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#175 From Mews(es) to Manuscript: How Inspired by Cats Became an Illustrated Literary Book

Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, publishers, writing teachers, assigning editors and media experts.

Release Date: 01/22/2026

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Freelance Writing Direct with Estelle: Conversations with authors, journalists, agents, novelists, memoirists, niche writers, publishers, writing teachers, assigning editors and media experts.

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Did you know that cats have, in their feline way, shaped some of the greatest writing careers in literary history?

Bob Eckstein and Nava Atlas join Estelle Erasmus to talk about their collaboration on Inspired by Cats: Writers and Their Mews(es), a visually rich book exploring the creative bond between writers and their feline companions. The conversation traces how the idea evolved from a shareable literary roundup into a full-scale book published by Norton. Bob and Nava unpack their creative process, from cleanly dividing roles between writing and illustration to navigating permissions, estates, and revisions. This episode is especially valuable for writers curious about collaboration, research-driven books, illustration partnerships, and finding inspiration beyond the page.

In this episode: 

  • How Inspired by Cats: Writers and Their Mews(es) grew from a literary roundup into a full book [1:10]

  • Why cats consistently emerge as ideal creative companions for writers [3:01]

  • What Bob and Nava learned about collaboration, trust, and dividing creative roles [9:40]

  • What working with estates, living authors, and editors really involves [12:30]

  • Surprising discoveries about famous writers and their feline companions [20:15]

  • The importance of curation and surprise when shaping a narrative-driven book [24:19]

  • How tight word limits can sharpen writing instead of limiting it [30:46]

  • What the project revealed about inspiration, discipline, and the writing life [32:20]

Bob Eckstein previously appeared on Freelance Writing Direct to talk about his work and career, and listeners may enjoy revisiting that episode alongside this conversation. #86 The Way of an Author and Illustrator: Finding Inspiration in Art. https://estelleserasmus.com/86-the-way-of-an-author-and-illustrator-finding-inspiration-in-art-featuring-bob-eckstein/

 

Watch on YouTube:https://youtu.be/PDRCFOiCLn4

 

Inspired by Cats Writers and Their Mews(es): https://wwnorton.com/books/9781682689493

 

Bob Eckstein is a NY Times bestseller, award-winning illustrator, New Yorker cartoonist, and world’s leading snowman expert. His newest books are Footnotes from the Most Fascinating Museums and Inspired by Cat: Writers & Their Mews(es).

Connect with Bob

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Bob's Latest Book on Estelle's Bookshop

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Podcast: The Cartoon Pad

Nava Atlas has some twenty books to her credit. She’s known for her many vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, most recently the 5th edition of Vegan Soups and Stews for All Seasons. Nava is also the author of visual nonfiction, notably Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life, which spun off to the web archive LiteraryLadiesGuide.com, dedicated to women’s classic literature, with millions of views logged. Her latest book is Inspired by Cats: Writers and Their Mews(es), illustrated by Bob Eckstein. She’s working on Women Writing Dangerously, a visual history of banning, censorship, and silencing of women’s literature. She lives in the Hudson Valley region of New York state. You can find her at LiteraryLadiesGuide.com and TheVeganAtlas.com.

Connect with Nava 

https://literaryladiesguide.substack.com 

https://theveganatlas.substack.com

 

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About Estelle

Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist,TEDx Speaker, author of Writing That Gets Noticed, and host of Freelance Writing Direct. An adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines.

 

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