Light paranormal? Try cats! By Author Jody Wallace

 www.jodywallace.com

 Just like readers are often in the mood for a certain kind of book, as an author I’ve found that, at various life stages, I’ve been drawn to write different flavors of stories. This month at Romancing the Genres, I’ve been asked to talk about the lighter side of my paranormal offerings, in particular my books that are dominated by cats.

Okay, I wasn’t specifically asked to talk about books with cats, but what can I say? Dominated. Part of my brand over mumble mumble years of writing has grown to be cats. I mean, I had the website www.meankitty.com long before I was a published author, and I had cats long before I had, well, the ability to hold a pencil. 

What is it about cats and interweaving them into my fiction? Cats are jerks, for starters, but they’re not necessarily villains. There’s a lot of humor to be found in hapless humans just trying to enjoy an adventure with some kissing but also having to deal with rascally cats who are threatening to run away with the narrative. Especially at 2 am when everyone is trying to sleep.

You give a cat an iota of power, and—in real life as in stories—the unexpected is bound to happen. Dogs will do what they’re told or at least feel bad when they fail to please the humans they adore. Cats, on the other hand, only feel bad if you don’t give them the treats they deserve and will not hesitate to keep their humans in line. Humans, or other individuals you might like to read about, going toe bean to toe bean with cats for the upper hand (paw) also creates very interesting dynamics and opportunities for characterization.

One of my current series is a science fiction romance extravaganza set in the far, far future on a place called Trash Planet. This is where the rest of the galaxy sends their garbage, because why not? When the heroine of the first book, CATALYST, is combing through a junk ship, she stumbles across a guy and a cat in a cryopreservation container. And to think, all she wanted was some nice stuff to recycle! Instead, the bad guys after the very special cat and his man threaten everything the heroine holds dear. Like, you know, her ability to be alive.  And eventually the man. She’s not so sure about the cat.

The Cat Ship series has two books so far, with the third due in 2021. They are funny, action-packed, medium-light in tone, and contain cussing and violence. And cats being oh so catty.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jody Wallace’s 30+ titles include sf/f romance, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance. Her fiction features diverse protagonists, action, adventure, and humor. Her readers frequently comment on her great characters, suspenseful stories, and intriguing and creative world building. When describing her methods, Jody says: “There are two sides to every story. I aim to tell the third. And I add cats regardless.”

Outside of her fiction career, Jody has employed her Master’s Degree in Creative Writing to work as a college English instructor, technical documents editor, market analyst, web designer, and all around pain in the butt. 

You can learn more about her at https://jodywallace.com