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03 January 2018

Simon The Time Traveling Cat Takes A Nap | IWSG



The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is a place to share and encourage, where writers can express their doubts and concerns without appearing foolish or weak. It's a wonderful spot to mingle with like-minded people each month during IWSG day.

I'm co-hosting this month, along with Tyrean Martinson, Megan Morgan, Rachna Chhabria, and Jennifer Lane.
 

Every month there's an optional question which may prompt folks to share advice, insights, a personal experience or story. Some folks answer the question in their IWSG blog post or let it inspire them if they're struggling with what to say.

This month's question is:

"What steps have you taken or plan to take to put a schedule in place for your writing and publishing?"

Check out how people have answered this month's question, as well as the other insecurities and writing topics they may have shared by visiting the IWSG sign-up list here. If you want to see how I answered the question, have a look below.

But before you scroll down, let's take a minute to applaud the winners of the 2017 IWSG anthology contest! I'm so excited for them and can't wait to read >>Tick Tock: A Stick in Crime<< when it's published later this year.

Top honors go to Gwen Gardner for her story, A Stitch in Crime.

The other winning stories are:

Three O’Clock Execution - S. R. Betler
Until Release - Jemi Fraiser
Cypress, Like the Tree - Yolanda Renée
Gussy Saint and the Case of the Missing Coed - C.D. Gallant-King
Reset – Tara Tyler
Center Lane - Christine Clemetson
One More Minute – Mary Aalgaard
The Little Girl in the Bayou - J. R. Ferguson
The Tide Waits – Rebecca M. Douglass
Special Mention: Heartless – C. Lee McKenzie

****


"Move out of the way, lady," Simon the Time Traveling Cat said as he jumped onto the table. "You're in my spot."

"What do you mean your spot?" I asked indignantly. "I was here first."

Simon ignored me, nudging my water glass with one of his gray paws. "Hey, watch it!" I grabbed the water glass before he succeeded in tipping it over. "You almost spilled water all over my laptop."

"Oh, stop your whining, lady," Simon said. "It's not my fault that your stupid laptop is in my way. And why do you have to drink water from a glass anyway? Why can't you just drink it from a bowl like I do?" He swished his tail back and forth, knocking my notebook to the floor. "I'll never understand humans."

I picked my notebook up and set it back on the table. "Simon, can you please just go somewhere else and leave me in peace and quiet? I need to finish typing up my writing and publishing schedule for this year."

Simon narrowed his eyes and growled. "This is where I take my afternoon nap, lady. Why don't you go someplace else?" He glared at me and knocked my notebook back onto the floor. Then he padded over to my laptop and stared at the screen.

"You call this a plan?" he asked. "All it says is that you're going to finish revising your cozy mystery, Murder at the Marina, and then publish it this year. Big deal. You've been saying that for ages."

I leaned back and sighed. "If you had let me finish typing, you would have seen that I also plan on drafting the second book in the series, Bodies in the Boatyard, this year too."

"Whatever," Simon said as he pressed one of his paws on the keyboard. "This is my plan for the coming year."

I looked at the screen. "It's just the letter 'Z' repeated a million times."

"Geez, you really are a stupid as you look, lady. It means catching some Zs. You know, taking naps. Now move your laptop out of my way so I can get on with it. It's time for my afternoon nap. And by the time I wake up, there better be some full-fat milk in a saucer waiting for me."

What are your plans and/or resolutions for 2018?

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - we'd love for you to pop by and say hi!

143 comments:

  1. Simon is a smart kitty. Must have zzzzzz to be brilliant. I wish you much luck with your revision of Murder at the Marina. Happy IWSG day!

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    1. Simon says thank you for recognizing his brilliance :-)

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  2. Good Luck to you!! Congrats to the winners!! Happy New Year!!

    Thank you for co-hosting this month.

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  3. Happy New Year and congratulations to the anthology winners! Simon sounds much like my Pebbles. Bossy, aren't they?

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  4. Simon, I find your lack of ambition disturbing...
    Thanks for co-hosting today!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Yes, I'm afraid I'm a constant source of disappointment for Simon :-)

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  5. Tell Simon that full fat is very bad for him (not that he'd care). Good luck with your plans and hope Simon gets his zz's and gives you some peace ;)

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    1. Yeah, I've tried to tell him several times. He just growls every time I buy skim milk instead of full fat :-)

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  6. Sounds like a great and terrifying plan! It takes a lot of guts to actually make a plan and stick it it. Taking naps sounds much easier!

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    1. I don't know if it's guts as much as a moment of temporary insanity :-)

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  7. At first, I thought the beginning of your cute story sounded like my kids at the dinner table. Hope you get all your stories finished this year!

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  8. Reading Simon's posts always brings a smile and lights up my life. I'm sure you will meet your writing goals. Simon is on a roll and he's going to make it happen. Thank you for co-hosting IWSG this month.

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    1. I have no doubt that Simon will achieve his napping goal :-) Me, well, fingers crossed that I do.

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  9. I loved your post, Simon is one one clever cat. Please please prove him wrong by completing your revisions on your cosy mystery Murder at the Marina. Thanks for co-hosting this month.

    Rachna Chhabria
    Co-host IWSG
    Rachna's Scriptorium

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  10. Simon is a snarky kitty. I like that.

    New Year's Resolution: Become as fat as I was the very first time I thought I was fat!

    Have a fabulous day. ♥

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  11. Good luck battling the cat naps in 2018 and accomplishing your goals. You can do it!
    Thanks for co-hosting this month.
    Mary @ Play off the Page

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  12. Happy New Year!

    Simon sounds like a character, reminding me of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYaN4OLxm08

    I have a gray cat in my WIP, in honor of my Izzie who is now over the rainbow bridge. She liked warm spots like laptops, too.

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    1. Aww...what a sweet thing to do to have a cat in your WIP in honor of your Izzie :-)

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  13. Hello, my co-co-host! Have you ever thought of making Simon's adventures a book in themselves? I'm sure he would appreciate it! ;)


    IWSG post: Taking Chances

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    1. Can you imagine what that would do to Simon's ego if I wrote a book about him. He'd be so hard to live with after that :-)

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  14. Replies
    1. Co-hosting is always fun - happy to help out with it :-)

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  15. Returning your visit to my blog. Enjoyed the post and congrats to all who were winners in the Anthology comp. Hope your plans for the New Year goes well.
    Yvonne.

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  16. LOL! I want to trade my goals for Simon's!! ZZZZzzzzzzz . . . Never enough time for that last letter. Thanks for starting the year off as co-host, Ellen!

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    Replies
    1. Simon does have some very achievable goals. I have a feeling it will be a very successful year for him :-)

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  17. I'm with Simon, time to catch some ZZZZzzzz. Congratulations to all the winners. Thanks so much for co-hosting, Ellen. Happy New Year.

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    Replies
    1. Simon has life pretty well figured out - napping is his number one priority :-)

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  18. If I were you, I'd totally support Simon's plans. After all, the more time he spends napping, the less time he'll have to get in the way of YOUR plans. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

    Congrats to all the winning writers for being selected for the next anthology. :)

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    Replies
    1. Aren't you clever! That makes complete sense - while he naps I can get stuff done :-)

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  19. More naps sound really good. Why didn't I include that in my plans? Sigh.

    Good luck on the novels! Love the titles, by the way. :)

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    Replies
    1. I think everyone should have naps as part of their 2018 plans :-)

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  20. I think Simon nailed it - again! I need to pencil in some extra zzzzzs. Thanks for co-hosting today.

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    1. I think all this praise is going to go to Simon's hear :-)

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  21. Simon does have a good idea. I'd like to add take more naps to my schedule! Good luck with your goals and happy new year! :) Thank you for co-hosting today.

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    1. Simon would encourage everyone to take more naps, just not in his spot :-)

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  22. Best of luck with your editing and writing! ^_^

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  23. LOL love Simon. Well good luck to you and your plans for the year despite what Simon has to say.

    Congrats to the winners! How very exciting for everyone involved.

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  24. Good luck with your plans! I wonder...what's Simone's plan for 2018? :P

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    1. Simon is planning to do nothing more than sleep, eat, get scratched behind his ears, and hack up hairballs :-)

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  25. No resolutions this year, just goals. I'm better at those!

    Thanks for supporting the IWSG and taking time to comment on the posts, you'll need that nap when your done! :)
    Happy 2018!

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    1. IWSG has been such a support to me that I'm delighted to be able to give back in a small way, like co-hosting.

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  26. I think a nap would be great. :) Best of luck achieving your goals!

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  27. I knew I forgot something--the nap! Thanks for the reminder.

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    1. Yep, everyone should put naps on their 2018 plans :-)

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  28. Sleeping sounds like a good plan right now. LOL

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    1. It sure does especially this morning when it's too cold to get out from under the covers.

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  29. Happy New Year! Good luck with the books, and don't forget to catch a few of those ZZZ's yourself. I think I might grab some too, if I can find the time...

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    1. I never seem to have a problem finding time to take a nap. Come to think about it, maybe that's may problem - too many naps :-)

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  30. The plan sounds awesome, but I'd be putting that cat outside. hehehe

    Anna from elements of emaginette

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  31. Wow, I’m starting to feel thankful I don’t have a cat. But wait a minute, I have two little boys who always chooses to be all over me during my writing time. Hhhmmm.
    Thanks for co-hosting today! And Happy New Year!

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    Replies
    1. I'm betting your little boys are way more adorable than Simon :-)

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  32. Naps are a good way to recoup after a long morning of writing or trying to. Great idea. Here's to more cats with attitude.

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    1. I'm not sure the world can take another cat with an attitude the size of Simon's :-)

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  33. What a cute story. I hope you meet your goal this year. I have good writing intentions at the start of every year.

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  34. Love your story. I have a cat, Bitty, who thinks my keyboard is a great place for napping. I will think of Simon when Bitty interrupts my writing! hahaha.

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    1. Why is it that cats think computers are the best place to nap?

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  35. I'm so excited to have my story included in the anthology! :)
    The cat definitely has a good idea - nothing wrong with a good nap!

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    1. Huge congratulations to you! Can't wait to read your story once the anthology is published.

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  36. No kidding! This sounds great! All the luck with your new cozy series. And thanks for co-hosting today! Happy New Year!

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    1. Thanks for the encouraging words, Victoria. All the best to you for the New Year.

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  37. Clever! Best wishes for all of your 2018 writing goals.

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  38. Well I guess we know who's the boss! lol Thanks for co-hosting this month! Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, Simon is definitely the boss in these little stories :-)

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  39. I love naps and try to take at least two a day. They keep me going!
    Thank you so much for co-hosting, and I wish you all the best for 2018.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G

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    Replies
    1. Naps are wonderful, aren't they? I know that Simon would agree :-)

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  40. Bodies in the Boatyard is the best title I've heard of in years. I want to read that book now. Can I, please? Also, good job co-hosting. You're a rock star.

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    1. That's funny that you like that title. I think it's kind of blah. You can most definitely read that book once (if) I ever get it written.

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  41. Pour Simon some skim milk. That'll teach him. And make sure you have multiple copies of your manuscript in safe places. I wouldn't put it past Simon to delete everything on your computer.
    Thanks for co-hosting this month!

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    1. Whenever I give him skim milk, he upturns the saucer and spills the milk everywhere. He has me trained well to only go with the full-fat milk :-)

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  42. Naps. Who doesn't love naps? Move over, Simon, I'm going to join you!

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  43. I think Simon has the right of it! Love the alliterative titles, by the way :)

    And I'm super excited to be part of the IWSG anthology, but I'm letting people know they misspelled my name on the page you quote...that's Douglass :)

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    Replies
    1. Oops sorry about that - I've updated the spelling.

      I wasn't sure about the alliterative titles - good to hear that you like them.

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  44. Love your plan and Simon's plan - as long as he doesn't knock over your laptop or your water. :)
    Happy Writing in 2018!

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    1. Simon's plan sounds so much more relaxing than mine.

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  45. Just going with the zzzz can sometimes be the way to be.

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  46. I want to catch me some Zs as well. Your Simon has the right ideas. :)

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    1. I wonder how many people took a nap after reading this post?

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  47. Hehe, Simon might be on to something. Thanks for co-hosting this month!

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    1. Simon definitely is on to something. Naps are always a good thing. Thanks for stopping by :-)

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  48. Great post. Simon sounds like a smart kitty. Thanks for co-hosting. Happy 2018.
    Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

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    1. If by "smart" you mean "obnoxious," then yes he is a "smart" kitty :-)

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  49. Haha! I'd love some full-fat milk too! But unlike Simon, it's hard for me to nap. Lucky, saucy cat! Thanks for co-hosting, Ellen, and all the best with your writing plans in the coming year!

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    1. Simon has no problem when it comes to napping. Years of experience :-)

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  50. I think my cat would have some z's as his main goal, too.
    Thanks for co-hosting and congrats to all of the anthology winners!

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    Replies
    1. You have to admire cats - their goals are so straightforward. Eat, nap, play, get petted, repeat.

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  51. Thank you so much for co-hosting this month and stopping by my blog.
    Congratulations to the anthology winners. So looking forward to this release.
    Sorry Simon isn't being more suportive, but I think your goals are great.

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    Replies
    1. It's going to be a great anthology - I'm looking forward to its release too.

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  52. Zzzzzzz = a great plan. I need to join Simon and forget about boring things like writing. My dog, Quetzal, agrees even if cats are creatures to chase off the bed - or leave behind in Wales.

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  53. Thanks for co-hosting, Ellen. I love your Simon stories. He's a real character. LOL I'm going with his goal--getting more Zs. Best wishes for a great 2018.

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    1. Glad you like the Simon stories. I was wondering if folks are getting a bit tired of them.

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  54. Simon sounds a little pushy. But I loved it! Creative way to answer the questions :)

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    1. Pushy is an understatement when it comes to Simon :-)

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  55. Thanks for co-hosting this month, Ellen. Simon is adorable. Hope you reach all your goals in 2018!

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  56. I love Simon's plan! Good luck hitting your goals this year!

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  57. I love Simon's plan for the year. There are days I'd love to do the same.

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  58. I wish my life was as easy as Simon's. And, I'm not even as demanding as him. I'm happy with 2% milk. :-) You have fun prospects for 2018, and I wish you all the peace, quiet and inspiration you need to be successful in your goals.

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    1. Feel free to come by our boat anytime to take a nap and have a glass of 2% milk. I'll even throw in a plate of cookies too.

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  59. Replies
    1. Thanks, Shannon. I'm going to need to luck to make it happen.

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  60. I love Simon! Congratulations to all of the amazing winners, I cant wait to read the latest anthology.
    Thank you so much for hosting this month, Happy New Year!

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  61. Best wishes on your plans! I'll be happy if I can continue writing every day and retaining a pentioner's lifestyle.

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  62. Whew! Simon is a sassy little thing, isn't he? Best of luck with all your goals this year. My main writing goal is to finish edits on my novel I completed in December and actually *gulp* send it to some readers.

    Happy New Year!
    Jen

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    1. Based on your story from last year's anthology, I'm sure your novel is going to be amazing!

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  63. Catching Z's - that made me laugh. Cats know how to get things the way they want them, don't they?

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    1. Cats are masters at getting things exactly the way they want :-)

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  64. The way you write your posts is hilarious! Why can't your time traveling cat travel back in time and take his nap then? LOL!!! Great Post! I didn't get my post up until late afternoon on Wednesday so I'm just now reading other's posts. If I had a time traveling cat that could type (even if it's just z's, I think I'd start dictating my writing---ROFL. I always enjoy your posts. Happy New Year! Check out my post on Word Press PLEASE https://journieswithliz.com/2018/01/03/a-good-review-is-hard-to-find-part-1/

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    1. Glad it made you laugh :-)

      Thanks for including the link to your post. When I click on your blogger profile it doesn't give a link to your blog so this is really helpful. Off to check it out.

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  65. Best wishes achieving your goals and thank you for hosting! Your kitty is a wise one...fun!

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  66. Thanks for co-hosting this month! Simon is such a brat :) Good luck with your revisions, your cozy mystery sounds like it will be interesting.

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  67. LOL. Yeah, sounds pretty much like my cats. If you also add something involving stealing small objects like pens and hairclips if I set them down for a second and showing me that the *real* purpose is as a toy to bat around. ::sigh!!: Happy New Year! And thanks for visiting my blog.
    Anne from annehiga.com

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  68. Good luck with the revisions of Murder at the Marina and the drafting of Bodies in the Boatyard!
    Simon loves having his own way, doesn't he? LOL
    Thank you for co-hosting the IWSG this month, Ellen!
    Happy 2018!

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  69. Simon may be imaginary, but he certainly sounds like a real cat.

    Happy New Year! My plan is to get four new books and a novella out this year, plus rewrite another two. It's a bit daunting. *gulp*

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    1. Sometimes, he seems like a real cat to me. Maybe I should see someone about that? :-)

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    2. Nah, it comes with the writer brain. Embrace it!

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  70. Thanks for co-hosting! Sorry I was late to the party.

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