What Would You Name a Calico Cat?

"I don't want her to have a cat because she'll end up talking baby talk to the cat. That's the way it is, and how can a P.I. do that? (Sue Grafton talking about her character in her alphabet mystery series)

I can understand Sue Grafton's point of view. Every character is different and some need a pet and some don't. As much as I love dogs, I don't always let my characters have one. 

The Dogs in my Books

But then, when I think back I do have dogs sprinkled through my stories. Trouble, Lorena's dog in Small Town Girl. He did get his name changed eventually. Poe, Graham's dog in both Angel Sister and Small Town Girl added to the story and then Chaucer in Love Comes Home. Aristotle made an important appearance in The Believer. And of course, Jocie had the dog hunger in Scent of Lilacs, the first book in the Heart of Hollyhill series, and talked her father into letting her keep a dog she found in the woods. She named him Zebedee, shortened usually to Zeb. 

My new Shaker book, The Innocent, has a dog named Asher who plays a big part in the story. He's a great four-footed character. When I was trying to come up with the perfect name for Asher, I asked my internet friends for suggestions. I got so many great dog names, but Asher, the eighth son of Jacob in the Bible, seemed to work best even though only one person suggested that name. Thanks, Amy. 

My Cozy Mystery Cats

My work in progress is a series of cozy mysteries that have cats. The first three cat characters already have names. There's Two Bits in the first book, Murder at the Courthouse. I also have a gray and white cat named Grimalkin who makes another appearance in the second book which has yet to have an official title. There's an attitude cat named Sandy too who makes a cameo appearance. 

Now I'm working on book three and have invited a new cat character into the story. This is a calico cat, so a female since most calico cats are female cats. She is an independent cat who lives by her own rules. She simply showed up on the doorstep of an elderly character one day and that character gave the cat a name and told her she could stay if she wanted to. 

So What Would You Name Cat Character Four?

I've already tried out three or four names but nothing seems quite right. So what would you name a calico female cat named by a woman around eighty. It makes a difference - the person doing the naming. That's why Poe was the perfect name for Graham's coon dog in my Rosey Corner books. That's why Two Bits is the perfect name for a barber's cat. 

So what do you think? What's my independent calico cat's name? 

And come back Wednesday. I'm going to do some kind of flower game to let some of you win a book or two. Just got to figure out how to make it work. Until then, I'm ready for your cat names.  

Good and Perfect Gifts

"We give gifts to remember the best gift we'll ever receive, Christ. None of the gifts can top that, but we still enjoy being on the look out for something to make our loved ones smile." ~Kathie

When I do a giveaway where I invite you to share stories with me, I'm always so blessed by the comments and stories you share. This Christmas giveaway is no different. (If you haven't entered yet, you can still throw your name in the hat by leaving a comment here with a way to contact you or by e-mailing me from my website. Deadline to enter is December 31.) 

The above comment is from one of my newsletter readers. Kathie likes finding at least one gift every year that will "knock the socks" off the person who receives it. That's the kind of gifts most of us want to give, but it doesn't always happen as evidenced by the gift stories I shared on Sunday.But Kathie loves finding gifts to please her family. 

"I always love to find at least one special gift each Christmas. Something that I just know will knock the socks off the recipient. ....I never really know what that special gift will be until I see it. If I find at least ONE, then I feel like I've succeeded."

Cathie's husband succeeded with a best gift one year. Here's her story. 

"I think the best gift I have ever received was a kitten (total surprise) from my husband, who thought he did not like cats.  He was so secretive and was so excited to give me this gift.  That was true romance!"

When I asked Cathie if I could share her story, she said yes and told me more. 

"The rest of the story is, while my husband did not fall in love with that cat, (she was a one-person cat for 17 1/2 years), he loved the bond between Cecelia and myself - enough so, that he wanted his own! So, after a couple months, we got a cat for him ... Winifred -she got sick after three years and we had to put her down - sad day for Rick and he didn't want to "go through that again" - well, I waited a couple months and for his birthday in November (did you know it is hard to find young kittens in November? - ha) I gifted him a black and white persian.  Madison is now 16 1/2 and he loves her dearly." 

Love the great names Cathie gives her cats. You could imagine them in a cozy mystery. You did know cats solve mysteries, didn't you? I was at a bookstore today and saw several mystery books starring cats.

Last, here are a couple of ideas for Christmas this year or for another year. Something better than a new sweater or slippers. BJM shared her favorite gift. 

"My favorite gift was a Memory Jar that my daughter gave me one year for Christmas. In it she had written, on different pieces of paper, things she remembered growing up. Some made me laugh and some made me cry. In all it was so special to me.

I also made one for my son and daughter one year and also put pictures in theirs. You just get a nice jar with a lid, and you can decorate it or write The Memory Jar on it with a pretty ribbon tied around the top."

Another idea is for someone to prepare the memory jar and then at a big family gathering, let everybody add a memory to it for a grandmother or grandfather. 

This last is a gift Sharon gave from the heart. 

The favorite Christmas gift I gave was ten years ago. My brother died in July and for Christmas, I made a video and talked about his life growing up..  I told stories of our parents and grandparents and life before they were thought about.  The four really appreciated it and my great niece would sometimes ask to see her grandfather's video. It took many hours to write and produce, but it was worth it.

It is very true that the best gift we can give is a gift of love and time.

Hope you find some good gifts to give this year. I doubt I found any perfect gifts but I did find some gifts. Now I've got to get them wrapped. Do you like wrapping presents?