Bella, Django & a Vegas Cat Mystery
What happens when a glamorous Maine Coon cat from paradise teams up with a street-smart feline detective from Las Vegas? On this episode of Cattitude, Michelle Fern welcomes author Ellen Laura to discuss her delightful new cozy mystery, Bella and Django: A Vegas Velvet Caper. Inspired by her real-life Maine Coon, Bella, Ellen shares the heartwarming story behind the book, how a Christmas miracle brought Bella into her life, and why cats make such irresistible literary stars. From the famous Lanai Cat Sanctuary to the colorful world of Las Vegas, discover how imagination, mystery, friendship, and feline charm come together in a purr-fectly entertaining adventure. Whether you're a cat lover, mystery fan, or aspiring writer, this episode is packed with inspiration, laughter, and plenty of cattitude!
Listen to Episode #307 Now:
Inside Bella and Django: A Vegas Velvet Caper
BIO:
Ellen M. Laura is a seasoned author, mystic, and spiritual guide. Her decades of “soft”
paranormal encounters—animal premonitions, protective presences, objects that seem to wake—
inform both her fiction and her teaching. These experiences began in the 1970s, when such
stories were mostly shared in whispers. Based in Las Vegas, she blends meditation and
archetypal work with a lifelong love of cats and the mysterious bonds they forge with humans. A
member of the Cat Writers’ Association, Ellen also speaks about the continuity of animal
consciousness: several of her felines have returned to her across the years—yes, reincarnated cats
have graced her life
Transcript:
Hello, cat lovers, welcome to Cattitude. I'm your show host, Michelle Fern, and what a great show I have for you today. I have the author of this really interesting book about cats, and I cannot wait to introduce you to her and talk about the book.
We'll be right back. Welcome back, everyone. I'd like to welcome Ellen Laura.
She is the author of Bella and Django, a Vegas velvet caper. Welcome, Ellen. Thank you for having me.
I'm thrilled to be here. I'm thrilled to have you on. I love books.
I'm a voracious reader, and I love cats, so what better, you know? So let's talk about their book. Can you first tell us who are Bella and Django? Well, Bella's my real life cat. She is a gorgeous Maine coon.
She came into my life first, and Django, he's fictional. He came about because I've known lots of men in Las Vegas in the gambling business, and if you look at the cover of the book, you know, there's Django with a leather coat and dark sunglasses, so that's where he came from. He's fictitious, but Bella, she's absolutely real, and she's here with me now.
My first cat was Dennis, and he found me, and he's part Maine coon. I've never had him tested, but from markings, and they say they're the dog of cats, dog-like cats, which was good for me because I had dogs prior. I love Maine coons and Maine coon mixes.
I think they're amazing cats. She is. She's a glorious 16-pound, 14-year-old goddess, and her full name, just in case you're curious, is Empress Bella Rose.
Oh, Empress Bella Rose, how fancy. She's small for a Maine coon, then. 16 pounds, I don't know.
I don't think she, well, to me, she's not small. She's the biggest cat I've ever had, and I've had cats my whole life. We have another cat.
We have two others that they're just big. I've seen pictures of Maine coons that are like four feet long, so I don't know. My Maine coon is not that big.
He's about 14, 13 pounds. He's not too big. Okay, so let's talk about Bella and Django.
Did you start with Bella and then think, I have to add a guy for her? Is that where Django came about? Well, I've been writing fiction stories for a while, and I've been doing cat stories, and so I have pussycat messages. I have a lot of cat stories, and Bella has been the muse, and I thought, you know what? Bella deserves to be the star because she's the one who's living with me now, so I came up with this idea, a cozy mystery, and then Django had to be part of it, so as a writer, ideas unfold one after another, and since I live in Las Vegas, that had to come about. I lived in Maui, and I visited the Lanai Cat Sanctuary.
So the Lanai Cat Sanctuary is a real magnificent sanctuary, and I've been there three or four times to take the ferry over from Maui. It is so amazing, Michelle. It's clean.
You get there, and you don't know what to expect, and then you walk in, and there's all these cats, and they greet you at the gate. So when I was imagining Bella as a princess and where she was born, I thought, what better place for this fictional story to begin than this sanctuary? So that's where the idea came from. That is really cool.
That's amazing. Her story starts at the Lanai, but that's where Bella is from. No, well, the fictional Bella.
Fictional Bella only, okay. But okay, so you added it in. I get it.
You added the Lanai Cat Sanctuary. I think that's wonderful, because it's a great place for people to learn about. Yeah, you can adopt cats from your home, and they send you pictures.
It's amazing, but as I say, when I lived in Maui, I went there many times. Now, I live in Las Vegas, so Bella, real-life Bella, came from a shelter here, and one of my very close friends had to rehome this gorgeous cat. The companion who Bella lived with, Rumi, he passed on, and Marcia could no longer care for her alone.
She was traveling too much. And because Bella's so beautiful, so many people wanted her, Marcia wouldn't give her away. And then finally, what happened, Michelle? It was, for me, a Christmas miracle.
My beautiful cat, Princess Tonkin, unexpectedly died a week before Christmas, eight years ago. And I was devastated, as you all know, what that's like, losing a cat, losing a pet. And then Marcia said she was traveling, and did I want to babysit Bella? And she came here.
She strutted in like she belonged here. She hopped to the top of the castle where Tonkin used to live, that was Tonkin's place, as if she sensed her, and that she was to take over and help heal my heart. So that's the story of the real life, Bella.
That is incredible. I love when, I guess this might sound a little odd to people, but like the universe knows you need something, and it comes into your life. Absolutely, because there's the wishing prayers in our hearts, right? Yeah, yes.
We're wishing for this. And then Marcia needed someone, and she was already, Marcia had been here, and actually met me with Tonkin. And she asked me, would I want to adopt Bella? I said, no, Tonkin will never allow another cat.
She was, Tonkin came to me in Maui. She was another rescue. We moved here together to Las Vegas, but she, unlike Bella, was not social and wasn't friendly.
So I didn't dare bring Bella into our home. And then suddenly, devastating, Tonkin's gone, Bella moves in, the universe filled that wish that my heart needed a week before Christmas, eight years ago. So here we are now, two seen women living together, Bella and Ellen in Las Vegas.
Wonderful. Now you also, your book, you just released also the audio book portion. Tell me about the narration, because you felt that was kind of special, and it kind of brought Bella and Django more to life than even, you know, the hard copy book.
Well, yes, you know, as the writer, I searched for someone, and I found this lovely woman, Shannon. And I'm telling you, she gave so much love. And every time I listened, I thought, oh my God, this is so cute.
You know, the little parts where, you know, she would have Bella speaking, because Bella's sassy, and she's, you know, the queen of everything. And then Django has his deep voice, and then the humans in the story. It just added so much more magic.
So for me, as the author, that was very special. And I'm so glad I found this woman. So anyone interested, you can listen to the audio, or you can read the e-book, or you can do them together.
Okay, wonderful. Let's talk about the cats, because they're very different. So you've already disclosed, you know, Bella's kind of sassy, and she's also bold, and curious, and emotionally open.
And Django is very different. He seems to me more like the dark, sultry, you know, kind of cat. Yes, absolutely, yeah, yeah, you're right.
Because remember, in the story, Bella grows up in paradise. So even though she's in a shelter, she doesn't know it's a shelter. The cats in Lanai think they live in paradise.
So she already comes from a place that's soft, and tender, and warm. And Django, he was an alley cat. He lived on the streets of Las Vegas, and then he's adopted by a man named Max, who owns the Gambler's Bookstore.
And in moves Django, and becomes the celebrity cat. So when people are in Vegas visiting, or all the, you know, the people who work in casinos, and they're there looking for old books, they go to the Gambler's Bookstore, which is a real place. And so my close friend, who's worked in the gambling business for years, had told me all about the Gambler's Bookstore.
And he, this man I've known, who's worked in the casinos, he reminded me of Django, because he's tall, and dark, and handsome, and has shown up in my life many times with a leather jacket and the dark glasses. So, you know, as a writer, the stories evolve from a mix of our real life, and a mix of fantasy. You know, I've always wanted to write a book that's still on my bucket list.
And the more I talk to authors, the more excited I get about, this is possible. Because it's so interesting how you create characters, and all of that. Let's talk about cats and bookstores, because it seems to be a theme.
There's, anytime I read a book, and there's a bookstore involved, most likely, 70% of the time, there's also cats. What do you think it is between cats and bookstores that makes them such a great match? Maybe because they're quiet? Well, I think it's because they add a charm to something, you know, that's made out of paper, and dust, and, you know, they bring life. And so, there they are, sitting there among the books, and people can often speak to them.
You know how cats allow us to imagine they're communicating back with us? So, say you're in a bookstore, and you go up, and you say, oh, I'm interested in this book. And then you look at the cat, and say, what do you think? So, we imagine that the cats are either saying, you know, what we want them to believe. And in this bookstore, Jango, he's the presence that fills the store with life.
A lot of people come just because of him. And the owner, Max, who gets in trouble, and he's about to lose his store, it's because of Jango, who becomes a detective, along with Bella, that they're able to figure out who's really the thief trying to steal the bookstore. Wow, is this part of a series? It will be a series, but this is the first Bella and Jango book.
So, this is number one. As I say, the previous cat story was a mix of fantasy and sci-fi. It's a longer book.
It's called Pussycat Messages, Starborn Descent. And it's a lot more wild. The cats travel in spaceships.
They go to Venus. The woman they live with falls in love with a man from Venus, and then they have to go live there. And they have all kinds of wild adventures that is more leaning towards sci-fi and fantasy.
This book was more a cozy mystery with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Here's what happens, here's the thief, and here's how they get caught. And the cats are key in catching them.
So, they're very different, but cats, again, are the main characters in both of these two recent books. I've written lots of other books. I have a memoir.
And, well, I don't know if this is really relevant, but since you're interested in writing, there was a platform on Amazon that was called Vela, V-E-L-L-A, where you would publish serial stories. Michelle, I wrote 13 books. Cat stories, fantasy books, sci-fi, all kinds of stuff.
And then Amazon decided it wasn't profitable enough, and they closed it, and all of our books disappeared. So, some of the books are now being taken back to life like Pussycat Messages, but this book was totally new and centered totally around Bella, Jango, and what's going on between Lanai, between Paradise, and how that arrives in Las Vegas. Okay, we have to take a short break, and we'll be right back.
Welcome back, everyone. We're talking to Ellen Laura. She is the author of Bella and Jango, a Vegas velvet caper.
So, we've talked a lot about the cats. I do have one more question. We talked about what Jango would look like.
He gave everybody a good picture with his velvet jacket, and I think he has, if I remember correctly, sunglasses, and he's a real smoky kind of character. Now, Bella, in the book, what would she be like? Sassy? What would she wear? Well, in the book, she's just herself. She doesn't have a costume on, because she's so beautiful as a Maine Coon.
And in the story, we learn that Bella came from a home from a very wealthy woman who became ill and could no longer keep her when she was a tiny kitten. And so, she's a purebred. So, even though she arrives to live at the Lanai Sanctuary, she is a purebred Maine Coon with a beautiful ruff.
And so, she's so beautiful, she doesn't need a costume. Whereas Max, you know, lives with this Jango, and Jango is there always with the dark sunglasses and the leather jacket, because that's his personality. That's what you would imagine a cat who'd come from the alleys, and then he becomes a celebrity in a bookstore.
Okay, a lot of twists and turns. So, one thing about, you know, cat livers is they sometimes, when they're reading, they're very, especially, you know, as cat folks, we want authenticity. So, how authentic would you say the feline behavior is in this story? Well, of course it is fictional, but as I was writing it, I had to go in different places and edit.
So, in the beginning of the story, Bella comes from Lanai. So, she lands in the Las Vegas airport, and by some strange mishap, her carrier case door is open. So, there she is in the Las Vegas airport, inside this carrier, crouched down, and there's all the chiming of, you know, slot machines and people and suitcases rolling.
And the story has to move forward, so Bella leaves the case, and she's then rescued by Max. Well, how's that going to happen? How is anyone going to believe that a cat has enough audacity to leave her cage and walk around in a noisy airport? So, as an author, I started thinking about it, and I thought, well, I will go back and create a backstory where when Bella was on Lanai, and she first arrived, she was shy. But the older cats gave her instructions, and they said to her, Bella, if you want to be adopted, if you want to be chosen, you can never show your fear.
You can never show that you're afraid. You need to lift your head and walk ahead. So, by adding that little piece of the backstory, then it made a little bit more sense of how a cat could actually be brave enough to walk through an airport.
That is a great explanation, and I think it will help readers to understand why things happen in books, and especially why things happen in your book, and understand Bella more. What is your personal opinion when you read books? Because, you know, you're an author, so your viewpoint is way different than mine, but when you read books, and they're like cat cozy mysteries, and there's just pieces that don't connect. Well, you know, one of the things that I've come to as an author, regardless of whether I'm reading a cat story or reading fiction, because I've been reading books, you know, from great fiction writers forever, sci-fi, fantasy, and then from the famous fiction writers, I never want to be critical to another author.
So, I do my best to imagine what they were going through, why they, you know, why they wrote it the way they did, and for me, especially if I'm reading a cozy cat story, if it makes me laugh a little bit, and it makes the cat more real, I guess because I'm an author, and I know how difficult this can be, I'm a lot more generous with what I'm able to give. But, you know, thinking about that, Michelle, when I wrote that other book that is, you know, it lives at the borders of fantasy and sci-fi, I had some criticism of, well, how is this even possible that, you know, in one chapter, the cats are living in Las Vegas, and then they're on a spaceship, and then they're in Tibet, you know, and then they're in Venus, how is this all happening? So, my imagination being focused in- That's what I was, I'm sorry to interrupt. As you were saying that, I was about to say, it's called imagination, but then you said your imagination, so, right? That's it, we use our imagination, and, you know, one of the things, if you ever begin to write a book, I'd be so glad to support you in any way, but, you know, as we go along, we use our imaginations, and we make things up, and then we go back and say, okay, this doesn't work, what can I add? Because as an author, what you're thinking about is, how is this gonna land for the reader? Is it going to touch their heart? Is it going to make them feel tears? Are they going to think of a cat they loved? Are they going to think of someone they loved dearly, and now they're no longer there? So, that's what the author is doing.
They're tuning in the best they can, trying to imagine what the reader would like to feel, because, let's face it, what do books and movies do, Michelle? They transport us out of this world, where sometimes we don't like what's going on in the world. Yes. So, we don't want to totally escape, but we want our attention on something that offers us more tenderness, more hope, and something that makes us smile, even in light of where there's a darkness.
So right on, absolutely. Now, let's talk about cats, because, you know, this book is all about cats. You have a cat, you have Princess Bella.
What do you think that people most misunderstand about cats? Well, if you're a cat owner, then hopefully you don't misunderstand a lot. You come to understand each one is unique. I've had cats forever, you know, and I'm in my 70s now.
So, each one is different, and you have to tune in to what's unique about that cat. As I said, the one who came before Bella, she was not friendly. When I was dating Michelle, she would get on the chair across from the sofa and turn her back to us until the man left.
Oh my gosh. I know, it was very comical. She was like, I don't like him.
Why is he here? This is our house. Bella, on the other hand, she loves visitors. She loves men.
She loves anyone who gives her attention. So, I think what people have to understand about cats is the same thing they have to understand about us. If I meet you, I need to tune into who you are as Michelle, not what I would project onto you.
And it's the same for animals, whether it's a cat, a dog. And if you haven't lived with a cat, you know, I have lots of friends who are authors who don't like cats. And you know what? I've always been mystified, I think to myself, women, it's okay if men maybe don't, but they are the embodiment of sensuality.
They are the embodiment of pride. And you know, this is how we need to be treated as women. It's unimaginable to me how women don't respond to cats, but we know there are many who don't.
So, I think in order to really feel into what a cat is like or any animal is like, you need to just be present and watch and listen and don't project all of your needs onto them. Very true. And you have to understand the cat.
And cats, there's another saying, and people have said this many, many times, cats are not small dogs. Cats are cats. So, and all three of mine are very different, you know, personalities.
And they take a little longer than dogs to figure out their personalities. You have to like, learn about them. But they will let you know, you get too close or do something they don't like, you get a little swipe.
Get a little swipe, yeah. You know, think of the things that are popular in the world now. Everybody needs to set boundaries.
Don't let people in your life who don't bring you good energy. Well, who knows all about that? Cats, yes, of course. You know, if you're not bringing good energy to a cat, they're out the door.
They're gonna go hide under the bed. So, you know, cats can teach us so much about life, how to have dignity. Let's face it, cats don't always wanna show up in wine and show their wounds to everybody.
They want to be dignified. They'll go lick themselves and then come back out when they look beautiful again. So, I think they're just magnificent beings.
Mystical beings. So, let's talk about the characters while we have a few minutes left of Bella and Django. Which one would be most likely to knock your, I don't know, gorgeous candle off the shelf? Well, in fiction, I think it would be Bella.
In real life, because Bella was raised by a woman who was much more disciplined than I, Bella is the only cat I've had, Michelle, who never knocks anything down. She doesn't climb on counters. She learned from her first home how to behave well.
So, she's carried that over. Now, Django, he might just watch and wait. So, I don't know, but I think Bella in the fictional world, she definitely knocks something down if it didn't please her at all.
Okay. So, hey, since you're in Vegas and everybody, when they think of Vegas, and I've been a few times, think of, I'm not a big gambler, I'm risk adverse, but, you know, they think of gambling, but then they think of cocktails. So, what would be Bella and Django's signature cocktail if they were humans in Vegas? Well, I think that, you know, he'd have something that was dark and smoky, maybe with cognac, right? And maybe just something straight.
I don't even know if he'd want anything mixed. And Bella, she'd probably want something that had a pretty little umbrella that would remind her of paradise. You know, one of those drinks that you get in Hawaii.
So, you know, talking about Vegas, Michelle, I lived here years ago, and I actually worked in the casino as a cigarette girl. So, it's a long past part of my life, but I know that part of Vegas, and I've been there. Now, I've never had an interest in gambling, but I've always had friends who are professional poker players, work in the casinos.
And so, here I am today, and I live out in an area that's called Lake Las Vegas in Henderson. It's about 30 minutes from the glamor of the strip. I never go to the casinos.
Bella and I live a very quiet life. But you're right, you know, Vegas has this mix of glamor and mystery, and I wanted to bring that into the story. That's why I added a part about the film where Django in the story, he's watching the film to catch a thief because it captures the glamor of Las Vegas.
Here we are with a man who's handsome and gorgeous, Cary Grant, and we have Grace Kelly. So, I thought that somewhat embodied what the Cats would appreciate and what our readers would find interesting. Well, as you're saying this, I was thinking when you're talking about Vegas, I thought, well, it isn't known as Sin City for nothing, but there are a lot of beautiful parts of it, you know, too.
It's not just the strip. You're right. But, you know, years ago, I went to a concert, maybe two, three years ago with Lady Gaga, and it was Halloween.
So, there she was, wild and, you know, and she said to everybody, people, this is Vegas. If you didn't know what you were going to get at this concert, why did you show up here? So, yeah, of course, you know, you have to realize when you're in Las Vegas, you're gonna get way more sass and way more sex. Right, it is what it is.
It is what it is, yeah. If you don't like it, don't go. Right, exactly.
If you don't like it, don't go. Yes, okay. So, you mentioned that there's, this is the first in the series.
Can you give us any hints on the second book in the series? And also, where can people find Bella and Django of Vegas Velvet Caper? Okay, well, the second book, the idea that I have, although it's still very rough, is that somehow someone comes from Lanai, from the island of Lanai, and they are not a good person. And they find out that Bella and Django are in the bookstore, and they try to kidnap these cats because now they've become celebrities. So, that's kind of what I've been thinking as a new caper, that someone would actually try to steal the cats because they're famous now in Las Vegas.
And, you know, hold them as hostage and try and get money. It's a rough idea. I might come up with three or four other ones.
And meanwhile, this book is on Amazon. You can get the ebook, and the Audible is on, you know, Audible. So, you can get both of them.
Actually, Amazon has something that's called Whisper Sync. And you can get the ebook and the Audible for one price. So, as you're listening, you can go along with the ebook.
And the next thing I would like to do, even before I get to the next book, I'm considering making this into a paperback because some people, as you know, Michelle, they don't want a Kindle and they don't want an Audible. So, I haven't done that yet. But I think that's a next goal.
And I'd love for people who either read the ebook or the Audible to get in touch with me and say, you know, what they liked about it, what they would like to see next. As an author, it's so important to get feedback from people who read what we have to say. Absolutely.
Where can people find out more about you and reach you? Well, I have a website. It's called, my name, ellenmLaura.com. E-L-L-E-N-M-L-O-R-A.com. And, Michelle, I just started in April a new podcast. It's called, Enter the Mystic's Garden.
So, that's on Spotify. It's on Substack. Enter the Mystic's Garden.
And in one of the recent episodes, I had a friend who was here and he is a musician. And so, he was singing a song on the podcast. Guess who ran out into the living room and joined in? It was the most comical part of the entire episode.
So, that episode has gotten more people interested because Bella herself shows up. Her voice is there. It's very cute.
It's called, The Day A Prayer Changed My World. So, they can find me on Spotify. Enter the Mystic's Garden.
They can find me at my website, ellenmLaura.com or on Amazon. Well, I want to thank you, Ellen, for coming on Cattitude and sharing all of this wonderful information about your book. I wish you great success.
Thank you so much. Thank you, Michelle. It was so kind of you to invite me here.
I want to thank Ellen Laura for coming on Cattitude and telling us about her new book, Bella and Django, a Vegas Velvet Caper. Be sure to look for it on Amazon and also her podcast on Spotify. I want to thank my cat crew, Dennis, Charlotte, and Molly for teaching me about cats.
Thank you, of course, to my listeners. I appreciate you so much for being so loyal to Cattitude. Thank you.
Thank you. And of course, the show would not be the same without the magic of my producer. Thank you, Mark Winter, for all you do.
And hey, remember, lose the attitude. Have Cattitude.