Tag Archives: Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge

Self-Publishing Journey: Week 5

Week 5: Where to Publish?

My answer to this is easy: CreateSpace and Kindle Direct Publishing (which are both amazon.com). There are other places (LightningSource and BookBaby are the two main others), but after we here at Serenity Mountain Publishing have evaluated what we have done over the last few years I see no reason to go anywhere else. I did have “Why Kimba Saved The World” up on other sites for a while, but I saw very little in sales (if any) from places like Smashwords and Kobo. Where you sell your book is different than where you handle the publication process, of course, but I am happy just having all of my eggs in one simple, manageable basket at amazon.com.

Many people, especially authors, are all into hating on amazon.com these days because it has such a corner on the book market. It is the big, hairy elephant of book sales. But why hate? My feeling is that I need all the help I can get as an indie-author, so I’m just gonna jump on that big elephant and ride it around until it no longer serves my purposes. We are always poking at other options, I read what other authors are learning in their own journeys, but so far nothing has been compelling enough to drive me away from amazon.com.

Amazon.com publishes two kinds of books as two separate entities.

Let me be clear: CreateSpace = print books     Kindle Direct Publishing = ebooks

My husband still has trouble with this and asks me questions about one when he means the other or calls it all amazon (maybe just to see the look on my face). They are linked, but they are separate files and book covers and set up.

Once your print book is formatted and ready, all you have to do is create a PDF and you are ready to roll. Setting up an author account at CreateSpace for your print books is not difficult. Block out a couple of hours and just go through the steps one by one. It’s better to start this set up before you format your book because there are set book sizes that are easiest to work with, and you’ll want to know what size you are going with before you start formatting. That’s one of those hundred decisions you are going to have to make. I made this error with “Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge,” and even being off by a few bits of an inch made things a mess that I had to go back and redo. Major time gobble I could have avoided. Things also get tricky with the book cover size and how to format that cover PDF so the spine fits just perfectly and the back text is centered. My cover designer has this art figured out, and I leave it to her.

The ebook account at Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a separate step. You only need a JPG file for the cover (there is no back of book like in the print version), and the book file will be a totally separately formatted MOBI or PDF file.

With both of these formats, you can update the files as often as you like. When I have put out a new book, I add the name to the “also by” section at the front of the book and “buy” links to the new books at the end of the kindle version. This new ebook won’t go out to people who already downloaded, but it will be available for those who get it from that time forward (or who specifically ask for the new version through customer service).

There is one exception to this. If you discover that there is some MAJOR error in your ebook, KDP may resend it to everyone who has purchased it. Yes, I discovered this the hard way. I made a minor edit to part of the “Kimba” ebook. Somehow, someway that was never quite explained, in the editing process the ebook designer managed to drop the first paragraph of EVERY chapter in the book. I only checked what I asked them to change and then ran a BookBub free promo where 14,000 copies of this awful version were downloaded. It was a few months later when I was going through to update all of the black-and-white photos to color ones that I noticed something wasn’t quite right. I’m sure you can imagine the horror when I realized what had happened. I think there were some tears. Yep.

Fortunately, this is such an egregious error that I was able to contact KDP customer service and they agreed to resend it. This took six weeks. All that time those nasty, missing-text copies were being read (and, amazingly, reviewed well). Sigh. Yes, this is a lesson in always double and triple checking everything, but it is also a lesson in the fact that amazon.com is willing to work with authors when the unforeseen, major errors come into play.

At this time, I’m a big fan of KDP Select. It gives me promotions for my free or discount days, and I get 70% commission on sales. I can also do some free days if I want without trying to trick the system. I do see some activity through the Prime lending library at about the same price that my normal commission would be, so it’s all good for now. Being a part of this program does mean that you cannot list your book for sale anywhere but amazon.com, but I’m okay with that. I never saw any worthwhile activity from other sites anyhow. This could change when we reevaluate again, but for now I’m happy.

I also love CreateSpace’s “print on demand” feature. I can order one copy or 400 copies or 4,000 copies. It all depends on what I need for upcoming events or sales through my web site. No more do you need to order 1,000 copies to start a print book. You can order and fix errors along the way (you are sure to find some) and then order more later on.

I’ll leave the how to make the most of your set up at both CreateSpace and KDP to other sites. I still go in and tweak stuff and add review notes and change categories on KDP to see if it changes my sales numbers. There are whole books devoted to how to make the most of these setups. Mostly what we have learned with that is don’t try to play it too much. Call your book what it is. Put it in the right category. My biggest problem with having a children’s book about cats is that I have the whole “Warrior” series and all of its forms ahead of me in the rankings at all times. They take up around 30 slots. I did, however, beat them all when I did a 99 cent sale on “Vacation Hiro” through BookBub.com and hit #1 for three days straight. Yay, best seller status! Fight it out fairly and sell your book for what it is, not something that has fewer items in the category because it might get you a higher ranking. You may show up earlier, but if you are not what those readers want, they will ignore you.

Be sure you set up an amazon.com author page, claim your books so they show up on your page, and link your kindle and print copies so they show up together on searches. Here’s mine, so you can see how it works. If the thought of all of this freaks you out, one of those book guides we talked about in an earlier blog will be happy to help or talk you through it.

Where to publish has been the easiest part of our analysis of this self-publishing journey. We are thrilled with where we are and have no plans of changing that. For now. It can all change in the blink of an eye, so we stay alert.

Next Week: Live Events & Blog Tours

I’m going to move this one up in the list because I have a live event over the weekend and can share that experience too.

Writing Notes:

Winter is supposed to be my productive time while the guest house and book events are quieter. A book I’m proofing for Pen-L Publishers is ready for the final go-through this week. “Max’s Wild Night” is heading to the editor next week and book cover creation will start mid-month. So exciting! I’ll begin formatting by the end of February. Max will have his day on May 1st.

I have also submitted my MG/YA biography on Betty White to a local publisher. My goal for a busy February is to reach 10,000 words on “Kimba’s Christmas.” I don’t have release for that scheduled until Octoberish of 2016, but there are plot points between that and “Slinky Steps Out” (April 2016) that need unwrangling. I am also working on vocabulary activities for all three Cats in the Mirror books for homeschool and classroom use. I’d love to explore creating audio books for them as well, but time may get away from me. Things just keep moving forward. Never stop writing!

And I’d love to have you join me at the Kimberling Area Library on Saturday, February 7th for their annual Author Event. With over 40 authors, speakers, and fun activities planned, it should be an outstanding afternoon. Come on down!

 

War Eagle Fall Craft Fair 2014 & Greenwood Writer’s Event

We had such a blast at the War Eagle Fall Craft Fair 2014! For four days (Oct. 16-19), a sea of humanity flowed past, and we sold more books per day than any other event we have ever done. Dozens of happy new readers signed up for my quarterly newsletter, and we had fun trying to keep track of how many people enjoyed my newest book title. About every 10 minutes someone would say “Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge” and laugh as they went by. Glad to know they appreciated it, even if it wasn’t a book for them. There are apparently a whole lot of Miss Fatty Cat’s out there.

141016_0002It was sooo cold in the morning, and we had to get set up before the sun for the 8:00 am opening time. We could see our breath every day until 10:00 am! This photo is only day one. The next three days I was better equipped with a warmer coat, hat, scarf, and gloves. Brrr. Probably because of the chill, traffic was a bit slow first thing in the morning, but we stuck it out for the thousands of people who came later in the day. Scott found it funny that we sold a set of books on the first day before we were even set up and sold a set of books at the last minute on the last day as we were just getting ready to close up shop. You never know when that perfect buyer will wander by!

What was especially interesting at this event was how many people bought the whole set without reading a word. I give my fantastic cover designer, Lesley Hollinger Vernon, credit for that. The covers got folks attention and got them to stop and find out more. Yay! I lost track of how many bookmarks we gave out so shoppers could download the kindle version. The response was just overwhelmingly positive.

A couple of fun moments:

*one young woman stopped at the sign, squealed, and clapped her hands over her mouth because she was so excited by the books. She bought a full set.

*a second grade girl read a page out loud to her mom to do the “five finger” test and see if she could read it to herself. She did pretty well, and just got hung up on a couple of words. I had hoped to start at a 2nd/3rd grade reading level, so it was a delight to see I was right on target. You know, I don’t even remember if she bought a book. I was still pleased as punch to hear her reading it.

141016_0004

This is the event this sign was actually created for, and it did its job 100% by getting folks to stop and read and pay attention to what we had to offer. A huge part of a fair like this is just getting the throngs of people to even notice your booth.

141019_0007

We had a great location on the first aisle across from the bridge. This is a low traffic moment when I could actually step out and get a photo. All day, each day, throngs of people crossed the bridge between the three sections. Honestly, if you are just shopping, you think it’s all one big event.

141019_0014

Across from our booth was a caricature artist named Dorinda, and when traffic was slow we enjoyed watching her create little works of art in just a few minutes. The reactions of the people getting them were priceless. What a great way to use your talent to bring some joy into the world! Also across the aisle was Regina Smith, a folk artist from Eureka Springs that we had never met. She left us with some bling for our booth, and Hiro’s travel rep thought it was the perfect vantage point to watch the crowds.

I made her spin when I got a little bored.

I made her spin when I got a little bored.

141016_0006

Hiro thought it was much scarier than what Daddy did with her when he got bored.

141019_0010We were also just around the corner from the big food vendor section and had more food at the end of our row. It was perfect because nearly everyone gets some fair treats while they are there. We waited until the last day to indulge, which was good because I would have wanted more each day if I’d started out that way. On Sunday, Scott and I split a gyro and spanakopita. There was also the required meat on a stick, which was fantastic.

141019_0004

Okay, this was an early morning snack, not really lunch, and I was still freezing. Honey teriyaki chicken. Yum.

141019_0017

I’m beyond glad I waited until the very end of the last day to get a funnel cake, which they were selling at the end of our row with far too easy access. It was amazing, even though we were both covered with powdered sugar when it was gone.

The War Eagle Fall Craft Fair was well worth the time and energy that it took, and we are looking forward to being back again in the spring with one new book and next fall with one more new book!

Because there’s never a dull weekend in the fall, just last Saturday (Oct. 25) we were part of the Greenwood, Arkansas Writers Unite Event benefiting Autism Speaks. There were 14 student authors who had put together a book of their stories, “Helping Hands: Volume 1,” and the mayor came to give out awards for the overall winners.

141025_0003

My spot was right next to my OWL and OCW friend Dusty Richards, and there were about 10 authors there overall.

141025_0000

Dusty got his first photo op with Kimba and Hiro’s travel reps, and he pretended to be a bit startled. I think he has seen those stuffed cats a few times over the last couple of years.

141025_0001

On my other side was a new author friend, Cal Davis, and his adorable picture book “I’m Just a Crow.”  Cal ingratiated himself to me forever by passing on his raffle win: a kindle case with cats on it. After determining that it was not quite his style, he shared it with me because, let’s face it, most anything with cats on it is exactly my style. I am even expecting a kindle for Christmas, so it’s a perfect gift.

141025_0004

I’m grateful that the next couple of weeks are a bit calmer than the rest of the fall has been. We have a wedding here at the guest house, and there are a couple more book events ahead. Next up is the Washington County Pet Expo on November 8th. But I can see the winter and hours of quiet writing time on the horizon. Enjoy these last beautiful fall days!

 

Best Selling Book!

Exciting news to share: “Vacation Hiro” is now an amazon.com best selling book! Through a BookBub advertisement of the special 99 cent price on Book 2 in the Cats in the Mirror series, almost 400 copies of “Vacation Hiro” were sold over a three day period. This bumped it up above all the other children’s cat books listed on amazon.com (including the Warrior series and Pete the Cat) and held it there for a few days.

Top Sales Cat Ebook Page

For any other writers who may have considered placing an ad with BookBub, I highly recommend it. When I did a free promotion for “Why Kimba Saved The World” back in April, 14,000 copies were picked up. Their children’s list is one of the smaller ones, so results can be even better if you are marketing an adult book. If your goal is new readers, especially for a series of books, these ads are gold–and a bit hard to get. Make sure you request the ad exactly 30 days before you want to run it. You can’t do it sooner, but if you are even a day later the slots will be filled up. And one rejection doesn’t mean you won’t be accepted the next time. Check out their web site for advice and requirements.

I also want to take a moment to thank two bloggers for their kind reviews of “Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge” this week. Stephanie at Cover2CoverBlog said: “As always, Dendler did a wonderful job making the cats very cat-like as well as characters in this grand story. I really like the mix of the sci-fi genre with a cast of cats–it makes for an interesting and playful plot every time.” And Erik at This Kid Reviews Books said: “This is a really well done book. I think that it is pretty cool, in the sense of space-traveling cats with technology that surpasses ours. Plus, the title made me laugh out loud. The series is good, and consistent. I like that the characters’ have just the right amount of “maturing” throughout each book. Kimba and Hiro are nice characters that you care for, and you even understand how Miss Fatty Cat feels. Ms. Dendler really helps you get into the head of the characters! She has written a good, unique book!” He has a devoted and supportive following, so I’m always grateful when he shares my books with them.

To return that type of favor on a universal level, I want to share a fantastic book that I just finished: “The Categorical Universe of Candice Phee.” I won an Advanced Reader copy of this book from Goodreads, and it was absolutely delightful and filled with literal laugh-out-loud moments. I highly recommend this for everyone, even though it is intended for a young YA audience. Teenagers will miss things that adults will find even funnier. Kind of like watching the Shrek movies with a child. Candice is quirky and troubled and sees the world in a frank and hilarious light. Here’s a more series tidbit from the book to give you an idea of the style and voice. Candice is in a fast food restaurant.

“I looked at my hamburger, which bore no resemblance to the picture over the counter. That burger was gorgeous. It was a pin-up burger. It gleamed. The lettuce had sparkles of fresh, pure water. The meat was succulent. What sat on my plate was thin, pale, and resembled something you might stand on when crossing a farmer’s field. I took a fry and thought about life’s unfairness. They promise you the world (or in this case a pin-up burger), and you end up with poop. This was profound, even if I had no idea who ‘they’ were. I wondered if profound thoughts happened often when you hit thirteen.”

Highly Recommend!

This afternoon I’m heading off to the Cat Fancier’s Show in Joplin, Missouri, to share my books. Let’s hope they like rescue mutt cats as well as pedigreed show cats. More on that, some big news, and a new member of the Cats in the Mirror family who adopted us this week in my next blog. Yes, another cat. We are pretty sure she was sent to us specifically. That’s how it works, you know.

 

Book Birthday For “Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge!!”

Today is officially the publication day and Book Birthday for “Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge!” If you follow my blog, this book is not big news for you, and if you follow me on other social media you are more than aware that this is the big day. Book releases and Book Birthdays are not subtle events!

MissFattyCat'sRevenge-cover

Click on the cover to get your copy from amazon.com now!

Personalized and autographed paperback are also available here at my website, so just look for the shopping cart on the right hand column or go to the Purchase Books page.

IMG_8495

Today is also Samantha’s (aka Miss Fatty Cat) 9th birthday. She is not sure what all the fuss is about as far as the book goes, but she’s hoping for some extra food and love today. I’m sure “Leia” will take care of that. You can celebrate with special prices on “Why Kimba Saved The World” (FREE) and “Vacation Hiro” (99 cents) too.

IMG_8786

Kimba is not too sure about this nonsense about a book that doesn’t have her image on the cover, but I have assured her that it is still all about her and the adventures that she has at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. Convincing her that I should spend time on “Max’s Wild Night” where she will only be a side note is a different challenge altogether. Maybe we can distract her with Disney plush toys. Buzz Lightyear was waiting for me this morning on the floor outside my office, so he must have gone for a wild ride. To infinity and beyond, indeed!

I’m really grateful to the bloggers who have supported today’s book launch. I didn’t reach out to as many this time, but most that I contacted answered the call at one time or another in the process. Some have already posted reviews, and I’ve shared them. Today Chris at The Story Reading Ape share a nice interview with me and information about all three books, and Johanna Rae shared a separate interview at her blog. There are a couple of others scheduled that have not been published, so I’ll just have to share them when they come out.

Summer is busy with our guest house business, but fall is when the book tours and fun really get going. There is something nearly every weekend, and I’m so excited to get back out and share the Cats in the Mirror series face to face with new readers and talk with fans. On Sept. 20th & 21st, “Leia” and I will be in Joplin for the Cat Fancier’s show, and September 27th we will be at the Springdale Library for their annual author event. I’m sure I’ll be blogging about that cat show! I’m also participating in two blog tours for other authors this month. Stay tuned!

 

 

 

School, Contests, and Writing

The dust is settling on the summer around here–both for our family and the guest house we run. “Mindy” and “Slinky” are happily ensconced in their new apartment at the University of Arkansas. The horrified kitty made the 90 minute drive in the family truck with me, and she had something to say about it the whole ride there. Book 4 in the Cats in the Mirror series has been set as “Slinky Steps Out” since the beginning because I always knew this day would come. When we arrived at the apartments, cats were watching us from several nearby windows. Could they be agents? The notes are already flowing as the story starts to write itself!

Can you see the eyes expressing their righteous indignation at the whole situation?

Can you see the eyes expressing their righteous indignation at the whole situation?

I had hoped that being away from the other cats would bolster her courage, but she is still spending significant amounts of time under the sofa and behind the washing machine. Maybe she will get more comfortable over time and once the routine of the school year gets going in a week or so.

Mufasa reigns over "Mindy's" domain, as he has since she was a preschooler.

Mufasa reigns over “Mindy’s” domain, as he has since she was a preschooler.

“Leia” starts back to school on Monday, so the meetings and subbing work and life-of-fall will be rolling from then on. I’m already on the sub schedule for Wednesday afternoon. I have some author event or a wedding here nearly every weekend until the end of November, so “Slinky Steps Out” will have to wait for any serious writing until then. You can always see most of what I’m up to at my events & activities page.

My writing in August has focused on getting some projects ready for the annual contests for two groups in the area that I love: The Ozark Writer’s League (OWL) and the Ozark Creative Writer’s Conference (OCW). Both have September 1 deadlines, but I turned in all of my OWL materials at the meeting on Saturday. Doing some specific short stories for contests like this is a great writing exercise, but it also ends up providing me with material to submit to magazines and anthologies. A first place winning piece from the OCW contests last year (“In Sonya’s Steps”) has been expanded and sent to The Missouri Review. Getting published in that way is great for the “street-cred.” One contest category even got me to start working on adapting “The Brave, Frail, and Delicate Princess” into a middle grade book–like I’ve been meaning to do for nearly a year. I’ve developed it up to the 5,000 words for the contest, so that’s a start!

The OWL quarterly meeting yesterday was fantastic. A big bonus for me was that they brought in a children’s book writer, Christine Taylor-Butler, to talk twice, and she knew what she was talking about. It wasn’t necessarily that she said anything I didn’t know after decades of following kidlit and writing some myself, it was just nice to be talking about a topic so close to my heart. The second speaker was Heather Davis, author and blogger at Minivan Momma. If you check her blog out today, she has a new one about talking to us. Her books look super fun, and if they are half as full of humor as she is they are well worth the read. I had the opportunity for long chats with both Duke and Kimberly Pennell from Pen-L Publishing. Besides being interesting individuals and knowledgeable about the industry, they have “At the Corner of Magnetic and Main” in their pile. Fingers crossed. I also got to talk shop with Velda Brotherton and peek at her upcoming, very substantial novel, “Beyond The Moon.” I’ll have to block out a big chunk of time to read that one!

Speaking of reading, I just finished a good YA book called Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula, by Elise Stokes. If you are looking for a clean read with just enough violence and drama to keep a tweenager happy, this is a great choice, and it is the first book in a series that looks promising. For me it was a free kindle download, and I love to grab those up to keep an eye on what’s on the market. The kindle version had some minor hard-hyphen errors (my first book versions did as well), but it’s not that big a deal. Highly Recommend.

Since any ebook involves getting my husband’s kindle away from him (which usually means he is asleep), I always have a “real” book going as well. I just finished “Wild Storm” by Richard Castle. Yes, I’m a fan of the show. I saw it on display at the Berryville Library and couldn’t resist, but it was actually a silly and fun read. There were some glaring errors to fans of the show–like adding Ryan and Javier, who he would not have met when he wrote that book–but the plot was solid and ridiculous enough to have been written by the Castle fans love. I have “Heat Wave” waiting for me on hold at the library right now. On a more realistic note, I’m also reading “The Wildwater Walking Club” by Claire Cook. Thoroughly delightful so far. You can always check out what books I have on my radar and am currently reading (and my reviews) at my Goodreads.com page.

September looms on the horizon, but I’m well prepared for my events that month. Here’s the ad I’m running in the brochure at the Cat Fancier’s Show/Event in Joplin, Missouri on the 20th-21st.

Cat Fanciers Ad

If you are in the area, come check out the show. I’ve been to dog agility events and shows before, but never one for cats. How do they possibly get them all to behave??!! “Daddy” has to stay here to keep things on task at the guest house, but “Leia” will join me. I think she’s wondering about the cat control as much as I am. I’ve been told I have to go where the cat fans are, so we shall see if they are book fans as well.

I hope each of you have a wonderful end to your summer. What do you miss the most when the leaves start changing? With so many years as a teacher, the school schedule has pretty much run every year of my life–with many more ahead.

And, unofficially, you can get “Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge” any time you want. Sshhh. The official launch will be on her birthday, September 12, but ebook, paperback, and signed copies are already flowing freely (see the shopping cart on the right to get signed copies directly from me). Great reviews so far! Here’s one that just posted from the Styling Librarian. 5 stars. No writer can ask for more.

 

 

 

Docent Day & Miss Fatty Cat Book

Today I hung out with Thor for several hours. Yes, Thor. No, not the one with the big hammer, though he is almost as impressive. This Thor.

Thor the Lion Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

Thor the Lion
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

Today was my first official day as a docent at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, and so I spent the morning hanging out with Thor and talking to guests about him and BamBam the grizzly bear, who was just a few feet away. It was hot, so Thor looked like this very soon.

Thor in the heat.

Thor in the heat.

I had a tent for some shade, so it wasn’t so bad. I’ve gotten used to seeing Thor and the other big cats, but it was fun to hear little kids (and some adults) encounter him for the first time. It gives you a healthy respect for why having one of these cats in your home is not a great idea. Actually, it’s a TERRIBLE idea. I could show you the bowling ball that Brody the lion bit in two. Here’s a boomer ball that Indie the tiger made short work of.

That took her four days. Solid plastic. 32,000 pounds of bite pressure should never be underestimated.

That took her four days. Super-thick plastic designed for big cats. 32,000 pounds of bite pressure should never be underestimated.

Now if the refuge can just meet their goal of getting all of the animals out into grassed enclosures in 2014. Thor has waiting long enough. I’m looking forward to being back at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge over the July 4th weekend, but publishing & promotion work does not stop over the summer. Just last night we attended a circus-style event in Basin Park here in Eureka Springs.

There were fire stunts.

There were fire stunts…

And a cutest dog contest. Tristan thought our table was the best place to hang out.

and a cutest dog contest. Our friend’s dog Tristan thought our table was the best place to hang out. Especially my daughter’s feet.

Most of my book events are in the fall, but it’s fun to attend some things in town as well.

Most exciting is that Book 3 of the Cats in the Mirror series, “Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge,” is available at amazon.com for a soft launch for friends and family. I don’t have any copies available to autograph and send out yet, but if you want to read it as an ebook the files are ready and waiting for you! Click on the book cover to visit the amazon.com page.

MissFattyCat'sRevenge-cover

You can also try to win one of 5 free paperback copies through Goodreads. Click here for the giveaway page. 

The official launch date is set for Miss Fatty Cat’s birthday on September 12. There will be some discounted offers on the first two books, but the ebook price on Book 3 will be the same for a good long time. Grab it now. You won’t be missing out on a deal later. And, of course, post a review if you enjoyed it! When you see paperbacks hit the $9.99 mark, that will be their price unless amazon chooses to discount it. Or you can wait a couple of weeks to order a signed copy right from me. Coming soon!

The Arkansas Book Reviewer had this to say about Book 3:

“Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge is a fun and charming tale that will have readers questioning their own cat’s sly looks and supposed unassuming demeanor. Cat lovers of all ages will love this latest addition to the series set in the Ozarks of Arkansas! Recommended for all ages and libraries! Another 5 Star for Dendler!”

You can read the whole review here at her blog.

Other recent media attention has included a nice interview at Cheryl Carpinello’s blog and a great review of “Vacation Hiro” from Erik the Great at This Kid Reviews Books. Several reviewers and bloggers are lined up for posts surrounding the September 12th release, and I love that they are following the series and ready to support it.

That’s all the excitement for now. I hope you are having a wonderful summer and enjoying some stress-free vacation time. Maybe you should read a good book… about alien cats…

 

 

 

 

 

“In Sonya’s Steps” and Love of Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

I had promised to post one of my winning pieces from the Ozark Writers Conference, and today seems like a perfect day for this particular story because the setting for it, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, is celebrating the success of a matching funds campaign to help build more of the large enclosures that are also celebrated in my writing. My daughter and I have gone twice to help build, clean, and prepare these grassy areas that provide open space for the tigers and other creatures at the facility to play and move and have fuller lives. Those still in the holding enclosures, waiting for their turn, have even watched us.

My daughter, spray welding marks so they won't rust, with a curious tiger watching. This enclosure is for BamBam, the adorable grizzly bear.

My daughter, spraying welding marks so they won’t rust, with a curious tiger watching. This enclosure is for BamBam, the adorable grizzly bear.

It is one of my favorite places in town to visit. Besides being allowed to stand only a few feet away from an enormous white tiger while he has his dinner, I am just immensely grateful for the staff there who work tirelessly to provide as much care and comfort as they possibly can for these displaced animals — sometimes rescued from horrible and life-threatening situations. Their stories are sometimes just sad, but others are heartbreaking. There may come a happy day when facilities like this are not necessary and all big cats can live in freedom, but that time is nowhere near at hand. So I love to go and share my time and energy helping make their lives better when I can. Turpentine Creek will be one of the settings in my next book, “Miss Fatty Cat’s Revenge” because, according to the Cats in the Mirror series, tigers and lions are aliens too.

My husband, spraying the welding marks on the new enclosures on Rescue Ridge in last winter.

My husband, spraying the welding marks on the new enclosures on Rescue Ridge last winter.

Me, picking up rocks to help clear the way for BamBam's new habitat.

Me, picking up rocks to help clear the way for BamBam’s new habitat.

The piece of writing I’m sharing today was specifically written in October for a conference I attended here in Eureka Springs. The challenge was to write a story “walking in someone else’s shoes” and to be creative with it. One of the dear tigers that had just been a part of a huge rescue effort at Turpentine Creek came to mind, and I wondered about that moment when, after a lifetime of nothing but a small, concrete cage, those soft paws finally had the chance to touch grass and run and play. “In Sonya’s Steps” was the end result, and it won first place. If after reading this you are inspired to make a donation to Turpentine Creek to help build more enclosure for the dozens of big cats waiting for them, I would be absolutely thrilled. I promise to personally go help build them.

 

Here is “In Sonya’s Steps.”

In Sonya’s Steps

Soft. The ground beyond the open, black gates is softer than anything I have ever felt, like a vast sea of well-groomed fur. I carefully put one foot through again and press down gently. So soft.

I’m amazed to find the gate open from the new, small enclosure where I woke up. The doors in my world are never open. The concrete floor is chilly and hard, sensations I’m familiar with, but beyond that open gate is something I have never experienced before.

A gentle breeze blows past me, and I inhale deeply. Pine trees and rocks and the first hints of spring are all familiar. Even the smell of that soft stuff outside the gate is one I recognize. I’ve just never touched it before. A fence was always in the way.

Tentatively reaching a second foot through the gate onto the soft surface, I chuff out a gust of air, hoping to calm anyone else who might be lurking in that immeasurable expanse of softness. My eyes have never tried to focus so far away. The distant edges are blurry. Instinct warns be to be wary.

As far back as I can remember, I have never felt anything under my feet but the solid gray concrete of my small home. Gray fencing stood between my eyes and the landscape of freedom beyond it. Gray fencing covered my view of the sky. Every day. Just the same.

There was a small wooden box for shelter, a bowl for water. Before night fell, the old woman would come by and throw me some bits of meat for my daily meal. Some fresh water was poured in the bowl. Then I would be alone again, except for the faint sounds and smells of others like me. Others trapped just like me, all around.

We could count each other’s steps. One, two, three, then turn. One, two, three, then turn. That was all there was. Stretch out on the hardness of the concrete for a nap, inhaling the bitterness of it, then up and pace some more. One, two, three, then turn. One, two, three, then turn. Listening to the others around me, waiting for something to happen that never did.

Some days the woman would stand by the cage and talk to me. Her voice was quiet and kind, but she never opened the gate and let me out to run free. She never opened the gate and came in to join me either. The fence was always between us. Day after day. Year after year.

Until today.

The morning had started out like any other. I could hear the chuffings and murmurings from the others around me, but there was also the low rumble of a machine approaching up our quiet hill. A huge grumbling monster, rancid smells wafting out behind it, ground to a stop in front of my home. The old woman climbed out of its belly, but there were other people too. They all moved slowly, approaching me just beyond the gray wire mesh of my small home.

A tall, blonde woman moved to a far corner of my enclosure. She squatted down and spoke quietly to me. I was intrigued. Stealthily moving toward her, our eyes locked, I snuffed the air but did not recognize her smell. Then there was a cracking noise and a sharp pain in my side. Turning toward the noise, I saw that one of the men held a long, thick stick. He was watching me intently and speaking softly, just like the woman.

He hurt me! Did he jab me with that stick? It will be the last thing he ever does!    I’ll find a way to get past that fence and show him what comes of causing pain to a creature like me!

I turned to face him, but my legs felt weak and wouldn’t cooperate with my directives. I tried to glare, to terrify him with my gaze, but the man and the fence were suddenly blurry and seemed far away. The old woman stood silently behind the man with the stick. She shook her head softly, but she didn’t attack him. She didn’t defend me. She just stood there, watching me.

The blonde woman moved around my home so I could see her again. She made soft chuffing noises. She spoke quietly and leaned in closer to my fence. Yes, just a bit closer, I thought, reach your hand right in here. Then everything was dark as night.

The next thing I knew, I was here in this strange place. New, but very much the same at first glance. Chilly, gray concrete floor. Fence between the world and me, but this fence was heavier and darker. For a long time I just lay on the concrete and stared at the fence.

What happened? I wondered. After that man with the stick poked me, I just fell asleep. I’ll have to get him later, I thought, a low growl rumbling in my throat. Right now, however, I could barely move.

As time passed, I was able to lift my head and look around. The world beyond the fence smelled similar, but the rising ground beyond me was in different shapes and the trees were thicker and taller. Instead of a wooden shelter, there was a large concrete box off to one side of my new home. Peeking inside the small door, I could see that it was dark and empty inside. It would do to get out of the heat and the rain, but not terribly interesting.

But looking in the other direction, I realized that there was nothing between my gaze and the world. The gate stood wide open. Beyond that door was a sea of that softness that I was now strong enough to step out into.

Is it a trick? I thought. Will the man with the stick come poke me again if I venture out? There’s no sign of the man, but I can smell the blonde woman on my fur. Was she touching me while I was asleep? I stop and lick my side carefully, my rough tongue removing the offending odor. Then I stare back out into the openness.

The thought of exploring that wide, limitless space is thrilling and terrifying at the same time. My heart aches to step out onto the softness, but my heart is racing with a fear of the unknown, untried, untested. Maybe I should wait and watch for a while. Sniffing the air again, I can tell that the others who were around me before are around me here.

Are they still sleeping? Are they already out in the softness? We have never been face to face. Will they attack if I step out?

My sensitive ears twist and turn, searching for answers. I hear nothing but the birds and the breeze. Focusing on the open door, I cannot hear anything beyond it. No breathing but my own. Tuning in even more carefully, I cannot detect any heartbeats close by. Nothing but quiet and softness.

All senses on alert, I step out, putting my full weight into the softness. The ground yields gently under my foot. Then the next foot. Again I wait, testing the sounds and the air. No one attacks. With greater confidence, I step fully out of the door, all four feet now buried deep in the freshness and softness of that ground beyond the concrete. It has a warmth and energy and aliveness to it that the concrete is not capable of. The sensations of the ground vibrate up my legs and all along my spine. This is what the earth is supposed to feel like, and now it is mine. If someone is waiting to attack, he will find me ready. I will not easily yield this new territory. Come and try to take it, I growl at the openness.

One stride, then two, then an even longer one, my huge padded paws take me farther than I ever imagined. No pacing back and forth, only a few steps at a time before having to turn back again. I stretch out my long, stiff legs and try three trots at a time. I pause and smell the air. Four trots. Pause. Five trots in a row. Then I reach the fence.

It is there. I’m not free, but as I turn and look back, the immensity of this new space looms around me. I look back toward the concrete room and the concrete house, and I feel something rise up deep inside me. There’s an instinctive urge to attempt something I’ve never done, not once my whole life. I crouch low, I spring forward in a giant leap, and I RUN! No pacing or trotting only a step or two. I leap and leap and leap, my orange and black stripes a blur over muscles so weak they soon give out and need rest, but I did it, if only for a while. I RAN.

Exhausted, I collapse onto the softness, my sides heaving in and out, gasping for air in larger amounts than I have ever needed. Contentedly, I lift my head and stare at the fence. It is still there, but it is so far away I can make out the world beyond it without feeling suffocated. Is that the blonde woman, hiding downwind in the trees?  I bare my teeth and snarl a warning. Come close at your own risk. Then I peer up above me. There is nothing but openness. No gray bars. No fence.

I notice the sky, really notice it for the first time in my life.  A rich sunlight pours freely over every inch of my fur. There is still fence around my sides, but it is far away from where I lie. Overhead, there is an infinity of space.

I’m not free, but this is close. Stretching my legs out to the front and back, a move that would have left me touching the edges of my home just that morning, I roll onto my back and snort and allow the glorious smell of the softness to cover me.

*****

Sonya is an imagined name for one of the 27 tigers recently rescued by Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. 

Copyright, Meg Welch Dendler, 2013.

HP0016