Featured Artwork: Klepto Cat Book 75, “Meowing in the Mountains”

March 5, 2026 Bernadette

Patricia described the story and her idea:

Rags is part of the human team searching for a missing man in the mountains of Colorado. I’m thinking about having him front and center digging in a cascade of soft dirt (presumably spilling down a mountainside from an illegal mine). Somewhere in the picture can we show one or two odd-looking cats–cats that have been changed–mutated over time living near the mine. I envision these cats practically hairless, with kind of scary faces and wild tufts of fur on top of their heads between their ears. In the story they’re referred to as “werewolf cats.” For added interest, we could have Rags digging and show just the legs and boots of a few people near Rags digging with shovels. We’d still need the strange-looking cats somewhere in the background.

In this story, the man is found to be working in the illegal, dangerous mine against his will. He is very concerned about these odd cats he sees up there on the mountain and has befriended them. Meanwhile Savannah, Michael and others are trying to find the man with Rags’s help.

I had a few good ideas to start with, but finding background images from the mountains in northern California were a sticking point. Rocky soil and brush would make a background where it might be difficult to see cats, especially if they…didn’t look like regular cats. But I finally did decide on a few photos from a hike with a friend I’d visited out there. I used a photo of my gray and white cat Namir digging into a mound and two cats on top. The cats all changed a few times. Patricia wanted to see Rags’ face and sent me photos of Smokey, her mother’s real life cat who was the model for Rags so I switched the images.

Usually I’m using reference photos and designing something that actually does exist, but designing two cats who don’t exist, at least not in photos I’ve seen, is a challenge but fun. The two cats were based on hairless sphynx cats because of their wrinkled skin. I added the ears and tail and paws of Maine coon cats with lots of ear hair and fluff and adding a sort of Mohawk pattern down the back. Patricia wanted them to look even stranger and sent me a photo of a kitten the fur on its head standing out in all directions, and that’s how these cats ended up. A couple of shovels and Rags sitting in front of what appeared to be an opening into the mound finished it off.

Here’s the synopsis:

The fur flies when the klepto cat meets a werecat.

Rags is called on to help solve a missing persons case, and he finds himself face-to-face with some strange felines. He also sounds the alarm that brings awareness to an awful crime against the environment and human life. Along the way he saves a small dog and earns some unexpected favors for his family. He breaks the rules on an airliner, but for a good cause. This story has some interesting twists, turns, and surprises. You won’t want to put it down.

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

About the materials I use for the illustrations

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

Klepto Cat Mystery Book Cover illustration and design

Klepto Cat Book 66, "Rags Claws for Clues"

Rags Digs Up the Past book cover illustration and design.

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.

. . . . . . .

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.