Hello and welcome to The Sunday Selfies!
We are joining The Kitties Blue, from The Cat on My Head blog, for the weekly celebration of blogs and bloggers from across the world and across the species.
I know the selfies are thought to be all about fun and blogs, but they also celebrate bloggers, and friendship too. All too often we forget that behind the happy cats and dogs and other companions, there is a human, and like us there comes a time when they too must take a path over a Rainbow Bridge.
Before I share my selfie, I wanted to spend a moment to remember a great friend, Sarah Andrews, who passed away on Monday, peacefully in hospital with her parents beside her.
If that name doesn't ring a bell, then most of us would most likely recognise her as Roby Sweet or The Old SoLT (She of Little Talent) so named by Real Cats Webster and Paisley who ran the Cuddlywumps Cat Chronicles blog, along with Miss C (Casandra), the opinionated and classically educated calico cat who featured in Sarah's wonderful cosy mysteries- Miss Cuddlywumps Investigates. If you haven't ever read one, then I very much recommend them to you.
Sarah, was a truly gifted writer and blogger who always posted great articles, be they fun or educational. A link to her Blog is HERE. She also had a lot of fun with her photo fails blog hop, which I hope will continue, as I for one would like to have a go.
Sarah had become my editor and friend whilst she worked on my current adventure. She guided and educated me as we went along, and got it the story into great shape to go to an agent, publisher or for self publishing. Sarah said that she wanted the world to be able to get to read our fun adventures too. Those few words, that she could see the worth in my work, and was committed to making it the best she or anyone could, made me so very happy and proud, and determined to succeed. That was Sarah, through and through– professional, informed, kind, supportive, and most of all fun.
Sarah lived in Germantown, Maryland, and there is a service for her there on the 17th of November. There is also book of remembrance for her, accessed via the link below, and it would be wonderful if folks could spare a moment to visit and leave their memories and condolences.
There is a lovely obituary to Sarah via the same link, and I will not try to add to that, only to say that once you read it you will realise that Sarah was a battler, and would put most folks to shame. She survived lymphoma, had a successful lung transplant, got on with things and wrote her books and blog and enjoyed life. She was and is a winner in anyone's book. She was, albeit too briefly, a friend and inspiration to me, and no doubt countless other writers too. And if I can be half as good with my own work, as she was with hers, then I would count myself blessed indeed.
Rest now in peace and pain free, Sarah, and know that you are truly missed. And whilst the world is worse for your passing, the heavens will shine brighter and be more welcoming knowing that you and Miss C will be watching what we do, and maybe saying: "There's another person who doesn't know about the Genitive Absolute!"