Magic Mirror Features Big, Yellow, Fluffy Cats (Because They’re Awesome)
The feature where I share a glimpse into my fiction — welcome to Magic Mirror! I pin all my Magic Mirror entries on Pinterest. Feel free to browse my collections. They are sorted by book title.
Magic Mirror Presents: Marlo // The Tale of Mally Biddle
Photographer: JR Nelson
The inspiration for a large, yellow, fluffy cat who is always fleeing the scene at top speed and who always has an agenda of his own, came from my brother’s cat, Agnes. Agnes isn’t nearly as fluffy or large as Marlo, but possess the same desire to scamper as far and as quickly from people as possible. (It isn’t that she doesn’t like people. It’s that we might do something terrible, like pick her up). Matching this cat with a woman who dots on her pet obsessively gave me a laugh. I was always rooting for Marlo. He’s the sort of cat who longs for adventure and the outdoors, and to be constantly held, fussed over and carried about is torture. I loved when he entered the book as he was sure to create chaos and mayhem.
Agnes, Marlo’s inspiration.
Excerpt from the book: Chapter 25 // Ringing Bell, Darkened Stairwell
Marlo, Hebitha Bones’s cat, was pampered, spoiled, and sneaky. He was with her nearly everywhere she went—though not by his own choice. His yellow eyes constantly scanned his surroundings, ever vigilant for a timely escape from his doting mistress. Mally was impressed by the number of times Marlo had snuck away from his mistress’s clutches. And she knew just how many times he had escaped, because the whole castle was called to a screeching halt if Madam Bones realized her precious ‘fluffy poo’ was missing. All servants were put on alert and had to stop any and all activities until Marlo was safely returned. Even the knights weren’t left out of the fun. Mally thought she would crack a rib from stifling her laughter when she saw Madam Bones informing Sir Alexander Vinsus not to leave any stone unturned in his search for her cat. Vinsus looked torn between the desire to slap the woman and incredulous disbelief, but she simply patted his elbow and shuffled off for tea. Molick looked sick anytime he saw Madam Bones. But Sir Brian and a handful of other knights put on a delightful show, trying to track down Marlo. And the servants all found Madam Bones highly entertaining, especially when they spotted a cursing Gibbs on his hands and knees, peering under couches.
