The Sleeping Lion -- Waking Up to Change

Back in 1990 I decided to write a science fiction story called, "The Sleeping Lion" based on an idea that I had.  The story is about a young woman named Kelly who lives with an abusive boyfriend.  She escapes for an evening hike in the mountains to find a meteor hurtling into her path.  It crashes, but then she finds that it's not a meteor.

Of course, as with most of my stories, there has to be an animal with a primary role in the story.  In this one, it is Art, a Somali cat.

I had plenty of experience with some of the subject matter -- including life in Colorado with an abusive boyfriend.  Spending weekends hiking up in the mountains in Estes Park was one of the best experiences I've ever had -- nasty boyfriend notwithstanding.

About five years after the Colorado stint, and when I decided to write the story, I was in Michigan and married.  Unfortunately my taste in men hadn't improved a whole lot.  He was still abusive, only in more subtle (therefore longer-lasting and ultimately more damaging) ways.  Because he was essentially a rocket scientist, I was able to glean some good information from him for the story.

I didn't have any luck in the publishing world at that point, so the book lay inactive for years, until just recently when I dug it out again, rather accidentally.

Though it is a sci-fi story about a crashing meteor, "The Sleeping Lion" is ultimately about relationships, with the central theme being about personal inner strength.  It is a message I keep re-exploring.  I don't seem to consciously realize it, but it appears that my deepest desire is to be strong.  I admire strength which doesn't sacrifice kindness, empathy which doesn't sacrifice dignity.

In reading it, I was happy to note that I have changed, mainly in that there is no way I would now put up with that kind of treatment from anyone.

I knew that my writing skills have also matured, but I still have much to learn.  It is, however, still an entertaining read. 

I especially liked revisiting Art, my long-lost Somali cat, and the trails in Estes Park.  I need to get back there someday.   I hope that, unlike me, they haven't changed too much.

"The Sleeping Lion" is also available on Kindle. 

My Best Cat

The naughty and hilarious murder mystery, "My Best Cat" is finally getting some attention now that it's available on Kindle.  I've been asked if the characters are based on real people, and if people in the cat fancy are really that crazy.  In a word, yes!

I would say the characters are generalizations of people that I have known.  Roxanne Moore, the belligerent and promiscuous redhead who gets murdered in the restroom, is based on several people I know.  Tracy Pringle is a character that several Ohio cat fanciers might recognize.  Her pasty and tepid husband might not show up as recognizable, but that may be because those types tend to fade in real life.  I had so much fun writing this book!  What a great catharsis it was.

If I get ambitious, my hero Kim Norwich may appear in another future mystery.

I have to say my favorite character was probably Ginny.  Her vapid obsession with her Persians, and characters from, "The Sound of Music" was so sad and poignant that I found myself wishing her well.

The cats themselves were fun too:  The spunky Japanese Bobtail, the sweet Devon Rex, and of course my inimitable Somali.

Even though I fled the cat showing world a number of years ago, I have maintained some good friends who still reside on that planet.   Those are the individuals walk on the saner edge of the lunatic fringe.

I had some complaints about the formatting of the book, wherein people had trouble following the characters as the point of view switches with each chapter.  I agree it was an unusual way to present the story, and it gave me a good exercise in narrative voice. 

"My Best Cat" is an extreme departure from my Clifford stories, as it is adult fiction.  I am glad there are some cat lovers who are having fun reading it.

Old Kitty Art

Last night while looking for some charcoal paper I came across a pad that still had this drawing in it -- from 1995! It's a portrait of red and ruddy Somali kittens. I drew this during my period of temporary insanity (when I was still married and showing cats.) I am not sure what I was going to do with this piece, but it's on eBay now.

eBay link

CH Lynn-Lee's Christmas Pepper

Nearly seventeen years ago I was adopted by a very special red Somali girl. Pepper went on to be the calmest and most reliable of all show cats. My little sister Amanda handled her. I remember one occasion where, on the way up to a ring, Amanda dropped her. She just stood there, until I scooped her up (I was carrying another cat, probably Etee) and plunked her back into Amanda's arms. Pepper just wasn't rattled by anything.

She was an excellent mother. Her own mother was named, "Lynn-Lee's Thanksgiving Parade", and Pepper continued the holiday tradition. Her daughter, Foxbrush Holiday Rush, now lives with my friend Kari Selinger, and her granddaughter, Foxbrush Lacy Valentine, lives with my friend Cindy.

The cat showing and breeding world was an interesting one. It was really the only common interest shared by my ex husband, and I stayed with it a lot longer than I wanted to, for his sake. A good thing did come out of it though, in the way of a book called, "My Best Cat." It's disguised as, "A Furry Murder Mystery", but is really a character study on the personalities that frequent cat shows.

Pepper died today as she had lived, peacefully and with great dignity. She is the last of my cats, and her passing marks the end of an era. She will be missed.

The Sleeping Lion, Chapter Four

As I continue to go through and load this novel, I am editing chapters as I go along. It was loaded on an old computer and the file is full of glitches. It's been quite fun though to watch the story evolve, as I have forgotten most of the details. It's very different from my other books, although it does feature a Somali cat! If you like sci-fi and like to read, check it out.