Meeting Gwen Cooper, New York Times bestselling author of Homer’s Odyssey

As a writer, I love connecting with other writers, especially when they write about cats. But it’s not every day that I get to meet the writer of cat book that made the New York Times bestseller list less than two weeks after its publication. Homer’s Odyssey – A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wondercat debuted at number 14 in September of 2009.

I first connected with Gwen Cooper online three years ago, and subsequently interviewed her for The Conscious Cat two weeks after her book made the NYT list. This past Saturday, I finally got to meet her in person. Gwen appeared at a local pet store in support of Hank, the Virginia cat who is running for a senate seat.

Gwen read the first chapter of her new book, Love Saves the Day, which will be released in January, and is available for preorder on Amazon. Love Saves the Day is a novel written primarily from the point of view of Prudence, a brown tabby rescued from a deserted construction site on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Prudence is a keen observer of humans, and, from what I heard in this first chapter, seems to know them better than they know themselves at times. Statements such as “Humans best understand the truth of things if they come at it indirectly. Like how sometimes the best way to catch a mouse that’s right in front of you is to back up before you pounce” are testament to Prudence’s insight into human nature. As the story unfolds, Prudence becomes a bridge between a mother and daughter divided by the turmoil of bohemian New York.

I admit to being a little star struck at finally meeting Gwen in person. But any nervousness on my part quickly dissipated when I realized that this famous author seemed no different than any other cat lover. She shared stories of Homer, and her two new kittens, special-abled Clayton (he only has three legs) and his sister Fanny. She took her time talking to all of her fans. I also got to meet her husband Laurence, who became a cat guy after he met Gwen. It was abundantly clear to me that their feline family members, both past and present (Gwen and Laurence lost Vashti in 2010 and Scarlett in 2011), have captured his heart just as much as Gwen has.

I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Love Saves the Day, and I promise you a full review as soon as I do.

Meanwhile, I’m tucking away the day I met bestselling author Gwen Cooper in person for the first time into my special memory file.

For more information about Gwen and her books, please visit GwenCooper.com.