Spotlight/Guest Post/Giveaway: Cattywampus Travels by Patricia Fry

About the Book

Genre: Cozy Mystery, #23 in A Klepto Cat Mystery Series
Publisher: Matilija Press
Release Date: May 23, 2017


Synopsis from Goodreads...

A rollercoaster ride of kitty-cat escapades. 

Rags accompanies his human family and friends on an extended vacation and manages to find plenty of trouble along the way. But, in typical Rags fashion, he also discovers ways to help in the most unexpected manner. Follow Rags on his first book-signing tour. Get ready for his first cross-country flight. Tag along with this most unpredictable cat as he meets new people and manages to touch their lives as only Rags can do.

Guest Post

This is my second guest post here at Socrates Book Review. Some of you may remember, back in February of 2014, when I shared the events, decisions, dreams that resulted in the launch of my Klepto Cat Mysteries. I was promoting the third book in the series at that time, Sleight of Paw. What an exciting time!

Today I’m equally excited to talk about the twenty-third book in the series—Cattywampus Travels—and the events, decisions, and dreams that have kept me so focused on producing this series. You may be surprised to learn that, while my main characters have grown over the years, and new cameo and key characters (both human and animal) have joined the cast, my vision for the Klepto Cat Mysteries has remained constant. The stories feature Rags, an ordinary cat with some extraordinary habits, and his feline, canine, and equine friends. However, there are no talking cats. The stories are human-driven—they are told through the perspective of Savannah, a licensed veterinarian who is now married to a veterinarian. When she isn’t trying to reel in her precocious cat (Rags) or trying to help their friend, Detective Craig Sledge, solve a mystery, she’s a mommy with great family ties and interesting friends. She’s currently also writing Rags’s memoirs.

Cat rescue is a focus in these stories, which many of my fans say are refreshing because the characters are so nice to each other. Some say they’d like to know the characters I’ve created. I’m not sure any of my readers would take on Rags, however. He can be a handful with his high level of curiosity and thieving ways. He also has instincts and an uncanny sense of understanding things.
Since my last guest post here three years ago, I’ve come up with another twenty stories. And no one, yet, has told me that the episodes are getting stale. Instead, I’m asked over and over again, “How do you come up with all those stories?”

I had to stop and think about that question. It’s not something I struggle with. I don’t have a secret method or resource… I just sit down to write the next book in the series and the story starts pouring out of me. I guess once it becomes a struggle, I’ll probably end the series and go on to another type of writing—maybe I’ll develop a new series. But I do not see that happening in the foreseeable future.

I attribute my ability to come up with storylines to many factors—primarily my nearly forty year career spent writing articles and nonfiction books. I had to constantly produce story ideas and develop them, so I trained myself to keep my eyes and ears open—to be observant. I became skilled at developing articles from views, opinions, thoughts, occurrences, events, observations, inspirations, and concepts. And I trained myself to see my writing from the reader’s point of view. In nonfiction, this means that what I write is clear and easily understood by any random reader. In fiction, I must engage and entertain the reader—endear him or her to the characters and draw him or her into the story.

So what’s new for this author? I produced my first audio book this year. Catnapped (Book One) has been revised—spruced up, you might say, and it is now available as an audio book. All of the books in the Klepto Cat Mystery series are published in print and ebook form. And we hope to produce all of them as audio books in the future.

Book Twenty-Three launched in May of this year. Check out Cattywampus Travels. You’ll wonder how one cat can get into so much trouble. Oh, Rags. You are a kick!

What’s next for the Rags and his friends? I’m doing the last edit on book 24 of the Klepto Cat Mystery series. So watch for it sometime next month. If you’re new to the Klepto Cat Mystery series, visit my fabulous new website, http://www.KleptoCatMysteries.com. Follow my daily blog: http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades. I’m also on facebook. KleptoCatMysteries. And contact me here: PLFry620@yahoo.com

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!!

You can win a Klepto Cat Mystery book and read about Rags' adventures!  Thanks to the author, one lucky person can win either a Kindle copy of any one of the 23 Klepto Cat Mysteries (International) or one print copy of any one of the 23 Klepto Cat Mysteries (US only).  Winner gets to choose which book they want of the Klepto Cat Mystery Series.

Just a few simple rules...

1) You must fill out the rafflecopter form below.

2) Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old

3) Kindle Copy (International)  or Print (US Residents Only)

4) For one extra entry: Tweet about this giveaway.

5) For one extra entry: Leave a comment for the author.

6) For one extra entry:  Follow this blog...old followers, too!  Just let us know how you follow and under what name.

7) For one extra entry: Follow me on Twitter.

8) For one extra entry: Follow or friend me on Goodreads

No purchase necessary.  Void where prohibited.

The giveaway begins on July 6th (midnight est) and ends on July 13th (midnight est).

The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter. The winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. I will announce the winner here on my blog.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway