Paws Across Time:
A Pawthor's Sci-Fi Journey to Healing
Time-Traveling Tabby
Cal Orey, M.A.In a futuristic Lake Tahoe, a novelist grapples with the loss of her senior cat while her new feline companion listens to her unveiling stories of past pets. As the orange tabby feels intimidated by so many big paws to fill, he senses an approaching cosmic event; after his brave actions their bond deepens, transcending time and space. The confident cat time travels into another dimension and sees a secure and bright future. Alas, the short novel told from a creative feline’s perspective is a testament to the healing powers of pets and people.
Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE A SCI-FI/FANTASY BOOK WITH A TAGLINE: Paws, Claws, and Quantum Laws: Feline Odyssey Through Dimensions!?
A: The concept of Time-Traveling Tabby is a book featuring a young, fluffy orange tabby cat who was gifted to me, an author, living in South Lake Tahoe. Fate brought us together. When my beloved senior Siamese cat passed, I searched for the perfect chill feline; I adopted Sacramento-based Gatsby—interviewee 202. The narrative explores the journey of the new feline as it struggles to fill the void left by its predecessors while also establishing its own identity.
Q: YOU’VE HAD CAT COMPANIONS IN THE PAST YEARS NESTLED AMID A CABIN WITH A TOWERING PINE TREES BACKDROP. WHY DID YOU USE THIS FUTURISTIC SCI-FI-ISH TECHNIQUE TO TELL THE TALE?
A: My link to the South Shore and felines goes back decades. In the short tale, the seasoned scribe shares her past pet relationships with the tabby… Echoes from the ‘70s, 80s, New Century, and into 2025. And then, the cosmic happening is climatic with a resolution of the newly confident feline peeking into the future and discovering his fate. Using a cat as the narrator and giving him the ability to sense a paranormal event fall into the sci-fi/fantasy genre. I use words like time loop, future shock, and show imaginative images of ghost cats to a spacecraft with a cat inside it.
Q: THIS BOOK REVEALS LIFE LESSONS. SO, HOW CAN A CAT TEACH READERS ABOUT LIFE’S CHALLENGES?
A: It takes empathy and imagination! Tenacity: The city cat’s determination to find its place in a mountain cabin despite change teaches resilience. Intelligence: The cat’s cleverness in adapting to Tahoe’s seasons and wildlife can inspire readers to think resilience and adaptability. Acceptance: We all experience love and loss and must move forward. Fate and Timing: The idea that everything happens for a reason can provide comfort during difficult times.
Q: ARTISTIC CHOICES: YOU USE BLACK-AND-WHITE ARTWORK AND RHYME STANZAS TO MAKE THE TEXT ENGAGING. WHY?
A: As a kid, I was a Twilight Zone and Dr. Seuss fan. Using whimsical storytelling is down-to-earth like me, a granola girl in Tahoe, past and present-day.
Q: SO, WHY DOES THE SCI-FI/FANTASY CATEGORY WORK FOR THIS TAHOE TALE INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS LINKED TO THE SHORE?
A: I channel Gatsby to tell the stories of his new owner’s past cats, decade by decade, going back in time. He listens and listens to her fascinating ghost-like feline tales based in Tahoe and faraway, too, shared inside her rustic cabin more than 50 years old, filled with cat paintings and framed photos, cat trees, toys, and a fish aquarium.
Q: WHAT COSMIC EVENT HAPPENS THAT DRASTICALLY CHANGES THE SCRIBE’S CAT CONNECTION?
A: I don’t want to dish a story spoiler, but I will tell you the BIG imminent event comes from a real happening on the South Shore; it inspired me to write this tale of sixth sense, courage, loyalty, and love. The end result: As a devout cat lover, I value the human-animal bond which is healing for the mind and body.
CAL OREY, M.A., is a bestselling author-novelist specializing in topics such as adventure, health, nutrition, and science. She holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in English (Creative Writing) from San Francisco State University. Her books include the popular Healing Powers series, and Courage with Paws: The Heart of a Siamese Cat, (Book 2) Time-Traveling Tabby, and a thrilling co-authored sci-fi trilogy--The Ghost Ships. She is a South Lake Tahoe local. Her website is www.calorey.com