When you have a medium-sized cast, and a single, focused story to tell, an interesting dilemma comes up: how much do you delve into the side characters' backstories?

A friend of mine recently read Heroic Lies, and she pointed out - quite accurately - that while the main story was great, one of the side characters had significant gaps in her backstory. Not plot holes; just scenes that never made it into the final draft.

This created a dilemma for me: I like the story the way it is, and I'd hate to tamper with the pacing, but at the same time I have to admit that my friend is right: there's a lot of untapped potential in those unwritten scenes.

And here I am, trying to tap out a novel each year... what's a girl to do?

The story is complete as it is, but I think I will end up adding those additional scenes, probably after Catgirl Roommate is finished. And in the meantime, if you have any feedback or suggestions for improvements, I'd love to hear about them.

Speaking of feedback, you still have a chance to win a free copy of Catgirl Roommate!

Are you a cat owner who enjoys telling stories about your pets? And would you like a free copy of a comedy novel for cat lovers?

Here's how you can do both:

I'm looking for stories of hilarious cat mischief for my novel, Catgirl Roommate. These stories won't be told verbatim, but they'll be used as material for the antics of my catgirl protagonist.

If you send me a funny, true anecdote about your cats, and I choose to use it in Catgirl Roommate, you will get a free copy of the novel once it's finished.

If you so choose, I'll also include you and your pet in the 'acknowledgements' section of the book, so you get bragging rights among your cat-loving friends.

If you have a tale to contribute, just enter it in the form below and mail it to me. I look forward to hearing your stories!

He's a prudish, responsible neat freak, only too happy to accept the offer of free rent in exchange for taking care of his 'special needs' roommate.

She's a human-shaped lunatic with the furry ears, the tail, and the manners of an oversized housecat. A housecat who loves stealing boxes and lying on personal belongings, and despises clothing of every kind.

Somehow, he's got to survive babysitting her for an entire summer - preferably without losing his mind and killing one or both of them.

If you've ever owned and loved a cat, you know how endearing, annoying and absurd their eccentricities can be. Now imagine having to deal with one who was almost as big and strong as you are.

That's what the protagonist of my latest book will face. Based on many true stories of unrepentant BS on the part of my own beloved pets, I think this will be a real treat for any cat lover who needs a good laugh.

In the meantime, if you're looking for a laugh, click here to check out the excerpt for Heroic Lies. The celebratory discount ends on Friday, so now's the time to get your copy!