Amy Shojai's Blog, page 137

Thoughty Thursday WARNING!

WARNING Will Robinson, WARNING!

A colleague of mine recently sent a link to something called the Writers Pitch Book that purports to "Connect Writers With Agents, Editors & Movie Producers." The idea is that YOU (the author) send them your 'pitch' and they publish it in the book which goes out to the "right people" to get you noticed and published/produced.

Oh yeah, did I mention there's a fee involved?

Shoot-fire, it'd be worth it to spend $50 to get your pitch before those with the golden keys to the kingdom, wouldn't it? That's what these folks bank on, people! Let's take a deeeeeep breath and think for a minute.

TAKING ADVANTAGE, GRRRR!

What's the benefit here? Well, you will get your pitch published. The "pitch book" certainly may be sent/delivered to all the movers-and-shakers in Nooo Yawk and Hollywood, very likely that will happen.

But why in the wide world of sports (or publishing/movie making) would those editors/agents WANT TO READ THIS FREAKIN' BOOK? I mean, come on, people–agents and editors receive thousands (yes, that's several zeros) of pitches a week. Not a year, but in a week. Ask yourself, just who is this publisher/person who has the means to persuade a busy editor or agent or (gasp!) movie producer to open up a book filled with pitches, sift through, and say, YES, I want to make YOU a star!

I apologize if this offends anyone but it makes me jump up and down and gnash teeth and say SIC-'EM MAGICAL-DAWG! when anyone takes advantage of the hopeful aspirations of writers. There are many online sites that already purport to "connect writers with X" and they're just as ineffective.

SCAMS, DREAM-KILLERS, SUCKING WRITERS DRY

Is it a scam? Well…some are, some aren't especially if they do what they promise–publish a pitch and send that pitch to the agent. But the only people benefiting are the ones that take your check.  That sucking sound you hear is your wallet being lightened.

Similar "opportunities" are offered to actors for getting their head shots and resumes in front of casting directors–you submit your teeeeeny tiny picture and info to these ginormous catalogues that end up as a doorstop (at best) or hamster bedding (at worst).

Please, people. It's never been easy to get work seen by editors, agents or producers. And nobody can do it for you. Instead of spending your hard earned money on one of these "short cuts" that don't work, save those nickles and dimes and invest in a really good writer conference that allows you a face-to-face with an agent or editor. You'll also hear success stories–and cautionary tales–from writers in the trenches, just like you.

I wish there was a magic wand–or magic book–that would do the job for you–and for me. If you ever happen to find that sparkly magic spell, please clue me in. Until then, watch out for the dream-killers. Protect your dream, it's priceless, and don't let ANYONE devalue your work with such things.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Writing Advice & More Tagged: acting, Amy Shojai, movie producers, novels, pitching, publishing, writing, writing advice, writing scams, www.amyshojai.com

Woof Wednesday: Putting On the Dog at Dog Shows

Yorkshire Terrier backstage at Westminster.

Last week, I'm sure a number of readers watched the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on television. I've attended this event several times–I shot most of the pictures in today's blog at Westminster–and it's even more exciting and impressive in person.

In an email communication that mentioned the show, though, one passionate pet advocate expressed the hope that folks NOT watch the show. A finger was pointed at shows for promoting the sale of pets for profit, labeling the practice to be cruelty to animals that created the need for rescue organizations and shelters to deal with the cast offs.

This Standard Poodle is not yet ready for his close-up! Again, taken in the benching area at Westminster.

Wow. I have to applaud the passion, and I actually agree with some of the comments. I also would like to see an end to the need for rescue and shelters, but I don't believe banning dog shows (or cat shows) would stop indiscriminate breeding. Just take a look in the paper at the "free puppies" section—those are not dog show animals being bred for profit. Punishing the folks who research pedigrees, perform expensive genetic and other health tests before doggy match-making, fund ultrasounds, support research to improve health of all dogs (or cats) doesn't account for numbers found in rescue, foster and shelter organizations. I know many breeders who include in their contract that should your circumstances change THEY will take back the dog or cat.

Notice the saw dust on the floor--the BEST pictures (without people traffic) can be taken at the Westminster doggy potty spot.

The only folks who actually make money breeding dogs and cats would never get one of their dogs into Westminster or a comparable show. If you heard my colleague David Frei comment during the broadcast, you learned that a majority of the exhibitors at these high-venue events are ALSO into rescue work, support shelters, do therapy dog work, visit prisons, are hunting dogs or SAR emergency teams, and help fund health studies that benefit all dogs and cats including shelter animals.

Corded coats as on this Komondor served to protect the dogs as herders, but critics suggest the emphasis on appearance may not be good for the dogs.

What's the deal with showing dogs, anyway? The earliest record of a dog show dates to June 1859 in England and featured hunting dogs, while today the show world has expanded to include a much greater variety of breeds, types, and fun canine sports.

Conformation dog shows are the beauty contest of the dog world, like the Westminster show. But conformation goes beyond simple looks. Show judges must know what constitutes the breed "ideal" and measure each competing canine against that mind's eye image to select the winner that comes closest. Besides looks, the dog's health, ability to move, and even personality must be up to snuff.

Appearance doesn't have to be extreme--there can be "hidden" issues as in this gorgeous Golden Retriever, a breed known to have a very high incidence of cancer.

Interestingly, after the 2012 Westminster winning Pekingese Malachy was crowned, quite a bit of outcry resulted not only from folks like rescue and shelter organizations, but also from those in the "show" world. You see, dog shows have a public relations problem—as evidenced by the comments that prompted this column. The breeding of some dogs to extravagant extremes that meets a "show" standard but may impact the health and well- being of the dog has been in question for years, from veterinarians and forward-thinking dog lovers. While the Peke breed was developed to be a lap dog/pet in ancient China, and the winner certainly fit today's standard, the little guy epitomized all the complaints about purebred dog breeding favoring form over function. The coat alone would be crippling and lethal in a Texas summer!

Thank you to everyone who does their part for companion pets everywhere. It shouldn't be an "us against them" mentality. I just wish that all the "good guys" from every arena—show, shelter, rescue, feral TNR, foster and more—worked together for the mutual benefit and against the common enemy—abuse, neglect, and more.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Dog Training & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, breeding, dog care, dog health, dog rescue, dog shelters, dog shows, dog sports, Malachy, puppies.About.com, Westminster

Monday Mentions: Writing, Acting & Pets oh my!

"Maxine" the owner of the gym in Kurves, Texas.

Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Some of this "schtuff" can be hard to categorize and may fit more than one topic so I urge you to at least scan them all.

This past weekend I finished the orchestration for the overture and exit music for KURVES, THE MUSICAL. Tonight we have a photographer coming for cast pictures during the show. That photo above is during a rehearsal–and that's my co-author–to give you an idea of the flavor of the show. *s* If you're in the N. Texas region I hope you'll join us for this fun time. Rehearsals are a blast, we have a wonderful cast and the venue is outstanding. A reviewer will see the show this week, and we'll have our premier March 1, 2, 3.

WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF

Just Breathe! stress relief tips from awesome author and blogger Joy Held

Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2011  so do you agree?

The Writing for Children Competition seeks submissions for all ages of young people, from picture books to young adult (YA) stories. The Writers' Union of Canada is pleased to launch its 16th annual Writing for Children Competition, which invites writers to submit a piece for children up to 1,500 words in the English language that has not previously been published in any format. A $1,500 prize will be awarded to an unpublished Canadian writer, and the entries of the winner and finalists will be submitted for consideration to three publishers of children's books. The deadline for entries is April 24, 2012.

Pinterest for Authors, good tips from Carla Stewart

Writers–You've Been Replaced by a Bot this gives me chills and it's not sci-fi any longer.

R.L. Stine Posts Horror Story on Twitter  Talk about "short short stories…" is this the wave of the future?

AUTHOR BEWARE discusses the pros and cons (lots of cons!) of  BookTango, an ebook aggregator for self-published authors has been released by  Author Solutions (owner of the iUniverse, Xlibris, AuthorHouse, and Trafford brands, and the power behind the outsourced self-publishing divisions of Harlequin and Thomas Nelson, among others).

Kirkus Launches Editing Service for Self-Pub'd Authors

SAG + AFTRA = ???  Information on the merger of Screen Actors Guild & American Federation of Television and Radio Artists

PET SCHTUFF

Dog Flags for helping signal your dog's attitude in advance–"I'm Shy" or "I'm Friendly" for the humans who can't read doggy communication. Neat idea!

Help for Feral Cats from Examiner writer Stacy Ritz

Westminster Steps In It  Those who watched the dog show will be interested in this discussion by savvy dog-centric folks (be sure to read the comments, too, this is a keeper!).

Super-k9.com Presents Cara Shannon – Dallas/Addison 2012. This two day workshop shows professional dog trainers how to set up ongoing admission classes for reactive, aggressive, and shy dogs. Cara's methods are all science-based and positive and are focused on not only changing behavior in the dogs but also on changing the emotional response of the dog.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care, Dog Training & Care, Theater & Performance, Writing Advice & More Tagged: acting, Amy Shojai, cat behavior, cat books, dog books, dog training, http://www.amyshojai.com, Kurves, theater, writing

Feline Friday: How Cats Read & Computer Cat-Astrophe

Cats always seem drawn to sit on top of books.

TGIFF…Feline Friday, that is. I have a new project. In an effort to streamline my work schedule and give myself more leisure time, I've decided to capitalize on Seren-Kitty's ability to read and write.

All cats know how to read.  They simply sit on the page (or the E-reader), and absorb the text through their (ahem) nether regions. Just check out Wall-E, in the picture "reading" my first-aid book. Kitties want to be prepared. *s* What do YOUR cat's read?

For years, I've explained to those who asked that Seren "edit" everything that leaves the house. Seren used to grab paper as it came out of the fax machine, and she answered my phone (but rarely took a message and left the receiver off the hook). Aside from simply channeling my inner cat (or dog, in the case of the forthcoming thriller), Seren takes it further. She types.

Purr-haps the next book will be mewsings straight from the Seren-kitty's tail–er, tale. (Okay, I can hear the groans, so I'll stop. For now.)

This is new for her. Oh, I've joked about Seren having a "paw-top computer" where she actually writes all of my books and articles, and allows me to take credit. After all, I have the thumbs and a wallet to open for all the kitty must-haves. But she's never before bothered the computer keyboard, maybe because most of my work has been composed on an ergonomic keyboard.

Lately, though, I've worked quite a bit on my laptop. If I leave the thing open and unsupervised, she takes advantage to SIT on the keyboard–reading, I suppose, unless she's type-composing with her ass-ets. Heck, some of my work may resemble that but I assure you, the typing does take place.

If you're a writer who often angsts over composing just the RIGHT phraseology, having it wiped out by kitty butt-inskies can make blood pressure soar. Those innocent cat-less souls out there who think this might be an aberration, just check out the comments (I'm sure there will be several!) because cat butt-and-paw computer interference is a common problem. There are some products designed specifically to foil kitty computer damage, too, from keyboard "shields" that keep paws at bay, to software called PawSense  that "detects cat typing" and catproofs the writing with a save function before too much damage is done.

. . . Kitty Keyboard Kover, comfort for the cat and typing room for you!

Why do cats find computers so attractive? I suspect there are a couple of reasons. First, that lovely appliance gets WARM as it sits and runs. I've started shutting the laptop when I must leave it unattended, and still find Seren lounging on top of the closed lid, probably drawn to the heat.

It's also an elevated perch. Yes, it IS! I mean, when a cat considers sitting on a flat piece of paper to be the epitome of luxury, the inch or two boost from perching atop your keyboard must make him feel like a king.

Finally, cats recognize that their humans spend lots of time (hours, days, weeks…) sitting and staring and doing finger-clacking noises on the laptop. It smells like their favorite person, AND if they sit on the keyboard they get in between the screen and your face–in your line of vision. I can just hear Seren thinking, "Why stare at that when you can be gazing with adoration at ME?…oh, and scratch that spot, you know the one. . ."

Do your cats sit on the keyboard? How do you manage the problem? What about following the mouse on the screen? Have you had any computer cat-tastrophes? Please share! Do your cats do anything like the kitty in the video, yikes!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, books, cat behavior, cat care, cats, cats on computers, cats reading, Complete Kitten Care, computer keyboard cover, www.amyshojai.com

Woof Wednesday: Westminster & More Than Looks

Malachy the Pekingese wins Best In Show at Westminster!

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show crowned the latest winner last night–a dust-mop-size grinning lap dog with an attitude! I have to say, he stole the show for me, too, despite an outstanding field of doggy divas.

But oh my goodness, that HAIR! So much of it he resembled "scrubbing bubbles" from the wrong angle and the cameras had to search to find his face. Don't get me wrong, Malachy is the absolute perfect example of the Peke–even though the breed has become somewhat of an extreme. Take what you like in a doggy type and exaggerate it to get the show dog, and it absolutely works in some and not so much in others.

Would you know how to care for all that coat? Magical-Dawg sheds bucketloads of fur each fall and spring, and the Furminator helps keep the doggy drifts under control. For a number of the show dogs, when they're not being campaigned they may be trimmed in more easy-going trims or be covered up with bibs and ear snoods to keep from gumming up those fancy tresses with food or other debris.

I really love David Frei's and the other announcer's method of describing the show dogs' temperament and care/work needs. That Peke is more than a pretty face, and the grooming alone requires hours that some owners may not have. Grooming, of course, involves more than just coat care. Even the mutt-off-the-street needs basic grooming in terms of brush or comb, and a regular bath when they get grubby, as well as toenail trims, ear care, and in the case of the Peke, some special eye care may be needed.

How do you keep your dog spiffy? Do you have a show-stopper? What tips help with the rough-and-tumble dirty dogs like my Magic to help keep grime to a minimum? Please share!

By the way, the winning Peke weighs in at 11 pounds. That's how much Magical-Dawg weighed when he came home to live with us at 8 weeks.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Dog Training & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, dog books, dog grooming, dog shows, how to give dog bath, how to trim dog nails, Malachy the Pekingese, Westminster, www.amyshojai.com

Tuesday Tips: A Roundup for Valentine's Day

Cats of Egypt--helping Egypt's animals . . .

Monday Mentions didn't happen yesterday because I was head-down on final edits for my THRILLER. I sent it to the publisher last evening, whew! And then I hurried off to KURVES rehearsal and didn't even get to watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show when I got home. Yep, these days I meet myself running, but it's all good.

I've got news! I learned that my new Puppies Website won a MAJOR AWARD, the Maxwell Medallion, from the Dog Writers Association of America, woot! The awards were presented Sunday night in New York and since I'm in rehearsals, I couldn't be there but some seriously talented dog-savvy folks were honored.

Today just for Valentine's Day I've compiled a mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Some of this "schtuff" can be hard to categorize and may fit more than one topic so I urge you to at least scan them all.

PET SCHTUFF

Lorraine Chittock celebrates Cairo's cats, with glorious photos–and donations to a wonderful Egyptian animal welfare organization. Check out the book Cairo Cats! pictured above.

International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants annual behavior conference, all about cats, dogs, therapy animals, horses and parrots! Early bird registration goes away in 6 days . . .

California Roll-Back on Pet Protection Laws? from terrific blogger BJ Bangs

14 Ways Your Cat Loves You from my good friend and cat behavior expert Sally Bahner

Inking for Dollars–tattoos benefiting shelters!

Dogs Deserve Better sent 19,000 Valentine cards to dog owners who chain their dogs all day long!

WRITING SCHTUFF

Books-A-Million and Indigo Books join B&N in the Amazon boycott  along with Amazon may open brick & mortar store in Seattle

Helpful post about How to "Gift" an Ebook for Reviews

OKC University Creative Writing Festival the art of laughter and thrills in creative writing

Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society Writing Contest

Why HATING FACEBOOK Costs You Book Sales, you really need to read this

Dreamin' with Jennifer Lawler, how her editing/publishing dream came true and she wants YOUR book, too! from

Keeping Current Without Being Overwhelmed, from Lorie Huston's blog for Socially Savvy Pet Bloggers

Dirty Fighting, techniques to spice up your fiction, from the awesome Jenny Hansen, plus heart-pounding visceral responses from guest blogger Margie Lawson

How NOT to Get Burned Out from Kristen Lamb, social media maven

Dirty Publishing–DON'T DO IT! Great post on independent author's ethics from Jeremy Robinson

Updating Your Ebook--how to do it.

Writers Guide to E-Pub now features the awesome Jen Talty from WhoDaresWinsPublishing.com, SQUEEEE!

Score Your Book Title, some great tips for designing a winner (with a very cool "test") from great blogger Linda Joyce

Overdone Plotlines–yikes! Is yours in there?

Gene Lempp's Blog Treasures, even more good stuff!

Babe the Sheep Pig has nothin' on Champis, the bunny–wowsers!

Don't try this at home–unless you've got year's of experience, trustworthy dogs, and lots of supervision but–wow, ain't this a fun video?!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways! NOTE a special Valentine's Day issue will go out later this afternoon.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Feline Friday: How Cats Show Love

Placing himself in a vulnerable position shows you love . . . (Image copr. mhstrp2009 via Flickr)

There's no doubt we love our pets — but do our cats love us back? The answer is yes. But cats and kittens show affections in ways that aren't always what humans expect. In fact, a pet's Valentine wishes might instead puzzle, aggravate or even offend some people. Here are 7 ways cats show love (excerpted from my Paw Nation article).

1. Cats (sometimes) scratch and pee to show affection. Cats seek out items that smell most like their beloved human — and they find scratching and peeing calming. So marking up your favorite chair or baptizing your bed with urine actually is not only a backhanded kitty compliment but a stress reliever. Providing legal scratch and potty opportunities encourages kitty to love you in more appropriate ways.

2. Cats put their rear ends in your face. This is a friendly gesture we swear! The cat is offering you an invitation to sniff — and to the feline way of thinking, that's a very loving thing to do. But as you will not want to indulge, respond by scratching the base of her tail instead.

3. Kitties rub against you. This leaves the cat's scent — marking you as "owned" by them. Cats repeatedly head bump their most favorite people. Bumping your face is the ultimate show of trust, since it leaves eyes vulnerable.



4. Cats knead your thighs. Honestly, we're not sure why they do this. We know that kittens do it to prompt mom-cat's milk to release and we suspect this instinctive behavior hearkens back to that feeling of comfort and joy. So a cat kneading her human certainly can be a kitty valentine.

5. Cats purr. Now these noises can mean different things, including delight or concern, but a cat that purrs while snuggled in your lap expresses deep trust and love for you. Return the favor and talk back in a warm, caring voice. Say "I love you." She'll understand the emotion, if not the exact words.

6. Cats will groom you. Licking your skin or hair, or even nibbling or sucking on your clothing spreads "family" scent and is an expression of feline love. Return the favor — petting your cat is the kitty equivalent of a love fest of mutual grooming.

7. Kittens curve their tails. When a kitten greets her mom-cat, she holds her tail straight up with the end tipped over. If your kitty directs this tippy tail at you, she is, in effect, calling you "mom."

These are just some of the ways your pet may be expressing his love. And they certainly don't apply to all animals, as some cats become very creative and keep us guessing! But there's no doubt that pets appreciate our love and love us back. The best Valentine's gift we can give them is learning to understand them, foibles and all. Of course you can learn lots more about kitty behavior in the book COMPLETE KITTEN CARE.

How do YOUR cats show love? Seren also "guards" me to keep the (spit!) unworthy dog from soiling me with his presence. And she taste-tests my food so that I don't run the risk of poisoning (puts her lil' life on the line just for me…and that potato chip). Please share how your cats and kittens love you!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat behavior, cat books, cat care, cat communication, cats, how cats show love, Paw Nation, www.amyshojai.com

Woof Wednesday: Puppy Love & Valentine's Day

Puppy Love...it's ALL it's cracked up to be!

Magic runs to me with his ears down and tail a-wag, wanting attention. He rolls on his back for a tummy rub or brings me a treasured toy to share. How do your dogs show love…or do they?

Dogs have well-known reputations as loyal, loving companions—the quintessential "man's best friend" and deservedly so. Dogs thrive on social interaction. Heck, Magical-Dawg even enjoys the cat's company (he won't admit it!). With Valentine's Day in the offing, I'd love to hear from y'all the various ways YOUR furry wonder's show love.

To get you started, here's what I've come up with — 12 ways puppies show love.  And on a related note, here's a fun article on a GREAT way for you to offer the ideal Valentine's gift to your pet-loving significant other.   If'n your Valentine would like a pet book, well you've come to the right place!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Dog Training & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, dog behavior, dog books, dogs, how dogs show love, pet books, puppies, Valentines, Valentines gifts, www.amyshojai.com

Tuesday Tips: Nonfiction Proposal–Outline & Samples

The next part of the journey will be exciting!

Today is the last installment in my series on nonfiction book proposals. Over the past several Tuesday Tips I've covered some of the meat-and-potatoes of choosing topics, researching ideas, and putting together a winning nonfiction book proposal. While I write primarily about pets, the same ingredients for your nonfiction book stew are the same–it's just the seasoning and presentation that may vary.

The first week discussed the IDEA TREE followed by topic choice including where to find ideas and decide if they're viable. The third covered passionate picks and bio building–and then the holidays happened, so I took a week off. The next installment covered to query or not, what goes in a query or cover letter and how to approach an editor/agent. We've dissected the nonfiction proposal to find out the components and got up-close-and-personal with the nonfiction proposal OVERVIEW and the COMPETITION/MARKET SURVEY. Have questions about format? Find the answers here.  Last week the topic was the AUTHOR BIO & PROMOTION.  Today we complete the series discussing how to put together a nonfiction book outline, and what to include as samples.

Squirrel on a bear...you thought I was kidding.

THE BOOK OUTLINE

For fiction authors, this would be the synopsis. Wow–I could hear knees knocking as y'all read that horrible "synopsis" word! The bad news is, some of the same things apply in the nonfiction book proposal outline. The good news is–an outline isn't nearly as angst-worthy. In fact, you may already have much of the hard work done.

There are different schools of thought when it comes to the book outline, but since I'm writing this blog, you'll get my pick. Because even a squirrel-on-a-bear someone like me can do this.

See that last word in the topic slug above? The one that starts with an "o" and ends with an "e" — that one. Say it with me here. We're going to OUTLINE the book.

What other part of the book uses this technique. I'll wait. (turning head, whistling, tapping foot) Brilliant! That didn't take long at all, there are some very savvy squirrels writers reading the blog today. Yes, your TABLE OF CONTENTS very likely already is in outline form. Use it.

Every chapter gets listed. Within each chapter, the sections get listed. Refer back to the blog that discusses format to remind yourself how your book will be organized–by chapter, by parts, in an Alpha list, and whether it will include lists, charts, sidebars, illustrations and the like. Use these to populate, in broad strokes, the headings and subheads of your book outline.

For some formats it works well to include a 1-2 sentence description of each "part" of the chapter, or up to a paragraph or two for the entire chapter. Do what works best for your individual book. If you know, also include the approximate number of pages in each chapter, along with a bullet list of illustrations, graphs, lists or other value-added.

Maurice the Dragon-Muse puts samples wherever the #$%^&! he wants!

SAMPLES–WHAT, HOW MUCH, WHERE DOES IT GO?

With a fiction project the agent or editor wants to see the FIRST chapter(s) in consecutive order. That's not necessarily the case with nonfiction. Check the submissions guidelines since some request "up to three sample chapters." That means you can offer the first chapter, one from the middle, one from the end or however best shows off your work.

For example, several of my books are formatted with "up front overview chapters" in part one of the book, and then an "A-to-Z list of symptoms/conditions" in the last half. Therefore, I'd offer one chapter from that front matter–maybe "Nursing & Home Care"–and then one or two more from the alpha-listed chapters that are the "wow" grab-'em kind of topics like reversing paralysis or kidney transplants.

In my books the first chapter typically had quite a bit of material that I'd already included in the overview portion of the proposal. If that's the case with your proposed book, you may wish to choose something other than the first chapter–UNLESS that's specifically requested.

Your sample chapters go at the back of the proposal. Some folks include a TOC to the proposal itself in case the editor/agent wants to flip to a specific portion and read your bio, for example. I'm sure some editors read the samples before anything else, and only then (if they like it) go back and read the rest of your pitch. But for simplicity's sake, it's usually best to include all samples at the end of the package with any other samples.

Make a place for important samples--don't just let 'em unravel or dangle.

What other samples, you say? If you've published on the book's topic in articles, blogs or chapters in books, you can include them as supporting samples. That said, if those articles form the basis for entire chapters then–no. List them in credentials but you don't necessarily want the reader to see you've plagiarized yourself (or as a friend tells me, "re-sourced yourself.")

When your book will include illustrations and photos that are necessary to the book concept–you're a photographer and it's a coffee table format–by all means, include samples. You may wish to include samples of a couple of different illustrators that you have in mind. Just remember that the publisher almost always chooses the illustrator for books, unless the author also is a professional artist.

Best wishes on putting together your nonfiction book proposal. What have I left out? Do you have questions about further details? What has worked for you in the past? Please share!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Writing Advice & More Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat books, dog behavior, http://www.shojai.com, nonfiction book proposals, pet books, pets, writing, writing advice, www.amyshojai.com

Monday Mentions: Cat Lit, Hero Dogs, Pet Pix & George Carlin On Pets

Higgins--an "accidental dog" that became a beloved family member.

Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Some of this "schtuff" can be hard to categorize and may fit more than one topic so I urge you to at least scan them all.

Today tickets go on sale for KURVES, THE MUSICAL. If you're in the N. Texas region I hope you'll join us for this fun time. My voice is nearly back so rehearsals should run smoother.

This past weekend I spent a lot of time on the thriller WIP edits, going over notes from my copy editor and some beta readers. Work yet to be done before submission but now it's so close I can taste it!

And as if I didn't have enough to do, I was just introduced to Pinterest where you can "pin" photos that you like. It's addictive. Gulp. But feel free to check out my meager "boards" and re-pin if you like them. I'll add to them as I can. I'm at http://pinterest.com/amyshojai/ and (go figure!) I have pictures of pets, flowers and shiny objects–oh, and books.

WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF

BARNES & NOBLE, TANTRUMS R US? Maybe not. They're just playing hardball by refusing to stock amazon.com-published books in their physical stores. After all, amazon.com pulled titles from publishers who refused to play ball on some things. Makes you wonder, who will take their Playdoh and go home next?

Kitty Lit — Cats Rewrite the Classics. Abebooks has out cat-egorized themselves by making sure cat-lacking literature got the paw-stamp it deserved. Now you can read such classics as "Furenheit 451″ and "Lord of the Fleas" and even (cue scary music) Paws –Don't go in the litterbox. Don't go near the scratching post. Don't sit on the sofa. And now, for the first time….don't go in the water. With razor sharp claws and a thirst for vengeance, Kitty is back, and this time….she can swim!

THE DANGER OF "TRENDY" WORDS in your novel from Jennifer Eaton's blog

THE VALUE OF CRITIQUE GROUPS from novelist Beth Groundwater

SWEET SPOT TWEET TIPS some data that reveals the secrets to effective twitter-icity

DIRTY HOTEL ROOM SECRETS for those writing bedroom sagas…wait, no, that's not right! Actually blogger Marcia Richards has some great info you'll want to know before you book your next holiday. Or put a holiday in your book.

IS YOUR BOSS A PSYCHOPATH? and is this wrong? Betcha a lot of you fiction writers can take tips from this to build your next villain. Or hero? Bwaaa-hahahaha!

CREATESPACE VS LIGHTENING SOURCE which is better for your self pub'd work?

DOG SCHTUFF

THE ACCIDENTAL DOG brought boatloads of love. Had to share, this is from my brother. Did you ever have an "accidental" pet?

INSPIRING HERO DOG HELPS FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME BOY  Read this with tissues, folks. It's long but worth the read.

McDONALD'S APOLOGIZES FOR DOGGY GAFF

DOG WITH CANCER STILL A CHAMPION! and inspires others

CANINE SNAKEBITE SURVIVOR from "down under" vet Dr. Rayya, wow!

CLOMICALM MEDS CONTAIN WRONG TABLETS? This common medicine prescribed for dog and cat anxiety MAY have been dispensed in some cases with the wrong tablets. Click the link and read the release from the manufacturer Novartis for guidance.

HOARDING VS FOSTERING the thin furry line, a heartbreaking but enlightening article

ANIMAL LAW 101, some good info here for folks who need to know

PET FOOD POLITICS, interesting article from Dr. Marion Nestle and the great writing team at PetConnection.com

CAT SCHTUFF

FELINE WISDOM & POSSIBILITIES a simply lovely post from Angie Baily, you'll want to read this and be inspired!

SHELTER STATS well, as close as they can get, perhaps.

MAN FIRED FOR FEEDING FERALS AT 7-UP PLANT

CAT MAN DREW feline artwork right in time for Valentine's Day

has some lovely kitty photos

STOOPID CAT PICTURES–"BREADING" CATS

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you'd like answered? 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 with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Cat Behavior & Care, Dog Training & Care, Theater & Performance, Writing Advice & More Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat behavior, cats, dog training, dogs, George Carlin, Kurves, pet books, writing advice