Amy Shojai's Blog, page 116
May 17, 2013
Rainbow Pets and Strays The Musical
Today I’m at BLOGPAWS and having a paw-some time meeting friends and making new ones. Next week I’ll post pictures and a recap of the experience. But today, I wanted to share a new recording of a song close to my heart, that is featured in STRAYS, THE MUSICAL (currently in revisions) with my co-author Frank Steele. The actors portray…you guessed it!…cats and dogs. Everything is from the pet’s point of view.
As songs are finalized I’ll post samples here on the blog. We will premiere some songs from the show at the Cat Writers Association 20th Anniversary Conference, in Dallas, and hope the completed script will be a positive edu-tainment/fund-raising vehicle for a wide range of pet-centric groups.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
May 15, 2013
Beware Critters and Pets
Wildlife can pose risks to your pets!
Tomorrow I’m getting on a plane to attend BlogPaws and I can’t wait! This is a convention specifically for bloggers who write for, about, and AS their animal companions. That’s not just dogs and cats, oh no…BlogPaws members include folks with affection for fish, ferrets and other furred, finned and fantastic critters.
Of course our cats and dogs are flexible and when introduced properly, often welcome other species into their family. Some great affectionate relationships can develop between cats and bunnies (predator and prey in other settings) or between horses and dogs, birds and ferrets, tarantulas and…well, you get the picture!
But these are PET critters. They’ve been vetted and have also been handled properly by folks who know their needs. Our family cats and dogs that encounter wildlife may not be as forgiving of a trespassing skunk. And the curious puppy could be severely injured by a face full of porcupine quills. In my neck of the woods, coyotes routinely hunt in our back yard and have been known to come onto the patio, yikes!
What sorts of wildlife have your pets encountered? How did you handle the possibility while keeping your fur-kids safe? You can check out some of my articles, with first aid tips when needed, here. What else would you recommend to folks to prevent, avoid, or deal with these wild encounters?
Stinky Skunk Encounters and What to Do And yes, the Magical-Dawg had yet ANOTHER skunk encounter last week (a brief blog about that here).
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
May 13, 2013
Monday Mentions: BlogPaws, Webinars and Elephant Games
This is a busy week for me, because I leave to attend BlogPaws this Thursday, YAY! This is THE place to be if you write about (or as) your pets, or are interested in learning more about pet-centric social media. I’ve been a fan of bunches of these bloggers for a long time, so it’ll be great fun to meet them face to face…as well as some of the pets who will also be in attendance.
On Friday, I present a seminar on Ebooks & Promo for Bloggers at 2:00 with Sandra Beckwith. At 4:15 or so, I’ll also be PAW-tographing the latest pet books. So if you’re at the conference I hope you’ll introduce yourself.
If you can’t attend but really want to learn more about the topic, perhaps the attend-in-your-jammies-barefoot-with-no-makeup DIY Ebooks Webinar on June 1st would be an option.
For those who missed my OWFI talk, you can catch the Reinvented Writer Webinar on May 25. (drop me a line, and I’ll send a discount code…) And I’ve several more sessions scheduled throughout the summer on media training, nonfiction book proposals and niche writing, so stay tuned!
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo writer links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Check out the SQUEEE! cute pet-astic videos at the bottom, too. For new followers to the blog, welcome! and you can expect more cat and dog specific schtuff later in the week on Wednesday and Friday.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
Got A Picture Book or Graphic Novel? Kindle Format 8 has ya covered and is ready for download. NOTE: the “regular” kindle devices currently won’t support this, it’s designed for Kindle Fire (and future devices).
Author Solutions Being Sued a recap from Writer Beware
Data Wars–What’s Important for Book Sales
How to Format Internal Dialogue a great post from Marcy Kennedy
Hachette Opens Ebook Catalogue to Libraries
Warner Brothers TV Writing Workshop Accepting Applications
DRM-Free Ebooks No Discernible Piracy Difference according to TOR
A Great How-To for Elevator Pitches (with some video…)
6 Awesome Facebook Fan Page Features and how to use them
Witness Impulse New Ebook Imprint an original suspense/mystery/thriller line from William Morrow
When Self-Pub’d Authors Dominate Best Seller Lists what will publishers do?
Migrating WordPress Sites some plugins that work
Video Idiot How-To’s not just for book trailers anymore
PET-CENTRIC SCHTUFF
Funding Research Proposals in Human-Animal Bond check it out–great opportunities here for researchers, pets and people
Buyer Beware Boarding/Grooming Facilities a tragic story in Texas…but happens everywhere
Grain Free Diets for Cats? The scoop from Cat Stanley at Catalyst
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
May 10, 2013
Personalized Pet Bowls Review
A couple of weeks ago, I received a surprising email from L.G. Potter, offering me the opportunity to review a personalized custom-made ceramic pet bowl. Yeah, right, I thought. I get a LOT of solicitations and for the most part, I don’t have the time or interest to review them. After all, I’ve only got two pets (AWESOME fur-kids, but hardly a statistical population…).
But I couldn’t resist checking out the website–and what I saw looked danged impressive. In another life, I created ceramic pieces and attempted to throw pots on the wheel, though I wasn’t very good at it. But I can recognize skill and know what artistry is required to make such things. So…I sent a reply to let Lewis Barnes III (aka LG Potter) know that I’d love to review a pet bowl.
Mr. Barnes offered to donate a bowl, personalized, and I gave him a choice of either a small kitty-size bowl for Seren (priced at $40) or a jumbo-size dog bowl for Magic ($60). I didn’t want to be the one to tell one or the other that they drew the short straw and didn’t get a bowl. 
I could have gotten one plain (a bit less expensive) but what’s the fun in that? But Mr. Barnes, as generous as he is talented, offered to donate one for EACH of the fur-kids, wow! In exchange I offered to publish an honest review…or rather, the pets would. After all, I’d already written about how cats eat as well as how dogs eat, so they need something stylin’ to put the munchies.
Along the way, he sent me several photos of the in-process work and I’ve shared them here. Be sure to page down to the bottom of the blog for a video review straight from the kitty/doggy mouth. I’ll be posting a more formal review (since Magic and Seren don’t type very well on their paw-top computers) on the puppies.about.com site and will link here when it goes live. Check out this awesome process that goes into making LG Potter Personalized Pet Bowls.
Magic’s bowl is formed (“thrown”) first on the wheel.
…And so is Seren’s, a slightly smaller size.
Another portion of the bowl, a cylinder, is formed for the dish to set down inside, and compressed together. A template for the cut out handles is placed (2 for big bowls, 1 for smalls), with the pet’s name — limited to 7 characters.
The finished bowl, still wet, is allowed to dry completely.
Seren’s bowl is identical to Magic’s but smaller–and only a single cut out handle is created.
Once the pottery cures to greenware stage it’s incredibly fragile–and then fired in a kiln to basically “bake” it and fuse the clay into a single ceramic piece.
After the bowls are fired, the color (glaze) is applied and the bowls are fired again. Half a dozen colors/glazes are available.
The process to make the bowls from raw claw to finished bowl delivered to your door takes about three to four weeks. I chose the “Model L” design–there are two others, including one with a raised spot in the middle to help slow down gulping eaters.
Holidays may take up to six weeks. Now I wish that I’d been able to post this review in time for you to order bowls as gifts for Mother’s Day…because I suspect lots of “pet parents” out there will love this design. The bowls are dishwasher (top rack) safe as well as food safe.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
May 8, 2013
May is Pet Cancer Awareness Month
Sadly, Golden Retrievers seem to have a higher incidence of cancer, but don’t tell that to this gorgeous fellow Austin with his pup Slowpoke…Image copr. Saphire Dream.
Cancer. We whisper the word, fear the consequences, and our hearts break when cancer touches loved ones, including furry family members. But according to veterinary specialists, cancer is the most treatable—and curable!—of any chronic pet disease. The amazing folks at Morris Animal Foundation are committed to curing canine cancer and have funded numerous studies and even trained researchers to continue the search for the cure.
According to Dr. David Haworth, president and CEO of Morris, “One in 2 dogs will develop cancer and 1 in 4 dogs will die of the disease. The Foundation leverages the best minds in veterinary medicine and science to work on understanding the cause (funding over 40 studies on cancer in dogs at any given time…).” Morris Animal Foundation has partnered with Blue Buffalo to end cancer in pets. In honor of Pet Cancer Awareness Month in May, Blue Buffalo will donate $1 to Morris Animal Foundation for every person who pledges and watches this video—up to $25,000.
WHAT PETS ARE AFFECTED?
Cancer strikes cats and dogs at any age, but is the #1 cause of disease and death in old pets. Dogs suffer from more kinds of cancer than any other domestic animal. One of my dear friends recently had her 13-year-old Border Collie/Lab dog diagnosed with brain cancer when Beauty developed neurological signs and trouble making her rear legs work properly. My childhood Sheltie, Lady–the dog that helped me learn about dog training–died of bladder cancer.
Cats have their own share of cancers. When I still worked as a vet tech, we treated a number of feline patients suffering from breast tumors. The chance for breast cancer in cats can be drastically reduced or even eliminated by spaying prior to sexual maturity. Protecting cats from contracting FeLV (feline leukemia virus) also can prevent certain kinds of cancers.
COMMON CANINE AND KITTY CANCERS
Skin cancer is the most common canine tumor, followed by breast cancer, lymphoma, mouth tumors and bone cancers.The most common feline cancers include lymph gland cancer, skin cancer, and fibrosarcoma. While an estimated 50 percent of all pets die from this disease, the causes are rarely known.
It’s very common for older dogs to develop harmless cysts and warts (yes, I’m watching Magic since he’ll soon turn 7), but 80 percent of lumps and bumps found in cats are malignant. That’s a great reason to pet-pet-pet your cat (and dog) from head to tail on a daily basis to find anything new that needs attention. Seren loves getting this kitty massage and at age 16 and with her Siamese heritage, she’s at increased risk. The key to cure and successful treatment is early, accurate diagnosis. Have a veterinarian check any new wart, lump or slow-to-heal sore you find.
DIAGNOSIS & TREATING PET CANCER
An ultrasound, X-ray or other imaging technique can find tumors on the inside of the body. Different treatments work best on specific kinds of cancer. Surgery can disrupt protective barriers that keep the cancer from spreading, says Dr. Nichole Ehrhart, a cancer specialist at University of Illinois. “What could have been a perfectly curable cancer can be compromised,” she says. Rather than removing and sending the whole lump off for diagnosis, she recommends a needle biopsy be done first. That removes cells from the growth for screening to see what type of cancer it may be.
Your regular veterinarian can easily treat some cancers with surgery. However, a veterinary oncologist offers advanced options and provides the best chance of successful treatment. Surgery, radiation, and the same kinds of chemotherapy drugs used in people are also effective in pets. There’s a major difference—cats and dogs don’t lose their hair, and rarely feel sick during treatment.
Every single pet is different, so the treatments are designed to suit specific individuals and the type of cancer involved. For instance, radiation therapy cures up to 80 percent of some types of tumors. When diagnosed early, chemotherapy shrinks and eliminates some tumors. Because most pets are much smaller than people, cancer drug doses tend to be much smaller and can be inexpensive. Cancer drugs are typically developed and approved for use in humans. Pets also tolerate surgeries more readily than humans. For example, bone cancers are so very painful that just removing the diseased area can make your dog feel happy and playful again.
Besides the standard three treatments, some cancers respond better to therapies like cryosurgery (freezing the tumor). That’s effective for skin cancers on the face, which can be caused by sun exposure in white-faced pets. Other innovative treatments include heat therapy (hyperthermia) that “cooks” the cancer to kill it, using sound waves. Gene therapy is promising. For example, genetically engineered tumor vaccines are designed to target mouth cancers in dogs.
There are therapeutic “cancer” diets for dogs that prove helpful. A number of complementary therapies including herbs and other supplements can help cats and dogs better deal with the stress of cancer. To help with research to find more effective treatments and cures, please consider making a donation to the Morris Animal Foundation cancer initiative, perhaps in the name of a beloved pet or to honor a special animal lover in your life. Find out more about donation options here.
QUALITY OF LIVE, NOT “QUANTITY” OF LIFE
Sometimes cure isn’t possible. But a remission that gives you more time to spend with your pet is a gift beyond measure. After all, pet lovers agree that quality of life is more important than a prolonged life that’s painful. You may need to decide whether to treat his illness—and/or when to help him leave this world for the next.
It was hard learning the news about my friend’s dog Beauty. I remember when they got Beauty as a puppy for their 7-year-old (now-20) daughter….and she’s taking it the hardest of all, of course. I gave her a copy of my aging dog book to answer some questions about options and what to expect, including contact info about some of the moves and shakers in cancer research. And I shared this biggest, most important point:
Pets don’t know they have cancer. They don’t anticipate and so have no fear of what’s to come. All Beauty knows is how she feels this moment. As long as she feels good, and is with you, she’s happy. Any decision you make, with love in your heart, cannot be wrong.
Have you ever lost a beloved dog or cat to cancer? What type was it and how old were they? How did you know–my folks took Lady to the vet when she urinated blood on the fresh snow. What treatment did you choose (or decline) and why? What is your best advice and tips for pet parents facing the cancer challenge with their pets? Thanks for sharing!
Your email:
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
May 6, 2013
Monday Mentions: Cat-Shark Zoomba and OWFI Fun!
Me at the signing–books galore!
The always charming Frank Steele (my playwright co-author).
Keynote speaker Patrick Rothfuss, a new way of writing (despite kitten-eating children!).
Three Amigos…Frank Steele and Ron Richardson with Lois “The Babe” Richardson.
Three Amigos (Again!), David Freed, Casey Cowan and August McLaughlin (loving those tights, August!)
Frank with our new friend, theater tech-genius James Graham (origami wizard, magician and world-smith)
WANA Style! That’s August and Mike Miller
Just back from an AMAZING time at the Oklahoma Writers Federation Conference, where I presented a fun lunch workshop THE REINVENTED WRITER (complete with SQUEEE! cute pet pix). I’ve not missed one of these conferences since I attended my first in 1992, and am a former president of OWFI and honorary lifetime member. I’ve received awards from the contest, gotten writing assignments, found my agent there (although we’ve now parted ways), and made some of the best friends and writer-ly connections ever.
If you missed out on my workshop, never fear–it will be presented Saturday May 25 at 2:00 Eastern Time at WANA International as a WEBINAR for online in-your-pj’s attendance and no travel to-from a hotel. The class isn’t yet posted …but I’ll send the direct link as soon as it is. I’ll be presenting several online WEBINAR sessions in the coming months and will be sure to post announcements here.
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo writer links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Check out the SQUEEE! cute pet-astic videos at the bottom, too. For new followers to the blog, welcome! and you can expect more cat and dog specific schtuff later in the week on Wednesday and Friday.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
ITW’s CRAFTFEST Lineup this is awesome!
Book Sales On the Rise good news for authors…publishers/book sellers still figuring it out–check out the Ebooks in Libraries info at the end of the article, that’s a Hmmmnnn moment!
Agent Assisted Self Publishing some cautions to consider from Melissa Foster
American ‘Women’ Authors Dissed? Wikipedia stepped in it big time…
From Writer Beware, problems with Noble Romance Publishing, anti-trust lawsuit of Amazon and more
What Price Talent? this will put you on your butt, from the always terrific Colin Falconer
Kindle Books Under 2500 Words Removed is this fair…what do you think?
Getting a U.S. Tax Number important info for non-US-resident authors
Win Awesome Writer-ly Schtuff and benefit diabetes research
Folio Prize Admits Self Pub’d Work
Worried About Thieves? WordPress Protection Plugin
Falling In Love & “Attachment” how to write it right
Click the image to learn more what YOU can do this week…and every week!
PET-CENTRIC SCHTUFF
Italian Cats & Culture Tour this looks PAW-some!
Dog Owners Versus Cat Owners–Exactly The Same, Only Different a fun infographic from my friend Dr. Lorie Huston’s awesome blog
Funniest Cat Photo/Video Contest from Petfinder some cash for you, and even more cash for your pet charity!
Calling All Puppy Models! does your puppy have “what it takes” to be a spokes-dog? Check out the details at Dakota’s Den blog
AWESOME Cat Adoption Ads if this doesn’t get ‘em placed, nothing will
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
May 3, 2013
How Cats Eat and Drink
Cats that REALLY want something yummy won’t let anything stand in their way.
How cats eat and how cats drink as well as their bowl preferences seems the next logical post in a series of blogs that have covered how dogs eat, as well as how cats hunt. The cat that must hunt for his food typically catches small game like mice, rats, or rabbits, crouches over the kill, and swallows small prey headfirst, fur, feathers and all. If the cat is able to rarely nab a bird, it may be plucked first to remove obnoxious tail feathers. Rabbit-size prey are eaten more slowly.
The cat’s teeth are designed for a carnivorous lifestyle. The dagger-shaped canine teeth are used to kill, while the tiny incisors across the front of the jaw pluck feathers or skin from the prey. Rather than chewing, cats shear off manageable portions of food with their molars, then swallow these chunks. The specialized teeth are located in the side of the cat’s mouth, so Kitty typically tilts his head to the side while eating. Nibbling with incisors and licking with his rough tongue rasps off smaller pieces.
Cats tend to be intermittent feeders, or grazers—rather than gorgers (like dogs). Healthy cats eat several small meals throughout the day. A typical meal of dry food might consist of half a dozen kibbles or so—about the nutritional value of a mouse.
To drink, the cat uses his water-absorbent tongue curled into a spoon shape. Kitty laps up liquid creating an efficient bio-mechanical process that creates a column of liquid they swallow before gravity sucks it back int the bowl. Larger cats lap more slowly than smaller cats to adjust for the size/process. Check out this awesome short video for a complete explanation why cats drink this way and swallows every four to five laps.
Cats relish food that is body or room temperature—the same as prey. Food cooler than this may be refused, or even vomited when eaten cold, so always allow refrigerated foods to warm before serving. A few seconds in the microwave often helps, but don’t overheat.
Do your cats prefer room temp foods or will they gnosh on refrigerated items? For a while just due to easy storage, I kept Seren’s dry food in the freezer and she didn’t seem to mind.
A bowl of clean water should be available at all times. Some cats share food bowls with no problem, but dinner time is less stressful when everyone has his own place. When you have more than one cat, feed them in separate bowls some distance apart to help avoid confrontations.
CAT BOWL PREFERENCE
Several bowl choices are available, from trendy designer crockery to paper plates. Consider what the cat likes before making your choice.
Cats dislike chasing a lightweight bowl over the floor. They are turned off by a dirty or smelly dish. Longhaired and flat-faced cats prefer shallow bowls that allow them to eat to the bottom without bending their whiskers or getting their face messy.
Plastic bowls tend to hold odors, are hardest to keep clean, and their light weight allows them to slide around the floor. Some cats may suffer skin problems like acne resulting from plastic food bowls.
United States-made ceramic bowls are better choices because of their solid weight and ease in cleaning. The glazes in ceramic bowls manufactured in some foreign countries, though, may contain lead.
Heavy non-breakable glass bowls are also good choices, and cats may drink more water from glass containers because they like the taste. But care must be taken if the glass is breakable.
Stainless steel bowls are the choice of veterinary clinics because they are easily sterilized and are non-breakable. The FrostyBowlz is one of the best products I’ve seen. See more details in the review for puppies here and see what Seren thinks of the bowl, below. Some cats object to the taste of water or food offered in such containers, though. You may need to experiment before finding a safe, practical alternative for your cat.
What sort of bowl or dish do you serve to your cats? Do they care or are they persnickety? Stay tuned for next Friday’s review of some more awesome pet bowls–you won’t want to miss!
Your email:
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
May 1, 2013
How Dogs Eat
Dogs are passionate about food and that’s reflected in how dogs eat. In fact, many dogs will eat anything that doesn’t move faster than they do, and it’s up to owners to ensure the canine diet is appropriate.
The canine style of eating is rooted in evolution. Dog ancestors hunted in packs and required large animal prey to sustain the group. The mouse or rabbit an individual might catch was eaten outright, but larger animals posed a problem. What wasn’t eaten immediately drew scavengers ready and willing to steal leftovers out of canine mouths.
That’s why most modern dogs are gorgers. Like their ancestors, dogs can eat huge quantities of food at one time. Such a meal would last wild canines several days, which meant they didn’t need to hunt or eat as often. Modern hunting breeds — Labrador Retrievers and Beagles are notorious — tend to be gorgers that gulp mouthfuls of food without chewing until they reach the bottom of the bowl.
Dog ancestors also developed the ability to benefit from vegetables, which is why modern canines share the human enthusiasm for sweet foods. Sweetness is the signal that a plant has reached ultimate ripeness and highest nutrient value. This diet flexibility gave dogs an edge in survival by allowing them to eat whatever was at hand.
A dog’s teeth are designed for an omnivorous diet, that is, one composed of both animals and vegetables. Dagger-shaped canine teeth are designed to hold and slash prey, while the small incisors across the front of the jaw gnaw flesh from bone. Molars are used to crush bone, shear meat, and grind vegetable matter. Drinking is accomplished by curling the tongue into a spoon to scoop liquid. In this way your dog throws water up into his mouth, and swallows every two to three laps.
With hot weather soon to arrive, you’ll likely be interested in my recent review of the FROSTYBOWLZ that keeps water cold and perishable food fresh. Stay tuned to more bowl reviews next week (Seren will be included!).
Dogs are happy to eat anytime — or, all the time — but it’s healthier and easier for you to manage feeding on a routine basis. Feed your dog in the same place and at the same time every day. Most dogs consider eating a social event, and enjoy company while dining. However, if you have more than one pet, competition may be a problem. Dogs tend to eat more when another pet is present because of their gorger mentality; if I don’t eat it, he will. Make sure each pet has his own bowl, and feed them at separate ends of the kitchen, or even in separate rooms, if necessary. Plenty of clean water should be available at all times.
This is a topic I’m covering in the future release of my updated PURINA ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DOG CARE. I’d LOVE to have your discussion/opinions for possible inclusion so fire away in the comments!
Are your dogs picky eaters? Do they come and go from the food bowl, or gulp mouthfuls at a time? Magic often gets sick and URPS yellow bile if he waits too long to eat. What are your dogs’ eating habits?
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
April 29, 2013
Monday Mentions: Amazing Cat Agility & Writer-icity CAUTION!
Maurice-the-Dragon breathes FIRE when writers get dissssssed!
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo writer links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Check out the SQUEEE! cute pet-astic videos at the bottom, too. If you’ve ever wondered whether cats can be trained…just get a load of 8-month-old Suki in the video. For new followers to the blog, welcome! and you can expect more cat and dog specific schtuff later in the week on Wednesday and Friday.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
Visit me THIS WEEKEND at the OWFI Writers Conference, I’ll be speaking on The Reinvented Writer and signing books. Gots my sparkle-icity all lined up.
Argo Navis & Lazy Literary Agents? Wow David, tell us what you REALLY think! LOL!
What the Hell Is A Hybrid Author? an irreverent (and spot-on) discussion from Chuck Wendig *warning language…and warning, you’ll snort beverage. Just sayin’
Harper Collins Enhanced E-books now this is way kewl!
How To Break Into Magazine Writing
Publisher Jailed for Defrauding Authors Scam publisher Peter Campbell-Copp, of Historical Pages Publishing
Leaf Books In Trouble according to Writer Beware there’s been no update since last August and publications/payments still delayed.
In Defense of Emoticons, Asterisks, Etc BOL!!!!!!!!
Dramatic -$$ for Authors, Yikes! from my colleague Patricia Fry, a major Authors Beware fee-paying moment.
DIP Press Beware: Spam Emailing Authors I got a note a week or ago as did several of my colleagues, as follows:
“Hi there, I am an independent literary agent contracted by my client; DIP Press, to target potential Authors for publishing. This is not an offer for self publishing; there are no fees of any sort required from chosen Authors. Manuscript submissions are currently being accepted for a limited number of slots. If you are interested please email myself or the editor at one of the addresses below: Editor: Ron (me): agentronnie@usa.com Booksubmissions@usa.com “
The note came to me via a writers BBS that I had not visited in over two years, so I asked Ronnie Pherson why I received the note and he answered:
“Hi Amy, Thank you for your message on this side! Concerning the message I sent to you, DIP is looking for authors for summer and fall schedules. This year’s budget was set for the purpose of growth and expansion, giving DIP the ability to bring on more authors and produce and promote them effectively. My job is to bring authors to the table, however, decisions to publish are made by the lead editor, Jason Fisher. If you have specific questions please ask and I will be glad to answer them for you or find the answer as soon as I can. Thanks, Ron
So I asked for details, as follows:
Since you are the “agent” contact would you be the author’s agent/advocate or are you advocating for the publisher?
What are the DIP Press terms? (royalty rates, duration of contract, etc)
Who have you published? (titles/authors)
Where are books distributed? (amazon, iTunes, Kobo, B&N, Diesel, etc)
Detail what “marketing” is included?
Ronnie answered (somewhat incompletely):
“Great questions! In response to your questions; I would be considered the Author’s Advocate.” (This is odd–since he’s been hired by DIP and one assumes is paid by them, how can he then negotiate with them to the benefit of a client? Does he get a flat fee for bringing authors to the table? And on top of that, an agent percentage? Or a cut of books sold? or what?…and when I google the editor James Fisher, there’s not a lot of info. Yes, I’m a weee bit suspicious).
“Terms vary from Author to Author, however, an agreement will be sent with that information in the event you are selected. (So DIP declines to share details until/unless you’re picked). I know that the rates are very good, among the best in the industry among traditional publishers. (Sorry, but that’s not saying much…if it’s for Ebooks, when I can make 70% royalty on my own why would I go with DIP at a 26% royalty…which is just a tick above the “traditional publisher” standard). I have seen contracts for as short as a year and as long as 5 years. This, like many things in the agreement, can be negotiated. (Okay, that’s a positive that terms should be open to negotiation–again, with a strong advocate agent intent on rep’ing the author without potential conflicts of interest).
“You can see more titles here: www.dippub.com -DIP is also known for its high profile/celebrity Authors. (Really? What celebrities? Folks, please look for some DIP authors and point me to the celebs, because I didn’t find any or I’m clueless and didn’t recognize ‘em as famous). In terms of Marketing, DIP has a sophisticated system to promote books and get sales. Activities consist of interviews, press, ads, and a host of other avenues. (Again, please point me to some books from DIP doing well in terms of sales/ranking). I hope this helps! Ron
I’ll give big props to Ron and DIP for responding and offering some answers. The website lists a good-size list of author names, although most of the links do not yet have live info. After a search of my go-to resource Writer Beware I found one 2011 list of similar spam-mail messages soliciting authors. That situation offered a innovative publishing program that required $$ to participate, but wasn’t necessarily seeking to rip-off anyone. If interested in DIP I’d urge y’all to do further investigation. There are LOTS of opportunities these days to publish–and there be sharks in them-thar waters.
PET-CENTRIC SCHTUFF
A Different Kind of Smart — fascinating look at tool use and cognition in animals (crows, elephants, chimps, etc).
Laser Treatment for Dogs from the perspective of one super-special pooch!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
April 26, 2013
Pet First Aid Awareness Month
First aid saves pets, yet DIY vet care is something to avoid. Y’all know that I’m a huge advocate for partnering with your veterinarian for the best possible pet care. But the truth is, when your cat or dog has a veterinary emergency sometimes there’s just not enough time to get your fur-kid into the car and across town. When minutes matter, first aid can prevent further injury or even save your cat or dog’s life.
I’ve blogged about first aid before, including every day items in your current pantry or medicine chest that work great in an emergency. It’s always best to prepare ahead of time. Please invest in a first aid kit, take a pet first aid course from an expert like my friend Arden Moore, and keep a pet first aid book on hand for those just-in-case moments. Even though April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month, be ready every day of the year to keep your cats and dogs safe.
Check out this PAW-some Infographic from 800PetMeds.com for some of the most common emergencies and what to do. And then keep your paws crossed you’ll never need the info!
Thanks to the folks at 1800petmeds.com for this incredible info-graphic!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
