Fleas

I had to ask for a week's extension  on my deadline.  Took my cat Spooky to the vet because she was going bald on her back end - very attractive.  Fleas.  The vet was combing through her fur and it looked like the poor thing had some nasty skin condition.  We didn't actually find a flea but she found what she called flea poop.  Who knew there was such a thing as flea poop?  So she got a few shots added to the usual round of rabies, etc. shots and a smear of flea preventer on her neck.  As did the other two I had managed to corral.  Asked the hubby if he had noticed any fleas as they always seem to go for his ankles and he said no but I am now on a spray, powder, wash, vacuum binge to make sure.  The heat is on now and that could make them nice and comfy so kill them now, I say.  The vet did say that it has been a bad year for fleas.  Obviously bad enough that flea collars just didn't get the job done.

So Hartley and Alethea are only going to get sporadic attention for a few days.  As I work to kill the fleas my overactive imagination now envisions massing for an attack beneath the sofa cushions I am thinking about what to do with Sir Simon Innes for the next Murray novel.  Have to get the synopsis and first chapter done for that by the end of the month.    Sir Simon needs someone special and that someone is who I am concentrating on.  Someone who has the wit and strength to deal with a man who spends a lot of time figuring out crimes.  And just what crime will she be in the middle of so that the two of them meet?  There's a puzzle that needs to be carefully solved.  After all - being a Murray lady - she will have hordes of brothers, sisters, cousins, etc. who could help her so she has to have a very good reason to be depending upon Simon.
Coming up with good reasons for someone to be in trouble and not asking help from their family is a not easy.  It's going to take a lot of thought.  Guess the hubby will have to put up with me being glassy-eyed and distracted for a while.

And after that is cleared off my desk I will settle down to write the next vampire tale for another anthology coming in Fall 2010.  But can't let that enter my head too much or I'll be having Simon and his lady fighting the creatures of the night and that won't do.   Now, of course, that idea had stuck itself in my head and my mind is trying to run away with it so I think I will go and strip all the beds and wash everything.  Nothing like housework to dull the brain.

IF HE'S SINFUL will be for sale November 24th according to Amazon.  I will post a teaser here soon.  Off to fight the demon flea now.  Ta