For the past several years, I’ve released my Crazy Cat Lady cozy mysteries on or around National Cat Day*, and this year is no exception. Tomorrow, the 29^th of October, 2020 will see the official launch of Cat Conundrum, 7^th in the series. I originally chose National Cat Day for several reasons, the most practical being it was the closest cat holiday to the date the books were ready, but now it has become a tradition, one I cherish in all the richness of the day.

*I need to note that the dates you see on my Amazon page are not necessarily the true date of release. The Cat Conundrum print version for instance, has a date of 2018, which was the date I uploaded my cover to the Amazon site. The book itself was not uploaded until now, and the official launch is 10/29/20.

In my series which features the adventures of Lynley Cannon, cat shelter volunteer, I strive to take a step further than mere entertainment. At the beginning of each chapter, I include a cat tip, trick, or fact in hopes to educate and engage those who want to know more about cats. But be assured, Lynley rarely lectures. She prefers to lead by example, so if you learn something new about fostering, cat safety, general care and health, or a fun new cat toy, it’s only because she is practicing these things in her own daily life.

As a volunteer myself, I know the importance of the work. Our society is so adept at letting the vulnerable fall through the cracks, and cats are no exception. In my area, Portland Oregon, we are blessed with forward-thinking animal advocates who have come together to help save lives. Their aggressive spay & neuter program has all but wiped out cat overpopulation, making our Oregon Humane Society available to help cats from other areas, especially those affected by disaster.

All of us can help save lives. Whether we foster, adopt, volunteer, donate, or sew a cat blanket, we are helping with the big picture. Many hands make light work, so my mother told me, and I’ve seen it in action within the world of animal advocacy. In my lifetime, dogs have been unchained and cats have been moved to the safety of the indoors. Unwanted kittens are no longer disposed of. Declawing is becoming a thing of the past. There is more work to do, certainly, but kindness and compassion have taken root and are bound to flower.

So let’s celebrate National Cat Day in style this year. Lavish your kitty with love, and help a cat shelter or group if you can.

From Wikipedia: National Cat Day is an awareness day to raise public awareness of cat adoption, taking place on August 8 in Canada and October 29 in the United States. The National Cat Day website states that the holiday was first celebrated in 2005 “to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued each year and also to encourage cat lovers to celebrate the cat(s) in their life for the unconditional love and companionship they bestow upon us.” The day was founded by Colleen Paige, a pet and family lifestyle expert, who was supported by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is a nonprofit pet adoption organization.

Join me on National Cat Day, October 29^thto celebrate the launch of Cat Conundrum, the 7th Crazy Cat Lady Cozy Mystery. There will be book giveaways, cat talk and tips, conversations, a grand prize, and possibly a Facebook Live reading hosted by Tyler the cat. The launch party will be hosted by the Cozy Cat Writers and Readers Facebook Group with a live event between 1:00 and 3:00 PDT on my FB author page, Mollie Hunt, Writer. Stop by anytime for prizes, conversation, cat tips, and more. Virtual catnip for all!