Spotlight + GIVEAWAY: Cindy Vincent and "The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks"

       Readers, I want to introduce you to Cindy Vincent – a talented author, woman of faith, and dear friend. Cindy, who loves both cats and mysteries as much as I do, writes the inspirational Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective series.
       I first met Cindy almost four years ago when reviewing her sweet devotional, Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too (please click on title to see my review), a thoughtful collection of meditations that will touch any cat lover. Not long after that, I discovered her delightful Buckley & Bogey mysteries, one of my all-time favorite series. What I love about these stories is that they are fun and entertaining on one level, but they also subtly teach Christian values – like respect, teamwork, gratefulness, reaching out to people with disabilities, etc. They’re great for young readers and for the young at heart of all ages.
       I’m excited about this series, as you can surely tell – because of the enjoyment factor, but also because of all the Christian lifestyle teaching opportunities. If you haven’t already discovered Buckley and Bogey, I hope you’ll try one of these stories soon.

Here’s my review of two books from the Buckley and Bogey series:
The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues
The Case of the Clever Secret Code

I’ve asked Cindy to tell us about Buckley and Bogey’s Christmas story, The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks. This would make a great gift for young readers or as a read-aloud family story. Now enjoy as Cindy shares about Buckley and Bogey’s Christmas story …


Q: Cindy, please tell us a little about The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks.

First, thank you so much, Carole, for hosting me here today!  It’s always a pleasure to be part of “The Power of Words!”

       The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks is the second book in my Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Capers series.  In this book, Buckley, a two-year-old Maine Coon Cat, is spending his first Christmas with his new forever family, after being adopted from the local cat shelter.  Being a naturally nervous guy, Buckley is a little scared when he first sees the Christmas tree going up in his home.  But Bogey, his older brother, takes him under his paw, hands him a couple of cat treats to calm him down, and starts to explain about Christmas.
       Minutes later, Officer Phoebe Smiley of the St. Gertrude Police Department arrives to let everyone know about a recent break-in in the neighborhood. Days later, another robbery takes place just a few houses away, and before long, the Christmas Crooks have hit homes all over town.  And since Buckley and Bogey are worried their own home and family may fall victim to these brazen burglars, the boys set out to solve the case and uncover the identity of the crooks.  Their investigation leads them all over St. Gertrude, including their mom's antique store and a local Christmas craft fair, where they meet some interesting and sometimes scary suspects — both human and feline.  Along the way, Buckley continues his quest to understand Christmas, and the boys engage all the cats in the house to help protect their family.  Their action plan is put to the test one dark night when someone starts pounding on their door . . .


Q: What was the inspiration for The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks?

       As you know, my own cats, Buckley and Bogey, are the inspiration behind this series. We had adopted Bogey first, and as a kitten living in a house with three much older female cats, he was pretty bored. Naturally, he wanted to play 24/7, but the older girls had no intention of playing, and we soon realized that Bogey needed a brother.  So we adopted Buckley, too, after seeing him at a Petco adoption center.  Within five minutes of meeting, the two boys became best friends and have been inseparable ever since.  And because they seemed to explore our house together every night, we joked about them "running surveillance" to make sure the place was secure.  That's when the idea hit me — Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Capers.
       But the idea of writing a Christmas book came to me after Buckley's first Christmas with us.  He was both fascinated and nervous as the tree and decorations came out of storage and went up around the house.  Bogey, who'd already been through one Christmas, seemed to take the lead and show Buckley around the trees and decorations.  It was as though he was explaining it all to his little brother and telling him not to be afraid, that Christmas was "the best."  I knew right then that I had to write a Christmas book as one of their mysteries.


Q: What are your favorite scenes in this book?

       Ha! This is a hard question to answer, since, of all the books I’ve written, Buckley and Bogey’s Christmas adventure is very near and dear to my heart. But even so, two scenes stand out to me. The first is the night when Buckley accidentally gets locked out of the house, and he cuddles up next to Baby Jesus in the Nativity scene in the front yard.  He looks up at the night sky, and tries to find the brightest star, thinking of the star that led people to where Jesus was born.
       And my second favorite scene has to do with the ending of the book.  I can’t say more, so that I don’t spoil it for anyone, but there was a part where I found myself shedding a few happy tears as I wrote the words.


Q: Is there a single character that really touched your heart and why?

The Buckley character is probably the most special to me, since he is so anxious and fearful about every new thing he encounters.  Yet he somehow manages to swallow that fear and go on to do brave and daring things.  He even ends up saving others, despite his own anxieties.  That to me is the mark of a true hero.  It's easy to be brave when you're not afraid, but much more of a stretch when you are terrified.


Q: How has this story touched your life?

       I'm always a little surprised whenever I finish writing a book.  I look back and think, now where did that come from?  I especially like the "feel good" ending on this book, which takes place right on Christmas Eve.  Not only did I have the chance to write about the true meaning and spirit of Christmas, but I got to feel it the whole time I was typing away.  And since Christmas is my favorite time of the year, this book holds a special place in my heart.  As the story talks about the joy of giving rather than receiving, I feel like this book is my Christmas present to my readers.  Though in all honesty, I’m the one who has been blessed, as writing and publishing this book has brought so many wonderful people across my path, and I am always thankful for that!
       And I’m very thankful that I met you, too, Carole, during one of our blog tours. You are such a blessing to so many!  Thank you again for hosting us.  Buckley and Bogey send hugs your way.  Here’s wishing you a very merry and blessed Christmas, and all the best in 2018!

Cindy, it has been an honor to have you visit, and your most gracious giveaway is greatly appreciated. I hope you’ll be back very soon.

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GIVEAWAY

Three winners will be awarded a copy of The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks plus Cindy’s new Christmas novella, Yes, Carol … It’s Christmas! To enter, please do the following:

1) Click on this link and share my Facebook post, then leave a comment here letting me know you shared;
2) Briefly tell about your favorite Christmas tradition.

BE SURE to leave your name and your email address in a safe format - [at] and [dot] - for the drawing. E-mail required for entry. Contest ends at midnight PST on Wednesday, January 3. Each winner will be contacted by e-mail.

Eligibility: US residents