Editor’s Note: I realize this post is a heavy subject and probably not one you were expecting, but with the holidays heading our way, I felt the timing was appropriate. Holidays are a time that can cause a lot of stress and anxiety for us – especially for those of us that might be remembering a passed cat who we dearly miss, or those of us that are going through personal issues with a cat who is currently ill, or possibly even nearing end-of-life. In the blogging world, we often think of everything in adult terms, often forgetting that there are others around us who are also stressed and anxious. This post is for those who have children in their lives that might need some guidance with the subject of pet loss and grief. The focus of the article is on cats, but the advice applies to any beloved pet, regardless of the species.

Photo credit: DepositPhotos.com

As someone who is involved in the cat world nearly 24/7/365 via blogging, social media, and other outlets, very rarely does a day go by that I do not hear about one cat or another who has passed on. Online sites have become a therapeutic outlet for those who chose to share their grief publicly – I try not to let it get to me, but sometimes it is overwhelming because I take the circumstances to heart, grieving through association. Read more

Fitbit – check. Cat – check. Ready, set, go – find out how you can increase your steps by exercising with your cat!

Much as I would prefer to work from home, I have to admit the company I work for isn’t so bad. My co-workers are awesome (many of them are cat lovers), and management is always trying to come up with new ways to encourage group activities. We’ve had several company sponsored lunches since I started back in March, and they even shut work down early one Friday so everyone could go bowling together, including food and drink. But their most recent attempt is my favorite by far. Because most of us have desk jobs, for those that wanted to participate, they bought us Fitbits to encourage exercise and set up quarterly step challenges with prizes to boot! Read more

Enjoying Sunday with some of my favorite editors – Mia, Zoey, Rolz, Zee, and Jazmine.

Happy Sunday Everyone! Between working my day job and trying to finish my book in the evenings, I feel like I’ve dropped off the face of the earth! But I have good news – I received my first draft copy of Makin’ Biscuits – Weird Cat Habits and the Even Weirder Habits of the Humans Who Love Them and I’m super-excited with what I’ve seen!!

This is picture is of me in all my glory – hanging out with my gang as I do some last minute editing. Despite the scowl on my face, all is good, I’m just concentrating really hard on what I’m doing! If everything goes as planned, I should be on track for a pre-Christmas release!! And just wait until you see the cover – it’s unlike anything I’ve done before and I know you’re going to love it!!

Have a great day all!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know everything is okay with us. We were spared the brunt of Hurricane Matthew and my heart goes out to all those up the Florida coast, Georgia, and the Carolina’s where Matthew did the bulk of his damage here in the U.S.

If you’ve never been through a potential hurricane, it’s a surreal situation. Hurricane coverage is on 24/7 for days on end on nearly every television channel, cars are lined up bumper-to-bumper for gas, there is a constant faint noise of hammering in the background as people rush to put up shutters, grocery shelves are nearly bare as people stock up on food and water, and your phone is bombarded with texts from people worrying about you. I know it might seem weird to say, but it’s almost like a holiday – there is a certain common buzz in the air and all people talk about is what could happen, and what did happen if you’ve been through hurricanes in years past. Read more

Don’t worry guys – your needs are at the top of our list!

I normally don’t post mid-week anymore, but Hurricane Matthew is heading our way and I just wanted to touch base in case I can’t communicate for awhile. Dan and I have been busy preparing the house to make sure we have a safe area to stay while we ride things out. It looks like we’ll be hit some time on Thursday and I pray everything will be okay.

Our prayers also go out to those already affected in areas of Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas. I also pray as the storm moves up the eastern coast that everyone will be okay.

Blessings to you all and I’ll post updates on Facebook if and when I can.

We’ll be creating a safe haven in our bedroom to ride out the storm…looks like the cats have approved the arrangements!