Murrysville woman's book sales will benefit cat rescue organization

Mar. 13—When Nina Damato was searching for a way to raise money for local animal rescue efforts, she didn't have to look much further than the two cats in her living room.

The feline siblings are both blind. Damato, 71, of Murrysville, cheekily named them Louis Braille and Andrea Bocelli. Her book, "The Extraordinarily Ordinary Kittens," recounts their experiences as a way for children to relate to people with disabilities.

To further her original goal, half the proceeds from the book will benefit the no-kill Kiski Valley Cat & Kitten Rescue in Allegheny Township, where she adopted Louis and Andrea.

Damato, a Leechburg native, spoke with the Trib recently about creating and publishing her first book. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: You've spent time working as an elementary school teacher and a federal government employee. What got you interested in writing?

A: Though I only taught for three years, from 1972-75 at Kiski Area School District's Bell and Weinels elementary schools, it was the most meaningful and gratifying work I have ever done, and I've done a lot! The one-on-one impact a teacher makes is like no other. I also believe that 95% of teachers have a book in their heads. Mine "popped out" during the covid lockdown when I decided wearing a path to the refrigerator was worse than counterproductive.

Q: What got you interested in the particular topic of your blind sibling cats?

A: Like many of us, I have always wanted to be able to contribute more money to animal rescue. So, I thought writing a book and sharing the profits might be an avenue to that goal. Writing about my blind fur babies, how could you not?

Despite not being able to see, they can do everything a sighted cat can do. My experience with them made me less uncomfortable around people with physical limitations. So, I figured a children's book about life with the blind kittens would help children become more comfortable and accepting of blindness and, by extension, other limitations and differences. And the book is a true story, not a story engineered around teaching a lesson. The only untrue part is that it's (narrated) by my know-it-all rescue dog, Sneakers.

Q: Who ended up illustrating the book, and what was it like working with someone to create the things you pictured as you were writing?

A: Talk about a small world in a very big space. The illustrator is a young woman, Rebecca Ehalt Svetina, a Kiski and Kent State graduate. Her mom and I met each other our first day at IUP and have been friends ever since. I had seen some of Rebecca's art in Patty's home and had always admired it. After college, Rebecca was doing some overseas study in Slovenia for a year. She is married now with two children and has lived there for over 10 years. We communicated by email, text and on Zoom. Many of the illustrations are from photos, but some things I had to just explain to her, and it was amazing how well she just got it. Her medium is watercolors. The illustrations really bring the story to life.

Q: What's been the biggest challenge of the whole process?

A: As an independent writer, there have been two challenges. The first, which I'm beginning to overcome, is the use of technology. The second is a staggering hurdle for most independent writers, and that is marketing. I started the book as a retirement project, a love letter to my cats, never thinking that in the end of it would require marketing a book. It's really like running a small business. What was I thinking? I was not.

"The Extraordinarily Ordinary Kittens" will be publish April 30, which is also National Adopt-a-Pet Day, and will be available at Amazon.com in both paperback and e-book formats.

Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick by email at pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter .