Paul W Mathews

The Magical Shahua and fifty shades of fur.... Paul W Mathews

Shahua is a very magical cat, who can cross time and space, bringing luck and good fortune to those hoomins who deserve it. In Taiwan Mark and Kitty save Shahua from certain death. She/he magically brings good fortune to Kitty and her family of cats. Twenty years later Mark meets Ping, "the cat lady" in Australia. He helps her feed the cats, and coming to know her they fall in love. But Ping thinks she is ugly because of her deformity. Mark helps with Ping's life and together they discover a prophecy from Shahua. Following instructions, they discover Ping's father has left her a large inheritance. Now she is able to fulfill her dream of having a safe-house for abandoned cats, to fix her hands, and marry her 'prince'. But in this journey Mark and Ping also meet with a 'fairy'. Is she also an incarnation of Shahua? While the narrative tells of Mark meeting Ping and their good fortunes, it also draws parallels with a story that Mark reads to Ping about his experience with Shahua in Taiwan. It is the same story across time and space, of how we cast out those who are disabled, strange, or simply different, much to our regret. It is purely magical.