The Cat That God Sent Blog Tour: Book Review and Character Guest Post

The Trouble With Humans, by Jim Kraus

Hey.

I’m Petey.

From the new book, The Cat That God Sent.(Of course, I’m the main character. I’m a cat. You think I would be a walk-on? Get serious. We’re talking a cat here. A Siberian cat, to boot. Of course the book is about me.)

They asked me to do a blog.

You want to know what bugs me about humans?

One of the things, anyhow.

They spend a lot of time reading, posting, tweeting, Facebooking, blogging, Pinteresting, and whatever else is trending hot these days. Yet they spend very little time just being.

That’s why being a cat is superior to being a real human.

(And don’t get me started on how superior it is to being a dog. Good grief, they are such stupid animals.)

Anyhow, back to humans and their being not human.

Cats are always cats. We always know what it is to be a cat. We always have a keen sense of what makes up a cat. A cat cannot get lost on the web, nor forget to eat or sleep because of some electronic gizmo.

But with humans, well, they spend so much time doing other things, other distracting things, that they have forgotten what it means to just be human, to simply be a person. They can’t look at a sunset without taking a picture of it and posting it for all their electronic chums. Why don’t those chums simply go outside and look for themselves?

Take my advice: Spend a day and watch a cat closely. Sure, we sleep a lot. And eat. And stare off into space. Be we never forget that we are cats and are doing serious cat business. Like catching mice. Like staring at birds through the window. Like sitting on your computer’s keyboard.

Be.

That’s my advice.

Simply be.

I saw this written on a wall somewhere: In walking, just walk. In sitting, just sit. Above all, don’t wobble.

Be a real human for a change and pay attention to the real world—and not that silly black rectangle you keep in your pocket and check obsessively every seven minutes.

That’s all.

Be.

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My Review: For me, jumping at a chance to review this book was a given because I believe all cats are gifts from God. (My only complaint is He takes them back way too soon.) What looks on the surface to be a whimsical animal story is actually a well-crafted novel featuring an extra special kitty who touches the lives of everyone he comes into contact with.

A new minister, a local vet, a young homeless woman - all who have more in common that is at first apparent - all brought together by a cat named Petey. Petey's internal thoughts on dogs, mice, humans, and his mission made me smile, but ultimately his wisdom shines through with every turn of the page.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The fact that I received this book for free did not influence my opinions.

ABOUT THE CAT THAT GOD SENT

Jake Wilkerson, a disillusioned young pastor who is an expert at hiding his fears, takes on a new assignment in a small, rural church in Coudersport, Pennsylvania. It’s a far piece from anywhere and full of curiously odd and eccentric people, including Sally Grainger, a single woman and veterinarian who dismisses all Christians as “those people,” and Tassy, a young runaway with a secret.

His first day on the job, however, Jake is adopted by Petey, a cat of unknown origins and breed, but of great perception. Petey believes that he is on a mission from God to redeem Jake and bring him and his quirky friends back to the truth.

Purchase:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

ABOUT JIM KRAUS

Jim Kraus is a longtime writer and editor who has authored or co-authored more than 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction. His best-selling humor book, Bloopers, Blunders, Jokes, Quips, and Quotes, was published by Tyndale House Publishers, sold more than 40,000 copies and inspired several spin-off books. Jim, and his wife, novelist Terri Kraus, and one son, live in the Chicago area.

Also residing with them is a sweet and gentle miniature schnauzer named Rufus. Coincidently, Rufus is also the name of the dog in Jim’s recent book, The Dog That Talked to God. “What a coincidence,” Jim said. “What are the odds of that happening?” They also share space with an ill-tempered Siberian cat named Petey. Coincidently, Petey is the name of the cat in Jim’s most current book, The Cat That God Sent, by Abingdon Press.

Jim recently was awarded a Master of Writing Arts degree from DePaul University. “Now, I am able to write more better,” Jim said. (Yes, that is supposed to be humorous.)

Passionate about writing, Jim loves to create true-to-life characters. “I tend to be the one at the party that is on the edge of things–observing how folks act and react. Plus, I’m not that crazy about people in general–so it works out fine.” (Again, it’s supposed to be funny.)

Visit his website at www.jimkraus.com.

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