Cat Winters / C. E. Winters
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catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Cat Winters / C. E. Winters
@catwintersbooks.bsky.social
1.3K followers 1.1K following 650 posts
Novelist, picture book author, poet, and playwright. Co-leader of the Oregon chapter of Authors Against Book Bans. she/her

Coming April 2026:
Don't Cry for the Wolves, a one-act play
HART Theatre, Hillsboro, OR

https://linktr.ee/catwinters
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catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Oregon looked especially beautiful today.
A photo of Oregon's Tualatin River, rolling hills, nearly bare autumn trees with brown to yellow leaves, a green field in the distance, and a pale-blue sky with a bank of clouds resembling retreating, foamy waves. A photo of bare to near-bare autumn trees and a bright-blue sky, all of which is mirrored in a glassy Oregon lake.
November 12, 2025 at 2:40 AM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
I have been struggling to write longer works since 2020, but this play, written in both poetry and prose, reignited my love of writing the dark stories I'm known for. It's a reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood for our modern era, and I can't wait to dive into the work to bring it to the stage.
A beige/green background with the following words typed in black ink: DON'T CRY FOR THE WOLVES A Dark Bedtime Tale in One Act by Cat Winters
November 6, 2025 at 9:28 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Photo of a streetcar driving through downtown Portland, October 10, 2025.

The trees are not a fiery red,
because we're not yet far enough into autumn for bright-colored leaves. . .

and the sky is not a fiery red,
because Portland is neither on fire nor at war.
A photo of a light-green, purple, and white streetcar driving down a tree-lined street in Portland, Oregon. The sky is pale blue, and the scene is peaceful.
October 11, 2025 at 8:49 AM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Tonight Portland, OR, members of @authorsabb.bsky.social gathered together to write postcards to librarians and school board members as part of Banned Books Week . . . but every week is a good week to take action to protect the freedom to read.

Photo by Makiia Lucier.
A postcard that says "Authors Against Book Bans, authorsagainstbookbans.com" is held in front of the camera. In the background, an author who's against book bans is filling out postcards at a table full of postcards and writing supplies. The author is wearing a blue shirt with blurry white writing.
October 7, 2025 at 3:44 AM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Don't let anyone stop you from being your weird little self.

Love,
Weird little me
A black-and-white photo of author Cat Winters standing next to a giant raven statue in St. Helens, OR. Cat is wearing a raven mask on top of her head, sunglasses, a shirt with the words of Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven" written in the shape of a raven, and a Poe brooch.
October 5, 2025 at 11:22 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Peaceful Portland, Oregon, Saturday evening, September 27, 2025.
A photo of downtown Portland, OR, that includes high-rise buildings, trash cans with colorful paintings on them, blue skies, and a street sign that says, "YAMHILL." A photo of a tall brick building with a green and white sign that says, "PORTLAND, TODAY," and a theater marquee below it that says, "OREGON SYMPHONY, TCHAIKOVSKY & STRAUSS, SEPT. 27-29, 2025."
September 28, 2025 at 6:42 AM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Peaceful Pioneer Square, looking at Pioneer Courthouse, Portland, Oregon, September 27, 2025.
A photo of Portland's historic Pioneer Courthouse at night, viewed from the nearly empty Pioneer Square.
September 28, 2025 at 5:48 AM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
A view of Pioneer Square, "Portland's Living Room," from earlier this evening.
A photo of Portlanders relaxing in chairs on the brick grounds of Pioneer Square, downtown Portland, September 27, 2025. Blue skies and tall buildings are in the background.
September 28, 2025 at 3:24 AM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
I'm hearing he sent a small number of extra people to support ICE at the detention center, so it might not be the major military takeover he blustered about. But please stay safe, and help to keep others safe.
URGENT COMMUNITY UPDATE SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2025 CALL THE HOTLINE As always, ensure you have the PIRC hotline number saved and be prepared to call us as soon as possible if your loved one is detained, ICE has stopped you or is at your door, or you witness an ICE detention. Please call the hotline, rather than messaging us on social media or emailing us, as the hotline is where we answer most quickly. ENROLL IN ECO If you are not already enrolled in the Equity Corps of Oregon program to receive free legal services, call 1-888-274-7292 (Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm) COMPLETE A FAMILY EMERGENCY PLAN IN CASE OF DETENTION (LINK IN BIO) SHARE YOUR PHONE LOCATION WITH TRUSTED LOVED ONES SO THEY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE TAKE CARE TO FOLLOW ALL TRAFFIC LAWS. Unfortunately, ICE sometimes uses minor violations to pull people over. PIRC RIGHTS COALITION HOTLINE: 1-888-622-1510
September 27, 2025 at 5:19 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
I didn't touch grass over the weekend, but I did walk among mountains. What a soothing balm for the soul our natural world can be. I was grateful to spend time with my older daughter out in that gorgeous Arizona scenery.
A photo of the Catalina Mountains rising beyond a paved walking/biking trail in Tucson, Arizona. The sky above is blue with puffy white clouds.
September 15, 2025 at 8:11 AM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Along with other Oregon members of @authorsabb.bsky.social, I had the honor of celebrating the passage of our state's Freedom to Read bill at an event hosted by @aclu-or.bsky.social and @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social's Intellectual Freedom Taskforce.

#FreedomToRead coalitions work!
A photo of members of the ACLU of Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, the Penguin Random House Intellectual Freedom Taskforce, Authors Against Book Bans, Senator Lew Frederick, other Oregon legislators, librarians, teachers, students, and other intellectual freedom advocates who formed Oregon's Freedom to Read coalition that helped pass SB 1098.
September 12, 2025 at 11:52 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
I just received a copy of YOU'RE NEVER TOO MUCH: POEMS FOR EVERY EMOTION, edited by Charlie Castelletti. My poems "Hope" and "An Octopus Dwells Inside My Head" appear within these pages. The anthology releases September 4.

Cover art: Muokkaa Studio.

www.panmacmillan.com/authors/char...
A photo of a book with a purple and orange cover. The main title, YOU'RE NEVER TOO MUCH, is written in letters that look like balloons crowding up the cover. The subtitle, POEMS FOR EVERY EMOTION, is written in white in the upper left corner, and the name of the anthology's editor, Charlie Castelletti, is written in white in the bottom-right corner. The book is lying on a brown wooden table.
August 22, 2025 at 7:29 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Spirit Halloween, helping the U.S. embrace its decades-old fear of public transportation and cities.
A Spirit Halloween display of an entrance to a New York Subway station. The sign at the top says "Enter," with an arrow pointing downward, and then "Madison Scare Park 31st Street Station." A human-sized gargoyle/bat creature awaits beyond the entrance.
August 11, 2025 at 9:09 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Spotted in Manzanita, Oregon.
A white sign with black lettering says, "DON'T GIVE UP." The sign sits amid orange flowers and green leaves. A brown-shingled building with white-framed windows is in the background.
July 30, 2025 at 6:14 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Wilbur says hello.
A medium-sized white dog wearing a handkerchief around his neck lies on an air conditioning vent and smiles at the camera.
July 10, 2025 at 5:23 AM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Wilbur says hello.
An extremely fluffy dog that looks like a white cloud with a dog head attached lies on a bed with a blue blanket.
July 1, 2025 at 6:06 AM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
I told my sister that looking at photos of bluebirds helps my anxiety, so she made me this sweet needle-felted bluebird that I can look at whenever I want. 💙
A needle-felted bluebird with a blue head, blue wings, a black beak, black eyes, an orange chest, and a white belly. It sits on a wooden surface with red and gold curtains in the background.
June 30, 2025 at 9:57 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
I'm wrapping up a trip to see family and friends in Southern California. One of my favorite pics from the trip is this one of Old Mr. Tree in the Los Rios Historic District of San Juan Capistrano. I grew up over the hills from this site.
A photo of a craggy old pepper tree. A small wooden sign hanging from the trunk says, "Old Mr. Tree circa 1800." Agave plants grow behind it, beyond a low wooden fence.
June 29, 2025 at 11:47 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
It's always a beautiful, emotional experience giving out hugs with Free Mom Hugs Oregon at Pride events. I was at Newberg Pride earlier today. Numerous older folks came by for hugs at this one.

Families: Hug your family members, and love and accept them for who they are, no matter their age. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
Author Cat Winters poses in front of a booth. She's wearing Pride stickers and a hat that says, "Protect Trans Youth." Behind her hangs a banner that reads, "Free Mom Hugs, FREEMOMHUGS.ORG."
June 14, 2025 at 9:39 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Trump's administration continually reminds me of the Klan's takeover of the U.S. in the 1920s, which eventually fell apart due to scandals and infighting.

Corrupt, cruel people are friends to no one.

Source for screenshot:
billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/the-k...
The Klan's most fatal weakness was rooted in its poor leadership. The organization claimed to stand for morality, but its leaders provided the worst possible examples. For example, Edward Y. Clarke and Mary Elizabeth Tyler, the two Atlanta-based publicists who masterminded the Klan's skyrocketing rise, were soon revealed to have been arrested in 1919 for sexual impropriety and possession of illegal alcohol. Then, with millions of dollars rolling in, infighting for control grew fierce, and Klan founder and Grand Wizard Col. William Simmons found himself ousted
June 5, 2025 at 9:40 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
I just learned that my picture book, CUT!: HOW LOTTE REINIGER AND A PAIR OF SCISSORS REVOLUTIONIZED ANIMATION, illustrated by @mattschu.bsky.social, is a nominee for the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Awards program! What an honor!

library.la.gov/media/fo5m0o...

@marthamihalick.bsky.social
An illustrated book cover. Title: Cut! How Lotte Reiniger and a Pair of Scissors Revolutionized Animation. Author/illustrator names at top: C. E. WINTERS, MATT SCHU. The illustration shows a white woman with short dark hair standing in a small boat. She's raising a pair of scissors in her right hand and holding a large red flag in her left. She's wearing a white blouse with a black tie, a black skirt, and black tights. The setting sun, the stars, and waves are behind her, plus a brilliant blue and orange sky.
June 3, 2025 at 6:10 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
My dog, Wilbur, enjoying the sunshine. May you find a moment of peace like Wilbur at some point today.

#dogsofbluesky
#dogs
A white dog with small pointy ears and a black nose lounges in grass in the sunshine.
May 24, 2025 at 6:31 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Thank you. I dedicated YESTERNIGHT to them.
The dedication line from Cat Winters's novel YESTERNIGHT. It says, "For Betsy Martin and Kathie Deily, two teachers from my past who encouraged me to make writing my future."
May 6, 2025 at 11:51 PM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
Yellow irises blooming in my garden.

#gardensky #plantsky
A photo of yellow irises blooming among long, grassy stems against a backdrop of pale bark chips.
May 4, 2025 at 7:28 AM
catwintersbooks.bsky.social
When I was 6, my school's library ran a bookmark contest, and my drawing of a kid holding a book won. School and public libraries meant the world to me and turned me into a lifelong reader and a person with endless curiosity. I'm grateful I got to enjoy the freedom to read and want to pass that on.
A photo of author Cat Winters wearing a blue shirt with white lettering that says, "Protect the Freedom to Read." She's holding a white bookmark with a blue drawing of a little kid with two braids with heart-shaped bows at the ends. The kid is holding a book. Behind Cat stand two bookcases full of books.
April 28, 2025 at 10:42 PM