at least one.

JEZ:
Heh. I’m sensing a theme here.

MEL:
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD.

JEZ:
If you could make Sara do anything, what would it be?

ELLIE:
She needs to race through the National Mall in Washington D.C.’s famous humidity. Then we’ll see how much she likes being chased by the bad guys.

JEZ:
Hah! Tell me one thing in the real world that you wish you could change.

ELLIE:
All vacations should be purely vacations. No work/vacation combos, because those aren’t really vacations.

MEL:
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY.

ELLIE:
Everyone needs to get away, and I mean really get away. No cell phone, no email, and absolutely no cable TV news.

JEZ:
Wow, no email? My own Dear Creator would probably have a stroke if she couldn’t check her email every couple of hours. If GETTING AWAY IS DEADLY goes Hollywood, who should play you in the movie?

ELLIE:
Sandra Bullock. She’d be able to pull off the seriousness and the humor.

JEZ:
Finally, if you could be evil for one day, and you were granted spiffy evil powers, what would the powers be and how would you use them?

ELLIE:
How about the ability to zap people with fire?

JEZ:
Ooh! Why fire?

ELLIE:
I’d immediately use it on all evil dictators in the world.

JEZ:
Sweetie, wouldn’t you be on the same team?

ELLIE:
[SMILES] Got to eliminate all the competition, you know.

JEZ:
Heh. Well said!

Avid Fans, give another round of applause for the star of Sara Rosett’s Mom Zone Mystery series…Ellie Avery!

[APPLAUSE]

[No, this isn’t Ellie, but it is her Dear Creator, Sara Rosett.]

The Mom Zone Mysteries include:

MOVING IS MURDER
STAYING HOME IS A KILLER
GETTING AWAY IS DEADLY

You can get DEADLY and the other Mom Zone mysteries at Barnes and Noble, Booksense bookstores, Amazon.com, and other fine bookstores near you.

That’s it for this episode of Cat and Muse! Until next time, remember: love your inner demon.