At the heart of the story is Boo, a strikingly blue cat with a past filled with hardship. Unlike the pampered pets of high society, Boo has only known struggle—until she becomes the obsession of The Cat Catcher
‘BOO’S BLUE POO AND GOO’ Written by author Toni Nelson. At the core of the book is the premise that, no matter how difficult your circumstances may be, suddenly and unexpectedly, life can change, although, perhaps, very unexpectedly.
In this interview, Toni shares the inspiration behind Boo’s character, her thoughts on the real-world injustices that influenced the story, and the creative process of bringing these dynamic characters to life. She also reflects on her experiences in journalism and her process of working independently.
Boo is such a unique character—how did you come up with the idea of a blue cat?
My heroine, the beautiful blue cat, Boo, evolved from having seen footage of a fashion parade (part of a television news report) featuring a pampered dog, who was a perfectly behaved animal. I thought about this for a while and then wondered: What if…?
What if the four-legged model in the parade didn’t behave perfectly? What if it was a cat who, during their life, had experienced no kindness or safety but had known only deprivation? I had to ensure that Boo was genuinely different, nothing like other cats. Otherwise, why would TCC be obsessed with her? What if she was a unique colour? Some cats are already known as ‘blues’, but they aren’t true blues, so if she were a genuinely blue cat, TCC could make a lot of money from her. What if she was being hounded and hunted by somebody who wanted to capture, cage and exhibit her whilst making a fortune for himself, using a powerless and shockingly abused animal? (Think of the vile people who still make extraordinarily beautiful animals, such as big cats and bears, for example, live caged, painful, miserable lives, which is completely abhorrent. Sometimes, I wonder how any of us can live on this planet knowing what is happening to these pitiful creatures.) What if Boo caused a cat-astrophic situation, ending up being the catalyst that changed, forever, the lives of those who disrespected and bullied others?
PS, the cover of the book shows Boo and TCC (The Cat Catcher) having a fight, but Boo isn’t hurt at all. She was the one inflicting nasty wounds on him. Yay. Boo is never deliberately injured during the entire story. 😊
The book features a mix of humor, adventure, and social themes—what message do you hope young readers take away?
I would really like those who read the book to be grateful for everything they have been blessed with because many people and animals have terrible lives of deprivation. It is a very powerful thing to give thanks every day for the blessings you have in your life. I would also like to think that Diamonte’s horoscope of ‘Give someone a helping hand…’ would also appeal to them.
Often, people may live in situations that appear to be truly hopeless, with no way out. Then, something happens that may appear to be adverse, but it proves to be a catalyst for change in your life, with wonderful opportunities suddenly appearing.
Tell us about Diamonte De Dazzle—what inspired her character, and is she based on anyone in particular?
I simply wanted readers to see that a Mega-Department Store owner could be a comparatively young female because it enrages me that societies, even those considered quite free, still have males in the majority of the world’s most powerful positions, still earning the largest incomes. I wanted her character to be an extremely astute businesswoman, funny enough to read her horoscope and believe it, but to also have a strong social conscience, especially in regard to the care of animals. Her intervention when she sees TCC trying to capture Boo, does indeed eventually find her ‘richly rewarded’, as does Boo.
The villain, TCC (The Cat Catcher), is both comical and menacing—was he fun to write?
How wonderful to be able to write about such a fool. He is an inept character who dreams of being very rich and famous. He is a composite of people in positions of all types of power who have extraordinarily high opinions of themselves but, in reality, are dimwitted blowhards. They’re also bumblers who never do their jobs properly, have no compassion or empathy for disadvantaged beings and are passionately in love with themselves. It was an excellent experience creating him, as, throughout the story, he appeared to be progressively more and more stupid.
You previously worked on a community newspaper—how did that experience influence your approach to storytelling?
Being on a community newspaper was extremely interesting. I met some truly unforgettable people during my time there. I was able to interview people I would normally have never met. I met Vietnam Veterans, First Responders, Councillors, Politicians, and interesting Business owners. I consider it a privilege to have had some wonderful experiences. BUT…
The trouble is I am NOT a team player. Many people are enthusiastic team players, and many employment positions used to specify they were after ‘Team Players’. This is very tricky if you love to work by yourself in a quiet, peaceful environment. I can’t even listen to my favourite music whilst writing, so it is very easy for me to say that being an author, it was wonderful to write what I wanted when I wanted to.
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