Meet Dena Harris

I am a cat fanatic. One of those loons who will end my days a widowed 90-year old found deceased in a rambling old home with 110 cats.

I can’t wait.

My husband knows this and I think he sometimes fears I’m planning his early demise so I can set about the business of collecting more cats for our home. Nothing could be further from the truth. After all, someone has to be around to scoop all that kitty litter...

I wrote the stories in Lessons In Stalking over a period of four years beginning in September 2000. I’d taken an on-line “How to Write for Magazines” course and wrote “Feline Concerns” as an assignment. My instructor told me the story was marketable and encouraged me to submit it.

I sent the story to I Love Cats! magazine where it was immediately accepted. It was my first piece as a professional, paid writer.

After that I started watching the cats (and my husband) and writing down what I saw. I sometimes feel embarrassed when people come up to me and say, “Oh, you’re so funny. How on earth do you come up with all those funny ideas in your stories?”

Umm...I take notes. The Grape Benadryl® story? Pretty much a documentary of what happened. Same thing with Kitty Nightingales and Creature Under the Fridge. I’m not clever enough to make this stuff up.

I’ve shown the book to the cats, pointing out the illustrated drawings and telling them Mommy is trying her hardest to make them famous. So far, they have shown little interest. I’m guessing us touring together is out.

Doesn’t matter. I’m happy having the book to share with you. Why? I love cats. I love my cats and, if I were to meet them, I know I would love your cats. This book is a celebration of cats. It’s a celebration of me having cats. But most of all, it’s a tribute to the three marvelous creatures that bring me unending joy, love and companionship each and every day.

Here’s to the cat, the kitten...and my husband.

Cheers,

Dena