#CatThursday - #Authors and #Cats (86) Jody Lynn Nye

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite lolcat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Share the link to your post with your comment below.

The second Cat Thursday of each month is Authors and Cats Thursday. Each time I will feature an author with their cat(s), pictured with a cat(s), or guest posts by cat loving authors who also (sometimes) write about cats.

Jody Lynn Nye (born July 5) lists her main career activity as ‘spoiling cats.’ When not engaged upon this worthy occupation, she writes fantasy and science fiction books and short stories.

Before breaking away from gainful employment to write full time, Jody worked as a file clerk, book-keeper at a small publishing house, freelance journalist and photographer, accounting assistant and costume maker.

For four years, she was on the technical operations staff of a local Chicago television station, WFBN (WGBO), serving the last year as Technical Operations Manager. During her time at WFBN, she was part of the engineering team that built the station, acted as Technical Director during live sports broadcasts, and worked to produce in-house spots and public service announcements.

Over the last twenty-five or so years, Jody has taught in numerous writing workshops and participated on hundreds of panels covering the subjects of writing and being published at science-fiction conventions. She has also spoken in schools and libraries around the north and northwest suburbs. In 2007 she taught fantasy writing at Columbia College Chicago. She also runs the two-day writers workshop at DragonCon, and is a judge for the Writers of the Future contest, the largest speculative fiction contest in the world.

Jody lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, with her husband Bill Fawcett, a writer, game designer, military historian and book packager, and three feline overlords, Athena, Minx, and Marmalade. Check out her books on Goodreads.

Gorgeous painting of the author and her cat

by Kevin Murphy

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#CatThursday - Happy 4th of July! #independenceday #cats

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite lolcat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Share the link to your post with your comment below.

Kitty GIF from Kitty GIFs

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#CatThursday - #Cats judging (2)

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite lolcat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Share the link to your post with your comment below.

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#CatThursday - It's time for #kittens again! #cats

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite lolcat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Share the link to your post with your comment below.

This video brought back some nostalgia for me because this was exactly how I met my orange tabby, Ethan, many years ago. This was in 1998 when my (ex) husband and I got back from our honeymoon. As we were exiting the car, I heard meowing. I went over near the wooded area in our apartment complex and I heard it more clearly. So I started the "here, kitty, kitty" routine, and out shambles a little orange tabby. He was just about the size of the ones in this video. Well, of course, I kept him. He was with us for almost nine years, but sadly passed away in 2006. I have never truly got over losing him. I still miss him every day. I wish I had a picture of him to share. I'll have to find one soon to scan and upload.

Enjoy this video. These babies are precious.

More kitten cuteness!

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#CatThursday - #Authors and #Cats (85) Rosa Silva's Cat vs. Dog #Review

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite lolcat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! (share your post in the Mr. Linky below)

The second Cat Thursday of each month is Authors and Cats Thursday. Each time I will feature an author with their cat(s), pictured with a cat(s), or guest posts by cat loving authors who also (sometimes) write about cats.

This week I'm reviewing Cat vs. Dog: The Pet Diaries 1 by a good friend of Cat Thursday, Rosa Silva from Cat Lady Confidential.

A cat’s diary versus a dog’s diary

Oliver, the cat, is the boss of the house. When his owner, Claire, brings home a dog she adopted from the shelter, Oliver decides to do anything to get rid of the dog. Will the cat succeed in getting the dog out of the house or will they become friends? Read along as Oliver the cat and Max the dog write down their diary entries that perfectly depict their completely different personalities and opposing views of the world.

My thoughts...

This book perfectly captures the real (or is it imagined?) animosity cats have for dogs so popularly publicized in a myriad of cat memes. In my experience, cats and dogs seem to get along rather well, but acknowledging that fact doesn't make this book, or those memes any less funny. Oliver is hopelessly negative toward Max, and uppity as all get out. What else can we expect when we know cats are the rulers of the universe. Max, on the other hand, has an exceptionally positive attitude and even considers Oliver to be his best friend. Even with the wonderful illustrations, I still had an image of their real life counterparts in my head. 

Various shenanigans ensue and Oliver, who prides himself on being a detective (you'll see), finally admits that Max can be useful...and he's really soft. 

This is a wonderful story. I enjoyed it as an adult and I know kids would get a kick out of it, as it's just the right length to read before bedtime. This is the first book in a planned series. I can't wait to read what Oliver and Max get up to next. 

Cat vs. Dog is now officially available on Amazon.

Rosa Silva is an author and a self-confessed book nerd with a soft spot for cats. She blogs about cats and books at Cat Lady Confidential.

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#CatThursday - #Cats in #Art (40) Julius Adam II

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite lolcat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Share the link to your post with your comment below.

Julius Adam II (1852-1913, German) painted a TON of cat paintings! I just read that he was known as "Cats Adam." Appropriate! I will have to do several parts to feature his art. I'll revisit him again in a future post.

Entre Nous (self portrait with kittens)

Five Kittens

Portrait of a Cat

The Blue Bow

The Two Friends

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Thoughts on Allie Cresswell's Dear Jane (and a #giveaway)

First off, I must fully disclose that I have not read Austen's Emma. It's the only title in her main body of work which I have not read (addendum: I forgot I have not read Mansfield Park either). However, I feel I know the story well enough from film and British television adaptations, and I do fully intend to read the book. It's on my list.

Now, to my thoughts on Dear Jane.

I am the type of person who always wants to know more about the various characters in novels, especially classic novels such as the works of Jane Austen or Charles Dickens. This book did not disappoint. Though this was the third novel in the Highbury Trilogy, I knew enough of the Emma story to not get lost. I loved reading the story of Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill from the very beginning. From Austen's Emma, we only get glimpses of Jane from Emma's point of view (not always a positive view), though we do know from other supporting players that Jane is a fine girl. Frank on the other hand always seems to be portrayed as something of a cad. It was refreshing to learn his origins and motivations, and to see just what a truly wonderful person he really is. Finally learning the back story of how Jane and Frank became a couple was satisfying, as I always felt the discovery of their engagement slightly rushed in Emma.

I have not read many Austen retellings, though I have many on my to-be-read list. Dear Jane really is an enjoyable read, with the tone being very much Austen. As I stated earlier on, I did not get lost reading this. It works well as a stand alone novel despite being part of a trilogy. Now I'm eager to go back to the beginning and read the first two books. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Jane Austen's work.

A thank you to Poetic Book Tours, and the publisher, for sending me a copy of the book.

About the book
The final installment of the Highbury trilogy, Dear Jane narrates the history of Jane Fairfax, recounting the events hinted at but never actually described in Jane Austen’s Emma.

Orphaned Jane seems likely to be brought up in parochial Highbury until adoption by her papa’s old friend Colonel Campbell opens to her all the excitement and opportunities of London. The velvet path of her early years is finite, however and tarnished by the knowledge that she must earn her own independence one day.

Frank Weston is also transplanted from Highbury, adopted as heir to the wealthy Churchills and taken to their drear and inhospitable Yorkshire estate. The glimmer of the prize which will one day be his is all but obliterated by the stony path he must walk to claim it.

Their paths meet at Weymouth, and readers of Emma will be familiar with the finale of Jane and Frank’s story. Dear Jane pulls back the veil which Jane Austen drew over their early lives, their meeting in Weymouth and the agony of their secret engagement.

About the author

Allie Cresswell was born in Stockport, UK and began writing fiction as soon as she could hold a pencil.

She did a BA in English Literature at Birmingham University and an MA at Queen Mary College,
London.

She has been a print-buyer, a pub landlady, a book-keeper, run a B and B and a group of boutique holiday cottages. Nowadays Allie writes full time having retired from teaching literature to
lifelong learners. Most recently she has been working on her Highbury trilogy, books inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma.

She has two grown-up children, two granddaughters and two grandsons, is married to Tim and lives in Cumbria, NW England.
You can contact her via her website at www.allie-cresswell.com or find her on Facebook.

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of Dear Jane by visiting the Rafflecopter form here.

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#CatThursday - #Cats and their prey

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite lolcat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Share the link to your post with your comment below.

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Novel Glimpses (10) Martian Chronicles, Florence and Giles, Good Omens, Behind Closed Doors

Novel Glimpses is a feature I created for mini-reviews. The only difference from my full reviews is I will include my Goodreads rating. Feel free to participate. Just be sure to credit me and link back if you do. (Clicking the book title will take you to the book's page on Goodreads.)

Yes! This feature is back from a long hiatus. Last time I posted one of these was in 2012! Since I don't have much time for lengthy reviews these days, this will probably be the course I will take regularly. Plus, I'm reading more, which is a positive thing, but the more I read, the less I want to write a long write-up.

The Martina Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars

I remember reading this when I was a girl, but I really didn't remember too much about it. Not surprising since that was probably over 35 years ago. I enjoy Bradbury's books because there is always a message. In this book, the message I gleaned was that humans aren't happy unless they're conquering and destroying. We arrive on Mars to the detriment of the Martians who currently inhabit the planet. The Martians try to stop our arrivals, but it's no use...we're relentless. My absolute favorite chapter was April 2036: Usher II. This was a masterful and fun variation on Poe's famous story, The Fall of the House of Usher.

Note: This was my Classics Club Spin 20 selection.

Florence and Giles by John Harding

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars

One of my favorite Henry James stories is The Turn of the Screw. The Times (London) review of this book stated: "Imagine The Turn of the Screw reworked by Edgar Allan Poe." So true! This was a truly Gothic novel. Very creepy and atmospheric. The main character, the little girl, Florence is forbidden to read (because girls don't need to read, according to her uncle) and so she finds inventive ways to get her hands on the books in the library. This, and her tenacity, endeared Florence to me. Another thing about Florence was her invention of her own language. She tells the story with an assortment of odd vocabulary which I thought added a certain charm to the story. This is quite a creepy mystery, bordering on horror, but in a Gothic sense, as I mentioned before. I could not hardly put this down and was thrilled by the big twist at the end. 

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

My Goodreads rating: 4 stars

I love Pratchett's wit. Add Neil Gaiman to the mix and you have a winner? So, why not five stars, you ask? Well, I probably would have enjoyed this more if I could have listened to the The BBC Radio 4 dramatisation, or read the print book. However, I did find it entertaining, and of course, I wanted to read it before the new series debuts on Amazon Prime. Now I will definitely be prepared. Looking forward to seeing what Michael Sheen and David Tennant do with their roles.

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars

I listened to this on audio and I think it's the fastest I've ever listened to a book. I was riveted...and sickened, and very angry. I've heard many say they just didn't find it believable. Anyone who has ever been the victim of domestic abuse, whether physical, emotional, or both, will believe it. This is why I reacted so viscerally. The hopelessly trapped state in which Grace found herself was truly frightening. Another note on the believability of it all; this man had lots of money, he was a lawyer, and he was connected. It's very plausible he could have done what he did. Couple this with the manipulation and how else was Grace to act. An excellent debut novel. I look forward to more from this author.

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#CatThursday - Game of Thrones and RIP Grumpy Cat #cats

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite lolcat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Share the link to your post with your comment below.

Not sure if any of you watched the Game of Thrones series. I did and it was probably my second favorite show of all time. However, that was pretty much ruined by the final episode on Sunday.

This was me before the last episode....

This was me after the last episode....

This would have been a better outcome, in my opinion....

In other news, little Tardar Sauce, aka Grumpy Cat passed away last week. She was only seven years old. Thank you, Grumpy for all the laughs and fun. You will be missed. Rest in peace.

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