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It's a sure sign that Halloween is coming soon when monsters are invited to the blog. At least these are friendly. Hmm. I think so. The barforami are characters created by Kath Boyd Marsh, an author of middle grade fantasy.
I wonder where they are? I guess I better look for them. (Exits)
* * * * *
“Hello! Is anyone here?” Bubbles looks over at his friend Smush when no one answers.
“I told you we were early.” Smush adjusts her hat and looks around the author’s office. “You know she writes paranormal mysteries. I’ve read all of them.”
“Why would anyone write not-normal mysteries?” Bubbles waddles over to a bookcase and pulls out a book about a witch who is a guardian. “I like the sound of this one. Moire Ain is a wizard, so a book about a witch—”
“Paranormal means ghosts and witches and elves.” Bubbles pulls out three books with handsome elves on them, and three more with the word Ghost in the titles.
“Ghosts! I don’t believe in them. Elves are cool.” Bubbles paces to the window and looks out. As he does a small black and tan dog enters the room. “Hi. Are you Ally Shields?”
The dog snorts, edges Bubbles away from the cushy footstool in front of the window, jumps up, and sits on it in the sun light. Smush laughs. “You are silly, Bubbles. Ally is a human.”
“I am indeed.” A woman much taller than the hippo-like Barforami enters the room and extends her hand. “I’m so glad you came. Hmm. I don't suppose you think coffee?”
Bubbles nods then shakes his large head. Silent for once in his life, Smush pushes him aside and speaks, “He’s in awe. He doesn’t know any real life authors. You’ve written a lot of books!”
“You’re very kind. But he already knows an author--rather well in fact--and I think readers want to hear about the two books Kath has written about you.”
“Yes!” Smush follows Ally over to her desk, where Ally turns on her computer and opens an ebook program. Smush points. “That’s our first ebook, Closet Monsters!”
Ally grins at them. “It is. You guys are funny.”
Bubbles ambles over and peers over Smush’s shoulder. “That one’s about our first big visit to Dr’gon Wiz. The school.”
“Quite an adventure…” Ally begins.
“You have no idea!” Smush says. “Bubbles swore we’d never go back after that. Even if we did get invited to a party. I love parties. Do you know why?”
Ally smiles again. “Could it have something to do with wearing fancy hats?”
“Yep.”
“She made me go back so she could wear a hat to the Halloween party,” Bubbles says, shaking his head in disgust.
“That was in your second ebook, Trick or Treats.” Ally touches the computer screen and the orange book cover pops into view.
“He complains a lot, but if it weren’t for me he wouldn’t—” Smush begins, but Bubbles interrupts her.
“Don’t tell! Kath said we were not to tell the stories or no one would buy our books, and then how are you going to buy that roll of golden ribbon for your new hat?”
Smush sits back, passes a chubby paw over her mouth as if zippering it shut, and shakes her head. “OK. Not telling.”
Ally laughs. “I understand. But let me ask…are your books about real adventures or does Scribe Kath make them up?”
The pair of Barforami stare at her. “Make them up? Who makes up books?”
Smush cocks her head in surprise. “Your books? Made up or real?”
Before Ally can answer, Bubbles jumps up. “We have to go.”
Startled, Ally says, “I’m sorry if I offended you. I have more questions.”
Smush nods. “Kath said to be polite. Bubbles has to go, but I can stay.”
“He has to go?” Ally sounds disappointed.
“Yep. He ate too many water weeds. You don’t want him hanging around. I promise.”
Bubbles backs out quickly. “I’ll wait for you by the little pond out front.”
“No!” Smush yells. “You can’t use a real live author’s pond for …” She looks at Ally, her eyes wide. “I think it’s an emergency. Is it okay? Can he use your pond? He’ll only fart. I promise. But Bubbles, well his bubbles… Better if they’re under water. They’ll dissipate sooner or later.”
With one hand pressed to her mouth, Ally looks down at a piece of neatly numbered paper. “I had a list of questions.” She seems to be choking, but Smush looks closer and realizes Ally is trying not to laugh at Bubbles.
“He is pretty funny. It’s okay to laugh,” Smush says and giggles.
Ally shakes her head, with one hand still pressed to her mouth, her eyes twinkling. “Just one more question I have to ask. Do you have any new books coming up?”
“Well, Scribe Kath is working on a Yuletide adventure we had. And there’s a hat-tastrophe. And something about Blue Mushrooms. I think she’s writing up a lot of our adventures. We’ll see. She’s also working on writing up what Cl’rnce’s sister and her wizard did. You won’t believe—“
The little dog Ranger, facing the front garden through the window starts barking. Ally looks up and Smush trots over to the window. Bubbles is in the pond, sitting with a grin on his face. But all around his head, flying in formation were more stink-wasps than Smush had ever seen.
“Uh oh. He’s going to swat one of those stinkers, and we’ll have another adventure. Bye!”
The little Barforamous waddled quickly out of the house and to the pond. She grabbed one of Bubbles’ long ears and yanked. He jumped out, and as the two hurried away, Smush waved one last time to Ally and Ranger from their position at the office window.
Check out Bubbles and Smush's adventures...
Closet Monsters Blurb:
Bubbles and Smush are two medium sized monsters living in the river near WizTech, a school for wizards, dr'gons, and knights. When their favorite dr'gon goes missing, the two sneak into the school to find their lost friend, causing chaos every place they look. Will Bubbles and Smush find Cl'rnce, or is their friend gone for good?
Opening lines: Closet Monsters:
"Smush, get down! Drop the weeds. Get down!" Bubbles hissed at his cousin. "Dr'gons!" Smush's head jerked up, and her newest river-reed woven hat flopped into the river alongside the river weeds that dropped out of her mouth. She slipped just under the surface of the water and swam toward a pool three yards up the river.
Bubbles and Smush are two medium sized monsters living in the river near WizTech, a school for wizards, dr'gons, and knights. When their favorite dr'gon goes missing, the two sneak into the school to find their lost friend, causing chaos every place they look. Will Bubbles and Smush find Cl'rnce, or is their friend gone for good?
Opening lines: Closet Monsters:
"Smush, get down! Drop the weeds. Get down!" Bubbles hissed at his cousin. "Dr'gons!" Smush's head jerked up, and her newest river-reed woven hat flopped into the river alongside the river weeds that dropped out of her mouth. She slipped just under the surface of the water and swam toward a pool three yards up the river.
Trick or Treats Blurb:
Bubbles and Smush are two medium sized monsters living in the river near WizTech, a school for wizards, dr'gons, and knights. The two friends are thrilled when their dr'gon friend Cl'rnce invites them to the Halloween party at the school. However, they need costumes, and this makes Bubbles wonder: what would he like to be in the future?
Opening lines: Trick or Treats:
Without opening his eyes, Bubbles snapped at something, crunchy and smelling of slightly dried river weed that was bumping his nose. “Yum!” he said, not bothering to open his eyes. “Snacking while napping!” He choked it back up when Smush screeched, “Don’t you dare eat my new hat!”
Bubbles and Smush are two medium sized monsters living in the river near WizTech, a school for wizards, dr'gons, and knights. The two friends are thrilled when their dr'gon friend Cl'rnce invites them to the Halloween party at the school. However, they need costumes, and this makes Bubbles wonder: what would he like to be in the future?
Opening lines: Trick or Treats:
Without opening his eyes, Bubbles snapped at something, crunchy and smelling of slightly dried river weed that was bumping his nose. “Yum!” he said, not bothering to open his eyes. “Snacking while napping!” He choked it back up when Smush screeched, “Don’t you dare eat my new hat!”
Buy Links:
Amazon: Closet Monsters: http://amzn.to/2xIftwO ~ Trick or Treats: http://amzn.to/2hzVhaJ
Apple: Closet Monsters: http://apple.co/2fU8gQV ~ Trick or Treats: http://apple.co/2fUtMVP
B&N: Closet Monsters: http://bit.ly/2wnlxYi ~ Trick or Treats: http://bit.ly/2yxLwgB
Chapters/ Indigo: Closet Monsters: http://bit.ly/2hyAlRz ~ Trick or Treats: http://bit.ly/2fuUxPL
Kobo: Closet Monsters: http://bit.ly/2k5XGL9 ~ Trick or Treats: http://bit.ly/2k5Xewy
Publisher CBAY: www.cbaybooks.blog/
Amazon: Closet Monsters: http://amzn.to/2xIftwO ~ Trick or Treats: http://amzn.to/2hzVhaJ
Apple: Closet Monsters: http://apple.co/2fU8gQV ~ Trick or Treats: http://apple.co/2fUtMVP
B&N: Closet Monsters: http://bit.ly/2wnlxYi ~ Trick or Treats: http://bit.ly/2yxLwgB
Chapters/ Indigo: Closet Monsters: http://bit.ly/2hyAlRz ~ Trick or Treats: http://bit.ly/2fuUxPL
Kobo: Closet Monsters: http://bit.ly/2k5XGL9 ~ Trick or Treats: http://bit.ly/2k5Xewy
Publisher CBAY: www.cbaybooks.blog/
About the Author:
At seven years old Kath Boyd Marsh self-published her first fantasy on lined notebook paper, stapled together by her grandfather, and starring a creature based on her little sister- the ‘PB.’ Before Kath moved to Richmond, KY to write about dragons, wizards, and other fantastic creatures, she lived in seven states, Panama, and one very haunted Rhode Island house. The Lazy Dr’gon and the Bumblespells Wizard was her debut novel. She has one prior published short story in the Dragons and Witches anthology (http://amzn.to/2xSnwre).
Author Contacts:
Author Website: kathboydmarshauthor.com
Letters from the Earth blog: https://kath-lettersfromearth.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/kathboydmarsh/
Twitter: @Kmarshfen
Read more about Kath and her debut novel in an October 2016 blog interview HERE.
At seven years old Kath Boyd Marsh self-published her first fantasy on lined notebook paper, stapled together by her grandfather, and starring a creature based on her little sister- the ‘PB.’ Before Kath moved to Richmond, KY to write about dragons, wizards, and other fantastic creatures, she lived in seven states, Panama, and one very haunted Rhode Island house. The Lazy Dr’gon and the Bumblespells Wizard was her debut novel. She has one prior published short story in the Dragons and Witches anthology (http://amzn.to/2xSnwre).
Author Contacts:
Author Website: kathboydmarshauthor.com
Letters from the Earth blog: https://kath-lettersfromearth.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/kathboydmarsh/
Twitter: @Kmarshfen
Read more about Kath and her debut novel in an October 2016 blog interview HERE.
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