CAT-A-TONIC -A "Stand-Out' Multnomah County Library (Portlan OR) Indie Writers Competition 2020

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Some days Cat feels like a giant finger came along and punched her reset button. Three years ago, Cat was a happily married woman with a cozy little bungalow, a loving husband, and a part-time retail job.

 

Now Cat is a widow, a newly fledged detective, and she’s figuring everything out from scratch. And her new life is about to become much more challenging.

 

As a detective, Cat has spent her time climbing up trees and into wet, scratchy shrubs, trying to catch cheating spouses and lost pets. Now, she’s in charge of the search to find Sandy, a missing fifteen year-old-girl. No scent, footprints, or personal belongings point the way. 

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While trying to find Sandy, Cat learns that Sandy's mother, Dottie, is jealous of her beautiful, intelligent daughter. Dottie fails to protect Sandy from her violent older brother, who has illegal hobbies. Dottie also fails to protect 

Sandy from her very creepy live-in boyfriend.

 

Cat also, reluctantly, discovers her own psychic abilities. 

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And, because everything seems to happen at once, for the first time since her spouse died, Cat is falling in love. Or maybe it’s lust. Seth, the object of her confused feelings, is cocky, exotically attractive and impossible to read. Does he like her? Is he available? Is he simply entertaining himself at her expense?