GUEST POST and GIVEAWAY
Tillie's Tale
(Magical Drool Mysteries)
(Magical Drool Mysteries)
by Mindy Mymudes
Tillie's Tale is the second book in the Magical Drool Mysteries by Mindy Mymudes. Also available: George Knows (only $0.99).
Tillie's Tale is currently on tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. The tour stops here today for a guest post by the author, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
Who is the mysterious ghosty haunting puppygirl Tillie? And why? George, the magical basset hound familiar is on the trail.
It’s not often a basset hound puppy is haunted by an unhappy ghost, but George’s packmate, Tillie, manages to attract one. George and Tillie need to find out how to help the ghost before she turns into a poultry-ghost.
Excerpt
“Wrrrtttle.”
I turn to Tillie. That’s a sound I haven’t heard before. She makes it again.
“Wrrrrttttle.”
Tillie’s tail is spinning in circles. She’s staring at a filmy thing sitting on the steps of an old, rough-brick building. I know it’s really a large Peeps’ den, but since it’s bad to be in the dog house, I assume it’s bad to be in a house. Why don’t they just call it a den if houses are so bad? From the smelltaste of cooking, Peeps, dust, skin, and the other stuff Peeps like, there are many small dens inside. Tillie “wrrrrrtttles” again and adds a soft “wuff.” Her front goes down into a play bow. The thing she’s trying to get to play is shimmery and clear, with thick and thin spots swimming on the surface.
“Snoof. Snuffle” I lick my lips. There’s a disturbing smelltaste of dustmoldlightningozone.
Oh mousefleas.
It’s a ghosty.
Tillie bounces closer and stops. I follow, now that I’ve smelltasted it. It’s not a Badthing, but it could’ve been. Tillie needs to learn that not everything is okay to play with. Plus, it’s not polite to get the Boypup in trouble. At least this thing is just a ghosty, not a Horrible Hodag. That was Joey’s last friend. I shudder. Dragons don’t make good friends.
This ghosty seems safe enough. I’ll have to get closer to make sure. I cross in front of Tillie, careful to not let the Peeps’ leashes get tangled. I hate it when they get wrapped under me and around my legs. It’s sort of fun when it happens to the Peeps, though.
Oh no. “Ah. Ahhhh. Ahchooo!” There are undertones of babypowderbittermums smelltaste. The thing looks like it’s wearing a dress. Its hair is in a tail with a ribbon tied into a bow. I think it’s a ghostygirl. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. One thing I do know, the young ones always need something. They can be almost as naughty as poultry ghosties.
When I was the same size as Tillie, I had one follow me home. It hung around my supper dish. Eating through a ghosty is irritating—they’re all cold and slimy inside. It only stayed a few days. It would’ve been shorter if it’d tried to eat my dinner. I would get very grumpy if a ghosty tries to eat my supper.
No, Tillie, don’t play with the ghosty. “Arrooo,” I bay in frustration. We don’t want to invite a ghosty home. “NoooOooo.”
She ignores me and tries to lean on it. That’s not a good idea. “Rooo!” Leave it!
The puppygirl falls through the ghosty and the ghostygirl cries without sound. Big tears roll over her face and splash on the ground. They don’t leave a trace.
I shake my head, flapping my ears over my eyes. No, this isn’t going to be good.
“What’s Tillie doing?” Joey is kneeling through the ghosty and stroking Tillie. Tillie gets up and tries to push him away. They both fall over. The ghostygirl continues to cry, ignoring the pile of living creatures in front of her.
Karly looks me in the eye, like I’m a mirror. “Um, don’t know.”
Her feather-light touch follows down our link. Ah, that’s what she wants. I didn’t think she was using my eyes to see her reflection. Nope. She wants to use my superior senses. I let her see the ghostygirl sitting in front of us. That’s the advantage of having a familiar. We can share our senses. As if I wanted to use Karly’s. All those colors are very distracting. That’s why she uses my eyes, ears, smelltaste, and touch. Humans are senseless.
Karly shrieks. Her eyes are round and wild. Her hair looks like a dandelion poof. I don’t like dandelion poofs. They go up my nose. She jumps back and yanks on her leash. My head is jerked to the side. Ouch. Didn’t expect that. I give her a basset stare-of-death. Unfortunately, bassets aren’t made for stares-of-death. We are a friendly lot, for the most part.
“What?” Joey asks, looking around.
“Mmm…mmm…maybe we should go home.”
What? I am certainly not done with my walk. I pull toward the park.
“I don’t want to,” Joey whines. For once I’m with him. “Tillie didn’t do her job. Mom’ll be mad if she goes in the house.”
Joey pulls Tillie to the grass strip between the sidewalk and the street. Yucky car path, it smelltastes bittersaltcarfarts. She leans forward in her collar, pulling like a sled dog. Nice. I give her a B for effort. Her style is promising. When she grows up she’ll be at least an A-.
Oh mousefleas, she’s trying to stay with the ghost.
Not good.
“Aroooo!” Tillie, no! I bounce on my toes. She doesn’t get it. I pull Karly slowly to the ghost. My Girlpup is dragging her heels. I thought she knew enough not to pull. Sigh. Peep training never ends. C’mon, I need to get closer to the puppygirl before she gets in more trouble.
I quickly back up, slide my head out of my collar, and bump Tillie away.
I can’t tell Tillie why it’s a bad idea to make friends with the ghostygirl.
Praise for the Book
“As a tutor at an elementary school I was delighted when I read George Knows, the first book in this series, and was able to recommend it for the kids. (As well as the teachers). I am even more happy that the new book, Tillie's Tale is just as easy to recommend. Mymudes has kept the same charm and fun that came with the first book and expanded on it for her second in the series.” ~ David McElligott
“This was such an entertaining book!” ~ K. Ree
“A fun & magical mystery for children & adults alike!” ~ Anne
“The sequel to George Knows is just as entertaining as the first novel. While its appeal to younger readers is clear, the wry observances by George, a magical basset hound, will appeal to older readers as well.” ~ W. Robertson
“Tillie's Tale is so much fun!” ~ Alisha A. Henri
Guest Post by the Author
How Dogs Ru(i)ned My Life OR Why I Love Them
I grew up traveling. Nearly every six months my family moved to someplace new. While my friends changed, our dogs didn’t. Other kids usually investigated their neighborhoods with their friends - I discovered them with my dogs.
Fast forward. After I graduated college, I rescued a weird English Springer Spaniel I named Quark AKA, Strange Quark. Never name a dog anything you don’t want them to aspire to. He was strange.
I first discovered how weird he was when my roommate blamed me for eating her Froot Loop treats. Disgusting. Froot Loops used instead of Rice Crispies. I think not! Still, there was a mystery afoot. Or should I say paw. Quark had figured out how to open cabinets. Next, he figured out how to open the refrigerator, and close it. We never knew that things, like dinner, weren’t there. Doors, crates, nothing was safe from him. He climbed a ladder to the roof and stole the roofer’s lunch. Sadly, he couldn’t climb back down.
He would break out of my house and go to the university greenhouse that I managed. Not horrible, he was allowed, but he snuck into my classes and snored. He never snored anywhere else.
It was time to take him to obedience school. Perhaps he was just bored and that’s why he walked on the ceiling. Off to class we went, he learned to heel, come, retrieve, and stay. Not that he ever did it at home, but at least he was occupied.
He decided every dog needs a boy, so he brought me one, who later became my foster child, Joey. Many of the things Joey and Quark did ended up in the Magical Drool Mysteries. Quark’s climbing a ladder led to George climbing a fire escape in Tillie’s Tale. He found a human bone in a field that the landscaper I worked for was clearing to plant trees in. That became the foundation of George Knows. So many stories I was able to use in scenes.
The one big thing that happened was his introducing me to dog sports. We learned to understand each other. I learned about dog communication, he learned over one hundred words. Scary dog. We became a team, much like Karly and George are becoming.
Years later, I became a top ranking obedience trainer. I bonded with my dogs, and we shared everything. Lately, that would be the fleas my youngest gave me when she brought me a live squirrel. Actually, they don’t have fleas - they’re on Frontline. My husband and I, on the other hand, aren’t on any kind of preventative.
I adore dogs, all breeds, all kinds. It’s fun to figure out what they’re thinking, and why. Training is fun, and even young kids find a deeper bond with their furry friends.
Right now, a whippet puppy I sit for has stolen my shoe; I’ve got to go find it!
Love from the Muddy Paws Pack, Chrystal, Cera, and the Freaky Beak AKA Mandy. Oh, and me, Mindy. (Mandy refused any other name, so yes, we have a Mindy and a Mandy.)
From the Author
I've worked in a hazardous waste lab, where under the sign for the Right To Know law, was added: if you can figure it out. I've been a metals tech, a bakery clerk, a professional gardener, taught human anatomy, and ran two university greenhouses. Along the way I picked up my Master's Degree in Biology, specializing in the population genetics of an endangered plant. I am also a top breeder, handler, trainer of English springer spaniels, with three in the equivalent of the National Club's (ESSFTA) hall of fame. Every time I think I know dogs, another dog comes along and proves my beliefs are totally wrong.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card.
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