Featured Artwork: Klepto Cat Book 73, “Only the Cat Knows”

February 19, 2026 Bernadette

I just about to start the cover for book 28 in the Calico Cat series and I really want to catch up faster! So for the next few weeks I’m going to double up on covers, featuring one of each Klepto Cat and Calico Cat mysteries.

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What’s with that rug? That very pattern was the solution to a problem that took me quite a bit of time to solve for this cover, but once the idea came to me I couldn’t not do it.

Patricia described the story and her idea:

It’s “Only the Cat Knows” and the story tells of members of a family who work on the property as ranch hands and are going missing. Of course Rags is called in to find clues. One clue toward the end of the story is a piece of western art on the wall of a bunkhouse. So I’m thinking Rags could be standing on a cot, with his paw on the art piece, looking at it. … Or you could widen the shot to include other pieces of art. These are well-done pencil art, framed and since Rags is messing with them and they’re in a bunkhouse a couple of them could be hanging crooked. … These are nicely done western pencil art. With horses and cows and barns.

The picture in question is cowboys around a campfire with horses in the background. These are mainly black (or brown) and white, but this campfire picture–the one Rags is focused on and touching– is the has some color–like muted color coming up from the campfire–sort of exploding color above the cowboys. … At one point Rags knocks the picture off the wall–so you could have him on the floor pawing at it. I kind of like the image of him reaching for it, though, maybe tipping it.

I’m actually familiar with this genre of artwork. You might not think so but western art is quite an extensive genre with many different classic painting styles and templates of color as well as black and white media like pencil, charcoal and ink. I told Patricia I had read a lot of horse books growing up and loved the illustrations. She had mentioned possibly I could integrate a sketch into the cover especially if it was seen from the side.

For layout I immediately remembered the cover for The Gallery Cat Caper where Rags is looking at art on the walls. I have lots of photos of galleries including my own exhibits and also have my own art hanging all over the house.

black cat on cat tree in gallery — Bella on display.

Patricia had mentioned a view from the side and I liked that one, similar to the other book cover. But I also had to make the place look like a bunk house and that’s the part that didn’t work because the look of a bunkhouse is…kind of vague. But I did spend a good bit of time trying to make it work. And the clue that was to be in the artwork itself, that didn’t really work seeing it from the side. I mentioned my dilemmas to Patricia and she suggested since one of the works is knocked down Rags could be pawing at it on the floor. You can see that’s how it worked out.

But still, the details of the art, and that carpet. I tossed together a photo of friends around a bonfire at a skating party around a pond, made it black and white, then added some western gear where it would show, knowing when I painted the cover I could add or change it where I needed to, and added a frame around it. I positioned it in the layout and used a photo of my Namir, as usual, as a stand-in for Rags in a nice view from above. I was about to add a wooden floor with wide boards when visualized a Persian rug pattern—it’s a bunkhouse, but it’s a nice bunkhouse with art on the walls. I have a perfectly good Persian-style carpet that, you guessed it, I pulled out of a neighbor’s trash. It’s too big for any room in my house so I have it rolled up under my deck until someone responds to one of the ads for a free carpet I’ve posted on networks. I pulled it out, unrolled it in the back yard, took a few photos, and placed them in the background.

I like to design covers that illustrate the story, but also covers that differ from the others in a series enough to tell them apart. The carpet really made that happen here.

Patricia liked the idea and the carpet but suggested the frame be roughed up a bit, or that it look more rustic. I put birch wood around it to coordinate with the pencil and white paper, and actually made a second layout as well.

Obviously, Patricia chose the center one. I’m so glad, I still like that detailed and colorful carpet, the odd angle on Rags, and the way the artwork turned out, just three elements but it more than fills the composition.

Here’s the synopsis:

Rags keeps things lively in this fast-moving story.

People are going missing, and Detective Craig Sledge calls for Rags’s help to find them. Along the way, the wily feline identifies a mysterious cat burglar. He thwarts a serious attack on his family, and he brings attention to an out of control cat breeding program. In the end, Rags puts a paw on the one piece of evidence no one else has noticed in the missing persons case, but will this result in bringing home the victims?

You can find this book on Patricia’s website and on Amazon.com.

About the materials for the cover illustration

I use a self-prepared two-ply illustration board with a very fine surface texture to hold the pastel, and also be able to use other media. It’s not entirely opaque so I can put it on my light table and trace the details in place. I initially started out with a sketch in watercolor but I’ve been using my brush markers more often to block in the colors and especially the dark areas; the markers don’t cause as much ripple in the paper and have cleaner edges than watercolors. Then I put it on my easel and finish it with my pastels, a mix soft pastels and pastel pencils especially for details. Depending on textures I need in the art I sometimes similar weight drawing papers with different textures too.

Getting all the details just right on an illustration like these book covers can be tricky when they are small. Depending on the detail in the illustration, I work them almost twice the final size of the cover—the cover is 5″ x 8″ and I work at 9″ x 12″ or larger.

Other illustration materials I’ve used

I don’t use paper for most of these illustrations but chose Ampersand brand Pastelbord, which is a piece of Masonite with a very fine clay and marble-dust coating that has very little texture but holds layers of pastel so I can both do my finger-painting thing with blending softer pastels and sketch with harder pastels and pastel pencils, and it stands up well to multiple changes. I began the painting with soft pastels to cover the major areas with layers of color. I finished up the details and edges with pastel pencils.

But once I began working out the covers with all this Victorian detail like PAWSitively Sinister, I needed a little assistance in keeping the details in order so it didn’t take me until next year to do the painting. Especially when working with patterns it’s important nothing is out of place or it’s immediately noticeable. I start with a complete composite that I’ve built in Photoshop using all the photos and images and art so that Patricia can see just what it will look like, and I have all the details in place. It’s far more difficult to correct an illustration than a Photoshop composite, which I can adjust infinitely. That way, when I get to my actual painting, all the decisions have been made and I just need to paint.

I use a self-prepared two-ply illustration board with a very fine surface texture to hold the pastel, and also be able to use other media. It’s not entirely opaque so I can put it on my light table and trace the details in place. I start out with a sketch in watercolor and even marker to block in the colors and especially the dark areas. Then I put it on my table and finish it with my pastels, first the soft pastels for coverage, then pastel pencils for details.

Depending on the detail in the illustration, I work them sometimes twice the final size of the cover. Getting all the details just right on an illustration like these book covers can be tricky when they are small.

About these book covers

I’ve illustrated over 100 covers for Patricia over two series of cat mysteries. You can see the Klepto Cat covers below and search “Klepto Cat” to find all the posts.

book cover design with cats and quilt undercover cat patricia fry

The final cover for "PAWtners in Crime" by Patricia Fry.

The final cover for "The Purrfect Lie" by Patricia Fry.

"A Picture Purrfect Christmas" klepto cat mystery by patricia fry

The finished cover for "Meow for the Money".

"Claws for a Cause" by Patricia Fry, cover illustration and design.

Cover illustration and design for "Cabin FURvor"

"The Amazing CATventure" cover, finished.

The finished cover for "Merriment, Mayhem and Meows".

"A Christmas to Purr About" Klepto Cat Mysteries No. 22"A Christmas to Purr About" Klepto Cat Mysteries No. 22

FURever Bound cover illustration and design.

Cats Don't Squeal cover illustration and design

illustrated book cover for cozy cat mystery

cover illustration for klepto cat book cats of a feather

book cover illustration and design klepto cat mystery

cozy cat mystery book cover patricia fry

Klepto Cat Book Covers

CWA 2018 and 2022 Muse Medallion AND Certificate of Excellence for “Illustration: Series”

Patricia publishes nearly a dozen books each year and I’ve entered the covers since 2015. I’ve won a Certificate of Excellence each year for either or both the Klepto Cat Mysteries and the Calico Cat Mysteries, and often won a MUSE™ Medallion too.

2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022

Click the links above to see the other awards.

Bookmarks for Patricia L. Fry's books. — Bookmarks for Patricia L. Fry’s books.

All books are available in electronic format and most for print on Amazon.com as well as find the print versions on Patricia’s website. Reviews have been good, and a few reviewers have even mentioned the covers! I hope you enjoy these books, and Patricia and I are currently working on the next cover. That woman can write!

When we finished book 12 we also updated the two-sided bookmark that includes all twelve books so far which Patricia can hand out at book signings and book shows.

We’ve also printed several runs of note cards from multiple covers, including a Christmas series.

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Read more about book covers I’ve designed. Also, click here to read more about the Purrs of Wisdom cover and bookmarks, and also about books I’ve designed on my blog, What’s New?

Are you interested in illustrations or a book cover, or book design? Please contact me, I’ll be happy to discuss your project.

Featured Artwork

Each week on Wednesday I feature a piece of artwork, sometimes a current or historic portrait, sometimes an illustration or an art project from years ago, usually cat-themed, but sometimes wildlife or even non-animal subjects, and even projects from my commercial art life. Read other Featured Artwork posts.

Custom Commissioned Artwork and Illustrations from Portraits of Animals

From Animal Portraits to Book Covers to Advertisements

In addition to creating commissioned portraits beloved animal companions for the past 25 years, I’ve also been a commercial artist since the 1980s both full-time and freelance and created many illustrations, book covers, advertisements, display signs and more. Visit my Commissioned Artwork pages to read more. They are not quite complete at the moment but there is still quite a bit to look at.

Copyright

All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.