Welcome to the second day of the PR blog tour 2016. Last year, I discussed my kitty muse, Samantha. I talked about how much she was a support, joked about her being my kitty editor, and shared how much joy there is in owning a black cat. It is with a heavy heart that I am following that post up with the sad news of Kitty Samantha’s passing.
Samantha in the hospital fighting her kidney failure. It was her heart that gave out in the end.
I know we did everything to keep her going, and she fought the good fight. But in the end, there is something about letting go. I was holding her as she was struggling to breath. When I said, “I’m here, Samantha.” She felt comfortable to let go, and took her last breath. She knew I was with her, and my husband was beside her. We gave her the best life we could, and I will never forget her.
It was the most awful moment. The thing you dread the most with an old cat had happened. December 7, 2015 started with her passing at 7am. I was up all night, but we still drove out to have her cremated and placed in a black cat urn. I was numb for most of December, and celebrated the holidays with little excitement.
That brings me to what happens next. My husband is allergic to cats, and Samantha’s fur seemed to not be as bad. But he did insist on getting a hypoallergenic cat. So, we got ourselves on a list to get a Siberian bred kitten. After 9 months of waiting, we were finally able to pick her out at the end of August. In fact, I think she picked us out. And guess what, she’s a black cat too.
Catherine Zeta Jones picked us. Of all the kittens playing around my husband and I, she was the one that seemed the most interested in us. She kept coming back. I kept thinking, I don’t know if I can have another black cat. It will remind me too much of Samantha. But then I turned, and saw my husband’s face.
He was in love with the little kitten playing in his lap. I would have to try to convince him she wasn’t the right kitten, and to look at some of the others. But then I looked at her. She was a spitfire like my Samantha, except with longer fur and a slightly longer nose. She had spunk. And my husband had already fallen for her. You can’t argue with that.
Catherine Zeta Jones patrolling her inherited cat territory.
So, I have a new cat muse in my life. She runs all over the house, jumps on my laptop when I’m writing, and just ran up a tree today getting sap all in her fur. She is a bundle of joy.
I know when I didn’t have a cat around to write, my craft suffered. It was hard to be creative. I even wrote a cat story with Lynda Belle since I missed having a cat so much. LINK HERE TO A CAT FOR TWO.
Now that I have a cat again, I feel life is back in balance. She’s my little touch stone, and her cute kitten meow warms my heart. It is hard getting used to a kitten after having an old lady cat, but sometimes life is just full of those kind of ups and downs.
Kitten hood happens only once. So, I’m taking lots of pictures, video, and documenting like crazy. My writing is back on track. I’ve submitted a proposal to Harlequin, and I’m starting NaNo with Beware of Vampires, the sequel to the Beware of Warlocks series. Plus, my health is doing better.
There is nothing better than a cat muse. They are a writer’s best tool. After this last year of not having a cat muse, I so understand their power. They calm and support us in ways that are hard to explain. Her purr helps me deal with bad reviews, low sale days, and gets me in the zone to write some more. I guess there is no better editor around than a cat muse. She spurs me on when I feel I can’t give more. Her purr and laying near me is her encouragement to keep going.
But of course, it’s taking a while to train my new cat muse. But then, it’s hard to get a cat to do exactly what you want. I’ll settle for her just being around me. And that can make the difference.
-Marilyn
***There is still time to go over and check out what the other authors have posted behind the scenes today. Here are their websites:
- Virginia Hunter Website: https://virginialhunter.wordpress.com
- Michele Brouder Website: http://www.michelebrouder.com
Plus, don’t forget to enter the $25 Amazon Gift Card giveaway!
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/20834f9e14/
See you tomorrow for an author interview with Virginia Hunter!
Marilyn Vix 