[APPLAUSE]

Hi, Mel!

MELPOMENE:
YO.

JEZ:
Our next guest on Cat and Mouse—er, Muse—is definitely a cat person. Purr, baby. The Romance Readers Connection says “Rachel Vincent has outdone herself again with the continuation of this series” and Darque Reviews elaborates: “Ms. Vincent takes readers on an emotion filled adventure as the fate of one character profoundly affects the future of many. PRIDE provides fast moving action, surprising twists in the storyline, and gives readers a good look at the darker side of the author’s intriguing world of werecats.”

Dark side? Yum! Boys and girls, give a huge hello to the hero of Rachel Vincent’s terrific Werecats series…Marc Ramos!

[APPLAUSE]

Heya, sweetie!

MARC:
Hey. [SCOOTS AWAY FROM JEZ, NOTING THE PREDATORY LOOK IN HER EYES] Is it always this warm in here?

JEZ:
Sweetie, it can get much, much hotter. [SCOOTS CLOSER] Tell me, even though Faythe is on the cover of PRIDE, any chance the book is totally about you?

MARC:
[SMILES] I have a pretty big part, but it’s Faythe’s story.

JEZ:
Heh. I bet your…part…is big indeed. And very, very pretty. Yummy. [GLANCES AT NOTES] So in this third Werecats novel, Faythe is on trial for her life, accused of infecting her human ex, then killing him to cover up the crime. Sweet!

MARC:
[STARES AT HER IN HORROR]

JEZ:
Er. I mean, oh no, the horror.

MARC:
If they find her guilty, I’ll probably be the one assigned to execute her.

JEZ:
You say that like it’s a bad thing.

MARC:
[ARCHES EYEBROW] We’re not exactly celebrating. And even if she lives, there’s no guarantee we’ll get to stay together.

JEZ:
Oh my. [TOUCHES HIS ARM] Sounds like you need some consoling…

MEL:
[PUTS ON BARRY WHITE CD]

JEZ:
Go on, sweetie. Tell us everything.

MARC:
[SIGHS] The head of the tribunal sitting in judgment of her hates me because I’m a stray.

JEZ:
That’s a non-native werecat, right? Made instead of born?

MARC:
[NODS] The power-hungry bastard’s gunning for our entire Pride, not just Faythe. And his ambition knows no bounds.

JEZ:
Sounds like every demon of pride I’ve ever met. Hmm. Mel, we might have to get some paperwork going after the show.

MEL:
DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS.

JEZ:
Marc, I’m so sorry to hear about your woes. Maybe you and I could go somewhere…remote…and talk about things? Using much body language?

MARC:
[LAUGHS] In PRIDE, we’re sequestered in a private cabin complex in the mountains for the trial.

JEZ:
Ah.

MARC:
And we can’t get pizza delivered, no matter what we offer the driver.

JEZ:
Alas.

MARC:
Fortunately, stress and anger bring out all kinds of other… excitement. [GRINS] And Faythe and I have never been more stressed or angry in our lives.

JEZ:
[REMOVES HER HAND FROM HIS ARM] Oh goody.

MARC:
We broke up a couple of months ago.

JEZ:
[BLINKS] Okay. Now I’m just confused.

MARC:
[LAUGHS] Welcome to my life. When we’re on speaking terms, whatever Faythe wants is good for me. I’m easy.

JEZ:
[SIGHS DREAMILY] I just bet you are…

MEL:
[TURNS UP THE VOLUME ON THE MUSIC]

JEZ:
So, what’s your romantic fantasy?

MARC:
My romantic fantasy? Are guys supposed to have those?

JEZ:
Sweetie, you can have whatever you’d like. [UNFASTENS TOP BUTTON FROM BLOUSE]

MEL:
FINGERS DO THE WALKING.

MARC:
[SMILES] Okay, fine. A long white dress Faythe would only wear for an hour, and a house of our own.

JEZ:
[PAUSES MID-STRIP] That’s it?

MARC:
[LAUGHS] Seriously, my idea of romance doesn’t get any more complicated than promises and privacy. Long term.

JEZ:
Wow. A cat who’s into commitment. Which is better: sex or chocolate?

MARC:
Sex. No question. [CHUCKLES] Though I wouldn’t object if she wants both at once.

MEL:
HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO.

JEZ:
Ah, so that’s what the kids are calling it these days… [GLANCES AT CUE CARDS] So, in PRIDE, were there any parts of the story where you were like, Rachel, sweetie, what the Hell are you making me do? Or were you and your Creator in sync the entire time?

MARC:
The deal struck to resolve the trial? That didn’t work out too well for me.

JEZ:
Aw.

MARC:
In fact, I didn’t like much in this one. Except for chapter twenty.

JEZ:
Chapter twenty?

MARC:
[GRINS] Distraught, desperate make-up sex.

JEZ:
Mmm. Desperate make-up sex. Yum!

MARC:
That one was my idea. [CHUCKLES] Though I think it worked out for Faythe too.

JEZ:
Heh. I bet. If you had your way, what would you change about PRIDE?

MARC:
The ending. I’m all about…

[CLANGING DROWNS OUT MARC’S ANSWER]

JEZ:
Bless me, Mel, shut off the Spoilalert!

[MELPOMENE TURNS OFF THE SPOILALERT. AND THE BARRY WHITE CD.]

JEZ:
Sorry about that. The thing’s got a mind of its own. If you could make Rachel do anything, what would it be?

MARC:
Write me and Faythe into another world.

JEZ:
Ooh. ‘Splain, please!

MARC:
Rachel makes up the rules in the books, right? So why this world? Why these rules? I want a world where we could be together in peace.

JEZ:
Oh, I thought you were going for some squeaky alien sex.

MARC:
Um… No. Fur and claws are weird enough, thanks.

JEZ:
Mmm. Mental note: Marc likes it kinky.

MARC:
Besides, it’s not like Faythe would get bored. [SMILES] I’d keep her busy…

JEZ:
What a guy. Tell me one thing in the real world that you wish you could change.

MARC:
I wish people in the real world knew about shifters, so we wouldn’t have to hide all the time. It would be nice to walk down the street without having to pretend I can’t bench press a small car.

JEZ:
Yeah, having all that strength and stamina and power must be…horrible… [FANS SELF] If PRIDE goes Hollywood, who should play you in the movie?

MARC:
Eduardo Verastegui. We could be brothers. Seriously.

JEZ:
Mmmm. Nice. What about Faythe?

MARC:
Megan Fox. She was great in Transformers. But don’t tell Faythe I said that.

JEZ:
Heh. Your secret, sweetie, is safe with me. 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?

MARC:
I would want to the ability to incinerate people with one look.

JEZ:
Sweet!

MARC:
I’d fry one of the characters in PRIDE on the spot. [HISSES] No more corrupt tribunal. No more [BLEEP] trial. Roll credits and make with the happily ever after…

JEZ:
Well, if you insist…

Avid fans, give a hotter than hot round of applause for the hero of Rachel Vincent’s werecats series…Marc Ramos!

[APPLAUSE]

[No, this definitely isn't the delicious, delectable Marc Ramos. But it is his Dear Creator, Rachel Vincent.]

You can get STRAY, ROGUE, and PRIDE at Barnes and Noble, Borders, Flights of Fantasy, Mysterious Galaxy and other independent bookstores, Amazon, and other bookstores near you. And you can preorder PREY from Amazon and Barnes and Noble today.

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

[APPLAUSE]

Hi, Mel!

MELPOMENE:
YO.

JEZ:
Ooh. Love your “Adama is a Cylon” t-shirt. I guess you’re eagerly awaiting for the launch of the final season of Battlestar Galactica?

MEL:
CYLONS ARE, IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, LITTLE MORE THAN TOASTERS… WITH GREAT-LOOKING LEGS.

JEZ:
I think that Roslin is the last Cylon.

MEL:
[SNORTS] AS SMART AS BAIT.

JEZ:
Heh. Me-ow. All righty, Ms. Bitchipants. Let’s move on.

The next guest on Cat and Muse knows what it’s like to be catty. Romantic Times calls ROGUE a “smart, sexy sequel to STRAY” and says the heroine is “as sassy as ever, and her first-person observations add greatly to the reader’s experience.” And Darque Reviews says “Ms. Vincent shares an entertaining and suspenseful paranormal tale filled with murder, mystery and romance.”

Avid Fans, say hello to the star of Rachel Vincent’s Werecats series…Faythe!

[APPLAUSE]

Heya, Faythe!

FAYTHE:
Hey, everyone! And thanks, Jez, for having me over.

JEZ:
So, a rash of murdered tomcats somehow relates to a string of missing human strippers…and it winds up pointing to you. My my! Where to start?

MELPOMENE:
STRAY CAT STRUT.

JEZ:
Men it is! Faythe, talk to us about the men in your life. Or, you know, cats. Boy cats. Cats with important boy parts.

FAYTHE:
I’ve got four older brothers, three of whom live at home with me. Well, one’s locked in a cage in the basement.

JEZ:
Kinky!

FAYTHE:
[SHAKES HEAD] It’s punishment.

JEZ:
You say “tomato”… So, living at home, huh?

FAYTHE:
[SMIRKS] I’m twenty-three, and I still live with my parents. Seriously. In the room I grew up in. One big happy family, that’s us. [SIGHS] But at least I get free room and board.

JEZ:
Hey, that counts. Rent is expensive. But you’ve got a job, don’t you? [GLANCES AT NOTES] You’re one of your Pride’s enforcers, right? You protect the Pride, patrolling and defending your territory. Stuff like that. Right?

FAYTHE:
[NODS] I’m the first-ever female enforcer.

JEZ:
Kinky!

FAYTHE:
I work for my father.

JEZ:
Er. Okay, maybe not kinky…

FAYTHE:
Along with six guys.

JEZ:
The kink is back!

FAYTHE:
Including two of my brothers.

JEZ:
Okay, now that’s just illegal.

FAYTHE:
And I thought I had it rough being picked on as a kid.

JEZ:
Poor sweetie. Are you good at being an enforcer?

FAYTHE:
The bad guys never expect to get their asses kicked by a chick, so they never see me coming.

JEZ:
Oh, yeah?

FAYTHE:
And I get to play rough. [GRINS] Really, it’s the only way to play.

JEZ:
Nope, not taking the bait this time. Let’s talk clothing. What’s your standard outfit?

FAYTHE:
Low-cut jeans and snug tees. Jeans and a black tee for work. If I wear something nice, it’s just going to get ripped and bloodstained, so I don’t bother.

JEZ:
Heh. You do like it rough, don’t you?

FAYTHE:
I’m not much into clothes anyway. Which is just fine with Marc…

JEZ:
Hold the phone. Marc?

FAYTHE:
[SMILES] One of the enforcers I work with.

JEZ:
Oh, good! For a moment, I was afraid you’d be all work and no play. Okay, spill. You and Marc. Who’s on top?

FAYTHE:
Doesn’t really matter who starts on top, does it?

JEZ:
Hah! Good point. What’s your romantic fantasy?

FAYTHE:
Me and Marc. Alone. Like, no one else in the building.

JEZ:
And here I was thinking something more along the lines of vacationing in Maui…

FAYTHE:
We live in a house with seven other people. Two of whom are my parents. Everyone has supernatural hearing, and the guys have no decorum.

JEZ:
I suppose you might have to invest in gags, huh?

FAYTHE:
I can describe my fantasy in one word: privacy.

JEZ:
Okay, pretend you don’t have to worry about your folks and brothers and co-workers hearing you every time you decide to get sweaty with your guy. Which is better: sex or chocolate?

FAYTHE:
What kind of chocolate are we talking about? And what kind of sex?

JEZ:
[BURSTS OUT LAUGHING]

FAYTHE:
And really, why choose just one when you can have both?

JEZ:
Fair enough. So, in Rogue, were there any parts of the story where you were like, Rachel, sweetie, what the Hell are you making me do? Or were you and your Creator in sync the entire time?

FAYTHE:
Okay, there was this scene in a strip club where the girls all wear cheesy costumes…

JEZ:
Got to interrupt. Describe cheesy.

FAYTHE:
I’m talking fake feathers and fur.

JEZ:
Yeah, okay. I’d have to agree with you. Pray, continue.

FAYTHE:
I had to pretend to apply for a job there to get information out of the bartender. That, I could have done without.

JEZ:
Hmm. Well, stripping’s not for everyone.

FAYTHE:
And that scene with the railroad spike? Totally my idea. I gave her that one.

JEZ:
Ooh, gruesome! If you had your way, what would you change about ROGUE?

FAYTHE:
If I could do the whole thing over again, I’d store the extra light bulbs in the kitchen. Not in the basement. Whose bright idea was that, anyway?

JEZ:
Heh. If you could make Rachel do anything, what would it be?

FAYTHE:
Take a vacation. If she takes a break, I get one too.

JEZ:
Hah! I love that! [GLARES AT COMPUTER SCREEN] Hear that, Jackie? You need a vacation!

JACKIE:
[OFF CAMERA] I want to go to Maui!

MEL:
VACATION’S ALL I EVER WANTED…

JEZ:
Speaking of daydreams, if Werecats goes Hollywood, who should play you in the movie?

FAYTHE:
Megan Fox. The girl from Transformers. If she can fight robots, she can fight werecats, right?

JEZ:
Sounds good to me. What about Marc? Who should play him?

FAYTHE:
And the closest I can come to Marc would be Nicholas Gonzalez. So hot.

MEL:
SOME LIKE IT HOT.

FAYTHE:
He almost does Marc justice.

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?

FAYTHE:
I would want to shoot fire from my eyes.

JEZ:
That’s a first! Why?

FAYTHE:
That way, I could just incinerate the bad guys and get on with my evening. No more weekend get-aways interrupted by trespassing strays. No more ruined clothes. No more bodies to bury. Just a pile of ash waiting to be redistributed by the breeze. Or vacuumed, if my mother’s around. That woman’s deadly with a crevice attachment.

JEZ:
Bless me, I love it! Remind me never to piss you off. Or your mother.

Boys and girls, give another hot round of applause for the star of Rachel Vincent’s Werecats series…Faythe!

[APPLAUSE]

[No, this isn't Faythe. But it is her Dear Creator, Rachel Vincent.]

You can buy ROGUE and STRAY at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Sense stores like Mysterious Galaxy, and other fine bookstores near you.

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