Kindle Gems: Meet The Mad Hatter

Interview with:

Bobbie Asad

Owner of the MAD HATTER

and Author of:

Tucker's Story

Interview:

Bobbie you have such an amazing personal story, in addition to your two new books, that I know will inspire our audience. Can you share with us why the "Mad Hatter" Shop came to life?

After working for 30+ years in consulting engineering firms, as an Electrical Designer, I was laid off and there weren’t any jobs in my area. I thought about the things I enjoy, which are hats and tea, and decided to open Mad Hatter with those two things, and have expanded it with gifts and specialty food items.

After such a long career in an entirely different field, did you feel as if you discovered a new passion or unleashed an ever-present one?

It was definitely a new passion! While I loved hats and teas for many years, it never occurred to me that I may one day be selling them. The writing for Mad Hatter Tea Society (a short story) was fun, then I decided I wanted to tell Tucker’s story.

Your Mad Hatter Shop is in downtown Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. What can visitors to your shop expect to discover?

Mad Hatter is a small quaint shop (only 225 square feet), it is whimsical and fun. Visitors will discover teapots, teacups, teas, tea accessories, specialty food products made in North Carolina, hand lotions, sprays, and soaps made locally. Hats are just the beginning at Mad Hatter.

You are a member of the Red Hat Society. Whenever I see a Red Hat Society group of women, I always think "one of these days I am joining for sure!" For those who aren't familiar with the RHS can you tell us a bit about RHS?

The Red Hat Society is a group of ladies 50+ who get together to have fun. Each group decides what they enjoy doing…..our group goes to cooking classes, plays, to afternoon teas, and lunch, and so much more. Ladies wear purple clothes and red hats, so we are easily recognized anywhere we go.

It seems as if once you were settled in to this "new calling" another passion was unleashed. You are now the author of 2 books: Mad Hatter Tea Society and Tucker's Story. Before we talk about these 2 sweet books, can you share with us how writing, plays a role in what you do now?

Actually writing is just something fun to do, all of us have ideas that we think would make an interesting book, so I decided to start working on those ideas now that I have a little more time than I use to. Hopefully people will enjoy the books.

Tell us what inspired you to write Mad Hatter Tea Society and can you share with us what to expect in this book?

I love going to afternoon teas and wearing hats, so this one is about ladies that wonder into a hat shop, purchase some hats and decide on a whim to go to Afternoon Tea. Both of these things are new experiences for them, and who better to experience new things with than a friend? It is a short story, so it doesn’t take very long to read.

I am very interested in the story behind your newest book, Tucker's Story. Who is Tucker and what motivated you to create this "fiction story based on truth?"

Tucker is a dog I adopted a couple of years ago. He was dropped off in a rural area by his previous owners. I will never know why they did this, but they must have cared a lot about him up to this point, as he was very well trained. He is an amazing dog, and a lot of good things have happened to him since then, as told in the story.

So what's next for you? Is there another book in the works?

Yes, there is another book…..about a previous dog before Tucker. This one is about Truman, a Belgian Malinois that I adopted from the shelter when she was five weeks old. That’s right, Truman was a girl. Someone is working on the illustrations for this book, and once they are complete, it will be published.