Two nights ago Randy was headed to take out the trash when he stopped in the kitchen to talk to our cat, Shadow. Nothing unusual about that. We all talk to the cats and they surprisingly talk back to us, though our language barrier does affect our understanding at times. Not so this time. Shadow was speaking in cat pride, or rather wasn’t speaking at all – just strutting. Seems he’d caught himself a mouse. In our house!
Randy’s tone of voice was what first tipped me off that something was different. This isn’t the first mouse that has tried to make our house a home this year. The last time, I saw the little critter and my reaction scared the cats away. I know, dumb move, because, of course, we couldn’t catch it on our own. Humans are simply not fast enough.
So this time, I wisely kept my voice from rising in pitch – in other words, I did not scream – though I did my best to avoid getting too close. Tiger, on the other hand, wanted in on the action, making Shadow drop the mouse, who quickly scampered under a bookcase. Fortunately for us a small bookcase. Shadow quickly grew bored of our trying to capture the thing, but Tiger was intent on getting his share. He made a very good watch kitty.
So after emptying the bookcase and lifting it up, forcing the mouse to run again, Tiger cornered it for us, and Randy scooped the little thing up in some paper towel and took it outside, where I hope it stays. Tiger wasn’t too happy. He wanted to play with the thing.
Shadow kept watch on a corner in our basement, the place we suspect he first saw the mouse. I sincerely hope we do not have a family of them living down there! The one Shadow caught and brought upstairs for us was a baby. I have unpleasant visions of waking up one morning to a “gift” from the cat of a mouse outside our bedroom door or on the kitchen linoleum. At that point, my self-controlled tone of voice might not manage to stay that way!
I take more careful steps when I head to the basement now. I’m not exactly sure why a mouse should scare me – they really are awfully cute. But I’m not planning to house Ratatouille any time soon. Thankfully, having two cats has finally proved useful for something! :)
Posted in Musings on December 3, 2008 |
There is nothing like the holiday season to cause a mixture of joy and stress and the need for that take-me-away feeling only found in a good story. This month we’ve got six new releases to choose from designed to do just that!
Also, don’t forget to check out my new Spotlight on author Siri Mitchell.
1. A Promise for Spring by Kim Vogel Sawyer from Bethany House. Can their promise of love survive more than just years of separation?
2. Before the Season Ends by Linore Rose Burkard from Havest House Publishers. A heroine who embodies “Principles” meets the man who is all “Pride.” What happens when they clash in Regency London makes adventurous innocence well worth reading!
3. Deceptive Promises, Delaware Brides, book 3 by Amber Miller from Barbour/Heartsong Presents. Living during the American Revolution, Margret Scott gets involved with a spy and a life of deception that could endanger herself, her family, and the man she loves.
4. Flashover by Dana Mentink from Steeple Hill. Ivy Beria’s life explodes when arson robs her of her job and the man who set it hunts her down.
5. Missouri Brides by Mildred Colvin from Barbour Publishing. Three women tied together by family find true love on the Missouri prairie of the 1800s.
6. The Owling, Shadowside Series – Book 2 by Robert Elmer from Zondervan. Life gets even more confusing for fifteen-year-old Oriannon when her former music mentor, Jesmet, miraculously returns from the dead and promises his students a special power called Numa.
Happy reading ~
Posted in New Releases on December 1, 2008 |
I recently met author Siri Mitchell at this year’s 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers conference in Minneapolis. I discovered her latest release A Constant Heart in the Spring 2009 Catalog from Baker Books (which also featured my first book Michal). At the conference I discovered that Siri is also a critique partner to one of my favorite authors and friend Maureen Lang. Small world! Maureen is a great novelist in her own right.
Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.
But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When she edits her manuscripts, she laughs at the funny parts. And cries at the sad parts. And sometimes she even talks to her characters.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Spotlight |
