I was so touched to receive some wonderful gifts from my readers recently – it was like Christmas all over again!
First, there was the beautiful “fan art” created by Patrick Wirbeleit in Germany, who sent me his paper-cut illustration of the “Little Stables Tearoom” from my Oxford Tearoom Mysteries…
Look at the amazing detail!
This is the first fan art I have ever received – I was so excited when I got it. It’s a big milestone for an author! I’m going to frame it and put it up on the wall in my office!
Thank you, Patrick!! 🙂
And then, as if that wasn’t wonderful enough, I received another parcel in the mail, this time from Connie Leap in Tennessee, U.S.A. She had sent me a beautiful crocheted doily… and something else that was… er… slightly strange…
What was it?? My husband and I puzzled over it for ages but we couldn’t figure it out. It looked like a little knitted jumper with 4 pom-pom legs and a pom-pom tail – and a sort of hat thingy in the shape of a poodle head!
Maybe it was some kind of cat outfit for Muesli to wear? But try as we might, we couldn’t figure out how to get it on her! It seemed too small and there were no holes for her legs…
Finally, I had to email Connie to ask. I had already sent her a thank you for the parcel – and now I had to email again to sheepishly admit I had no idea what the strange white thing was…
Connie had a good laugh and told me that it was a “Hooch Pooch”! A type of crocheted bottle cover in the shape of a poodle, which was popular in the 1950’s. She had made it in honour of the scene in Muffins and Mourning Tea (Oxford Tearoom Mysteries #5) – when the Old Biddies present Gemma with a crocheted doll toilet roll cover for her new cottage (much to her horror!)
I was incredibly touched. It was so sweet & thoughtful to remember such a small detail and take the time making me something related to my story.
Thank you, Connie!! 🙂
Well, Gemma might not have been keen on her gift but I LOVED mine!! I hurried to the pantry to find a bottle of wine to “dress” with the Hooch Pooch, and was delighted when it fit perfectly. It was so adorable!
Muesli, however, was not so sure…
“Oh dear! Hooch Pooch has fallen down!”
“Here you go… I’ll help you up again.
Hmm… Hooch Pooch seems to have lost his head…”
“You know, he’s not the only cute one around here…”
“Anything Hooch Pooch can do, I can do better.
Look at me – Hooch Kitty!”
***
Thank you so much again – not only to Patrick and Connie – but to all of you wonderful readers who have sent me emails and messages, and left comments here on the website, telling me how much you love my books (and sharing pictures of your pets!)…
…and also to those who have taken the time to leave a review on Amazon (so important & helpful for a new author like me!)
Thank you for bringing a smile to my face every day. 🙂
ps. I know many of you are waiting impatiently for the next Oxford Tearoom Mystery (Book 6: Four Puddings and a Funeral) – I’m hard at work on it and I’m aiming to release it in March… so not long now!
In the meantime, I hope you’ve checked out my new series: BEWITCHED BY CHOCOLATE Mysteries which just launched two weeks ago – I think you’d enjoy it too!
I’ve read the whole Tearoom series, so far, and I LOVE them. Not only are the stories fun but over 40 years ago (!!) I spent a summer in a student exchange program in the Cotswolds- at a little college in a lovely little village- and this series brings all of that back in a wonderful way. I’ve started the Chocolate series and can’t wait for the next book in each series. Thanks for such fabulous writing!
Wow, Sara – small world, as they say! 🙂 How lovely that my books were able to bring back some happy memories. I wonder if a lot would have changed if you went back to that little Cotswolds village today. Some of these places seem to have a wonderful timeless quality. Oxford is a lot like that.
Thanks again for your kind words – so happy that you’re enjoying my books so much!
best wishes,
Hsin-Yi
I LOVE your books! I checked out the video of you opening your box of books and when Muesli jumped in the box, the first thought that came to my mind was, “Kitty in a box!” My kitty is the same way! I’m so glad you started another series – it’s double the reading fun for me!
Haha! Cats are funny creatures, aren’t they? Yes, our first cat, Lemon, also loved boxes – even more than Muesli. If you put an empty cardboard box down, she’d immediately jump into it and then sit in there for hours! 😉
I’m delighted to hear that you’re enjoying the new series as much as my first one!
Best wishes,
Hsin-Yi
Hsin, I have just discovered you’re books and find them so fun and enjoyable!! I am an avid reader, at least a book a day. Have read you’re tearoom mysteries, now starting on the chocolate series. Thank you for sharing you’re talent and muesli with all of us!!
Sincerely
Diane Hockema
Eugene, Oregon
Thank you, Diane! 🙂 I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying my books and thank you for your kind words!
From one avid reader to another…! 😉
Best wishes,
Hsin-Yi
I spent three wonderful weeks in Oxford in the autumn of 1997. Reading your Oxford tea room books let’s me travel back to that beautiful city that captured my heart then and still holds a piece of it today. I enjoy the series tremendously and have book one of the Chocolate series completed as well. Thank you so much for bringing Oxford and the Cotswold’s to liFe in such entertaining stories.
An avid fan,
Ellen
That’s so lovely to hear, Ellen! How nice that you could travel down Memory Lane a bit with my books! Thank you for your kind words – and for taking the time to comment! I hope you’ll enjoy my new ‘Chocolate’ series just as much! 😉
best wishes,
Hsin-Yi
I love both of your series and can’t wait till the next book for them come out my late Katey kitty loved boxes too thank you for sharing your gift of writing with us readers your books get me through some bad times and I love muesli
Thank you, Kat, for your lovely comment! 🙂 I’m honoured that my books can help a bit and so happy to hear that you’re enjoying them. Muesli sends you a purr!
Best wishes,
Hsin-Yi
Have a try with warm water in the bottle. Maybe Muesli will enjoy it.
I have enjoyed all the books you have written, you’re just not writing fast enough. Always worried that I’m going to miss one of the new ones that come out, but I’m on your list so all should be good.