Ode to Cats and Autumn Mornings

It’s a long, cold 15 minutes to work on a November morning. You’ll find me with my hands stuffed in my pockets while I take shelter in the collar of my coat. If I’m lucky, the sun will come out and allow me to thaw. I’m not the only one who finds comfort in her bright winter warmth. As I walk, I look to four windows and worship as if the cats inside them are idols in a church. There’s a sign that reads “ATTACK CAT,” although that exclamation is hubris; The black cat occupying the windowsill attacks nothing more than the moth that lands opposite the pane of glass. Another cat lounges underneath broken blinds. Across the lot, a bonded pair naps amongst succulent pots. Their neighbor, an orange boy, observes me from the security of a harness and leash. He’s quickly distracted by a bird in the tree ahead. His whiskers quiver at his new discovery. A few windows down, I catch a rare glimpse of the Siamese beauty who sits at an open stained glass window. His watchful eyes tell me that it will be weeks before I witness his presence, and the sun’s, again.

Shoshana Groom

Biography: Shoshana Groom is a fourth-year sociology major. She’s a current First Reader for Strange Horizons and a volunteer for PRISM, and has previously served as the Deputy Fiction Editor for The Quarryman at University College Cork, the Head Fiction Editor for Tales of Revelry, and a volunteer for Crosscurrents at University of Puget Sound. Her work has previously appeared in Apricity Magazine, Corvid Queen, Tall Tales TV, Gone Lawn and Crosscurrents. She loves ballroom dancing, Country Western dancing, embroidery, and fiction writing. Her heart belongs to her incredibly cute and even more destructive rat, Princess Buttercup.

Artist Statement: I embroider to make beauty, I crochet because I’m cold, I write because I like attention <3 Folklore, feminism, and my uncharacteristic love for humanity inform many of my creations.These pieces could never have been published without the support of those around me. To everyone who helped me edit these pieces, and especially Jeremy, Jessica, and Farren Groom, Dante Kunc, and Chase Schurr, you have my sincerest thanks.

Social Media: @lilyofthewillamettevalley on Instagram and Threads

Grace Knutsen

Biography: Grace Knutsen is a student historian and archivist. She hails from Coos Bay, Oregon.

Artist Statement: I love storytelling. I want to acknowledge the small moments that give meaning.

Social Media: @_gekbug