CHIT CHAT with Pilar Pruitt, Star of "Paws-itively Scandalous" by Jayne Ormerod

Hello, my name is Pilar Pruitt, and I am a 45-year old party planner from Brookville, NC. Made a name for myself by concocting unique adult beverages suitable to the specific occasion. My neighbors love that about me, because they are my Beta Drinkers, the first to taste and provide insight on what to make stronger (or in some cases, weaker, but mostly stronger—that tells you all you need to know about my neighbors.) I live in a townhome with my dog Natti. It seems his role in my life is to  keep me from becoming a recluse. We go to the dog park a few times a day so he can burn off his big-dog energy. It’s the place to see and be seen, and catch up on the latest Grant’s Garden gossip. Those neighborhood connections (both human and canine) come in handy when crime invades our little community. You can read about our escapades in “Paws-itively Scandalous”, our story in To Fetch a Scoundrel, Four Fun “Tails” of Scandal and Murder.

Where is your favorite place to visit? New England in the fall. Especially along the coast. I have a love for history, and cities like Newport, RI are crammed full of it. I can’t explain my connection with the place, but if I believed in reincarnation, I’d say I lived here back in the 1700s.

What do you do for fun? Sail. Water splashing in my face as I skim across the glossy bay is the best feeling in the world. I have a small sunfish I’d take out n the Albemarle Sounds (close to where I live). Make that “used to have.” I let me son take it with him when he relocated to Florida last fall and I’ve yet to go visit him or the boat.

What makes you laugh? People who have had too much to drink, but don’t realize it. I see a lot of that in my line of work. Oh, the stories I could tell…but what happens at my parties stays at my parties. 

What’s something you do when no one is watching? Eat cheese doodles. Those powdered cheese bits of Styrofoam have absolutely no nutritional value, I know (so no lectures, please!) But it’s my go-to comfort food. Washed down with an ice-cold Diet Coke. (Again, no lectures please.) My dog loves them, too. Licks my fingers cleaner than soap and water. It’s a human-to-dog bonding opportunity that I take advantage of more often than I should.

Are you married? Divorced. Friendly, but the “relationship” works because we live on opposite coasts, and rarely communicate with each other. No man on the horizon right now, but I haven’t given up hope.

What’s your most significant human-to-human relationship? Ryliegh Duncan is my neighbor and best friend. We bonded over dogs and drinks. She is one of the people who can make me laugh, even when she’s sober.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Introvert. I do like a good party, but I like going home and binging Netflix even more.

What is your idea of the perfect day? A snowy day, curled up by a fire with a good book and a bag of Cheese Doodles. We don’t often get snow here, but when we do, it’s magical.

About your canine sidekick, how long has s/he been with you? Natti is a black Lab mixed with something BIG that I inherited when my son graduated college and got a job that precluded him from giving Natti the time and attention he needs. The situation was supposed to be temporary, but it’s been almost three years now. Looks like it’s for ever and ever, amen, for us.  

How did you know Natti was the right dog for you? Since the situation was temporary, I kept my heart closed for the first few weeks. But when I had a bit of an emotional meltdown (being a sole proprietor is not always easy), he snuck up on the sofa and snuggled with me. It’s been the two of us against the world since then.  

Well, that’s more than any other person in the world knows about me. I’m a very private person, but facing one’s mortality tends to change one’s perspective. I realize how much I depend upon others, so will work harder to nurture my human relationships, so important lessons learned. I hope you enjoy reading  about Natti and me in “Paws-itvely Scandalous.”

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You can read about Pilar's escapades in Jayne Ormerod’s story “Pawsitively Scandalous,” one of four stories included in To Fetch a Scoundrel, Four Fun “Tails” of Scandal and Murder.

See SIDEBAR for links to buy your copy of To Fetch a Scoundrel.

CLICK HERE to read more about the four stories in To Fetch a Scoundrel.

CLICK HERE to read more about Jayne Ormerod and the other contributing authors in To Fetch a Scoundrel.