A big thank you to Editor Barbara Harris Leonhard at MasticadoresUSA for publishing my fun cat fantasy based on an assignment from first grade that I found (and Barbara published here–I will post below) and stimulated by a painting used as a prompt (but not enough to credit in the story) from a wonderful workshop by Lorette C. Luzajic and Meg Pokrass. The workshop was about guilty pleasures, and one of mine is cats!!!
My parents adopted my brother two years later, but in the meantime, I did get a black kitten from the family across the street whose cat had kittens. My mother named my cat Toby.
Loved this, Luanne. Especially the plight of the only child that wanted a cat that became a lifelong passion.
Happy New Year to you and all of yours!!
Sheila, Happy New Year to you and yours! Haha, so true!
Lovely story Luanne – I love it’s mischievousness and the fun of that last line!
Andrea, thank you so much! Yeah, that last line haha. A little vinegar dashed in there!
That was me too. My brothers are considerably older than me and were out of the house when I grew up (with cats!).
Kate, I imagine you felt like an only child a lot of the time. Left behind to shoulder the household, in a way! I think my brother ended up feeling that way when I moved from Michigan to California.
My world upended when I was 10 and my dad died. Then it was just mom and me. I grew up fast!
That must have been so difficult. I was just saying the other day that only children grow up much faster because they relate to adults, not children. Even more so for an “only” with one parent.
So true. I spent much more time around adults than kids.
I did, too, until I was eight. But you did in your teen years, which must have been hard.
I thought it was normal! I had a high school friend but she didn’t live nearby so I didn’t see her much outside of school.
You got your wish, Luanne! I love that you took the assignment and turned it into this sweet story.
Merril, in the workshop Lorette included a painting of lots and lots of cats, and though the painting itself didn’t draw me in, it somehow made me think of wanting lots of cats and then I remembered this assignment! Thank you!
You’re welcome!
I did an ekphrastic workshop with her and went on to revise and have a few poems and a story published.
Aw, that’s sweet! Happy New Year!
Thanks so much, Wilma! Happy New Year to you, as well!
Congratulations, Luanne!
I am sure you can imagine how much I loved this story. And I loved your handwritten request—how did you know you would love cats?
Since I had one from before I could walk or talk, I never had to ask. Sometimes I think I would have preferred having only cat siblings!
Oh, Luanne, I love your story! What a neat assignment.
<3
What a cute story. Congratulations on being published.
I love your surreal scenarios, Luanne! This one did not disappoint.
Congratulations!!! Wonderful story! Happy New Year!
How cool you found that note. Windows into our younger selves can be so endearing.
It’s pretty funny that my name is spelled correctly because I was always trying to change it!
What a delightful story, Luanne. I left a comment on Barbara’s site.