I & the Scaredy Cat: The Junk Drawer Adventures, #2

By Amber Gabriel

You never know what you'll find in Aunt Mysti's junk drawer.

I've always wanted a pet, but since my parents are deployed and I live with my Aunt Mysti, I've had to make do with walking the neighbor's dog. When a stray cat starts living in our garage, I try to earn its trust. Skittish and easily scared, the cat proves hard to win over.

I take care of the cat as best I can, but with the frisbee golf tournament happening at school this week, I have to stay focused. My friend Payton and I have been practicing for weeks. We plan to win it all. However, a magic pair of earbuds from my aunt's junk drawer gives me a peek into the cat's mind, and I'm forced to make a choice that could ruin everything.

Put yourself in the role of protagonist and follow "I" on this relatable, entertaining journey to empathy. Perfect for fans of Edward Eager.

Content to consider: A deployed parent misses a scheduled video call. References to cat litter and cleaning up after pets. Mild feline peril. A character leaves a designated area without permission.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amber Gabriel
• Release date: May 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224467501

Amber Gabriel

loved the illustrations. I would pick that book out every time, so my teacher finally removed it from the shelf to force me to expand my horizons. Now I have my own copy. Another book that influenced me very early on was Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy World. It told a story of two creative painters who painted a mural of a large sun inside someone's house. I thought the idea was genius, so I drew a large sunshine on my wall with crayon. It was scrubbed off, but I continued to have a desire to express myself artistically. In middle school, I enjoyed writing, and my English teacher told me I would write a book someday. I loved to read, sometimes reading late into the night. When I was not reading, I was making up stories in my head for my own amusement, but I never wrote them down. I was more interested in drawing and painting than writing. I have since painted numerous works of art, including some very large outdoor murals. You can see some of them if you do an internet search of Paint by Amber. Over the years, I have had a lot of trouble with insomnia. I had heard that if you write down your ideas, it will help you to be able to go to sleep. That didn't help, but I did end up writing some complete novels. Recently, I was diagnosed with narcolepsy, and understanding my sleep patterns, along with scheduling at least one nap during the day, has greatly improved my quality of life. The line between dreaming and wakefulness for me is sometimes blurred, and some of my ideas come straight from my dreams. Others are worked out while I'm lying in bed unable to sleep. It was fun to type them out, and I am planning to continue writing. My goal as an author is to write the type of books that I would like to read. My favorite genre is fantasy fiction, and I read and write books that tackle difficult issues but resolve themselves into a happy ending. I hope you enjoy my stories and characters as much as I do. If you search my name and the word 'author,' you should be able to find my social media site. I look forward to hearing from you!

Book preview

To the stray cat who lived in my garage for a month

Chapter 1

BOOM.

Yeow!

CRASH!

I sat straight up in bed, startled awake by strange noises on the other side of the wall. Heart thumping, I ducked under the covers and tried to stop my teeth from chattering. I didn’t want whatever was in the garage to hear me. 

After a few moments of quiet, I dared to breathe. Slowly, I lowered the blanket to my chin. Oak limbs waved outside the window, casting spooky shadows on my curtains in the moonlight. The dim, yellow glow of the hallway night light shone steadily under my bedroom door. The digital alarm clock on my nightstand read 2:13am. Any second, I feared the garage door would creak open and an intruder would enter the hallway, but nothing happened.

Should I call Aunt Mysti?

My aunt’s bedroom lay on the opposite side of the house, and I would have to pass the door to the garage on my way to wake her. Either that or scream at the top of my lungs until she heard me and came running. All because I’d heard a thump in the night. I’d seen enough movies to know by the time she arrived, there would be nothing there.

I probably dreamed it, anyway. Everything is fine, I assured myself. The goosebumps on my arms said otherwise. I’ll never be able to sleep now. I could read a book. My scouting flashlight stood on my dresser on the other side of the room. It might have been a mile away. No way was I getting out of bed until morning. My tablet was charging in the living room–Aunt Mysti didn’t allow it in my bedroom. 

With wide eyes, I stared at the ceiling, unable to close them. It was going to be a long night.

What’s the matter? asked Aunt Mysti as I dragged myself, bleary-eyed and late, to the table for breakfast. I must have nodded off at some point, but I felt like I’d been awake all night.

I didn’t sleep well. I heard a noise in the garage.

Hmm. Maybe a rat. The construction down the road is disturbing the wildlife. I’ll have to buy a trap.

I thought something bigger than a rat had made the noise, but I didn’t say so.

She set a bowl of raisin bran and a slice of toast in front of me. I have to finish the quilt for the fair today. How do you plan on spending your Saturday? Aunt Mysti lets me do what I want if my homework and chores are done.

Probably playing frisbee with Payton. We’d been playing frisbee golf in gym class, and Coach Spinner was holding a tournament next week. I grabbed a speckled banana from the fruit bowl and peeled it. The doorbell rang as I swallowed the first mushy bite. Jumping out of my seat, I ran to answer