Search Results for: blog the tabby cat an uncommonly common delight

A Cat Named Snoopy: Murphy’s Newest Fan Club Member

Murphy’s fan club recently added a new member: a cat named Snoopy. Snoopy’s a little gray tortoise-shell Tabby cat who lives in the neighborhood. She lives near the back of our walking route and is both an indoor and outdoor cat. Snoopy has a sister named Lucy who looks an awful lot like Mr. Meow. The first time I saw her I panicked. I thought Mr. Meow had somehow got out and had made his way to the back of the neighborhood. But upon closer inspection, I realized Lucy’s hair was shorter than Mr. Meow’s and her figure was more … Continue reading →

The Tabby Cat: An Uncommonly Common Delight

Although the tabby cat may not be an unusual sight, it is indeed as special as the individual animal sporting the colors itself! The word has fascinating roots. It derives from the French, tabis, which in turn comes from the Latin attabi. Both words refer to the original meaning, which is even further away, hailing from the Attabiyah section of Baghdad where it refers to a type of striped silk. This was later used (no one knows exactly when) to describe the marking on a cat’s coat. Whatever the origins of the word, the tabby cat is often mistaken for … Continue reading →

Animals in Historical Mysteries: An Interview with Mary Reed (and Eric Mayer)

Another author who recently humored my request for an interview is Mary Reed, who co-authors the John the Eunuch series with Eric Mayer. And actually I got double my money this go around because this dynamic duo is also a married one as well. I’m going to keep my intro short because in reading their answers you’ll come to see how much they not only love animals (especially cats), but also use animals in their work and have a lot of fun with it. Courtney Mroch: What kind of things do you write about? Mary Reed/Eric Mayer: We write historical … Continue reading →

PETitionz.org: Your Link to Voicing Pet Food Recall Concerns

Are you upset about the recent Menu Foods pet recall and the continuing search for clues as to why it happened? Do you feel procedures should be reevaluated and/or upgraded so something like this can’t happen again? Want to do something about it? You’re not alone. Built in just five days, Ron Smith, together with the help of volunteers, launched PETitionz.org on April 1. I found out about it thanks to a comment Mr. Smith left on a Week in Review blog not too long ago. I contacted him and asked if he would consider being featured in a blog … Continue reading →

Awards, Bodyguards, and Weimaraners: An Interview With Christy Tillery French

Christy Tillery French claims she always loved writing but then “life got in the way (I got married and had two kids) and didn’t begin writing again until I started my own business and during unbusy periods would write to amuse myself. Before I knew it, I had written five novels….” An interesting way to start on a track that has brought her many acclaims, including Who’s Who recognition on lists like Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who of American Women (just to name a couple), a 2006 Reviewers’ Choice Award, and a Maxwell Award nomination. Oh, and she’s … Continue reading →