Author Interview: Vanessa Morgan

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vanessa Morgan about her upcoming novel, MEOW! CATS IIN HORROR, SCI-FI, AND FANTASY MOVIES. Links will be put below to all of her socials and to her book! Fellow cat lovers, lovers of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, or any and all authors and readers, do check out Vanessa Morgan's work!

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1). Please introduce yourself! Let our readers know a little about you, whatever it may be!

Hi, everyone! I'm Vanessa Morgan, a writer from Belgium. I wrote several horror novels, a cat book, and four movie reference guides. I'm also the creator of Traveling Cats, the only travel blog dedicated to cat lovers. If you love books, movies, and cats, we have a lot in common!

2) In a few sentences, what's your book about? What is its genre, pitch, and rating?

My latest book, Meow! Cats in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Movies, is a reference guide that helps you discover genre films featuring cats. It covers movies from 29 countries and explores how different cultures perceive cats, their mythology, and even the origins of the fear of black cats. It’s packed with fascinating details, making it a great read for both movie buffs and cat enthusiasts—including curious teenagers!

3) What inspired your book? Are there any particular themes or events that caused you to write this book?

I've always been passionate about cats and movies, so this book was inevitable! It’s a perfect blend of my two greatest loves, and I had so much fun bringing them together in a way that I hope others will enjoy just as much.

4) What was your favorite part of writing this book?

The research, without a doubt. I thought I already knew a lot about the topic going in, but I quickly realized there was so much more to explore. This book became more than just a collection of films—it turned into an exploration of superstitions, mythologies, and cinematic history from around the world.

5) Do you have a favorite character/chapter?

That’s a tough one! I love the introduction because it sets the stage for the rest of the book, providing important historical and cultural context. But I also have a soft spot for the chapters about hidden gems—movies that most people have never heard of but absolutely deserve to be discovered. And the bonus chapter was so much fun to put together! It highlights iconic cats and cat moments in movies that aren’t necessarily about cats—like Jonesy from Alien.

6) Meow! Cats in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Movies takes a look at feline characters in media. Would you say this is something prevalent in these particular genres?

It really depends on the country. In Asian genre films, cats are incredibly common. That’s largely due to the deep-rooted mythology surrounding them, dating back to Japan’s Edo period with creatures like the bakeneko and nekomata. Plus, many Asian cultures are simply cat-obsessed! Taiwan was the birthplace of cat cafés, and Japan even has multiple cat islands—where feline residents outnumber humans.

7) Is there anything you'd like the reader to know before diving into your book?

Yes! Meow! does cover some films that include violence against cats. But don’t worry—many of the directors featured in the book are devoted cat lovers who absolutely dote on their feline companions (I know some of them personally, so I can vouch for that!). Ironically, it’s often the cutest animal movies that treat their animal actors the worst.