Observe and Interact. Smurf the Cat must adapt to life in a new home after his aged carer is taken ill. He is concerned to learn that the householders are devotees of a sinister cult named Permaculture. Can he turn this dark art against his captors?
Thanks, Alison. I had a lot of fun with Smurf's rationalisations of human behaviour: conclusions which are often quite logical but skewed by insufficient data. Sometimes, though, they are highly perceptive. Then there's the slightly more serious subtext of a pet's lack of agency and what that might be like for a sentient being gifted with an acuity of senses that we're quite oblivious to.
Hey Steve. Talking animals is hard to pull off. I admire your tackling it and making it entertaining. Do I need to be a paid member to see all your work?
Hi Dan, glad you're enjoying Smurf. I had fun giving him a rather lofty intellectualism and a better vocabulary than many of my human characters.
Only the two Friday Novellas, Cast Ashore (completed) and Stingaree Bay (in progress) are behind the paywall. All the short stories are free to read. If you go to the Library in the app and click on Tall and Tiny Tales, (in the browser version: Tall and Tiny Tales > Home) there's a pinned article 'Start Here!' which has links to all episodes of the first seven stories. It's unfortunate that Substack doesn't have a customisable contents page: listing everything in reverse chronological order isn't exactly helpful for someone trying to publish serial fiction here 😊.
Oh my gosh this is absolute perfection and everything I was looking for AND THEN SOME. You've nailed Smurf's voice and it's so entertaining and adorable and quirky and genuine!!! I can't wait to read the next chapters!
Haha can see I shall greatly enjoy Smurf's & Suzy's adventures 😀
Thanks Lyn! I hope so 😊
So good! Right down to cobwebs in whiskers... and being able to read. (Of course.)
When were you a cat?
Thanks, Alison. I had a lot of fun with Smurf's rationalisations of human behaviour: conclusions which are often quite logical but skewed by insufficient data. Sometimes, though, they are highly perceptive. Then there's the slightly more serious subtext of a pet's lack of agency and what that might be like for a sentient being gifted with an acuity of senses that we're quite oblivious to.
Hey Steve. Talking animals is hard to pull off. I admire your tackling it and making it entertaining. Do I need to be a paid member to see all your work?
Hi Dan, glad you're enjoying Smurf. I had fun giving him a rather lofty intellectualism and a better vocabulary than many of my human characters.
Only the two Friday Novellas, Cast Ashore (completed) and Stingaree Bay (in progress) are behind the paywall. All the short stories are free to read. If you go to the Library in the app and click on Tall and Tiny Tales, (in the browser version: Tall and Tiny Tales > Home) there's a pinned article 'Start Here!' which has links to all episodes of the first seven stories. It's unfortunate that Substack doesn't have a customisable contents page: listing everything in reverse chronological order isn't exactly helpful for someone trying to publish serial fiction here 😊.
Here's a direct link to that post: https://open.substack.com/pub/stevefendt/p/start-here?r=15l9x8&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thank you. I am learning my way around substack.
Please tell me that Smurf is actually living with you guys?? Xx
😆 He mostly lives in Ballarat but he has holidays with us. 🐾🐾
Oh my gosh this is absolute perfection and everything I was looking for AND THEN SOME. You've nailed Smurf's voice and it's so entertaining and adorable and quirky and genuine!!! I can't wait to read the next chapters!
Thanks, Anoushka. I had a lot of fun writing this. The real Smurf may not be quite as intellectual as his literary counterpart …
I love this!! I need a whole novel immediately
/*Steve consults his work diary … */
Thanks, glad you’re enjoying it. It was the best fun to write!