The Wild Cats of Piran focuses on Europe's most magical cats in a battle for their nine lives! In an engaging and witty, very short novel that brings alive its setting―a charming and historically redolent small, seaside city on the ravishing coast of the Adriatic Sea in Slovenia―the wild cats encounter the ghosts of Piran … and the wicked General Rat! Join the beautiful Queen Felicia, faithful warrior Dragan, and the feral feline family for nine tales of adventure and enchantment. Each chapter is accompanied by a full-page stunning color illustration by Italian artist Moreno Christe. Scott Alexander Young is a busy working actor, as well as a TV scriptwriter, author, artist and travel writer. Scott has written scifi and comedy for people like SyFy UK¾and been an editor of Time Out magazine on three continents. He was also the madman behind Max's Midnight Movies, a 26 x 30 minute TV series about cult cinema produced by Sony Pictures Television. Funny yet educational, 'MMM' breathed new life into the midnight movies genre. From his studio in Trento, northern Italy, the Swiss/Italian artist Moreno Chistè has produced thousands of lively and colorful illustrations for companies such as Disney, Warner Bros., and Mattel. His work ranges from comics to advertising artwork, storyboards, merchandising, and entire collections of greeting cards for the major European card companies. "Action aplenty ... The avuncular narrator can be quite funny... . Chistè's full-color illustrations add grace notes, recalling animated films in their line and composition." ⎯ Kirkus Reviews Gr 3–5—The feral cats of Piran are magical. When enemies approach, and there are many, they can make use of their powers of enchantment, known as Magikat, to escape them. Several story threads wind through this first in a series. The queen of the cats, Felecia, is the leader of the feral cat colony. She is a beautiful black cat whose long, ancient history brought her to the pretty seaside town of Piran, Slovenia, the story's setting. Her cohorts are Dragan, a warrior cat, and two cats in love, Beyza and Magyar. In one of the main story threads, Beyza, a sweet female Angora, gets kidnapped by a cruel boy and his German shepherd dog. A second plot involves an army of huge, vicious rats whose goal is to kill all of the cats in Piran. Also present in the story are ghosts from ancient times who are part of the ambience of Piran. Though the voice of the narrator at times interrupts the action taking place, the story has many engaging elements and will be a welcome addition to those who enjoy animal fantasy. It can be recommended to readers who love Ursula Le Guin's Catwings (Scholastic, 1988) and are still too young for Erin Hunter's "Warriors" series (HarperCollins). The colorful, cartoonlike illustrations are lovely and enhance the story. The unique and interesting setting of Piran and the surrounding area could be researched as part of a lesson plan that incorporates history and geography.—Tina Martin, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, IL Reviewed by Maria Beltran for Readers' Favorite "The Wild Cats of Piran is the first part in what promises to be a series of engaging stories about the famed wild cats of the historic city of Piran. This 136-page book is peppered with delightful illustrations from Moreno Chiste and this makes the characters leap out of its magical pages. Scott Alexander Young's imagination knows no bounds..." "It is refreshing to see the world from the point of view of Felicia, a cat who was born in a palace in Naples in 1721 and is now living and thriving in the 21st century." Scott Alexander Young is a TV screenwriter, writer, and actor from New Zealand who lives in Budapest, Hungary. He is the creator and writer of Max’s Midnight Movies, an AXN Original Production of a twenty-six-part series about cult cinema classics. Meanwhile, in the guise of actor, Young has recently had parts in television miniseries including Dracula (broadcast on NBC) , Fleming (BBC America), and Houdini (coming in 2014 on History). As reflected in Chronicle One of his Wild Cats trilogy, his writing is inspired by Eastern and Central Europe as a birthplace of myth and legend, fairy tales, and horror stories. In his side career as a travel writer, Young has been everywhere from Alaska to Buenos Aires, Hawaii to Florence. And, of course, Piran. The Wild Cats of Piran Chronicle One By Scott Alexander Young, Moreno Chistè Steerforth Press Copyright © 2014 Scott Alexander Young All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-9900043-0-1 Contents CHAPTER 1 Queen in the Moonlight, 1, CHAPTER 2 Eight Lives and Counting, 15, CHAPTER 3 Kitty-Napped, 29, CHAPTER 4 Something Fishy at Lunch, 41, CHAPTER 5 Night Visions, 54, CHAPTER 6 The Lady in Waiting, 67, CHAPTER 7 The Battle of Cape Madonna, 80, CHAPTER 8 Like Herding Cats, 93, CHAPTER 9 The Merchant of Venice, 106, POSTSCRIPT, 119, CHAPTER 1 Queen in the Moonlight Introduci