My Cat Cosplays Cats of War
My Cat Cosplays Cats of War
In case it hasn't been blindingly obvious from my previous posts, authors are crazy. When I wrote Cats of War, a space opera romance novella, for last year's limited-edition Embrace the Passion: Pets in Space 3 anthology, I commissioned a costume. For my cat.
My muse is from outer space, and I am owned by cats. This probably explains why I write space opera, and why cats are in about half my stories. Including, of course, Cats of War. It's about a tarnished military Subcaptain, a repair technician hiding from her past, and two genetically engineered cats who must join forces to save an important factory. It's scheduled for a solo release on 18 April 2019.
Cats in Space
The photo below is of two of our six cats “helping” me write and insisting all stories are vastly improved by the inclusion of cats, preferably rescued. The bigger, gray cat is the Resident Goofball, and usually a pretty good sport. The smaller, pale cat is tiny, but she is the Dowager Empress of the Known Universe, and demands love and adoration from all.
This, by the way, is what happens when the Empress does not get sufficient love and adoration.
Cats as Heroes
My previous Pets in Space story, Pet Trade, had several cats, but the hero of the day was a dog. Believe me, I got an earful about that. My cats insisted that cats be the stars of the next story. And so, Cats of War.
Therefore, I felt it was only fair that they help me promote the story. I commissioned a lovely pair of wings suitable for cats to wear from the charming Jessica at Wings, Charms & Things. “My cat will look so cute!” I thought.
I know, you’re laughing. I'm pretty sure I said it above, but I'll repeat: Authors are completely nuts, and I’m no exception.
Cat Cosplay Tips
Should you ever be inclined to engage your cat in cosplay, here are helpful tips.
- Choose the right cat. For example, the resident Ginger Tabby (see below) is convinced the world is out to eat him. Another of my cats would look like the Hindenberg blimp with wings. The Empress is too tiny. The Brown Striper cat (see victim, above) would destroy the wings in 10 seconds flat. The Basement-Lover cat has too many places to hide. That leaves the Resident Goofball.
- Choose the right costume. Last year’s costume was a bit heavy, and the cat fell over. Yes, I’ve done this before. No, I did not learn my lesson. I mentioned that I’m crazy, right?
. - If you are clever in the crafty way, you can make your own costume, and custom fit it to your cat. If your skills are iffy, like mine (see #2 above), commission a professional. Jessica even tried them on her own, long-suffering cat, who she had to bribe with chicken to gain cooperation and restore good will.
. - Unless you have five or six arms, recruit a helper for the photography session. Holding the camera, the cat, the costume, and the props all in one place is enough to turn a well-meaning author to hit the Bailey's Irish Cream far earlier in the day than usual.
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Our cats are precious darlings, but they are not designed for war, like hero cats of my story. They are also not telepathic spies and thieves, or top-secret military projects. Nor do they have opposable claws (no door or can opener would be safe) and nor can they fly (thank goodness; the house would be a shambles).
In upcoming blog posts, I'll share excerpts from Cats of War that introduce the hero, Kedron, the heroine, Ferra, and the cats. The humans are in for quite a shock.
