Turkey leftovers...

The cats have found a tradition that they like even more than having an indoor tree... the turkey leftovers... While households up and down the country are looking for new and interesting ways to use up the turkey, I now have an enthusiastic gathering every time I get something out of the fridge - hoping that some turkey is coming their way.  

Christmas books

It's nice to know that some of my books were going out as Christmas presents - Christmas is a great time to curl up with a good book, especially when it's raining outside and no one wants to go out - and so that's where I'm going now - to lose myself in my festive read...

Christmas tree vs cats...

We have a substantial Christmas tree, standing at 7ft 4" it's the biggest we've ever had - we needed something sturdy just in case the cats remember their kitten antics from last year and start to climb... So far we've just had Kryten creeping around in the lower branches, and Bumble diving down behind it from the sideboard which stands next to it, so no trip wires from the lights to get in his way... We've left the wooden birds off this year... that might be too much temptation.

We have a new, large stand for the tree, of the type that allows for watering - it's hard to water under a tree with Captain's nose in the way as he tries to help care for the tree.

Christmas gifts

The Christmas fair went well at the Tithe Barn in Poppleton yesterday. The barn looked beautiful decorated up for Christmas, and my books were selling well, especially But I'm Not Sleepy which is still my best seller - apparently everyone has a child who doesn't want to go to bed... but few admit that they were just as bad when they were little...

Out in the rain

If  you've got a cat who insists on sitting out in the rain, even though you've provided a cat flap...

...and you've resorted to all sorts of foolish means to get them to use it, then you are not alone, but Basil and Flappy Thing just might be the book for you.

Furry weather reporters...

My little weather reporters just came in to let me know that it's raining again.. and so now they're wiping their muddy paws all over everything, having a good wash, and then they'll be ready to go again, checking the weather at every window - wanting the door opened, because they're sure it must have stopped by now...

Christmas fairs

It's the day in between - yesterday I was at the Hilton Hotel York doing a book signing, and tomorrow I'll be at Osbaldwick Primary school form 7pm till 9pm for their Christmas shopping event - Christmas lists at the ready everyone... books make a great present, especially a signed one.

Not the sort of weather for a cat...

Not a lot of work was getting done yesterday with Captain wanting to check on the weather every few minutes to see if the rain had stopped... He kept looking through every window to see if the weather was any better, but it just kept raining.

Feeling Christmassy

Yes it's half way through November and I'm feeling Christmassy... and why not? - Christmas fairs are fast approaching, I'm at the Hilton Hotel in York next Saturday at a charity Christmas fair in support of The Star Appeal which is aiming to raise £3000,000 to refurbish York Hospital's Stroke Rehabilitation Unit.

I'm sat here listening to a Christmas cd - I was setting a mood as I'm wring about Christmassy stuff and the right music really sets the mood.

The power hour...

I read about the Power Hour on twitter, and it really works - you turn off social media and all other distractions for an  hour a day and focus on writing.
I've been doing the NaWriMo, well in spirit anyway - I haven't started a completely new novel, but I have been getting on with a story that has been getting put off... and keeping to a Power Hour every day has really pushed the project on.
The only trouble being that my characters are a house full of cats, and if they're not feeling sleepy, my Power Hour can turn into a round of breaking up fights, telling them to get down from wherever they're not meant to be, and going to investigate crashes from other rooms...

Unique Christmas gifts

What could be more unique than a signed book for a Christmas gift. I'll be out and about at Christmas fairs in the coming weeks, signing my books and talking to readers...
For anyone who wants an easy life this Christmas why not order a children's book from my online shop and I'll send it out postage free...

Christmas fairs

It's that time of year again, and I'm busy planning Christmas events to go to and do book signings, creating a unique gift that'll be enjoyed and treasured long after the decies come down. What could be better than a new book to read - and the time to sit down and read...

I'll list my book signings on my website as they're confirmed.

Book orders

Basil books are selling well, I'm just packing an order off to put in the post. As for Kryten - well he has used the cat flap once, but right now he's sat outside in the sunshine with no inclination to come in at all...

Cat flaps

So here I am, still feeling like one of the characters in Basil and the Flappy Thing as Kryten still refuses to use the cat flap, even today when I don't think it's stopped raining all day. He knows it's there, he uses it if I hold it open for him, but that wasn't really the idea...

new book

Basill and the Flappy Thing is now published and out there to entertain - Some have been given away, some were ordered and are now displayed on the shelves of a bookshop and some have even been sold!

...and the rest, well they form my stock of books waiting to go out to new homes to be loved and cherished.

Multi tasking

Doesn't time fly when you're lost in a book... I've spent the last few months getting my head down and focusing on getting my next book out, and the result is Basil and the Flappy Thing which will be out in the Autumn. Although it is a work of fiction, it was inspired by all my cats in some way, and I'm afraid it may be inspiring my cats to get up to more mischief, as one of the things in the book was only acted out in real life after I'd drawn the picture and written about the incident... I'd better be careful what I write and draw in future in case I give them ideas.

Pen and paper

My writing has gone back to basics lately - using pen and paper. It make s a nice change to write with a pen in a notebook, but it wasn't nostalgia for paper that sent me back to basics it was a litter of kittens... there's nothing like turning a computer on to wake up sleepy kittens and send them wandering across a keyboard or getting into places they shouldn't, making me jump up from the keyboard to overt a disaster.

I've often debated the role of a cat, whether they inspire or distract, and I'm still going with inspire. And when they stop distracting me I'll get all those notes, written while they walked across the page - or even chewed it, and I'll turn it into a book - but right now Bumble is sitting on the tumble dryer and eyeing up where he can jump next for maximum mischief...