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I am so happy to introduce the second edition of��Charm: An Amazing Story of a Little Black Cat��in paperback on Amazon! I just saw it along with awesome 5 star review from top 100 reviewer Grady Harp!

By Grady Harp HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on June 20, 2015

Format: Paperback

Danish author Leyla Atke lists her hobbies as archeology, paleontology, history, fitness and tennis �� but after reading this multi-award winning book CHARM AN AMAING STORY OF A LITTLE BLACK CAT, we will hope that she places writing at the top of her list of hobbies! For a debut book this little edition is quite remarkable.

Whether or not the narrator of this story is the author is not indicated, but the warmth of the writing suggests this is as much a memoir as a children’s story. For example, Leyla opens her story thus: `I was inspired to write this book by an amazing and strange experience I had a few years back. It was a hot summer day in June of 2006 and I was leaving work for a break��..At a big intersection near the roundabout noticed from afar something small and black moving among rushing cars…At first I thought is was a cat that had been run over by a car. When I got closer, I saw a small black kitten sitting in the middle of the road…I was surprised that the kitten was not hurt. I wondered how it got to the middle of the intersection without being crushed at the roadside. I grabbed the little one and crossed another street ��.It’s like it fell from the sky I though in amazement…�� She takes the dirty, smelly little kitten home, cleaned him and named him Charm. `He was a very smart, serious, quiet, and calm cat.��

Time passes and Charm becomes panther-like with a very strong aura and loved exploring a nearby factory. During some reconstruction of the owner’s house, Charm disappeared and is found deceased in the factory yard thirteen days later. Crushed, the narrator plans for the burial of her beloved Charm, and considers animal sacrifice of a rooster to aid Charm in his afterlife. A year later she feels Charm’s presence in her bedroom and has a dream about Charm in a fairyland. And miracle of miracles she discovers a little black kitten by Charm’s grave, takes him in, washes him, and he becomes very like Charm, bring happiness to his new keeper and serving as a reincarnation of the original Charm.

Leyla illustrates her book well, with both photographs and illustrations, writes a story that has wonderful overtones of the spiritual world about which we know so little, and in her own way, introduces the reader to the realm of afterlife and the reincarnation of beloved animals. And she makes it work on every level. And by story’s end, we KNOW this is a memoir! Grady Harp, June 15of the original Charm.

Leyla illustrates her book well, with both photographs and illustrations, writes a story that has wonderful overtones of the spiritual world about which we know so little, and in her own way, introduces the reader to the realm of afterlife and the reincarnation of beloved animals. And she makes it work on every level. And by story’s end, we KNOW this is a memoir! Grady Harp, June 15

Welcome to a new Charm! The second edition of Charm: An Amazing Story of a Little Black Cat by Leyla Atke is now available on Amazon in Kindle!!! Huge thanks to my great publisher Katmoran Publications in the face of my dearest friend Marta Moran Bishop and my wonderful friend and editor Jill Bowers Sayre. Thank you always to my friend Cor van der Kamp for reading and commenting on the early versions of Charm. Paperback is on the way! , , , , , .

I feel so excited about the second edition of ! did a great job. Here is a new cover!

“A beautifully illustrated, real life story of rescue, love, loss and rebirth. Charm is very honest account of the life of a little black cat. Full of emotion, Charm is the perfect book for anyone who has a lost or terminal pet, and a great way to start a discussion with your child. Well done Leyla��.

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Sometimes a certain animal is meant to be with a certain person; that definitely seems to be the case in this cute and touching story. The tale is full of contrasts, one could even say contradictions, but that’s part of the reason that I loved it so much —there are some interesting conclusions that one can draw from such contrasts. For example, no one in the story has a name other than simply father, mother, brother or aunt. Similarly, the author is known only as “I��. The only beings that do have names are the two black cats, each named Charm in turn. What to make of that?

Then there’s the fact that the author deeply loved her dear cat Charm but seemed unconcerned about him escaping all the time, escaping to obvious and likely dangers. If you love someone (or something), set it free�� I suppose, but somehow I don’t believe this is the intention or the meaning here. The author implies in her introductory statements that if something (or someone) comes too easily into your life, it may just as easily be lost. How many times have you let a good thing slip through your hands for much the same reason?

She seems to be quite the animal lover, but then surprises us with talk about making an animal sacrifice, to another animal of all things—proposing to take the life of a rooster in this case. Perhaps under great stress we all bend our beliefs a bit�� a normal response to a particularly harrowing experience. That seems to be a minor theme throughout the story. So was disappointment in its various presentations; disappointment with being lied to, the disappointment of failure, and disappointment with being let down by the people closest to her. The cute little cat with a mind of his had come to teach her so many things!

There was one passage in the story that puzzled me greatly. Here it is: “Besides, according to my count, [XYZ] occurred on September 30, my brother’s birthday. I was fighting off dismal thoughts about what had happened and was going crazy until I found out.�� Hmm�� and I am still waiting to find out what she found out if anything!

I very much enjoyed this short story. It all hangs together nicely and left me feeling very satisfied if ever so slightly puzzled. It made me think, which is what most makes me remember a book or not. Memorable book!

I was lucky enough to get a review copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

Charm, by Leyla Atke, is about a little kitten she finds while she is on a break one day. She worries for its safety and subsequently adopts it. Charm, as he is named, is smart and confident. He likes eating egg yolks and adventuring across the street onto the grounds of the factory. One day, Charm is lost. Eventually the author is blessed when Charm returns to her. Whether you believe his return to be a matter of God or some other mysterious means, the story of Charm is a beautiful tale.

The book is aimed for people of all ages and I imagine that many people will find something enjoyable in this story. Though, there are some portions that might be upsetting or even need to be explained to younger children, such as the death of Charm. I even found it upsetting. That’s the magic of the book, actually. It has high points and low points which I think ought to be found inspiring; that if you get through difficult times, you might often find redemption or portions of life which make the struggle worthwhile. I found the book to be almost magical. It’s a truly beautiful story of a little cat and its owner with beautiful illustrations as well. Overall, I found it to be a truly pleasing story. I think it’s definitely worth five stars. I think I would love to read further stories of Charm’s adventures!

Happy !

I am so honored to be featured on Olga D’Agostino’s blog! Thank you, Olga, for a great 5-star review of and featuring my book on your awesome blog! , , , , .

“Children and adults will laugh and cry through the experience of reading this brief, heartfelt book about the miracle of Charm.�� Rating 5.0 stars from Midwest Book Review.

Charm is a tender and loving story of a small cat that is found, lost and found again under the most mysterious conditions. It will make you wonder about life, love and the existence of a higher power. It will break your heart in half and put it back together again. You will fall in love and be forever grateful that you met Charm, if only in a book.

Charm on Amazon in paperback here:

“Children and adults will laugh and cry through the experience of reading this brief, heartfelt book about the miracle of Charm.�� Rating 5.0 stars from Midwest Book Review.

Charm is a tender and loving story of a small cat that is found, lost and found again under the most mysterious conditions. It will make you wonder about life, love and the existence of a higher power. It will break your heart in half and put it back together again. You will fall in love and be forever grateful that you met Charm, if only in a book.

Purchase Kindle version here: