Letter to my Old High School, Reading Good, The Battle of the Blinds

What an exciting week... My first novel has finally been published as an ebook (see Author site for details and an excerpt) and the feedback has been great! Woke up to two comments this morning that instantly plastered a smile on my face (which will annoy my colleagues for the rest of the day):

'Hard to put down' and 'Great fantasy writing for sure'.

Suffice to say that I am a happy camper. That aside, here are my three thinks for today:

Letter to my Old High School: Lately, I have been getting a good number of requests and messages from old friends with whom I went to high school with. That, coupled with the release of my book, has got me thinking back on my journey so far. So, this morning, I allowed my thoughts to timidly wander back to that Dark Place That Is High School. If I could send a short message to my many teachers and friends; this is what I would say:
Dear Maths Teacher #1 (to clarify, I had about five maths teachers; they passed me around as they each gave up on me in turn): If you were wondering what happened to me halfway through your lesson that day; I climbed out the window while you were writing on the board.
Dear Economics Teacher: I would like to assure you that I was, in fact, working on the school newspaper every time I asked to be excused. Thanks for allowing that; it is serving me well today.
Dear Business Economics Teacher: Sorry for always handing in my assignments very late. It wasn't you; I really just don't do well with structure. And thanks for your Christmas messages every year - they are truly appreciated!
Dear Maths Teacher #5: You, wisest of them all, realised that I was most definitely not on my way to becoming a technician for NASA; so you left me alone. You never bullied or threatened me, but somehow I always managed to get the minimum passing mark... Thank you.
Dear Hostel Father: Thanks for playing along, singing along and allowing yourself to be locked up with us in an attempt to prove that we were the 'better' hostel. Being an hour late for school has never been so sweet.
Dear Afrikaans Teacher: I bunked your class for an entire year. I liked how you tried to take credit for the 'A' I got. PS Not everyone was made to 'keep to the left of the stairs'.
Dear Vice Principal: Do you remember the time you tried to threaten information out of us at assembly? I would just like to point out that pulling a toy lion from your pocket and making it 'meow' into the microphone did not have the desired effect.
Dear English Teacher: Thanks for turning a blind eye every time I handed in a 3000 word essay, instead of the prescribed 1000. Thanks for your history lectures and your impersonation of Iago. And for making me read 'The Hobbit'.
And finally, Dear OMK Girls: To the lucky few who managed to get through that window; the illegal chocolate dealers; the fellow pranksters; the flowerbed-sleepers; the successful past-curfew-sneaker-inners; the snorers; and the one who gave me the fright of my life by crawling out from behind that couch.... Thank you.

Reading Good - Granted, I am a few years behind on this, but I recently discovered this great website that allows you to rate books, make wishlists of ones you want to read, and even recommend some to your friends.

So, in an attempt to increase my online presence and build my network, I joined goodreads.com today. Loads of fun! Go check it out, or invite me as a friend if you are already a member!

Also, does anyone know how I can create an author profile? I find the whole thing a bit confusing.

Another great site where you can share your thoughts on your latest reads, is Booktalk.org. The forums are especially great for venting...

The Battle of the Blinds - A while ago, I blogged about moving house with a cat. Now, to update you on The Furry One's adaptation to life in the city: everything is fine, except...

He cannot figure out the window blinds.

My word, is this frustrating! He has tangled himself, strangled himself and puked in protest; but his nemesis remains unmoved. This means that, every time he wants to go outside, I have to get up and open the blinds. He is one trumpet away from arriving in the garden like a king.

Now, this would all be fine if I could pull up the blinds and leave the window open permanently, but alas - it is winter. And the window is right next to my side of the bed.

What's even worse, is the way in which His Majesty summons me to raise the portcullis. A simple tap on a sleeping nose would do, but noooooo... 

It is much more effective to climb the burglar bars like a ladder, musically strumming the metal as you go, and then proceed to fall on the wooden floor at 3am. That way, your subjects respond much quicker (due to anger and irritation). One must also remember that it is common courtesy to then first stare out the window for a long time, while the subject shivers and curses in the crisp air that is now blowing through the house. 

If the subject should revolt and close the window while screaming at you, an ankle bite is an adequate form of punishment. Should she then lock you in the living room, continue to ignore her for two days.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is how my cat and I ended up sitting on opposite ends of the couch with our backs to one another this morning. If this tyranny continues, I cannot guarantee that I will not start throwing him with rotten fruit.

Send your regards to people from your past, meet new ones who share your interests, and never move into a house with blinds if you have cats. You'll never get any sleep.