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Thanks Cassandra - I'm working on getting it published this year. Short on funds right now.
I want to read it too!
Cassandra wrote: "Hello my name is Cassandra! Just introducing myself because I just joined this group. I have 2 cats both male: Felix and Hinabi. I love cats so much and especially reading about them. I've read the..."Hi Cassandra. I love cats too and have cat stories included in my books if you are interested. First book is Somebody Move the Cat! publ. 2003. The second book is Our Side of the Fence 2005(more of the cat stories are in this one). My publisher is small and I am not known as an author outside of about a sixty mile range from my home, but people enjoy the stories when I do readings. Glad to send you a story if you'd enjoy seeing what I write. I have one sad but I think beautiful one, and more that are funny.
Terri wrote: "Thanks Cassandra - I'm working on getting it published this year. Short on funds right now."Terri, Warning! Short on funds should not matter because reputable publishers pay the author. You do not pay them. Of course there are many opportunities to self-publish or go with a vanity press, and going those routes mean you have to pay.But be careful if any "publishing company" asks for fees as this is not done in the publishing world and should alert you that down the road the fees will probably keep increasing.
I've been wanting to get it professionally edited but if I get picked up they will do it, right?
Terri, I can only tell you what happened in my case. The publisher assigned an editor to work with me on adjusting content(eg. changing order of stories, adding in a new story, adjusting titles, etc.) but the publisher was a skilled copy-editor so she did most of the real work. Your ms should be in really good shape but it is okay if there are some little mistakes.
THanks, I'm going over it again for the upteenth time.I want to send in a good MS to ABNA contest.I'm now going through and removing excess words, duplicate thoughts, etc. Even cutting some un-necessary parts. It's 138,000+ words and I want to pare it down a bit. I've rewritten my pitch too.What if a twenty-year old house cat could tell her life story? Animal lovers of all ages will enjoy “THE TALE OF THISBE – AN EXTRAORDINARY CAT”.
Adopted by Ana, the gregarious Thisbe enjoys meeting other pets and even manages to befriend street savvy city pigeons that flock to the ledge outside her favorite window. But for Thisbe it’s not just sun-drenched naps and catnip toys, she wants to have adventures exploring the fascinating world outside. Thisbe gets her wish. When Ana drops the cat off with her Aunt Belinda for a short time, Thisbe’s adventures begin. She even discovers another world through a ghost in Belinda’s house. Thisbe and the spirit talk about life and death. Eight years pass. Suddenly she is flown away to be reunited with Ana. Thisbe’s exciting life continues with new adventures including a kidnapping, a role in a stage play and a new best friend in the form of a cocker spaniel named Duchess.
Thisbe’s life comes full circle when Ana moves into Belinda’s house after the elderly woman’s death. Thisbe is back in her old home but it is not the same place she left years ago. Her once familiar neighborhood has been transformed. More changes occur as Ana brings her future husband home along with a younger cat. Thisbe discovers that she can’t bring back the past. She meets more challenges as she deals with suddenly having to move again from her beloved home. She doesn’t want to leave. Will she still be able to talk to the ghost? Why does she have to leave again? Why are humans always moving? What will happen now?
THE TALE OF THISBE is much like the story of BLACK BEAUTY wherein it captures the life of an amazing little cat from her point of view.
For Cassandra, from my book Our Side of the Fence, published in 2005:Behavioural Science
The hundredth monkey theory says that once a certain number of monkeys learned to wash the sand off their sweet potatoes, all monkeys, even those who had not seen the first monkey’s action, began imitating this behaviour. Although part of the story is true, the rest is an exaggeration. Any monkey can duplicate the behaviour of another monkey simply by watching and imitating. But monkeys are not my concern today. Cats. Cats are my concern. Today I have opted for the debatable pleasure of taking both cats for their shots at once.
Even before it’s time to leave for the vet’s, Abby, the long haired beauty, the unpettable who everyone longs to pet, has figured out that something is up! The cat carriers, our own and the bigger one borrowed from the vet’s office, have been sitting out for some time so the cats will get used to seeing them. Josie, true to her placid nature, waddles by, vaguely interested but Abby looks on with suspicion. She keeps relocating to various corners of the house, although I have been smart enough to close the door of the middle bedroom so that she can’t hide under the bed.
Lifting fourteen pound Josie plus the large crate will test my strength and challenge my tendinitis- prone right arm. I have left the crate standing on one end with an open door so I can lower her into it. Similarly, the smaller carrier for the smaller cat stands on end on the sitting room floor. But when I lift Abby above it she splays out both hind legs and braces a foot on either side of the opening. Somehow I manage to stuff her into the carrier anyhow, and we head down the road, Josie howling in the back seat, Abby clawing frantically at the wire screen of the cage door. In my mind, Carl, pulling weeds up at Tobermory (who has the more desirable job today?) comments: “Some fun, huh, Bambi?”
The vet is running very late. Finally a woman emerges with three cats and hears me telling the receptionist how hard it was to get Abby in the cage. “Just turn the cage on its end,” the woman keeps telling me,”and you can lower her right into it.” I try to explain that this was my exact method, but she is insisting: “Nothing to it. Works like a charm!” I call back over my shoulder, “That’s what I did.” But she is still insisting her(and my) method will work.
How I long for that woman to be there when it is time to go home. Abby hides in one corner under an office chair, and a veterinary technician enters wearing gloves like my Dad wore to stoke the furnace. (Does she know something I don’t know?) We turn the crate on its end. Abby stretches out her legs again and pushes against the sides of the crate, only now she is hissing her indignation at all three of us. Eleven pounds of furry fury, and we are taking no chances. The vet leaves for a minute and returns with a cute little cardboard “house”. It is painted in Victorian style to reassure owners that their darlings are safe and cozy inside. The roof of the house opens and we drop Abby inside.
“Now,” I tell the vet and the technician, “I can put Josie in this crate and give you the borrowed one back.” Josie is the “good” cat. Loves everybody. Comes when you call her. (Comes even faster if you say the word “dinner”.) We upend the small crate, and lower the rotund form, always so docile, towards the carrier. Out go the legs, and Josie braces one foot on either side of the door. Maybe there’s something to the “hundredth monkey” theory after all!
Awesome!
Glad you liked the story Katelyn. Cats are one of my favourite subjects to write about. We have three but Josie, from this story, is nearing the end of her life. She was a stray who came to the door and we never knew for sure how old she was.
Wonderful story Sheila. Thisbe, my old cat, HATED the vets and put up a BIG fuss every time she had to go. Fortunately she weighed only 7 pounds! Easy to get into a crate. Blanca, on the other hand, was a 13 pounder BUT she had a very docile personality. She was diagnosed with diabetes in 1999 and lived for 7 more years. Every day I had to give her a shot of insulin twice - every 12 hours. She just sat there and let me do it. She was a wonderful baby - so loving. She was a "dumpster-diver" we found. She was a white Manx that no one wanted. She found us and lived with us for 12 years. Thisbe was also an "unwanted kitty" but we found each other. I miss them both. No animals now..until another cat finds its way to me. :-)
Ah Terri, your letter is very timely as we approach what we think are likely Josie's last weeks of life. Like your Blanca she is diabetic, and very very thin now. We are not too sure what to watch for so if you have advice, do give it. I'm sure your future cat is out there, about to find you. As an adventure I have just started my first blog, on this site, naming it after the book I hope to publish next. My daughter has gained a big following with her blog called catcancook. Mine is All Right So Far. I wonder if anyone will read it.All the best to you and your (as yet unknown) kitty.
Sheila, I'm still working on my book -always editing! I sent into the Amazon Breakout Novelist Award contest..first rounds start next week. I'll see if I've been cut! Blanca became very slow and sleepy. She developed arthritis in her back legs. The day she died I found her sleeping on the wood floor behind the living room chairs and she had voided. She looked up at me and told me it was her time to go. Sean & I wrapped her in a big towel and brought her to the vets. They told us they could keep her over night and give her a glucose drip but there was no guarantee that she would live through the night. Not wanting to have her die in a cage with no one around we elected to have her put to sleep in the office in our arms while we talked to her. Sean held her and I rubbed her head and we both told her we loved her very much but we knew she had to go and be with her friend Thisbe. We had her cremated and have her ashes in our meditation room alongside her best friend Thisbe. I still tear up when I think about them. I miss them very much. It was always nice to have cat energy around the house. I think my book has been a release for me - remembering Thisbe AND Blanca (she's in it too. Hold your kitty close and you will know when it's her time. Blessed Be!
Thanks for telling me about Blanca's passing. I look at Josie's boney little body and feel it is her time, but my husband has been through so much and I don't think he can let her go just yet. I am living in trust that it will happen as it ought to. Blessings to you too.
Terri wrote: "Thanks Cassandra - I'm working on getting it published this year. Short on funds right now."Has your book been published yet? Have you considered self-publishing on Amazon?
Cassandra wrote: "Hello my name is Cassandra! Just introducing myself because I just joined this group. I have 2 cats both male: Felix and Hinabi. I love cats so much and especially reading about them. I've read the..."Hello Cassandra - re writing the book in the first person instead of third person and turning into two books for young adults. No money for self-publishing so I am shopping it around to agents
Hello everyone. I am a cat lover as well. I have 4 cats: Carlye, Freddie, Tony and Kotetsu. I also like to read books about cats. I look forward to being on this group.
My first book "The Tale of Thisbe An Extraordinary Cat" is available on Amazon now as a paperback and for Kindle. "Thisbe's Tale - The Rest of Her Story" will be hopefully be out by the end of this year. It tells Thisbe's life story from age 8 - 20.
Hi all. I'm J.T. Tavares living in the U.S.I'm a cat guy and as a writer and photographer for newspapers for more than 30 years, I've had the opportunity and pleasure to photograph hundreds of cats and dogs needing adoption and telling the stories of no-kill shelters.
I have written my first novel about animals and it was a joy.
I enjoy reading everything from The Cat in the Hat to Les Miserables.
My book is "The Man Who Purred."
Lizzy wrote: "Welcome guys. Sorry for the late welcome. I was getting set up in my new apartment."Thanks Lizzy. Welcome to your new home.
Hi!I'm Lexidh, a Norwegian crazy cat lady that has written a book about my life with cats, and I collect books about cats (and dogs apparently...). I currently live with 3 fluffy overlords and a part time dog, and there is this husband character around some times too. I'm thinking about committing another book soon, but with Createspace merging with Kindle I'm kinda "on hold" with everything but the idea for now, since it's a photo book and I want to self publish.
Hi my name is Brittany , I’m 34 with autism , severe depression and other disabilities, but I love books and cats , I have 3 females and one male cat inside , I also take care of my dad’s cats six of them . I have been trying to find books on cats . Or story’s about cats , my cats love to sleep on my books or hold my books hostage until I give them pets or treats
hey ! i am jenn , im 49 and disabled . i am a cat mom to 3 female cats named lily rose, lucky and stardust ... i love reading cat books and i also write stories about them too !
I have finished a novel about a cat. She was my cat for 20 years and her name was Thisbe. She was a transient cat and lived in many places. She flew in airplane by herself, performed in the stage play "Bell, Book & Candle", had many different animal friends and in total led a very unusual life for a cat. In the novel she talks to other animals but never to humans. Her humans have an understanding with her - a sort of mind-meld so that the humans understand the cat most of the time (like we all do with our pets).
Thisbe had a wonderful personality and even though we know not all cats live forever the ending is very upbeat and exciting.
I am hoping to get it to an agent and then to a publisher this year. That is my goal.
This is the synopsis:
The Tale of Thisbe – An Extraordinary Cat
By
Terri Cabral
This is a biographical story about a spunky, adventurous house cat named Thisbe. Her life begins humbly in a small room in Hartford, CT. but as her curiousity about the outside world grows so do her adventures. She is adopted by Ana who then introduces Thisbe to other pets, people and places. Thisbe’s personality is such she even befriends street savvy city pigeons who flock to the ledge outside her favorite apartment window.
Ana must drop Thisbe off at Aunt Belinda’s for what is supposed to be a short time but as eight years pass, Thisbe’s life changes. She meets and speaks with ghosts, gophers, birds, squirrels, turtles, and ducks while acquiring a virtual managerie of animal friends from dogs to a sweet little chickadee.
Thisbe experiences life’s passages of dear friends. As soon as she feels she can’t experience anymore sadness, she is taken from Belinda’s house and flown to Michigan to be reunited with Ana. Thisbe is overjoyed to reside once again with her human mom. Living with Ana in her new house brings many new adventures. She meets wild turkeys, an eagle, a cockatoo, and a parrot. She is kidnapped by a mean-spirited boy, stars on stage in a play and finds a new best friend in the form of a cocker spaniel.
As Thisbe’s life completes a circle, Ana returns to her home state and moves into her Aunt Belinda’s house after the woman passes away. Thisbe is back in her old home but it is not the home she left those many years ago. Numerous changes have occurred in the neighborhood. Changes occur in the house too as Ana brings her future husband home and a new cat takes up residence with the family.
An ideal life for Thisbe turns upside down as unforseen changes happen. Again she has to adjust to another move, different animals and all during her senior years.
“The Tale of Thisbe – An Extraordinary Cat” will bring the animal lover in all to smiles, laughs and tears with its heartfelt rendering of a housecat’s extraordinary life