Our second anthology, tentatively set to be published in 2025, will center on the theme of resilience, with Lip Gloss the cat as the anchor of the book. Submissions will open mid-2024. Read below to learn about this special kitty!

Lip Gloss the cat spent 12 years living with hoarders, languishing from a flea infestation that left her with her signature “rodent ulcer” on her mouth. Despite carrying this scar from neglect—and being diagnosed with both kidney disease and hyperthyroidism this past year—she faces each day with love, strength, and comical antics like sleeping on top of her potbellied pig brother. Her permanent grin reminds everyone never to let a day go by without smiling, even in the midst of tragedy, and she has helped me surmount the greatest loss of my life: the death of my soul dog, Powder.

Adopting Lip Gloss as a senior cat, I knew, wouldn’t be easy. But I was unprepared for the diagnosis of stage 3 kidney disease that came less than a year after her adoption.

She still has so much life left, so many stunts up her sleeve, that I knew it wasn’t her time—so I decided to give battling this disease all I’ve got. Now Lip Gloss, her tenacity, and her perpetual grin are inspiring the world. We never know how much time we have, but we can wake up each day and find a reason to smile.