What inspired you to write your book?
In 2010 my wife decided that the house would be much nicer with cats. I had never owned cats before. We started with 2 cats but over the months the number increased to 3, then 4 and finally to 6. Around the time we adopted cats no.3 and no.4 I started writing some blog posts, just general observations about their behaviour. I also had some fun with a monthly column called 36 Lives where I imagined four of the cats having meetings and discussing humans and our interests. Last year I decided to combine the blogs into one book that became Man vs Cat. I also wrote some additional material to go alongside the earlier work. The book is intended both as a non-fiction account of some of the six cats’ escapades but is also designed to be humorous. It’s based around the idea that I am the downtrodden owner (true!) and I am afraid the cats are trying to kill me (might be true!) . My proof in the book comes from observations, minutes from meetings and other documentary evidence I have managed to find. You could say this book is a record of me trying to adapt to being a cat owner.
About your Book:
History has known many famous cats – Garfield, Mr Bigglesworth, Simon’s Cat, the Aristocats, the Cheshire cat and the Keyboard Cat on YouTube. In recent years these feline things have replaced man’s best friend as the most popular pet in the U.S. while the Ancient Egyptians once worshipped them as gods. This was a mistake and I’m here to tell you why. Man vs Cat is the story of one man, one woman and the six cats that changed their lives forever. To the woman they brought love and affection, to the man they brought sleepless nights, fear, paranoia and even ruined his jigsaw. Need I say more?
Book Genre: Non-fiction/Humour
What formats are your books in
Both eBook and Print
How do you see writing a book in the Pet Genre as different from writing other genres of books?
This is was a more personal book for me. Pets are family members and close to our hearts so I felt some pressure trying to convey their various characteristics and do them justice.
Advice to someone that is thinking about or currently working on a pet book
If it’s about a specific pet (rather than general advice) try and find ways for your pet’s personality to come through. This will make it more unique and other pet owners will still spot characteristics they can identify with.
How did you decide how to publish your book and where is it published through:
I have self-published three books previously – two fantasy novels and one short story collection – so I followed the same paths I had previously taken with those works. When I wrote my first novel I intended it to be a different kind of fantasy, one that might stray beyond the usual boundaries of the genre. I like the freedom to write what I want and I am fortunate that many readers have responded positively to what I have done so far.
The same was true with Man vs Cat. In writing the book, my wife and I enjoyed the stories but they were personal to us. There was some concern that no one else would be interested in the antics of our cats but the feedback has been very warm so far. Self-publishing is not an easy step to take but it is a good way to connect very quickly with readers and see how viable your work may be in the future. Publishers are worth pursuing, of course, but when rejecting manuscripts they are not always right.
Man vs Cat is available on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
Author Bio:
David Brown could be considered a fantasy fanatic, especially since he has spent the last 10 years developing a 47,000-year history for his fictional world of Elenchera. When converting his obsession into literary form, David commits himself to a rigorous writing and editing process before his work can meet his approval. Combined with the critical eye of his wife and a BA Hons in History and English, David’s dedication leads him to his goal of inspiring readers through heartfelt stories and characters.
Website(s)
Author Home Page Link
Buy Book On Amazon
Buy Book on Barnes and Noble
Buy Book on Smashwords
Your Social Media Links
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4878327.David_M_Brown
http://www.facebook.com/davidmbrownauthor
https://twitter.com/elenchera
http://pinterest.com/elenchera/
Thank you so much for featuring Man vs Cat.
The six cats and I are more than grateful.