Vinnie Ferret-Boerger, Team Leader and a Sherlockian Inspiration
Vinnie Ferret-Boerger was the illustrator's model and the author's muse in the wonderful collaboration Sherlock Ferret and the Missing Necklace, a Sherlockian adventure told by Watson Mouse, MD (Doctor of Mouseology) and shared with Sherlock Ferret, a wise ferret with lots of Big Books, Leticia, a very silly bunny, Mrs. Hudson, who bakes excellent cakes, several nefarious characters and Inspector Lestrade, a rhinoceros, although not a very big one.
Vinnie, tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? How did a girl get a name like Vinnie?
I'm from Ferret World. That's actually the name of the store I was staying at before my humans brought me to live here.
As for my name, that's the choice of the smallest human who lives here. To be honest, I don't think she's all that good at naming.
I'm from Ferret World. That's actually the name of the store I was staying at before my humans brought me to live here.
As for my name, that's the choice of the smallest human who lives here. To be honest, I don't think she's all that good at naming.
You are obviously very fit. What’s your exercise regimen?
I do Ferret Yoga. Actually, all ferrets do it, but I am thinking to patent the name and teach it to humans.
What is the best treat for a hardworking ferret?
A dab of honey. Or anything sweet for that matter, though technically I'm not allowed to have anything but a wee bit of honey.
In delineating yourself from the other family members, do you prefer the term pet, furbaby or Queen OfAll She Surveys?
I don't think any of those do the trick, precisely. I think of myself more as the Team Leader.
For ease of interviewing I am going to use the term pet, for now. Tell us what makes a ferret the best pet in the world? How many ferrets, in your opinion, should each household have?
Insofar as I can accept the term 'pet', I'd have to pin our 'best in the world' tag on our adorableness. We're just adorabler than other animals. As for how many, well, I'm alone here, and that suits me fine. But I know of homes that have more of them than I can count (because I can't count), and I imagine those to be very happy homes.
Should ferrets be given the vote?
Ferrets should be given everything, so of course.
I do Ferret Yoga. Actually, all ferrets do it, but I am thinking to patent the name and teach it to humans.
What is the best treat for a hardworking ferret?
A dab of honey. Or anything sweet for that matter, though technically I'm not allowed to have anything but a wee bit of honey.
In delineating yourself from the other family members, do you prefer the term pet, furbaby or Queen OfAll She Surveys?
I don't think any of those do the trick, precisely. I think of myself more as the Team Leader.
For ease of interviewing I am going to use the term pet, for now. Tell us what makes a ferret the best pet in the world? How many ferrets, in your opinion, should each household have?
Insofar as I can accept the term 'pet', I'd have to pin our 'best in the world' tag on our adorableness. We're just adorabler than other animals. As for how many, well, I'm alone here, and that suits me fine. But I know of homes that have more of them than I can count (because I can't count), and I imagine those to be very happy homes.
Should ferrets be given the vote?
Ferrets should be given everything, so of course.
I understand ferrets have a warrior dance. Do you have a warrior dance? If so, do you have video of your warrior dance?
I do, but it's only available on pay-per-view. And that's as it should be, because I've worked very hard at it and don't want to just give it away.
Tell us one or two misconceptions about ferrets.
First, humans seem to think that we stink. Seriously, I hate it when somebody says that! To be quite honest, I'm not all that crazy about the scent of humans, but I never tell them that to their faces. We don't stink at all. We smell like fuzzy things. I think that on an average day, a dog or a cat probably smells 'worse' than we do.
Another misconception is the silly notion that we steal things. We don't. We are just adamant that as a valuable member of the household, there is nothing here that we don't have a right to.
I do, but it's only available on pay-per-view. And that's as it should be, because I've worked very hard at it and don't want to just give it away.
Tell us one or two misconceptions about ferrets.
First, humans seem to think that we stink. Seriously, I hate it when somebody says that! To be quite honest, I'm not all that crazy about the scent of humans, but I never tell them that to their faces. We don't stink at all. We smell like fuzzy things. I think that on an average day, a dog or a cat probably smells 'worse' than we do.
Another misconception is the silly notion that we steal things. We don't. We are just adamant that as a valuable member of the household, there is nothing here that we don't have a right to.
Let’s talk about the book. How did it come about? Did the author and the illustrator approach you? Did you suggest the book to them? Did they offer you good terms for your contract?
I'm a bit foggy on the details. The largest human here, the one who draws me all the time, sort of acted as my agent. What's a contract?
Will we be seeing you in future adventures of Sherlock Ferret?
You know, you just might. Although it seems as if the character has sort of taken on a life of his own. For one thing, he's a male. A REAL male, not a female with a male name. So I suspect I was more of a springboard for the character, rather than a situation where the character is actually being based on me.
What would you like to do next? Ibsen? Shakespeare? Sondheim?
Sleep.
Tell us where we can find your book.
Behind the drawer where the biggest human keeps his socks. That's where I keep all my best things like hairbrushes and erasers.
I'm a bit foggy on the details. The largest human here, the one who draws me all the time, sort of acted as my agent. What's a contract?
Will we be seeing you in future adventures of Sherlock Ferret?
You know, you just might. Although it seems as if the character has sort of taken on a life of his own. For one thing, he's a male. A REAL male, not a female with a male name. So I suspect I was more of a springboard for the character, rather than a situation where the character is actually being based on me.
What would you like to do next? Ibsen? Shakespeare? Sondheim?
Sleep.
Tell us where we can find your book.
Behind the drawer where the biggest human keeps his socks. That's where I keep all my best things like hairbrushes and erasers.
Click here for more information about Sherlock Ferret and his friends.
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Actually, you can find Sherlock Ferret and the Missing Necklace at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Inknbeans Direct and fine booksellers everywhere. Thank you, Vinnie. Enjoy your nap. |