Jon Blake writes:

I’m grateful to a reader for pointing out that the scene in which Feela comes into season may give the wrong impression.

Because of what Jade has heard about ferrets, she is afraid that Feela might die if she doesn’t mate. No-one confirms this, but Amelie suggests it may not do Feela any good is she doesn’t find a tom.

Amelie, however, is not an expert, so I do want to make it clear that female cats are in no danger if they fail to mate when in season. They can, however, run into health problems through continually mating, as I know all too well. The real-life model for Feela became infected when pregnant for the second time while still weak from her first kittens. Her life was only saved by having a hysterectomy (womb removal).

Hope that clears things up.

Jon Blake writes:

I’m just recovering from a nasty dose of swine flu. Unlike the cat flu in ‘The Last Free Cat’, it hasn’t led to hugely expensive pigs, nor have I found an unlicensed one in my garden. But the pandemic has shown how the events in The Last Free Cat really are feasible.

While convalescing I’ve been delighted to find an enthusiastic new customer review on Amazon.

I’m currently at work on an adult novel about the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival of Music (the one starring Dylan). My dad was the electrical contractor for it and I was there at 14. There is a website about it (suitable for teens and adults) here.

Stefanie Hollmichel’s So Many Books is one of the most respected books blogs on the internet – nearly a quarter of a million hits.   Stefanie’s recommendations are always looking out for, and now they include The Last Free Cat, of which she says: “it is. . a story about finding the truth, working for a greater cause and taking a stand. The book is also filled with wonderful instances of the kindness of strangers and goodness coming from unexpected places. If you have a cat-loving reader on your holiday list this year, this might be the book for them.”

The Last Free Cat, at the moment, is only in UK bookshops, but thanks to the wonders of Amazon and other online stores, anyone in the world can order it, so let’s hope it now gets some fans in the USA and beyond!

Ruth Taylor, reviewing The Last Free Cat for the children’s books magazine Books For Keeps, says “this is a story of optimism and solidarity in the face of oppression. The beauty of the relationship between human and animal is touchingly conveyed and the book culminates in a sense of hope that is truly uplifting.”

Creative writing and teacher training consultants Write Away have published a great review of The Last Free Cat on their website, calling it “a very satisfying read”. You can also find this on the reviews page here.

There’s a new review of The Last Free Cat, together with an interview with the author, at Chicklish, the teen fiction site. The review concludes: “Whether you’re a cat lover or not, the book will inspire you to think a bit more about your pets, how valuable they are and what the world would be like if you couldn’t have them.”

Never let it be said that this site ignores any reviews of The Last Free Cat, even critical ones. Rosalind Kerven of the Northern Echo found the novel ‘far-fetched’ and the writing ‘wooden’. So far she’s in a minority of one on that, but tastes differ, and she does agree with other reviewers that The Last Free Cat is ‘a brilliant idea’ and ‘a page turning thriller’. More reviews on the reviews page here.

“The Last Free Cat is one of the best young adult adventures in a long time. Be prepared to share. Everyone will want to read this.” So says Sam North on the Hackwriters site. The full review is here.

“Take it as my tip for a major award” – that’s Jill Murphy’s comment on The Last Free Cat at renowned book review site Bookbag. Jill gives the novel a full five stars and summarises it as follows: “A very well-written and exceedingly satisfying chase novel set in an authoritarian Britain in the near future. Themes of corporate power, civil liberties, and personal responsibility lie under a tense and action-packed narrative. There’s something for everyone here, including a love story.”
Jill’s review is included on the Reviews page here.

Jon Blake was threatened with arrest at a recent protest against the proposed St Athan military academy in South Wales. The ‘academy’ will be a private training centre for the military of the world, run by the Metrix consortium at an eventual cost to the taxpayer of £11 billion. Metrix involves, amongst others, arms manufacturers Raytheon who are responsible for the delivery of cluster bombs and depleted uranium weapons. As one of the organisers of the anti-Metrix campaign Jon was told by South Wales police that they expected groups to attend the protest intent on causing public disorder – and if this happened he would be arrested as well as them.

In fact there was no disorder. It was almost certainly a story concocted by the police to justify not allowing the demo to enter Cardiff’s shopping district. All protesters were videoed and photographed by the police “Forward Intelligence Team”, but both march and rally were a success and campaigners remain undaunted by the Big Brother tactics of the authorities. For more on the campaign see antimetrix.org.