EXCERPTS FROM A CAT’S DIARY – author unknown

DAY 752 – My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling
objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry
cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and
the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of
furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another house plant.

DAY 761 – Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their
feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top
of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile
oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite
chair…must try this on their bed.

DAY 765 – Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in
attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was…Hmmm. Not working according to plan.

DAY 768 – I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good
reason was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called “shampoo.” What sick minds could invent
such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck
between my teeth.

DAY 771 – There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was
placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call “beer..” More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of
“allergies.” Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.

DAY 774 – I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe
snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to
return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird on the other hand has got
to be an informant, and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he
reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room
his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time…

Favorite Quotes

“Learning is not compulsory… neither is survival.”
- W. Edwards Deming

“Just because you get something doesn’t mean you deserve it. And just because you deserve something doesn’t mean you will get it.”
- Condoleezza Rice

“Everything stinks till it’s finished.”
- Dr Seuss

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
- Will Rogers

“Gravity cannot be held responsible for people falling in love.”
- Albert Einstein

“One of the easiest things in the world is not to write… If it were easy, everyone would do it.”
- William Goldman

“Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”
- Napolean Hill

“A year from now you’ll wish you had started today.”
- Karen Lamb

“Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.”
- James Dean

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
- Mark Twain

“If there is a fear of falling, the only safety consists in deliberately jumping.”
- Carl Jung

“The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry than work.”
-Robert Frost

“Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo.”
- H. G. Wells

“If a man does his best, what else is there?”
- General George S. Patton

“People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid.”
- Soren Aabye Kierkegaard

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”
- Albert Einstein

“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.”
- Albert Einstein

Part of interview with Suspense Romance Writers

Q – What would you like to tell your readers?

A – When someone tells you that you can’t do something, they are really saying that they can’t do it.

Your abilities are different.

Look within yourself. You will probably have to shove doubts and ‘learned truths’ out of the way, but look deep within to find your essence. Then, as you cradle this wonderful jewel in your hands, see how each facet shows several talents and know that you can do many things.

Believe in yourself and follow your dreams.

~~~~~~

Q – What is your best advice for aspiring authors?:

A – There’s something special about a fictional story. This may be due to the fact that they are rooted in emotion. Regardless, we often view our stories as protectively as we do our children. Thus, I see the transition from writer to author begin at the point where the writer stops shielding ‘the baby’ and begins looking at the story as a product.

For me, this is a three-stage process. I write the first draft of my babies for myself and let the emotion flow.

The second stage is where I put emotion aside and rewrite for the reader. In my case, this means I cut out quite a bit of extraneous information that would bog down the story. I’ve been known to cut entire scenes and chapters. If I still viewed the story as my baby, I don’t think I could do this, as it would be too much like lopping off an arm.

The third draft eliminates typos and redundancies.

I repeat steps 2 and 3 as necessary.

Actually C. J. Cherryh said it better, “It is perfectly okay to write garbage–as long as you edit brilliantly.”