Meet the author’s pets.

Darwin. At age 15, he’s the old man in this crowd. Adopted in Savannah, GA, he was the sweetest kitten: sitting on my lap, purring, purring, purring. Gray and white, he reminded me of all the photos of Charles Darwin I’d seen in my biology textbooks. Hence his name. At home we already had Nira, a black Labrador retriever, and so we installed a baby gate with the intention of letting them get to know each other through the grating. Darwin had other plans. He scaled that gate the very first day to make friends with the dog on the other side. Nira was a sweetie, and they quickly bonded. Somewhere, in an old, unreadable format, we have video of them taking turns chasing each other around the room. He was my first editorial assistant, preferring the task of paperweight above all else.

Lady Elizabeth aka Lizzie. She’s an English Springer Spaniel. When they say “springer” what they mean is “leaps like Tigger so don’t bother installing fences”. Though she’s blue-blooded (in dog-breeding terms), she became our family dog because, well, how to put it delicately? Her mother slipped away with the “wrong” father. Perhaps she objected to the “arranged marriage”? In any case, not only was the lineage “muddled”, but the litter came “too early” in the season for most puppy-seekers. Not that we minded any of this. Lizzie is as sweet as her mother (if a bit needy) and spends her time chasing squirrels, monitoring my every move, ensuring I take daily walks, and leaning against anyone – anywhere – in need of a cuddle. 

Tesla. For years, my husband’s co-worker showed him cute pictures of the kittens she fostered. He resisted. Until this cute, little orange furball appeared on screen. I got a phone call. Why yes! Happy to meet and perhaps adopt another cat. He looked electrified as a kitten – and so was named for the famous inventor. Right away, Tesla had FAR more energy than we’d expected, playing hard and sleeping hard. He chased the dog, plagued Darwin, climbed clothing to perch like a parrot on shoulders. Then crashed on laps, demanding attention and purring loudly. He might be the youngest around here, but he’s got Lizzie and Darwin under his thumb. His duties involve keeping an eye on the neighborhood and keeping me company as I write.

The Zoo. Darwin prefers dogs. Here he is with his old buddy (Nira) and his current buddy (Liz). Then we brought home that electrified cat, Tesla, who quickly and completely inserted himself into our lives.

Videos. What kind of fluffy post would this be if I didn’t include a few silly ones?

About Anne

Though USA TODAY bestselling author Anne Renwick holds a Ph.D. in biology and greatly enjoyed tormenting the overburdened undergraduates who were her students, fiction has always been her first love. Today, she writes steampunk romance, placing a new kind of biotech in the hands of mad scientists, proper young ladies and determined villains.

Anne brings an unusual perspective to steampunk. A number of years spent locked inside the bowels of a biological research facility left her permanently altered. In her steampunk world, the Victorian fascination with all things anatomical led to a number of alarming biotechnological advances. Ones that the enemies of Britain would dearly love to possess.

To chat with Anne, stop by on Facebook or join the Department of Cryptobiology Facebook group. You can also join her newsletter list to have cover reveals, sneak peaks, sales and giveaways delivered straight to your inbox.