Sunnybud, The Real #Cat in SHADES OF WRATH, a Cozy #Mystery by Karen Rose Smith

The real cat who appears in SHADES OF WRATH is a yellow tabby who found his way to our outside feeder. From the first moment I looked into his beautiful gray/green eyes, we seemed to have a bond. He was a sweet soul who was a lover not a fighter. Yet, he didn't want to come inside as our other rescues had. After we got to know each other, he only wanted to be close on his terms.

When Sunnybud first appeared on my patio at the outside stray cat feeder, he was wary and scared.  I couldn't get too close. But he was hungry. So by the end of the summer, we had a date each night around 5 p.m. when he would stop by for wet food.  I would sit quietly on the patio while he ate nearby.  We have a sunroom, and come winter, we put heat pads in it along with a shelter or two and left the door open for him. 

Sunnybud began inhabiting the room a lot in the cold weather. He'd sit on a chair in the sun or nap in the heated bed at night. I would find him there in the morning. We started visiting with each other twice a day. He was off on his travels in between. I could catch sight of him crossing the field or following a row of decades-old pines in the distance.

Sunnybud was afraid of feet. If we moved too close or too fast, he would run. But in the last two years he came everyday for visits, he would follow me to the sunroom. There he would hop up on a high piece of outdoor furniture so I could pet him. Whenever I went downstairs to visit with Sunnybud, I changed clothes and used lots of Chlorox wipes. I didn't want to carry anything to our inside cats.

By the third year Sunnybud and I had been communing, on a really cold day, he'd jump up on a piece of lawn furniture to be fed and then lay in my arms to warm up. I would heat up a heat bag in the microwave and take it down to the sunroom for him. After he ate, he would sit on it for a while. Once, my husband and I tried to confine Sunnybud in the basement where he would come in out of the weather to eat and rest. But as soon as we closed the door,  he practically climbed the walls. He wouldn't be confined.

Last February we lost Sunnybud to an infection and FIV.  I love our inside cats dearly. They are rescues and each has her own story. They are my everyday buddies and nap companions. But when Sunnybud would lay in my arms and look up at me, when he'd let me massage him so he could burp, when he'd let me run my hands through his fur to check his health, he had my heart. I miss him terribly. Giving him a happily-ever-after in SHADES OF WRATH is my memorial to him.

Dedication

In memory of Sunnybud, a stray yellow tabby who I cared for and loved deeply for three years. He had an independent spirit that wouldn't let him be confined. But he gave me his trust and affection and I treasure my memories with him.

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AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 29

Wendy Newcomb, director of the Kismet women's shelter Sunrise Tomorrow, is thrilled when the shelter receives a legacy.  She hires Caprice to decorate the mansion to serve women who need more than an overnight port in a storm. But in her drive against domestic violence, Wendy has made enemies and is murdered. Caprice finds herself in danger once more as she asks questions and even calls on St. Anthony for inspiration to solve this murder mystery.

Pre-order SHADES OF WRATH on Amazon

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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 97th novel will be released in 2017.

Karen and Paddy

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 

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