Starbound Lovers: WHAT'S THE DEAL ABOUT CATS IN SPACESHIPS?

Monday, May 14, 2012

WHAT'S THE DEAL ABOUT CATS IN SPACESHIPS? - by Vijaya Schartz

12:30 AM | Posted by Vijaya Schartz | | Edit Post

Viking, the rat hunter, in Noah's Ark

I love cats. That’s no secret. You only have to visit my CAT PAGE to find out. But what could possibly bring a cat into a spaceship? Well, think about it. Space is a lonely place. A cat would be good company for a lone space traveler, or for a small crew. Cats don’t eat much, they are clean, and they bring a lot of love and affection. Their purr is calming in stressful situations... their contact has healing properties... Pets are known to prolong the lives of their owners... I could go on and on. Even Captain Picard, on the Enterprise, had a small dog. Not as good as a cat, but I’ll forgive him. Most guys prefer dogs.

But what would be the scientific justification? Keeping up the morale? Studying cats in space? Maybe. The thing is that if I had to go in space for a long period of time, I’d like to have at least one of my furry friends with me on the voyage.

In the older days of ocean exploration, ship captains used to keep cats onboard. The felines took care of the rodent problem. This could also apply to a spaceship. No matter how sterile the environment, all that food stored in the pantry could fall prey to a stowaway rodent, familiar or alien, and the crew could die of starvation or disease if the sealed packages were ever compromised. Trips to the grocery store are not an option in space.

In NOAH’S ARK, my latest romantic science fiction novel, cats are part of the scenery. Here, of course, they belong to settlers who intend to colonize a new planet, and for them, cats are just part of the natural order they want to bring to their new world. They also have horses, goats and sheep and dogs and even cattle. But as all cat lovers know, cats are special.

In many cultures they are imbued with mystical powers, whether it’s good luck or bad luck, but no one can deny the magic effect of cats on people and on their entire environment. In my mind, a well organized society includes cats. From the Egyptians to the Greeks to the Romans, and in all civilizations since, cats may not be sacred, but they have a special place in our hearts.

NOAH’S ARK
Chronicles of Kassouk Prequel
by Vijaya Schartz

When Trixie's star freighter, Noah's Ark, drops out of jump space in an uncharted part of the universe, she believes the M-class planet on her viewer represents hope and salvation for her motley crew and the ragtag settlers aboard her ship.

Kostas, ex Space Marine, the expert survivalist recruited for this expedition, doesn't believe in coincidences, and knows that when something looks too good to be true, it usually is.

Everyone on this voyage to seed a new planet with life, is running from something, and harbors dangerous secrets... including Trixie, who vowed to never let a man control her life again. As for Kostas, he would get lynched on the spot if anyone suspected who he really is. Even Viking, the furry rat hunter, has a secret.

But on this seemingly abandoned planet, others are watching, herding them for evil purposes... And when the truth emerges and secrets unravel, Trixie and Kostas will have to fight for survival, for freedom, and for the right to love...

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http://www.vijayaschartz.com/

Vijaya Schartz

Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick

Labels: cats, cats in space, Chronicles of Kassouk, futuristic, Noah's Ark, romance, romantic science fiction, science fiction, space, Vijaya Schartz

9 comments:

GladysMP said...: I love cats. They are easy to hold and pet and keep one lots of good company.; May 14, 2012 at 12:37 AM
Vijaya Schartz said...: Yes, Gladys. Cats are wonderful and enrich people's lives.; May 14, 2012 at 8:33 AM
Allison Merritt said...: I have a cat in my upcoming release. The hero tries to talk the heroine out of bringing it aboard his airship, but its pretty much a fight he can't win. :); May 14, 2012 at 9:25 AM
Vijaya Schartz said...: I love introducing cats in my books, too. Beside being cute and fuzzy (or wild and dangerous)they always bring something to the story and often some reprieve from a tense situation.; May 14, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Elysa said...: I've used cats a lot in my books. In the book I'm working on right now - The Nine Lives of Thomas Cash Riley - the cat narrates part of the story. And in Star Raiders, my coming release, one of the secondary characters is a cat shifter. I love stories with cats and other furry creatures, Earth-based or otherwise. Noah's Ark sounds like a great read! It's on my TBR list.; May 14, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Elysa said...: PS - Fabulous cover!; May 14, 2012 at 1:12 PM
Vijaya Schartz said...: Thanks, Elysa, for sharing and for getting Noah's Ark on your TBR list. I agree the cover is fabulous. All the covers in this series are. Have a fantastic week.; May 14, 2012 at 3:32 PM
Linda Andrews said...: Finally, we get to find out how it all began. I love the series.; May 14, 2012 at 5:12 PM
Vijaya Schartz said...: Thanks, Linda for loving this series.; May 15, 2012 at 12:04 AM

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WHAT'S THE DEAL ABOUT CATS IN SPACESHIPS? - by Vijaya Schartz

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