BE MORE SPANIEL

The Spaniel of the Opera

by Peter Thomas

During the lockdowns everybody got on the YouTube bandwagon. While he was stuck indoors my human became obsessed with one particular song from his favourite stage show. He is trying to learn the organ accompaniment, in the style of Eric Morecambe, but I can play it better than he can with two paws. I play by ear, obviously. He even believes he can sing. Tragically, he reckons he is improving but, trust me, he really isn’t. Now he is on the point of unleashing the video of his earwrenching performance on the underserving world.

I do my best to interfere by barking at the worst moments, but he thinks that just adds to the pathos of his rendition. You must help me stop him. Nobody needs to hear him howling, “The Spa a a a a a a a a a aniel of the Opera is here, inside your mind”!

Ever since I was a tiny puppy, my human daddy has sung songs to me. He never knows the right words and he still hasn’t worked out that I realise that the lyrics he makes up never make any sense at all. Ditties like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Dog”; “Sing a song of spaniels, a pocket full of snacks”; “Woof, Woof, Spaniel, have you any fur?” Silly question! I can cope with the usual drivel. “Heads and shoulders, ears and paws, ears and paws. Fur and nose and teeth and claws”, even doing all the embarrassing actions. But now things have got completely out of paw.

His next project is recording a whole musical. “The hills are alive with the sound of spaniels.” “Woof every mountain.” “High on a hill sat a lonely hound-dog.” “Spaniel dog, Spaniel dog, every morning you greet me.” Don’t get me started on his catalogue of favourite things, although I do quite like the bit about whiskers on puppies.

I have no aspirations in the world of music. I have thrown my collar into the ring for the most prestigious role in cinema. In interests of equality, it is definitely time for white middle-aged men to stand aside so that a banoffee dog can become the next James Bond. It is the part I was born to play so they can rework the whole back catalogue. Goldspaniel. Goldenhound. The man with the golden spaniel. You only bark twice. Spaniels are forever! Licence to howl. One spaniel is not enough. For your nose only. The spaniel who loved me. Live and let woof. Spaniel of solace.

I have a masterplan. Lassie once said that in order to succeed in show business a dog needs not only striking beauty and outstanding talent but also a certain ruthless streak. So, I am not pussyfooting around. Never underestimate cuddly. I have sent the producers my ultimatum. If I don’t get to be the hero, I am going to play the villain. Forget cute kitten pictures – unless I get the role, I will flood the interweb with every one of my human’s rehearsal videos of Spaniel of the Opera. Don’t think I won’t do it. The name’s Bond. Spaniel Bond.

Peter Thomas has published three non-fiction books and is delighted to assist Sophie in her creative writing projects. Peter retired in 2023 after 36 years as a Minister of local Baptist Churches - he was originally a teacher of chemistry and computing. He continues to add to his blog of more than a thousand sermons and reflections found at www.pbthomas.com.

Author Pauline Tait

Interviewed by Sheena Macleod

Pauline, congratulations on the release of your new romantic suspense novel, Abigail Returns.

Firstly, can you tell us a little about yourself and your books?

Thank you, yes, I am a novelist and children’s author living in Perthshire, Scotland, with my husband and two dogs. Our children are older and have flown the nest, so I have more time to dedicate to my writing. I write both Romantic Suspense and children’s picture books for 3 to 7 years. So, I have found myself writing in two completely different genres, but both are a pleasure to write.

I used to work in Primary Literacy Support, and my children’s writing allows me to go back into schools through author visits to encourage our younger generations in their own reading and writing. Something I enjoy and is one of the perks to being an author. I do this with my children’s trilogy, The Fairy in the Kettle.

When I’m not writing, I'm usually walking our dogs or enjoying my other passion, photography. I would normally include gardening as a passion, but we have recently moved house, and the garden will have to be a project for this summer.

What inspired you to write this novel and why set it on the Isle of Skye?

In all honesty, it’s all down to the island. I have been visiting the Isle of Skye with my family, most years, for over twenty years, and I have a deep love for both the island and its people. It’s very much a home from home for me, and I always miss it when we return to the mainland.

I’m inspired while on the island, and it’s a different inspiration to living in beautiful Perthshire. I think it’s the constant proximity to the sea. The ebbing and flowing of the tide, the constant motion, the rhythm, as though it were the beating heart of life and our very existence. Whenever I’m there, I want to write, and I find the scenery on the island has my creative juices running on overload.

It's why I have chosen to set the location for Abigail Returns right by the sea. Lochside, is set on a fictional sea loch, but my inspiration for it comes from a location we have holidayed in, just a few miles South of Dunvegan. You look straight out over the North Atlantic, and apart from the Outer Hebrides, there is nothing until Canada. I love the remoteness of the area, but you never feel lonely. And that's down to the sense of community and the people. Many people there don’t know I write, so this series will be a surprise. I have purposely made the antagonists within Abigail Returns incomers to the island, with the locals being homely, friendly and welcoming. As that is how we have found the islanders in the two decades we have been visiting. I describe Abigail Returns as a suspenseful mystery that is not short on romance.

Is Abigail Returns intended to be a first in series?

Yes, it is the first book in the Maren Bay Series, and I’m already a third of the way through the first draft of the second. All six books will be set on the island, but all will introduce new characters, and areas of the island that are favourites of mine, meaning each book will be a stand-alone read within the series.

In Scots, the word ‘Maren’ means ‘Star of the Sea’. But it can also mean bitter. So, quite fitting, I decided, for a suspenseful series set on an island.

What are you currently working on?

I’m working on the second book in the series, Anna’s Promise. It is set close to Lochside, the fictional location in Abigail Returns, but also brings in Staffin and the Quiraing. Staffin is one of my favourite places on the island, so it was inevitable that it would appear somewhere within the series. All six books will feature Portree, the main town on the island and integral to life on the island. More often than not, it’s where we stay when we are on the island, so I am enjoying bringing this location into the books too.

What two tips would you give someone wanting to write Romantic Suspense?

I think anyone wanting to write Romantic Suspense needs to give it a go. Each piece of work is only a draft, so is a craft that can be learned and honed. Just remember, the premise of Romantic Suspense is that the main character must find themselves in danger, either from a life-or-death situation or the threat of imminent danger. They must also have a love interest, and both the danger and love interest must be in equal measure. Both threads of the plot need to be as tantalising and as essential to the storyline as the other.

It's a genre that I find naturally fits my writing. For some reason I seem to need to put my characters in danger, but then they always come out the other end stronger and more confident. They are always the better for it.

Can you tell us a little about your writing process and your working day?

Yes, I’m definitely a planner. I need to have my plot arc worked out before I start writing. I also try to get as much of the research that’s required out of the way before I start writing too. That way, when I do start writing, I can just keep going.

But, on saying that, I do think it’s good to give your characters a little free reign. Once in the flow of writing, they can take you down unplanned paths and this can often enhance both the storyline and the character. It can often result in new characters entering the plotline, giving a scene or chapter more depth.

And lastly, where can we purchase Abigail Returns?

Abigail Returns is available worldwide in store and online. It’s also available for your lovely independent book shops to order too, allowing you to support local businesses.

Thank you for your time and for interviewing me for Mom’s Favorite Reads.

It has been a pleasure. Thank you for joining us, Pauline.

Find out more about Pauline and her books at: www.paulinetait.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ptauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tait_pauline_author/

Sheena Macleod lectured at the University of Dundee, where she gained her PhD. She now lives in a seaside town in Scotland. Reign of the Marionettes is her first novel. She mainly writes historical fiction and non-fiction. You can learn more about Sheena on her website: https://www.sheenas-books.co.uk/