Since my beloved Cody passed on June 30th, 2020 as many of you know, my time blogging has been greatly limited. When Cody left, any desire to blog that I had left (to be frank, it was waning before he passed and his passing, as well as precious Dakota's nine days later, pretty much sealed the deal).
Eventually I returned, albeit sporadically. I also vowed to no longer do ANY book reviews. Why? Because many of them were just too painful for me to read. (Being candid, they STILL are.)
Back in April or May I was contacted by Sierra Koester, the writer who compiled the above book "Purrseverance" (Inspiring Stories of Cat Resilience and Hope). For those of you who may not be familiar with Sierra, she is "an award-winning freelance writer and professional blogger. Sierra is a Professional Member of the Cat Writer's Association and the Content Manager at The Cat Blogosphere, a place for all pets and pet bloggers. She also writes Fur Everywhere, an educational and entertaining blog about cats."
I'm not going to lie. I sat on this book for the LONGEST time because while it is now 4 years since Cody is gone, the pain is still raw. After enough guilt passed for not opening the book, I decided to finally read it.
I am glad that I did.
It was Sierra's own cat Jewel that was the inspiration behind this compilation. Jewel came to live with Sierra at the ripe old age of 14 after having lived a challenging life. Sierra penned, "it wasn't until I met Jewel that I understood just how remarkably resilient our feline friends can be. Jewel's persistence and resiliency served as the inspiration for this anthology that features other cats who have overcome life's struggles".
A few of my favorite stories in this book are:
My Name is Not Scooter-written by Lorianne Miller about her tripod kitty Evan. Lorianne writes the blog fourleggedfurballs.blogspot.com
Lazarus Cat-written by Sierra M. Koester about her precious cat Lita
Wren: "A Caged Kitty Can't Purr" written by Julia Williams. This one resonated with me because when I first adopted Cody, he didn't have the fur color that I preferred. I also remember following Julia on social media when she first adopted Wren and was trying to come up with a name for her.
Brian is Home-written by Terry Frum (who in the Cat Blogosphere is so well known he technically needs no introduction.) Terry doesn't just "talk the talk" he "walks the walk", rescuing a multitude of cats and tending to ferals for YEARS. Terry's beloved Brian, an endearing, wise, gentle and loving tabby boy won my heart many years ago when I first began blogging. Terry and his wife are two of the most dedicated pet parents I've ever known. Not just for their own pets, but Terry has been there for myself and countless others when we just needed an ear to offer support or anything else they may need. Brian, had many of the same qualities as Terry. He believed "if you're kind, then everyone gets along and we can overcome adversity together." You can find Terry's blog Brian's Home at brianshomeblog.com and you can also find Terry on the Cat Blogopshere: blog.catblogosphere.com.
Carmine Fulfills His Purpose-written by Sierra M. Koester about her beloved kitty Carmine.
AND MANY, MANY MORE!
It is Sierra's hope that the stories in this book inspire you the way they inspired her (AND ME!!!). Sierra reminds us that "sometimes even seemingly hopeless situations can turn around. Our feline friends have so much to wisdom to offer. The next time you are facing a difficult challenge, she hopes you'll choose to follow these cats' example to "NEVER GIVE UP!"
TO PURCHASE :
