Sunday, November 14, 2010

Giveaway - Dewey's Nine Lives - Edited by Vicki Myron

Here's your chance to win a copy of Dewey's Nine Lives - a follow up to the bestseller Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat by Vicki Myron. Perfect for the feline lover on your Christmas list. Check out the Q&A with the contributors and then enter! And enter your cat in the "I Believe in Dewey's Magic" contest.

From the publisher Dutton (an imprint of Penguin Books):
"The cat that captured America's hearts returns, to share more of his special brand of magic.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World was a blockbuster bestseller and a publishing phenomenon. It has sold nearly a million copies, spawned three children's books, and will be the basis for an upcoming movie. No doubt about it, Dewey has created a community. Dewey touched readers everywhere, who realized that no matter how difficult their lives might seem, or how ordinary their talents, they can-and should-make a positive difference to those around them. Now, Dewey is back, with even more heartwarming moments and life lessons to share.

Dewey's Nine Lives offers nine funny, inspiring, and heartwarming stories about cats--all told from the perspective of "Dewey's Mom," librarian Vicki Myron. The amazing felines in this book include Dewey, of course, whose further never-before-told adventures are shared, and several others who Vicki found out about when their owners reached out to her. Vicki learned, through extensive interviews and story sharing, what made these cats special, and how they fit into Dewey's community of perseverance and love. From a divorced mother in Alaska who saved a drowning kitten on Christmas Eve to a troubled Vietnam veteran whose heart was opened by his long relationship with a rescued cat, these Dewey-style stories will inspire readers to laugh, cry, care, and, most importantly, believe in the magic of animals to touch individual lives.'

Q&A with the Contributors to DEWEY’S NINE LIVES
Why did Dewey’s story inspire you?

Lynda Caira (Cookie Cat): Dewey's story inspired me because it is so unfathomable to conceive that a cat could change the lives of so many people. It makes me think, if we tried, how could people change each others’ lives.

Kristie Graham (Marshmallow): Dewey's story inspired me throughout his entire life. I have known Vicki since I was 2 years old. … Dewey's Magic is real. It has opened the door to my heart to make sure people know what they have done for me.

Bill Bezanson (Spooky): I wouldn’t say it “inspired” me so much as it touched my soul. I saw a LOT of the feelings Spooky and I shared throughout the story.

Barbara Lajiness (Sir Bob Kittens): I have always loved animals-- especially cats. So many things about Dewey spoke to me and my own experiences in life. Dewey was rescued, we rescued animals. Vicki only had one child, a daughter; I only had one child, a daughter; and many of those moments during teen years between a daughter and a mother were very similar to my own feelings as a mom of a teenager. Also the effects of poverty and alcoholism on my childhood were all themes I could easily relate to in Dewey. Although I didn’t know it at the time…I would also face my own battle with breast cancer. So as you can see my connection and inspiration to the book really happened on many levels, not just how deeply I can appreciate and relate to that significant bond and relationship with a cat.

Kim Knox (Church Cat): I know cats are known for having "nine lives" but I was really impressed by the toughness of that little kitten in the book drop off box. It's like he knew if he could just hang on, something so much better was coming his way!

Vicki Kleuver (Christmas Cat): Dewey's story inspired me because it is a story of Life. Not only Dewey's amazing life, but also Vicki Myron's life. Life can really throw us into the toilet or into a book drop on a frigid winter night, yet there is a spark, or a will to live that ignites within us to survive and thrive through the adversity of life. There were many similarities to the story of my “CC,” or Christmas Cat. … I was also amazed at the similarities between Vicki Myron's life story and my own.

What do you hope readers will take away from your story?

Barbara Lajiness (Sir Bob Kittens): That every one and everything, no matter how quirky or unusual, no matter if they are animal or human, has its place, meaning and value in the world. That we need to slow down, relax and realize how important all of us animals and humans, and even moments are. We all may be different shaped and colored pieces of a puzzle, but you need us all to make a complete picture.

Lynda Caira (Cookie Cat): What I hope that people see in my Cookie's story is that she was in a way, a life safer to me! I have had cats before and after Cookie, but Cookie just ingratiated herself into my life in a way that most people haven't even been able to do!

Kristie Graham (Marshmallow): I hope readers take away from my story that relationships are important. I think [my connection with my cat Marshmallow] was so valuable. He was always there. He was a symbol of my childhood. He was part of my identity.

Bill Bezanson (Spooky): If you relax the little guards we put up each day and let an animal just be itself, it will show you love and affection without boundaries. As humans we put up small (and even large) walls when dealing with each other. But an animal doesn’t have an ego. It just knows whether it likes you or not.

Carol Ann Riggs (Church Cat): Church Cat was "Special" to a lot of the members of the Camden United Methodist Church. She was a rescue cat and that made us happy too!

Kim Knox (Church Cat): You don't always know why God puts someone or "somepet" into your life and we shouldn't take something like that for granted.

Vicki Kleuver (Christmas Cat): I hope readers will gain from my story about CC a sense of understanding that love comes from many different sources in our lives, often when we least expect it and even at times from a source that we would never have considered, and we should approach each situation with an open mind. When CC came into my life, I didn't want a cat. I didn't even like cats! Or so I thought. CC was intended as a gift for my young daughter. Yet he turned out to be mine. Or as my mother says, I became "his people.I also hope readers will find in themselves a desire to do something new or different, to live life to its fullest. Norman Vaughn said "dream big, dare to fail. I would also like readers to come explore Alaska, the land of my people. It is a great land, enormous with cultural history, diversity, opportunity, adventure, and tranquility."

As your story and all the stories in Dewey’s Nine Lives show, the bond between humans and cats can be very special. Why do you think this is?

Barbara Lajiness (Sir Bob Kittens): I love all animals, but I really think cats have complicated personalities that create more complicated relationships with their owners. I have often heard that cats do not have owners, they have staff, which I think kind of sums up the playing field we are all on when building that bond with our feline friends.

Bill Bezanson (Spooky): I don’t think it’s any different between a human and any animal. In Spooky’s story there’s a story about Pierre, my raccoon. It shows the amount of love we shared. I’ve had foxes, skunks, deer, even opossums demonstrate love toward me. There were times in my life when I thought I’d never see real love in a person. But I found it in nature. I think that it would be a real healing point for veterans suffering the ugliness of PTSD to work with rescued animals and feel what that kind of love is like.

Lynda Caira (Cookie Cat): I think it depends on the cat and the person, and if they came into each others’ lives at the right time. I've had cats I've taken care of, and cats (strays) who I have felt that I HAD to take care of. My Cookie was the only cat who took care of me!

Carol Ann Riggs (Church Cat): Animals can become members of your family just like humans. Church Cat became a beloved member of our family when we brought her home with us.

Kim Knox (Church Cat): I have had a number of cats in my life and I don't think any two were ever alike! There is just something in their personality that clicks with your personality and next thing you know you're in love.

Vicki Kleuver (Christmas Cat): As I said to Vicki Myron several times, I believe God brings these little critters into our life so we can rescue them, while they help to rescue us too. Whether it's a cat or a dog or another animal, there can be a strong bond. Cats have very unique personalities. I particularly enjoy cats that are independent, like me.

What’s the most surprising or unexpected thing you learned from your cat?

Bill Bezanson (Spooky): Unrequited love. And I’m still learning and trying to lower my walls like my animals and really love again.

Lynda Caira (Cookie Cat): The most surprising thing I learned about Cookie was that she completely killed the stereotypical idea of how aloof cats can be. She had an actual personality! She treated people exactly the way they treated her! Another surprise was how for a small little cat that she was, she was more ferocious than a lion in her protection of me! If she thought someone was upsetting me or hurtling me, they had better watch out!

Kristie Graham (Marshmallow): The most unexpected thing I learned from Marshmallow is that he would leave such a legacy. I really didn't acknowledge the impact he made on my life and the power he would have on my future. When I told [my acquaintances] that I participated in [Dewey’s Nine Lives], it surprised me how many people knew how close we were and how "different" our relationship was.

Barbara Lajiness (Sir Bob Kittens): [I learned] that love comes in many forms and to enjoy every one. Sir Bob Kittens is not, nor will he ever be, the beloved lap cat Smokey from my childhood. He doesn’t sit on laps, and you can only tell he is purring if you are lucky enough to place a gentle finger on his throat at just the right moment. But he has his moments where he will look up at us with this look of happiness/love and very slowly, in unison, open and close his eyes; you can just tell he is trying to let us know he cares about us. And on those nights when he is lonely or nervous, he will come and snooze against my chest, face-to-face. It may sound funny, but I really believe that is his way of telling us he cares.

Kim Knox (Church Cat): Church Cat seemed very lost and somewhat needy when she turned up at the church office. I felt like she needed to be taken care of. This was true, but what was so surprising was how street savvy she was. She always looked both ways and made sure it was safe before she crossed! She may not have needed me nearly as much as I thought.

Mary Nan Evans (The Cats of Sanibel Island): [I was surprised to learn] that so many cats get along, and not a fight between them!

Vicki Kleuver (Christmas Cat): The most surprising thing I learned from CC is that I like cats! CC was loyal, loving, affectionate, playful. He was adventurous--it was that sense of adventure that landed him in the toilet that Christmas eve night, and it was his sense of adventure that cost him his life. Some people, some animals, become afraid when they have experienced trauma. Not my CC. Not me either. I like that. While it broke my heart that CC died at such a young age, I respect that he died while doing something he loved; it takes a bit of the sting out of our loss. Regardless if we're a cat or a humanoid, isn't life what we make of it?

Do you currently have a cat in your life?

Barbara Lajiness (Sir Bob Kittens): Yes Mister Kittens is still alive and well. Even though he attacks our ankles when we walk up the steps, and runs at us on his hind legs, sideways down the hall, he is a special spirit that is a very important part of my life, and my family’s. I have often told people that he is the one member of the household that no matter what, when he walks in a room, everyone says “Mister Kittens!” (Similar to when Norm would walk into the Cheers bar.) I am sure he thinks he is famous.

Lynda Caira (Cookie Cat): My Cookie died at the age of 19 , on July 31, 2009. I am blessed with another kitty named Chloe who is now Sweet 16, and I do have a wonderful little girl named Lucy, who was born in my garden two years ago, and has lived there ever since!

Vicki Kleuver (Christmas Cat): Sadly, right now I don't have any cats. Two years ago we adopted an older dog from the Kodiak Animal Shelter and right now, due to frequent travel, he is our only pet. It is our hope to adopt from the animal shelter this winter either a cat or another dog.

Kristie Graham (Marshmallow): I do not have a cat right now. I have a Red Fox Lab. My husband is a dog person. But I am a goal setter—I have a bucket list. Owning a cat is on the list.

Kim Knox (Church Cat): After we lost Church Cat's son ChiChi we were catless for a couple of years. We now have two orange tabbies named Marmalade (2 yrs) and Macaroon (3 months). Both are house cats and help make our house a home.

Bill Bezanson (Spooky): I have a dog and two cats. (Spooky and Zippo taught me that a cat needs another cat to pal around with. We humans have boundaries. Another cat doesn’t.)

You can join the Dewey community on Penguin Books. Watch the You Tube trailer. Or find Dewey on Facebook!

To be entered, leave the name of your cat, or what you would name a cat! Open to US and Canada. Ends Saturday Dec 11th at 6 pm EST.

47 comments:

Linda said...

Due to a granddaughter's allergy, I don't keep an inside cat. But recently a stray began showing up at my house, and now considers herself to be my cat. I call her Kit-Kat and look forward to seeing her each day. Thanks for the giveaway.
lcbrower40(at)gmail(dot)com

DarcyO said...

We have two cats. Tulip (girl) and Taz (boy). Thanks for the great giveaway.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

christa @ mental foodie said...

We have 3 cats (and I have to say, I wasn't a cat person, my husband is the one who wants cats. I decided to read the first Dewey book to see what it is about cats... and now, we have 3 cats within the last 4 months! So Dewey indirectly made me become a cat owner :)

Kunik (boy - it means "Eskimo Kisses" which he loves to give)

Tallulah (girl - very girly)

Sesame (our youngest boy who's a Siamese Mix)!

cytljjb @ gmail . com

shanaelyse said...

How touching! My 2 kitties, both boys, are named Yossi and Isaac.

shanaelyse@gmail.com

Just Mom said...

My current cat is Shadow. I've also had a Misty and a Stormy.

theroundfile at live dot com

Sharon Lovejoy said...

Great interview and so much fun!

Loved this,

Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

Anonymous said...

Don't have a cat right now but we used to have two. One was Black Beauty, she was an all black indoor cat and wanted only to eat sleep and sit on my lap and of course purr.
The other was Happy Day and she was exceptional. She was a tuxedo cat who was a huntress. I had a parakeet too (50/50) and when that bird died I waqs crying a lot. Happy Day went hunting and found a baby bird that was just learning to fly! She deposited the bird at my feet. When we moved, we had to give them to my mother because we couldn't afford the $100 a month pet deposit. When I went back for visit, Happy Day didn't seem to remember me. The second day there, I called for Happy Day and she let out a blood curdling cry! and raced over to me and widly rubbed her body against my legs. For the rest of the visit she would not let me out of her sight. I loved those cats so much.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Charleydog said...

I have the Dewey book and would love to read the new one.

I have three cats: Charley (named after John Steinbeck's poodle in "Travels with Charley," Blacky, and Micky Mouse.

Please enter my name in the giveaway for the book. Thanks!

pboylecharley AT hotmail DOT com

Ruthie said...

I have a smoke-gray Persian named Juniper...love her!

ruthiekb72ATyahooDOTcom

Pamela Keener said...

My cat's name is Cosmic Bisquit.
We call him CB or Seebers for short.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

rubynreba said...

I've really been wanting to read this. My cats are Ruby and Reba! Bet you never would have guessed that!!!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

No need to enter me, darling. I'm dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.

(btw, I'm currently calling my sick kitty Wobbly. or Weeble. Terrible of me, huh?)

Bcteagirl said...

This sounds like such a cute story! I don't have a cat, but would likely name a cat 'skittles'.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this discriminating article, it's very much acclaimed blogs

Anonymous said...

Once picked up a stray on the side of the road and took him home and named him George. Best cat I ever owned. bricksiam@yahoo.com

Daily Woman (Lacey) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Daily Woman (Lacey) said...

My cats names are Tiger and Patrick,
Laceylong27574(at) gmail (dot) com
Sorry i had to delete one entry i forgotmy email.

Carol M said...

I have two cats named Max and Mindy. They are brother and sister. Thanks for the giveaway!
mittens0831 at aol dot com

Colleen at Forty Something Bride said...

We have four cats:

Snickers, Ashes, Mr. Chang and Nicki

We love them all dearly. My Mom loves cats, but can't have them because Dad is allergic.

If I am lucky enough to win, this book will sit under the tree for my Mother for Christmas.

Thank you!

colleen.c63@gmail.com

Shannon said...

My cat's name is Loki, a Blondy whose about four years old. My grandmother's cat (I live with her) is named boots. But we have a little vagabond kitten named little-bit who seems to think she's ours. ( he was born to a stray that was fed by a relative. Most of it's siblings found homes except her)She is very talkative. she's meowing right now.

Princess Golden Hair said...

my cat is named snowflake. While she is white, I found her one snowy day near the trash can by the local 711. She was the best find I've ever had!!!!

I love my little snowflake

teechbiz at gmail dot com

Betty C said...

My cat is named Pumpkin. She's a sweet tortie that I adopted from the local animal shelter. When I was a child we only had outside cats but I've had several since I became an adult and they are all inside kitties and spoiled rotten.

Vinci said...

Greetings:
Thanks, for the contest.
As a lover of kitties,
that looks like a good read.
We had a cat that just passed
away, that lived for 21 years
He was such a character,
what a blessing to have him
grow up with our two boys.
His name was "muse" One could
always have Muse II. lol
cheers.

The Book Worm said...

All of the cats I have ever owned had had very distinct personalities -- but the two that were my favorite were Quincy and Kahlee.

Kahlee -- my baby that I adopted from a vet at when she was 7 years old. and. . .

Quincy -- my mischief maker whom I inherited when some idiot dumped her on the side of the freeway and I saw her get hit by a care. I stopped, rushed to the vet -- and the rest -- as they say is history!

Unknown said...

Our cat's name is Homer, before that it was Sugar & Spice; before that it was Tigger. Before that we had no cats until our beloved boxer passed away and my SIL gave us a kitten and that was Tigger. Love those kitties! What is funny...Dewey is my husband's first name. LOL Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win this adorable book. I hope I do!!

Joyful Blessings,
Barb Shelton
barbjan10 at tx dot rr dot com

jdktweed said...

My cat had seizures - Do you know how rare that is for a cat? Ultimately, he had to be put to sleep. Now, my husband is allergic to cats, so we will no longer be able to have one. My cat's name was Prez, because he was found on election day.

McKim said...

Our cat was a stray prior to adopting us...we called her Hobo.

Allison said...

My cat's name is Tif - short for Tiffany.

allisonsbj3(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

We have two cats--Malachi and Muff-Tuff.

farrell@crosslake.net

Unknown said...

My cats are Tulip and Billy. Thanks for the giveaway.

president(dot)peaches(at)hotmail(dot)com

NeraCaligula said...

Titus who is gray, and Rizzo who is gray with pinkish spots (hence the name). I raised them since they were tiny kittens so I'm mom to them!

nera_caligula(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

Have always had cats. My house cat died this summer. We now have 4 strays that have adopted us since. I never read the first Dewey book so hope I get to read this one!!Thanks for the Giveaway!!


lknott@partnercom.net

Aisling said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Aisling said...

We have two shelter cats. Our granddaughters named the first one Guinivere, but the second one was already Tyler. (Thank goodness, or he'd probably have been Lancelot!) mcgillrmcgill(at)charter(dot)net

wgbc1446 said...

Our kitty's name is Beethoven. We adopted him from the animal shelter two days ago. wgbc1446[at]yahoo[dot]com

theolotto said...

My cat's names are Jack, Jill, and Midnight.

susansmoaks said...

our youngest cat is named boomer because he showed up on the fourth of july
susansmoaks at gmail dot com

Alison A / tripsma at gmail dot com said...

One of our cat's names is Moo. :)

THANK YOU! tripsma at gmail dot com

Melissa B. said...

Our cat's name is Mo-Berry. But, I usually call him Mo-Mo. He's a stray that was left on our doorstep about two months ago. We couldn't help falling in love with him and keeping him.

George Ferris said...

I would name a cat guapo.
George Ferris
k1n2@sweeps.ws

mscoffee77 said...

My cat as a child was named Betty Lou;)

loni broesch said...

My cats are WIlly and Addyson!


trippyjanet at hotmail dot com

Kathy P said...

Thank you for the great giveaway please count me in my cats are sanchez,wolfie and gilla :)
kathypease(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I would name my feline, Catatonic, or, tonic for short.

theyyyguy@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

If I had a cat I would name it Rocky. garrettsambo@aol.com

/\Heather/\ said...

My current cat, Rahja, is 16 years old and cracks me up...but she pukes a lot. We lost 18 year old Molly last year. Sprinkles, our outside cat, adopted us about three years ago. Love them all!

Anonymous said...

We have 4 cats

Matt,Mindy,Callie, Oreo

jim.coyne2@verizon.net