July-September 2015 The Cat's Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine

The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine®™ A helpful literary publication where we take care to bring you short stories, poems, haikus, and essays for your reading pleasure! Plus helpful and informative articles of all kinds, and a section that’ll show you where you can purchase authors’ books or subscribe to literary magazines and journals! ™ FOUNDER & PUBLISHER: AUTHOR ROSANNE CATALANO

7/27/15

© JULY-OCTOBER 2015 ISSUE 77, VOL 15

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER:

(Photo: Publisher Rosanne in her office) So glad you came here for my Summer issue I am truly sorry it is late! There is a good reason, however….

That reason is that I am learning a new way of life. What "new way of life," you ask? When the hubby retires as a New York City Investigator, a former Suffolk County Police Officer and a former New York City Correction Officer (at Rikers Island, no less!); law enforcement jobs he loved and misses---but can no longer do because he has early-onset Alzheimer's, heart disease, and other physical illnesses---it IS a huge adjustment for the entire family.

Our cat was used to kissing his nose to wake him when the alarm clock went off every morning at 4:30 AM. And our dog was used to jumping all over me and barking as her daddy woke me up at 5:30 AM; so that I could drive daddy to work before his shift started at 7:00 AM (“daddy” could no longer drive—even after extensive physical therapy— because of a badly broken right ankle and big toe. Which left 2 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

his right ankle all metal—after surgery in 2011—because the bones were crushed beyond repair.) Although we are both grateful he CAN walk, my hubby’s stride is not the same swagger he used to have. Which is fine with me, but not with him. So we are learning a new way of living…

And now—almost a month after his retirement—the hubby has asked me to please continue writing my crime fiction novel (‘Escape & Redemption’) when I am not busy being his caregiver. But to please give up my literary magazine.....Not going to happen! The Cat's Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine (Queens, NY) is my baby and my creation, as much as my novels and books are! Guess my hubby and I will be butting heads here until we both get used to our ‘new way of life’---he as a law enforcement ‘retiree,’ me as a publisher and author; who also loves her job. Please pray that our adjusting comes fast!

I am now thinking of renting an office outside the home to get my work done. Rents around here are not cheap, however, so we'll see. Only God knows what our future holds. Continued prayers appreciated. Thank you!

In this issue there are lots of delightfully inspiring fiction and nonfiction short stories, extremely informative and helpful articles, plus pleasingly gratifying and deeply emotional poetry by my contributors, and the book authors and literary journals in the ‘Off The Press! Corner’:

Coffee House 4 Readers Corner: 1) Mehi Loveski (aka Oleg G. Mikhailovsky): “Canticle for a

Pet.” 3 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

2) Joseph J Mazzella: “Second Chances” And “Wildflowers.”

3) M.E. McMullen: “Questionable Characters and

Unprincipled People.”

Helpful Nonfiction Articles for You Corner: 4) Sam Vaknin: “Narcissistic Personality Disorder in the

DSM V.”

Coffee House 4 the Poetry Lover Corner: 5) Ross Snapp: “On Love,” “All the World’s A Stage,” And

“Hold Me Close.”

6) Richard Sattanni: “Patch.”

7) L Douglas St Ours: “In A Place You’ve Never Been.”

Off The Press! Corner: 8) Award-winning Poet, Writer & Photographer Darren B Rankins (aka Poet Rankins), And Photos of Darren with Celebrities & Others (including his wife Marilyn), Plus his Awards, Honors & Accolade Letters.

9) Author & Poet Melissa Lorraine Gulick (aka MJ Rain).

10) Author & Poet Thomas Bryant.

11) Author & Artist Rose Anna Schoene.

12) Author & Poet Sandra L Hoynacki.

13) Author Rosalee Wilson.

14) Author, Publisher & Health Columnist Carol Roach.

15) Author, Poet & Talk Show Host Trisha Martin (aka Trina Martin).

16) Author & Publisher Rosanne Catalano (aka RC Kayla).

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*** Call for Submissions! *** Submit your BEST work to the publisher of Storytime Tapestry, Carol Roach, via email at: winterose@videotron.ca Storytime Tapestry was launched on September 1, 2003 by Author, Health Columnist & Writer CAROL ROACH. It is a daily newsletter which is delivered directly into your e-mail.

It features short stories and poems about the human condition. These stories will inspire, teach you a new skill, challenge your senses, provide a positive attitude on life, make you laugh, make you cry, and first and foremost provide a cultural link with all the peoples of the world creating a tapestry of love for all of humanity.

To Also Join Storytime Tapestry, Go To: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Storytime_Tapestry/

*** Call for Submissions! *** “Hi Rosanne, how are you? This is Kristyn Bacon, founder and editor of Trainless Magazine. I've read the publications in The Cat's Meow, and I really appreciate the concept of your magazine. I also wanted to let you know that Trainless Magazine is now accepting unsolicited fiction and nonfiction. If you want, please pass the call on to your writers and readers. Thank you! ~Kristyn” -6 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Kristyn Bacon, Trainless Magazine: www.TrainlessMagazine.com Weserstr. 133, 12059 Berlin DE +4915787803819 TrainlessMagazine@gmail.com

*** Call for Submissions! *** Maximize Your Exposure In MUTT Online Newsletter!

“Hi Rosanne, as one of my LinkedIn Connections I am offering you the opportunity to be given Exposure in MUTT Online's Monthly Newsletter. Our newsletter has a Featured section called "In the Spotlight." Each month thousands see how MUTT strives to give its members exposure for their books, photography, art work and poetry.

If not already, you must become a member of MUTT Online, which is free. Make sure you provide a profile photo, lengthy profile bio and a classified about your work: Books, artwork, photography etc. Classifieds are free on MUTT as well.

If you have never seen our Newsletter, simply click on the link below and you can sign up to see what kind of great exposure you are guaranteed to get. It's free, why not?

We think what you do is worth sharing with thousands of others, we hope you do too. Please contact me at info@muttonline.com if you are interested.

Kind Regards, Bob McKamie, MUTT Online” http://www.muttonline.com 7 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

To sign up for MUTT Online Newsletter, Click on the link below. http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp? llr=adtf4jkab&p=oi&m=1110583725152

8 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

*** Call for Jobs in Publishing! ***

Come Work With Us! We’re patiently looking for two people who are just right for the jobs listed below. Could one of them be you — or someone you know? Click the links below to apply online.

We need a full-time BUSINESS MANAGER: (Link to Apply: http://trk.cp20.com/Tracking/t.c?8a5v4-nomtp13kmohf9&_v=2 ) to oversee accounting, payroll, and benefits — a job that requires a head for numbers and a heart for all that The Sun Magazine represents.

We also have an opening for an ASSOCIATE EDITOR: (Link to Apply: http://trk.cp20.com/Tracking/t.c?8a5v4-nomtq13kmohf0&_v=2) whose responsibilities include substantial, hands-on, roll-up-

9 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

the-sleeves editing as well as soliciting work from writers.

Both jobs are full time and based in our Chapel Hill, North Carolina office. The positions will remain open until filled. (No e-mails, phone calls, faxes, or surprise visits, please.)

Will you please help us spread the word?—The Sun Magazine.

***** I am now giving the floor entirely to my other contributors, who have more news to share with you before you start reading the short stories, articles, poetry, authors’ books and literary publications. Not to worry – it’s only good news!

*****

10 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

BOOKS, NEWSLETTERS AND MAGAZINES BY THE CAT’S MEOW FOR WRITERS & READERS’ AUTHORS:

Jacqueline Marcell Impressive Press 3141 Michelson Dr. #606, Irvine, CA 92612, (949) 975-1012 “Rosanne, my book ‘Elder Rage’ is a Book-of-the-Month Club selection receiving 50 endorsements: http://www.ElderRage.com/Review.asp 300+ Five-Star Amazon reviews, and is now required reading at numerous universities. It is also available for audio download exclusively at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/74479pq and Audible Books: http://tinyurl.com/7seo4fm.

11 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Also available in Print and Kindle/Nook eBook formats.

Perhaps you know people who could be helped by my book.” http://www.ElderRage.com Jacqueline’s “Coping with Caregiving” Radio Show http://www.wsradio.com/copingwithcaregiving

*****

12 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

“Splash of Inspiration Newsletter” Published by JANET PEREZ ECKLES Author & Inspirational Speaker

JANET’S DAILY NEWSLETTER BRINGS YOU FAITH & LOVE WITH A LATIN FLAIR!

To subscribe to her publication just send a blank email to: jeckles@cfl.rr.com Write “Subscribe” in your subject line and mention that the publisher of The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers

Magazine referred you. Janet will immediately send you her latest

issue

right

in

your

inbox.

Enjoy

newsletter as much as I do!

******

13 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

her

inspiring

CAROL ROACH AUTHOR, PUBLISHER AND HEALTH COLUMNIST: “Rosanne, please tell your readers about my three wonderful columns in Examiner.com articles, which are well researched and, as you know, my field is psychology – I have a Masters in counselling psychology. The articles are also great for Storytime

Tapestry members who do not want to wait for when the story is finally published in the newsletter, sometimes several months later.”

First column Women's Issues - covers all issues relating to women's lives, from the fight for women's rights which started over 100 years ago in Alberta, Canada, to all the great women's achievements in the USA, the feminist movement, women's legal, health, family issues and more, later on I will incorporate eastern women's issues

as

well.

http://www.examiner.com/x-47386-Montreal-

Womens-Issues-Examiner

Second column Health - covers all aspects of health from disease and conditions to most recent medical studies, to warning against certain drugs and pharmaceutical drug recalls. http://www.examiner.com/x-38644-Montreal-Health-Examiner 14 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Third column Mental Health - covers everything pertaining to psychology, psychiatry, self-improvement, theories about behavior and why we do the things we do and a lot more. http://www.examiner.com/x-33888-Montreal-Mental-HealthExaminer

******

15 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

ARTHUR C. FORD, SR PUBLISHER, EDITOR AND POET: If you are a reader, writer or just interested in poetry, this poetry newsletter—‘The Pen’ is a must for you and your family. Send $25(USD) (4 issues), $48 (8 issues) or $4.00 for a sample. OUTSIDE THE U.S.A. AND CANADA: $35 FOR 4 ISSUES, $68 FOR 8 ISSUES OR $8 FOR A SAMPLE. Poetry Submission information can be found at: www.thepoetbandcompany.yolasite.com (click on Guidelines) Send Check or Money Order. To: Arthur C. Ford Sr., P.O. Box 4725, Pittsburgh, PA 15206-0725(U.S.A.) USE “PayPal” (Credit Card) at: givemequality@yahoo.com

ADVERTISING RATES: Size Issue 1/8

One Four issues $10.00

16 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

$35.00

¼ ½ Full Page $80.00

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Ads must be typed clearly and in black and white.

Logos are accepted.

“ADS ARE DUE ON THE LAST DAYOF THE MONTH (Dec/Mar/June/Sept) PRIOR TO THE FOLLOWING MONTH’S PUBLICATION (Jan/April/July/Oct) Yours in Words,

Arthur C. Ford, Sr. Poet and Editor of “THE PEN”

******

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JOSEPH J. MAZZELLA AUTHOR AND WRITER: “After a lot of encouragement by wonderful people like you I have finally self-published a collection of my favorite story articles as a book. The book is titled ‘Walking the Path of Love.’

It is available at Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/WalkingPath-Joseph-Mazzella/dp/1609573773 This book was written for you. I wish I was wealthy enough to send all of you a free copy but, sadly, I can’t. I was able to get it discounted, however, at a decent price. I also have good news for all of you technology lovers out there! My book, ‘Walking the Path of Love,’ is also available in e-book format…

You can get it for Kindle on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Walking-The-Path-Loveebook/dp/B00AMLPJ8A/ref=sr_1_1?s=digitaltext&ie=UTF8&qid=13553343&sr=1=1&keywords=walking+the+path+of+love You can also get it for Nook on Barnes & Noble at: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/walking-the-path-of-lovejoseph-j-mazzella/1023319336?ean=2940015759143 ================================================== I would like you to also welcome my other authors; some new, some established who have written short stories, 18 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

poems and helpful informative articles for you. If you like what they have written, please let them know by email or by visiting

their

websites

[Authors’

email

addresses

or

websites are listed in the “About the Author” bios.] My contributors love hearing from you!

See y’all in October for the Fall issue.

Copyright © July-September 2015 Rosanne Catalano. ================================================== ===================

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COFFEE HOUSE 4 READERS CORNER

Bringing You Fiction & Nonfiction Short Stories, Essays and Flash Fiction for Your Reading Pleasure!

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Canticle for a Pet ©Mehi Loveski (aka Oleg G. Mikhailovsky) I KNOW HOW IT WILL BE FOR THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I have found myself in that strange place, and yet whenever it happens again I feel the same breathless anticipation as on the first night… … Standing before the bridge over a slow little river. The other side is a lush green of grassy meadows and hills where creatures of all shape and hue are running and playing together. As I stare at them, transfixed, I spot a familiar figure darting cheerfully among others. Tears well up in my eyes as I recognise those handsome features – can it really be him?

I try to call his name but the word comes out hoarse and unfamiliar. Suddenly I see him stop, look in my direction and begin to run towards the bridge, bobbing up and down in the tall grass. BEHOLD, HE COMETH LEAPING UPON THE MOUNTAINS, SKIPPING UPON THE HILLS. When he reaches me, he pauses, momentarily hesitant, then makes a last frantic leap and we embrace – in joyous reunion. He showers me with kisses, his adoring eyes as bright and lively as before. Oh, how long I’ve waited for this moment – all those endless days and nights that we’ve been apart! How miserable life has been without a hope of ever seeing him again even for the briefest of moments… Suddenly his eyes grow distant and sad – oh, I know what you are thinking, poor soul. But no, this time I won’t let you go, we’ll be together, forever. Nothing will ever stand in our way and no 21 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

one will take you away from me again. I FOUND HIM WHOM MY SOUL LOVETH: I HELD HIM, AND WOULD NOT LET HIM GO. We look back to where he came from, and slowly, still in a tight embrace, start crossing the bridge… together.

When I wake, my eyes wet and puffed, it takes me a few minutes to separate myself from the dream. I can hear Moe and her litter starting to get restless in their nest – it’s time to feed the cats and clean the place. After the chores have been taken care of, I come out to the garden to have a little time for myself. The garden isn’t very big or well-tended but it is an excellent playground in warmer weather as well as a place for me to think, pray and remember people, both humans and fur-people that I loved…

Oleg was the first cat that came into my life. As I was walking down the road, I spotted a fluffy bundle trying to hide itself away between a brick wall and a wooden fence.

He was very small and too young to be away from mummy, but she was nowhere to be found and no one wanted to know about him, poor thing. So I took him home and soon was held prisoner by that little baby, who wouldn’t sleep in his basket in day or evening, only very late at night.

At that time I was studying Russian in North London, so one day I wrote to IFL for a pen friend from Russia and they sent me his address. He lived in Siberia and was in his last year at university. His BA thesis was on Joyce, while I had a hard time reading Turgenev and Chekhov.

In the morning Oleg liked to climb right up my jeans and onto my back, hanging there precariously, until his breakfast 22 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

was ready. Another of my pet’s “endearing” habits, as he grew accustomed to the new surroundings, was to knock flower pots from the window sill. But he really was such a sweet little soul especially when he climbed onto my bed early in the morning and gave me a greeting kiss to make sure that I was awake and that there was no chance of me doing anything but get up and feed him.

Just before the Moscow Olympic Games I came to the USSR for the first time, disguised as a tourist but with the sole purpose of seeing my pen friend. I remember our first meeting at the Red Square, trying to recall the mixed and new feelings in my heart the moment I saw him. The city looked very much like in the glossy brochures but I hardly remember where we went – the famous sights are a blur in the snapshots of my memory with only his face standing fast. Kissing good-bye after only five short days was a very sad moment – afterwards I had a long cry and hoped fervently that we could meet again…

I developed a habit of chatting with my pet – mainly in English, sometimes in Russian and less so in German.

Sometimes I’m sure he was multilingual. He was such a mysterious, impenetrable soul on some days refusing to communicate, and yet on other days I understood what he said to me, for I understand cat language, too, even though I don’t speak it “purrfectly”.

Later that year my pen friend was drafted into the army, but we continued writing to each other. I liked to speak to his photos saying: “It’ll be summer soon,” or “I miss you,” or even asked: “What are you thinking now?” (without any hope 23 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

of a reply) and “How would you say this in Russian?” (this time a bit more hopeful). Sometimes I wished he could just drop in and share a meal or chat or… what else? “Let’s go for a walk together? Let’s go swimming, no? Sorry, I forgot you don’t like to get your ‘paws’ wet. Well, let’s go to an art gallery? Or else let’s go to the woods together – we might see some squirrels there…”

Oleg seldom mews, just purrs, very audibly, like a Geiger counter, so I often ask him if I am radioactive and, sure, more often than not I am: the “Geiger counter” starts to hum violently, getting visibly overheated, and finally bursts into a fit of uncontrollable somersaults…

The year his army service came to an end we started making plans for our next meeting. I signed up for a fourweek summer Russian course in Leningrad – I just couldn’t wait to see my hero, my Siberian tiger again. As the day came closer I felt growing restlessness and I think it was then that I realized it was definitely a “mild” case of being madly in love – after only one short meeting and two years of correspondence. I was so excited I started kissing tulips and daffodils, cats, newly opened buds showing soft lightgreen leaves and even throwing kisses in the air, provided the wind was blowing in the right direction…

Oleg is a really good cat, so good that he floats slightly from the strain. Yes, it is such an effort for him to remain good and modest at the same time that his paws just about reach down as far as the ground or floor. Sometimes he has to relax and hover for a while on the furniture, the mantelpiece or… simply in mid-air.

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Leningrad was a beautiful place. For many nights we roamed the streets in the undying light of aurora borealis, as if in a dream. There was also a night, the night, when all he said was an unbelieving “No, no, no…” while I, positive about the source of my orgastic exultation (“Yes, yes, yes!”), sealed his lips into submission with endless kisses.

After I had moved to a flatlet in Streatham, Oleg had to stay at my parents’ as the landlady didn’t allow pets. When I came to see him after work, the little imp was beyond himself with joy and in constant need of attention. If I dared read a newspaper he was sure to come along and see to it that I didn’t. The silly “child” would leap from a shelf or bookcase and land onto my lap or push his way under the paper, leap out at me and dart off. So pretty soon all I could do was “read” Oleg, the Tarzan...

The months seemed to go slowly again, but tolerably so, for we knew we could see each other again soon. We just allowed ourselves to be happy, living in the blissful anticipation of our next meeting. Every day I wrote him tender letters while gazing into his hypnotic eyes in the photos on my night table. Thoughts of him were like a therapeutic, addictive but salubrious drug (gotta have more! …)

Oh, sshh! I must not think or write too loudly because Oleg has miraculously sensitive hearing even when he is busy dreaming holy dreams which only cats can appreciate.

At the moment he would seem to be asleep but in fact he may be writing a world-shattering thesis on peace… and 25 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

quiet and steady breathing, and maybe snoring, or perhaps not – that is too base.

Our February holiday in Moscow was definitely the best – never mind nearly losing my voice on account of not taking the Russian frosts seriously. I think we spent more hours in happiness and calm together than ever. That time our “Kissing Tower” (a phrase that became a secret code for our meeting places – after the funny writing on his T-shirt) was the hotel Cosmos. He had a fake guest card with the words Mr. James Bond/room 007 – a boyish stunt that could have cost him dearly in the place swarming with KGB agents and their underlings.

Oleg had a lovely time with my parents and now he is back to his tricks making up for the lost time – tipping plants over, scratching furniture and stealing food from my plate while ignoring his own. He also contemplates an expedition to the “summit” of the lounge curtains, preferably via the north face (or television and book cupboard).The little darling knows he’ll get away with it this time.

It has been hardly three months since we last met but I’m already thinking of our next meeting, counting off the days.

Mum wonders why I am wishing my life away so quickly. The summer may come and go but I can’t be happy unless we are together. Excuse me for having a quiet cry here – being two years nearer to kitten hood than you, love, I am allowed one or two teardrops still, especially if it’s over something I want but can’t have right now. You are my lollipop. Hope you don’t mind my calling you that… sweetie…

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Oleg has been telling me all sorts of little cat things, such as: “You know there is a lovely scent under the small fir tree in the garden,” or questioning: “What’s that leaf you’ve got in your hand?” Oleg is a keen gardener – he delights in pruning the pot plants on the window sill and in the garden.

He loves to sit among the plants to encourage (or threaten?) them to grow. He gazes so fondly at them with his mischievous eyes that I think any moment he will caress their leaves with his tongue… and teeth.

We were thinking of getting married, ignorant or rather innocently unaware of the formidable challenge we faced.

Our next meeting that I’d been so fervently waiting for was alternately blissful and desperate. He lived in the country which didn’t allow its citizens to leave, even briefly, just as it didn’t welcome foreigners – except for a short stay as money-paying tourists. Why were people around me meeting and living together freely while I had to wait for months on end to see my love?

Oleg has been flirting madly with my blue pullover.

Perhaps he is in love. Tonight he was busy playing games on top of her and purring. When he paused to decide his next move, I saw he had worked up a little erection which he licked carefully. I think I’m beginning to understand his little cat passions now… I’m starting to show severe symptoms of deficiency – like “stripping” in front of the photos of you that stand on my table. Poor photos! They have to watch – for they can’t shut their eyes – as I get undressed each night and go to bed…

The following year was a hard time for both of us. Still I 27 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

had enough in my “reserve fund” to book another holiday. I was never going to save for a place of my own that way – but what did I care? This time we hoped to make some enquiries in order to learn if things could work out in our favour.

When he came in that morning I could smell that he had been downstairs in the cellar because he was all dusty. Now his tail poses mind-boggling question marks: “To sleep or not to sleep? That is the question.” Of course, one can only expect such deeply thought-provoking questions to come from a well-read cat such as Oleg, who is a great fan of literature – he never misses the opportunity to sit on any book he comes across.

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Visits to government officials were in vain – the arrogant fat cats didn’t even deign to explain why we couldn’t be together. Back at home I tried what I could visiting the Foreign Office, the local MP, the embassy people, solicitors and advisors – but what good could that do if my lover wasn’t allowed out of his cage?

This morning Oleg and I shared breakfast. No, I wasn’t eating out of his bowl – I don’t eat meat. Oleg just sat on my lap and tasted my egg and licked the butter from my toast.

He seems to love sandwiches. I sometimes wonder whether he would like crane fly pate on toast to eat as he reads his morning newspaper. Right now he is reading about Mrs. Thatcher – by sitting squarely on her picture. Such good taste! He feels similar about Mr. Brezhnev. Whenever I open a paper with his photograph, along comes Oleg to blot out the picture.

Where has all this year gone, I wonder? It seems to have almost disintegrated around us. Ever since the last holiday I have been in a state of spiritual limbo … My soul is at its lowest ebb – I find that I lack the energy and zest for life that I once had. Still I think of you every day and wonder if the sun could pass my messages to you. At night I ask the moon, the stars or the clouds if they would send my kisses to you when they look at your part of the world. Sometimes I feel like asking the wind but the wind is fickle – it changes direction and one can never be certain that a message entrusted is the message received…

Oleg has been looking for something – what could it be?

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Is it a lost thought? A stray brainwave? Anyhow, he is satisfied now – at both ends. He has just used his tray and I can tell it from quite a distance. Now he has gone off for a walk – to see what he can smell and smell what he can see.

I wonder where his little paws take him and what thoughts dance about in his feline brain box…

His last letter was short and dispirited: he wrote he was moving to another place and wouldn’t be able to write for a while. All my subsequent letters to him remained unanswered. I wonder what really happened to my Siberian love. Did he get his paws cold? Did the Big Cat get his tongue? Whatever happened I know one thing for sure – I shall never forget you, my love, my honey-cat; my eternal pen friend. If I can’t have you, I shall have no-one… except my cats.

It is dark, cold and raining outside. A candle is burning on my night table: the flame has a golden halo around it, glowing yellow, fading towards the outer edges. Oleg is being a full stop, curled up on my bed, perhaps a rather full stop, but nonetheless the same large circular dot one usually finds at the end of a story. Sweet dreams, my furchild. We have another twelve years to go before you leave this earth on a dark February night. Then we’ll meet again – I know how it will be…

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Copyright © June 13, 2015 Mehi Loveski (aka Oleg G. Mikhailovsky).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MEHI LOVESKI (aka OLEG G. MIKHAILOVSKY) has a BA in English and Literature and works as an English Instructor at Ural Federal University. His essays and short stories have appeared in a number of American literary magazines. He lives in Yekaterinburg, Russia, with his wife, son and a dog.

He can be contacted via email at: loveski@mail.ru ================================================== =========================

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Second Chances ©Joseph J. Mazzella Author of “Walking the Path of Love” and “A Journey of Love”

I WAS IN FIFTH GRADE AND ABOUT TO TAKE A SCIENCE test. Since first grade I had always been good at school. I loved to read and remembered things easily. Simple math was a breeze for me and I always did well on tests. When it came to fifth grade science, however, I was struggling. I couldn’t seem to understand it no matter how hard I tried. I was scared. Mom and Dad had always been so proud of my good grades and I didn’t want to let them down. Just before the test I had written several of the answers on my desk top in barely legible pencil. I sat nervously as the teacher started to hand out the science tests. I didn’t want to get caught, but I didn’t want to fail either.

As the teacher was starting down my row suddenly the fire alarm went off. It was an unscheduled fire drill. We all headed out the door and stood together waiting for the all clear signal. As I stood outside in the warm sunshine I realized what a fool I had been. I knew my Mom and Dad would be proud of me and love me no matter what my grades were. As soon as we were allowed back in I spit on my hand, walked to my desk, and wiped the answers away. I had been given a second chance and I wasn’t going to waste it. I took the test, did my best, and felt at peace. I don’t remember what my grade was but what happened that day 32 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

has stayed in my heart and mind ever since.

I am not sure why God gave me a second chance that day.

It wouldn’t be the last time, though. Our Heavenly Father has given me more second, third, and fourth chances than any man deserves. His patience and love have been with me through all the mistakes, stumbles, and falls I have made.

His second chances have allowed me to grow into the person I am today.

Life is full of second chances but you have to be willing to take them. You have to be willing to ask God’s forgiveness and begin again. You have to be willing to release your mistakes and grasp your inner goodness. You have to be willing to give up your fear and just love. Every day when you wake up you are given a second chance at life. Embrace it!

Cherish it! And use it wisely!

Copyright © June 8, 2015 Joseph J. Mazzella.

*******

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Wildflowers ©Joseph J. Mazzella Author of “Walking the Path of Love” and “A Journey of Love” IT IS SUMMER HERE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF MY HOME. A season also known by another name: road construction time. There is paving, ditching, and tree trimming going on everywhere. This year there are also new water lines being installed in a nearby town so I find myself leaving home a half hour early because of all the delays. Today as I was stopped at one of the construction sites I took my eyes off the long line of cars in front of me and glanced to the side of the road. There I saw something that brought a smile to my heart and a "Wow!" to my lips. Stretched along the side of the road as far as the eye could see were wonderful wild flowers.

It was such a beautiful sight. I saw Queen Anne Lace growing regally by the road. Along with her were yellow Dandelions and Buttercups glowing bright in the sunlight.

Sweet Clover and white Daisies were blooming as well. In spite of having to grow in gravel and dine daily on exhaust fumes all of these flowers were flourishing. With just a few drops of water and a daily dose of God’s sunshine they all were growing tall, healthy, and strong. Watching them nurtured my spirit and made the time spent stopped there a joy.

As I was driving home I realized something too. Each of us is a wild flower in a way. Life gives none of us perfect soil. Instead we find ourselves struggling to grow in the 34 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

gravels of problems and pains. In addition we often feel choked in the smoking exhaust of this world’s selfishness.

With these challenges each of us could easily feel like wilting into the dust. Yet, everyday God blesses us with the water of His Love and the sunlight of His Grace. Every day we are given a fresh chance to bloom where we are planted and to share our beauty with others.

Every day we are given a choice to "Wow" the world with our wonder rather than wilting. Grow strong in the smoke then. Flourish in the gravel. Give your love to everyone along life’s road.

Copyright © July 29, 2013 Joseph J. Mazzella.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: JOSEPH J. MAZZELLA is an author and writer who was born, raised and still lives in the mountains of West Virginia in the USA. He graduated from Glenville State College with degrees in English and Education. A divorced father of three, he has been writing for over 20 years for local county newspapers. In August of 2010 Joseph had his first book published, titled “Walking the Path of Love,” which can be purchased

at

Amazon.com,

Barnes

&

Noble.com,

or

wherever books are sold. He now has a second book out, titled “A Journey of Love,” which can also be purchased at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, or wherever books are 35 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

sold under the name: Joseph J Mazzella, author. Joseph can be contacted at: joemazzella@frontier.com ================================================== =====================

36 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Questionable Characters and Unprincipled People ©M.E. McMullen THERE WAS A SHOOTING AT DIRTY DOG JAKE’S IN LA a while back…

Two bands robbing a third band in the parking lot. Not like any bands I ever played in, you know. When DDJ’s was a bust-out joint called ‘The Ballroom’, shoot-outs were not unheard of, but the idea of bands robbing other bands in a place where unprincipled people were known to hang out set off alarms all over, leaving some to wonder about vaguely rumored connections to suspected plots of sabotage and other covert terrorist activities.

Various other unprincipled individuals buying short contracts on emergency forfeiture bonds were suspect as well, but shady as these birds were, they were not connected, so far as anybody could tell, to the shadowy world of Dirty Dog Jake’s parking lot shoot out. Because profit at the expense of others through criminal acts, insider info, sharp practice and, if necessary, violence, are the tools of questionable characters and unprincipled people at all levels of society, along with getting others to do their dirty work when possible, I’m betting a connection will surface.

A questionable character named Frankie Jake bought the old Ballroom. He knocked out some walls, expanded the illegal gaming parlors, added a brothel and renamed the 37 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

joint in his own honor. My mom’s brother, Uncle Fritz, told me the story. Fritz is a retired vice cop. Great guy. Always a shock of blond hair sticking out from under his Dodger cap.

Big fisherman. Told funny stories about busting clip joints, confiscating rigged roulette wheels, loaded dice, shrunken head collections and foul-mouthed parrots. Fritz got around.

After he retired, he moved to Florida.

Frankie Jake found new partners with fresh money. Gus Millard was one. The shooting at Dirty Dog Jake’s in LA set wheels in motion back east and Gus’s name came up. When threats of domestic terrorism are deemed credible, wheels go in motion. Particulars are not necessarily available, however, to field people. Meanwhile, I’m on a flight to Mexico.

Couple days to settle in, we’re downtown following our subject, Frankie Jake, code name DDJ, as he strolls the sunny boulevards of teeming Tampico with his Amiga, Lupe and her Chihuahua. Links with the gun play at his former joint, Dirty Dog Jake’s and a terrorism threat aren’t apparent. My partner, Trina, thinks that one of the birds busted for the DDJ’s ‘band’ robbery must’ve claimed to have information.

Trina, in her tourist wife cover, bristles along beside me with her hokey pink pants and her cheap trinkets, quoting guidebooks, chattering on about her friend Myra’s ‘Dracula look’ facelift, relieving the tensions of surveillance in a foreign city. Frankie, walking ahead, is decked out in a Panama hat and linen suit. Mr. Respectability. He stops on the sidewalk, causing people to walk around him. Something 38 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

across the street has caught his attention. Frankie turns around on a dime and heads right for us.

We turn to gaze on several studies of Elvis on velour as Frankie breezes by, head down, not looking back. Across the street, his supposedly dead former partner, Gus Millard, stares over for a few seconds, turns and heads off down a side street. I follow. Trina stays with Frankie.

Gus goes to a club called La Baqueta, with a winged drum stick in gaudy neon outside. I give it a couple minutes, follow him in. The place is a noisy mix of Americanos and locals, with a scruffy-looking rock group playing ‘Honky Tonk Women’, a staple of cover bands since back in my day.

I order a Dos Equis while casually surveying the array of bouncers and armed assistant managers scattered around like snakes in a snake pit. There’s a fancy, hand-carved mahogany back bar with two bartenders who look like they might’ve just gotten out of jail. A bar on the side is tended by a tall slim gaucho type who might look on acid like the ghost of Valentino. The dance floor crowd is a pulsating mob of bouncy bright shirts, perfumed chest hairs, dark eyes and tan skin. `These two birds in one town at one time is no coincidence’, I text to Trina.

She’s `having tortilla soup’, meaning she’s followed Frankie home and is going to sit on his place. The Intel, meanwhile, is very vague stuff about a plot out of Tampico.

What two former LA underworld figures have to do with it remains to be seen. Maybe Gus was one of the chumps left holding the bag when Frankie made whatever deal he made 39 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

with whoever he made it with, leaving him under protection in Mexico and a lot of unprincipled people back home with Feds going through their garbage.

Gus Millard was known as a guy with more cash than flash, taking the opposite of how that expression usually went, ‘real money’ guys like Gus being the exception to the rule promulgated by Uncle Fritz: that every third person you met on the street was running a game. Gus brought real money to the table when most brought big talk and a fourflusher bankroll of ones rolled up in a fifty.

Gus was looking for ownership not vig. Any scenario I can come up with begins with the question I texted to Trina.

“What’s Gus Millard doing in Tampico when he’s supposed to be in an urn at Forest Lawn?” Trina says she’ll let me know.

All’s quiet at Frankie Jake’s place, meanwhile. Trina thinks they’re up to something, so, she’s ‘notching up the tortilla soup’.

Meanwhile, I check out La Baqueta, pretty sure afterward that Gus Millard’s not there in the main bar. I nurse another Dos Equis and become, voila, Donny Bidwell, LA expatriate and criminal fringe player, former soft and hardcore porn movie maker, purveyor of pirated goods, former metal rock player with Crash and Burn among others, song writer, drug dealer, rock and roll impresario, Hollywood hustler, on the run from IRS liens, shylock enforcers, mob hit men, jealous husbands, who knew? Always looking over his shoulder, Donny’s not real good on last names. Charming and oily, my alter ego stirs interest with his impressive name drop of unsavory LA connections. The bartender’s friend, Rico, a 40 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

slippery little hustler in his own right, likes Donny so much he says he’ll be back after he’s made his rounds.

Meanwhile, Trina’s climbed on the roof and dropped a bug down Frankie’s fireplace shaft with fishing thread. She’s picking up chatter, sending it over: “Maybe dead isn’t what I’m looking for here. Maybe presumed dead is better. A button man named Mad Dog Marsh supposedly took him out. You went to night school, Lupe, you tell me: better or worse that we’re nearly seen together in town?”

“You never miss a chance to make a crack about night school, do you, Frankie?”

“Gus Millard was working for the Feds. One day, he disappears. Rumors fly. Everybody figures Gus for dead.

Showing his face in public in Tampico puts him on somebody’s short list, Lu, and me with him.”

“It’s not a short list, honey, it’s a shit list.”

“Real funny.”

“What’s your plan?”

“Call Syl, set up a barbeque.”

“You sure?”

“Have Tony call him.”

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An hour after that, Lupe and Frankie were back out on the road in a powder blue Cadillac with Trina hot on their tail in a peso cab driven by a local operative. Donny Bidwell, meanwhile, sips cervesa with Rico, who says he never heard of Crash and Burn, Donny’s heavy metal group, getting the same answer everybody gets when somebody says that, which is: ‘They never heard of you either.’

Rico meanwhile escorts Bidwell upstairs to hear ‘soft mariachi,’ meet some people, mellow out and see what’s up.

We pass bouncer types with a hard eye for the new guy.

Upstairs, a nice little cabaret room, red lighting and eye biting incense, thick aroma of weed cuts the air, but no sign of Gus.

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We get into this group’s long floating horn melodies and salsa driven keyboard riffs. Pretty soon, Donny Bidwell is hungry, so he springs for dinner, flashing a wad of American cash, telling Rico about this guy, a friend of his uncle’s, who comes to La Baqueta all the time, knows the ropes around GJ. I watch for reaction as my glib Donny alter ego describes Gus Millard to a tee, right down to the receded hair line and small stature. Rico tries to act like it doesn’t ring a bell, shakes his head, but it’s clear that the closer Donny gets to talking about Gus Millard, the tighter Rico’s jaws get.

“So, you’re looking to find a guy,” Rico says, “and you don’t know what name he’s going by, but you have an idea what he looks like. He’s your uncle’s friend and knows his way around Tampico. So, what are you selling, Donny?”

“Selling?”

“I think you’re selling something. So does Mr. Martino.”

“Who’s Mr. Martino?”

“The guy you described. He’s one of the owners.”

“Mr. Martino?”

Rico’s grin pretty much covered it. He had me pegged with this uncle’s friend story. He was pretty sure I had something to sell, so Donny went with it. Yeah, Donny had something to sell, something he needed to talk with Mr. Martino about, personally. What was it? Well, that was the 43 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

thing, wasn’t it?

The Italian movie back story is not so easily checked out in LA, but the real sell will be when Mr. Martino, a.k.a. Gus Millard, arrives, because Gus is an unprincipled guy who will smell out the Italian movie project for questionable because he was questionable himself and knew questionable when he saw it. He’ll say the movie sounds interesting but he’ll want to know what else Donny’s selling, which is where the going gets tricky. If there was a plot, the mere misstatement could get me offed. Even if he wasn’t involved, Gus probably knew his old pal, Frankie Jake, was hiding out in the shadow of the Temple of Tamaulipas.

We picked that nice public spot for the next meeting with Martino, the grand temple built in honor of the state of Tamaulipas. Trina was at the hotel when I got back.

She’d followed Frankie and Lupe around town for a while before they returned home. She was pretty sure they spotted her, but she had a phony mustache, a wig and a new car. She thinks they might’ve taken her for a man.

Meanwhile, she had local operatives sitting on Frankie and Lupe. The ‘Tony’ mentioned on the tape is Frankie’s youngest son, a sociopath with a record. ‘Syl’ is Juan Sylvestro, a cartel underboss and hired killer. Not people you want at your barbeque.

The Temple of Tamaulipas is a bad spot because there’s a parade with a bunch of noisy kids, so we switch to a park by a huge inverted cupola set on top of an array of flying buttresses. We find a bench and wait. Gus arrives late in a black stretch limo bearing a grin and bookend goons 44 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

disguised as chauffeurs. “Donny Bidwell,” he says, extending a clammy hand. “We have mutual friends in LA.” “I appreciate your meeting with me, Mr. Martino.”

“Rico’s impressed with your connections.”

“This is a ground floor piece of a Bertolli movie, Mr. Martino. Bear in mind that ‘Garden of Delights’, his last film, grossed a hundred and forty million worldwide.”

“Risky stuff.”

“The investors tripled their money.”

“We’ll take a ride,” he said amiably, “you can tell me more.”

Gus was more open to Donny Bidwell’s movie gambit than I expected. He offered me a drink and asked about my uncle.

I wanted him to see that the movie pitch was an ice breaker, but not the whole agenda. He wanted to know how I found him and who else knew where he was.

“My Uncle Fritz had twenty two years in with LAPD when he retired and moved to Florida. I mentioned Tampico and your name came up.”

“He knew me?”

“He said you had a club in LA.”

45 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

“I’m real curious how he knew all that. Makes me wonder how retired he is.”

“Uncle Fritz knows people.”

Gus Millard grinned the way a crocodile might before he eats you. Minutes later we were driving through a part of the city that looked like the French Quarter of New Orleans, with wrought iron balconies and fancy French shutters. It’d become clear that Gus `Mr. Martino’ Millard didn’t buy this Uncle Fritz rap, and might’ve been figuring out the logistics involved in having me disappear. I decided to play my ace while I still had the chance.

“Maybe a piece of the Bertolli picture isn’t a good fit,” I said, “but I also wanted to talk about Frankie Jake.”

He looked at his associates, then back at me. “What about Frankie Jake?”

“I know people in LA, Mr. Martino,” I said, encouraged by his renewed interest, “who claim Frankie Jake is alive and well in GJ, living under the cartel protection and somehow enjoying immunity from prosecution. ‘Here is a well-heeled guy,’ I told myself. I thought about pitching the movie to Frankie but decided against it. I called Uncle Fritz instead.

He knows people who know people. Your name came up. He figured you might appreciate a tip Frankie being in Tampico, but it also occurred to him that you might already know.”

Hard to tell what stone faced Gus was thinking, but I pressed the case.

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“My people figured that maybe Frankie Jake, theoretically, with his connections, is onto a score but that he maybe needs to come up with some front money. He can’t use his own because the cops will be all over it. He can’t go to his cartel friends because they’d want too much and people end up dead with them. So, we like the odds. We figure there’s room for another investor, theoretically.”

Gus Millard flashed a poker face half smile. “We’ll be in touch,” he said. “Can I drop you somewhere?”

I gave him a name I saw on a billboard, Las Palmas. He dropped me there. I had a drink at the patio bar, took a cab to my hotel and turned in early. It wasn’t until the next morning I learned that Trina hadn’t been to her room all night. I was pondering all this in the lobby when a story came on English Language TV that Mexican authorities had found the body of an unidentified American woman washed up near one of the piers uptown. Preliminary reports indicated she’d been shot. Unless I heard from Trina soon, I was going to have to visit the morgue. Not a pleasant prospect, but there was no phoning home. We were on our own.

I took a cab to a street near Frankie Jake’s compound and made a low key, pedestrian approach to the surveillance spot Trina mentioned. A white unmarked van with two local operatives Trina called `Spike and Mike’ was parked in the shade of a large thicket. I wasn’t ready to visit the morgue, so, I tied a handkerchief around my head and crept down the sidewalk to the back of the van. Crouching next to the right front wheel, I began prying off the hub cap with my metal 47 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

WORLD’S GREATEST DAD key chain holder. When the cap clattered on the ground, a familiar voice came from the van.

It was Spike, of Spike and Mike fame, asking me what the hell I was doing.

“Stealing your hub caps. Where’s Trina?”

“La Puerta,” he said.

“What’s with that?”

“She said she had a line on something.”

“What?”

“She didn’t say. Get your ass out of here.”

“Have a quiet night, amigos.”

La Puerta is a snazzy health club in downtown Tampico. I hung around pretending to be waiting for somebody, looking at my watch, checking messages. The clientele were mainly young, buff and on the slim side, which is why two overweight bozos dubbed Juan and Juan Tu stood out. They were carrying a canvas satchel out the side door, which could’ve held a drugged, trussed up Tina, if she wasn’t already in the morgue. I hate sidetracks, but here was no way of knowing without following them, so I did, to a large Catholic church about half a mile away. The two Juans went inside and returned moments later with a young priest who watched as they popped the trunk and carried the satchel inside.

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Donny Bidwell happened by just then, scouting Tampico churches for a movie location. Turned out the satchel was filled, not with Trina’s lifeless body as I feared, but with some quite stylish ladies’ clothing: fancy shoes, chic pants and tops, stunning scarves and shimmery evening dresses.

Outside, I had a chat with the two Juans and learned that their boss, Jose `Pepper’ Ramirez, used to dance in a cabaret in San Francisco as a female impersonator. Some of his old clothing was being donated to the church by Senora Heralda Von Pecos, a name chosen at random from the directory.

I’d gotten sidetracked. I was no closer to finding Trina and still clueless about Frankie Jake and Gus Millard.

Nothing made any sense, in fact, until I remembered something Trina said. She’d seen a fifteen second slice of surveillance tape showing a ‘female’ suspect in a parking garage. She studied it and soon became convinced it was a man posing as a woman. This thought, coupled with the fact that there was no Heralda Von Pecos in the directory, had me wondering if the two Juans had played me. I had peeked at some labels and noticed that several pieces were bought at ‘La Incomformista’, an upscale shop not far from our hotel.

As my cab pulls up to the place, there’s Trina coming up the sidewalk, headed my way. My heart soars for several seconds, I admit. I want to hug my partner, but our relationship isn’t like that. Instead, I manage a smile and a wisecrack.

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“I thought you were dead.”

“I am,” she says, giving me a weary grin. “An American girl who worked at La Puerta really is; washed up under a pier. Her boyfriend is a bad actor with ties to the cartels.

The cops like him for it, but he’s disappeared. I spent half the night sitting on a cross-dressing club owner on a hunch, proving nothing. I’m either dead or just really tired, I’m not sure which.”

“How’d you like to be Mrs. Donny Bidwell?”

Trina smiles. “What girl wouldn’t?”

The meeting between the Bidwells, Gus and Frankie didn’t turn out as we’d hoped. We were on time. Our cab driver Jose, one of Trina’s local operatives, had units standing by. We got our first inkling something was wrong when a black car pulled to the curb and four dudes eased out, each one looking badder than the last. There was a beat to their advance. The tall one was drummer and leader. The others took their cadence from him. They swept across the street like Sharks headed to fight the Jets, up to no good, ignoring everything and everybody around them including us.

It occurred to me this might be the band that teamed with another band to rob a third band back in Dirty Dog Jake’s parking lot, making me wonder if maybe the robbery story was a cover for something more sinister. I was mentioning this to Trina when a second limo came rolling up and disgorged four more guys you would have to call hard looking dudes. If there was an intimidation factor at play, it 50 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

was working.

Trina grimaced as the second band followed the first toward the large open park area. Before we could think about splitting, we heard the crackling of several rounds of shots.

A second limo blocked our exit, so, Jose maneuvered the cab across the grass and came to an abrupt stop in a tangle of hedges.

We stayed on the floor of the cab until the shooting stopped as abruptly as it began, and someone alighted from the limo that was blocking off our escape. It was Gus Millard motioning to one of the other limos. Soon, Frankie Jake emerged and climbed into his limo, seemingly unruffled. As planned, we made our Bidwell surrender move. Seconds later, we were piling into Gus’s black limo and speeding from the scene.

Gus Millard’s villa lay south of town.

We drove under an arch and down a long, tree lined lane to a large white house set against a backdrop of distant mountains. Still puzzled by that first street encounter when Frankie bolted at the sight of Gus across the street, I decided that if Frankie knew he had a tail, acting startled to see Gus on the street was a good move. Knowing his place was bugged, he could talk about going on a hit list with Gus in town, like they were still old enemies. Pretty cunning way to hide the fact they actually had a big score about to go down.

We pile out of the limos and into the house where a little party’s been set up, with gorgeous tables of food and drinks with flowers floating on them passed around. Gus is soon 51 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

talking about the shoot-out in LA, and how it spilled over.

Things seem very much up in the air. I am nervous. The talk goes from bands robbing other bands to why the Bidwells’ shy friends, these well-heeled principles with cash burning holes in their pockets, send others to do their business. This especially bothers Gus, who remains curious about how we found him. A cartel guy named Rico is on his way here, we learn, about to sweeten the deal, lessening the need for the Bidwell backers’ money. This new player says he knows the Bidwells from LA Indie film circles. Interesting. This Rico’s a different Rico from the slippery little slick-haired gofer Rico I met at Gus Millard’s place. From what I hear, he’s a study in questionable characters; cartel enforcer, badass drug dealing, arm smuggling outlaw biker dude running from the FBI. On top of all that, he’s late because he just had two wisdom teeth pulled.

Things are not looking good for the home team, and if all that isn’t bad enough, the thugs behind Frankie Jake and Gus Millard seem to be itching to blast somebody just to keep in practice. Dying in a blaze of gunfire was not how I wanted to go out, but the imminent appearance of Rico Two definitely put us on borrowed time. One option was to identify ourselves and shoot whoever resisted, maybe take a couple of them out before we went down in a hail of bullets.

Another option was to skip the identification and go straight to the shooting, take a couple of them out before we went down in a hail of bullets. A third option was to pretend we were in cahoots with Rico Two, offer him up as the guy who ratted out Gus Millard, a ploy that would probably end with us going down in a hail of bullets.

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I was mulling this over when I noticed Trina exchange a glance with Frankie Jake. Gus Millard noticed too and was soon exchanging glances with one of his henchman, a little guy with a broken nose. All this serious glance exchanging was making me very nervous indeed. Trina and I had worked together for years, been in and out of a hundred scrapes. I didn’t believe for a second she’d ever sell out, but she might pretend to if it helped with a scrape.

“I decided being Mrs. Donny Bidwell no longer works for me, Don,” she said. “If there’s going to be a big score, I want in for myself. Sorry, Don, but I know about that little tramp you have stashed in Pasadena. You strayed once too often, honey.”

I hung my head.

Trina had sold Frankie the old tramp in Pasadena dodge as reason to kick me under the bus and throw in with him for the money. That didn’t solve our problem with Gus Millard, who had us on hair trigger with his assassin pals, but it did put him off stride. Meanwhile, as another white limo pulls in, a small breeze comes up, tossing the treetops and giving me one of those little chills that come over you while you’re working on a cold sweat and thinking about your imminent death. The air is charged with anticipation. This new arrival has to be Rico Two. There are some bushes a few feet away, but the look on Trina’s face stops me from bolting for them. She’s watching these new arrivals ease out of the limo. With heavies on either side, the new boss man appears. Dark shades on a 53 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

face that’s looking hard and maybe vaguely familiar. It was Rico this and Rico that while the small talk was going on, but the broad shoulders and shocks of gray hair sticking out from the blue Dodger cap clued me to something so weird that I had trouble getting my head around it. Looking more like a cartel coke dealer than a retired flatfoot, Rico Two was none other than my Uncle Fritz. What he was doing in Mexico going by Rico was anybody’s guess. He pretended not to know me. I nodded curtly and pretended not to know him.

Trina, meanwhile, spoke up. “My people are prepared to match any number you want to talk about here, Mr. Rico, for a share.”

“Of what?” Rico said, smiling.

Trina smiled radiantly but remained silent.

“Somebody put them on me,” Gus said.

“Who tipped you to Mr. Martino, Bidwell?” Rico said, smiling graciously.

I smiled back. “You did, Mr. Rico. You said there was a leak and you wanted us to find it.”

“Did you find it?”

“We did, sir.” I said, glancing at Trina. “Two leaks actually. Somebody inside La Baqueta has been in contact with Federales in GJ.” 54 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

“The cops are sitting on Frankie’s hacienda,” Trina said, “monitoring everything in and out.”

“Is that so?” Rico said, feigning shock.

The doubt on the faces of Frankie Jake and Gus Millard was soon mixed with anger. Rico’s smile quickly disappeared, meanwhile, replaced by tight-lipped stares at his two compadres. With no clear picture of what Fritz had going, our only move was to shut up and stay out of the way.

Everybody’s watching everybody. You could cut the tension with a fillet knife. I’m watching the little guy with the broken nose watch Frankie Jake, who’s watching Rico watch Gus Millard. Right in the middle of all this watching, I remember one of Uncle Fritz’s off-the-cuff life lessons: ‘Uncertain people are sometimes vulnerable to suggestion.’

“There was a shooting at Dirty Dog Jake’s a while back,” I say.

Their eyes lock. For this brief interlude, they are of one mind, alerted by my reference. “This edge of mayhem stuff reminds me of something my Uncle Fritz used to say, --- ‘If you see there’s going to be a fight, start it. If you see a play’s to be made, make it.’ Bands are stepping up to rob other bands, making their play with snipers posted around like good luck charms; somebody could get his ass shot off here.”

That word got their attention. It was unlikely that anybody had actually posted snipers, but for all they knew, somebody could’ve. It certainly wasn’t above a double crossing rat like 55 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Donny Bidwell. It lent a certain heft to the remarks.

“Wall Street chiselers shorting Emergency Disaster bonds is one thing, out-of-control crazies are something else entirely.”

“Out of control ---?”

“We are in grave danger.”

“What are you ---?”

“When crazies betray their partners,” Rico Two said, “they sometimes leave a paper trail to incriminate whoever they don’t eliminate. There is no dealing with such people.

It’s kill, or be ---” “Killed; yeah, we know.”

Gus is not impressed. He and Frankie are beginning to wonder about Rico and which set of crazies is being referred to here. If they know nothing about anything, as they claim, why do Frankie and Gus tense up when Rico mentions crazies? They know they’re talking into a wire all day, and you don’t any names you could relate to being ‘crazies’. Rico Two, meanwhile, mentions an outfit from down in South GJ, the diablos, a gang of ruthless assassins, wondering aloud if they’d jump ship when a better offer came along. Would these same guys soon be offering up Frankie Jake or Gus for ransom?

Somebody pops off a shot, all Hell breaks loose.

56 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Trina goes to the ground as I scramble for the bushes.

We’d figured this could go bad and wore body armor. Good thing. I can hear the bullets whistling by my ears and thudding into the walls behind me. I can hear them whining as they ricochet off the pavement. The bushes put a gash in my forearm, but I manage to avoid being shot. Scrambling along the ground, heading for a wall at the end of the parking lot, I hear Trina’s voice and see her ducking behind the wall a bit ahead of me.

Emergency sirens scream all around, and I crawl along the base of the wall until I’m beside her. “We need to leave,” She keeps popping her head up. She has that look she gets when she’s about to make a weird move nobody including her expects. “Follow me,” she says, moving toward the parking lot exit and a side street.

We find an alley just as the cops arrive. People are lying in the street. A black limo is waiting at the far end of the alley. We pile into the back. Up front are Rico Two and a driver. Frankie Jake and Gus, looking glum, occupy the seats across from us.

“How you been, kid?” Uncle Fritz’s voice brings back a whole past of family get-togethers and great laughs.

“Fine, fine, ---” I resist the urge to ask about my cousins.

“These are bottom line times,” he says, “and the bottom line here is that some crazies are lying in the street and some are kneeling before the local cops while we’re invited 57 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

to a blow-out at the GJ Downtown Hilton later on, with fancy people and sumptuous food. Time to clean up and get a little rest because they eat very late down here. Frankie and Gus will be there as guests of honor. In the business, there’s no past, you know. We live and die with trade-offs.”

It was a clean speech, but Rico Two understood when Trina and I begged off from the festivities at the Hilton and flew home the next morning. We were short on names, short on eye witness accounts of criminal activity, short on everything. If there was a plot, and we never claimed there was or wasn’t, it was probably scuttled after the shootouts.

Who Uncle Fritz worked for, how he’d managed to get bands of crazies shooting at each other instead of him, we never learned. Our de-briefers had no idea what we were talking about.

Here, I’d all along pictured grizzly old Fritz in his ratty Dodger hat, fishing off a bridge somewhere down in the Keys. Shows how wrong you can be. It wasn’t until the next day when Trina called about the overnight reports of an explosion in Guadalajara, Mexico that I felt a chill down my back.

The Downtown Hilton Hotel. Seven killed; thirty two injured. Several Americans among the casualties; no names released. The authorities were exploring a cartel war angle.

Trina said there was no point in asking about Fritz. We’d find out eventually. As he knew better than most, you deal with these questionable characters and unprincipled people at your peril. Harry Walker’s my name, by the way. I might’ve forgotten to mention it.

No harm done. These days, I use several names anyway, 58 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

take a different route to work every day, all that. It goes with the turf.

Copyright ©July 2013 M.E. McMullen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: M.E. MC MULLEN’S work has appeared in numerous print and online journals and been cited for Editor's Choice, Pushcart, Hugo and Free Library Fiction (EBSCO). Most recently his stories have appeared in “Off Course,” “eFiction,” “Fat City Review,” “Untoward Magazine,” “Bewildering Stories,” “Straightjackets,” “Newport Review” and “Tower Review” among others. His first story was published in 1978, and he's published over thirty since. M.E. can be contacted via email at: welg99@aol.com ================================================== ============

59 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

HELPFUL ARTICLES FOR YOU!

Where Nonfiction Articles with Helpful Information & Tips of All Kinds Can be found! Also general Informative Articles!

60 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Narcissistic Personality Disorder in the DSM V ©Sam Vaknin Author of “Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited” And Editor-in-Chief of “Global Politician” THE DSM V RE-DEFINES PERSONALITY DISORDERS THUS:

"The essential features of a personality disorder are impairments in personality (self and interpersonal) functioning and the presence of pathological personality traits."

According to the June 2011 text of the DSM V, the following criteria must be met to diagnose Narcissistic Personality Disorder

(in

parentheses

my

comments):

Significant

impairments in personality functioning in either identity, or self-direction (should be: in both.)

Identity The narcissist keeps referring to others excessively in order to regulate his self-esteem (really, sense of self-worth) and for "self-definition" (to define his identity.) His self-appraisal is exaggerated, whether it is inflated, deflated, or fluctuating 61 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

between these two poles and his emotional regulation reflects these vacillations.

(Finally, the DSM V accepted what I have been saying for decades: that narcissists can have an "inferiority complex" and feel worthless and bad; that they go through cycles of ups and downs in their self-evaluation; and that this cycling influences their mood and affect.)

Self-direction The narcissist sets goals in order to gain approval from others (narcissistic supply; the DSM V ignores the fact that the narcissist finds disapproval equally rewarding as long as it places him firmly in the limelight.) The narcissist lacks self-awareness as far as his motivation goes (and as far as everything else besides.)

The narcissist's personal standards and benchmarks are either too high (which supports his grandiosity), or too low (buttresses

his

sense

of entitlement,

which

is

incommensurate with his real-life performance.)

Impairments

in interpersonal

either empathy or intimacy (should be: in both.)

62 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

functioning in

Empathy The narcissist finds it difficult to identify with the emotions and needs of others, but is very attuned to their reactions when

they

are

Consequently,

relevant

to

he overestimates

himself the

(cold

effect

he

empathy.) has

on

others or underestimates it (the classic narcissist never underestimates the effect he has on others - but the inverted narcissist does.)

Intimacy The narcissist's relationships are self-serving and, therefore shallow and superficial. They are centred around and geared at the regulation of his self-esteem (obtaining narcissistic supply for the regulation of his labile sense of self-worth.)

The narcissist is not "genuinely" interested in his intimate partner's experiences (implying that he does fake such interest convincingly.) The narcissist emphasizes his need for personal gain (by using the word "need", the DSM V acknowledges

the compulsive and addictive nature

of

narcissistic supply). These twin fixtures of the narcissist's relationships

render

them

one-sided:

reciprocity (no intimacy).

Pathological personality traits 63 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

no

mutuality

or

Antagonism characterized by grandiosity and attentionseeking Grandiosity The aforementioned feeling of entitlement. The DSM V adds that it can be either overt or covert (which corresponds to my taxonomy of classic and inverted narcissist.)

Grandiosity is characterized by self-centredness; a firmlyheld conviction of superiority (arrogance or haughtiness); and condescending or patronizing attitudes.

Attention-seeking The narcissist puts inordinate effort, time, and resources into attracting others (sources of narcissistic supply) and placing himself at the focus and centre of attention. He seeks admiration (the DSM V gets it completely wrong here: the narcissist does prefer to be admired and adulated, but, failing that, any kind of attention would do, even if it is negative.)

The diagnostic criteria end with disclaimers and differential diagnoses, which reflect years of accumulated research and newly-gained knowledge: The above enumerated impairments should be "stable 64 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

across time and consistent across situations ... not better understood as normative for the individual’s developmental stage or socio-cultural environment ... are not solely due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., severe head trauma)."

Abolish Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) in DSM V? -*Click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=yzi07ZJil2g to watch the video. *DSM V proposed diagnostic criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder available at this link: http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevision/Pages/proposedr evision.aspx?rid=19.

To read more about the shortcomings of the DSM IV and how they are tackled in the DSM V – go to this link: http://samvak.tripod.com/personalitydisorders7.html Bibliography Goldman, Howard H., Review of General Psychiatry, fourth edition, 1995.Prentice-HallInternational, London.

Gelder, Michael, Gath, Dennis, Mayou, Richard, Cowen, Philip (eds.), Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry, third edition, 1996, reprinted 2000. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

65 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Vaknin, Sam, Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited, eighth revised impression, 1999-2006. Narcissus Publications, Prague and Skopje.

Westen, Drew et al. Refining the Construct of Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Diagnostic Criteria and Subtypes (Posted at http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/pap.dtl)

Also Read: Europe's Four Speeds Switching Empires Transition in Context How the West Lost the East The Criminality of Transition Fascism - The Tensile Permanence Communism, Capitalism, Feudalism Left and Right in a Divided Europe Anarchism for a Post-modern Age Althusser and the competing interpellations The Beginning of History - Islam and Liberalism Forward to the Past - Capitalism in Post-Communist Europe Copyright Š July 2012 Sam Vaknin.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: SAM VAKNIN ( http://samvak.tripod.com ) is the author of 66 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

‘Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited’ and ‘After the Rain - How the West Lost the East’ as well as many other books and ebooks about topics in psychology, relationships, philosophy, economics, and international affairs.

He

is

the

Editor-in-Chief

of

Global

Politician

(globalpolitician.com) and served as a Columnist for Central Europe Review, PopMatters, eBookWeb, and BellaOnline, and as

a United

Press

International

(UPI)

Senior

Business

Correspondent. He was the Editor of Mental Health and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory and Suite101.

Visit Sam's Website at:

http://www.narcissistic-

abuse.com

67 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

COFFEE HOUSE 4 POETRY LOVERS CORNER

Bringing You Poems (Classical and contemporary) And Haikus for the Poet in You!

68 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

On Love ©Ross Knapp YES, YET ANOTHER TRITE TENNYSONIAN POEM An ancient Victorian stereotype The whirling dervish word of love But more than a word or concept A burning on the pulse, a mystical yearning A primal drive perhaps, Yet there seems to be something else something else there in the essence That just makes sense, Accepting abuse if it lifts life’s lonely confusion.

By Ross Knapp Copyright © June 25, 2015

*****

All The World’s A Stage 69 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

©Ross Knapp WE MANAGE OUR MASKS ON THE STAGE MUCH LIKE Mindful and/or mindless business managers, As the case may be.

Some obsess over their image And the endless tedious details.

This may keep them around; but quickly gone is any hint of that slippery ambiguous buzzword: authenticity.

Some drive by without a second thought, Never pretend to be something they’re not, But usually their doors lock quite quickly, The landlord comes by and all she sees in the window Is dirt and dust and mold and rot?

But an authentic dust and rot.

By Ross Knapp Copyright © June 25, 2015

*****

Hold Me Close ©Ross Knapp 70 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

HOLD ME CLOSE, INJECT YOUR PRESENCE Directly into my veins, you, my daily dose I thought I could make it on my own I strove far and wide filling up With all that I’m not-But now the distance has grown Too great, you are you, I am me Now we are withered, wholly Other, It was always too late.

By Ross Knapp Copyright © June 25, 2015

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ROSS KNAPP is a recent college graduate with Degrees in Philosophy and Literature. He has an experimental literary novel forthcoming and various poetry publications in “Commonline Journal,” “Blue Lake Review,” “Poetry Pacific Magazine,” “Indiana Voice Journal,” “Shot Glass Journal,” “Chicago Literati,” and many others. Ross currently divides his time between Brooklyn, NYC and Minneapolis, MN. He can be contacted at: knapp_ross@yahoo.com ================================================== ==============

73 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Patch ŠRichard Sattanni THERE WAS A CAT HER NAME WAS PATCH In the old castle the mice she'd catch She'd hide behind the old stonewall Then pounce upon them one and all She was shrewd and she was fast Upon the wall her shadow she'd cast The mice would run -they would hideWhile PATCH would take it all in stride.

Sometimes the mice would win or lose the fattest ones PATCH would choose she ate them with pure delight while some looked on in total fright.

Now--PATCH is old and slow and such Pays no attention to the mice so much The castle is now cold and bare For PATCH is no longer there The mice still run and play about ''Good, no more cat!'' they shout.

By Richard Sattanni 74 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Copyright © July 2015 Richard Sattanni.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: RICHARD SATTANNI is a seasoned author with ten years writing experience. He writes mostly mysteries but also writes non-fiction as well as poetry. Richard has five books published by AmericaStarBooks.com in Maryland, USA. He is awaiting his latest novel to be released soon, titled—“To Testify from the Grave Book Two.” He also enjoys creative writing in all categories. And he likes to write about the history of his hometown: Bridgeport, Connecticut. Richard says: “Thanks to all my fan base for your support; I appreciate it so much!” He can be contacted via email at: rsauthor00@gmail.com ================================================== =============

75 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

In A Place You’ve Never Been ©L Douglas St Ours WHAT MIGHT COME from a washed out road without a sign in a place you've never been.

We were rolling downward, the buttes were spiraling upward like tipped over dairy queen cones; heads squashed along a serpentine road.

Near a cemetery sign, I turned onto a clay track, driving a four cylinder Toyota fording a muddy wash as anvil clouds intimidated a spotted sky.

We arrived and paused at a village not on any map inhabited by a herd of unkempt sheep grazing on tumbleweeds trapped and quivering with the trembling mesquite.

From a tunnel dug under the pan fried land a tarantula ambushed a lizard feasting on a wasp by a bone dry reef where a scorpion lurked like a lobster out to assassinate that tarantula.

76 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Free at last of its pane a torn curtain blew out of a jagged window a tattered flag in an empty surrender.

Then I heard dirt bikes rumbling echoes off the walls of a no name arroyo before noticing a stray bull stoned on aloe juice attempting to mount a sideways outhouse.

I recognized this place from a popular western an outlaw hideout a pioneer's stake a shepherd's homestead a rustler's roost.

It was a blockbuster big stars playing lawmen and the lawless there were posses and shootouts and a hero riding into the sunset.

How did those matinee idols find this spot, down wind and a day’s ride east 77 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

of the man dammed canyons and the nuclear wasted craters on the antelope range of the yucca flats?

By L Douglas St Ours Copyright © April 2010.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: L Douglas St Ours L. DOUGLAS ST. OURS is a poet who was born in Baltimore, Maryland in the USA; the oldest of six children. He attended parochial elementary schools in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. In 1962 he and his family moved to rural Ohio in the USA. Then in 1963 the family moved again to Charlottesville, Virginia where Mr. St Ours attended public high school graduating in 1968.

Doug attended Old Dominion University for one year… dropped out in 1969 to work for a year with the FBI. In 1971 he took courses at the University of Virginia then dropped out in 1972 to get married in California. He returned east with his wife to Fairfax, Virginia and enrolled at George Mason University where he graduated in 1975 with a Liberal Arts BA. From 1966 to 1976, Doug worked as a laborer and frame carpenter in the building construction industry. From 1976 to 1989 he was employed in the non-profit healthcare sector.

From 1990 to 1992 he worked at a Social Services nonprofit. From 1993 until his retirement in 2005, Mr. St Ours was employed in the banking industry.

78 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Since he retired in 2005, Doug has devoted his time to volunteering as a Mentor at Big Brothers/Big Sisters and as a Therapeutic Mentor with Catholic Charities.

He has traveled on the road to 48 states in the United States, 5 Canadian provinces, and 2 Mexican states. He is married with one grown child, a daughter. Currently he resides outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. St Ours has been writing poetry and prose for over half a century because he has a passion for storytelling; his poetry is a means for him to tell stories. He can be contacted on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/l.stours.3

================================================== ===============

79 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

OFF THE PRESS! Take a look at the BEST In Contemporary Literature for Authors Books, Anthologies, Literary Magazines & Journals, Then Order Your Very Own Copy Through The Links Provided for You!

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81 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

For more info about Award Winning Poet, Writer and Photographer DARREN B. RANKINS (POET RANKINS), click on the graphics & pictures and they should take you directly to his website. www.ireport.cnn.com www.purethoughts.info Poet Rankins on Facebook Phone: 615-582-5128 Books Pure Thoughts Vol. 1-4 “DarrenBRankins” on Twitter; “Darrenpt” on Pinterest; “Darren2466” on Instagram; “Darren66” on Tumblr.com Email: mailto:rankins.darren@yahoo.com or mailto:purethoughts24@yahoo.com www.youtube.com/darrendbr www.purethoughts.info NOTE FROM DARREN B. RANKINS (AKA POET RANKINS): “This is my new Promotional t-shirt design and a few photos of me as an extra on the ABC TV Show Nashville. My new book will be coming out soon.” www.gofundme.com/Darren2466

****

On the following pages you will see more photos of

82 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

DARREN B. RANKINS (POET RANKINS) at work & on the set of the ABC TV Shows ‘Nashville’ and ‘How to Get Away With Murder,’ also with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian-West, with his wife Marilyn, and Letters & Awards he won in honor of his poetry and photography…

****

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A Telltale Secret by MJ Rain (Melissa Lorraine Gulick)

Five Keys. Two Parallel Universes. One Destiny.

100 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Willow Rain lives in a seemingly perfect world with her sister and their nanny, on a planet where those who are deemed useless seem to vanish without a trace, along with those who speak of the forbidden keys.

When she gets her chance to be of use, she begins on the path to her destiny when the magical key from her dreams is set in her possession. With it, she embarks on a journey to another world in search of her parents and slowly she uncovers the mysteries that surround her family's past, present, and future.

When she uncovers the deepest secret of them all, the difficult path ahead of her reveals the true purpose of her life. Come with me and discover what became of the people of Atlantis!

101 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

About the Author:

MJ

Rain

(Melissa

Lorraine

Gulick) is a wife, an activist, and a published author. She lives in Iowa in the USA with her husband, her mother, and their Siamese cat, Luckness Monster. MJ’s passion is to have a major impact on the world by causing a positive change through her writing. She has always made her presence known for causes she believes in, and plans to continue doing so as she expresses herself through words.

Stay tuned for Book 2 of her ‘A Telltale Destiny’ book series; ‘A Telltale Secret’ is Book #1. MJ Rain’s Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mj-Rain/517670434943373 MJ Rain’s Novel Blog: http://mjrainwriter.wordpress.com/

102 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Passionate Plea

By Thomas Bryant

Sammy Page is a wonderfully loving husband, dedicated father and a lifelong professional thief, who survives a near103 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

fatal crash while trying to deliver a luxury liner to a wealthy client.

He

awakens

in

Buckskin

Canyon

nudist

camp

amnesiac and unaware that he’s being hunted for a double homicide; when law enforcement attempts to notify the owners of the Island Princess, rolled over on the side of the road and finds them, still in bed, brutally murdered…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: THOMAS BRYANT received his education at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, California. While studying political science, he began a love affair with books and discovered a passion for writing. Coming from humble beginnings with economic demands, he took an internship in the service industry as a heavy-duty diesel mechanic, which left him little time for books or writing.

He sought challenges, including baseball, football and wrestling as a young man and loved speed on the water in a flat bottom race boat called BORN to be WILD. Two weeks before he entered Arizona Bail Enforcement Academy to become a licensed Bounty Hunter, he was involved in a near fatal crash.

Disabled and facing his toughest challenge, he returned to his first love of poetry and found a whole new world as a novelist, authoring the Sammy Page thriller series; including the romantic thriller, ‘Passionate Plea,’ and soon-to-be104 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

released, ‘Mental Revenge.’ He currently resides in the Ozarks of Missouri in the USA. Author's website: www.sammypage.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorthomasbryant and Twitter: www.twitter.com/ThomasABryant ================================================== =============

105 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Fiction Novels

By ROSE ANNA SCHOENE (1925-2014) Absolutely the Last Resort Where Are You? And But! I’ve Always Loved You

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ABOUT BUT! I’VE ALWAYS LOVED YOU: But! I’ve Always Loved You, Rose Anna Schoene’s third and last book, is about stunning Jessie who is raped at twelve and bears a son who is then taken from her. As she grows up she is repulsed by men until she meets devastatingly handsome André, who offers her a forbidden love amidst magical, romantic Rome.

Jessie’s

loyal

friend

Debbie

is

always

there

for

her;

steadfastly aiding her in her lifelong quest to find the son 107 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

she gave birth to at thirteen and her quest to find that one true love. Will Jessie succumb to André’s charm? Will she ever find her son?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ROSE ANNA SCHOENE was a native New Yorker who made her writing debut with ‘Absolutely the Last Resort,’ a charming

and

nostalgic

family-oriented

book,

which

fictionalizes many of the author’s personal experiences owning a resort with her husband, brother and parents in the Catskill Mountains of New York for over 30 years. This book reflects just one aspect of the author’s life and creative talents, and introduces us to her artistic and comedic nature.

She had a writing style that was both entertaining and uplifting which reflected Rose Anna’s true writing persona; yet she proved the versatility of her literary scope with her second novel, ‘Where Are You?,’ which offers a serious, dramatic and paranormal-love storyline, and her third novel, ‘But! I’ve Always Loved You.’ Absolutely the Last Resort Rose Anna Schoene’s first book

108 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

109 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Where Are You? Rose Anna Schoene’s second book Is about Dr. Joy Evans and Dr. Dean Judson, who collide in the corridors of St. John’s Hospital—their introduction is the beginning of a torrid and tender love. Two weeks later, they are married and in six months they relocate to the state of Pennsylvania, where Dean takes over the practice of a 110 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

retiring doctor and feels that his ambitions have been fulfilled. But when Joy does not return from a quick errand to the store and her car is later found, Dr. Dean Judson’s entire life takes a plunge into despair…

Then strangely, Dean begins seeing Joy, or what he perceives to be Joy. In the early hours of the morning, he is awakened from his sleep and sees Joy at the foot of his bed.

She seems to glide around and then vanishes. Is he dreaming? Is he hallucinating? Is she a spirit or is he going mad…?

All three (3) of Rose Anna’s books are available to purchase on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Seaburn Media Group.com or on her author page: http://www.thecatsmeowforwritersreaders.com/to-fictionnovels-by-author-rose-anna-schoene.html Ordering Info for Rose Anna Schoene’s books: Absolutely the Last Resort by Rose Anna Schoene Publisher: Seaburn Media Group Publication Date: 2003 ISBN #: 1592320600; 144 pages Price: $14.95 Where Are You? By Rose Anna Schoene Publisher: Seaburn Media Group Publication Date: 2006 ISBN #: 1592320090; 124 pages Price: $14.95 111 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

But! I’ve Always Loved You by Rose Anna Schoene Publisher: Seaburn Media Group Publication Date: 2010 ISBN #: 1592322530; 169 pages Price: $14.95 ================================================== ========================

112 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

A Fiction Medical Thriller

By SANDRA L. HOYNACKI On Call

The quaint town of Morganville seemed like the perfect setting for Jenny Warren to begin her career as a nurse.

Complete with little mom-and-pop shops and a dog park.

Morganville was the picture-perfect suburb. Jenny, however, would soon learn that looks can be deceiving!

When she and fellow nurse, Kathy, suspect the increase in area accidents and sudden rise in organ donations couldn’t 113 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

possibly be coincidental, they find themselves tangled up in a web of lies, deception, and murder.

What the young women discover beyond the operating room doors is beyond anything that their minds could have ever imagined…a plot so sinister and so far-reaching that it spans the globe, and forces them to run for their lives.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: SANDRA HOYNACKI retired from her nursing job to care for her mother who had Alzheimer’s. She has since become an avid writer, and has already won several contests for her poems and was once invited to read at a Poet’s Convention in Washington, DC. Sandra is the author of two books of poetry: “Purple Latches” and “Whispers from the Ledge.”

“On Call” is her first fiction novel and the sequel, “Encryption’s Wrath,” another medical technological thriller, will debut soon.

Ordering Info for Sandra Hoynacki’s novel, On Call: On Call by Sandra Hoynacki Publisher: Createspace Publication Date: September 2009 ISBN #: 9781479155088 Price: [Print-edition] $20.98; [Ebook-edition] $6.00.

254 pages, and can be purchased through Sandra’s author 114 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

website: www.SandraHoynacki.com, through Barnes & Noble.com or wherever books are sold. ************ ALSO BY SANDRA HOYNACKI! A Book of Poetry and A Book of Poetry and Short Stories Purple Latches And Whispers from the Ledge

Review of Purple Latches: ****** “I'm familiar with the exemplary life author Sandra 115 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Hoynacki leads; her book Purple Latches includes some of the most beautiful poetry your eyes shall ever read and witness.

The words of imagery and artwork shall instill within you an uplifted spirit like none I've ever read in my fifty-eight years on earth. Each poem opens ones physical senses and starts a movie in the minds eyes where you can leave at the end with the most dynamic thoughts ever perceived in ones written words of truth and mystery.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone in need of a life changing experience or for the benefit of a walk down memory lane. It is an honor and privilege to know the author Sandra Hoynacki, and the sacrifices she makes toward humanity on a daily basis. Thanks for this opportunity to review her book.”—Raymond Willis; poet and writer.

Drawn from real-life experiences and creative visions, these collections of poems and short stories by Sandra Hoynacki will inspire, surprise and entertain the most discerning reader.

Ordering Info for Sandra Hoynacki’s books “Purple Latches” and “Whispers from the Ledge”: Purple Latches by Sandra Hoynacki Publisher: Lulu Press Publication Date: June 2007 ISBN #: 9781430322931 Price: [Print-edition] $19.50; [EBook-downloadable edition] 116 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

$12.00; 158 pages, and can be purchased at: Sandra Hoynacki.com, Lulu Press, Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, or wherever books are sold.

Whispers from the Ledge by Sandra Hoynacki Publisher: Lulu Press Publication Date: December 2008 ISBN #: 9780557029044 Price: [Print-edition]: $15.17; Not yet available in EBook edition. 148 pages, and can be purchased at: Sandra Hoynacki.com, Lulu Press, Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, or wherever books are sold. ================================================== ===============

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118 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

A Fiction Romance Novel

By ROSALEE WILSON One Priceless Treasure About One Priceless Treasure by Rosalee Wilson: Brad Thompson moves from his home in Florida to Boston, Massachusetts with his family--who are pursuing a new business venture. Brad doesn’t know the extent to how his life is going to change until he meets Connie.

She is every man’s dream girl and he feels special that he becomes her choice. But due to unforeseen circumstances, his dreams begin to crumble and he doesn't know if he can put them back together again.

What drives him away is a misunderstanding but how will he get Connie back, and will he? After years of pain and agony, they reunite once again. If only he had taken the phone call that particular night, their lives could have been happy and years of loneliness could have been avoided.

A sweet romance that everyone can relate too who has ever been in love; remembering that awesome feeling of that first crush! Laughter and tears, this book is a must read and will 119 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

definitely touch your heart. Author Rosalee Wilson’s latest book is a must-read romance!

Hurry!

Get Your Copy of “One Priceless Treasure by Rosalee Wilson” Today!

Ordering Info for “One Priceless Treasure”: One Priceless Treasure by Rosalee Wilson Publisher: Lulu Press Publication Date: 2011 ISBN #: 978-1-257-86522-2 Price: $5.99 EBook-downloadable [PDF]; $20.98 for Printedition [Hardcover].

ALSO BY ROSALEE WILSON! A Children’s Book

By ROSALEE WILSON A Mushy Mouse Tale

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This is your chance to meet Mushy, the most lovable mouse you will ever meet!

Mushy Mouse is a mouse looking for love and a family to call his own. He struggles with self-confidence and the idea of someone loving a fat mouse like him. But Mushy and an Indian mouse named Feathertail form a bond that will last a lifetime.

With excitement and adventure, “A Mushy Mouse Tale” by Rosalee Wilson will touch your heart forever. A must read!

Mrs. Wilson is an avid writer with an imagination that ignites a spark in children everywhere. She is available for speaking engagements and interviews.

Hurry! Go to www.lulu.com and order your copy of “A Mushy 121 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Mouse Tale by Rosalee Wilson” today! ================================================== ===================

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123 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

A Fiction Paranormal Romantic Novel A Nonfiction Book of Survival

By CAROL ROACH Storytime Tapestry Newsletter Founder & Publisher http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Storytime_Tapestry

ANGELS WATCHING OVER ME And PICKING UP THE PIECES: ONE WOMAN’S JOURNEY

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CAROL ROACH, a graduate of both Concordia University, with a bachelor’s in psychology, and a graduate of McGill University with a master’s degree in counselling psychology, knows people as much as she knows the struggles of the poor and disenchanted.

She is truly the champion of the underdog. Carol’s signature writing is about poverty and the ability to rise above it. She strives to give women and men a voice through the written word. Her writing is poignant and inspirational. Ms. Roach also publishes a daily online ezine, Storytime Tapestry, where she encourages everyone to “let their true heart sing” through the words they write.

Her new book ‘Angels Watching Over Me’ is rich with character while it underlines the issues of survival in one of Montreal’s poorest districts, St. Henri. Carol herself grew up in this area of the city.

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What a Prominent Amazon Reviewer wrote about Carol Roach’s novel: ****** “In this wonderful work by gifted author and publisher Carol Roach we meet a very special girl named Carissa.

Carissa’s life has been anything but easy. She had known the scorn of poverty; the battle of rejection, the sorrow of death. However, Carissa has a quality that hinges almost on the supernatural; her faith and assurance in a God who is more than enough. We are taken through the life of Carissa from her youth in a small rural community and her family to her final victory as a woman who never compromised despite the hardships such decisions would bring. Her life stood as a testimony.

This is a deep heartfelt read; one that shows the strength and courage of the human spirit despite at times cruel circumstances and unfair situations. The author definitely draws you into the very heart of Carissa; merging you with the fight and strength that she possesses during her entire life. Her unselfish love is the main attribute that shone out to me and one that I think author Carol Roach did an exceptional job at portraying. If you want to read a story of the heart, this one is for you.

A compelling story of a woman, a time and a future where one can actually say, ‘everything turned out all right.’

It might have happened much later than we as the reader may have wanted, but perhaps that is exactly how life for 126 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

most of us plays out. Well done Ms. Roach!”

--Shirley Johnson, Senior Reviewer for MidWest Book Review ************ Ordering Info to for “Angels Watching Over Me”: Angels Watching Over Me by Carol Roach Publisher: Janelle McCarthy (Lulu Press) Publication Date: March 2007 ISBN #: 978-1-4303-2003-6 244 pages, and can be purchased at Lulu Press, Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com. Or you can order it at your local bookstore.

Price: [Paperback print] $16.10; [Download] $5.00 __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________

127 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

A Book of Emotive & Inspiring Poetry; a Book of Short Stories, and a Book Series of Inspirational Quotes

By TRISHA MARTIN My Naked Mind: An Intimate Collection of Poetry Fed Up Woman Trisha’s Treasures: Gems of Inspiration And Spirit of the Hawk: Mental Flight (Book 1) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: TRISHA MARTIN is a published author, poet, entrepreneur, blogger, and talk radio show host. Her book publications include “My Naked Mind: An Intimate Collection of Poetry” [April

2005],

“Fed

Up

Woman”

[May

2011],

“Trisha’s

Treasures: Gems of Inspiration” [May 2011], and “Spirit of the Hawk: Mental Flight” [2012].

Having “Fed Up Woman” published was like closing the book on a chapter of her life that ended a long time ago, Trisha reflects. With two of her four children now grown, she plans on spending much more time giving her fans what they want more of. You can visit Trisha over at: http://www.freewebs.com/sayinsomethang 128 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Reviews for “My Naked Mind: An Intimate Collection of Poetry”: ***** “The words contained within the pages of author, poet and entrepreneur TRISHA MARTIN’S book are filled with compelling, deep, emotional and inspirational poems that readers should be able to identify with. Each poem is written with clarity as the author pours her heart and soul into her writing. If you're a poetry lover who likes reading personal works of others, this book of poetry is a must-read!” **** “I have never read poetry so vividly written, taking me on a continuous journey from emotion to emotion!”

Ordering Info for “My Naked Mind,” “Fed Up Woman,” “Trisha’s Treasures,” and “Spirit of The Hawk: Mental Flight:” My Naked Mind: An Intimate Collection of Poetry

By Trisha Martin Publisher: Publish America Publication date: April 2005 ISBN #: 1413744540 84 pages; Price: $14.95 Fed Up Woman by Trisha Martin 129 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Publisher: Publish America Publication Date: May 2011 ISBN #: 978-1-4560-4946-1 64 pages; Price: $16.95 Trisha’s Treasures: Gems of Inspiration by Trisha Martin Publisher: Blurb.com Publication date: May 2011 Price: (Paperback-edition) $13.95; (Hardcover, dusk jacketedition) $29.95

Spirit of the Hawk: Mental Flight by Trisha Martin Publisher: Blurb.com Publication Date: May 2012 89 pages; Price: (Paperback-edition) $22.30 __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

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A Book of Poetry and Short Stories

By ROSANNE CATALANO The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers’ Founder & Publisher (www.thecatsmeowforwritersreaders.com)

MIRRORED IMAGES Author, Founder and Publisher ROSANNE CATALANO (RC KAYLA), is pleased to introduce her book Mirrored Images, which is a quick read at 98 pages! It is a book containing the 131 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

author’s collection of short stories and poems (some fiction, some fact) written for your reading enjoyment and for those who love guessing games!

“Mirrored Images” by Rosanne Catalano begins with a poem about, and dedication to, her late father and still-livingmother and goes into a short story about an experience with bullying in the eighth grade of school to being saved by a guardian angel when the story character was in her mid30’s. An interesting read in which you, the reader, may want to guess which of her stories are fact or fiction…

Reviews for ‘Mirrored Images’ by Rosanne Catalano:

*****

“I purchased a copy of Rosanne Catalano’s book, Mirrored Images, and this short collection of short stories (you will have to try real hard to decide which are fact or fiction), articles and poetry, both touched my heart and made me smile. Rosanne’s book Mirrored Images is truly a great read! It touched me because of the love shown for her parents, God, and her husband. It touched me because I was the kid with glasses who was bullied and picked on and I could feel Rosanne's pain when it happened to her. It touched me because I have lost my parents and her tribute to her father, and mother, brought back all of the good times and love I had with/for my own parents. It touched me because Rosanne, as I feel so many of us are but never put it into words so eloquently, is a survivor. I believe we all have guardian angels and Mirrored Images proves it to all who will listen. No one but angels could have saved her from 132 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

bullies in junior high school, have looked over her until she found the perfect mate, and still guide her to this day in her writing craft. These are stories we should not only want to read, enjoy reading, but they are stories we all need to hear.

I get a glimpse of the love and courage that Rosanne shows, and shares, in her magazine--and our most welcome online correspondence. Rosanne is writing a continuation of Mirrored Images titled Escape and Redemption. I can't wait to read that! But first, my readers, you must read Mirrored Images.”

--Barbara Deming; Author, Writing Instructor, Publisher, and Blogger.

***** “I read Rosanne Catalano’s book Mirrored Images and I love it!!! She had somewhat of a hard life in some areas and a good one in others. The author had a lot of heartache, with the loss of friends early in her life, and the ridicule and horrendous behaviors of other kids when she was in junior high school. Though it sounds like she had a most wonderful Dad and Grandmother too; her grandmother reminded me so much of my own Grandmother who passed away last year! I enjoyed very much reading all of her different short stories and the poems she included. I really loved reading about her little cheese episode in ‘Christmas With Grandma,’ and her little sneaky trek to the store thinking she could hurriedly fix what she had EATEN…LOL!!!! I LOVED IT--------- And I can still see Rosanne so clearly eating all of the cheese!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ROSANNE CATALANO all the way around! I will get her next book soon...I like this book’s title by the way, and the picture of Rosanne on the back cover; she looks so relaxed.”

--Sandra L Hoynacki; Author, Poet and Nurse.

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By Mark Rubinstein on September 19, 2014:

* * * * * “I read Mirrored Images by Rosanne Catalano in

two sittings. This is an intriguing collection of short stories (10 in all) spearheaded by a lovely poem. In my mind, they are all loosely interconnected, and the author invites the reader to guess which of the stories is true and which is false. To my way of thinking, they are all products of the author's vivid imagination, mixed with elements of true life, as is the case for any author in virtually any fictional genre.

Where true life leaves off and fiction begins is always, at best, murky guesswork. The important thing is that Ms. Catalano writes beautifully. I was captured by her prose, and am waiting eagerly for her forthcoming tale, which will be a crime novel. Mirrored Images gets five well-deserved stars.”

--Mark Rubinstein; Crime Fiction Author and Psychologist

****

“Rosanne Catalano’s book, Mirrored Images, was a

delightful read! I LOVED IT!!!! IF the abuse at school and all was about her, Rosanne has become a beautiful person and woman. I'm so glad she now has a wonderful spouse and her life is filled with love.”

--Carol Dee Meeks; Writer and Poet.

Rosanne Catalano’s next book, Escape and Redemption, will be a continuation of Mirrored Images as her first crime fiction novel.

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Escape & Redemption by Rosanne Catalano Coming Soon!

Synopsis of “Escape & Redemption:” Rachel Norris is escaping a painful past. She lands in the State of Delaware and meets Marie Glück, a homeless woman whom Rachel saves from dying of a heart attack, changing Marie Glück’s life forever.

Both Rachel Norris and Marie Glück are redeemed after opening up a small business and fighting for it against those who practice imminent domain takeovers and murder.

Be sure to pick up your copy of “Mirrored Images” today at Lulu Press, BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.com, or at Rosanne’s website: www.thecatsmeowforwritersreaders.com Ordering Info for “Mirrored Images”: Mirrored Images by Rosanne Catalano Publisher: Jane W. (Lulu Press) Publication Date: January 2007; Revised 2013 ISBN-10: 978-1-304-66346-7 ISBN-13: 978-1-257-40573-2 Price: [Print-edition] $13.20; [Nook-edition] $6.00; [Kindleedition] $5.00; 165 pages, and can be purchased at Lulu 135 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

Press, Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com or at www.thecatsmeowforwritersreaders.com

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LETTERS TO THE PUBLISHER: If you have a question, would like to make a suggestion on something you would like to see in this magazine, or just want to tell us about an article, poem or story you have read here, send an email to The Publisher’s Box™ and let us know your thoughts, questions, news or anything else you want to talk with us about. The Publisher will be sure to respond in a timely manner.

TO SUBMIT YOUR WRITING: Send your short stories, poetry, flash fiction, essays, haikus, story articles (nonfiction short stories) and/or helpful articles, but please do follow the Submission Guidelines set forth. To read the Submission Guidelines click on this link, then click back here and send your submission(s) to “Submissions”. Remember, submissions must be sent within the body of your Submit Form! Do not send submissions as an attachment. And please do provide a resource box and / or author bio along with your work.

Every single submission is read and will be responded to within four months. Thank you and keep on writing!

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HOW SOME ARE SUPPORTING THE CAT’S MEOW FOR WRITERS & READERS MAGAZINE: In

each

magazine

issue,

and

within

author

Rosanne

Catalano-Umland’s website, there are links to various businesses and literary magazines such as Amazon.com, First Writer.com, Filbert Publishing, Angie’s DIARY (#1 Online Magazine for Professional and Aspiring Writers), How-To Corp, and many others that are also on the Helpful Sites For You page of the author’s literary magazine website. When purchasing products through these links, it helps support The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers and keep your subscription free! Thank you for your support throughout the years.

The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine is dedicated to: Rachel Renée Carmine (“Carman”) Catalano Anna (“Ann”) Inzinna-Pollicino-Catalano Harold (“Clinton”) Welch Pauline Mullé-Infranco Joseph Infranco Direct URL: http://www.thecatsmeowforwritersreaders.com Copyright

©

2004-2015

Rosanne

Catalano-Umland

(RC

Kayla):

Founder, Publisher & Author. ISSN# 2237-65. Queens, NY 11379. All rights reserved. All copyrights remain with the respective creators of 138 |The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine July-October 2015

material in this magazine and on the site (the publisher has no enduring rights over future printings and/or publications except her own work).

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic,

mechanical,

photocopying,

recording,

or

otherwise),

without prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this magazine. The Cat's Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine accepts no liability expressed or implied, for any advertisement, editorial or products contained within.

The views expressed in the stories, poetry, essays, articles, and other writings included in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of this magazine or its publisher.

The Cat's Meow for Writers & Readers Magazine®™ Is an independently-owned and operated literary magazine supported by readers like you, and by grants and corporate sponsorships from various organizations and companies; some of which are listed on the "Helpful Sites for You" page of Rosanne Catalano’s website.

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