I love animals, always have. For this reason, when I write a book, a pet is always part of the story. A dog, or cat, or sometimes both.
I grew up with a funny looking mutt named Sally. She had chosen us the day we went to the local shelter looking for our first dog. She wasn’t the most attractive dog, but she was a very sweet girl, and brought us all many years of joy, laughter, and of course, unconditional love.
When I was younger, I was not a fan of cats. I don’t really know why. I guess it’s because I never had one. My mum doesn’t like them at all, and my late father was a dog person too.
Fast forward many years. My ex-husband and I were living in a unit and decided we wanted a pet. We both grew up around dogs, but decided to get a cat. We ended up getting a beautiful Russian Blue kitten, and we called him Tsar. He was the most beautiful boy, so affectionate and loving. Not long after, we got a Bombay kitten and called him Bagsy (short for Bagheera). These two amazing cats were the reason I fell in love with felines. We then had cats for many years. I am now proudly both a dog, and a cat person.
One of the hardest and heartbreaking things I have ever had to do, was to rehome my cats when I walked away from my unhappy marriage a few years ago. Neither me, nor my ex, could keep them with us at the time. Luckily, I found them all loving homes. I still miss them. In the prologue of my book titled ‘Crayons and Chaos’, the main character, Natalie, talks about having to give up her fur babies when she leaves her husband.
My boyfriend and I have two adorable cavoodle puppies who are now eight months old. A girl and a boy. Their names are Honey and Sid, and already they have brought so much happiness to our lives. My two step sons love them to bits.
Many of the story lines around the animals have been influenced by my own experiences, with my pets over the years. Pets play such a huge role in our lives, and are part of the family. They make us laugh, they make us cry, they can bring people together, and they are always happy to see you.
In my book titled ‘Making March’, Kate has a Bombay cat called Ebony, who came into their lives during a very difficult time. The cat is a pivotal part of the story, as it played a big part in the healing process, following her separation from her husband.
In ‘Crayons and Chaos’, the family have a dog called Monty, who gets into no end of strife, and a cunning cat called Jet, who clearly thinks the dog is an idiot. They both provide comic relief throughout the story.
In ‘Scattered Scones’ (current work in progress), the family have a dog called Buddy. The dog is the little girl’s best friend, and provides her comfort while dealing with the changes happening in her life, around her mother’s devastating diagnosis, and pending breakdown of the family.
In ‘Not Dead Yet’ (current work in progress), seventy year old Mary has a cat called Bonnie, who like her, is old in cat years, and is her constant companion after losing her husband of fifty one years. Bonnie joins Mary on her adventure, as she sells up her long time home, and moves into a retirement village interstate.
There will continue to be pets in my light hearted stories. I hope their antics bring as much joy to my readers, as they do me.
Here are some pics of my pets I have mentioned.
Honey
Sid
Tsar
Bagsy
