"Lessons In Stalking" Prize for Writing Contest

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This is fun. In 2002 I entered a Fear of Writing competition and surprised myself (and probably those who knew me and my writing at the time) by winning. My winning entry was written based on a writing prompt encouraging me to be a Roach Lover. You can read my winning story, Don't Poach the Roach, by clicking on the title. (Fair warning: I found the contest and prompt and entered on a whim. Don't be expecting Dickens...)

Now the sponsor of the contest has come back to me and asked that I offer a signed copy of my book, Lessons In Stalking, as a prize for her newest writing contest, one involving a cat prompt. Of course I was thrilled to do so. The link to the full information about the contest is HERE.

It's a bit like coming full circle. I feel like such a grown-up. Long may the feeling last...

 

Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers

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I've just been informed two of my humor stories, "Dibbs!" and "The Great Cat Butt-Wiping Adventure" have been accepted as finalists in the upcoming Cup of Comfort For Cat Lovers book, to be published by Adams Media in Spring 2008. Fifty stories will be selected out of 56 finalists so I have a good shot at having both my pieces included.

I also recently learned, almost by accident, that I placed third in the "How I'd Like to Work Like A Cat" contest sponsored by I Love Cats magazine. I say I learned by accident because as of yet I've received no e-mail or letter telling me I won. Instead, I received in the mail the book, How To Work Like A Cat by Karen Wormald. There was no invoice, no letter, nothing with it. I was scratching my head, trying to figure out who sent me this book or when I might have ordered it when I glanced at the envelope and saw "3rd place" written in faint red ink. Ah ha! A clue! (Fine, so I'm no Sherlock Holmes.)

I vaguely remembered entering the contest months ago so I Googled the title and sure enough, Ms. Wormald is being kind enough to supply books to the top 3 essay winners. Never let anyone tell you there isn't glory and high praise in the life of a writer.

Seriously, it's a cute book and I'm thrilled to have placed. Now I just have to wrangle a copy of the July/August issue of I Love Cats the winning essays are supposed to have appeared in. Maybe that will magically appear as mail as well. Meanwhile, I'll keep watch for that Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes check because, obviously, miracles do happen...

Genius Cat

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My girl Olivia is so smart. (Not that Lucy isn't. Well, wait. Let's just say Mommy loves Lucy and leave it at that...) As I've mentioned in prior posts, Olivia has this "thing" where she's decided she wants to be fed between 3:30 and 4:15 am. Not likely. But she bangs our wooden blinds against the window until we at least have to get up and shoo her away.

We've pretty much solved the blind problem by blocking her access to them so ingenious kitty has adopted a new strategy. The closet doors in our bedroom are the wooden bi-fold doors that are slated. They're a bit wobbly in their frame and Olivia has figured out that if she throws her body weight against them they create a loud banging sound, eerily similar to the banging of the blinds.

I'm torn between despair that she's figured out yet another way to thwart us versus being proud of her ingenuity. That's my cat! (Actually, she's Blairs. You know how dogs are said to resemble their owners? Cats are the same. Olivia is shy, retiring, and never calls attention to herself. Lucy, aka "the mouth," is loud, demanding, and rarely satisfied. Guess which cat matches up with which personality??)

Bottom line, no one's getting any sleep. But you know what? That cat is so darn cute, it's worth it.

Happy hump day.

Dena