I've been away for a bit. I was scheduled to have surgery on my hand, and was coughing the day before the surgery was to happen. They didn't want to put me under (I can handle other people's blood, but not my own) when I was coughing, so put off my surgery. Within two weeks, my hand had almost gone back to normal. Now, I can only feel the problem if I bend my thumb all the way. Yay! Hallelujah!
So anyway, in my time off from writing, I had an idea. I've been going through all of the Cat Who books by Lillian Jackson-Braun. I love this series, and started out with "The Cat Who Blew the Whistle", about twenty-five years ago. I found out my Mom had the first 6 books shortly after that and have collected them all now.
Something really struck me during one of the books, and I'd love to expand on an idea I had, so if people would be interested in reading what I come up with, I'd love to know.
There isn't any working title yet, except for Cat Who on my hard drive. The outline is almost done. Now just to flesh it out. LOL. Let me know!
Comments
I've enjoyed some of Jackson-Braun's Cat Who ... stories ...
Since most authors here are only 'paid' in Reads, Kudos and Comments ... We are pretty free to write what we want, write what others might enjoy.
Without knowing what "Idea" you have from "The Cat Who ..." books, I've taken a stab at some ideas. (Use or ignore - either is OK.)
Perhaps the stories should be 'episodic', rather than One Grand Arc.
You might have one Cat/Guardian, as in the books, or several. I see the Cat(s) wandering a small town, mostly for a setting and some continuity.
Titles:
- The Cat Who Came Out Of The Closet - helps a trans- or crossdresser come out
- ... Did The Laundry - Steals laundry line clothing desired by Guardian, or drags out something that 'outs' their Guardian.
- ... Went on a Date - facilitates two people meeting, leading to romance.
- ... Was Good With Children - (new) neighbor's children keep visiting/playing with Cat, leading to Guardian meeting the Parent, and Romance ensues.
- ... Built Bridges - Cat 'harasses' a would-be bridge-jumper into meeting Guardian. Cat wearing collar with address tags simplifies meeting.
- ... Didn't Shrink - Cat is a Therapy Cat working with her Guardian - and helps trans- children 'open up'.
- ... Just Sat There - Cat 'parks' herself on a sunny bench outside a cozy coffee shop. Inevitably two people will both pet Cat, start talking, and go in for "coffee-and" ... Of course romance ensues. (Cat never gets coffee, it's very poisonous.)
- ... Who Came From Outer Space - For this story, Cat is a telepathic Space Alien, comes to Earth, and starts doing match-making or maybe just helping trans- people.
- ... Got Out and Down - Cat very determinedly escapes Guardian's home and finds Guardian's "ex", living poorly. "Ex" of course takes Cat home and reconciliation ensues.
===
... Oops - you already have most of your story... But perhaps a few of the above 'side adventures' or 'incidents' might fit into your story.
Or if other writers here run with the above ideas - cool!
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PS: If Cat 'just happens' to be a Maine Coon named "Lady Fluff", then two of us would be very, very much pleased. Thanks!
PPS: If you (or anybody) needs minor 'best-done-while-awake' surgery, but has a problem with blood - a sleep mask might help. I've been a blood donor lots of times, plus countless blood tests ... but I prefer not to watch them stick me. Just looking away works well enough for me.
actually..
I've been toying with the name the Cat Who came out of the Closet. Especially as there was a Cat Who book called, The Cat Who went INTO the Closet. Not sure if that will actually be what I call it yet, but it's quite likely. Now that I've given away part of the plot, we'll see what actually comes of it. I was just kind of wondering if people would be interested in reading it if I wrote it. Thanks for all of your suggestions!
Hugs!
Rosemary
Outer Space
Disney already made a movie called, "The Cat from Outer Space" in the late 70s. Some people dubbed it "Close Encounters of the Purred Kind" and "Close Encounters of the Furred Kind".
-- Daphne Xu (a page of contents)
Cat from Outer Space
One of my favorite books. I read that so many times that it pretty much fell apart when you opened it.
Hugs!
Rosemary
Childhood?
Favorite book from childhood? Still favorite for you as adult?
I never read the book. The last time I saw the movie, I cringed at the references to electromagnetism.
-- Daphne Xu (a page of contents)
Story & Hand
It's good to hear about your hand. Maybe you can avoid the surgery.
Is your working title "Cat Who" or "Cat Who [???] on My Hard Drive"? (If there can be a Dr. Who, there can also be a Cat Who.)
-- Daphne Xu (a page of contents)
Cat Who
Its simply Cat Who at present. still in outline, and I'm deciding what to do with the body(s).
I've got 2 murders I'm working on and I'm trying to keep them seperate. as I work on one, the other needs to go on ice.
Hugs!
Rosemary
Dirty Mind
With my dirty mind, I have to admit that the title, "The Cat Who s[h]at on My Hard Drive" stuck in my mind.
There was a Sinfest cartoon in which the cat walks over the computer keyboard, curls himself up, sits on it, etc. The final scene has a pair of men in black appearing at The Cartoonist's door.
Two murders? Oh my dear, what have you been up to?
-- Daphne Xu (a page of contents)
2 murders?
Arctic Fox 3 still has a murderer running free, and presumably any Cat Who mystery will too.
Hugs!
Rosemary