I am pleased and excited to announce that one of the three stories that I entered into the Cat Writers’ Association 2022 Communications Contest has won a prestigious Muse Medallion!
Each year, the CWA selects the best entries for a variety of categories and awards them with Certificates of Excellence. The highest-scoring Certificate-winning entry in each category receives a Muse Medallion.
For 2002, I won Certificates of Excellence for the three stories I submitted for the category “Written Article: Entertainment”:
- 1904-1932: Bertha, Patches, Minnie, and Other Holiday-Time Hero Cats of Old New York
- 1901: Tom, the Deaf Cat of New York’s Post Office Feline Police Force
- 1894: Dan, the Miraculous Shrinking Cat of FDNY Engine Company 40
My story about Bertha, Patches, Minnie, and other hero cats who saved the lives of humans and kittens in emergency situations was the winner! I will add my new Muse Medallion to the one I received in 2020 for my book, The Cat Men of Gotham.
I also want to give a quick and well-deserved shout-out to all the judges who volunteer their time every year to review the hundreds of entries for the CWA Communications Contest, to all the women who serve on the CWA board, and to all the sponsors that support the CWA and the Muse Medallion Awards.
Next year, I hope to convince the CWA to add a new and much-needed category to its Communications Contest: Cats in History. I do write my stories to entertain my readers, but I also write them to educate people about the role cats have played in the history of New York City. If they do add this category, you can be sure I will be submitting several articles for consideration of a 2023 Muse Medallion!
Your writing is fabulous, Peggy! I know your Mom is
bursting with pride! Congratulations!
Congratulations on a very well deserved honor!!
Thank you, Alysa.
Congratulations, I enjoy reading about the many cats, dogs, and a few horses in your writings.
Thank you, Karen. I’ll be doing another horse story next month: I have a couple a cat stories coming in the next few weeks (including one more stereotypical black cat story for October), but stay tuned for a horse story!
Peggy, I am so happy to hear about your latest award. Congratulations.
Thank you Isle!
Hi, Peggy ~
I’ve always been one of your biggest fans since you came to do a wonderful presentation at the Mamakating Library. Since I relocated to Fort Myers, FL (still cleaning up from Hurricane Ian…what a doozy), I am the Volunteer Coordinator at the largest no-kill shelter in SWFL. The Animal Refuge Center has over 200 cats and currently about 40 dogs. I love your stories even more and share them with other animal lovers here. Keep up the great work! 🙂
Thank you, Joy. So sorry to hear about your experience with Ian, but hopefully the animals are making you happy! I’m working on a new book about the animal mascots of the FDNY (horses, dogs, cats, etc), so that should be coming on in about a year. I know there are lots of retired firefighters in Florida, so you can be one of my ambassadors!