Five Reasons it Might Be Purfect to be a Cat

 By Maureen Bonatch

My second book in the Witch Shifter Series, A Creepy CATalyst released last week.

In this paranormal cozy series, the main character discovers that she’s not just a witch.

She’s a witch that can shift—and usually she shifts into a cat. 

For Abigail, being able to shift comes in handy when she’s solving mysteries

with her cat familiar, Olaf. But when I thought about it, there are other good

reasons to be a cat. 

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Intimidate everyone else with one look
• Sleeping, eating and playing make up your entire day.

• The world is your playground and your favorite toy is a box. 
• When you get tired of someone—just bite them.
• Stellar night vision—THIS!

P.S. This story also has a ghost in it.

Just in time for the spooky season! Here’s a little more about A Creepy CATalyst.

Since Abigail has either fingers or paws, she must work with the witches, and the familiars, on this ghostly murder mystery.

Being a witch who can shift has its perks—seeing ghosts isn’t one of them.

 

Hell-o, it would've been nice if someone had warned me that my ability

to shift into a cat enabled me to see ghosts. I spent a good ten minutes

explaining my new pet sitting business to a spirit. I thought something

was off about her, but I wasn’t expecting that!If only I could understand

what she was trying to tell me, because it turns out she was murdered.

She’s followed me home until I can figure it out. And now I must care for

her familiar until the inconsolable cat is assigned a new witch. Moving the

ghost and her keening cat out of my house can’t happen soon enough.

 

When old grudges are revealed, the list of suspects grows. And it

includes a young witch at the Home for Wayward Witches, who’s flaunting

too much attitude and power. It can’t be her, can it?

 

With a killer on the loose, everyone’s got a finger or paw to point.

Since I have both, I’m caught in the middle of this murder mystery.

Let’s hope I can solve it before an innocent witch gets accused,

or worse, someone else dies.

Check out the Witch Shifter series right here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6FPCDWT

It's Spooky Season!

You can't have too much magic and paranormal reads this time of year. So I have some freebies for you as well as some books to add to your TBR.

 

Free Cozy Mystery Books

 

Click here to fill up  your TBR with some Free Cozy Mystery Books: https://books.bookfunnel.com/cozy_mystery_obsessed/9uag5sctff

 

 

 

Paranormal Women's Fiction & Cozy Mysteries

 

Want more magic and mystery? Then check out these Paranormal Women's Fiction & Cozy Mystery books right here: https://books.bookfunnel.com/pwfparacozyreads-oct/a7glgx11je

 

What’s Your Favorite Thing About Being a Cat?

 

Maureen Bonatch lives in a magical world as a novelist, and as a nurse leader in reality.

Maureen’s first novella was a paranormal romance published

when blogs were a new-fangled thing.

She’s since changed her focus to writing paranormal cozy mysteries

as M.L. Bonatch and urban fantasy as Maureen Bonatch. 

While she’s not busy writing or doing nurse-things, she’s a mom to her twin daughters, bicycling in the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby, doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, and dancing as much as possible. She believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and that caffeine and wine are essential for survival.

https://www.maureenbonatch.com/free-book/

Keep the conversation going by joining my Facebook Group right HERE! https://www.facebook.com/groups/630494098126926

Bad Kitty. Why are Cats Evil? by L. A. Kelley

 

Bad Kitty

 

Halloween is in a few days, but I’ve been seeing black cat decorations for over a month. They’re ubiquitous with Halloween as witches’ familiars, but what’s the deal with cats? How did something so cute and fuzzy get such a sketchy reputation. It wasn’t always the case.

 Cats in myth

Cats have been part of humans’ lives for a long time. The earliest mythological symbolism of animal deities occurred as long ago as Upper Paleolithic, or Old Stone Age, a period extending from 35,000 to 8300 BC. The oldest known animal-shaped sculpture is a lion-headed, human-bodied figurine known as Löwenmensch, found in Hohlenstein Stadel cave in Germany. The statue dates from about 32,000 BC and was carved from mammoth ivory using a flint stone knife. In these early religions, lion-headed figurines have been found that are believed to have played a prominent role in spiritualism and not associated with evil shenanigans. Ancient legends from Thailand, Burma, and other Asian countries, have cats transporting the souls of monks or royalty to heaven after death.

In Egypt, Bast or Bastet first appeared as a fierce lioness in the third millennium BCE, but after the domestication of the cat around 1500 BCE quickly morphed into a benign cat goddess, taking care of the family, house, and home. The Egyptian word for cat was ‘miu’ which sound like the noise a cat makes and I think is absolutely adorable. Cats shown on tomb walls and funerary stelae often depict them as beloved pets, seated by their owners’ chairs. According to Herodotus, when a cat died by a natural death, those who dwelled in the house shaved their eyebrows, which is just plain weird. Some cats were even mummified and afforded special burials with elaborately carved sarcophagi inscribed with their name. Even in the afterlife, an Egyptian wanted his or her kitty near.

One reasons why cats have a mystical connection may be because they are the only wild animal that domesticated themselves. As humans moved from the lives of hunter-gatherers to farm-based existence, cooperation with humans proved to be a mutually beneficial partnership. Cats got a reliable source of prey hunting vermin that fed on grain and humans got effortless pest control.

So why the bad rap?

Blame the Christians. They wanted to do away with anything that smacked of pagan worship so cat gods were out, even if they were helpful. As Christianity spread from the Middle East, so did myths surrounding cats. By the time the Middle Ages rolled around, cats got the reputation of sinister beasts with powers similar to witches and warlocks, obviously in cahoots with Satan. It was believed a cat’s bite was poisonous, as was its flesh, and a person who inhaled a cat’s breath would be infected with tuberculosis. Also, they could make beer go sour if you ticked them off. Yeah, that’s weird, too.

Cats can also make you sneeze. Cat allergens are twice as common as dog allergens. In the 14^th century, bubonic plague swept the European continent. In some regions, it killed sixty percent of the population. Since there was no understanding of sickness, any great evil was assumed to be the work of the devil, and the belief spread the plague was brought on by his feline minions. Thousands were killed, but cats got their revenge since the real culprit was fleas that feasted on rats and without cats to curb the rat population, the disease ravaged human populations.

Modern Creepy Cats

Since the Middle Ages, the cat’s reputation continued to improve until Hollywood got their paws on it to keep the spooky reputation alive. Cats serve as the primary source of terror in more than thirty films, from 1934’s The Black Cat to the 2019 adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. There’s even a subgenre in movies known as the Lewton Bus, Cat Scare, or the Spring-Loaded Cat. This is where a cat jumps out of nowhere scaring the bejesus out of a poor schlub. It’s so common that it’s now a horror parody. (Check out “It’s Just a Cat” on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp_8h-AbQ98 )

So What’s the Deal with Cats?

They can be kind of scary. They’re fierce hunters, a bit standoffish, see in the dark, their eyes glow and they’re not obsequious like dogs. They won’t slobber all over you in paroxysms of delight when you walk in the door. You might get a little ankle rub, but all they’re really doing is marking you as their territory with the scent glands in their cheeks. They own you and they know it. Be nice or they’ll kill you in your sleep.

L. A. Kelley writes science fiction and fantasy adventures with humor, romance, and a touch of sass. Don't tick her off or your beer will sour.

 

 

 

She didn’t just find aliens—she found their secrets! Check out TRADE SECRETS by @CassChandler in #PetsInSpace 6! #SciFiRomance

TRADE SECRETS

The Department of Homeworld Security series

by Cassandra Chandler

Gwen Williams wants nothing more than to explore the vast possibilities of outer space, but Earth’s technology isn’t going to get her there. Her solution? Make contact with aliens. The only problem is, her plan works a little too well—landing her on the radar of a group of aliens with plans of their own that involve her homeworld.

Xan was just trying to help his Vegan friends avoid getting into trouble for messing with human things they should have left alone. He didn’t expect to run up against Gwen, a brilliant, beautiful Earthling who stirs a depth of emotion in him that he didn’t know he possessed—and who also has evidence of his friends’ transgression. Adding in the fact that the super-smart “space cat” who’s adopted him has plans to bring Gwen into their little family and this Coalition pilot has some tricky space to navigate.

As if that wasn’t complicated enough, the trio discovers a plot on Xan’s ship that could compromise the security of all of their people—and the newly forged bonds between the sentients working toward peace in the galaxy. Will they be able to work together to secure a more peaceful future, or will their secrets drive them apart?

Available as part of Pets in Space 6 ANTHOLOGY!

Pets in Space® is back for a new year of adventures!

Join the incredible authors in this year's Pets in Space 6 for another out-of-this-world adventure. This award-winning, USA TODAY Bestselling anthology is packed full of your favorite Pets in Space®. Featuring 11 original, never-before-released stories from some of today's bestselling Science Fiction Romance and Fantasy authors, Pets in Space 6 continues their vital support of Hero-Dogs.org, the non-profit charity that improves quality of life for veterans of the U.S. military and first-responders with disabilities. Don't miss out on this limited-edition anthology before it’s too late!

AVAILABLE FROM:

Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble

Google Play | Kobo | Books2Read

OUR CHARITY: HERO-DOGS.ORG

Proud supporters of Hero-Dogs.org, Pets in Space® authors have donated over $15,300 in the past five years to help place specially trained dogs with veterans and first responders. 10% of all pre-orders and the first month’s royalties of Pets in Space 6 will again go to Hero-Dogs.org. Open your hearts and grab your limited release copy of Pets in Space 6 today so together we can continue helping this worthy charity! https://www.hero-dogs.org/

Guest Kathy Lyons - What My Cat Does to Me in the Winter!

What My Cat Does to Me in the Winter! 

By Kathy Lyons 

It’s cold where I live. There’s snow on the ground and my cat spends her days on my lap even when I have to reach over her back to type. Her favorite thing to do is go outside for a while and get nice and cold. Then she runs inside and worms her chilly, wet nose to some part of my body. Her favorite spots are under my shirt against my belly or if I’m sleeping, she’ll settle against my neck. Brrr! 

That’s Cinnamon’s favorite winter activity (as far as she’s told me). But I have a few favorite things to do when it’s nippy outside. Guess which is my current favorite! 

1. Curling up with a good book while lounging under a thick blanket. And my cat purring against my belly. 

2. An extra chocolately mocha hits me just right on a cold morning.  

3. Fun leggings 

4. Baking. It heats up the house with yummy smells! 

5. Racquetball tournament season. Every weekend, I’m making grown men cry as I trounce them on the court. 

Answer: C -- Fun leggings!  I bought a package of cheap fun print thermal leggings. They’re too hot to wear other times of the year, but in winter, I love blinding anyone who sees me!  Here’s a picture. Yes, those are leggings! My husband claims they’re so loud, he can hear them downstairs.  

As for the other things. A good book comes very close, but I love that all the time. Right now I’m reading Rebecca Zanetti’s Scorpius Syndrome books and loving them. If she weren’t such a great person, I’d hate for setting the quality bar so high. 

An extra chocolately mocha hits me right EVERY morning. Racquetball is a year round sport for me, though the winter is indeed tournament season. But I don’t compete that often anymore. I’m starting to feel my age. *sigh*. Though it is always fun to beat an arrogant guy in a sport! And baking … um, not my thing. Whenever I try it, the house gets filled with very yucky smells. Burned fish anyone? Yeah, I didn’t think so. 

So now it’s your turn. What are you doing to make yourself smile this winter?   ** One lucky commenter will get all a set of all three of Kathy Lyons’ GRIZZLIES GONE WILD ebooks! And in the meantime, check out The Bear Who Loved Me by Kathy Lyons. 

Blurb:

WHEN AN ALPHA MEETS HIS MATCH . . .
Between singlehandedly running her bakery and raising her teenaged nephew, Becca Weitz thought she had a decent grip on "normal." Then her nephew vanishes, and life as she's known it changes forever. Local legends are true: bear shifters exist . . . and her nephew is part of their clan. As is Carl Carman, the sexy, larger-than-life man who has sworn to find her nephew-and the other young shifters who've gone missing.

As the leader of his clan, Carl is surrounded by enemies. He's learned the hard way that keeping a firm leash on his inner beast is key to survival, though his feelings for Becca test his legendary control. Then danger stalks too close, and Carl realizes he must unleash the raging, primal force within to protect everything he holds dear. But can Becca trust his grizzly side with her life-and her heart?

Excerpt:

More. Power.  

Thoughts came slowly to Carl Carman, but each word reverberated with power. That was the best part of being a grizzly bear. Simple words meant simple, strong deeds. Human complexities were nonexistent in this state, though they echoed in the back of his mind. He was on a mission, had come to this Christmas tree field on a clan purpose. That he took joy in what he did was a trivial detail. 

Now. 

He braced his legs, shoved his claws deep, and then he thought it. One word, and the power crashed through every cell in his body. 

Destroy. 

He did. 

What he held, he uprooted. 

What he gripped, he crushed. 

Whatever he touched, he tore apart. 

Joy. 

He grinned, though he grunted with effort. He tasted blood—his own—and the coppery tang was sweet. Human language tried to intrude in this moment, but the grizzly had no interest in it. His language was action, power delivered with thrilling ease. And he liked to rip things apart. So he continued and was content. 

Until something else disturbed him. Red and blue flashes across his retinas. At first he flinched away from the lights, but they roused the rational part of him. Red. Blue. 

Police. 

With a roar of fury, he began to tuck the animal away. His bear fought the shift, holding on to his shape with every ounce of his determination. But in this, the man was stronger, the mind crueler. With steadfast will, he folded the grizzly into an envelope in his mind. It had taken him years to master it. A thing that large doesn’t origami into a tiny flat rectangle easily. 

His bones shifted and most of the fur thinned and disappeared, though some fell to the ground. His face tightened, and the strength in his arms and claws pulled inside, shrinking as it was tucked away. He straightened, the grizzly hump now gone as the energy coiled tight inside. His eyes burned. Damn, how they burned. But in time that last vestige of dark power would fade and his normal cool green color would return. Quiet control and long, complex sentences would be his norm. Though his first words as a human were always the last snarl of his bear. 

“Shit.” 

“And Merry Christmas to you, too,” said a familiar female voice, though that particular holiday had passed months ago. His vision settled, and he saw Tonya dressed in her patrol uniform as she leaned against her squad car. The lights were still flashing, and at dawn, those colors would be seen far and wide. 

“Flip off those lights,” he growled as he started searching for his pants. He was out here swinging in the breeze for all to see, and though that rarely bothered him, naked and vulnerable was not a good idea around her. 

She opened the door of the squad car and used one hand to flip off the lights while the other aimed her phone at him. Jesus, she was taking pictures. 

“I’ll tear that thing out of your hand,” he snarled, “and I won’t be gentle.” 

“Promises, promises,” she said with a sigh. But she did drop the phone. “Doesn’t matter. I already got my holiday screensaver.” She pushed off the car and sauntered over, her hips swinging in a tantalizing rhythm. 

Amazon - http://amzn.to/2g01H10

Barnes and Noble - http://bit.ly/2fDoBZo

Kobo – http://bit.ly/2hI0BEa

Books a Million - http://bit.ly/2ibgpCX

Kathy Lyons is the fun, contemporary side of USA TODAY bestselling author Jade Lee. She loves sassy romance with lots of laughter and sex. Spice is the variety of life, right? Okay, so maybe two kids, two cats, two pennames, and writing over 50 books has messed with her mind, but she still keeps having fun.

Check her out at www.KathyLyons.com. Or hang out with her sexy historical half, Jade Lee. Titled heroes with dark secrets are Jade's passion. Especially when they fall for women who add more than just spice to their lives. Find her at www.JadeLeeAuthor.com. Facebook: JadeLeeBooks Twitter: JadeLeeAuthor