I am shamelessly plagiarizing Mod R’s previous post to remind you that we will be appearing at Austin BN with Jean Kwok this Saturday to celebrate the release of Dominion, the first book in Jean’s new Silk and Iron Trilogy.
As an aside, BN should make us honorary employees, because we have been in conversation 4 times this year.
I’ve included all of the stolen info from Mod R’s info below, but I wanted to tell you a little bit about Jean. Jean and I text for moral support. Our texts break into two broad categories,
Category 1: OMG, we are on a deadline and we are not making it.
Yes, that is exactly what most author texts are like. It’s usually OMG deadline and Have you seen this crap? where crap can be anything from your cover art to some weird publishing convulsion that makes no sense.
But for the purposes of this blog we care more about Category 2: the sharing of orange cats.
All of you have seen Tuna by now.
Behold, Jean’s orange cat, Couscous!
(Also, Jean can find an orange cat anywhere. ::looking at a picture of a random orange cat from Beijing in her texts::)
Basically, we text each other pictures of our cats and try to get the cutest pic possible. It’s not that we are trying to one up each other with our pets’ cuteness. No, that is not at all what is happening.
Not that long ago Jean texted me and informed me that Couscous is now a model. Luisa Gallie, whom you might know from her stunning work on Grace Draven’s series, used her as inspiration for Dominion promotional art. This one is the first draft of the painting.
And this is the final.
Jean assures me that this is a true representation of Couscous’ fighting spirit.
…
I call shenanigans. Clearly, some artistic license was taken. Clearly.
Which brings me to my very important question: which artist should I commission to make an equally realistic portrait of Tuna? Because it’s on now. Please leave your suggestions in the comments, and if you are interested, come see us not talk about that travesty of a painting on Saturday.
Jean’s Info
Event details:
Saturday, July 18, 2026
6:00 PM CT
Barnes & Noble Arboretum
10000 Research Blvd #158
Austin, TX
Tickets are free and will be available through TicketLeap , according to the Barnes & Noble event page, which also mentions that a purchase of ‘Dominion’ on-site on the event day is required to gain access to the signing line. Contact details for any other questions relating to the event and the venue are also included.
We will be there and signing things as well, although it is Jean’s event.
Jean Kwok is the New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Translation and Searching for Sylvie Lee. Long-time blog readers may also remember her touching contribution to Ilona’s The Moment Everything Changed series, where author friends shared the moment they first felt like “real” writers.
DOMINION marks Jean’s debut in the romantasy genre:
A woman with no past. A warrior with no future. Their love could save the world—or burn it down.
In a world divided into four rival Dominions, power is everything—and Rubi Morningtail has almost none. Three years after the Annihilation destroyed her homeland and shattered her memories, she lives as an Azure refugee in the Dominion of the Silver Tyger, scraping by as a ribbon dancer and hiding her little bit of singing magic. When she wounds a massive battle tyger on her doorstep, she draws the notice of Blake Axefire— supreme metal mage, leader of the royal tyger warriors, and the last man an Azure should trust. His sentence? Cast her into the Bonding, a brutal trial where tygers choose their riders and slaughter the rest. Surviving is unthinkable.
But survive she does. Now she’s stuck on Blake’s elite team racing to reseal the Anchors to the demon realm. With rebels striking, demons rising, and the Dominions at each other’s throats, Rubi must unlock the truth of her magic and her past…while resisting her dangerous attraction to the ruthless warrior who could be her redemption—or her ruin.
Cinnamon was my family’s ginger cat!
Okay Tuna is pretty, I’ll give you that but Couscous is extremely photogenic (and did I mention also quite heavy? All the extra fur photographs very well) plus Couscous excels at running away from scary things faster than any other animal alive. Can Tuna do that?! And Couscous is also very good at eating all her cat food, every day! Can Tuna do that??? The fight is on!! Oh last thing, Ilona, Couscous is a character in DOMINION!! Where is Tuna? Did I miss Tuna in Maggie?? Or in Hidden Legacy? Oh there was a kitty in Kate Daniel’s, hey kitty kitty… was THAT Tuna???!! (Throws gauntlet, not very far because weak arms)
Just because you can’t appreciate the magnificence of my cat doesn’t mean it does not exist. Just you wait. You may have won the battle but not the war.
Gordon, we need to put Tuna in a book somewhere.
Just FYI: Tuna is referred to in a short story where Arabella and Leon rescue the “baby” from the safe room, using Brick. Also mentioned in Sapphire Flames when Catalina tries to stuff the pepper in his nose! I loved it!
Oh drat.
BDH for the win,
but Jean Kwok should ignore this and continue the smack down talk as it might result in more tuna in story appearances for us BDH’ers once HA gets ammunitions loaded and typewriters at the ready
Absolutely agree!!!
This orange cat smackdown is making me laugh so hard.
Tuna and Couscous…hmm, sounds like lunch or a very quick supper. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lol 😂
And don’t forget Sushi, although she’s not a cat. Perhaps authors shouldn’t name their pets (or character pets) when the author is hungry.
This is very wise. But what if you’re always hungry?
Snacks! The answer is snacks!
For humans and felines, both!
I love this orange cat author warfare 🧡🧡🧡. (The real winners are clearly us, the readers as we receive the benefit of the orange cat cameos, the fancy art 🥰
I’m suddenly semi regretful that when I adopted 2 6 month old kittens from the shelter, somehow neither were orange.
I can’t be too regretful, because voids need love too. And the other is a chocolate tabby. They are best buds and bonded.
*clears throat dramatically* Just wanted to casually mention that Couscous not only has a bigger role in Book 2 but DEVELOPS POWERS (I kid you not, Ilona!!! Take that!)
Penguin Random House, ummm, I need the manuscript back for just a few tiny changes… [frantically rearranges entire plot of Book 2]
You know I am going to see you tonight at BN, right?
I might have lost control for a moment there. Sorry.
[Still rapidly rewriting Book 2 … Couscous with laser vision? How about teleportation?]
I think Flame should get laser vision. 😂
I read Dominion pretty much in one day. All I’m going to say is “when is book 2 coming?!” Holy moley with that last chapter and ending.
lol
I love the 2 orange cats, enjoy the rain
Tuna doesn’t need to run away. Tuna is the danger.
I thought you’d go with “Tuna laughs at danger”.
My first thought was “Is Tuna afraid of anything?”
Treat embargoes.
To which she would probably respond… “You realize this means war.”
Tuna is giving Couscous the side eye, contemplating their strike
Yum
Have fun at BN this weekend! I forgot about this, drat. And I need to add that one to my tbr list, which just keeps getting longer by the day. Gusty sigh. Another gorgeous orange kitty, but yes, just a tad of artistic license 🤣
Gingers are such quirky fun creatures. My neighbors’ cat Marmalade would swish around the corner, send serious side-eye to see if I’m watching, and then S-T-R-E-T-C-H out in his favorite flower patch to spy on the robins. No petting of his glorious self, only adoration from Afar.
I just picked up my copy of Dominion yesterday from my fav indie bookstore. I always remove the dust flap when I first get a book. Both me and the store owner gasped at the pretty Kitty it revealed. Couscous is working the front and back cover like no other!
I agree Tuna should definitely be on covers too!
I plan to start reading this weekend! Have a fun signing and on tour Ms Kwok. BDH have fun if you get to go!
Oh thank you for reading!! I’m obsessed with all cats!
Oh my goodness!!!!! Keera, thank you for mentioning removing the cover on ‘Dominion’ to see more pretty kitties, I had no idea!!!! I gasped too!!! 😍💕💕💕
‘Dominion’ is next up on my TBR pile Jean, and I can’t wait! You can thank Ilona for this sale: she recommended it in a post a while back, and I immediately pre-ordered based on her recommendation (which has never steered me wrong) and just how gorgeous this book is visually….even before I saw the other kitties!
(Sorry though, I have been a Tuna admirer for a while!) 😂
Oh thank you! Seriously Ilona is an amazing friend! I always immediately preorder anything she and Gordon recommend too. I hope you enjoy!
I love the cat comments 😂 Both cats are beautiful and I would LOVE to see Tuna in a book somewhere. 🐾
I love cats more than anything so this is the best post ever!! I spend too much time sharing pics of my cats and begging for pet pictures from my friends in return.
I’ve been seeing Dominion recommended on social media and have it on my tbr 🙂 Looking forward to Couscous!
I also absolutely adore all pets with food names. I don’t know why but it’s just the cutest thing to me.
I’ve been thinking about how much I love all the animal companions in HA books and which ones are my favorites. (You guys write the best furry friends.) Currently I’m obsessed with Sushi. She is adorable, guards, makes nests of Maggie’s things, provides comfort, feeds Maggie fish, and is named after her gifts. I just can’t handle it. I love her.
I love Sushi too!! Any I hope you enjoy Dominion!🐯
Looking forward to it 😊
Oh and Helena Elias for a drawing of Tuna!! Kitty on the cover of Beast Business made me squee. I’d trust her to capture Tuna’s adorableness!
my orange cat is 4 year old Bandit. He fits thatnane!
Our orange cat Frank is very photogenic. He even has his own Facebook page! Like Tuna, his white markings take the form of a tuxedo-cat’s white throat and belly, white paws, and a white blaze on his nose.
Our previous orange cat was Fremont, who was all orange except for a white button on his throat. We decided that was his “clerical collar” and called him Father Fremont.
have fun on saturday!
all your cats are pretty! (but I absolutely adore black ones)
Our orange cat, Ragnar, left us for Valhalla several years ago.
Fortunately, Calico Cricket (another stray), joined the household. She unexpectedly brought 4 kittens. Her sons are the Tuxedo Boys. Thank the gods our mostly neufie dog, Clover, adores the cats. They all think you should hire the most amazing artist ever to render a masterpiece of Tuna.
They all agree that Couscous is rocking that cover. Yes, Tuna needs to be in a book. And, on the cover. Shots fired across the bow.
Luisa Pressler.
+1! This! While you have a great variety of amazing artists that you’ve used, Luisa is my favorite.
+100
Yup. ++++
+1 This was my immediate thought.
Luisa gets my vote, but then again, she always gets my vote.
My yellow cats are Alpha, Beta, and Gamma (all girls too!) and they love Tuna.
Dominion is in my stack. Enjoy the BN fan fest!!
We used to have a giant (25 lbs, he was huge) orange and white cat named Emmett (he came from the shelter with the name, I don’t like renaming older animals), so I have a soft spot for them.
Couscous may be on a book cover, but Tuna has been prominently featured on a very widely read website on multiple occasions and the guest star of many articles. Not to mention his photo bombing and computer takeovers. 😄
Oooooooo, this looks fun! I’ma buy it.
As much as I worship House Andrews, I will say that Couscous comes off as the slighty more intimidating of the two in the beauty shots provided. Of course, this is probably because Tuna was photographed full face instead of over the shoulder.
Yeah! Couscous would love to be intimidating!
BTW,I started Dominion this morning and was 11% into it before I looked up. Haven’t had that happen since Lois McMaster Bujold’s The Warrior’s Apprentice.
Tuna is regal. Couscous wants to find the nearest blanket (crochet or not) and nap. That’s what it looks like from both pictures.
I used to have two cats who both lived to be just over 20 years old. I got them when they were a few weeks old since their mamma died during one very hot summer in southern Missouri.
My male cat was greyish/black. When he got older, I used to call him “Mr. Tubbo” sometimes when he laid on me. He wasn’t fat. He was just heavy. Got the side-eye every time I called him that.
My female cat looked like a spotted leopard and thin all her life. She was the runt of the litter with white gums when we got her. I thought she was going to die after we got her. Nope. She outlived my male cat.
The book sounds like it will be a fun read. I may need to go out to BN’s website to get it.
Have fun in Austin everyone! If you’re going, be careful of all the flooding in the Texas Hill country.
Couscous definitely LOVES the blanket I crocheted for her!! I love your Mr Tubbo and the female runt and that they both lived to be so old!! In DOMINION, Couscous was actually brought over from another dominion while they were fleeing for their lives and Rubi says to her older friend Edith something like, “It was hell on earth and you tucked a cat in your satchel?!” And Edith says, “She was the runt of the litter. The other cats would have been mean to her.”
My cats loved my crochet afghans to the point they would glare at me if I wanted to get under the blankets. Sometimes they would bury themselves to the point I had to be careful when putting anything on my bed. Otherwise, I would hear a very loud “meow” under the covers.
The cat runts rule the roost!
I am ready to have a cat in my life. Phin(Phineas Emmett) has been gone three years. I have in 40 yrs of being managed by my cats, ever experienced an orange cat. It maybe time…
I am here for the kitty content! Sat. Buckled. Tuned in.
Dominion sounds like a book I want to read, just put in a request for the local library to order a copy already!
How about a new vellum page featuring a Tuna beauty shot?
Ooo! The cat on the assassin mug should have been Tuna!
I just read her book, it’s really great. love the world created, and who doesn’t love a person bonded to a giant tiger like creature. it’ll definitely be a reread and I’m annoyed the next isn’t out already.
I’m so happy you’ve already read it (that’s fast!!) and that you liked it.
Why do you need new art of Tuna? Seems to me that Luisa did an excellent job capturing Tuna in that Dominion promo art complete with the star on the forehead! She was even kind enough to add Couscous in the front as a nod to Jean (and possibly as a size comparison). 🤭 My own ginger is not jealous at all.
lol! 😂
hmmmm
Maybe TKWNKM ‘Tuna’ is thrust into Rellas and becomes Sushi’s Earth side kick. Much shenanigans would ensue.
100% Tuna is the danger
I think you should up the ante by commissoning a felted portrait from Author Janine Amesta. I bid on her offering for the Romancing the Vote auction. I didn’t win (tears), but looks so good!!
alternatively Candice Statler who completed The Inheritance cover. I think she could create an interpretation of Tuna’s Aura that would be legendary!
I second Candice! I love how she drew Bear. I think her art of Tuna would be beautiful 😍
I love cats and always wanted a ginger so maybe next one. Tuna and Couscous are both gorgeous cats, but I do favor Tuna with the long fur and interesting facial markings. Love the cover of Jean’s book, especially the Couscous tiger, and look forward to reading it. Looking forward to a Tuna portrait!
Read a sample of DOMINION, and was hooked. Thank you so much, Ilona!
I hope you and Gordon are rejuvenating even in this southern heat. Take care and stay hydrated and safe no matter what your weather is like, BDH!❤❤❤
Both Tuna and Couscous are gorgeous. Tuna is a teensy bit cuter because he’s fluffy and I have to suck up to House Andrews as a devoted member of the Book Devouring Horde. 🙂
I’m missing you guys in Austin by one measly week. That sucks immensely. Wanna have a do over on the weekend of 7/24???
Ginger cats. They either have extreme levels of coolness or are as dumb as a brick.
Or both!!
In the Library Lakehouse, we had two lovely cats – Alphabet (clearly the queen, a British Blue) and Astronomy (her Russian Blue knight). A friend’s (Russian Blue) cat Athena came to stay, and suddenly there were eight – five adorable smokey blue-grey kittens arrived. Four (Allegory, Adventure, Atlas and Algebra) were adopted by loving new families, but we couldn’t help keeping Analysis…
Our eldest son complains: ‘You do know that cats, even those likely to be found in a library, do not all need names starting with A?’
Whatever could he mean?
I have branches of my family tree that have not got past the letter A on their naming of kids and grandkids!!
The cat distribution system has not blessed me with an orange cat (yet). But I did have a calico (feral rescue). Cats with orange fur are indeed special!
Tuna and Couscous!! Such very photogenic cats!! 🐈🧡🐈🧡
Were you both hungry when you named your cats? 🤣 They are both beautiful kitties.
How about Tuna as a companion for….Tia Medro?
I might be a little overemotional today for Reasons, but the pics of Tuna and Couscous made me tear up with joy.
Sorry, Ilona and Jean, but you both made a strategic error here: you are now about to spend the day at an author event in a bookstore where ALL the questions from the attendees will be about … Couscous and Tuna…
Looking forward to Dominion! My orange cat is “Leo.” We call him “Purr bucket.” We used to hike often and found him dropped in the woods in Austin. We’re in NM now and Leo is still with us–hiking through the woods here!
Congrats on the book, the signing and the fantastic art!
Our local library purchased Dominion for its clientele. I got my ‘on hold’ copy today & have already read the book. I’m looking forward to finding out what comes next:)
We’ve been blessed with orange kitty companions a couple of times. Sebastian was the first, followed a number of years later by Curtis. Both massive big sweethearts who left us far too soon. Not fat, just big, with hearts & love to match:)
My orange kitty was Ares named after the God of War as he was half feral when I adopted him from the shelter where I volunteered. I was the only one who would clean his cage and he didn’t have much chance of getting adopted. Six months after I brought him home he plopped himself in my lap for some petting and over time became a big ol’ cuddle kitty.
Love both Tuna and Couscous. I think they need to be on a cover together!
Looking forward to reading my copy of Dominion on my flight on Saturday.
Have fun at the Austin BN 🙂
Definitely Helena.illustrated, who’s already done Beast Business and some work for TKWNKM – you know any cat artwork from her will be *chef’s kiss* excellent 😂
I’m #17 on the hold list for Dominion at my local library. Can’t wait!
As for artists, I heartily recommend Jen C. Mars – does lovely work and I’m told is delightful to work with on commission. https://www.jencmars.com/ if you want to check out some of her examples.
I am “#9 of 9, 4 copies of 12 available” at mine, so it’s going to be awhile.
I love all the cat wars. I have a siamese kitty named Marquiz named after a perpetually hungry cat from a russian scifi novel. He is telepathic, speaks 2 languages and loves snuggling. More cats in books! Especially Tigers.
I think they are both pretty boys and their names are delicious! 😉
Coincidentally and providentially (but maybe subliminally I saw the earlier blog and forgot) I just bought this, lured in by magic tigers.
Gingers are nice and all but my heart belongs to midnight felines – RIP Jet, the bestest, craziest cat ever – he could steal your dinner before you picked up your fork, terrorised the dog out of his own dogbed and shredded so many curtains the little bugger. Ten years this year, gone but not forgotten.
Good morning! Getting caught up on my HA reading and you all are hilarious! While I love cats, my allergies do not. I’m stuck admiring from afar. 😢
And Dominion sounds so good, a copy now resides in my e-reader. Now if life would stop interfering with my reading time. Sigh, so many books, so little time.
This is hilarious! Cat mums are almost as bad as baby mums 😄
I used to hate cats, but have friends who have the sweetest ones. One was an orange too, named Cheddar, who resembles Garfield. He has gone beyond the veil, long live Cheddar!
Catching up; while love the idea of more authors more books have already spent next year’s budget for books.
I have a feral orange tiger that comes by just enough to drive my Shepherd, Beau, crazy. Runs under deck in back and spreads out on front deck leaving scent trails behind and frustrated dog.
My daughter just got an orange kitten and named him Chicken Noodle Soup. He is far living up to his nickname of Noodle. Very curious and into everything. Climbing curtains. Stealing small items that later show in his water dish.
Aww both cats are equally beautiful to me🥰🐈🐈
Ilona you must not let Tuna down – he needs both an amazing portrait (one of the recent artists who illustrated TKWNKM would be awesome) and a starring role in a future book ASAP or he is at a disadvantage for sure!😉
Jean what have you done??!! Dominion was already on my radar/wishlist but I was going to make myself w*it and save up to it, but that quote involving book-Couscous being saved by Edith makes me want it now!! right now!!😅📘🐅
Proud cat mom here of (among other colours) super smart orange twin girl kitties (my babies!!) and a beautiful extra floofy orange and white girl (who is completely obsessed with one of my black and white boy kitties. He was her bestie until she grew so big and fluffy, now he is scared as she nearly knocks him off his feet when she greet him) – I adore them all🐈🐈💗
My mom has an orange boy. He is dumb as a brick, resembles Garfield and got himself wedged in our bathroom window, but he is very cuddly!😹
More kitties in books please!!😁😸
My orange cat is the Princess Buttercup, Taster of the Food, Guardian of the Porch and Shepherd of the People. (she likes to nap on the back porch, and if you dare come outside she tries to herd you back in. She’s also very picky about what she’s deigns to eat from day to day) There are no elegant or inspiring pictures of her napping, every photo looks like a crime scene, she chooses the most awkward ways to sleep, mostly on her back with legs splayed.
Her nemisis is Rocket, fast cat interloper, totally and absolutely stalker levels of obsessed with Buttercup. (the Cat Distribution System left a kitten in our tree in 2023. Her Royal Highness continues to be Not Amused.)
I will be at my amazing (doesn’t do him justice) husband, Steve’s, celebration of life tomorrow -he died of cancer after 18 1/2 years May 14. We were together for 45 years. I wish my life were in a spot where I could come to see HA right now. You both, and Mod-R, have given me so many wonderful gifts of an escape during many trying times these past few years.
I would also love to share a pic of my adorable orange kitty, Indy (Indy Coconut, from Lime in-dy coconut, and yes, I sing it to her) but it’s a good thing the BDH can’t put pics on here! We’d never leave!
WHEN might you guys ever make a visit to Gordon’s hometown and say, visit Malaprops Bookstore in AVL? I could visit then since Swain County isn’t so far away.
Much love and appreciation from western NC. Thoughts and prayers needed to help me get through tomorrow upright.
I hope you have the necessary energy to get through Steve’s celebration and that it will be a wonderful tribute to him.
Thank you, Jazzlet, that’s very kind.
Missed this as a good chunk of the 17th was spent preparing to drive home from eastern NC yesterday. I hope your day with friends and family went well, and that once the weekend is over, you continue to get whatever support you need from them. Best wishes to you as you navigate this loss and your new direction. The BDH is always here, and so is a steady supply of comfort reading.
We had a beautiful ginger shorthair when I was a teenager. My best photo of York* is in mid clean . . . sitting on the newspaper I _had_ been reading. Long gone, but not forgotten.
* we already had a Canterbury when York arrived, who I had said should be named Berrycanter because she was as black as a blackberry, and she cantered everywhere.. Both my grandfathers were Methodist ministers, and my teenage brothers though it funny to name the kitten Canterbury, it being the home of the Archbishop of the Anglican community in the UK. Thus when the ginger kitten arrived she obviously had to be York, the seat of the second most senior Anglican bishop in the UK. Teenage boys can have odd senses of humour!
TBR pile shall be growing soon. But must wait until I can actually be a resident of my home. Sheetrock should start today. Oh the process of building your home. Bonus with this is a room called ‘the library’ was designed into it.
Been there! without the dedicated library, but with bookshelves in every room. Yes it is a process, as grueling as it is rewarding. Enjoy it!
If you are really interested in the best artist for an actual painting, check out John Rowe. He mostly does the most amazing portraits, but he has also done animals and animal book covers in the past.(He did the Black Stallion cover and others.). Super nice guy, I have a bunch of his work.
I feel like I’m a bad reader bc I did not remember Tuna’s appearances in Hidden Legacy! I was trying to remember Melisard Ripper of Soul’s coloring!
We just got a ragdoll kitten to add to our feline family and are smitten. She is the most darling ever.
https://ilona-andrews.com/a-misunderstanding/
Tuna shows up in A Misunderstanding, a deleted scene from Sapphire Flames 🙂 . This is before the breaking news announcement that Tuna is a male, which House Andrews found out after 8 years and 3 vets.
Went to Amazon to buy Dominion as it sounded interesting, and Amazon informs me I already bought the book – recently.🤣
Likely I bought it after the Great Book Recommendation by the Horde a month or two ago and it’s been buried with all my other new buys.
Whoever/whomever recommended A Rip Through Time books, thank you!
I’ve got a friend who illustrates books and is a calligraphy teacher. She lives in Greece and has about 5 indoor cats and any number of outdoor cats. DM me and I’ll send you her info! She will stay with me next month while she teaches her calligraphy courses in Finland.
A friend from high school who is a professional artist does painting commissions (including pets) and I’ve had him do portraits of my cats and several friends. His website is https://jarrettholbrookart.com/ (not an ad just love his work and he did amazing paintings of my three cats)
With Tuna’s beautiful orange coloring, I can easily imagine her illustrated as a flaming phoenix/ cat. Maybe ask the artist who did the cover for “The Night Ends with Fire” if they are willing to take the commission?
I would be totally honored to do a portrait of Tuna! I am a realistic artist and I love painting animals. You can check out my website and search for cats or just go to YouTube to see the literally 1000+ free painting tutorials I have there. Bonus would be that I will probably paint it live and teach how to paint her so all of BDH can make their own! Mmwwahhahhahahhha. Take that Jean! 🤣
I have been doing a year-long color series and Orange is coming up as the color of the month for October so if it can wait until then it would for sure be on my channel. ❤️
In order to be a fair and equal contest, Tuna’s portrait needs to be done by the same artist who did Couscous’s portrait — Luisa Gallie.
That way there can be no question of differing artistic styles interfering with a fair judgement.
I had an orange cat onc– no, no I didn’t — Timmy was a golden brown cat, not an orange tabby ……
Helen wants a kitty. I doubt Olasard would share Gertrude Hunt but maybe Tuna can be king of Magnolia Green.
I had wanted to read Dominion a couple weeks ago on vacation(got the release date wrong though). I just finished up the book today and it was great!! I immediately went online to google when book 2 is coming out lol
I’m so glad you enjoyed Dominion! I know the ending is a doozy and makes you wonder about Book 2! Actually, Couscous plays an even bigger roles in Book 2 and develops powers… I kid you not! (Ilona, are you listening??? Ilona???)
Tuna’s picture reminds me of the cover of Starter Villain by John Scalzi. According to the internet the artist was Tristian Elwell.
OFF TOPIC: the Interwebs told me that y’all require reassurance that we would absolutely want to read a short story from Conlon‘s POV.
Short answer: say less.
Long answer: YES of course, silly authorlords! Do I care that it would cross genres and potentially be YA? Noooo!
At this point I’m not sure why HA would require reassurance that we would read anything they wrote. Surely the Horde has proven, enthusiastically and on every available occasion, that the answer was, is, and will be yes.
Yes exactly! Silly HA! They should know by now that we are an insatiable BDH and will gobble up everything they write. Just look at this blog alone!
I vote that Tuna be prominently featured on the next Inheritance book. Adeline’s kids have their cat, Mellow. There will be more Gates. Consider the amazing awesomeness attained by Ada and Bear, can Mellow do any less? Get some flaming orange patches while Gate diving?
Runner-up suggestion is InnKeeper – he can be a fellow of Olissard Soul Ripper, and show up during the wedding/battle/finale to eat Maude’s in-laws, like a Flerkin.
I like Rebecca Frank’s animals (Bewitching Book Covers, https://rebeccafrank.design/). They have personalities, and so does Tuna!
Orangie Cats Rule!!!
Got two right now – Sundae (because she’s as sweet as a peach sundae), and Muenster Liederkrantz.
We still tell stories of our first Orangie girl, Mama Cheese. She could fly across your lap and take the Dorito out of your hand in midair. After she passed at 18+, we figured the devil kicked her out of hell for beating up on the hellhounds, and God was afraid to take her for fear she’d end up running the show. May the spirits of small animals always bow down to her!
Looking forward to reading Dominion! Recommendations to the BDH are books worth reading!!
Sweet Mercy!! That sounds like a great book. Interesting enough, I’m reading Beast Business, for the 3rd, maybe 4th time- So Love this book, so I ‘ll pick up Dominion to follow after. Thanks for the blog, and I’m seriously in love with orange cats, and black cats, and brown tabbies. I admit I love cats, and thus my life is better for it.
Growing up, my friend’s cat was named Tuna. She was a black kitty.
Our orange tabby cat was Nemesis. He was huge (over 20 lbs). And a softie who loved to snuggle. And occasionally fight with Paul, our mackerel tabby. (I think they both had a crush on Luna, our only girl kitty).
Now we have 3 grey and white purr babies. They were a litter and we couldn’t bear to break them up.
I really want a way to post pictures in the comments, because I want to see all of the cats that people are posting about.
You have the right artist at hand.
Take Helene Elias for Tuna.
Look at her spirit cards, they are amazing.
I bought them, after you linked her Homepage.
By the way, I devoured Dominion, thank you.
Portrait needs to portray Tuna’s true devotion to watching the world go by….along with ALL The Fluffy
I briefly had an Orange & White…
his name was Murphy, and he had such a LOUD purr, you could hear it in the basement, when I was petting him in my bedroom
im behind, just read this…sounds good. I shall buy!
My orange was named Tyra from Thunder Cats. Can you tell I’ve had lots of kitties!!!
Thank you for sharing bits from other authors. I finished Dominion, and I enjoyed it!