The website is now up for the Christmas Cats series of illustrated children’s Christmas books. See it at www.TheXmasCats.com. If you can’t make it out to any of the events listed below, you can order an autographed copy from the website using Paypal. The book is also available at Amazon, any of the independent bookstores in the Quad Cities, the Quad City Convention and Visitors’ bureau and at the following Christmas events.
Here is my Christmas schedule, as far as I currently know it, for appearances with my Christmas book (“The Christmas Cats Chase Christmas Rats”) AND the Cat-in-the-Hat, for a picture opportunity, as long as the Small Fry don’t run screaming from the room.
. The Cat-in-the-Hat is supportive of the Christmas Cats, but is not obligated to appear, nor in any way endorse the newer series. The Cat (in the Hat) is just a cool cat and likes to go where other cats might congregate, and would really like to see “Cocoa & Coffee with the Cats” become a reality.
1) Nov. 21, Thursday- Festival of Trees starts. Book will be on the shelves.
2) Nov. 24, Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – St. Augustine College in Chicago at Chicago Book Expo.
3) Nov. 30, Saturday “Cocoa & Coffee with the Cats” at the Dead Poets’ Espresso House in Moline at 1:00 p.m., with the reading of each book, the potential presence of the girls for whom the book was written (Ava & Elise Wilson) and free cocoa or coffee for all. Caroling possible, as there is a piano at the Dead Poets’ Espresso, which seats 50 and closes at 2 p.m. The Cat-in-the-Hat will be present for photo opportunities. (Following the “Cocoa & Coffee with the Cats” event, the Cat-in-the-Hat and I plan to make a quick trip to the Moline BookRack store (where the book is also available), in support of independent bookstores everywhere. (National movement).
4) Dec. 1, Sunday – “Live” blogging at Google Hangout” with Daddy Blogger at 5 p.m. CDT/ 7 pm PST. Streams live to YouTube. Prior to this, radio interview on 1450 AM, Barbara Bruce General manager, KVSL, Lakeside, Arizona at 4 p.m.
5) Dec. 2, Monday, at 2:30 p.m.– radio interview with Laura@Queenbradio in Dubuque, Iowa. (Postponed due to Laura’s illness; hopefully, same time next Monday).
6) Conversations Book Club with Cyrus Webb at 5:30 p.m. CDT, streaming live at www.blogtalkradio.com/cyruswebbpresents.
7) Dec. 6, Friday, at 10 a.m., WDNG-AM with Charlotte in Alabama.
8) Dec. 6, Friday, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Razzleberries in LeClaire, Iowa, with the Cat-in-the-Hat present for photo ops.
9) Dec. 7, Saturday, 6 to 9 p.m. at the Village of East Davenport’s Victorian Christmas Walk. We’ll be inside Freddy’s Fritters Dog Bakery at 1111 Jersey Ridge Road, Suite 6.
10) Dec. 8,Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. at the Book Rack in Moline, book signing.
11) Dec. 12, Noon, Radio interview with Renee
12) Dec. 13, Friday, HyVee Food Store in Silvis from 4 to 7 p.m. with the Cat-in-the-Hat. If you attended the Silvis Schools any time between 1969 and 2000, come on down. Many of your former teachers may drift through, hopefully. If copies of Book One remain, a “Buy Book #2, Get Book #1 FREE” special I’ve used before will be in force. The original book was illustrated by East Moline native Andrew Weinert and Venezuelan national Emily Marquez.
13) Dec. 14, Saturday, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the window of the Four Seasons Dress Shop at the Geneseo (IL) Christmas Walk. The Cat-in-the-Hat will also be present for photo opportunities.
14) December 15, Sunday, from 1 to 4 p.m. at BookWorld inside Soouthpark Mall with the Cat-in-the-Hat.
The book has expanded distribution from Ingram and should show up (for ordering) in B&N catalogue. Meanwhile, all independent bookstores in the area have the book, as well as both Visitors’ Centers and the Teachers’ Aide store in Kimberly Village. You can order the book, autographed, from its dedicated website using PayPal, www.TheXmasCats.com.