Next to LORD OF THE MARSH my new Dutch novel has hit the shelves, and that always brings along a lot of promotional activities.

The first newspaper reporter gives me a call, and before I realize what I'm up to, I have asked her to visit me at my place.

Hanging up the phone I look around my living, and bite on my lip.

The room is in a total mess. What on earth was I thinking inviting that woman here?

But it's no use crying over spilt milk, and when the day of the interview has come, I clean up the entire room.

When I'm done, I can hardly believe my eyes.

Is this really my place? It's so neat and clean!

I rush upstairs to take a shower and after that I put on my most beautiful gown.

Ha!

I'm more than ready to receive a press mosquito!

As if on command the bell rings loudly.

There she is!

I scoot to the door, open it widely, and with a charming smile I let the reporter in.

When we head for the living, all of a sudden two cream-colored shadows and a blotchy hairball flash down the stairs, bursting into the room like thunderbolts.

I recognize my two new Birman babies, Zorro and Simba, who are playing tag with Esmeralda, my tortoiseshell cat.

The three little monsters jump onto the windowsill, knock down all my houseplants,
and rushing through the wet mud, they spread potting compost all over my freshly mopped floor, changing my tidy room into a pigsty.

My mouth wide open in shock, I stare at the gigantic chaos.

At that horrible moment the bell rings again.

"Ha," the reporter chuckles, a wicked grin on her face, "There's our photographer to take some pictures."

Help!