Little Book of Cat Magic Review and Giveaway

As most of you know, THE LITTLE BOOK OF CAT MAGIC came out from Llewellyn (and me!) last October. Because there were some issues with the way the cover came back from the printer, there were problems with people getting the copies they'd preordered or getting the book when it first came out, and because of that, the book--which has a special place in my heart for obvious reasons (it was the last book that featured Magic the Cat)--hasn't gotten either the sales or the reviews or the recognition we would normally have expected.

This makes me kinda sad.

On the other hand, my Llewellyn publicist just forwarded me this fabulous review, by Anna Jedrziewski, which is going to be in the May/June issue of Retailing Insights.

The Little Book of Cat Magic: Spells, Charms & Tales

Deborah Blake

$15.99  P, 978-0-7387-5323-2

Llewellyn Publications, llewellyn.com

Many people interested in the occult sciences have cats. (Blake points out that no one ever really owns a cat.) Those who prefer dogs might not get this book. Those who already have an established admiration for felines should be bowled over by Blake’s humor and knowledge of cat history and trivia. (Evidence of cats living among people dates back 100,000 years. Egypt is where cats “first rose to power in their attempt to take over the world”. The prophet Muhammed loved cats. In early Japan, only the nobility could afford cats. The first association between cats and witches comes from Greek mythology. In the 1200’s, the Catholic Church officially declared cats evil and in league with the devil, resulting in a global massacre. It was Queen Victoria who rose in their defense, restoring them to their former glory.) Moving on to more serious considerations, this book records cat myths, folklore and tales, and cat deities. It includes volumes of serious information about connecting with and caring for felines. Of course, Blake delivers on the magic component with an indepth chapter on cats as familiars and another chapter on cat divination. There are even cat crafts and recipes. The book contains lots of quotes about cats. I’ll leave you with this one:

Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods.

Cats have never forgotten this. —Terry Pratchett

Isn't that great?! Of course, a professional review is a wonderful thing, but folks who go to places like Amazon and Goodreads like to read reviews by fellow readers like you. So I'd really love it if you read the book (and liked it), if you could take a minute to leave a review saying so. You have no idea  how much this helps. And there are only 13 reviews on Amazon. Sniffle.
You can leave a review using these links for Amazon or Goodreads or B & N (It doesn't have to be long or complicated.)

Of course, if you haven't read the book yet, you can't write a review. So you could go out and buy a copy (you know I'd love that) or you could, I don't know, enter this contest to win a signed copy, along with a cute stuffed black cat and a black cat bookmark.

Either way, I appreciate you giving this book some love. I'm sure that wherever she is, Magic the Cat does too.

All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Yes, you can take credit for things you've already done, like following me on Twitter or signing up for my newsletter. No, there is no purchase necessary, and you don't have to review the book to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Year Without Magic

No, the title of the post doesn't mean I didn't practice magic at all this year, although I did a lot less than usual, to be honest. Today marks the one year anniversary of the day I lost my beloved Magic the Cat, Queen of the Universe. (And then her brother, the gentle giant Mystic, eight days later on the day after their 16th birthdays.) It has been a tough year in many ways, but probably the toughest was that she wasn't here to comfort me when things were bad.

Mystic and Magic as kittens, soon after they came home with me

 I have been fortunate to have many wonderful cats in my life, but the relationship I had with Magic was unlike any I've ever had before. I doubt I'll find it again, although one can always hope.

They got bigger. Especially Mystic.

She was my nearly constant companion--sleeping by my head at night (and nap time),  and was the only true familiar I have ever had. She came to every ritual we did inside.

She looked like a completely black cat, but in the sun you could see she had darker stripes and a gray undercoat. She was so beautiful.

She also supervised my writing, sitting next to me at the computer with her head on the edge of the keyboard (or right in front of the screen, as you can see here), and sitting either next to me or behind my head on the couch when I used the laptop. I haven't written as much or as well since I lost her.

I got the kittens along with their mother Minerva, who I lost the year before, from a local shelter. I went in for one gray kitten, but Magic insisted on coming home with me (and the shelter folks begged me to take Minerva, who was terrified and sickly and completely unadoptable, but loved her kittens more than any mother cat I've ever known). She bossed me around then, and for almost another sixteen years.

The whole family

 As a kitten, she used to leap from the floor to my shoulders (especially so she could supervise me in the kitchen) and continued to do so as an adult until the last few years of her life when arthritis made it impossible.

She was as magical as her name, and I have missed her every day of the past year. The new cats, and 13 year old Angus, are great. But she left a void no other cat can fill. I expect to continue missing her (and her brother) in every day of the year to come, another year without Magic.

Miss you, baby.

 (I should add, lest this seem too sad, that I am beyond grateful that I had them at all, and that I got almost 16 years with them. It was one of the greatest gifts of my life. I can still feel her presence very strongly, mostly in bed at night, which is the only place I also sense Mystic, and sitting behind me on the couch. No doubt she is still supervising me. I'm grateful for that too.)

Release Day for The Little Book of Cat Magic!

It's finally here!*

The Little Book of Cat Magic is out in the world. I hope you're all as excited as I am! **

I love this cover!

There are so many things about this book to be excited about. CATS! MAGIC! Plus, it is my first ever hardcover, which is pretty cool. I have to admit, there is something bittersweet for me about this book coming out now, because my beloved Magic the Cat, Queen of the Universe, isn't here to help me promote it (for the first time ever since I started publishing with Llewellyn). But as people have so kindly said, her part of the book is like her last gift to me and my readers, so I am trying to look at it that way.

And goodness knows, the new kittens will undoubtedly try to be helpful.

Here's Harry Dresden, wondering if he can order himself a copy without me knowing...

And here are a few buy links, you know, just in case you feel like ordering yourself one.

Buy Links

Barnes & Noble |Amazon |iBooks |Llewellyn  

Here is the blurb for the book, in case you are wondering what a book of cat magic is all about:

Deepen the bond between you and your cat as you weave magic together. This wonderful and witchy book is filled with a wide variety of spells, charms, and recipes that you can use to improve the lives of both you and your feline friends. From finding and naming a new cat to working with him as a familiar, The Little Book of Cat Magic has something for everyone who loves cats and magic.

Learn about cats throughout history and the myths, folklore, and deities associated with them. Explore spells for living with a cat, improving his health, and grieving and saying goodbye to him when his nine lives have run their course. Enjoy crafts and recipes, divination techniques involving cats, unique ways to channel your inner feline, and much more.

*Llewellyn has them right now. Amazon and other places might be a little late getting them in because there was apparently some delay at the printers. But if you order it now, they'll send it out to you as soon as they get it in, and anyone who preordered them should get them within a few days.

**I would normally have a great giveaway up here today, but as I type this (on Friday night, actually) I am about to head out of town to Baltimore to say goodbye to my beloved friend Bethany, who is dying of cancer. Today is her 34th birthday. And when it came down to a choice between being there for my friend and her husband, or promoting my book, it wasn't much of a choice. So I promise I will put up an even more spectacular giveaway in the next couple of days, hopefully after I have received my own author copies and will have a couple to give away. In the meanwhile, I appreciate your patience.

Happy book day! I hope you'll share a little bit about your cats in the comments.

 

Three Months Until The Little Book of Cat Magic is Out

OMG! The Little Book of Cat Magic is coming out from Llewellyn three months from today! That might seem like a long time to you, but considering that the book has been in the works for about two years, it suddenly seems darned close to me!

It was about this time two years ago that my editor Elysia Gallo from Llewellyn sent me a late birthday gift. She had already warned me that it was something I would either love or hate... And when I opened the package, I was completely baffled.

Huh?

Why, I asked myself, would Elysia send me a book of Dog Magic? She knows I'm a cat person. Then I read the card and burst into laughter in the middle of my driveway. Basically, she said, "How would you like to write the Book of Cat Magic? You know you want to. Right?" And of course, she was right. As my agent said, when I ran the idea past her, "It's the Book of Cat Magic! Who else should write it?"

So that's how I came to write what turned out to be The Little Book of Cat Magic. I'm actually pretty proud of this book. It wasn't as simple or easy to write as it seems. But I think people are going to like it. For me, it is special for two reasons. One, it is my first HARDCOVER. (Seriously, how cool is that?) And second, and a bit sadder, is that this is Magic the Cat's last book with me. I just worked on the final proof edits, which require rereading the entire manuscript, and there is lots of advice from her, and mentions of both her and her brother Mystic. I won't kid you--it was tough.

But as my lovely readers reminded me on Facebook when I posted about it, that just makes it Magic's legacy, and her last gift to the world. And to me. That's pretty cool too, when you think about it.

So I'm going to be celebrating for the next three months, as we approach the release date of October 8th, starting with today, at the 3 months and counting down mark. I have found lots of fun cat-centric swag to give away, starting with this bunch of goodies. Harry Dresden "helped" me with the photo shoot. I can see this is going to be a problem...

That stuffed black kitty seems to be moving!

And now he has fallen over.

Quick! Take the picture!

Oh, great. Now Koshka is helping too.

In case you can't quite tell because of the helpful cats, this is a black cat themed goodie bag, with a stuffed black cat, a black cat bookmark, a fun pen, and a black and white duck-cat for the bath or shower. I'm giving away three of these, although accent colors might vary. Mostly just because they are so cute, I can't help myself.

Obviously, I'd love it if you preordered the book (publishers love that too). Here are a few "Buy Links" if you're in the mood.

Buy Links

Barnes & Noble |Amazon |iBooks |Llewellyn  

But even if you don't feel like preordering the book, feel free to enter the contest by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. As always, no purchase is necessary. I'll love you anyway, I promise.

If you can't wait three months to get a look at the book, I will be putting up sneak peeks and snippets on my PATREON for those who follow me at the $5/month level and above.

So tell me, are you looking forward to this book as much as I am?

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New Kitty Updates and a Bittersweet Anniversary

The new kitties are settling in well (you know, other than being completely crazy and destroying my house). I'm taking all three of them to my vet next week for a general look-over and to get all their info into the system. I'm curious to have weights on them (especially Koshka, who might end up getting large) and to see if my vet has an opinion about whether Koshka is a Maine Coon or a Norwegian Forest Cat.

They're mostly lovely, albeit still kitten wild. Harry often sleeps with me, sometimes Koshka does too. Ember doesn't seem to like the waterbed for some reason, and rarely stays up there for long. Koshka sometimes sits on my lap while I eat, although that means spending most of my time shoving his face away from my food. They're all very sweet.

But it's not the same.

It wasn't going to be, of course, and I knew that, but some days, like today, it is hard. Today is an anniversary that is important enough that it was written on my calendar every year: 16 years ago today, I brought home two kittens and their scared, sickly mother from the shelter. 16 years ago, my life became so much brighter because of Minerva, Mystic, and most especially Magic the Cat, Queen of the Universe, with whom I had a relationship unlike any other in my loooong history of cat-being-owned-by. I have missed Magic and Mystic every day since I lost them in January, but today was tougher than most.

They were so darned cute.

It's hard to believe they were ever that little. Especially Mystic.

But look at the size of his paws. I should have known he'd get huge.

The family together, Magic, Minerva, and look-alike son Mystic

They used to curl up together a lot. I was so glad I kept them together.

Having Ember, Koshka, and Harry Dresden is definitely helping--don't get me wrong. At least the house doesn't have that horrible empty feeling anymore and they really are adorable little cats. Even Angus doesn't seem to mind them much. But it is going to take time for me to stop mourning the old cats and get attached to the new ones.

Still, in the meanwhile, they're pretty cute too.

Koshka is trying to figure out if there are any good cat shows on

Harry's probably exhausted from all that running and romping.

Ember was running and romping with him, obviously.

All four cats on the couch. A lovely sight.

I'll let you know what the vet says after we go on Wednesday. In the meantime, I'm going to be a little sad today, but I'm sure someone cute will come cheer me up later.

Kitty Celebration of Life Giveaway

As most of you know, I lost my beloved companion Magic the Cat,Queen of the Universe, on January 3rd, one month ago today. And then her brother Mystic nine days later. I can't believe it has been a month, and I still miss them terribly. But I don't just want to focus on mourning.

Magic

Mystic

The truth is, there is much to celebrate too. I had them for almost 16 years (I got them as kittens, and it would have been 16 years this March). They were both amazing cats, loving and sweet, and Magic and I had a relationship that was deeper than I have had with most people--something truly special. She was a part of my magic and my writing career, as well as my constant companion.

And while I lost them both to cancer (2 different kinds), they both hung on longer than could have been reasonably expected, especially in  Magic's case, when we first discovered her cancer when one of the cystic tumors burst and almost killed her. Getting over two months with her after that was nothing short of miraculous, and my vet still can't explain why the tumors kept growing without bursting and killing her. I can. She was magic. (And stubborn as hell.)

I am also incredibly grateful for all of the support I got from my readers, fans, and friends during the terrible months when I was losing them, and in my grief after. Not just the financial support from the folks who signed up for my Patreon (THANK YOU!) although that was so helpful in defraying the costs of keeping them alive and comfortable for as long as I did, but also all those who sent messages of comfort and sympathy. I appreciated it more than you could know.

When my grandmother died at almost 100 (7 years ago this Valentine's Day), she didn't want a funeral. That was all about death. She wanted a Celebration of Life, where people gathered together to celebrate those 100 years.

So I'm having a Celebration of Life for my beloved kittens, and saying thank you to all of you at the same time by giving away a fun pack of goodies: cat themed dish towels, pot holder, and wine glass markers, a "Crazy Cat Lady" kit, and a copy of my latest book, A Year and a Day of Everyday Witchcraft plus a cover flat of the book, since it has a black kitty on the front. One last goody is especially close to my heart--a small glass necklace with a black kitty on it that looks just like Magic in her trademark pose.

Goodies!

glass markers

Look, it's Magic!

As usual, all you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form. And you get credit for anything you've already done, like signing up for my newsletter. (You're going to want to do that one if you haven't yet, because there is a BIG announcement coming, and my newsletter and Patreon peeps will hear about it first!)

Thanks again for helping me grieve and now, to celebrate the lives that were so important to me. You all rock.

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Magic the Cat, Queen of the Universe

I'll talk about this a little more, when I can pull it together better, and have a celebration of her life (with giveaways, of course). But for now, I can say this:

It actually went as well as it possibly could have, under the circumstances. Heartbreaking, of course, but Magic—in her usual inimical fashion—made it clear that she was ready (while I was making breakfast, she walked into the kitchen, yelled at me, and then walked back into the living room to stand in front of the carry case where it was warming up in front of the pellet stove—of course, then she went and hid behind the couch and made me move it to fetch her out).

 

She even sat next to me on the couch as I ate breakfast, purring and letting me pet her, which she hasn’t wanted much in the last week. The folks at the vet’s were great, she clearly wasn’t afraid or upset, and my friend Ellen stepped away from her dog grooming in the back to be with me, which really helped. It felt like things had come full circle, since Ellen had found Magic, her mom, and brother for me all those years ago. Magic’s passing was gentle and peaceful and I was there with her (which might not have been true if that tumor had burst) and my vet agreed that we were seriously out of time (the tumor was so huge, you could see it pushing out her sides).

 

I am bereft, but I also feel like I made the right choice for the cat—for the first time ever in all the years I’ve had them, I picked exactly the right time. So in a way, we actually beat the damned tumor at the end. I’d asked for her to make it through the holiday season, which should have been impossible, given the size and volatility of the cystic tumors on her spleen, for her not to have a crisis while the vet was closed those extra days and to allow me to do what I needed to do at the shop. We had the long weekend to say our goodbyes, and she was so clearly ready to go. It was as good as it could possibly have been, for something so terrible, and my grief is tempered by gratitude for a kind universe and a stubborn-to-the-end cat. 

 

But oh my goddess, how I miss her already.

 

Last picture, this morning

 

New Year's Day at Casa Blake

I usually spend New Year's Day happily by myself, but this is a tough one, because I'm losing my beloved Magic on Wednesday. (She's barely eaten in the last few days and is clearly uncomfortable; the tumors are huge now. They'll burst on their own and kill her soon, and I want better for her than that, so the appointment has been made, and I'm keeping her comfortable until then and treasuring every damned moment.)

We started the morning like so many others, with Magic sitting on my lap while I ate breakfast and read my book. She still purred, which made my heart happy. It has always been my favorite way to start off my days, and I'll miss it. Well, actually, I started off the morning staring at the thermometer and making rude noises. But then breakfast. (It was -13 here when I got up. Ugh.)

Breakfast snuggles

That's just rude

Then in the early afternoon, my friend Ellen (who found me Magic, along with her brother Mystic and mom Minerva almost 16 years ago) came over for a low-keyed New Year's celebration geek style: Chinese food, Scrabble, and watching this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special (which I had gallantly held off on watching so we could do so together). We got Peking Duck, one of our favorites, and Magic happily nibbled on a bit of duck meat.

Peking duck? Well, maybe just a bite or two.

 It made me happy to see her taking such pleasure in our treat. (Although admittedly, all the Chinese food in our little town is fairly mediocre. Still, I didn't have to cook it. And I love duck almost as much as Magic does. Ribs, too, although she didn't get any of those.)

Feast!

 The Doctor Who episode was actually pretty terrific, and it was nice to share it with Ellen.

Last time we'll see this

It was great

 Magic spent most of the meal sitting next to me, although she quickly got bored with the duck. She always supervises everything I do, from eating to writing. Not sure how I'll do either without her. Yes, she IS the boss of me.

Sitting next to me, supervising as usual

 Eventually she wandered off to sit on the bed with (but at a reasonable distance from) her brother and his pal Angus.

It was a three cat afternoon when the sun hit the bed

 Apparently she was my good luck charm, because then Ellen went on to beat me. By six points :-)

Ellen pondering a clever word

We play nine letter Scrabble, so we can get even more vicious and make even longer words.

All in all, it was as good a New Year's Day as I could have hoped for, and I even finished up by writing 3,000 words on the current manuscript, after a nap. (What am I working on? Tune in soon, and I'll tell you. I'm just about ready to talk about it.)

I hope your first day of 2018 was a good one, and that if, like me, it is starting off tough, it gets better as it goes along. I am looking forward to sharing mine with you in the days to come.