Lilian Jackson Braun

"A master of mystery who knows exactly when to let the cat out of the bag." People Magazine

"A TRIBUTE TO LILIAN JACKSON BRAUN" was held in April, 2005. We have provided the content of the show in web format for all of you to enjoy. On With the Show!

About Ms. Braun

You do not need to own a cat to enjoy Lilian Jackson Braun's mysteries.   Even though Ms. Braun claims that her real cats have never done anything extraordinary, her fictional cats, Koko and Yum Yum, solve crimes and delight fans in book after book.   Braun says the reason for her success is that "people are simply tired of all the blood.   I write what is called the classic mystery."  

Dick Lochte, Los Angeles Times sums up the success of her books in a review of The Cat Who Went Up the Creek , "It's hard to believe that a mystery series about a multimillionaire sleuth and his psychic Siamese tabbies could challenge the popularity of such bestselling purveyors of semi- realistic sleuthing as Robert B. Parker, Jonathan Kellerman and Patricia Cornwell, but that's what Lilian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who ... " books do on an annual basis. What's her secret? Not the mystery element, which is adequate at best, nor the cast of characters, credible but typical rural types in the main. Nor is it those darn cats!

"Braun's strong suit is her storytelling voice, which is filled with enough sense of wonder and whimsy to turn her yarns into ideal bedtime tales for grown-ups. In tone they are sophisticated updates on the Uncle Wiggly stories with the dilettantish James "Qwill" Qwilleran standing in for the fuzzy-eared gentleman rabbit. She's also created an irresistible location--the little town of Pickax in Moose County, described as being "400 miles north of everywhere"-- that is cozy and comfortable, even with its alarming crime rate."

Ms. Braun no longer attends signings at bookstores or makes personal appearances.   Her promotional efforts rarely extend beyond enclosing a greeting from Koko answering frequently asked questions about her books in her letters to reader. "That's about all the marketing I do," she notes. "I don't pay attention to the mystery field. I do my thing and the publishers do theirs."

Despite her laze faire approach, Braun's books continue to be on the bestseller lists year after year. Kent Rasmussen of the Library Journal sums it up, " The true charm of these works is the marvelous sense of place that Braun evokes."

Ms. Braun was first published when she was just sixteen.   She was a big baseball fan and sold articles on the game to Baseball Magazine and The Sporting News under the pen name of Ward Jackson.   She also wrote short sports poems (which she called "s'poems") six days a week for publication in the Detroit News.

Braun began her professional career in advertising for Detroit department stores and became a public relations executive.   She joined the staff the of The Detroit Free Press and served as the "Good Living" editor for 29 years, writing articles on antiques, interior decorating, architectural preservation, cooking, and art.   She retired from advertising and journalism and continued (what she refers to as her "hobby") writing one of the longest running mystery series in contemporary publishing.

"The best thing about writing", says Lilian Jackson Braun, "is that you don't have to go anywhere to do it. I don't travel to promote my books. I don't give lectures. I just live quietly and write my kitty-cat stories."

Ms Braun has lived quietly in our community with her Siamese cats and her "husband who", Earl Bettinger, for more than fifteen years.   The Polk County Public Library ( North Carolina) thought it was time that the community let her know how much she is loved and appreciated by her own home town - which is not quite "400 miles north (or south) of everywhere". So, we held "A TRIBUTE TO LILIAN JACKSON BRAUN" in April, 2005.

We have provided the content of the show in web format for all of you to enjoy. A Tribute to Lilian Jackson Braun !