44 Comments

“It glanced my way, glassy eyes silent but with a nonchalance that seemed almost human.”

Ain’t that the truth!

I am convinced that either all cats were human in their past lives or they study our every move when we aren’t watching so they can perfect them….

Love the intrigue Nathan…

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There are so many cool details in here, Nathan. Like the é and the moth and the nuts at the bar. It makes everything into mystery — like is this all connected or is it a game in the mind? Murakami vibes but very Slake. It’s nice to see some elements of your style transgress projects.

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Mar 16Liked by Nathan Slake

I loved this and was gutted when it ended. Super wanted to follow the cat. I also realised something lovely at the beginning, how much I trust you as a writer. No preamble or anything so I didn't know what I was getting in to, but I had absolutely no hesitation in reading as it's just given in my mind that it's going to be brilliant.

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This is really great Nathan. I love the atmosphere you create for the setting. I can almost hear the jazz music coming through your words when I read this.

What is always so impressive is how your authors voice changes from story to story. Comparing this to something like The Sernox you can immediately tell it’s a different world and a different type of character we’re following just by the way it’s written. Something that is very difficult to do. Not sure I’m being entirely clear with what I’m saying, but it is early in the morning here 😁

Anyway, brilliantly done 👍🏼

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Follow the cat. What an intriguing vignette! Love the ambiance you’re conjuring here, all not very police, no sting intended. I’ll have that Hibiki, please.

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Mar 21Liked by Nathan Slake

Brilliant lines:

"It didn’t seem very police to me."

"... pawing its way down the pavement and soon lost to shadow." pure poetry. ( I'll bet you tried ten different words before you came up with "pawing")

I thought Terry was very clever to change the venue to a police station so he did not have to match your story-telling style. I love this collaboration. I'd like to try it myself.

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Amazing, especially within what sounds like a very busy time; your descriptions and characters are a consistent joy to discover. Also can never resist instructions to follow the cat; I know that look too, the "I've had a whisky, those eyes said."😊

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Mar 19Liked by Nathan Slake

Brilliant, Nathan. The mood, the atmosphere, the setting, the jazz, the attitude, all so compelling. Too many great lines to single out but my favorite image from this story is the character's entrance into the jazz club. I could picture it and hear it as he opened the door.

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Loved this one, Nathan! So well written, can't wait to follow the cat with Terry! 💚

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Mar 18Liked by Nathan Slake

"I've had a whisky" - some cat! Love this - more!

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Follow the Cat. Love it!

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Follow the cat! This was enchanting.

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You have such a vivid imagination and a facility for description it makes me jealous every time I read your work. Where did this little vignette come from? Where is it going? Reading your stories is like finding a roll of film on the street and discovering a series of exquisite photographs - the middle of a story. It's lovely and... irritating! We must have more, Nathan. :-)

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Mar 17Liked by Nathan Slake

I love the creative ‘birth’

of this story.

Your words set the scene from the very moment the door opened to the bar.

“…jazz felt the purest. Like a language, communicated with nothing but feel.”

“FOLLOW THE CAT.”

I always felt it’s not necessarily a wise decision to follow a cat…

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Mar 17Liked by Nathan Slake

God I love this. Already invested in this character, his observations, the way they lay themselves atop his memory. Will there be more? And also, my cat Nova’s eyes always say, “I’ve had a whiskey.” 😂

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Mar 16Liked by Nathan Slake

Lovely. I can see and sense the scenes, skilful Nathan. I've also had a whiskey

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