Debi Tarvin, Author/Editor
The Write Stuff!
Welcome to My Page
Samples of My Writing Style
Nine Lives
You should know, before reading my story, that at this very moment in time, I’m not actually alive. I am an apparition, sent back to earth by the catvocates in the Cat’s Cradle to complete my final quest. I’ve lived my 9th and final life with the best family I could have asked for. It was my honor to be a member of this human family.
As you are most likely aware, we cats have a chance at living 9 lives. Who decided on 9 lives anyway? What a random number! Why not an even 10 lives? Some idiot even named a cat food after it… Like we want to be reminded of our very last life every time someone feeds us. You don’t see any people food named “Last Gasp Gourmet Vittles” or “On Death’s Door Delights,” do you? No, you do not. No one wants to be reminded of their mortality.
I digress. Anyway, each time a cat passes, we have an opportunity to earn our next life by completing our Previous-Life Under Review and Repair, or PURR process. This process involves aiding humans in resolving their feelings of guilt that stem from the cat’s passing. This can be a difficult process when said cat cannot be seen or heard by anyone except the pure of heart.
Bud
The first time I saw him, he was sitting by the side of the road on a cold and rainy day. He was wet and trembling. Obviously homeless, he looked like he’d been on the streets for quite some time. He was filthy and much too thin from lack of sustenance. I’d never seen a sadder look on any face. I slowed my SUV, pulling just ahead of him, and sat for a moment, pondering whether or not I should check on him. I didn’t know him, so I wasn’t sure whether or not he was a threat, but I couldn’t just drive away either. I turned off the ignition, got out of my car, and walked the short distance to where he sat.
I approached him cautiously, speaking softly as I did. Shivering uncontrollably, he lifted his woeful eyes and looked at me as water rained down his face. Tentatively, I reached my hand out to him, palm down. He sniffed it, then timidly licked my fingers. I knew then that I couldn’t just leave him there all alone, freezing and starving in the rain.
I tried to coax him to follow me, but he stayed put. He kept looking behind him and then back at me, with hope-filled eyes.
Tiny Soprano in Training
I stepped onto the stage and out into the spotlight for the first time at age three. Okay, so technically, it was a wooden platform that was built in the basement of our local Grange, and there was no spotlight, but I felt like I was starring on Broadway. My two older sisters, Lana and Sissy, regularly performed small skits and songs at the local Grange. I would always watch them from the audience, spellbound, marveling at how sensational they were. You can imagine my excitement when Lana asked me if I would fill a role in the skit in the upcoming fall play. It was a small one-line role, but it was all mine. I would be on stage with my sisters for the very first time ever. And my parents would be watching me from the audience.
Lana and Sissy practiced endlessly with me. I held up my plate, put on my most charming expression, and said my line, “May I have another piece of pie, please?” Lana would put a huge slice of imaginary air pie on my plate and pat my head. I swear, I could actually visualize that pie sitting on the plate. I turned and carefully walked off, holding my plate with both hands to make sure that it didn’t fall off. I was a natural. What could possibly go wrong?
"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say,
but what we are unable to say."
– Anais Nin
"You might not write well every day,
but you can always edit a bad page.
You can't edit blank page."
–Jodi Picoult
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
–Maya Angelou
Byer
Author of Heaven is Now
Kudos Coming Soon!
Michele Kwasniewski
Author of the award winning trilogy, The Rise and Fall of Dani Truehart
Debi has beta-read all my books and provided stellar line edits and story feedback in preparation for submitting my manuscripts to my agent.
Debi has a keen eye not only for grammatical corrections but also for story
and character development.
All writers should have a Debi on their team.
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