Welcoming the CWA Conference and CFA Show To Houston

 

 

 Good evening, felinity assembled....Daddy Kiril here.

Do not worry, the girls will be holding the fort the rest of this busy week, this post concerns just why the week will be so busy.

On the banks of where White Oak Bayou and Buffalo Bayou meet a city was born, in the 1830's, a city that spread out and evolved into one of the most diverse in the nation.

Known for its economy built on space travel, medicine, oil, dining, and more, it is also a city known for its museums, its freeways, and its weather, hot and cold, dry and wet....often VERY wet.

It is a city known for its music, theatre and creative writing communities, as well.

There is also something else it is known for, for reasons good and bad...Cats and Dogs.

Lots of Cats and Dogs.

 Houston loves its pets....and that is a good thing... The Houston Cat Club has had a show since its founding in 1949.

Houston has also long had a serious problem with strays, as well, and has many rescue and shelter efforts across the city and county doing what they can to persevere over it.

With that introduction out of the way, as we prepare for the Cat Fanciers' Association Cat Show and Cat Writers' Association Annual Conference, June 7 thru 10, while Elvira, Sneakers and Friday will spend some time talking about that persistent issue....I want to talk about the type of perseverance that brings together a collection of humans who not only write cat blogs and cat books, but who blog and hope to publish books, or who hope to someday do one or both, but have yet to take the steps.

The CWA is the professional writers’ association "encouraging professionalism among cat writers, photographers, artists, and broadcasters" that I was sponsored to become a professional member of in the aftermath of attending Blog Paws in Spring 2013.

The writing of me and my original creative muse, Mr. Nikita, was one reason I attended the conference. Another was to be encouraged by learning new things and meeting those who have been where I am and succeeded.

One night I found myself chatting with respected, award-winning, author of 26 best selling pet books, Amy Shojai,  about my cat blogging, my efforts, hopes and dreams for my writing life and two particular story arcs from this blog. I was amused by the sight of this woman, older than me, with a "#1 Bitch" pin on the shoulder of her fancy outfit.

One thing led to another and I found myself given a pep talk by her and others that led to my being sponsored for membership.

Several cat writers I know, a few of whom I have met, are people whose perseverance in reaching for their creative dreams I admire, and the CWA offers many forms of encouragement of that perseverance and the resulting creativity, including annual awards, the most important of which are handed out at the conference.

I find myself reading that post and pep talk, again, this week because I sometimes feel as if I have let my cheerleaders down.

 In the 5 years since that momentous weekend a lot has happened in my life, personally, including a just completed year without a computer.

I am not where I had hoped to be, creatively and yet, and yet, I have done much, creatively, to be proud of, including  writing that some consider book worthy.

I have been paid for my cat writing...once.

My 2nd creative muse, Elvira Mistress of Felinity, has had a poem published in the newsletter of the CWA.

Nikita wrote his masterpiece:

Aubrey = A 30 pt. 100 Word Cat Story (w/1 of 200 Words) by Nikita (Someone has suggested this is worthy of being a book. Feedback welcome!)

I wrote a poem and 5 part story about a Houston stray:

A Street in Laredo: A Ballad of the 8th Texian Tuxedo and A LIFE ON THE RAILS: Houston Hairy and the Death of the 8th Texian Tuxedo (a 5 part series, in total. Feedback welcome!)

There are collections of 100 Word Cat Stories and  200 Word Cat Stories (Feedback welcome!).

 

This writer and photographer found a way to attend this conference to meet old friends and new, attend, and hopefully learn from, some of the presentations, network and be inspired by the perseverance of a varied collection of extremely creative men and women.

I will have business cards to hand out to anyone interested.

I had thought of bringing samples of my writing, but it is so hard to choose so I will just encourage any takers of the card to explore the category archives and the links shared above as starters.

The Conference speakers offer several interesting topics and the keynote speaker will talk about how to brand oneself and ones business.

To anyone reading this and planning to attend the conference, doubts and all, let me encourage you not to give up on your dreams.

When I began blogging in 2002 I had no clue what would transpire to lead me to begin a cat blog on New Years Day 2010.

When Nikita and I began this blog we had no idea what would happen, creatively, the next 8 years.

I could have called it quits in 2008, but did not.

Despite little audience and few comments, compared to many of my fellow cat bloggers, we have received compliments to be proud of over the years (See the links at the top of the Special Pages List in the sidebar).

If you are looking for inspiration and reasons to not give up, I invite you to read my 33 part series, on my own blog, on the subject, from 2015.

Elvira Mistress of Felinity, Sneakers the Texian Tuxedo, Friday the Bearded Lady and I wish to heartily welcome everyone to Houston this week.

May you enjoy your stay, may you make new friends and connections, may you learn some things to help and encourage you on your creative journey.

 

 NEXT UP: Best Friends Animal Society, Houston, Harris County, Helping Cats

Comments

[Summer]

How cool that the conference is in YOUR city this year, which made it way easier for you to attend. I'm sure you'll have a great time, and I hope it's productive for you! Plus I get to meet you (I gather from my human she has already met you, in Los Angeles).

[Sweet Purrfections]

I'm looking forward to meeting you in person.

Paula Gregg

[Kiril Kundurazieff]

Yes, Summer, I remember hanging out at Pussy & Pooch. :-D

Looking forward to meeting you, as well, Paula!

[da tabbies o trout towne]

Kiril; enjoy the conference, hi to everyone, and don't worry about the party items you might find upon returning home at night;
{ catnip plants, silvervine, loose pieces of kibble on the floor, etc }

hay ewe gals...rememburr, raiz de green flag when dad leevez de houz sew we noe itz aye oh kay for de partee two bee gin ~~~~~ we haza cargo load oh fresh catch we iz bringin sew fire up de grill !! ☺☺♥♥

[Elvira Mistress of Felinity]

Hee, hee! :-D

[Marjorie at the Dash Kitten Crew]

Have a wonderful time at the CWA Conference and I wish I was there too.

Enjoy the trip, and the event. I know that the CWA are the most amazing bunch.