International Classical Soprano and Canadian author, Heather Margaret MacLean, was born in South Africa.
During her childhood years she connected with many animals. She especially felt a kinship for dogs because of her family's five Cairn Terriers.
"An a-mews-ing memory," said Heather, "was attending my mother's all denominational Sunday School class because "Dog membership" was acceptable - provided the dogs behaved and there was no barking during the service.
Several children brought their dogs. We often had four dogs at one time and there was never any mayhem, just hugging, sniffing, and sleeping."
Years later, in memory of her childhood joys with dogs, Heather's daughter,
Diana, was gifted a Cairn Terrier puppy, Thistle, for her 8th birthday. Thistle was Diana's constant companion and as would any devoted dog, she let Diana train her to be a "horse". Diana even made a show jumping arena for Thistle to "perform" in.
Soon, Diana graduated to "real" horseback riding lessons where she discovered a kindred spirit with Indi, a horse who had sustained an injury.
Heather watched Diana's endless patience
and compassion as she worked with Indi.
Heather also noticed that every Tuesday their prized house apples disappeared.
Heather, being a horse lover herself, did not mind Indi's preference for this healthy-expensive luxury!
Juggling a singing career and motherhood inspired Heather to mix Classical music with children's stories.
Her first inspiration came from the Classical
Orchestra Symphony, "On the trail" by Ferde Grofe, a piece in which you can hear horses trotting and galloping.
She noticed that young children loved the music, especially if the accompanying story time included fairies riding horses...providing the fairies wore protective helmets!
After years of entertaining children with animal stories that fitted with Classical music, Heather wrote, "The Moonicorn Fairies" featuring Indi as the
story's Princess Indiana.
The day that Heather moved from South Africa to Canada, her first welcoming friend was the next door neighbor's grey and white cat, Mouse.
Mouse began paying her daily visits as if to ensure that Heather was a suitable neighbor.
"Mouse's job is snoopervising my writing papers - as well as ALL the contents in my house!" laughs Heather.
During the summer months, Mouse would wait on the wooden fence at a regular time to join Heather in the park while Heather drank her early morning coffee.
She was not "a-meow-sed" when Heather failed to keep her appointment and would meow in loud protest!
One Halloween while Heather was visiting a friend in San Francisco, they were listening to the orchestral piece, "The Dans Macabre," by Saint Saens.
"My friend jokingly declared that 'the hungry skeleton violinist who plays the music deserves a reward of a delicious cookie for his performance!'" said Heather. "His idea along with the colorful pumpkins and the harvest moon over San Francisco Bay sparked my second children's book."
When Heather returned home, Mouse arrived; clearly annoyed that Heather had been away. To make a poignant feline point, Mouse angrily pushed Heather's
book notes off the table and knocked over the waste paper basket.
For her final purr-formance she pounced on the papers and scattered them further across the floor!
Mouse was clearly informing Heather, in her most feline way, that any future changes in Heather's future travel plans, and Mouse's cuddle schedule, must be handled with more efficiency!
Mouse's pet parent, Kelly, on hearing of her cat's
temper tantrum, shared that Mouse's early kittenhood was traumatic, paws-ibly leading up to her emotional outburst at the fear of being abandoned.
Mouse's birthmother had abandoned her when she was a kitten the size of a mouse.
Inspired by Mouse' s purrs-onality and antics Heather began writing a book; naming it in honor of Mouse, "THE MOUSECAT and the MOONICORNS on HALLOWEEN NIGHT".
This fun story, suitable
for 9 - 11 year olds, suggests the use of the music, "The Dans Macabre" and will delight young animal lovers.
"Last Christmas I gifted Kelly's family with a lovely warm blanket," said Heather. "But immediately, true to her nature, Mousecat took complete possession of it, adopting it as her own pet!"
