M’Lady Lottie The Foul-Mouthed Cockatoo
Coming April 2018
Months ago, I asked my VIP Reader Group, Collette’s Cheris, what type of animal they’d like to see in BLAIKE: SECRETS GONE ASKEW, Conundrums of the Misses Culpepper, #4. Suggestions ranged from a a monkey to a flamingo. However, a foul-mouthed cockatoo won by a landslide.
Next, my awesome Cheris decided whether the bird was male or female–they chose female. I then held a fun contest to pick the bird’s name. The winner will be mentioned in the novel’s acknowledgements for her brilliant suggestion, M’Lady Lottie.
I toyed with the idea of switching to a African grey parrot since they are the most prolific talking bird. But a friend who has a cockatoo with an 
I was hooked!
I selected a Moluccan cockactoo, also known as a salmon crested cockatoo. I’ve had a ball researching the species and watching You Tube videos.
Moluccans are not only extremely affectionate, but also highly intelligent. They are capable of responding to verbal cues, not just mimicking. That works well for M’Lady Lottie who spent the first several years of her life in a brothel. That’s where she acquired her colorful speech, including such blush-worthy phrases as, “What’s yer pleasure,” and “Tuppance for a tup.”
Again, my amazing Cheris stepped up with several giggle-worthy suggestions to add to M’Lady Lottie’s naughty repertoire. Can you tell I adore my readers? By the way, you can join the group too!
I love using animal in my novels. They bring a dimenision of reality and reveal much about the people interacting with them. Quite often, my animal characters are involved in something humorous or naughty. Remember Freddy, the Welsh Corgi introduced in Brooke: Wagers Gone Awry, the first Conundrums of the Misses Culpepper book?
What are your favorite animal characters you like to see in books?
BRETTE: INTENTIONS GONE ASTRAY
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