Ron and Laura Hester’s Newly Released "Tom Pettie and the Free Cat" is a Charming Children’s Tale That Celebrates Curiosity and the Joy of Feline Companionship

Georgetown, TX, October 17, 2025 --(PR.com)-- “Tom Pettie and the Free Cat”: a delightful adventure that highlights life lessons through the carefree spirit of a neighborhood cat. “Tom Pettie and the Free Cat” is the creation of published authors, Ron and Laura Hester.

Ron is a retired speech and theatre arts teacher who taught for thirty-five years in Texas public schools. He is very proud to answer his calling to be an educator and appreciates learning the lessons his students taught him. He has spent his entire married life with at least one cat sharing his wife’s attention. At this moment, he and Calliope, a three-year-old calico, are vying for Laura’s focus.

Laura is a retired elementary teacher who spent twenty-eight years in the kindergarten classroom and two years as a district reading coach. Reading, cats, and teaching are her passions. She instilled the love of reading in her classroom by bringing her passion and reading hundreds of stories to her students. Her love of teaching is only shadowed by her love of cats. Her message is simple: reading is fun, creative, and connective!
Ron and Laura Hester share their love for cats, children, and kindness through a series of children’s books that reflect their life’s journey.

Ron and Laura Hester share, “There is an adage which states that “art imitates life.” These stories began with our own cats and an outdoor male we named Tom Pettie. Laura chose the name based on a line from Mary Jane’s Last Dance by Tom Petty, which goes, “Take me as I come ’cause I can’t stay long.” The line totally sums up Tom Pettie, who loves anybody who will rub his tummy as he rolls on his back. When he has your undivided attention, he simply gets up and saunters away, looking for his next gig. He is an outdoor pet with a collar, but he enjoys making the rounds on the “Green,” which is the pocket park where our houses circle. The other cats belong to me, my son, and my daughter-in-law. Tom breezes in and out of our lives daily with his carefree and fun-loving nature. He shares his philosophy with our indoor cats by showing them that life is simple: be kind, generous, and brave. The experiences the cats share are filled with challenges, but by following Tom’s suggestions, they discover simple solutions and manage to learn a lesson along the way. Enjoy the adventures Tom shares with his compadres as they explore the world from the cats’ unique perspectives.

To err is human, to purr is feline. (Robert Byrne)”

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Ron and Laura Hester’s new book an engaging story that blends imagination with lessons of kindness, making it a wonderful addition to family story time.

Consumers can purchase “Tom Pettie and the Free Cat” at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about “Tom Pettie and the Free Cat”, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.