A Cat Called Blackjack

Comic Cat Tales #2

by Jeff Chapman

A therapy cat? Who plays blackjack?

Stu's run of luck at the blackjack table comes to a spectacular and disastrous bad end. With one twenty-five dollar chip remaining, he's facing a month of ramen noodles until his next paycheck. His friend Harv cajoles him into seeing a gambling consultant who offers an unusual solution for Stu to win his money back. A cat. A very special cat. Guaranteed success claims the consultant. In the world of gambling, nothing is guaranteed.

A Cat Called Blackjack is a humorous story filled with a host of quirky characters. If you've ever wanted to take your cat to the casino or want to convince yourself never to set foot in a casino, this story is for you.

61 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2020

About the author

Thanks for visiting my page. I write software by day and speculative fiction when I should be sleeping. Dark hot chocolate fuels my evenings. My work ranges from fairy tales to fantasy to horror and ghost stories. I've been writing all my life but decided to become super serious about it and pursue publication a few years ago. My work has appeared in various anthologies and magazines. I live with my wife, children, and cats in a house with more books than bookshelf space.

My recent novels include The Great Contagion and Cat Sidhe: Into the Witch Lands I from The Merliss Tales series; The Black Blade: A Huckster Novel from The Huckster Tales series; and The Sniggard's Revenge: A Fantasy Adventure.

Get two FREE short stories, a fairy tale and a weird western. Details at www.jeffchapmanbooks.com.

You can learn more about my stories and find links to my work in various formats at www.jeffchapmanbooks.com.

Reviews

[Janice Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stu and Harv are a dumb pair of gamblers, but Blackjack makes it a great story. It's a short story, but Chapman puts you right into the thick of it and keeps the action coming. I could hear the slots chiming and the dice rattling. I really enjoyed it.
I received this book as an ARC and wished to leave a review.

[Alias11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Jeff Chapman's stories always make me laugh. Although this one started a bit slow for me, by the time Stu and Harv visit Greta it was running full-tilt on all cylinders. Seeing these two superstitious gambling fools rise and fall, hit and miss, had me chuckling throughout. Like in the previous story in this series, the cat stole the show for me, and I think anyone who knows cats will easily relate to the 'tail-in-the-face', attraction to bows and balls, and walking around on your lap until they get comfortable. I thought the whole idea of an ESA cat in a casino was hilarious, and I wouldn't be surprised if someone had actually done it. Bravo for so much fun in a short story.

I received a free review copy through StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

[Lyndon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute and quick story about two gambling fanatics down on their luck, turning to a cat to help them regain their magic mojo. You won't lose your bet if you pick up any of Chapman's stories, this one especially. Fun with a bit of a morality "tail" to boot.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a magical realism story of a cat called Blackjack who knows how to play blackjack, using his claws to say Hold and tail to say Hit. Harv and Stu have no money by the first night so are desperate to try anything. Although sceptical, Stu is open to using Blackjack to help win at least one game. But there are sacrifices to make. The story is quick to read.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to StoryOrigin and author.