Guest Post

Guest Chick: Molly MacRae

CONGRATS TO LYNN CARLSON, winner of Molly’s Haunted Shell Shop mystery!

Today the Chicks welcome the marvelous Molly MacRae, author of the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, the Highland Bookshop Mysteries, and the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries. Today she talks pets–both in her home and in her books. And there’s a GIVEAWAY of one of her Haunted Shell Shop mysteries to one lucky commenter!

The Cats, the Dogs, and the Purring Chicken

I come from a family of six kids so spread out in age that there was a MacRae in high school every year for a span of twenty years. Can you imagine? I’m the fifth of the six and remember my mother, looking worn, saying about our dog, “At least Koyen isn’t sarcastic.” She was right. Several of us were, but not Koyen. He was nothing but a happy, loving, good boy. He could also crack open walnuts and pecans and eat them, and snap pesky flies right out of the air if they flew past his nose. I’m pretty sure Mom thought Koyen was a more civilized person than some of her offspring. I’m glad he was there for her during those years of tempestuous teens. He was a noble guy.

We were also a family of many pets. Large, medium, and small. Warm-blooded, cold-blooded, furry, scaley, feathery, and some with flickering tongues.

One summer we tried to tame butterflies. Mom and Dad encouraged it all. For people who love animals, animals are some of the best people in the world.

For people who write, animals make some of the best characters, too. I love it when animals add something to a story, when they aren’t someone’s accessory or just part of the scenery. Although, if a human character treats them as either, then the reader learns something about that character (and it isn’t very nice). I’ve mostly stayed with cats and dogs in my stories, but not always, and recently wondered how many animals I’ve played around with through 22 books. Here’s the catalog: 2 fire-bellied newts, 2 hermit crabs, 2 horses, 2 military macaws, 9 dogs, 13 cats.

The newest dog on the list is Ben (short for Benjamin Franklin). He appears in All Shell Breaks Loose, Haunted Shell Shop book #3. Ben is a bulldog (and based on a bulldog by that name that belongs to a friend of mine). Ben in the book is an unlikely, stolid hero figure who drools. Ben in real life could very well be the same and, if given the chance, I bet he could sniff out a haunted, antique sword at the beach, too.

There’s one animal missing from my pet catalog. That’s Purl the chicken. Purl and her person, Deanna, are joining me in a new series I’m just starting to work on. I won’t let details out of the bag, yet, except to say that Purl is the purring chicken referred to in the title of this piece. Did you know that chickens can make a purring sound? Deanna, a real person, once brought a chicken named Red to visit me. Red purred when he sat on my lap and I fell in love. Red has since passed on, but now there’s Purl and, whether or not Purl purrs in real life, she will in the new series.

AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY: Readers, what pets have you loved having in your life? Let me know in the comments. I’ll pick a name, at random, to win a copy of book 1, 2, or 3 in the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, winner’s choice.

About All Shell Breaks Loose, book 3 in the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries coming June 30:

On North Carolina’s Ocracoke Island, Maureen Nash sells exquisite seashells to locals and tourists—with Bonny the shop cat and the ghost of a Welsh pirate for company. And when needed, she steps in to help the police solve a murder . . .

Dr. Irving Allred is boasting around town that he’s about to get his hands on an authentic haunted sword. But minutes after Maureen hears the story, a woman walks into the Moon Shell, sword in hand. She found it while walking her bulldog on the beach—and its blade is stained with what looks like blood. Looks like it’s time to call the sheriff’s department.

Allred is furious that his prize is now in police custody—and even more agitated that an unknown buyer was trying to outbid him. He’s convinced the sword will lead him straight to the ghosts he’s been hunting. He’s not the only one on the Outer Banks who’s been searching for spirits, though. An odd visitor also showed up at Maureen’s shop claiming the ability to sense them . . . though somehow she didn’t seem to notice Maureen’s spectral friend hanging about.

When a man who’d been camping nearby is found cut down along the shore, Maureen starts providing some unofficial assistance to Captain Rob Tate by digging into the island’s maritime history. But it’s not the only mystery she’s facing—because the shop’s resident ghost is seeing ghosts himself . . .

Molly MacRae writes the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, the Highland Bookshop Mysteries, and the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest, connect with her on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky. 

45 thoughts on “Guest Chick: Molly MacRae”

  1. My family was given cat when I was young named Visitor. My mom named him that as my sister has allergies and she was convinced he would not be staying long. He was in our family for eleven years!! He went outside but slept in the house at night. I was a teenager when he passed away. Our vet had a fondness for him as he looked exactly like his childhood cat.

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    1. Visitor was a great name for that lovely cat, Emily. I’m sure his 11 year visit with your family seemed too short.

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  2. Hi Molly!

    We had a cat that would sit under the bed and eat human food. Her favorites were Cheetos and powdered donuts. How did we know, the proof was on her face and whiskers.

    Congrats on your upcoming release and the new series you are writing has me intrigued.

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    1. That’s hilarious, Dru! She was a sneaky but not very subtle snacker. My kind of cat.

      Thanks on the new release. I’ll do my best to keep you intrigued with the new series.

      Hope to see you at Malice!

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  3. I’ve really only had two dogs long term. I did have a dog, Rusty, as a child, but shortly thereafter my mom was diagnoses with breast cancer. The dog smell made her sick to her stomach with the chemo, so sadly Rusty was rehomed to a family in the country with a large farm.

    Then there was Casey, my beagle-lab mix. He barked at cats, people, passing cars, squirrels, falling leaves – you name it. But he was a great dog. He bonded to The Girl when she was a baby and was very protective of her. He passed when he was 14.

    Now there is Koda, or Dog of Pharaohs as I call him. A retired racing greyhound. He is my soul dog. So calm and happy to sleep at my feet for the whole day. At 10 years old, he’s getting up there and is gray in the face, but still so affectionate and happy. He just completed his latest “full stop” on food, which is his way of saying he’s bored with what he has been eating and wants something new. People forget the “hound” part of greyhound. Koda is as stubborn as any hound out there!

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    1. I’m sorry to hear about your mom, Liz. What a hard thing for you and your family to go through.

      One of our sons and his family have a couple of beagle-labs. The nicest guys with great barking prowess.

      Retired greyhounds really are sweet, aren’t they? A greyhound rescue group used to bring their dogs to the library, where I worked, so kids could read to them. One special needs middle school kid, whom we’d never heard speak a word in two years, sat down with one of the dogs and read a picture book out loud to him. That’s the power of a calm, loving dog.

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  4. I traveled for work most of my adult life so no pets, but I fell in love with one of my sister’s dogs, a dachshund/chihuahua mix. Tinsel was a love and a cuddlebug who became my best buddy since I used to dog sit for them pretty often.

    Congrats on the new release and the new series! I am excited to learn more about it.

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  5. My almost 10 year old cat Hemi is my first time having a pet since we weren’t allowed as kids. I actually hadn’t planned on her, I just suddenly had an about 8 week old kitten. So I “borrowed” a scoop of cat food and litter from my sister as the nearest pet store was a solid hour away and it was too late to get there in time. Since then she’s grown from the runt, learned tricks, loves feathers, balls, and cheese. She can be cuddly or independent, crazy or chill. Keeps things interesting!

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  6. Molly, thanks so much for visiting! I’ve always had dogs. Right now, our current rescue furbaby is Cammie, who we call The Sock Bandit because she loves nothing more than stealing our socks. We actually keep two bins of loose ones for her to steal from in the hallway. But we recently found a young cat, 6-8 months, under the bushes in front of our house. She’s the sweetest, friendliest thing you’ll ever meet. We’re fostering her in my daughter’s home while we search for her forever home. Cammie doesn’t know she’s here so far, but we can’t keep her ourselves due to our doggy and our doggy door.

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    1. Oh, Ellen. Didn’t you know that fostering sweet kitties is a slippery slope? Just ask my niece who once “fostered” four sweet kitties. How many sweeties did she end up with? Seven. Then she built a catio for them so they can lounge outside in the sun but not run loose. I see whiskers in your future, Ellen.

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  7. I was always a cat lover. I had no interest in dogs. They barked too much, slobbered even more, and jumped up on people with their dirty paws. Fast-forward many years when my son was 10 and so wanted a dog. My husband agreed. I reluctantly gave in. So who loved the dog the most out of all of us?? Yep, that was me. Our Westie was with us 14 years. He stole my heart from the first day with his unconditional love. I miss him still today.

    Molly – congratulations on your upcoming release. Looking forward to your new series!

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    1. I love your dog love story, Debra. Westies know what they’re doing when they move into homes and hearts. Thanks for the congratulations. I look forward to seeing you at Malice!

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  8. Dear Leslie, thank you for having me as your guest today! It’s always a pleasure to hang out with the Chicks. Hope to see many of you at Malice!

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  11. I had no idea chickens had so much personality until three little chickies showed up on my doorstep several years ago. They’re adorable!

    Congratulations on your latest release, and thanks for bringing chickens to Chicks today!

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  12. We always had cats when I was growing up, and when I first met my future wife, Robin, I told her she coddled her dog, a shepherd-sheltie mix. Fast-forward just a few years and guess who’s doing the most coddling? We’ve had dogs ever since, most recently our Jack Russell mix terror–I mean terrier–mix, Ziggy.

    Thanks so much for visiting the Chicks today, dear Molly, and congrats on the upcoming book in your new series!

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    1. Jack Russells are such appealing dogs. Our Koyen, who was never sarcastic, was a collie mix. Mom liked to think he was part wolf. Unlikely but possible.

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  13. Oh, so hard to choose! Okay, I’ll pick Sammy the glab (golden/lab mix) because he was the goofiest guy ever. My soul pup and sorely missed, although he’s been followed by a span-triever and a Viszla/Velociraptor mix. Or at least that’s what we think our current dog is…

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    1. Viszla/Velociraptor! Now there’s a dog for the ages. A friend has a dog that’s a mix of everything under the sun and a complete rascal who will not, will not stop eating everything in sight. Mostly furniture. I’ll give her the good news that Annie is part velociraptor. That will explain many issues. Thanks, Lynn!

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  14. Wow! You have written a lot of animals into your books, and there are 13 cats! Hooray! Loved your Haunted Shell Shop series! The books are delightful!

    Congratulations on your new series! And looking forward to meeting the purrrriing chicken! I know you can’t say too much, but when would the new series come out tentatively? 2027?

    Thank you for writing!

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    1. Thank you for the kind words, Emily! My best guess for the first book in the new series is end of 2027 but maybe in time for Christmas.

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  15. Molly, thank you for visiting us Chicks today–we are always thrilled to have you! I am so excited about the upcoming addition to the Shell series–and I can’t wait to meet Deanna and Purl! Also, you always have the absolute cleverest, cutest titles for your books. See you soon in Bethesda, Molly!

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  16. Currently we have a precious family cat named Luna. She was a rescue. We have had a variety of pets through the years, and all have brought joy to our lives and are dearly missed.

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  19. Our family mostly had cats when we were growing up (there were 10 of us eventually and cats don’t eat as much as sturdy dogs [tiny dogs wouldn’t have done well – we were too harum scarum]).

    One female had a predilection for sweets.  Patches (she must’ve been sort of calico, mostly gray with some white and orange patches) one time munched on an unfrosted bundt cake (I forget if it was carrot or sour cream cake) that was cooling on the kitchen table.  She ate a portion of the outer “crust” before she was discovered and shooed off the table. Due to Mom’s hygiene standards, the rest of the cake went in the garbage.

    Dogs were less frequent family members.  My brother Frank brought home (we hope it really followed him) a dog who looked to be an Irish setter.  She didn’t last long after she helped herself to the Sunday roast.  Mom put it too close to the edge of the table and the dog was tall enough to just open her jaws and grab it.

    Congratulations on the debut of your new novel and thanks for running the giveaway! 

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    1. With 10 children it’s no wonder your mom didn’t a Sunday roast snatching stray! Thanks for the congrats.

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