In my mind, Carrigan’s always existed as a bit of a pocket dimension, slightly out of step with the normal passage of time, its edges a little fuzzier than real life. Miriam thinks of it similarly, comparing it to both Narnia and Christopher Robin’s Hundred Acre Wood. Any good dimensional portal needs a magical guardian, and who better than a giant cat who mysteriously wanders out of the woods and makes himself at home?

Because of their rareness, many cultures have myths about male torties being magical. Various folklore holds that tortoiseshells originated from a goddess, can cure warts, bring prosperity, ward off ghosts, prevent shipwrecks. I would not rule any of these things out for Kringle.

Norwegian Forest Cats are significantly larger than most other breeds. My grumpy old lady domestic shorthair is twenty pounds, so I have to assume that Kringle is absolutely enormous. As Miriam barely clears five feet, I imagine him as almost reaching her shoulders with his front paws when he reaches up for a hug, which he certainly does.

It should be noted that, while male tortoiseshells in real life have a shortened lifespan due to health issues caused by their genetics, Kringle is immortal and will never die, either on the pages of one of my books or in our hearts.

I hope you, like Kringle, find a warm welcome at Carrigan’s Christmasland.

Yours sincerely,

Helena

Questions for Discussion