Messing up a gravestone..?

Feeling down. We went to see Stephen's grave, which after eight months of chasing they've finished...? We're not feeling great. How can they mess up an 4x4 stone with a name and date on it? Letters are unevenly spaced, some bold, some not, and the paint used has clumped. What really hurts? This is the only one that was messed up. All the other new stones are fine, we compared them.

We're talking about getting a replacement, but what a way to remember the furball. Feels like we can't do right by him even now.

 

That must be infuriating. I would have been very upset if the markers for my pets had been poorly done.

 

The wooden marker looked fine. Why'd they change it?

 

Could we make something through bookangel for him?

 

My apologies if this causes distress. Where ours was buried, we weren't allowed to leave wooden markers in case the foxes dug the graves up. The stone markers were to make sure the grave was not disturbed. The book club must be very quiet without him, he was always so friendly.

 

That is heart-breaking.

 

Yeah. He deserved better . I was kind of thinking about a book award, like for cats of character or something?

 

He always was a character, a book award in his honour would be quite appropriate.

I'd suggest keeping it simple, possibly don't charge for entry, then it becomes a matter of the best book.

 

And we would be flooded. As a reviewer, I am already overloaded. Reading and judging another set of books on top is not going to happen. Besides, if the books themselves are not free how do we pay for them? The last .mobi with a virus put paid to asking people to send copies themselves.

I don't object to it in principle, but the practicalities are daunting.

 

OK, I know we discussed this, and I think I have a way to make it work.

If we don't charge for the first entry, but charge for each subsequent one. That way it will raise something towards costs. Have one winner and a number of equal runners up, not a second third ranking thing. We'd need to get some more judges, but do you think it would work?

As we've been without him a year, call it the Stephen memorial award.

 

Isn't a book award and a new print publication a bit much to take on?

 

I think the memorial award would be well worth doing and the idea of charging for multiple entries is feasible. Having several runners-up is a good idea, a shortlist of the top ones. I'd be up for reviewing alongside. I know it's not as much as Reader.

 

On speek to type. apologize for typos.

<mod note - I've cleaned up the formatting & typos.>

We both really like the idea. I will put up a £100 voucher as a prize if this goes ahead.

I suggest we use a stacked entry:

• First book free
• Second book £5
  
• Third book £10 (total £15)
• Fourth book £20 (total £35)
• Fifth book £40 (total £75)

and no more than five books an author. If the books are not free on Amazon, the authors also have to add the cost of the book to entry, as we will buy them off Amazon to ensure we get the version that is publicly available.

If we limit the entry period to four weeks or so and cap number of books in total to a hundred fifty, we won't get flooded. Then we can present the prize in October when Stephen passed, judged by our normal reviewers for this year at least.

Should we give a catnip mouse for the winner?

 

I like the idea of the catnip mouse, although overseas postage is expensive.

What other things should we consider? I would suggest a close and short entry period to keep the numbers manageable.

• Length: Any length?
• Entry period: 1st August- 31st August
• Winners announced: October 1st?

Winner gets £100 voucher, catnip mouse and certificate with web badge. Ten runners up get certificates and web badges. Should we get over 100 entries, each author can only win once so there cannot be multiple runner-ups awarded to the same person.

 

Where's the thread gone?

Wanted to say it sounds good. Give the funds to the site 'cos we need it. Would be nice to give something to a cat charity. Battersea, OK?

 

tirial, I'm so sorry for your loss, and the gravestone doesn't help. I love that he's being honored with the memorial award.

My old-man passed a few years ago when he was 22. He'd been with me since I was 9. It's tough losing a friend.

 

Will you share some more about Stephen please? I know he was tirial's beloved feline who passed away about a year ago and that most forum members loved him. I've looked for more information - is it on the old forum?

 

I believe most of the written content was on the older forums and a few other forums that his owners used.

As far as a unique cat goes, he was part Maine Coon with opposable thumbs and a disturbingly high degree of intelligence. I think the most impressive story was when one of his owners was late home. He helped himself to the phone and called him, leaving a purring voicemail that was played back for the club. There were many blinks. Does anyone still have the recording of that?