Cat Ellington
Personal Information
Description
American multidisciplinary artist Cat Ellington (b. Kimberly Monique Hart to parents Linda Hart and entrepreneur Ezell Ellington-Jenkins on November 28, 1970, in Chicago, Illinois, but then nicknamed "Cat" by one of her educators in 1980 before later adopting and adding her father's surname to provide the moniker with a more syllabic flair) is widely known for her extensive work in entertainment and literature, where her creative prolificacy spans music, film, literature research, and book authorship. In her disciplines as a book author, poet, literary critic and literary researcher (beginning at age 8 in 1979 with her review of Eleanor Clymer's "Hamburgers and Ice Cream for Dessert"), and memoirist, Cat Ellington, working through her Quill Pen Ink Publishing entity as an independent scholar, has authored over two dozen books on literary criticism (where she draws upon spiritual perspective, current scholarship, social theory, and historical contexts to expand her viewpoints on works of literature), poetry, and the humanities, including the noted Reviews by Cat Ellington series, the Unique Critique Trilogies, The Complete Works, The Five-Star Review, Strike a Prose, Memoirs in Gogyohka, More Imaginative Than Ordinary Speech, the Cat Ellington Sheet Music Collection, The Arts of Literary Criticism (from The Arts series), and more. Raised outside of her home by librarians, archivists, and educators, Cat Ellington cites among her many influences the 14th Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, and former Chicago Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ruth B. Love. As an award-winning songwriter/composer and music producer, since 1981, the year she, as a 10-year-old, wrote her first song titled "The Baby's Song," Cat Ellington, courtesy of The Black Jaguar Music Company, is renowned in the music industry for a song catalog spanning 24 musical genres, including R&B, pop, jazz, classical, folk, country, gospel, and heavy metal. It was from the genres mentioned above that Ellington supplied five original songs for the motion picture soundtrack to the multi-award-winning psychological thriller "Dual Mania," and its corresponding instrumentals EP, including "The Book Of Us," "I'm Still In Love," "Something In Your Eyes," "Gett Out," and "I Do," the latter winning the 2019 Vegas Movie Award for Best Song, as well as an Honorable Mention in recognition of excellence in filmmaking. Ellington includes among her many musical influences several legendary architects of the Global Songbook, namely Quincy Jones, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Bruce Hornsby. In her discipline as an executive casting director, Cat Ellington, via The Centaur Casting Agency, has specialized in film casting since 1993, the year the Chicago-based film production company Vital Vision Productions, now Vital Vision Productions, LLC, hired the then 22-year-old Cat to cast the feature film, "Dual Mania," a project written, executive produced, and directed by her husband, Joseph Strickland. Incidentally, the song "Gett Out," the first release from the heavy metal collection of the Cat Ellington song catalog, was co-written by Strickland. Additionally, Cat Ellington's film industry résumé also includes her work as a voice-over actress. Ellington's biggest influences in the casting craft include Marion Dougherty, Robi Reed, Lynn Stalmaster, Janet Hirshenson, Jane Jenkins, and Mike Fenton.
Books
Reviews by Cat Ellington (9 book series)
Reviews by Cat Ellington is a progressive series that chronicles the literary criticism of author Cat Ellington from 1979 to the present.
The Complete Works
Gett Out
Vital Vision Film Music presents the digital sheet music to "Gett Out," composed by Cat Ellington, Joseph Strickland, Greg Schutte, and Princeton Brown on an acoustic guitar. • Produced by: Cat Ellington, Greg Schutte, and Princeton Brown • Executive producer: Joseph Strickland • Record label: Vital Vision Records "Gett Out" was written by Cat Ellington and Joseph Strickland and performed with vocals by DeCarlo Jackson on Dual Mania (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
Strike a Prose
Part of the Cat Ellington™ Literary Collection, Strike a Prose: A Framework of Memories and Commentaries in Poetry, features the books More Imaginative Than Ordinary Speech: The Poetry of Cat Ellington, and Memoirs in Gogyohka: A Book of Short Poems and Memoirs. Painted in Watercolors by Ateli, this distinctive compilation also includes previously unpublished bonus material from Quill Pen Ink Publishing - in association with the Cat Ellington™ Poetry Collection, including "The Abusive Marriage," "The Spirit is Willing, But the Flesh is Weak," "Tulips in Poetry," and more.
Reviews by Cat Ellington
Commemorating the one-year anniversary of her fascinating book series of the same name, Cat Ellington presents Reviews by Cat Ellington: A Trilogy of Unique Critiques #1, a vastly entertaining collection of literary criticism featuring the first three volumes that laid the foundation for it all. Comprised of (130) written examinations from the Cat Ellington Literary Collection, Reviews by Cat Ellington: A Trilogy of Unique Critiques #1 includes REVIEWS BY CAT ELLINGTON: THE COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY, VOL. 1, REVIEWS BY CAT ELLINGTON: THE COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY, VOL. 2, and REVIEWS BY CAT ELLINGTON: THE COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY, VOL. 3.
I'm Still in Love
Vital Vision Film Music presents the digital sheet music to "I'm Still in Love," composed by Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown on an acoustic grand piano. • Produced by: Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown • Executive producer: Joseph Strickland • Record label: Vital Vision Records "I'm Still in Love" was written by Cat Ellington and performed with vocals by Jaki Cavins on Dual Mania (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
You Can Quote Me On That
From the author of Reviews by Cat Ellington, More Imaginative Than Ordinary Speech, and Memoirs in Gogyohka comes a uniquely waggish narrative that despite being unlike its literary forerunners, still serves to be just as enlightening. Introducing You Can Quote Me On That: A Collection of Quotes by Cat Ellington, a fun-filled assemblage of recitations spoken by the woman herself. Comprising of over 300 public quotes that span seven years, You Can Quote Me On That features an extended stream of declarations that were derived from a variety of print and online sources, including interviews, literature weblogs, published books, famous quotes databases, etc. Both fun-loving and serious in its approach, You Can Quote Me On That elects to showcase Cat Ellington’s outgoing, straightforward, and outspoken personality through various topics that center around confidence, uncertainty, independence, philosophy, faith, inquisitiveness, perseverance, and much more. Garnished with an introduction composed of seven structures of Tanka poetry, Cat Ellington once again talks it like she walks it. And you can quote her on that. Quotes by Cat Ellington. Witty wisdom.
Something in Your Eyes
Vital Vision Film Music presents the digital sheet music to "Something in Your Eyes," composed by Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown on an acoustic grand piano. • Produced by: Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown • Executive producer: Joseph Strickland • Record label: Vital Vision Records "Something in Your Eyes" was written by Cat Ellington and performed with vocals by Jaki Cavins on Dual Mania (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
Dual Mania (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Dual Mania (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is a 2CD soundtrack album from the award-winning film of the same name. Co-produced by Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown and executive produced by Joseph Strickland, Disc 1 features original songs written by Ellington and performed by vocalists Jaki Cavins and DeCarlo Jackson; and Disc 2 features the original film score composed by Marcus Robson.
The Cat Ellington Sheet Music Collection (5 book series)
Inspired by the music composed by the one-and-only Cat Ellington, Vital Vision Film Music presents The Cat Ellington Sheet Music Collection. The original series features the musical scores of songs written by Cat Ellington through The Black Jaguar Music Company, previously recorded with vocals by various artists.
More Imaginative Than Ordinary Speech
From the author of Reviews by Cat Ellington comes a gracefully adorned compilation of eccentric beauty and elegant prose flowing with milky fluidity and honey-sweet intellectuality. Presenting More Imaginative Than Ordinary Speech: The Poetry of Cat Ellington, a mystifying collection of poetic productions that glide over multiple genres and wrap themselves around a variety of topics, including racism in America, spiritual warfare, same-sex relationships, delusional disorder, social networking, societal corruption, revenge, oppression, envy, hardship, victory, and much more. Preceded by eloquent synopses to set the tone, and succeeded by razor-sharp commentaries that will slice through the main arteries of the reader’s psyche, each poem was skillfully authored by the one and only Cat Ellington in her outstanding style of effortless ingenuity, although many in the collection do not suffer the easily offended gladly. Included in this fascinating compilation are none other than "A Declaration of Independence,” “Enemy-Centered,” “iWonderment,” “The Windows Have Eyes,” “I Call the Wind Mariah Carey,” “And Now A Word From Chicago’s South Side,” “Inspired by Imitation of Life,” “The Golden Goose,” “Mother Chicago,” “This Womanhood,” “Operation imPlantation,” “The Falsifier,” “The Black Girl,” and a great deal more. Decorated with Watercolors by Ateli, More Imaginative Than Ordinary Speech: The Poetry of Cat Ellington is a deep, powerful, cutthroat, unsparing, and spirited well of truth that will leave a lasting imprint on the reader long after the final page is turned: for the effort is representative of what has come to be expected of its distinctive authorship where it pertains to the written word. Poetry by Cat Ellington. Unconventional beauty.
Dual Mania (Music from the Original Soundtrack Album) Piano/Guitar/Chords - Sheet Music Book
Composed by Cat Ellington and Joseph Strickland and produced by Princeton Brown and Greg Schutte, Vital Vision Film Music presents Dual Mania (Music from the Original Soundtrack Album) Piano/Guitar/Chords - Sheet Music Book, a compilation introducing the scores of the songs from the soundtrack to the award-winning motion picture Dual Mania. This publication contains color photos from the film and original song synopses from the Cat Ellington Song Catalog. The songs featured include I Do (Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown), The Book of Us (Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown), I'm Still in Love (Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown), Something in Your Eyes (Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown), and Gett Out (Cat Ellington, Joseph Strickland, Princeton Brown, and Greg Schutte).
Reviews by Cat Ellington - The Complete Anthology Limited Edition Holiday Gift Set (Books 1 & 2)
It’s the most wonderful deal of the year / A holiday gift set, a glorious duet / To bring you good cheer / It’s the most wonderful deal of the year / It has humor and wisdom and staunch criticism / With knowledge you’ll find so divine / One and Two are the reasons for this cheerful season / Combined for a limited time / It’s the most wonderful deal of the year - Good tidings and Yuletide merriment, one and all! REVIEWS by CAT ELLINGTON: THE COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY, BOOKS 1 & 2 are now available together in THE COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY LIMITED EDITION HOLIDAY GIFT SET, 2018! Loaded with jollification, this digital stocking stuffer highlights the first 100 reviews from the anthology spanning over 30 years, including Hollywood Wives by Jackie Collins, The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson, Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard, Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, The Highwaymen by Ken Auletta, Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert, The Judge by Steve Martini, The Face of Fear by Dean Koontz, Boots of the Oppressor by LaMorris Richmond, and many, many more! So settle down with a glass of eggnog this holiday season, why don’t you, and prepare to lose yourself in the analytical creativity of its wondrously original, ever admired, undiluted, pleasantly fun-filled, and incredibly thought-provoking authorship. Reviews by Cat Ellington. A unique critique.
The Book of Us
Vital Vision Film Music presents the digital sheet music to "The Book of Us," composed by Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown on an acoustic grand piano. • Produced by: Cat Ellington and Princeton Brown • Executive producer: Joseph Strickland • Record label: Vital Vision Records "The Book of Us" was written by Cat Ellington and performed with vocals by Jaki Cavins on Dual Mania (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
The Five-Star Review
Quill Pen Ink Publishing presents The Five-Star Review: A Collection of Cat Ellington's Top-Rated Book Reviews from 1981-2021. Spanning 40 years of Cat Ellington's work as a critic of literature, the reference features an alphabetized list highlighting all of her five-star reviews composed throughout that time. Part of the Cat Ellington Literary Collection, this stand-alone selection is an excellent read for both reviewers and book lovers alike.
The Arts of Literary Criticism
Sat perched, the crows watch, cawing at terrors and fears, painted for depravity: An Ode to The Arts, with Tanka laced through Thrillers. From the Cat Ellington™ Literary Collection and the Cat Ellington™ Poetry Collection, Quill Pen Ink Publishing proudly presents The Arts of Literary Criticism: Thrillers in Tanka, Book 1, the first release in The Arts, a new series by the incomparable Cat Ellington, which succeeds the famous Reviews by Cat Ellington literary series and its spin-off Unique Critique Trilogies progression. Cat Ellington continues her practice in literary criticism with Thrillers in Tanka, offering a new artistic take on her one-of-a-kind analyses by infusing Tanka poetry and black crows painted in watercolor to reflect the nature of the thriller genre and the spirits of the fictional characters under her critique in the issue – a personal touch that symbolizes the author's singular style of creativity in the literary arts. Included on the pages of The Arts of Literary Criticism: Thrillers in Tanka, Book 1 are Cat Ellington's reviews of One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke, The New One by Evie Green, Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb, Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen, What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman, and Dark Corners (Rachel Krall, #2) by Megan Goldin, among others. The works of Tanka poetry on these pages coincide with each book under review and include "The Great Proverbs," "The Dawn of AI," "The Way of Death," "The Dirty River S̶e̶i̶n̶e̶ Sin," "A T̶a̶l̶e̶ Tell of Delusions," and many more. So delight in the written verse and marvel at the painted artworks as you delve into a rousing series of The Arts. Cat Ellington's original unique critique? It's the art of literary criticism.
The Making of Dual Mania
Inspired by the feature film produced, written, and directed by Chicago filmmaker Joseph Strickland, The Making of Dual Mania: Filmmaking Chicago Style is a boldly personal account of what it takes to create, produce, and direct an independent feature film in current times. The nonfiction narrative takes the reader through the sometimes hilarious, frustrating, and bewildering film production process with the fiercely creative Strickland, along with co-authors B.J. Patterson and Cat Ellington, witnessing a fiery account of his own firsthand experiences through the menacing highs and lows of independent filmmaking in Chicago. With a fascinating foreword by Cat Ellington, The Making of Dual Mania: Filmmaking Chicago Style also features in-depth interviews with the filmmakers, detailed storyboards, behind-the-scenes photos, and the original motion picture screenplay.
Memoirs in Gogyohka
Hot on the heels of More Imaginative Than Ordinary Speech: The Poetry of Cat Ellington comes a riveting and remarkably uplifting compilation of free verse that was erected to witness the uncommon life of its distinctive authorship in the captivating art of Gogyohka poetry. Introducing Memoirs in Gogyohka, an alluring, albeit double-edged, biographical account inspired by the diaries of Cat Ellington. Highlighting a selected assemblage of Ellington’s random diary entries from the 1980s to the present, Memoirs in Gogyohka provides the reader with a first-hand look into the journals of one of the most compelling women in the arts as it strolls through the courtyards of her many life experiences, including interracial dating, family turmoil, inner-city living, Black-on-Black crime, eroticism, lesbianism, anti-feminism, and much more. Flanked by Cat Ellington’s Prologues and Epilogues, the works of Gogyohka featured on these elegantly decorated pages include “The Ol’ Double Standard,” “He Called Me ‘Baby Golden’,” “A Cut Through Bone and Marrow,” “The Revelers,” “How to Love a White Man,” “Right Back Atcha,” “The Iceman,” “She Flew In On Her Broom,” “The Bitch Called Karma,” “Amazon Women on the Earth,” “Snake Eyes,” “Lying and Denying,” “Single Black Female,” “Serenaded by Kenny G,” and many, many more. Hardly a depiction for the faint-hearted, Memoirs in Gogyohka packs a one-two punch of emotions as it proudly carries the history of its author on the broad shoulders of intrigue, amusement, insight, and admiration, while daring to prove the blessedness of her distinction where the written word is to be regarded. Poetry by Cat Ellington. Unconventional beauty.
Instrumentals
Composed by award-winning writers Cat Ellington and Joseph Strickland, Instrumentals: Music from the Motion Picture Dual Mania is an instrumental album featuring compositions from the multi-award-winning film of the same name. Produced by Princeton Brown and Greg Schutte for Vital Vision Records, the works in this compilation first appeared, with vocals, on the soundtrack to Dual Mania in 2020.
