Whoo-hoo! I released Overboard on the Ocean, the sixth book in my Mollie McGhie cozy mystery series. It’s all a bit crazy when you’re getting a book ready for publication – editing, formatting, proofreading, uploading files etc. But one of the fun parts of the process for me is coming up with a dedication.
Since one of the stars of this series is a Japanese bobtail cat named Mrs. Moto, it only seems fitting that the Mollie McGhie books are dedicated to cats. Cause, you know, I’m a bit of a crazy cat lady. So in honor of my latest release, I thought I’d share the dedications with you.
So, drum roll please . . . let’s have some fun with book dedications!
Why is it that whenever I sit down to read a book, the cat who was previously being incredibly aloof wants me to pet them, feed them, do anything but read my book?
For cats everywhere who wish their humans would stop reading stupid books and pet them instead. Or feed them. Food is always good. Especially the expensive stuff from the cans that we’ll throw up later. The litter box probably needs changing too. And those hairballs aren’t going to clean themselves up, are they? Put the book down and hop to it, human!
For all the cats out there who love nothing more than waking up their humans at the crack of dawn to demand their breakfast. There’s nothing quite like a furry alarm clock pawing at your face to get you going in the morning.
In this book, Scooter (that’s Mollie’s hubby) decides to start dressing Mrs. Moto up in cat costumes. Trust me, she wasn’t impressed, but she put up with it. (By the way, if you’re curious what the rutabaga reference is all about, you’ll have to read the book. You’ll never look at rutabagas the same way again.)
For cats everywhere who put up with wearing silly costumes and in memory of my father-in-law who never met a rutabaga he didn’t like.
Mrs. Moto loves to wander around the marina where Mollie and Scooter keep their sailboat. She’s supposed to wear her collar but somehow she keeps losing it. Can’t say that I blame her. Would you want to wear a collar?
This was the very first book I published, so instead of something crazy cat lady-like, I dedicated this book to my mother. I’m sure all the cats out there will understand. Cause, you know, moms. Everyone loves their moms.
If you’re interested in getting a copy of Overboard on the Ocean, you can pick one up at your favorite retailer:
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) is a place to share and encourage, where writers can express their doubts and concerns without appearing foolish or weak. It’s a great place to mingle with like minded people each month during IWSG day.
Every month there’s an optional question which may prompt folks to share advice, insights, a personal experience or story. Some folks answer the question in their IWSG blog post or let it inspire them if they’re struggling with what to say.
This month’s question is:
Albert Camus once said, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” Flannery O’Connor said, “I write to discover what I know.” Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?
Check out how people have answered this month’s question, as well as the other insecurities and writing topics they may have shared by visiting the IWSG sign-up list HERE. You can see how I answered this question below.
So why do I write humorous cozy mysteries (and now rom-coms)? Cause I have all these silly ideas in my head that make me giggle. And if I don’t get them down on paper, I worry that my head might explode. Which would be gross. But an interesting way to die . . . an exploding head caused by an overabundance of silly ideas.
Hmm. Better jot that idea down in one of my notebooks.
Can you tell I write murder mysteries? I’m always looking for new and novel ways to kill people. I’ll have to figure out a way to work this whole exploding head thing into my next book.
One of the tricky things about trying to write funny books is that we don’t all have the same sense of humor. When you write a book and put it out there in the world {which is incredibly scary, by the way}, it’s also a chance to find like-minded people. Folks who get tickled by the same things you do. Like-minded goofballs. When they send you emails, leave blog comments, or message you on Facebook to tell you that your book made them laugh, it’s almost better than chocolate.
Almost, people, almost. We all know there’s nothing better than chocolate. Except kittens. I think we can all agree on that.
Anyway, that’s why I write. Why do you write and / or read?
I have an imaginary gray cat named Simon who has the ability to travel through time. He’s a pretty grumpy cat who is always complaining about not getting enough saucers of full-fat milk in his life, having his naps interrupted, and the “stupid” books I write. Simon pops up quite frequently in vignettes that I often include in my monthly Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) posts.
Until recently, I wrote my IWSG posts on The Cynical Sailor, a blog I started in 2013 when my husband and I bought our first sailboat in New Zealand. Now that I have this author blog, I’ve realized that my IWSG posts are a better fit over here. But I don’t want lose sight of all of the Simon-related posts that I’ve written over on The Cynical Sailor, so I’ve created an index of them here.
As I’ve pulled this index together, it’s been fascinating to see how my writing journey has evolved over time. Have a look at the list below and check out the posts. They’re good for a few giggles and you might find some useful writing advice along the way.
An Index of Simon the Time Traveling Posts on The Cynical Sailor Blog
The Time Traveling Cat (March 2017) – Simon makes his first appearance on the blog while I answer the question, “Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it?”
How’d You Get So Full of Yourself? (April 2017) – I make cookies and have a chat with Simon about how I worry that people are going to think I’m full of myself because of all the promotion I’m doing about my upcoming release.
Simon the Time Traveling Cat Plays Monopoly (June 2017) – Simon complains about not getting to be the top hat in Monopoly while I answer the question, “Did you ever say I quit? What made you come back to writing?”
Simon the Time Traveling Cat Goes for a Walk (July 2017) – Simon is less than impressed when I buy a leash and harness for him, and I answer the question, “What’s one valuable lesson you’ve learned since writing?”
Interstellar Voyages with Simon the Time Traveling Cat (Sept 2017) – Simon uses his time traveling powers to take us to another universe where I answer the question, “Have you ever surprised yourself with your writing?”
Simon the Time Traveling Cat Gets a Visitor (Oct 2017) – Simon is rude to a visiting cat and I answer the question, “Have you ever slipped any of your own personal information into your characters, either by accident or on purpose?”
Simon the Time Traveling Cat Coughs Up a Hairball (Nov 2017) – I explain to Simon what beta readers are when I answer the question, “Win or not, do you usually finish your NaNoWriMo project?” (Note: NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, a month-long event where participants from around the world attempt to write a 50,000 word novel during November.)
Waking Up with Simon the Time Traveling Cat (Dec 2017) – Simon and I travel back to January 1st to answer the question, “As you look back at 2017, with all of its successes and failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently?”
Simon the Time Traveling Cat Takes a Nap (Jan 2018) – Simon gets grumpy when I try to move him from his favorite napping spot while I answer the question, “What steps have you taken, or do you plan to take, to put a schedule in place for your writing and publishing?”
Simon the Time Traveling Cat Gets Evicted (Feb 2018) – Simon knocks stuff off the table (very annoying) while I while I answer the question, “What do you love the most about the genre you write in?”
Celebrating with Star Trek & Dead Lizards (March 2018) – Simon tries to convince me that leaving dead lizards on my pillow is how he pays rent while I answer the question, “How do you celebrate when you achieve a writing goal / finish a story?”
Why Don’t Cats Sweat? (May 2018) – I complain about the heat in Florida to Simon and answer the question, “It’s spring! Does this season inspire you to write more than others?”
Simon the Time Traveling Cat’s Dubious Advice (June 2018) – When I try to answer the question, “What’s harder for you to come up with – book titles or character names?” Simon suggests that I name all characters after him. Silly cat.
Simon the Time Traveling Cat Freaks Out (July 2018) – The 4th of July fireworks scare Simon while I answer the question, “What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time (if at all)?”
Simon the Cat Travels through Time (Aug 2018) – Simon uses his powers to take us back to ancient Egypt. He likes it back then because cats were worshiped. While we’re there, I answer the question, “What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey?”
Simon Goes Nuts for Catnip (Sept 2018) – Simon gets high on catnip while I answer the question, “What publishing path are you considering / did you take and why?” Wide, self-published
Simon the Time Traveling Cat’s Life Gets Disrupted (Oct 2018) – Simon freaks out when I serve him a new brand of cat food and I answer the question, “How do major life changes affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?”
Stop Being So Nosy! (Jan 2019) – Simon tries to find out how much money I make from writing when I answer the question, “What are your favorite and least favorite questions that people ask you about writing?”
What Cats Think about Heroes & Villains (March 2019) – Simon takes over the blog from me and answers the question, “What perspective do you like to write from the best – the hero (protagonist) or the villain (antagonist)?” It probably won’t surprise you, but Simon thinks all books should be written from a cat’s perspective.
How to Read without Opposable Thumbs (Oct 2019) – Simon and I chat about whether you can be a writer if you’re not also a reader while Simon shows me how he reads without opposable thumbs.
If you’ve had enough of Simon, here are some other writing-related posts from The Cynical Sailor you might be interested in.
Finding Time in My Busy Day (Sept 2016) – I share the results of an MIT study which compared how writers and cats spend their days. No surprise – cats take more naps.
About the Insecure Writer’s Support Group
If you’re not familiar with the IWSG, it’s an online support group founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh for writers with different levels of experience from folks who are just daydreaming about writing to those who have published bestselling books.
I’ve made wonderful connections with fellow writers through the IWSG and the support and encouragement I’ve received from the community are a huge part of why I’m now a published author.
Want to get involved in the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG)? Just hop on over HERE to sign-up. We’d love to have you on board!
Ellen Jacobson 