Character Charlie the cow from Animal Lovers by Kim Cano

Welcome to Author's Spotlight

Character Interviews

with Stacy Eaton

Today we have Charlie from For Animal Lovers written by Kim Cano.

Welcome Charlie! So glad you could come here today.. You are a bit different then my other guests. Go ahead and introduce yourself to my readers.

Hi. My name is Charlie. I’m a cow in the first short story of For Animal Lovers. I guess if you want to get technical, I’m a steer, but that’s not important.

Of course it doesn't matter - um... tell me what does matter?

What matters is this--my tale, “Becoming Sacred,” is at the beginning of the book.

Okay.

I spoke to her first. I wanted to be heard. For you to know me. The others came later. I guess Pascal, the cat from “Pascal’s Magic,” and Janet, the swordfish from “Abduction at Sea,” have their own stories to tell. But I’ve got a secret to share with you.

What's that?

You know Kim-- the author lady--she loves me most.

Really? How do you know that?

I whispered to her through the years, and once she got to know me, I changed her life. I think when you hear my story, I may do the same to you.

Ya think so?

How can a cow have such a dramatic effect? What’s the big deal about me, anyway?

Yeah, what's the big deal?

No big deal, I guess. I just have a way of sneaking into people’s hearts.

Awww....

I’m unforgettable. Young and old, they all love me. They’ve even written reviews, saying they spent time reading about me with their whole family and that they were left thinking… thinking about me. Like I said, I’m not easy to forget.

I'm pretty sure you are right about that.

Enough about me, though. I wanna tell you about the others.

Oh please do!

I know a little bit about them. Pascal is a rescue cat. He’s also a magician of sorts. Not like you think, though.

What do you mean?

He can do things, like deal with tough problems, in real life. And Janet, the swordfish, she has the task of raising Alice. Alice is slow and can’t swim alone. And to make matters worse, there are aliens involved.

Aliens, wow!

She’s got her work cut out for her, just like every other mom, only Janet lives in the ocean.

Is this a kid’s book?

It can be. Children over age ten really dig it. But it’s for adults as well. Kim’s a grown up and she wrote it. Sometimes humans need a break from their own reality, she says. So come and visit us. Stick around and read For Animal Lovers. I’ll see you at the barn.

Sounds very cool Charlie - let me ask a few more questions.

We all want to be different, so what is the one thing you wish your creator had done differently with you?

It’s funny that you mention wanting to be different. That’s my problem. I’m too different. I wish my creator could’ve made me more normal, so I could be like other cows. Instead, I have big dreams.

lol... If you could have added something to the story, and your creator would have let you, what would that have been?

I wish she would’ve added spells or sorcery. Something I could use to get myself out of a jam.

to funny!

What do you love best about yourself? What do you like least?

The thing I love best about myself is: I am courageous. The thing I like least is: I don’t fit in.

Awww....

What part of the book was the hardest for you and your creator to work through?

The hardest part was for my creator to accept my fate. She struggled with it, but I never did. I knew I would end up where I was meant to be. I was always “Becoming Sacred.”

The way you said that sounds scary!

Is there a sequel for this book? If so, what do you want to accomplish in the next book. If not, do you wish you could continue your story?

I know Kim will do a sequel to For Animal Lovers someday. She has other animal short stories to tell, maybe even a continuation of mine, since I’ve got forever to have adventures. Surely, you’ll want to know what I’ve been up to. But right now my creator is finishing her women’s fiction novel, and after that, I know she’s got to write a novella about a basset hound, as he keeps talking to her about the future. There is something both my creator and I want to accomplish with this book. We want to raise money for homeless animals. 10% of the sale price is donated to the ASPCA.

Oh I LOVE THAT!!! Thank you - both of you!

Is there anything else you want to share?

I like to tell the story of my distant cousin, Ravi, but you’ll have to read For Animal Lovers to hear that one.

lol.. sounds good! Thank you for coming to visit! I have some special hay for you back there - go help yourself while my readers find out more about your book!