Please give a warm welcome to Allan Wellborn from Temporarily
Insane, a romantic comedy mystery by Vicki
Batman today as we sit down and see what makes him tick.
What’s your favorite thing to do
when you’re not saving (the world, clients, your mate)? I like to run. I played
the trombone in Sommerville High's marching band, and continue to do so. I
know, it's not the most glamorous instrument. In college, I majored in accounting,
but switched to police work not long after. Sometimes, I do taxes for small
businesses and friends. Hattie Cooks thinks I'm geeky and is always teasing me
about pocket protectors.
What is it about your Hattie Cooks
that makes you crazy in a good way? I've been attracted to Hattie since we were
kids. My sister--and Hattie's best friend--always teases me about wearing my
heart on my sleeve. Hattie took a while to...come around. She really is pretty.
Funny. Has the worst jobs. Long legs and even longer in high heels. A mouth
meant to be kissed senselessly.
Do you sometimes want to strangle
your writer? Thrash her/him to within an inch of their life? Make them do the
stupid crap they makes you do? If I strangled Ms. Batman, there would be no
book. So let the craziness ensue. I can handle it.
Favorite food? A good burger. One
where the meat crumbles in your mouth because it is so soft, yet seared
perfectly. With bacon. Everything is good with bacon.
Tell me a little bit about your world. What are your greatest
challenges in that world? Since I'm a detective in the Sommerville PD, I see a
lot of crazies. Why can't everyone just play nice? Sommerville is the ideal suburb
with good amenities. I don't want to live anywhere else. I own my own town home
and drive a granite colored 4-Runner. My rescue cat is named Lucky.
Describe yourself in four words.
Dependable. Thoughtful. Tough. Considerate.
What do you do for a living? A
detective in the Sommerville Police Department. My mother hates my job,
especially after I was shot, but it's what I want to do. I can always return to
accounting later on.
What do you fear the most? That
Hattie will get herself in a predicament and I can't help her get out. Losing
her would be losing my heart.
From Temporarily Insane, a romantic
comedy mystery, rated PG is this excerpt:
Bad
job. Wrong love. And Murder. Hattie Cooks
takes a job at an accounting firm where mishaps and murders are definitely
fishy.
“So, how are you?” he asked. Before
I could answer, he said, “Hattie, I’ve been meaning”—his voice trailed off as
his head turned away. His finger rubbed across his chin—“I’ve been wanting…to
talk to you about… about no.”
Holy hell! I can’t talk about
that! My gaze circled the whole back yard as I searched for a direction I
could gracefully exit.
Then off to my left, I heard an
unexpected, high-pitched call, “Oh, All-llaaann.”
Thank God. But when I turned
to see who approached, my insides cried “not her.” Anyone but her.
Coming to his side, Cathy
Bartholomew twined her arm with his and tugged him cozily in a possessive fashion.
“Here you are, darlin’. Happy birthday, Hattie. How does it feel to be so old?”
Bashing her pert face just topped
my hit parade.
“I didn’t know your birthday was
today. You should have said something. I’d have baked a cake and we could have
partied at work”—she giggled—“I could’ve put M&Ms on top, too.”
I would never-never, ever-ever eat
anything she’d concocted. I would rather be poisoned or stabbed or even
drawn-and-quartered first.
Allan put a serious look on each of
us. “I didn’t know you two worked together. When did this happen?”
“Not long ago, however, we’re not
technically together-together.” Cathy Bartholomew gestured between our bodies.
“Hattie’s filling in for Mr. Northside’s assistant over the next few weeks.”
“I know the firm well. I interned
at NLB one summer before senior year.”
“She’s doing a fantastic job.
Everyone at the office just loves her. She’s so competent and efficient, kind and
helpful—”
He nodded. “That’s good.”
“Didn’t I tell you how Hattie and I met,
darlin’?”
Allan’s body cringed a tiny bit at
her use of the endearment. He shook his head.
“It’s sooo funny.” She continued
like a locomotive on the express track. “I was on my way to the copier, and she
was on her way to the copier and bo-ing! We ran into each other.” Cathy
Bartholomew’s hands clapped together, emphasizing the bo-ing.
During her mindless chattering,
Allan and I gazed at each other over her head. Laughter danced in his eyes as
he parroted, “Bo-ing?”
I clamped my
lips in a level line to conceal the small giggle bubbling in my throat. With a
straight face, I mouthed “bo-ing,” too.
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4 comments:
Good morning and thank you for hostessing me today!
Allan, you and Hattie make a great team!
What a fun interview. How lucky that you are around to save the world and your clients!
Hi, Angela! Allan asked me to say thank you to you. (lol)
Hi, Melissa! Allan asked me to say he's just doing what he is meant to be doing.
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