Book Spotlight
1)
What
is the title of your book?
Spitzel and the Spider
Ø What is the story
about?
It is a children’s book about the
interactions of a cat and a spider.
Ø Who is the main
character?
· The cat whose nickname is Spitzel.
2) What inspired this tale?
Ø How did the story
come to you?
It was based on an incident while we were
living and traveling in a motor home with our pets. A large spider entered the
camper and the curious cat reacted to the spider uncharacteristically. She did not
hunt it or attack it, but played with it very gently. It remained for weeks and
she enjoyed it without harming it.
Ø Did you have to
research for this novel, and if so, why?
· No research for this novel except to find
the appropriate scientific name for the spider.
3) Do you relate
to your character?
Ø Is
your protagonist anything like you, personally?
· Well, since my main character is a cat, I can only relate a little,
but I am curious about many things. I also try to accept differences in others.
We all have our quirks and oddities, but if we wish to get to know them, we
need to be flexible and not treat those differences as barriers. After
fostering many children for many years, often 8 teens at one time, I know being
a family has nothing to do with being related and everything to do with loving
each other.
ü If yes, then how?
o
The cat acts on instinct, but I believe humans think
before acting or should. In this case, the cat acted with kindness instead of a
natural predator to this spider.
ü If no, how do you
differ from one another?
o
Well,
I am a human. Guess that makes the most difference. I certainly have never
befriended a spider. But wait, I don’t hurt them either. I just move them if
they are in the way. I love the fact they get rid of mosquitoes. Here in the
Northwoods, they can be a problem.
Ø What made you
write this character?
ü What should readers know about this
character?
o
I
believe there is so much focus on what the differences are between people that
we forget to focus on the similarities. We are more alike than we know. In addition,
I am an advocate for fostering children and wanted to stress how easy it is to
love non-related kids or in this story, a different species.
ü Why is this character important to you?
o
This
was a sweet cat with a loving disposition and she was my pet. Her real name was
Doonie, but my husband gives everyone a nickname, so Spitzel was attached to
her.
o
I
am an animal lover and have rescued animals and wrote articles about rescue
pets for years.
o
Spitzel
shows us what is important in life.
Ø Do you consider
the main character of your story to be good or bad, and why?
· She was good because she treated the spider
gently and as a character, she accepted his differences.
Ø What’s the
objective of your character?
· To treat her new playmate kindly. I hope
she shows real children how to be the same way.
4) Is there anything you
specifically want readers to know about this piece of work?
Ø Is there a
particular idea or morale you are trying to convey?
· Well,
just that we need to treat others according to the Golden rule and Christian
values should be part of our life. Love may not conquer all, but it goes a long
way to making people feel valued.
5) Where can readers connect with
you and purchase your book?
They can connect with me on Facebook- Author Jo Ann
Wentzel at https://www.facebook.com/authorJoAnnWentzel/?ref=bookmarks
They can
connect with me on my website
They can
purchase this book online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
Right now Amazon has this in paperback for
less than $2.00
