Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer

Cat lovers know how intelligent felines are so it’s no wonder Thumper, the black cat with superior intellect, steals the limelight in author Elaine Faber’s latest release, BLACK CAT AND THE LETHAL LAWYER: A Tale of Betrayal and Greed with a Splash of Fantasy.

This is a delightful story of intrigue with twists of suspense, family and murder. Added to the mix is humor and moments that will have you holding your breath.

Kimberlee and her husband, Brett, are settling into their new life together when an unexpected letter from Kimberlee’s grandmother arrives. It seems her grandmother wants to name a new beneficiary to her multi-million dollar horse ranch in Texas and ask Kimberlee and her family (complete with pets) to visit, along with cousins she didn’t know about.

Arriving at the ranch with daughter, Amanda, and their beloved cat, Thumper, Kimberlee and Brett soon make some startling discoveries involving the ranch and Kimberlee’s family. Meanwhile, Thumper encounters his soul-mate, Noe-Noe, and they overhear a murder plot.

BLACK CAT AND THE LETHAL LAWYER takes readers on a journey of greed, lies, murder, embezzlement and dark secrets. It’s up to Thumper and Noe-Noe to help Kimberlee get to the bottom of all the lies before another murder is committed.

The author has crafted likable characters that are well-developed and fun to like. The setting draws you in and holds your attention. The feline stars of the story are cuddly and lovable.

This is a charming story you won’t be able to put down until you know Thumper’s outcome. Non-cat lovers will also enjoy this fascinating story for its captivating mystery and suspense.

Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer: A Tale of Betrayal and Greed with a Splash of Fantasy by Elaine Faber, Black Cat Mysteries Book #2, Elk Grove Publications, @2014, ISBN: 978-1940781068, Paperback, 272 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. If you’re out shopping on this ‘Black Friday,’ hope you find wonderful bargains and have lots of fun. Be sure to add loads of books to your gift-giving list and include this charming mystery too. Do you know a highly intelligent cat or two?

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The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson

Cat lovers will adore THE CHRISTMAS CAT by Melody Carlson and non-cat lovers may have a change of heart.

This is a heartwarming story that deals with a man’s love for his grandmother and her faith he will find his right path in life.

After returning from a nine year missionary trip to Uganda and a bout with malaria, Garrison Brown feels guilty for not visiting his grandmother more when he learns she has died. Meeting with her attorney, Garrison discovers his grandmother has an unusual request for him – find homes for her six cats. But there are some strict guidelines for placing the cats. To make matters worse, Garrison is allergic to cats.

The process of placing the cats takes Garrison on his own journey reconnecting with friends in his old neighborhood. Along the way Garrison also discovers new things about his grandmother and himself.

The author quickly pulls readers in with this inspiring story. She blends family, faith and caring with bits of humor and a touch of romance for a well-balanced story. The characters are realistic, likable and well-developed.

The setting is warm and inviting. The Christmas element enhances the story adding another layer to hold readers captive.

THE CHRISTMAS CAT is inspiring, touching and just an all-round feel-good tale that’s perfect for a holiday read.

The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson, Revell, @2014, ISBN: 978-0800719661, Hardcover, 176 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher as part of a virtual book tour in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Hope you’re having a great Saturday. Are you a cat person? If so, tell us about your cat(s).

*This post contains affiliate links.

Douglas Jaffe - The Chinese Zodiac: Where’s Kitty?

It’s always a pleasure to meet ‘new-to-me’ authors and learn how they came to be writers. When those writers live in other countries, it makes me realize what an important role reading is to the world at large.

I’m delighted today to welcome one such author to Thoughts in Progress. Writer Douglas A. Jaffe is from Asia and recently published his first novel, Chasing Dragons. Here’s a brief synopsis of it:
    Sebastian is the owner of a bookstore café in Hong Kong who provides informal counseling services to an array of offbeat characters. His quiet life is suddenly upended when he meets Chloe, and their relationship takes a startling turn, as it begins to parallel the relationship of a pair of mythical dragons from Chinese history. The lovers struggle with questions of mortality and immortality, before a choice is made that could pull them apart.

Doug has an interesting story to share with us. 

Hi Mason. Thank you for the opportunity to blog on your wonderful site!

I notice that you’re a fan of felines and I’m guessing that many of your readers also share your love of four-legged mouse maulers! With that mind, I thought it might be interesting to briefly look at cats within Chinese culture. Being as Chinese New Year has recently come and gone here in Hong Kong, this is also a timely topic for those interested in the Chinese zodiac. As some of you may know, the year of the Dragon has ended and we are now in the year of the Snake.

For cat fans, a quick glance at the zodiac reveals that the domestic cat is not represented, just the tiger. This may seem out of sorts considering cats were revered by many ancient cultures, and in more modern times, have become Internet superstars. Nevertheless, they never made it into the zodiac and in the course of doing some research for one of my books; I actually dug around to see if I might find an explanation.

There are various myths and stories as to why cats were excluded, but here are two that I found pretty amusing. 

Story One: A long time ago, the cat and the rat were the best of friends. They were inseparable and even shared their food. One day, the cat learned that the Jade Emperor was going to select twelve animals to represent the twelve calendar years, and invited all animals to a party. The cat suggested to the rat that both of them should attend. When the day finally arrived, the cat told the rat, 'I am going to take a nap so that I will be well rested for the party. Would you please wake me when it's time to go?' 'No problem.' the rat replied, ‘I will wake you up when the time comes.'

As you can expect, the rat failed to wake the cat and was thus excluded from the zodiac. Two reasons are commonly given for the rat’s treachery – A. He believed himself too small to make it into the zodiac and felt that eliminating the cat would help his chances. B. He was worried because the cat was so handsome and elegant while he was so small and unsightly.

Story Two: One day the Jade Emperor organized a race to decide which animals would be included into the zodiac. The race required all animals to cross a wide river and the cat and the rat were the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom. Although weak swimmers, they were both highly intelligent. They decided that the best way to cross the river was to hop on the back of the ox. The ox, being a naïve and good-natured animal, agreed to carry them across. 

However, overcome with a fierce competitiveness, the rat decided that in order to win, it must do something and promptly pushed the cat into the river. Because of this, the cat has never forgiven the rat, and hates the water as well. 

Sadly, rats do not have a comparable Internet fan base, so it is unlikely anyone reading this will have much sympathy for them. At least now, when your favorite furry feline decides to leave a dead rat at your doorstep, you will realize that this is not just a gift to a devoted owner, but the settling of a long and ancient score.

Doug, thanks for visiting with us today and sharing these stories. I’d say the second one would be may favorite as cat do hate water. It’s a shame cats aren’t included in the zodiac.

Now, let me give you a bit of background on Doug. He has been in Asia for most of the last two decades and originally came to the region from New York as a graduate student, studying in China and Taiwan. He has a dual Masters in Chinese Studies and International Affairs and speaks passable Chinese on a good day. 

In recent years, Doug has pursued his interest in writing fiction and has published his first novel, Chasing Dragons. A second book is currently in the works.

For more on Doug and his writing, you can find him on his Chasing Dragons Facebook page or on his Goodreads author page. Chasing Dragons is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online retailers. 

Thanks everyone for stopping by today. Which of the two stories is your favorite as to why the cat is not included in the zodiac?

Change In Routine

I have a routine I go through every morning. I'm sure most people do. It seems we do the same thing, everyday until it becomes almost automatic.

I say almost automatic, because a routine can change. Oh and when it does - trouble is usually close behind.

If I vary the slightest from the way I normally do things, it seems everything falls apart. I'm not talking about some major change. Just something simple like giving the cats dry feed before they're can food. Crazy huh? Normally I change out the cats' feed in the morning giving them fresh can food and then some dry.

This morning I picked up their dry food bowl, put fresh out and then turned around to go get dressed. As I started down the hall, it dawned on me I hadn't changed out their can food. Something simple, but my routine was off. Not to mention that both cats were looking at me like I had lost my mind.

I think sometimes we do this in our day-to-day routine. We get in a pattern and we don't want to change because it disrupts our lives. I keep saying I need to go see this friend or that and have lunch to catch up. But I don't do it because it would change my pattern for that day.

We are so accustomed to pattern how do we change it without throwing our lives into disarray?