Guest Author: Katya Armock

Katya ArmockI am excited to welcome author Katya Armock, who is celebrating the release of her new novel, To Growl or to Groan.

Her gift could save a missing girl…or destroy her relationship forever.

After receiving a troubling Tarot reading, Chloe just knows something big and bad is about to happen. Her ability to communicate with animals and shape-shifters is going awry, and her growing psychic abilities are beginning to scare her. Despite her unease, she won’t let anything interrupt her trip to Scotland to spend the holidays with her shape-shifter boyfriend’s family. Jorge is everything she’s always wanted, and the fire between Chloe and the passionate panther-shifter burns hot. But meeting his family has her nerves in knots.

When Jorge’s sister goes missing, Chloe’s psychic abilities might be the only thing that can help them find her. But things don’t go as planned, and with confusing psychic visions clouding her judgment, Chloe makes a mistake and an animal is injured. And Chloe fears she might hurt Jorge as well…

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Animal Communication

In my Hidden Lines series, the heroine Chloe has the ability to telepathically communicate with animals. I chose this attribute for her for several reasons, including that I wish I could do this so effortlessly, I wanted animals characters in my book, and I’ve studied animal communication.

Animal communication has a few different connotations. It is often used to indicate development of an ability similar to Chloe’s. Practitioners of this are often called animal or pet psychics, but animal communicator is becoming more en vogue. Some people seem to be born with a natural aptitude to certain psychic abilities. Many people believe that you can also practice to increase the natural psychic ability inherent in all humans.

Another definition of animal communication is more scientific in nature. This is the study of how animals communicate with each other and other animals (including humans). In human terms, think about how the inflection of your voice alters the meaning of your words and how much body language adds to communication.

We can all learn to understand some basic body language of dogs, cats and other pets. By creating animal characters and giving them a voice through Chloe, I also get to explore what every pet owner knows: every animal, just like every person, is different. I’ve included a few graphics with this post that introduce you to some of the animal characters—and how different their personalities are.

If nothing else, I believe that everyone can enhance their intuition, whether one goes about it through psychic, new age or occult methods to through psychological and other scientific methods. Do you ever wish you could understand your pet better? Or have you had an experience where you felt you really understood what an animal was trying to tell you?

Excerpt from To Growl or to Groan:

“Uh-oh. Now you’ve started it.” I gesture to the dogs, who have circled the table like a pack of, well, dogs.

KArmock-To Growl or To GroanThey whine at each of us in turn. Jorge gives in first. He’s the sucker. He barely gets food on the floor for each of the dogs, when our cats, Sashi and Enoki, come in. They get some goodies too. Although they are much less impressed with the cauliflower—not so much they won’t eat it, but still.

I look at Jorge. “The cats want some Alfredo sauce. They are rather insistent about it. Especially Sashi. She is threatening to scratch up the couch some more.”

Sometimes being able to talk to animals has its downsides. Like when they blackmail you for food with the threat to destroy your furniture. Of course, a cat might use the couch as a scratching post to show her displeasure anyway.

Jorge growls in Sashi’s direction. “I refuse to be threatened by our own cats. Remember, I’m a much bigger cat than you, Sashi.”

She looks suitably unimpressed. I translate. “She says, ‘Suit yourself. I’m not afraid of you.’”

Naomi breaks into peals of laughter. Jorge merely growls again, but he dips some cauliflower in the sauce and gives it to the cats. Then the dogs get another round of food.

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Meet Katya Armock!

I like books that are funny and fun to read (and hot!) but also make me think or look at the world in a new way. I am influenced by magic realism, comparative mythology, and esoteric spiritual practices from around the world.

These days you’ll find me writing, pet sitting, juggling a number of freelance gigs, and reigning as my home’s domestic goddess. I live in the Midwestern U.S. with my husband, dog and cats. Alas, I have, as of yet, been unable to teach my husband how to purr.

Contact Info
Website: website
Blog: Blog
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Want to purchase Katya’s novels?
Hidden Lines

  1. To Hiss or to Kiss
  2. To Growl or to Groan
About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

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