Monday, August 17, 2009

A New Kind of Writer's Block

If you ask any author they'll tell you there are many forms of writer's block. There's the kind where you sit and stare at the computer screen, hands poised over the keyboard, the same four words glaring back at you as if daring you to make a sentence. There's the kind where you clean the house, mow the lawn, even do the laundry in order to avoid opening the computer to see that empty page looking at you, emitting waves of guilt. There's even the kind where you write, then re-write the same scene over and over because nothing seems to flow.

But I've recently discovered a new form of writer's block....





Believe it or not, I've become a foster parent of the furry variety...

Just yesterday, I brought home a beautiful mother cat and her five babies, all rescued from a home that was looking to get rid of her as fast as possible. And after looking at these sweet faces, I knew what needed to be done.

There were of course other options... here in British Columbia, we have an excellent Rescue organization, the BC SPCA. But on the wake of discovering 94 cats sick and dying, trapped in a single house in the town of Cedar just a few days ago, sending these tiny kittens to the shelter was not even a consideration... and I won't begin to tell you what the other options I heard discussed. So long story short, they're now mine until I can find loving homes for the ones I can't keep.

P is a lovely 9 month old Maine Coon cat who got pregnant at the tender age of 6 months. Her kittens, now five weeks old are thriving balls of energy, that capture the heart of anyone who gets a glimpse of them. She's a gentle, easy going cat that has adapted into our family in the space of a heartbeat... now if I can just persuade her to fall in love with our malamute/husky cross, Bandit, all will be purrfect.

I'm not one to preach, but this situation brings about the age old question of who has the right to own pets. I realize not all people want companion animals living in their homes, but it never ceases to amaze me how some humans can discard their furry friends without so much as a sideways glance. Perhaps some see me as a soft hearted fool, but I prefer to think of it as respect for life, no matter what form.

It seems lately there have been blogs about prejudice and hatred. Of how people are judged for the type of stories they want to write, the shape of their body or by who they choose to love. And it seems our animal friends are not immune to this form of attack either. P was given up because she's no longer a fuzzy ball of fur that can fit in the palm of your hand. And why put out money for a cat that's already considered "broken" property.

After finally pulling myself away from these darling babies, I realized I hadn't prepared a blog for my turn at the Gem. But try as I might, absolutely nothing remotely associated with "writing" came to mind. I hope everyone will forgive the non-writing blog I've posted, but as you can see, I'm suffering from a near fatal case of kitten block.

I hope everyone has had a fantastic summer vacation. There has been a rash of brilliant releases at Resplendence this summer, and I've read my share of great books. I just finished Bronwyn Green's "Handcuffs and Lies" and highly recommend you add it to your must read list. Brynn Paulin also has a new book out entitled, Dragon's Blood, not to mention novels by Carol Lynne, Maddie James and Ann Cory. With school just around the corner, you still have plenty of time to pick up a few last quick reads before 'fall' is upon us.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you next month... with a hopefully cured case of writer's block.

cheers,
Kris Norris
Romancing life...one adventure at a time.

8 comments:

Bronwyn Green said...

You have the most adorable form of writer's block ever! And can I just say, I commend you for taking in this family and finding them homes. Some people act as though animals are disposable commodities but, I'm thrilled to see that these six won't meet that end. You absolutely ROCK! (and thanks so much for the shout out - I'm so happy you liked it)

Pet the little purrbabies for me :)

Kris Norris said...

Hey Bron

Thanks for not minding my current affliction. It is the cutest distraction I've had since we brought Bandit home. And you more than deserve the shout out. Your new book rocks... but what else is new. It's what I've come to expect from you.

hugs,

Genella deGrey said...

I can't have pets where I live - that and the space is way too small for them to be happy.

Can I be an Honorable Member of the Kitty Up-lifter's Society?
;)
G.

Jennifer Johnson said...

You know petting kitties is supposed to lower your BP.

Kris Norris said...

Hey Genella and Jen

Everyone is welcome in the Kitty Up-Lifter's Society, so consider yourself a member. And Jennifer, here's hoping the lower BP from petting them compensates for the higher BP from trying to get the cats and Bandit together, lol. Why can't you just say, hey, you're a dog and you're a cat, live with it?
Thanks for being so understanding on my non-writing blog post.
hugs,

Blog admin said...

What about the kind of writer's block where you read what you have written, all the way from the beginning of the book, over and over again, and edit and re-edit every page? That's the kind I hate the most.

I'd much rather have the cute furry kind of one you've acquired.

Kris Norris said...

Hey Tatiana,

Been there... and that's the time I put the darn thing away and read another story... preferably not mine. This reminds me to not be so hard on myself when you realize you don't have to be perfect.

MJFredrick said...

Awwww, I wouldn't have been able to resist, either. Thank you for taking them in. I'm with you--why do people take animals and not take responsibility???

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