FAQs

Here are the questions we’re most frequently asked. If you don’t find the answer to your question here, just drop us an email.

1. How did you come up with the name Sparkle Abbey?

When our publisher asked us to come up with a pen name, we decided on the combination of our two rescue pets, Sparkle (ML’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). We had other possibilities, Chewbacca (Anita’s Yorkie) and Matisse (ML’s Bichon) but somehow we didn’t think that was quite as catchy.

2. How does the co-writing thing work?

It works well but we do it a little bit different than most co-writing teams. We take turns writing the books. Which means that ML wrote book one, Desperate Housedogs, and Anita wrote book two, Get Fluffy. We also alternate protagonists. Caro is the featured amateur sleuth in book one and Melinda in book two. We share setting secondary characters and a ton of research info. We plot the books together and often write across from each other either at Starbucks or ML’s dining room table. We have a lot of fun!

3. How long do you think the series will continue?

It’s always hard to say, but we’ve signed a contract for two more books in the series so look for Fifty Shades of Greyhound in late 2013 and The Girl with the Dachshund Tattoo in 2014. 

4. Are you two anything like your heroines?

Not at all. We like to say that Caro and Mel are a lot taller…and braver… than we are.  Neither of us are former beauty queens. We don’t work with animals, at least not of the four-legged variety, in our day jobs.  Nor do we solve crimes. The only thing we’ve given Caro and Mel from our lives is their preference in drinks at the Koffee Klatch. Caro drinks ML’s hazelnut lattes and Mel drinks Anita’s chai tea lattes.

5. What’s your best advice to aspiring writers?

Read, read, read and write, write, write! Read books that you love and write what you love, and also hang out with other writers. It’s really important to get connected with a group that shares your passion for the written word.