Snowball is the neighbour’s cat. She first comes into the story when some of the chemicals in Horatio’s shed have turned her fur pink. For this reason Snowball doesn’t like Horatio very much. As the story continues Snowball becomes a more important character and even helps Horatio solve a major science problem. She is also responsible for the start of another frightening adventure for the three friends in the third book of The Entwhistle Experiment series.
I think you’re onto something, Bret. I wish I’d done some of the things you mention when I was at Uni. I might have been able to give up work earlier to write full time if I’d been more sensible when I was younger. On the other hand, I guess if you can’t be a bit irresponsible when you’re young, when can you be? I suspect you’re going to be very successful.
Good little Snowball. He’s a cat worth reckoning with and knows who his friends are and who he has to be aware of.
Thank you for your comments, June. Interestingly, Snowball was meant to just wander into and out of the first book but he has become more and more a ‘character’, especially in book 3. It’s interesting how your characters sometimes decide to do their own thing.
I feel like the main reason is that many young polepe go directly from having their parents pay for everything when they’re in college to suddenly paying for everything themselves. They don’t realize that the standard of living they are accustomed to isn’t reasonable for their income. I feel like I’ve managed to avoid this largely because while my parents did pay for my living expenses during undergrad, I got a lump sum at the beginning of every semester and had to pay for all of my rent, utilities, groceries, gas, school supplies, etc. out of that money. I already knew what my expenses were when I transitioned to supporting myself during grad school, and when I graduate in May I’ll just need to add in health insurance and my cell phone bill. When you transition gradually like that it forces you to scale back your expenses and lifestyle as you take on more personal responsibility, so it’s easier to view the increased income from full time work as money that can be saved rather than money that needs to be spent.