Why Some Cats Are Rascals: Book 3 - Softcover

Nowiki, Boszenna

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0972732861 ISBN 13: 9780972732864

Publisher: Healthy Life Pr Inc, 2006

Synopsis

After he meets Wandering Sheriff, a ghost, Rascal agrees to write the story of how cats were helpful in taming the wild West, so the ghost cat takes Rascal and his family back in time so that they may experience it themselves.

About this title

About the Author

Although the story is fiction, many of the historical and geographic references such as The Oregon Trail and Sequoyah Alphabet, are real. Just as real are the characters of the book. They live with me in a white wooden house with a big garden and a magnificent view of mountains. Their names are real too, but some of them, like Grandma Calico and Uncle Toothless, are now on the other side of the rainbow...

The central character, Rascal, is a four year old, orange colored male. He is anything but the typical, cuddly 'lap-cat'. His behavior seems to justify his name, but if the truth be known, his heart is that of an angel. And it shows so clearly while he cares for the kitten Onyx, recently adopted from the SPCA.

I hope this book provides readers with a pleasant escape from everyday concerns, whether related to school or home. If any reader plans using this or any other of my novels in a class setting or book club, please let me know. I'd be delighted to meet with the group and chat about Rascal and other cats. I'd like to hear your thoughts about this or other books of mine, as well as any views which relate to cats, children problems, and life in general.

And, if you are just a plain 'ole' cat lover, perhaps with a cat story to share, feel free to contact me by email at rascalandfriends@gmail.com.

Boszenna Nowiki

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Rascal was sitting on the windowsill, looking sadly out the window. Grandma Calico was gone. She had gone to the other side of the rainbow where all cats go when their time in this life has come to an end. Rascal began writing in his diary. He knew that Grandma was happy and free from disease. Philosopher was reading a book. Lumby did not understand the situation but he could feel the sadness of all the others. He was lying near the window, watching a fly on it taking an autumn sun bath. Sofia was crying in the corner of the room; Dandy was comforting Snow. Bunny was sad too, knowing that he would never again hear all those interesting stories about the old times that Grandma Calico used to tell them.
Philosopher closed his book and made his way over to Rascal. "It might be a good idea for us to take a little walk outside. Help us to get our minds off our sadness. What do you think, brother?"
"I think that's a very good idea, Philosopher. Sofia is not handling Grandma Calico's absence well at all. I think a little adventure might be a good thing today."
So, to give themselves a break from grieving, the cats decided to venture into the forest. Rascal led the way, then Philosopher, with three-month-old Lumby jumping alongside him. Then came Bunny, with Snow and Dandy. Last came Sofia, murmuring something about guilt and shame. After a while they arrived at the entrance of the old mine that they had found on their last journey into the forest. A sign above the entrance announced, "Danger!"
"Hey, Rascal, look and read," pointed Philosopher.
"Don't worry, brother," said Rascal, "it simply means that we can go in and there will be lots of adventure waiting for us ahead. See, it's a Cat Hole! Hmm, maybe we'll find something interesting inside."
It was not the Enchanted Forest, so the cats did not find Prehistoric Cat Samuel, but soon after entering the large, round mine tunnel, Rascal saw a ghost cat. He was ready to go back when the ghost said with a faint voice, "Please help me."
"Who's there?" asked Sofia almost bumping into Rascal.
"It...it...it's a cat," murmured Rascal, looking intently at the transparent image of a cat floating in the air.
"Holy Cat!" said Philosopher, who was just behind Sofia.
"What's that?" asked the other cats.
"Please, help me," said the ghost cat.
"How can we help you?" asked Rascal.
"Come closer, sit down and I'll explain."
The cats sat down. Bunny's eyes were wide open, Snow was trembling, Sofia was praying and Lumby said, "Hi! Why are you so pale? You're almost transparent. You look cool! I want to be a ghost, too."
The ghost cat smiled and said, "A long time ago I was in the flesh like you guys. I had a nice life."
"So, what are you doing here?" asked Dandy.
"I'll tell you. My name is Wandering Sheriff and I helped tame the Wild West. Then I promised to write a book about it because nobody knows how very helpful cats were in taming the Wild West. I said that I would write it tomorrow. But tomorrow was again tomorrow and still I didn't write. Tomorrow never comes, because tomorrow is always tomorrow! Now I'm a ghost but not a writer."
"Don't worry, our Rascal is a writer, but not a ghost. He'll help you for sure. Right, Rascal?" asked Philosopher.
"He never says tomorrow, he does everything right now, never waiting. So far he's written three books, diaries," added Snow.
"That's right, I can even write while I'm sleeping," said Rascal, smiling. But then in a more serious tone, he said to the ghost cat, "Okay, I'll write for you everything you tell me. That way I'll set you free and you can go to the other side of the rainbow bridge, right?"
"When you get there say hello to our Grandma Calico. She went to the other side of the rainbow too," said Snow.
"I promise!" said the ghost cat.
"I promise, too! I'll write your book. I'll write only the truth, but if I forget the truth I will invent it," said Rascal and looked at Wandering Sheriff for a hint about what to do next.
Wandering Sheriff was quiet for a moment, thinking about how to begin. "I think, the best way is to go back in time. I'll show you the Wild West and how it really was. That way you won't have to invent anything, because you'll be there and you'll feel, smell and see everything with all your senses."
"Yes!" agreed the cats.
With the ghost cat floating in the air, the others followed him through the copper mine, along old corridors and down holes. Rascal noticed that with every minute Wandering Sheriff was more visible and he began to walk, not float. His color was the same orange as Rascal's, but he didn't have dark spots on his nose and he was much bigger and stronger then Rascal.

Edition details

• Publisher: Healthy Life Pr Inc
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0972732861
• ISBN 13: 9780972732864
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 207