The Book, Cat, & Cat Book Lovers Almanac

of historical trivia regarding books, cats, and other animals. Actually this blog has evolved so that it is described better as a blog about cats in history and culture. And we take as a theme the advice of Aldous Huxley: If you want to be a writer, get some cats. Don't forget to see the archived articles linked at the bottom of the page.

June 20, 2017

June 20, 1929

Jay Blakeney (June 20, 1929  to October 24, 2007) was a British writer well known for her romance novels. According to her Google blurb, which uses her pseudonym:

While still in school, romance author Anne Weale sold numerous short stories to a woman's magazine and became a newspaper reporter upon graduation. She published her first romance novel,
Winter is Past, in 1955 and her last one, The Man from Madrid, in 2002. In between she wrote over 85 books. From 1998 to 2004, she wrote a website review column, Bookworm on the Net, for the U. K.'s leading book trade press magazine The Bookseller. She was a founding member of The Romantic Novelists' Association.

Of her work we read: "Talented writer Anne Weale's…masterful character development and charming scenes create a rich reading experience." —Romantic Times

These charming scenes include cats occasionally, and I will quote a few excerpts from her writing:

From The Youngest Sister :

'I'd forgotten... it's only Juanito coming in through the cat flap.' He was looking at her lips, pausing a moment before resuming their kisses. Then a movement in the room behind him caught Cressy's eye. She looked to see what it was and gave ...



And The Man From Madrid:

Nicolás glanced over his shoulder, saw her standing in the doorway, and scooped the cat off his thighs before standing up and saying, in a quiet voice, 'It's too fine a night for sleeping. Come and join us. I've been making friends with your cat.


A Marriage Has Been Arranged:

And if the cat had had all the necessary shots I don't suppose there was much danger of it bringing in any diseases, certainly not rabies. One of my grandmothers who was a great traveller thought the British were totally paranoid about rabies.


Our last example is from Turkish Delights (1995):
 
Some are tigers and some are pussycats, and sometimes falling in love turns a pussycat into a tiger and vice versa.' 'I'll think about it,' said Nicola. 'That's a large part of your trouble,' Gina told her. 'You think too much...'


We read of Jay Blakeney in her 
Goodreads description "Her great-grandfather was a well-known writer on moral theology, so perhaps she inherited her writing gene from him." 

This great grandfather was probably Richard Paul Blakeney (1820 to December 31, 1884) an Irish cleric. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, in 1842, and later took advanced degrees there. He became curate of St. Paul's, Nottingham, in 1843, vicar of Hyson Green, Nottinghamshire, in 1844, vicar of Christ Church, Claughton, Birkenhead, in 1852, vicar of Bridlington in 1874, rural dean of Bridlington in 1876, and canon of York in 1882.

Canon Blakeney was the author of "a large number of controversial books and tracts, which attained a wide circulation."

Here are a few titles of books this Blakeney wrote:

Translation of the Moral Theology of Alphonsus Liguori,
1845,
A Manual of Romish Controversy, being a complete Refutation of the Creed of Pope Pius IV, 1851
Protestant Catechism, or Popery refuted and Protestantism established by the Word of God, 1854.
History and Interpretation of the Book of Common Prayer, 1865.

From mighty oaks little acorns grow.


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