Tag: Poetry

A Clowder of Cats Curious and Comical in Verse

Paw Prints in the Butter

Paw Prints in the Butter

Patricia Feinberg Stoner

 

 

 

Land’s End showed me a letter

A rather curious cat, called Land’s End, disturbed my catnap.  I followed the feline to the ends of the earth.  The proud pussycat meowed about Patricia Feinberg Stoner’s book of purr-fect poems.  Land’s End stared at me until I found a letter, from Patricia.  

Greetings, dear reader, and welcome to my world of wacky felines.  I have been intrigued by cats all my life.  I love their dignity, their independence and the way they please themselves above all.  ‘Paw Prints in the Butter’ is the result of many years’ study, and all the cats in these verses are real.  Some I have known personally, some I have been told about by proud or amused or exasperated owners.  ‘A Puss in Boots’ is possibly my favourite poem, because it’s true:  and what a gift for an inveterate punster, to find a cat in Boots the Chemist!

Whether you love cats or hate them, I hope you’ll find something in these pages to inspire and amuse you.

Patricia Feinberg Stoner

No Puss in Boots, here! Try Boots the Chemist.

Presenting the Real Puss in Boots!

A PUSS IN BOOTS
In the high street chemist yesterday,
Upon a thoughtfully-provided chair
Beside a radiator, sat
A large and well-contented cat.
The chance was far too good to miss
For one who loves a play on words
So: ‘Look!  A Puss in Boots!’  I cried.

I dare you not to giggle about my pals. Photo by Alon Bennet

The shopping zombies clearly thought me mad.
They turned, as only English people turn,
A blank and even hostile stare
Upon me, standing foolish there
As ‘Look!  A Puss in Boots!’  I cried.

But then the creature stretched and purred
And opened amber eyes (that matched its fur).
And then it turned and winked at me.
I’ll swear I saw it wink at me.
As ‘Look!  A Puss in Boots!’  I cried.

‘Paw Prints in the Butter’ is a humorous exploration of our feline friends.  According to ‘Your Cat Magazine’, the poems ‘delve into the inner psyche of our much loved feline friends’.  I asked Patricia to introduce us to more of the characters:

SHUDDER at the menace of The Cat Who Howls in the Night

MEET Lulu the Terrible and find out how she fell from grace…
SHUDDER at the menace of The Cat Who Howls in the Night and LAUGH with the irrepressible Stationery Cat…
LEARN how the ancient Cabriole won his lady love, and how she rewarded him…
and LISTEN, with the wide-eyed kitten, to the mew-moirs of The Cat Who Has Been Here Before. Purr-fect Reviews

‘If you have a cat, know a cat, or have ever interacted with a cat, this collection of poems will have you chuckling… It has certainly earned its place on my bookshelf.’ Ingenue Magazine

‘This very funny collection of poems probably explains why – like Marmite – some of us love cats and some of us don’t.’ Jack le Bois

I bought my edition on Kindle but I shall have to have a paper copy to place on my bookshelf, for this is a ‘cut-and-come-again’ kind of work – to dip into at whim. Purr-fect!’ Angela Petch

Patricia present the cunning and clever personalities of our much loved pets, in this collection of poems. She will even charm dog champions with this comic collection of ‘mew-moirs’.  Take a ‘paws’ and find out more about ‘Paw Prints in the Butter’.

Patricia is passionate about humour, food and writing

Patricia is passionate about humour, food and writing; she loves all dogs and some people (you know who you are) and has a healthy respect for cat kind. She is great fun and her writing is guaranteed to make you giggle. Read ‘Paw Prints in the Butter’ and search for your purr-fect pet.

Patricia has a unique flair for comedy, and I can recommend her other books.

Experience more giggles at:

The Little Book of Rude Limericks
At Home in the Pays d’Oc
She is currently writing Tales from the Pays d’Oc

Read my review of At Home in the Pays d’Oc.

 

Sue Bentley, author of the children’s Magic Kitten series provided the cat photos.

 

Please see all my extracts and excerpts at Book Extracts and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

Eat, Read and Be Merry in Romania with Patricia Furstenberg

Patricia posting As Good As Gold

Let’s eat read and be merry with Patricia Furstenberg as she presents ‘As Good As Gold’: an exciting book of poetry celebrating the simple things from a dog’s perspective. Patricia is a prolific writer of children’s fiction, and I wanted to find out more about the author. I have invited Patricia to talk about her culture and heritage through food. 

Whenever I write a children’s book, part of me travels back in time to my native Romania and the magic of childhood. For the lucky ones, childhood means endless joy and discoveries, unconditional love and food – food indulgences, ahem

Bucharest, the capital city, was nicknamed The Little Paris at the beginning of the 20th century

Romania is a magic land with rich traditions, its culture and history influenced by the significant nations surrounding it. Throughout the centuries Romania had to deal with the Turks, the Prussians, the Russian, while gladly accepting the French culture (Bucharest, the capital city, as nicknamed The Little Paris at the beginning of the 20th century). All this happened while still retaining a strong hold onto our Latin roots. Because the Romanian language is deeply rooted in Latin, therefore is very close to Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and French.

Here’s a look at my favourite childhood dishes.

Chicken Schnitzel with mashed potatoes – a proof of our Prussian influence.

Chicken Schnitzel with mashed potatoes – a proof of our Prussian influence. You have to visit places such as the medieval town of Sighisoara to understand what this dish is and where it comes from.

Pancakes, prepared in Romania like the French crêpes, are best enjoyed in one of the many coffee shops adorning Bucharest’s quaint streets of Lipscani area. Once you are full you have to pop in the amazing bookshop of Carturesti.

Plum dumplings (Gombots), a Hungarian influence from Arad and Sibiu

Plum dumplings (Gombots), a Hungarian influence from Arad and Sibiu, the towns of my countless childhood holidays.

I simply have to mention the Turkish coffee, the type of coffee I grew up with. It was a rite of passage being allowed to watch the coffee pot simmering on the stove. Drink this while chatting with a friend on the smooth, sandy beaches of the Black Sea.

I simply have to mention the Turkish coffee, the type of coffee I grew up with.

Sometimes, when you want to return to a place dear to your heart and travelling is not an option, choose a culinary tradition, indulge your taste buds and revitalise those neural synapses formed long ago.

 

 

 

As Good As Gold – A dog’s life in poems

As Good As Gold

As engaging as a tail wag
Celebrating the simple things in life as seen through the eyes of our old time favourite furry friends, “As Good as Gold” is a volume of poetry revealing the talent and humour we always knew our dogs possessed.

Dogs are full of questions, yet they are famed sellers of innocence especially when it comes to explaining their mishaps and often foolish effervescence through ponderings such as “Why IS a Cat Not Like a Dog”, “As Brown as Chocolate”, “Silver Stars and Puppy Tail” or, best yet, “Dog or Book?”

A book with an enormous heart for readers of all ages, it includes 35 poems and haiku accompanied by expressive portraits of our canine friends.

About Patricia Furstenberg

Patricia Furstenberg came to writing through reading. She always carries a notebook and a pen, although at times she jots down her ideas on the back of till slips or types them on her phone.

The medieval town of Sighisoara

Patricia enjoys writing for children because she can take abstract, grown-up concepts and package them in humorous, child-friendly ideas while adding sensitivity and lots of love. What fuels her is an exhilarating need to write and… coffee: “How many cups have had this morning?” “None.” “Plus?” “Five cups.”

Between her books you can find the beloved Joyful Trouble, The Cheetah and the Dog, Puppy, 12 Months of Rhymes and Smiles.

Hungarian influence from Arad and Sibiu, the towns of my countless childhood holidays

She is a Huffington Post contributor and pens the Sunday Column for MyPuppyclub.net as well as dabbing in freelancing. After completing her Medical Degree in Romania she moved to South Africa where she now lives with her husband, children and their dogs.

Contact Patricia at:
http://Author.to/PatFurstenberg
Author Website: http://alluringcreations.co.za/wp/
Huffington Post SA http://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/author/patricia-furstenberg/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatFurstenberg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaFurstenbergAuthor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciafurstenberg

Book available at:
Amazon UK OR https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BZ5WTLK
Amazon US OR https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZ5WTLK
Amazon Canada OR https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BZ5WTLK
Goodreads OR https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39783075-as-good-as-gold