Grace Elliot's Blog: 'Familiar Felines.' , page 34

Why Cats Have Nine Lives.

As a veterinarian I'm constantly surprised by the resilience of the feline species. This week alone a 17 year old cat with kidney failure successfully underwent major dental attention, a stray cat lost a leg but was eating the same night and a kitten fell 40 feet with barely a scratch to show for it! Its no wonder cats have a reputation for having nine lives - which set me wondering about where the saying originated.
Research into this fable led me to ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptians believed in 9 'great gods' or ENNEAD, which sounds as if we are getting close to the spot! So who or what is the Ennead and where did they come from?

In the beginning there was ATUM-RA – or 'Cat god of the setting sun.'Now Atum-Ra begat:Shu (Air) and Tefrut (Moisture)
Who in turn begat:Earth and Nut (Sky)
Who in turn begat:Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys.
In total with Atum-Ra this makes 9 gods.
A religious text dated between 945 – 715 BC records;"I am one becomes two,I am two who becomes fourI am four who becomes eight,And I am one more besides."
The text is alluding to Atum-Ra being the embodiment of nine gods, or one creator who has nine lives. Indeed, it is now thought some of the multitude of cat statues found in excavations from ancient Egypt, are not representations of pet cats or the cat goddess Bastet, but of Atum-Ra. Several of these statues show a cat bearing a sun disk on their head, or bearing a scarab beetle (the symbol for the sun), consistent with Atum-Ra.
Fascinating isn't it that the culture of an ancient civilization can be so firmly embedded in our own world today?
Do you have a story of a cat surviving against the odds? Why not share it here?

'A Dead Man's Debt' for just $2.99!

Hello there, Some exciting news!I have convinced my publisher to drop the price of 'A Dead Man's Debt' from $9.20 to $2.99. Even with my fifth 5/5 review in a row, quite understandably some readers are reluctant to risk an unknown author at the higher price but at $2.99 I hope you will try 'A Dead Man's Debt', discover a new novelist and make my day!Kind regards, Grace  x
http://www.amazon.com/A-Dead-Mans-Debt-ebook/dp/B0046REKBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1298137532&sr=1-1 'Fable' - Ranulf's stallion from 'A Dead Man's Debt.'

 

Want to win a book of your choice?

It couldnt be simpler!
Just follow the link to 'Once Upon a Chapter' where Lisa's guest is our very own Grace Elliot!
Simply leave a comment for a chance to win not one but two books!
You could win :
An eBook copy of 'A Dead Man's Debt' (rated 5 / 5 by Lisa from Once Upon a Chapter.)
PLUS
a book of your choice up to a value of $10!

http://www.onceuponachapter.com/?zx=980b08ed4c415f19

Good luck!
Winner will be decided on February 24th.

FOR SALE ..... (be sure to go to the end of the photos!)

FOR SALE.ONE USELESS CAT!

MELISSA McCLONE - guest author - Welcome!

Today I'm delighted to welcome guest author Melissa McClone to my blog. Melissa is a fellow author of romance and her book 'Expecting Royal Twins' is a timely release, bearing in the mind the forthcoming Royal Wedding!
It seems a prerequisite to writing romance is leading a double life and with a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, Melissa certainly fits the bill! The last thing Melissa McClone thought she would be doing was writing romance novels. But analyzing engines for a major U.S. airlines just couldn't compete with her "happily ever afters." Melissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with her own real-life-hero husband, two daughters, a son, four loveable-but-oh-so-spoiled indoor cats and a dog named Chaos.


GE -
So, without further ado, Melissa would you like to tell the readers a little about yourself?  
MMcC  Thanks for having me, Grace! It's always nice to meet a fellow cat lover.I used to a mechanical engineer, but I'm now a full-time mom who writes contemporary romance novels for Harlequin Romance, a category romance line. I sold my first book in November of 1997 to Silhouette when I was pregnant with my first child so being a mom and a published writer have been linked from the beginning. I have three kids, four cats and a dog. They keep me very busy, but I'll have three books out this year. That means I don't sleep much!
GE . I understand you have exciting news that Expecting Royal Twins! has just been published. Please tell me a little about it.
M McC - Expecting Royal Twins! is part of Harlequin Romance's Babies and Brides miniseries. The story is a modern day fairytale with a long lost princess who prefers grease-covered coveralls and a wrench to fancy ball gowns and a scepter and a dutiful prince who wants to help his country modernize. In spite of their differences, they still manage to fall in love and conceive an heir and a spare!
GE - What aspect of the book are you most pleased with?
M McC I really liked the resolution scene. I wanted a way to not only have the hero and heroine come together, but also the country so everyone could heal old wounds. I always knew what the epilogue would be and wrote that way before I'd written the last half of the book, but I wasn't sure about the resolution scene. I knew I needed something strong enough to bring the two together not only physically, but also emotionally. I was quite pleased when I saw how it came out.
GE - How did you feel when you first learnt that Expecting Royal Twins! was to be published?
M McC - I was so excited. I'd been hoping to write another royalty story for years. I'd written one back in 2000 for Silhouette Romance. But each time I proposed a royalty idea, another project or scheduling would get in the way. Patience is a key to success in this business. I figured I'd get my chance to write it someday. I still remember when I finally got the go ahead from my editor. Such a thrill! And having to wait made it the book so much better, too!
GE - There is a lot of competition for readers' attention these days. What is different about your book that makes people want to read it?
M McC - I think I'm able to give a modern, fresh twist to traditional plotlines, such as with the long-lost royal and marriage of convenience in Expecting Royal Twins! The book is a modern day fairy tale complete with a king, prince and princess. It's set in a civil war torn Balkan country struggling to unite. The prince wants to modernize the country, yet the people and king cling to centuries old traditions and customs. The princess is an American-raised car mechanic, who doesn't realize she's royalty and doesn't want to be one.
GE - It's always nerve wracking waiting to hear what people think of your work. What have the reviewers had to say?  
M McC Romantic Times gave the book a 4. Here's what reviewer Roseann Marlette had to say about it:
"Nikola Kresimir, crown prince of Vernonia, arrives at the North Carolina garage where Isabel Poussard works as an auto mechanic. The Balkan prince shocks Izzy by informing her that she is really a princess from Vernonia and his child bride. Niko takes her to Vernonia to reclaim her title and fortune, and to annul their marriage so he can marry another princess. McClone tells a fast-paced, fun tale in a way that makes the lost-princess plot seem surprisingly fresh. War-weary Niko comes across as an insightful character who holds a true respect for Izzy's tough, working-class values."
GE - If you need to escape from the cares of the world for a while, what do you do?
M McC I play with my animals. My dog, Chaos, a Norwegian Elkhound, is always up for rubs and a walk. My four cats love attention, too. The youngest, Yoda, who is a little over a year and half, loves chasing after a laser pen. It's good fun and exercise for him and a way for me to laugh at his antics and escape everything for a little bit.

GE - What is the kindest act anyone has ever done for you?
M McC When we decided to get a dog, I researched breeds and came upon Norwegian Elkhounds. I knew nothing about dogs, let alone puppies and housetraining, so looked up the local rescue group. The coordinator, also a breeder, was so nice. We emailed and talked over the phone many times. She invited us out to meet several different dogs that she'd either placed or bred. We knew an Elkhound was the dog for us.
She sent us pictures of two dogs available for adoption and told us about them. She also sent us a third picture. It was one of her own, a championship show dog who had given birth to a litter of puppies a couple of months earlier. She said if she ever found the right family for Chaos she would give her up. She thought we were that family. Few people could believe it, including her vet.
Many tears were shed the day she and her husband brought Chaos over along with anything we might possibly need to own a dog. I know it was hard for her to give the dog up. I still can't understand why she chose us, but we'll be forever grateful. Chaos has been part of our family for almost four years. She's the perfect dog for us, and having her has impacted our family in so many positive ways. We've also become good friends with the breeder since then.

GE - Now my penultimate question. Have you heard of 'Room 101' – the room where an object once placed disappears forever…I wish all alarm clocks went there! What 5 things would you put in Room 101 and why?
M McC I've never heard of Room 101 before. Interesting concept. Here's what I'd put there:
1.  Germs. We've been fighting colds for too long.2.  Dressing room mirrors. It's almost time to start swimsuit shopping.3.  Piracy websites. If you wouldn't walk into Borders or BN and steal a book, don't download a book at home without paying for it.4.  Liver and onions. It's one of my dad's favorite meals and I grew up being forced to eat it. I never want to smell or see that ever again! 5.  Ants. When I was younger, a ring got thrown away. I was digging through the garbage can to find it, pulled out my hand and my arm was covered in ants. I can't stand them.
GE It's been lovely chatting with you Melissa,  where can I find out more about your books?
M McC Thanks for the opportunity to be here today! It's been fun. You can find excerpts and more info about each of my books on my website. Just go to the booklist.
LINK TO WEBSITE:  http://www.melissamcclone.comLINK TO WEBSITE BOOKLIST if you want to link to it above: http://www.melissamcclone.com/p/booklist.html

BLURB.
Suddenly a Princess...
It's not every day that a tall, dark, handsome prince strides into your workshop and announces he's your husband!  Mechanic Izzy nearly drops her wrench. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that she'd become a princess!

Independent Izzy struggles with exchanging her oil-stained overalls for silken gowns, let alone becoming responsible for an entire country! Yet her attraction to Prince Niko tempts her further into the fairy tale. And then two small surprises change all the rules of the game....

Medicating Cats - Victorian Style - 2 of 2.

Last week we looked at how, in Victorian times, a cat's reluctance to take medicine might help keep her alive. This week, we consider some of the remedies commonly inflicted on these poor, unsuspecting animals. 
Vomiting.Now as any cat owner knows, it's perfectly normal for a cat to vomit from time to time. However if the vomiting became excessive, one Victorian remedy was to:
"Mix half a teaspoon of salt in two teaspoons of water then dose the cat with this emetic to clear the stomach of toxins."
Please do NOT follow this advice; it is incredibly dangerous and akin to poisoning your pet. Felines are adapted to a carnivorous, and therefore, low salt diet. Their kidneys are not designed to process salt and giving a salt emetic in this way could lead to renal failure (I suppose one hope is that the cat vomits before any of the salt can be absorbed across the stomach wall.)
Malaise.Now if the hapless Victorian cat was suffering from excessive malaise and lethargy, the answer was:
'A small dose of brimstone, keep the cat warm and fed on light biscuit spread with butter.'
Oh dear. Brimstone is another name for sulfur; the element used in gunpowder, matches, insecticides and pesticides. Although skin ointments contained sulfur were effective against ringworm and skin afflictions, they worked mainly by cauterization…not the best idea then to make a cat swallow brimstone…


Fits and Delirium.
Charles Ross in his 1868 book 'Chit Chat Book of the Cat' defines a cat with delirium as having:
"An uneasy restlessness and wildness of eye. In a bad case the cat may rush around with staring eyes and throw himself at a window."
[Reminds me of Gromit, my hunting cat when I tried to keep him indoors for his own safety during a firework display!]
The remedy?
"Slightly slit one ear with a sharp pair of scissors in the thin part of the ear."
I suppose the one good thing about this advice is that it doesn't involve poisoning the cat, but wait…oh no! Mr Ross goes on to say:
"Or a good alternative is a salt water emetic."
Presumably this works because the cat is too weak from kidney failure to be delirious any more – or perhaps I'm being cynical!

NEXT WEEK: Where the superstition of a cat having nine lives came from.

WIN a $20 AMAZON voucher - LOVE GIVEAWAY HOP

WIN A $20 AMAZON VOUCHER!!

To be entered for $20 Amazon voucher prize draw simply:
1- Read the blurb for 'A Dead Man's Debt'  (below.)2- Follow this link and when you arrive tap 'tt' on your keyboard.http://www.amazon.com/A-Dead-Mans-Debt-ebook/dp/B0046REKBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1297017576&sr=1-1
3- Tick any or all of the tags you think describe this book.(You may need to log onto your Amazon account) 4- Finally, leave a note of the time you ticked the tags in the comment box of this blog (so I can verify the tagging)!
GOOD LUCK - Winner drawn on February 14th - from those who left a time in the comments box.

BLURB: 'A Dead Man's Debt' by Grace Elliot. Celeste Armitage has a plan…and that plan doesn't include marriage. After deliberately humiliating a suitor, Celeste's despairing parents exile her to the country. But once there she discovers a sketch book of daring nude studies and is shaken to find the artist is her hostess's eldest son, Lord Ranulf Charing. This darkly cynical lord is exactly the sort of dissipated rogue she despises most…if only her blood didn't heat at the thought of him… Nothing is as it seems. Lord Ranulf's life is a façade. Only he can save the Charing's from disgrace as a blackmailer seeks to ruin his late brother's reputation. But just as Ranulf dares to open his heart to Celeste, the fury of his nemesis is unleashed… facing him with the stark choice between true love and family duty. However when Celeste guesses the truth behind his rejection, Ranulf underestimates her resolve to clear his name and in so doing places the woman he loves in mortal danger….
FOR more LOVE GIVEAWAY links see the very bottom of this page.

Medicating Cats - Victorian Style. (1 of 2)

There is a saying in the veterinary world, 'A cat is not a small dog.' This refers to the fact that feline physiology is very different to canine, and it's definitely NOT appropriate, at best, and dangerous at worst, to give smaller doses of dog drugs to cats. Felines lack some of the enzymes necessary to break up common drugs, leading to liver damage and death. Up until the 20 or 30 years, cat medicine as a science was in its infancy and this meant that the commonest option when treating a sick cat was to give it a scaled down dog remedy. Perhaps the one thing that saved many cats from being made considerably worse by their well intentioned but misplaced efforts of their owner was the cat's reluctance as a species to swallow pills and potions.
This description of pilling a cat dates from the 1860's and it seems little has changed.
"Have ready a large cloth and wrap the patient therein, wisping the cloth round and round her body, so that every part of her, except the head, is well enveloped. Any one may then hold it [the cat] between their knees, while you complete the operation [giving the pill] Put on a pair of stout gloves, and then with a firm hand open the animal's mouth wide!"Charles Ross 1868.
However Mr. Ross also writes of an easier way to medicate a cat, but this method requires planning and forethought.
"Seriously speaking a lady who is kind to her domestic pets will have no trouble in giving them medicine. When they are kittens, they should be taught to lie upon their backs, and in this attitude with the head rasied, the physic is easily enough administered."
Yeah right!
"A sick cat, too, does not fly from those for whom it has an affection; on the contrary I have always known cats to come for sympathy to those who nurse and feed them."
This makes me wonder if modern cats are the same species as their Victorian forebears! No cats of my acquaintance will co-operate just because its good for them. And finally, some good advice.
 "Administer the physic with a teaspoon, if liquid and be most careful when the dose has been given to gently wash from the cat's face or breast any drop of the stuff that has fallen there, so that she may not find the nasty taste lingering about her when she goes to clean herself, as otherwise she has the unpleasantness of the physic long after the doses have been discontinued."
In next week's post the 'remedies' used in Victorian times are discussed….and I shudder.

My Book Addiction 5/5 review for 'A Dead Man's Debt.'

I was thrilled to read this review from My Book Addicition which rates A Dead Man's Debt 5/5 and KEEPER status.

MY BOOK ADDICTION
http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpre...
I would highly recommend this story especially if you enjoy a fast paced, action packed historical romance with twists and turns.
5 out of 5. A KEEPER.

Regards, Grace xA Dead Man's Debt

The Value of a Cat...according to Medieval Welsh law.

You may have twigged by now that I'm a bit of a cat fanatic. I love them for their independance, their honesty and sheer cute furryiness. But centuries ago, when times were tough a pet was expected to earn their keep, and as such had a value. In Medieval times cats were valued as catchers of mice and even had a price according to their skill, as laid down in the 10th century Welsh 'Law of Hywel Dda.' This states:
'The value of a kitten from the night it is born until it opens its eyes, one legal penny;And from then until it kills mice, two legal pence;And after it kills mice, four legal pence,And at that it remains for ever. Her properties are to see and hear and kill mice.'
Although Old English Law stated cats and dogs were:'Not property, being base by nature,' the medieval Welsh Dimetian Code laid down that if a husband and wife separatede and their chattels needed to be divided;
'The husband takes the cat if there were only one, it there were others then they are taken by the wife.'
No comment is made about what happens to the children of the marriage!