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INTERVIEW WITH NANCY THE CAT – AUTHOR OF ‘SEX AND THE KITTY’
Did you find writing a book an easy experience? Any author will tell you that the secret to writing a book is to establish a routine. For cat writers, this poses several challenges. Somehow, one has to find the time to produce 60,000+ words, in addition to all the usual feline occupations such as napping, patrolling territory, washing, and eating. I had to overcome my feline instincts and learn to be disciplined. Once a rough draft of a chapter was down on paper, I would treat myself to some quality time with a pouch of lamb chunks in gravy, or perhaps a wash/nap combo in a sunbeam. I am also fortunate in that I have excellent grammar and know how to spell. You would be amazed how many cats can't spell (yes I'm talking about you, LOLcats!) There's no excuse for it, in my opinion. You can haz Spellcheck!
Did you have any problems trying to get your book published? Did publishers take you – as you’re a cat – seriously? Why wouldn't they? The shelves are bursting with biographies of cats written by their owners, so cat books are hardly a new phenomenon. Between you and me, I think publishers were relieved when I came along. Finally, here was a cat who could tell its own story: no middlemen, owners, or ghost-writers required.
How is your step-cat Pip coping with your celebrity status? The way he copes with everything: sulking. As I told him just this morning, I can't help it if humans want to be with me, and other cats want to be me. He just rolled his eyes and stormed out through the cat flap. He's jealous, of course, but he's got to realise that book deals don't just fall in your lap. You've got to work for them.
How about the rest of 'Team Nancy', your cat friends on the street? Would you say having a team behind you has helped you get where you are today? Hmm. I don't know if I'd go that far. I prefer to think of them as my entourage, really. Acolytes, even. For the most part they have been supportive of my efforts to achieve global recognition, and I might not have had the courage to do some of the things I've done if they hadn't been cheering me on from the sidelines. It works both ways, of course, as now they get to bask in my reflected glory. I caught Brambles practising his 'paparazzi smile' in the mirror the other day. He claimed he was just checking his teeth for plaque, but he didn't fool me.
Do you have any plans to write a sequel to Sex and the Kitty? If so, what format might it take? Of course! In fact, I have already started. It's early days, but I can exclusively reveal that I'm off to New York, and taking Brambles with me!
You’re a smarter than average cat. What advice would you give other cats about how to play the fame game? It's all about playing to your strengths, knowing your audience, and having confidence in who you are. Of course, I am unique, so that gave me something of a head-start. I suppose my advice would be 'Don't try to be all things to all cats'. If you try to please everyone, you will end up pleasing no-one. Concentrate first on pleasing yourself. If you're a cat, that shouldn't be too difficult.
ED's NOTE: My humble thanks to Nancy for taking time out of her very busy schedule to answer my questions. It was very much appreciated.
To read the review of SEX AND THE KITTY by Nancy the Cat, click here: You can view Nancy’s blog at www.nancy-the-cat.blogspot.com or for those of you on Twitter: @NancyWriterCat. |
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