Have a Cat-tastic Time with Guest Blogger: Ruth J. Hartman

The Book Boost Welcomes feline friendly author Ruth J. Hartman to the blog today!


Here's what she had to say...


Cats R Us

Maxwell paws at my leg with unsheathed claws. Roxy smacks Maxwell’s skimpy striped tail. Ah yes, it’s the nightly ritual. The time has come for…greenies. Or colors, which is what we whisper when we don’t want to raise suspicion among the cats prematurely. Although by now, I’m sure they know that colors are greenies. This mama didn’t raise no fools!


For those of you not familiar with the tasty kitty treats, greenies are the cat’s meow. Literally. My cats go nuts when we get the package out of the cabinet. Or if we walk near the cabinet. Or even glance in the direction of the kitchen. They can even be sound asleep in a kitty-coma, and if one of us tiptoes into the kitchen, they somehow know. Max even climbed into the cabinet where we keep them because I hadn’t latched the door. He’s such a bruiser, he got himself wedged in there and I had to pry him out. Ah. Memories.


Cats have always been a huge part of my life. I’m a womb-to-the-tomb feline admirer. Thankfully, I was able to morph my husband into a full-fledged cat person after we got married. At first, he acted as if it bothered him to be around them. He even said, “Ruth, I just don’t want us to be known as those people at the end of the road with 50 cats. You know, the crazy people?”


Although I would see nothing wrong with that, I simply smiled and nodded. But now, he picks the furry creatures up, flips them on their backs, and holds them in his huge arms like babies. And he’s always disappointed if they choose not to sleep with us every night. But no, he’s not a cat-person. Right.


My cats greet me at the door after a tiring day of scraping, polishing, and rinsing other people’s teeth. They sit in the bathroom while I’m in the shower (the cats, not the people) then stare at me when I get out. Disconcerting, yes. But I feel the love, nevertheless. And what could be better at five o’clock in the morning than a freezing wet nose or a fluffy tail in your face? I mean, who wouldn’t want that?


It’s for these reasons that I believe every novel’s main character should have a pet. My heroine, Kitty (yes, I get the irony of her name), has one rambunctious black cat. He gets into all kind of mischief and it’s Kitty’s job to rescue him. She spends her life running after him, which usually puts her in some pretty interesting situations.


My hero, George, doesn’t like cats at all. They give him the creeps. So it’s a little difficult for him when he finds himself on a yacht in the middle of the ocean with Kitty and her cat Arthur, as stowaways.


Just as pets add interest and spice to our lives, so do fictional pets of fictional characters. Just because Kitty lives inside the covers of a book, why should she be pet-less? Even figments of our imaginations deserve furry love, right?


A Note from the Book Boost: Ruth, first of all, I admire you for your chosen profession. I very much dislike going to the dentist as a patient but there's no way I could ever work there. You are admired and appreciated. Secondly, I've had many cat loves in my life. Thanks for sharing yours with us...


Blurb:

Kitty Carter is used to getting into strange situations when she chases her cat, Arthur. But this latest escapade is just too much! When Arthur chases a mouse at the marina while she's doing research for her book, she follows him down the dock and onto a yacht. Not entirely her plan, since she falls down some stairs and hits her head, and wakes to find herself out to sea.

And she and Arthur aren't the only ones on board!

Want More Ruth?

Visit her blog here: www.ruthjhartman.blogspot.com

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