WHAT THE *BLEEP* IS A CAT WRITER? by Mollie Hunt, Cat Writer

Today is the final day of the 25^th Annual Cat Writers’ Association Conference, and I’m sad for it to end. The time went by fast, with presentations, networking, and good meals among old and new friends. People won awards, made connections, and learned things about cats and cat writing. I enjoyed it all, from the fiction panel in which I participated to the book sales and signing event. If you are a cat writer, artist, blogger, photographer, or pursue any creative aspect of the cat, you, too, might consider joining the Cat Writers’ Association. It has been very helpful for me. (And fun, too!)

But what exactly is a cat writer, you ask.

When you Google Cat Writer, you really don’t get a whole lot of joy. Most of the links go to various paws of the CWA. But there you have it: If there is a Cat Writers’ Association, then it logically follows that there are cat writers. That these fur-tive storytellers are difficult to define makes perfect sense when you consider the mysterious and unique nature of the animal they emulate.

It’s really very simple: cat writers write cat-centric books and stories. They write both fiction  and non-fiction, anything that features felines in a majority of the content. (A cat on the book cover or sitting on Grandma’s lap in chapter seven does not a cat book make.) Cat non-fiction includes but is not limited to cat memoir, cat help, cat poetry, and cat behavior. Cat fiction can be just about anything: cat mysteries, cat cozies, and cat sci-fi are only a few of the more popular sub-sub genres.

Why write cat? What is it about the feline species that propels it to such literary popularity? When did writers first begin to introduce cats as a vital part of their stories? Why do readers lap them up like a saucer of cream?*

Do you have a favorite cat book or cat writer? If so, let me know, and I will do my best to reply. (Be aware that I’m still having problems with that. For some reason, no matter how many times I log in to Blogger, it doesn’t recognize me and my comments just disappear! I’ve tried everything short of a new computer, which isn’t going to happen. Sometimes it works perfectly though, just to drive me crazy.)

*(PS: milk products, including cream, are not good for adult cats and will likely cause diarrhea)

Check out more blogs by Mollie Hunt, Cat Writer at:

Mollie Hunt: Crazy Cat Lady Mysteries and more

Happy reading!

Meet Zombie

Several years ago my youngest son and his then girlfriend went out for a walk. Less than thirty minutes later, his girlfriend came back and announced, "Your son just rescued a sick cat." Little did I know that this "sick" cat would become the inspiration for my newest release, DIAL V FOR VAMPIRE, and the world of Kudzu Korners.

So, how did I go from meeting our newest rescue cat to world-building for a paranormal romance series? Join me, if you dare, for a journey through the workings of my writer brain.

We are a multiple cat household so, any new cats that show up are kept isolated from the others until we can have them tested to make sure that they aren't carrying any diseases such as feline leukemia or FIV (feline AIDS). We put the new guy in my husband's man cave until we we could get him to the vet. While we waited, we tossed around ideas for names but nothing quite fit. Then, while we were waiting in the exam room at the vet's office, I couldn't help but chuckle when I looked at the old man. He was deaf, missing most of his teeth, had a crumpled ear (probably from chronic ear infections) and, to make matters worse, when my husband and son had trimmed the mats out of the poor guy's long fur, they nicked his skin in a couple of places. The shorter fur also revealed a few cysts on his flanks. I shook my head and told him, "Dude, you look like the walking dead." That's when it hit me. His name was Zombie! It was perfect.

The view that gave Zombie his name

I have had dozens of cats (both my own and fosters) over the years. Zombie was easily one of the most awesome cats I have ever known. He was very laid back, but didn't take any "lip" from the others. (He was given a clean bill of health so, he moved out of the man cave and joined the rest of our clowder.) The other cats were confused by why he didn't react to their growls and hisses. But, whenever they got a bit too uppity, Zombie would give them a good whack (or several) with his paw. He would never use his claws, but the force of his slap would echo through the room.

Who could resist that face?

I played around with the idea of creating a blog called Life with Zombie in which I would post about Zombie the cat as if he were the stereotypical brain-eating zombie. Then, one day, my husband made one of those casual, life-changing statements: "Why don't you let your characters write some of the things you talk about?" That was it! I think I heard angels singing. At that point, my heroine Maggie became the author of the Life with Zombie blog, which, in turn, lead to the creation of Kudzu Korners, a small Southern town inhabited by humans, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and occasionally the fae. However, my vampires, werewolves, and zombies are anything but stereotypical.

My handsome old man

Sadly, our Zombie was roughly fifteen years old when my son rescued him and he was already in the advanced stages of kidney failure. We only had him in our lives for four months before his condition deteriorated to the point where we had to release him to run free at the Rainbow Bridge. Letting go of a much loved pet is never easy, even when you haven't known them long. However, in this case, Zombie lives on as a character in DIAL V FOR VAMPIRE. As a matter of fact, the story is dedicated to him:

To Zombie, the coolest rescue cat ever. I miss you, bud. You will live on in my heart, and Kudzu Korners, forever.

Would you like to meet Zombie for yourself? Are you interested in learning more about DIAL V FOR VAMPIRE and the world of Kudzu Korners? If so, you can find the blurb, an excerpt, and the buy link HERE.

Until next month, happy reading!

Sign up for my newsletter here:  http://madmimi.com/signups/112968/join

Website:  http://www.isabellanorse.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsabellaNorseAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorIzzy

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/isabellanorse/

The Kitten of the Apocalypse

Some people collect stamps or coins, my family collects cats. It's not an intentional thing, it just is. We used to call it "The Cat of the Year Club" because another cat cat would show up every year, usually in June or July. Even our vet says that we have an invisible sign in our yard telling cats to come to us for a good home. My family "blames" me. Apparently, my super power is attracting cats. However, our newest family member comes courtesy of my husband.

Dear readers, meet Kota.

Several weeks ago, my husband went outside to do a few things before we left for work and heard something yelling from the far side of our back yard. Being the good man that he is, he donned gloves and went in search of the source. A brief search and chase later, he came in carrying a small gray kitten. At some point during the ensuing conversation, I said something along the lines of "It's just a kitten; it's not even one of the four kittens of the apocalypse." And thus, the name Kota (Kitten Of The Apocalypse) was born.

Our original plan was to find a home for Kota, but one thing lead to another and, as so often happens, Kota's furever home is with us. However, no many how many strays we take in, there are always more that need homes and help. 

My love for animals makes its way into my stories which all feature animals and animal rescue. Like my fellow Fire Star Press author Mollie Hunt, I am working to change the world one book at a time. In addition to hoping to raise awareness through my stories, I also donate a portion of the proceeds of all of my books to animals in need. 

My newest mewse is already hard at work walking across my keyboard in an effort to put her own spin on my stories. My brain is also busily chasing plot bunnies (or maybe they are plot kittens) while it tries to work out the details of a story about the kittens of the a-purr-calyse.

Please, share a picture of your fur-baby in the comments. Furry faces make every day better!

I'm always glad to meet new friends, you can find me here:

Sign up for my newsletter here:  http://madmimi.com/signups/112968/join

Website:  http://www.isabellanorse.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IsabellaNorseAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorIzzy

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/isabellanorse/

#NewRelease -- FLAME -- #Giveaway

The National Cheyenne Rodeo holds promise to seasoned rodeo contestants and fans of a grand finale for the season. No one expects one of the leading contenders for team roping, Randy Murray, to lose his life in a freak accident in the final round.

Devastated by her husband’s death, Cindy Murray faces life-altering decisions. How can she deal with the sudden death of the high school sweetheart she’s planned a life with? What will she do with the ranch that had been the dream she and Randy had shared? And, most importantly, how will she deal with the pregnancy she had never expected—alone?

Cindy faces another crisis when she finds a pregnant horse dying in a trap. Can she save FLAME, the orphaned colt? Life is fast becoming overwhelming for her—but she has to do what’s right. From the ashes of her hopes and dreams, a new beginning becomes possible.

Have you ever competed in or watched a rodeo? Shelby will give an e-book of her new release to someone who comments on today's post.

Excerpt

(Cindy has lost her young husband to a rodeo accident. Now she's faced with being forced to ride just a few short days later, competing in the barrel racing events against her best friend in order to have the money she needs to pay for her husband's funeral and the upkeep of their little ranch.)

“Fourteen point two!” Helen announced, riding up to us and dismounting. “That’s my best time, ever. Good girl, Starlight.”

“Wow! Good job,” I said. “I guess that means I’m up.”

I mounted Ginger and headed out to the arena.

I waited in the holding area for the timer to go off and signal the start of my ride. The few seconds I sat in there felt like hours as my thoughts raced. This was the most nervous I had ever been before competing. It seemed like everything was riding on this. My ranch, Randy’s funeral expenses, all my payments I would have to make between now and next season…that would all be taken away if I screwed this up.

BUZZ!

I was off. I turned around the first barrel at a furious rate. I slowed as I pulled on Ginger’s reins into the turn. I kicked, and did the same around the second—and off to the third. I rounded it. I was pretty sure my time was good so far. I kicked and whipped Ginger to go faster to the finish line.

All of a sudden, I felt dizzy. Everything was starting to go dark. I couldn’t tell where I was anymore…or what I was doing. I felt sick, and then…everything went black.

Find Flame here:

Amazon  •  Barnes & Noble  • Apple  •  Kobo  •  Smashwords

Debut author Shelby Anne Watts is a nineteen-year-old junior at Northeastern State College in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where she is a science education major. She lives in a small rural area in southeast Oklahoma with her brand-new husband, horse Snowy, a rescue mule named Molly, two dogs, and a cat.