Original: Although never formally stated in her books , the towns , counties and lifestyles described in the series are generally accepted to be modeled after Bad Axe , Michigan ( located in the '' Michigan Thumb '' ) where Braun resided with her husband for many years until the mid 1980s .
Simplified: The books are about the life of former newspaper reporter James Qwilleran , and his two Siamese cats , KoKo and Yum Yum .