Harry Dresden Turns Two!

I can't believe it, but today Harry Dresden turns two! (He is the only one of the new "kittens" I have the actual birth date for.) He is by far the quietest of the three young ones, but he is also the one who comes and snuggles with me in bed at night--not during nap time, though, when he sleeps at the bottom of the bed and the other two snuggle.

He was a rescue being fostered by someone for the Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans organization, the one I'm fostering kittens for right now. I went to visit him when I knew Magic and Mystic were close to the end, and I was looking for new cats to bring in after that happened. (I realize that some people need to wait longer, and I get that. In this case, I was going to be down to just Angus, who had never been an only cat, and my heart was so broken I knew I'd need new kitties right away.)

 The first thing he did was crawl into my coat. Then he hung around for a while as I chatted to his foster mom. There were a couple of other cats in the room, but they didn't pay any attention to me. As I was explaining to his foster, Kristin, that I had a couple of other kittens to look at the next day and while I was leaning toward taking him I couldn't be sure until then, he came over and fell asleep on  my lap.

Kristin looked at me and laughed. I laughed too, since I know that cats choose you. (And the next day, Koshka and Ember did just that.) I told her I couldn't pick him up until Magic and Mystic were gone, since they deserved all my attention right then, and she understood.

Not many days later, I went and picked him up. You can probably tell I'd been crying look like crap, but Harry Dresden saved me from being even more miserable. (I had to wait about 3 weeks to get the other two, because Ember hadn't been fixed yet.)

He's a damned good cat.

About 4 months old

So I thought I'd do a birthday celebration giveaway in his honor, for all the cat lovers among my readers and friends.

Check it out. A signed copy of The Little Book of Cat Magic, a cat candle holder (with candle, because that's the way I roll), a cute stuffed black cat, and a black cat bookmark.

As usual, no purchase is necessary, it is open internationally, and all you have to do to enter is use the Rafflecopter form below.

Happy birthday, Harry Dresden!

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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.

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Bad News Good News Giveaway

By now, many of you have probably figured out that there is a problem with my new book from Llewellyn, THE LITTLE BOOK OF CAT MAGIC. You may have preordered, and gotten a message that the book's delivery is delayed. Or gone to buy it and gotten a message that said it was unavailable. All I can do is give you my huge apologies for any inconvenience, and try and explain.

It turned out that when the book came into the Llewellyn warehouse, there was a problem with the cover. The printer is working on fixing it, and they're not sure yet if they are going to have to do an entire new reprint, or if the current copies can be used. It might be resolved right away, or it could take a month or two. I can't tell you when you will get it. (Although a few copies have apparently gone out to small distributors and individuals who ordered directly from Llewellyn, they were concerned that the flaw--although minor--would be enough to get the book rejected by Amazon and B&N.)

What I can tell you is that you WILL get it if you have ordered it already or if you order it now. I hope you won't give up on the book, because I wrote it from the heart and Magic the Cat and I worked REALLY hard on it.

In the meanwhile, here is a giveaway to hold you over while you wait. Llewellyn did send me my author copies (which have the same small flaw--the top cover won't sit quite flat) and I'm going to be giving away a signed copy, along with a bunch of cute cat-themed goodies, like a black cat notebook, a black cat bookmark, a broom pen, a fun little kitty and more. The second prize (yes, there are TWO) is an Amazon Fire 7 tablet, in case you don't want to wait for the print copy, and choose to buy the book in eBook form instead. (Since there is no physical cover, all the eBook orders went out on time.)

*For those of you who did get the book in eBook form, if you have a moment, could you put up a review on Amazon (and/or Goodreads)? Because most people haven't gotten the book, there are no reviews at all!

Win a Fire 7 or a signed book with goodies!

 You know you want all this fun stuff, right?

The book, not behaving as expected. Just like a cat.

As always, to enter you simply fill out the Rafflecopter form. No purchase is necessary and one random winner will be picked for each prize.

Again, big apologies from me and from Llewellyn, and my promise that we're working to fix the problem as fast as we can. Thanks for your patience!

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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.

 

3 weeks to The Little Book of Cat Magic Giveaway

*looks at calendar* *does double take* WHAT?

Holy crap! How is it the middle of September? I meant to do a post at the beginning of the month, reminding everyone that The Little Book of Cat Magic was going to be out in a month. Except, well, I went out of town, and things got away from me, and now we're THREE WEEKS AWAY! (Insert Kermit flail here.) October 8th is right around the corner.

So Harry Dresden and I put our heads together and came up with a fun cat-themed giveaway full of goodies.

No, the cat is not included. Why do you keep asking me?

There's a cute stuffed cat (the paws come in various colors), three different bookmarks, a witch's broom pen, a cat rubber ducky (would that make it a rubber catty?) and a cool Siamese cat candle holder.

To make up for missing the one month mark, I'm actually going to give away TWO sets of these--one here, and one on my Deborah Blake Author Page on Facebook. So feel free to enter in either place, or both. I have a few more cool things planned for the weeks ahead, because man, I'm SO excited about this book! I hope you are too. (I know Harry doesn't look excited, but really he is.)

As always, no purchase is necessary (although I'd love it if you'd preorder the book, of course) and all you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Yes, you get credit for things you've already done, like signing up for my newsletter, or following me on Twitter. Extra karma points for spreading the word!

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2 Months until Cat Magic Book! (Giveaway)

We're getting closer, people! Today marks two months from the release date for The Little Book of Cat Magic! I'm getting excited. Are you?

You might be a little more excited when you see this month's fun giveaway package. Check it out.

GOODIES!

That's right. There's a copy of the Llewellyn Witch's Coloring Book (I just love mine), which contains some images from the Everyday Witch Tarot. Plus a cover flat of my last book, A Year and a Day of Everyday Witchcraft, a fun notebook with the cover of one of my witchy novels on it, a black cat bookmark, a broom pen, a cat rubber ducky (I KNOW! How fun is that?), and my favorite, a hand-knit little black and white kitty that I got at a fundraiser for our local shelters. Such a fun bunch of goodies.

As always, all you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form. Things you are already doing (like getting my newsletter) count. And of course, no purchase is necessary, although naturally I'd love it if you'd preorder the book.

Are we excited yet?

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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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Cover Reveal!

In more cheerful news, I have the cover for THE LITTLE BOOK OF CAT MAGIC, coming out from Llewellyn on October 8th. (No buy links yet, but they should go live soon, and I'll be sure to come here and add them.)

What do you think? Does that black cat remind you of anyone?

I had a lot of fun writing this one, and it is going to be my first HARDCOVER book, so I am pretty excited!