Amy Shojai's Blog, page 140

Woof Wednesday: Free Book & What About Pet Vacations?

Leave a special toy or something that smells like you when he's left behind!

Cats and dogs deal with our absences in different ways. Of course they're very different creatures with different languages, and want different things out of life. In fact, I wrote a book about this–and ComPETability has just gone FREE for 5 days only on Kindle. I hope you'll share the link with other folks who love both cats and dogs.

I know we've just come off of the holidays. Many of y'all got a new puppy for Christmas, though, and aren't thinking about the next vacation. What will you do with the new little one? It's always best to plan ahead.

Vacations rate right up there with winning the lottery. Okay, maybe not quite that high, but "time off" from the daily rush makes me feel like a seven year old at Christmas. For pets, though, an owner's vacation can be anything but fun.

You have several choices: stay home with Sheba and Rex; take the fur-kids along for the ride; find a pet motel willing to board your critter cotillion; or, engage the services of a pet sitter.  Each option has benefits and drawbacks, and the best choice depends mostly on your individual pets—and your holiday destination.

Boarding offers good options particularly for well-adjusted canines. You'll find a number of facilities in our area listed in the yellow pages. A pet sitter comes to your house at predetermined times.

De-Tails Needed

Provide details about the dog's routine and individual foibles. For instance, Rex may NEED to have a Frisbee session every day at 4 pm, while Sheba MUST have her Kitty Kaviar treat before she'll eat. Other services may also be available, such as watering plants, picking up the newspaper, or turning lights on and off while you're gone.

Be sure the pet sitter has the phone numbers to contact you during your trip. Leave emergency information and authorization for veterinary care, if the need should arise.

Finding the Pros

There are two professional "pet sitter" organizations. Other pet sitter professionals may also be available, if you ask around. Check with pet owning friends and your veterinarian or groomer for suggestions. Give one or more of these folks a call to match your particular pet needs. You'll find more details about vacationing with–or without–your dog in this article. Then, enjoy your vacation in peace!

Do you take your dogs with you on vacation? Or do you engage the services of a pet sitter? Magical-dawg stays with his breeder (oh joy!) and gets to play with the cousins and aunts. What are some tips that help your dog when you must leave him/her behind? Does the dog act upset and snub you when you return, or is the reunion a par-teeeee?! Please share!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting.  Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

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, cat behavior, cats, competability, dog behavior, dogs, free books, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, vacation with pets

Tuesday Tips: Dissecting The Nonfiction Proposal

Understanding what's in the pile! (Copr. Steven Green Photography)

Today I continue my series on nonfiction book proposals. Over the next several Tuesday Tips I'll continue to cover 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. Last week the topic was to query or not, what goes in a query or cover letter and how to approach an editor/agent.

Today we get into the nitty gritty to learn what goes into a proposal package that you send out, and the components of the proposal itself. Sharpen your virtual pencils, folks! That proposal may seem like a warm-and-fuzzy cluster of CUTE-ICITY, but let's take a look at each individual component that makes up the whole.

THE PROPOSAL PACKAGE INCLUDES:

Cover Letter (learn how to put that together here)
Proposal (includes many components…patience, we'll get to that!)
Bio
Table of Contents/Outline
Sample Chapters (usually 1-3)

These are the basic ingredients in the nonfiction stew, but be sure to check with individual agents and publishers to learn their specific requirements. Some want only one chapter, or have specific requests for composing the outline.

What makes YOU uniquely qualified? (Copr. Rocky Mt Feline Rescue)

BIO Contains:

One Page Only
Written in 3rd Person
Expertise re: THIS book topic
Relevant publishing history
BIG-A$$ promo opportunities i.e., regular guest on Oprah (more details in proposal)
More about bio basics can be found here

To recap, you have only a very brief period of time to convince the editor that you know your schtuff and are the perfect/only person able to bring this project to fruition. Think in terms of opening the bio with the ONE SENTENCE tip of the iceberg take-away that prompts the person to google your name to find out more.

Mine would be, "Amy Shojai, CABC is a pet care expert, consultant to the pet products industry and the award-winning author of 23 pet care titles." One would hope those mysterious initials after my name might intrigue the reader to learn what they mean. Also notice it's written in 3rd person, instead of, "I am a pet care expert…" which sounds a bit boastful (even if true).

Tie your expertise to the topic of the book. Maybe you've had personal experience in the subject and that prompted you to learn more and become a lay-expert. Or maybe your profession has a direct link to the topic. By all means, list one or two specific articles or books that have a direct tie-in to your credibility for the proposed title.

This is the place to mention DELIVERABLE promotion opportunities, not maybe-sorta-kinda-in-a-way hopes. If you will appear on XYZ-TV program as a regular guest, or have speaking tour engagements already booked, mention it.

Hold all the components together--somehow!

PROPOSAL, THE CONTENTS

Probably a good time to remind y'all that you should always consider nonfiction proposals to be written in sand–or in my case, kitty litter. In almost every case, before I got an offer on one of my pet books, my agent put me in touch with the interested editor and we chatted about the book contents, format, and his/her ideas. This is the short list of what typically goes into the proposal.

Title Page
Overview (5 to 10+ pages)
Competition/Market Survey (1-10+ pages)
Format Description (1-3 pages)
Promo-Ops, both concrete and potential (1-3 pages)
Bio (1 page)
TOC/Outline
Sample Chapters
Attachments (vitae, other writing samples, book dummy, illio samples)

Next week, the magnifying glass takes a look at the opening pages of your nonfiction proposal, including the overview and competition sections. That's the meat-and-potatoes of the proposal.

What burning questions do y'all have about nonfiction proposals? Anything I've missed? Please share what's worked for YOUR nonfiction book sales, too.

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting.  Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

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, cute kitten pictures, cute puppy pictures, how to write, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, kitten in costume, nonfiction book proposals, publishing nonfiction, writers

Monday Mentions: Thriller-icity, Writing & Cat-vertising

Today I finished my thriller WIP, yeeee-haw!!! Can you see my virtual cartwheels? I hope so, cuz I can't do real ones. I've sent the manuscript (DEADLINES…how appropriate, ey?) off to an editor and 4 writers/readers for first look and feedback. It's shivery times ahead until I get their responses. But if anything in the manuscript turns out right, that's all because of the terrific writer-icity how-to blogs often listed here on the Monday Mentions. That's 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.

WRITER-ICITY

Publishing Poynters, is a newsletter with all the self pub'ing must knows from guru (and a friend of mine!) Dan Poynter. Why not subscribe? He's got some terrific how-to books, too.

The Chipper Muse kicks off the New Year with a roundup of great blogs and writing resources (including this one *blush*)

Things Writers Should Stop Doing from Chuck Wendig's awesome PenMonkey brain

The Best of Daily Writing Tips, a round up of the year's best

Thrilleresque magazine info can be found on Facebook. He does profiles of published thriller authors, and pays for some short stories and features.

Signing Families has information about ASL–maybe you have a hearing-impaired or deaf character in your novel?

Marketing Tips for Writers from my friend Nita Beshear (she has a neat book out on quilting, too!)

Brand-Related Blogs–(not what you think!) Interesting reading from a speaker from last year's Blog-Paws Conference

PET SCHTUFF

War Horse Movie Wins Highest Marks from American Humane

Does the Nose Nose–or Not? Interesting article on canine sniffers and how they may go wrong–take this with a grain of salt (or fur), not everyone agrees. Make a good plot twist, though. *s*

Purina Partners with Jenny Craig for slimming pudgy pooches AND YOU!

Feeding Raw from Sally Bahner's Exclusively Cats blog

Say No to Declaw from cat expert Marilyn Krieger

Jackson Galaxy Interviewed–My Cat from Hell (Animal Planet show) by JaneA Kelly

OFF-THE-WALL SCHTUFF

Coffee-Snorting Gift Wrapping from one of my fav bloggers Jenny Hansen. This is too good not to share, even though the holidays have past.

My kewl friend Paula Lanier sent me this link–and I feel all vindicated about my life's profession. Check it out!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting.  Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

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, Writing Advice & More Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat behavior, cat care, dog behavior, dog care, dog training, how to, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, pet books, publishing, Thrillers, writing advice

Feline Friday: Ask Amy & Kitten Litterbox Training

"You want me to do WHAT?" (Copr Maria Magnus)

Did you get a kitten for Christmas? Today's Feline Friday is the kitty version of Woof Wednesday's dog house training tips. Most cats come pre-programmed to use the potty but you'll need help if the baby is very young. Felines are great imitators and simply "copy cat" their mother's behavior when they watch and follow her to the litter box. Most kittens and cats will already know what a litter box is for and how to use it by the time you adopt them.

But if you hand-raise an orphan or adopt a kitten younger than 8 to 10 weeks, you'll need to do the job of the mother cat. Transitioning outdoor cats to an indoor lifestyle also may mean re-training bathroom etiquette from "going" among the flowers to aiming for the litter box. Check out the Ask Amy video below, and you'll find more of the basics here.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

Felines are naturally clean creatures and dislike eliminating where they sleep or eat. They also appreciate privacy when (ahem) doing their duty. Build allegiance to the litter box by positioning it correctly, in a low-traffic area away from the cat's bed and food bowls. Also remember that kittens may not have the physical capacity to "hold it" long enough to run clear across the house or down the stairs. Provide a box on each end of the house, or one per floor.

SIZE MATTERS

A regular size box may be too large for new kittens to climb in and out. A disposable cookie sheet works until he's bigger. Average size adult cats do well with standard commercial litter pans, but jumbo-size cats (Maine Coon kitties come to mind!) may need larger toilets or risk hanging over the sides when they pose. Translucent plastic storage bins with a cat-size hole cut in one side may be ideal.

FILLER 'ER UP WITH…WHAT?

A variety of cat box fillers are available, from plain clay to pine pellets and recycled wheat or corn crumbles. The ideal material absorbs moisture, contains waste and odor, and most important of all, suits the cat. Fine textures such as the "clumping" clay litters seem to be the feline favorite. Fill the box an inch or so deep with the filler.

If you're transitioning an outdoor cat to an indoor box, do a bit of research and follow him to find out his preferred substrate. Dusting a bit of plain garden dirt, or a layer of grass or leaves over top of the commercial litter may help give him the idea of what you have in mind.

TRAINING TO THE BOX

Kittens and cats new to your home won't know where the box is, even if they do know what it's for. Place the kitty on top of the clean litter, and scratch around with your fingers to prompt imitation. Even if the cat doesn't need to "go," a pristine box often tempts them to dig a bit, which may lead to the first deposit.

When he's creative in the box, reward your cat with verbal praise, a toy, or even a tasty treat reserved only for training. Don't pick your new kitty up out of the box. Let him make his own way out of the box and the room, so he'll better remember how to get back there the next time nature calls.

For tiny kittens, leave one recent deposit in the box after he's been productive. The scent is a reminder of where the box is, and what he's supposed to do once he's there. But remember to keep the box clean or the cat will avoid the dirty toilet and find a better spot—such as under your bed.

CREATE A POTTY SCHEDULE

Until you're sure the kitty consistently uses the box, make a point of scheduling potty times. Kittens need to eliminate more frequently than adults do. Take the baby for a pit stop after each nap, meal, and play period.

Teaching basic bathroom allegiance from the beginning ensures your kitten gets off on the right paw—and saves your carpet. You'll find even more of kitten "must knows" in the book Complete Kitten Care.  Have you ever had problems training kittens to "go" in the right spot? How did you manage?

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting.  Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

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: Ask Amy Videos, Cat Behavior & Care Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy Videos, cat behavior, cat box training, cat care, cats, Complete Kitten Care, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, kittens, litter box, pet books

Woof Wednesday: Ask Amy & Puppy House Training

A Christmas puppy named Page has fun with the gifts. (Copr Esagirl/Flickr)

Did you get a puppy for Christmas? SQUEEEEE! What fun! The joy of watching a baby dog play, and learning all about the little guy can be a special time. But the new baby doesn't come knowing all the rules of your house. House training is a biggie and can spoil and interrupt the bonding experience for you both. After all, the puppy wants to please you but just can't help natural urges to squat.

Dogs can be potty trained at any age, but puppies learn much more quickly than adults. Puppies are so cute that owners forgive puppy-size accidents, but adult-size deposits aren't cute and often lose the grown-up pet his home. I've offered a couple of the biggies–most important tips–in the Ask Amy video below. You can use these 8 puppy potty training tips to housebreak puppies and ensure he grows up to be the best friend he's meant to be.

Have you ever had a potty training challenge? What did you do? What are some other dog bathroom training tips that worked for you? Senior citizen dogs also can have issues with being able to "hold it." You can find tips for the old doggy incontinence issues in the book Complete Care for Your Aging Dog.

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting.  Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

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: Ask Amy, Video, Woof Wednesdays Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, basset puppy, Christmas puppy, cute puppy pictures, dog books, dog training, house training, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, puppies

Tuesday Tips: Nonfiction Proposals–Query or Not?

Where DID I put that query letter?

Today I continue my series on nonfiction book proposals. Over the next several Tuesday Tips I'll continue to cover 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. Today's installment is relatively short, but explores how to approach the agent and/or editor with your proposal. Yes, we're doing this a bit back-asswards but I think you'll be relieved at the answers.

WHAT IS A QUERY?

Most of those reading this blog know that a query is the "open sesame" to the editor or agent's good graces.

With fiction queries I've often heard agents say they really don't care about your expertise as a collector of ball point pens or that you've taught squirrel monkeys to juggle espresso bottles. The query in these cases acts as a tease to prompt the agent/editor to say, "send me more." The fiction manuscript, not your experience as a child therapist, sells the book. Of course, if your protagonist is a child therapist that can lend some cred–but the way fiction works, the story and how it's put together matters more than author expertise.

So how's pitching nonfiction different? Well–you don't need a query with nonfiction.

I'll wait until y'all stop hyperventilating. Grab that paper bag and breeeeeth deeply. Better? Okay, now let me repeat–

A nonfiction book does not NEED a query letter.

You can query if you wish–and you must-must-must (did I say MUST?!) CHECK WITH THE AGENT/EDITOR first to see if they prefer a query. For nonfiction, most don't want or need a query and it's a waste of time and stamps (or bandwidth). Instead, you submit nonfiction proposals with a COVER LETTER.

WHY USE COVER LETTERS?

Certainly you can query. Simply put, a nonfiction query is a sales pitch not just for the book, but also for YOU. Fiction authors get to make stuff up. Nonfiction authors better by dawgie know what they're talking about, and be an expert or know where to find them.

By sending a cover letter with the proposal package, you've saved them time (because they'll WANT to see your samples, right?). And even if your cover letter sucks, the proposal is right there and most will at least take a look at the first page or two.

A cover letter is similar to a query in that it's a sales tool but instead of focusing on the fiction story, you emphasize your expertise, platform, and need for the book. Boil it down to the most important WOW-factor tip of the iceberg. The meat-and-potatoes will be in the proposal ready and waiting for the agent/editor to sample after you've whetted their appetite. Here's the ingredients:

1 page single spaced
The proposed length and title (both may change. Get over it.) What's it about–the title better point to this but you can expand here
Why is this topic timely and saleable?
Why YOU should write this book–(your expertise, experience, access to sources, previously pub'd books or articles on the subject, you host a TV show, whatever).

Now, if you really want to do a query instead, you'll have all that above, plus a brief market comparison–how is it different, better, more up to date, fill in the X than what other (top! well known!) book on the subject. A cover letter won't need this because it will be inside the proposal.

Next week we'll FINALLY get into some of the nitty gritty of what goes into the nonfiction book proposal.

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting.  Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

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: Tuesday Tips, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat books, cover letters, dog books, how to write nonfiction proposals, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, nonfiction books, query letters, writers conference, writing

Monday Mentions: Pet Resolutions & Lotsa Links

Happy New Year--Hissssssssss, waggggggity-wag!

Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and videos and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. But since I took last week off (BAD Amy!), today's offers a bumper crop of linky-luv. Scroll down toward the bottom of the blog for some of what y'all missed while indulging in holiday-blog-truant-behavior.

It wasn't all beverages & bons-bons, either because one Christmas present was a winter cold. Ewww. But the past several day I managed to get through another pass on my thriller-icity WIP, yay!

Tuesday Tips continues the how-to nonfiction book proposal series. And the Ask Amy videos gear up in the next weeks (Yes, I've got some kewl sparkles to share!). Send your Ask Amy suggestions  or I'll just come up with my own ideas, and you know how dangerous THAT could be.

New children's book from Franny Syufy!

Have you "resolved" to finally publish that book? My friend Franny has a new kids book out. Franny Syufy is the Cats Guide over at cats.About.com and a terrific writer. I don't have kids that can read but if you do, check it out. Lucy, the Loch Ness Llama looks delightful.

It's 2012, wow. A new year is a time for reflection on the past, and resolutions for the future. My furry crew tells me it's a good time to take stock of the past year from a pets'-eye-view, and the year to come.

The Magical-dawg romped through the year and had no missteps for once. Could it be he's mellowing? He's only five—and still keeps me on my toes. Seren-kitty has reached the grand age of 14 and noticeably slowed down. She sleeps more, I see sprinkles of white in her black mask, her claws click when she walks (arthritis makes it hard to keep them hidden) but pestering the dog keeps her engaged in life. I pray that the years will touch me as lightly as they have my little Siamese wannabe.

So here are New Year's Resolutions from Magic and Seren, with commentary by Amy. (Scroll down to the bottom for lots of

Magic:  "I will train my humans to toss balls with better aim."

Amy: He insists on fetch both inside the house and out. So I resolve to keep breakables out of tossed-ball-range.

Seren:  "I will train my humans to offer more treats, more often—away from the (spit) dawg."

Amy: She insists on "guarding" me during meals, and will even chase Magic away. So I resolve to keep the furry wonders away with the pet-gate closed during meals and only "treat" in the appropriate pet bowl. (Same one as last year—didn't last long then either!)

Magic: "I will kill all squeakers and chew sticky-out wrong parts on toys."

Amy: He amputates teddy-bear ears, steals cat toys, and ends up with sparkly poop. I resolve to find a Magic-proof squeaky stuffed toy—been looking for years now—and retire Seren's catnip mice and sparkle balls since she no longer plays with them anyway.

Seren: "I will run midnight races up and down the stairs to get the (spit) dawg in trouble."

Amy: She particularly enjoys late night gallops from my office down the stairs and back again. Amazing how quickly an old-lady cat can move. I resolve to keep Magic corralled so that Seren can enjoy her rock-around-the-clock antics for as long as she continues to want to race.

Magic: "I will grab all the water from the hose, and dig out water from the pool every day."

Amy: To keep Magic from drinking tainted tank water we introduced hose tag to keep him cool, and found a wading pool for the hottest days. I resolve to find a bigger wading pool that holds more water to cool off my hot dog.

Seren: "I will drink my fountain dry."

Amy: Seren loves sipping from running water, and she got a new "cat fountain" this year. She loves it so much I've had trouble keeping it full—or perhaps her kidneys are showing wear and tear. I resolve to keep the cat fountain full and get her kidneys checked—whether she likes it or not.

Magic: "I will train Amy to play with the Frisbees—all 12 of them—ALL THE TIME!"

Amy: Magic obsessed over the Frisbees. He's learned to catch and retrieve them, if Amy can throw them correctly. And yes, he'll stack and carry as many as I throw. I resolve to keep a supply of fresh Frisbees handy for the times Magic loses them (or they're stolen by coyotes).

Seren: "I will train Amy the right way to play with the fishing-pole ALL THE TIME!"

Amy: Seren enjoys fishing pole lures and other toys. But Magic gets frustrated he can't play, too, and barks—which takes the joy out of her game. I resolve to keep the bedroom door closed during chase-the-bug tag games with Seren.

Magic: "I will steal Frisbees back from thieving coyotes."

Amy: Magic lost half a dozen somewhere on the 13-acre property. Several we've found far from where they fell, carried away by varmints—and often peed on. I resolve to improve my Frisbee aim.

Seren: "I will sleep more, hiss less. Except around the dog."

Amy: Seren's blue bed rests on the dining room table under a stained glass lamp shade.  It's out of reach of her nemesis, and a favorite spot especially on chilly winter days. I resolve to invest in light bulbs to keep the kitty "heat lamp" on at all times.

Magic: "I will go for a ride forever!"

Amy: Magic continues his love affair with the Magic-Mobile. Last year we invested in a safety barrier to keep him in the back seat since he wants to drive. I resolve to give Magic a car ride at least every other day, pending good weather.

Seren: "I will torment the dawg (hiss) at every opportunity! And pretend I don't like him."

Amy: Seren's favorite game is to get Magic in trouble. But lately I've noticed when she "calls" him and he arrives, she allows a few mutual sniffs with cordial mews before her head spins around and she morphs into evil-kitty. I resolve to "pretend" that I don't notice Seren actually sorta-kinda-in-a-way likes the (hiss) dog.

Seren: "I will train Amy there's more to nine lives than paw-tapping and staring at a boxy computer-thing. Like catnip. And whisker-kisses."

Magic: "I will train Amy that naps together are a good thing. So are tummy rubs."

Amy: I resolve to listen to my furry wonders. What about you?

WRITING SCHTUFF

Write-It-Forward workshop schedule, includes classes with the awesome Bob Mayer, Kristen Lamb and Natalie C. Markey

Super E-Reads for all your E-book needs! Awesome site–yes, I got my books listed, and it includes my Ask Amy videos, very kewl!

Will You Finish STRONG? awesome blog and video from Colin Falconer–just what we need to start the New Year.

Reasons NOT to Self-Publish a guest post from Gary Gauthier on the awesome Jenny Hansen's blog. Jenny the techno-genius also offers these awesome tips for how-to format your fiction.

Fiction Editing Tips from Alexandra Sokoloff's blog

5 Common Writing Hazards from Kristen Lamb

Writing A Killer Thriller Part 3 from Jodie Renner's guest blog over at Doug Lyle's

KDP Select introduced, a way of "loaning" your Kindle books for a share of the pot. Hmnnnn. Oh, and the Amazon Kindle books are now also sold in Spain and Italy.

ANIMAL SCHTUFF

National Train Your Dog Month from Association of Pet Dog Trainers (you can find terrific help at this site). For new puppies, of course I recommend my own puppy-licious site. *s*

Top 5 Heart-Warming Humans from JaneA Kelly's Catster Blog

Dogs In Canada, an awesome magazine, has stopped publication.

PetHub with scan-able pet tags partners with American Humane to keep pets safe and reunite lost pets with owners. Awesome technology, check it out.

How Cats Communicate with Owners and in this video, how a cat soothes a crying baby SWEET!

UC-Davis Center for Companion Animal Health publishes an awesome newsletter and covers studies addressing diseases of cats, dogs and other small pets. Check out this article about a 13-year-old pet Nigerian Dwarf, named Gabby with pneumonia saved by a ventilator.

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting.  Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

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: Uncategorized Tagged: Alexandra Sokoloff, American Humane, Amy Shojai, APDT.com, Bob Mayer, cat books, dog books, Franny Syufy, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, JaneA Kelly, Jenny Hansen, Jodie Renner, Kristen Lamb, Natalie C. Markey, pet resolutions, Super E-Reads Colin Falconer

Feline Friday: A Christmas Cat Story

It's Feline Friday, with tomorrow Christmas Eve. I've promised the Magical-Dawg and Seren-Kitty that I'll take all next week off so please check back after the New Year. I pray that your fur-kids will be safe throughout the holidays. You'll find lots of tips on this week's Woof Wednesday about giving pets as gifts (yes, it applies to cats, t0o). And I've just posted a cautionary article about pet electrocution, symptoms and how to prevent it that also affects cats. I hope you won't need it but just in case, you can find the first aid for electrocution article here.  It includes a link for the how-to pet CPR article.

And finally for happier content, just for Christmas Eve, here's one of my favorite cat legends—an excerpt from Complete Kitten Care. Enjoy—and may your holidays be blessed.

Why Tabby Wears An M

One of the most touching legends tells the story of a simple Tabby cat, and her gift on the very first Christmas day to a special mother and child.

There was no snow that night in Bethlehem. Instead, the small cat watched a star-spangled sky from her perch in the window of a stable. She liked the stable, for it was a warm safe place to raise her furry babies, and the innkeeper sometimes left scraps out for her to nibble. Tabby wasn't particularly distinctive, and most humans didn't look at her twice. After all, her short gray/black fur was quite common. But Tabby's striped coat hid a heart bigger than cats twice her size.

This night, though, Tabby was out of sorts, for she'd not been able to hunt and catch dinner. Travelers had poured into town for days, so noisy they disturbed decent cat-folks' rest. Why, they'd even invaded Tabby‟s quiet stable, a place she had before shared only with other furry creatures. Tabby hadn't minded the human couple—they were calmer than most. She'd left that morning for her usual rounds, but when she returned, the stable was packed with people.

From her perch on the window, Tabby watched the last of the strangers leave. She slipped from the window, and padded silently inside—and froze!

"Meewwww, meewww, meewww," cried a tiny voice.

A kitten? Tabby's ears turn this way and that to find the sound of the kitten's voice. It came from the manger, the very place Tabby often made her own bed. A woman knelt beside the manger, intent on the small mewling that arose from within. Tabby was drawn by the kittenish sound, though she knew her own furry babies were grown to cat-hood. She tiptoed forward very slowly, and passed by a wooly burro, a warm cow, and all the other animals.

The woman looked up, and saw the striped cat. "Oh, little cat," she murmured, "my baby cannot sleep, and nothing calms him this night." She sighed, and turned back to the manger. "How grateful would I be to anyone able to bring him sweet dreams."

And, as Tabby watched, each stable animal stepped forward in turn and tried to soothe the woman's baby. But the kittenish sounds continued, and finally Tabby could contain herself no longer.

Quickly, she washed herself—paws, face, behind the ears, to the very tip of her tail (so as not to offend the child's mother)—and then shyly stepped forward. She leaped gracefully to the manger, and stared into the face of the most beautiful baby (human or kitten!) she'd ever seen. He cooed and smiled, waving his tiny hands at Tabby, and she very carefully drew in her claws and settled beside him. Forgotten was her empty tummy; she could only hear her heart calling out to this sweet human-kitten.

And Tabby began to purr.

The wondrous cat-song filled the stable with overwhelming emotion. The animals listened with awe, and the child's mother smiled as her baby quietly went to sleep.

The child's mother placed her hand gently on the purring Tabby's forehead. "Blessings upon you, Tabby-cat, for this sweet gift given to me and my child," she said. And where she'd touched Tabby's brow, there appeared an M—the sign of the Madonna's benediction.

From that day forward, all proper tabby cats are honored with an M on their brow for the great service they performed that first Christmas night. And Christmas nights often find Tabby cats staring into the night, purring as they recall a very special child their ancestor once sang to sleep.

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting.  Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

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: Feline Fridays Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat behavior, cat books, cats and love, Christmas cats, Complete Kitten Care, travel with cats

Woof Wednesday: How To Give Puppies As Gifts

"I fit in your Christmas stocking..." (Copr. RickieBPhotography)

I'm just home from a WONDERFUL and long-overdue visit with my parents–and got to see my brother and sis-in-law, too. I had a lovely visit and ate and talked way too much AND….(drum roll please)….I didn't do ANY work. Well, I read and answered a couple emails but that's it. So today's blog is brief but also has some important info especially around the holidays. If this is a re-run of some info previously shared, tough cupcakes…it bears repeating. I hope you'll share with others contemplating a "furry" Christmas morning.

Everyone who adores puppies wants to share the furry love affair and give puppy gifts, but not everyone is ready to receive puppies as gifts. Maybe the recipient will appreciate your thoughtfulness. But don't gamble with a puppy's life. Sure, Grandma is lonely and needs a wagging lap-warmer to keep her company. But she may have other plans, such as traveling to visit all the grandkids. A puppy that chews up Aunt Ethel's hat collection will cost you favorite nephew status. A busy new parent may want a pup for their kids, but have other demands that take priority.

I used to say NEVER EVER give a puppy (or kitty) as a gift, especially around the holidays but new stats from a study by the ASPCA showed that holiday pets actually do stay in homes pretty well. So I've amended my recommendations. You can give pets as gifts–you just need to know how to do it. Here are 4 steps to giving a puppy — the right way.

You can also refer to these questions to ask before someone adopts a pet–and put yourself in the recipient's "paws." That helps you (and them) choose the best puppy match. Here are 7 questions to ask before you get that puppy.

Finally, how do you know what's a good puppy (or kitten) source? There are many folks this time of year advertising cute fuzzy pets available for Christmas morning. They're available from shelters, from breeders,  from newspaper ads, and even in the WalMart parking lot (ew!). Some may become wonderful pets but having a good start in life can make a big difference in how they'll develop and become family members. Besides, you don't want to support "bad" establishments even if you feel like rescuing that needy waif. So here are 10 questions to ask that puppy source.

Did you ever give–or receive–a pet as a gift? Was it a good experience–what challenges did you face? Where did you find the dog of your dreams? What are some other tips to think about when "gifting" someone with a new pet? Please share!

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting.  Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

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: Wags & Purrs, Woof Wednesdays Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat books, Christmas pets, dog books, how to give puppies as gifts, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, kittens, puppies, puppies.About.com, questions to ask dog breeders

Tuesday Tips: Nonfiction Proposals, Passionate Picks & Bio-Building

Welcome to my new series on nonfiction book proposals. Over the next several Tuesday Tips I'll cover 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.

I've given this talk at any number of writers conferences over the years. After writing 23 nonfiction pet books, I've experimented with several ways of creating nonfiction proposals and some work better than others. Once I found something that worked, few of the basics have changed. The first week discussed the IDEA TREE and last week the blog covered topic choice including where to find ideas and decide if they're viable. Today's installment is relatively short–I'm still on the road–but covers a bit about market research and how to build your bio, both vital to your nonfiction proposal.

Test the waters before committing to your project.

MARKET RESEARCH

I can hear y'all already. "But I'm a writer, the PUBLISHER will market the book, I just want to sit in my cubby and type the keyboard."

Get over it. Suck it up, sweetheart–writing is a business. And unless you want to write only for yourself or immediate family (and nothing WRONG with that!), you need to put on your big girl panties and think about marketing. Think about this before you finalize your topic. Marketing research must be solid and included in the proposal to 1. get you a "yes" from an agent and/or editor 2. sell books to your audience.

Get passionate about your pick. You'd better care about the subject matter, or why should your audience? A "so what?" topic won't win you any book contract. Those folks with the energy and time and savvy to DIY and self publish can have the best written and formatted book in the world but without an audience it won't matter.

Know your market. That means research what's already out there in terms of books AND other resources. My pet care book sales dropped when the Internet exploded with gi-normous amounts of furry crappiocca info-dumps. Is your audience finding the information elsewhere–for free? why should they buy a book? Maybe the free stuff is worth all that and less–so make that part of your proposal

Figure out how to reach your target readership. Are they other bloggers? members of an select community–Knitters Anonymous–or another national or international club you can access (because YOU are a card-carrying member of Knitters Anonymous).

Nothing scarier than a NEKID bio! Put clothes on yours!

BUILD YOUR BIO

With nonfiction books, it's all about what you bring to the table as the author/expert. Yes, publishers want experts as authors. I've had books declined when the acquiring editor loved the concept, was sure it would sell, but I didn't have the right initials after my name (DVM). Hacked me up a hairball over that one, let me tell you!

When you're not an expert, you can build your experTISE while you prepare to sell the proposal. Since you've chosen a passionate pick, it stands to reason you've already immersed yourself in the topic and know quite a bit as a lay-expert, right? And you know many of the experts who want to interview for your book, correct? So build your big global idea by first thinking small–with articles, blogs, columns, and op-eds.

Become known as THE go-to person for a particular topic. It's not that you have to pull all those factoids outta your brain-pan, but you know where all the bodies info is buried and can point others the right direction. Don't stop at writing, either. Lecture–put together talks for your local Knitters Anonymous chapter, speak at libraries and schools, get on TV and the radio. Get out there. That bolsters your bio, gives you credentials that will sell your proposed project down the road.

Next week the blog covers query letters vs cover letters, and what goes in a nonfiction book submission package.

#AskAmy Sweet Tweets

Folks who "follow" me on Twitter @amyshojai and @About_Puppies are the most awesome Sweet Tweets around–they love #cats and #dogs and #pets, many #amwriting.  Just follow and include the #AskAmy in your tweets if'n you're interested in pithy links to articles, books, blogs, experts, fictioning and sparkle-icity!

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!

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Filed under: Tuesday Tips, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, cat books, dog books, how to writing, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, nonfiction book proposals, writers conference, writing