Please note that some posts contains affiliate links & I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links Find out More

Complete Kitten Care–New Cover!

by | Apr 16, 2015 | Cat Behavior & Care | 18 comments

NEW-KITTEN-COVER-kindleHey there, all my Facebook Sweet Peeps may have already seen my SQUEEE! new cover designs on the nonfiction books. So over the next couple of weeks, I’ll post COVER REVEALS here on the blog. You’ve probably already seen them in the sidebar but this is the “official” launch…and a kewl offer, so keep reading! 🙂

First up–COMPLETE KITTEN CARE! The new cover version is now available in print and kindle on amazon, and other platforms soon. This was the first book that I “kindle-ized” and is a title that quite literally has had 9 lives (and counting). For writers out there, this experience possibly will give you hope. Some of y’all may have heard this before.

COMPLETE KITTEN CARE wasn’t the original title. Nope, I was asked to write KITTENS FOR DUMMIES when that brand was pumping out titles like…well, like kittens. After I turned in the manuscript to the editor, and she accepted it, the “For Dummies” publishing franchise was sold to another company, and a bunch of contracted books got cancelled. My editor simply emailed me the news–“sorry but your book has been cancelled.”

Oy.

WHEN BOOKS GET CANCELLED…

I could have ranted and raved and thrown a fit. Instead, I re-read my contract and then sent back a reply to the effect: “So sorry to learn this disappointing news. Since the manuscript has been delivered by deadline, and ACCEPTED, I am entitled to payment in full of the advance as outlined in my contract, and full reversion of the rights. Please advise when I will receive the payment.”

Great lesson–always know what’s in your contract. Most are written in kitty litter so don’t take the first “boilerplate” they offer. Ask for better terms–they won’t shoot you for asking, and may even say yes! If they say “no” then you can decide whether to sign or not.

That same day, I emailed my editor for the “aging” pet books (from New American Library/Penguin) and offered the manuscript to her. The reformatted, re-titled book became COMPLETE KITTEN CARE. That book went on to win several CWA Muse Medallion and Special Awards from the Cat Writers’ Association for both the content and the photos, mee-wow!

Oh, and did I mention that I got paid a SECOND advance for the book, this time from NAL? And a few years later, when the “dummies” franchise rethought their titles, a friend of mine was offered the chance to write the kitten book in the series–which also won subsequent CWA awards. Kewl beans!

WHEN BOOKS GET KILLED…

This could have been the end of the story, but I promised you nine lives, didn’t I? 🙂 As happens with traditional publishing, when a book no longer sells as well it probably will be “remaindered.” That’s a fancy term for “killed” which means the book gets offered at a deeeeeeeep discount to get rid of left over copies, no more are printed, and it “goes out of print.”

Bummer. Hey, this was an award winning book! and the information actually is pretty ever-green. Remembering the lesson from before, I asked my then-agent to get the rights reverted to me…and then I did nothing for a year or so other than create a head-shaped dent in my office wall and invest in Kleenex with woe-is-me pity parties.

Enter Kindle. Actually, I came late to the party, but finally decided–what the heck? I stuck my furry toe in the digital publishing waters with COMPLETE KITTEN CARE, and learned not only how to properly format text but also pictures. Oh, and redesigned the cover because New American Library owned the original art.

WHEN AUTHORS GET REINVENTED…

That led to me partnering with Cool Gus Publishing to bring COMPLETE KITTEN CARE back into print and in other Ebook formats so y’all can read it via Nook or iTunes or however you want. And THEN, the next incarnation–AUDIO BOOK! You’ll notice that it’s my voice on the recording, too, since people seem to like hearing authors read their own nonfiction titles. All those years performing onstage paid off!

51mzWKs4JIL._SL500_AA300_PIaudible,BottomRight,13,73_AA300_Yes, the AUDIO COMPLETE KITTEN CARE is available at Amazon, Audible.com and iTunes. (You can get it FREE with a 30 day trial membership at Audible.com).

Also, next Tuesday, I’ll be giving away free codes to review the Audible version of the book, through this really neato service AUDIOBOOKBLAST.COM where you can sign up for free to receive review copies of whatever kind of book you like. (COMPLETE KITTEN CARE will be in the “general nonfiction” category).

That cover, though, was due a furry facelift. See, I used the same sort of “style” as the design on the original NAL print cover, and times have changed. Hence, the cover reveal for the updated look to match the spiffy updated content. And yes, the photos inside are now in color in the digital versions!

So do you know someone with a kitten in his/her future? Or perhaps a shelter that would benefit from having the audio version in their educational library? It’s kitten season! Please share this post with anyone you think would benefit from some SQUEEEE! cuticity and solid kitten care info.

And remember, if you’d like a FREE copy of the audio version to review, please sign up for AUDIOBOOKBLAST.COM and check the GENERAL NONFICTION category before next Tuesday. I’ll have codes for both the US and the UK store.

YouTube Button

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!


 

18 Comments

  1. Patricia

    Amy I’m so glad this book has done incredibly wonderful. Your new covers are eye-catching. I love them. I sure am liking the sidebar on your blog. I still think this is the best blog I’ve ever read. It has something for everyone. I applaud you for your continued success.

    Reply
    • Amy Shojai

      Thanks so much Patricia–feedback from folks like you make it all worthwhile. I’m hoping to add some “webinars” in the near future so stay tuned!

      Reply
  2. Victoria Carter

    I’m loving the ‘don’t stop there’ attitude you had with your publishing experiences! I think it’s a great source of encouragement for others in similar situations!

    Reply
    • Amy Shojai

      Thank you so much–I hope it’s encouraging to others. Sometimes our biggest obstacle to overcome is ourselves.

      Reply
  3. Carol

    Sounds like a great resource.

    Reply
  4. Dolly the Doxie

    Kitten season makes mom so sad! But we are sure that your book will help so many! Love Dolly

    Reply
  5. Pawesome Cats

    Sounds like quite a journey, we’re glad that Complete Kitten Care is finally available and we look forward to checking out the audio version.

    Reply
    • Amy Shojai

      That’s great! It was fun to record the book.

      Reply
  6. Emma

    Nice cover. Books are tough and frustrating. The writing is the easiest part.

    Reply
  7. Robin

    Wow! What a journey! You are a strong woman Amy. That is a lot of difficult situations to persevere through. I’m glad that Complete Kitten Care was able to make it into digital media. Hopefully it will see even more great successes!

    Reply
    • Amy Shojai

      Thank you! I hope the book continues to live on for many years, too!

      Reply
  8. Carleen

    Very interesting to learn the behind the scenes stuff with the book!

    Reply
    • Amy Shojai

      Thanks for visiting the blog…and yes, book publishing today is a wild ride! Like herding cats. *s*

      Reply
  9. Fur Everywhere

    Thank you for letting us know about the free audio version available for review. I’ll go sign up at the website! It’s great that you’ve been able to revive Complete Kitten Care so many times 🙂

    Reply
    • Amy Shojai

      Hurray! Thanks for visiting and hope you enjoy the audio.

      Reply
  10. Aimable Cats

    It is interesting to see the story behind the books. Often those of us who are not authors just see the finished product, or think about the writing part and forget about the publishing part.

    Reply
    • Amy Shojai

      It was quite an experience!

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories:

Recent Posts

Update on Cyprus Cats: New FIP Strain Identified

This past summer I reported on the apparent FIP outbreak among cats on the island of Cyprus. As thousands of cats quickly sickened and died from signs of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), experts puzzled over why. While the feline-specific illness tragically kills most infected cats (if not given expensive hard-to-access treatment), pockets of “outbreaks” had previously been limited to handfuls of cats in cattery or shelter population.

But in Cyprus, things changed. Here’s the update…stranger than fiction, but true.

How To Give Pets As Gifts

Giving pets as gifts prompts discussions every time the subject comes up. Most recently, we got our “gift puppy” and “gift kitten” when they adopted us, and we’re so glad Karma-Kat and Shadow-Pup are part of our holidays. But for many folks, this year means a new puppy or new kitten for Christmas. Learn how to gift pets–and please share your experiences in the comments!

The professionals used to say that the holidays were a TERRIBLE time to get a new pet–that impulse adoptions could leave the cat or dog without a home after the cute-holiday-thrills wore off. More recently, though, the ASPCA conducted some surveys and discovered that when done properly, these adoptions can be lasting, loving adoptions. So I had to re-think my advice.

Holidays tend to be hectic times when normal routines go out the window. Whether a baby, adult, or senior rescue cat or dog, new animals need the stability of knowing what to expect. In fact, some holiday schedules may allow you to be home more during this time to help the new kitty or pooch adjust.

Holiday pets take more work, true. But just think: you’re not only giving the pet to a person—you’re giving a special human to a waiting cat or dog, a fur-kid hungry for a loving, permanent home. Happy holidays, indeed!

Mystery Canine Respiratory Disease? What We Know

Each fall and winter heralds a rise in respiratory illnesses in people–and also in dogs. Like humans, dogs can contract a number of hacking, wheezing, coughing, yucky illnesses that make them feel bad. Canine respiratory diseases get lumped together as canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC). These are a constellation of different illnesses resulting from viral, fungal, or bacterial infections.

One of the most common, kennel cough, spreads easily from dog to dog. It gets its name because dogs housed closely together in kennels, boarding facilities, shelters, and similar places provide the perfect transmission opportunity. But recently, an apparent increase in dog respiratory disease has owners, and many vets concerned.

13 Pet Holiday Dangers to Avoid: How to Keep Cats & Dogs Safe

I write about pet holiday dangers every year. This listicle (and a fun infographic at the bottom) offers more than a dozen problems. I’ve included links to more detailed information for those wanting a deeper dive on all the must-knows for pet holiday safety!

Merry Cat-Mas & Doggy Ho-Ho-Ho! Here’s How to Create a Tree for the Pets

Have you decked the halls yet with your howl-iday decor? What do the pets think? Have they joined in the spirit of ho-ho-ho and wreaked havoc? Or do they ignore the festivities?

The Christmas tree might as well be an early holiday gift to your cats and dogs. Pets can’t resist the urge to sniff, claw, water—and scale the branches to reach the highest possible perch. Don’t blame your cat or dog. It’s normal for cats to compete for the top spot (literally and figuratively) to secure their place in kitty society, and dogs may want to “mark” the convenient indoor doggy signpost.

Protect your precious memories by pet-proofing to prevent breakage (yes, this happened to me!) And give your pets something “legal” to enjoy. Here’s how to create pet safe holiday fun for cats and dogs.

Playing Around…in SISTER ACT Musical!

From time to time, I’m blessed to participate in the local community theater productions. Sometimes, that means playing cello or keyboard in the loft, and other times, onstage. This month, I’m “playing around” as Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours, a nun in SISTER ACT musical. We open Friday December 1 and run three weekends (Thursday-Sunday matinee) through December 17th.

Cat Books Sale: “When you get a cat, there should be 4 requirements by law:

I was born to love pets & spread JOY! My books bring smiles, save lives, and reduce vet bills. So I put ALL MY CAT BOOKS ON SALE…cuz maybe you’ll want to “adopt” more of my 35+ award-winning pet books or share the purr-fect love with other pet lovers.

You can get ’em for full price on Amazon, BUT…

Dog Books Sale: “One of the best I have read…”

I was born to love pets & spread JOY! My books bring smiles, save lives, and reduce vet bills. So I put ALL MY DOG BOOKS ON SALE…cuz maybe you’ll want to “adopt” more of my 35+ award-winning pet books or share the purr-fect love with other pet lovers.

You can get ’em for full price on Amazon, BUT…

Counting Thanksgiving Blessings, the Pet Writer Way in 2023

Time for my annual Count My Blessings post. The past year has meant change, change, and more change, and that’s good and also challenging. But some things never change…I’m thankful to you—yes, those who read this blog, the cat book lovers, and the dog book lovers, and folks who have “adopted” my thriller series. And those who offered awesome applause and support any of the other venues mentioned…

7 Tips How to Prepare Cats, Dogs, and People for Holiday Visits

How to Prepare Cats, Dogs, and People for Holiday Visits

Holiday celebrations include visiting family and friends. It also means keeping pets safe during the holidays. Since we consider cats and dogs part of the family, pet holiday visits require special preparations. Changes to routine can increase fear, anxiety, and stress in everyone, and especially our pets. Hitting the road also raises stress levels, so unless your pets adore car travel, prepare with advice in this article. Here are some tips for reducing the angst once you arrive, so that everyone enjoys family pet holiday visits.

Visit Amy's Website

Amy Shojai CACB is an award winning author.  You can find all her publications and book her to speak via her website. 

On Demand Writer Coaching

AmyShojai.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com http://amazon.com/.

Awards

Memberships