Amy Shojai's Blog, page 141

Monday Mentions: Fractal Felines, Cats with Thumbs, Extreme Dawgs & HALLELUJIA!

Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and blogs and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. When this posts, I'll still be on the road (maybe away from the computer GASP!) so I put this list together late last week. To fill in the empty spaces, I left it up to Magical-Dawg and Seren-Kitty to pick out a couple of favorite videos.

WEIRD & FUNNY SCHTUFF

Excuses–You Want Excuses? a whole slew of laugh-out-loud insurance excuses from Colin Falconer (hey, you need to check out his BOOK too!)

Stacy Green's Glover for Lovers If you've got cold appendages, this blog has the answer for you. Stacy also writes a Thriller Thursday blog that's a must-read.

KEWL WRITER SCHTUFF

Guest Blogger Jodi Renner on Killer Thriller Tips from the awesome Doug Lyle's blog.

Pearson Wants MORE Rights, read about it in this Writer Beware post.

Jenny Hansen's Awesome Formatting Tips for Writers

Lessons From Attila/Designing From Bones Blog from the awesome Gene Lempp–writers can learn a lot from these strong characters

Pets for Kids Poetry Contest, great pastime for creative kids over the holiday vacation

On Being Vulnerable–great post by blogger Nissi

FURRY-TASTIC PET SCHTUFF

Baggage Handler Fired for Helping Dog She did the right thing. What would YOU do?

Ease Travel Angst with Travel Calm from Earth Heart Inc.

EXTREME DOG WALKING This man takes his 16 dogs out for a bike ride and swim in a river every day. Look how well trained they are and how much they love him. By the time they return home, they are exhausted and ready for a good rest.

Stray Cat Poisoner Sentenced

Cat Inherits $13 Million, now that's the cat's meow!

PETSIDE.COM Holiday Sweeps, take a survey and get in line for $500

ProCATinator from the uber-evil Karyl Cunningham! cats doing CAT things to music–weirdly addictive.

Vir-Chew-Al Pet Gifts quite a variety and a really nice (truly!) gang of pet lovers run this show.

FRACTAL FELINES: This video is awesome–and IMO rates pretty high on the OOOK factor. What do you think? These Fractal Felines are enough to give Magical-Dawg nightmares but I think Seren sort of likes it.

CATS WITH THUMBS commercial just won an award! Awesome. Wonder if there's a movie in the making?

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HOMECOMING FOR THE HOWL-IDAYS: Here's another video and the Magical-Dawg chose this one. It's one of my favs, too. What about you?

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MR. BEAN'S NATIVITY GAMES Admit it, you've wanted to do this!

HALLELUJIA CHORUS: Right in time for the holidays, this came across my virtual desk and I just had to share. Feel free to sing along.

#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: Monday Mentions, Wags & Purrs, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, fractal cats, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, military homecoming dogs, pet books, video, writing, writing tips

Feline Friday: Christmas Sparkles

Naked tummy--Seren(dipity) after her spay.

Crash-galumph-galumph-skiiiiiiid-thump!

"Amy! Will you please get your cat before she tears up the house?"

I sighed, and pushed away from the computer. My husband grew up cat-less. Mahmoud neither understood nor appreciated kitten antics, especially while he watched television sports.

Crash-galumph-galumph-skiiiiiiid-thump!

"Ameeeeeeee!"

By the sound of it, the eight-month-old delinquent had donned virtual racing stripes. She ran laps that traversed the carpeted living room and family room, slid across the oak floor entry, bumped down steps to the dining room, then finished with a claw-scrabbling turn around the slate-tiled kitchen.

Thumpa-thumpata-thumpa-THUMP!

Aha, a new path discovered . . . The sound grew louder as she raced toward me up the stairs and flew down the hallway to land tippy-toed on the guest bed across the hall from my office. I peeked inside.

Seren(dipity) stared back with blue-jean-colored eyes. Then she self-inflated in mock terror and began trampoline calisthenics (boing-boing-boing) on the mattress.

I quickly shut the door, confining the demon seed–my husband's name for her–to my upstairs domain.

Back in June, a friend discovered the dumped kitten napping in an empty flowerpot on the back porch and called me, her pet-writer buddy, for help. I had been pet-less for longer than I cared to admit. E-mail, phone and fax lines kept me connected to my clients and colleagues, but I figured the kitten would brighten the long, sometimes lonely workdays. Besides, as a pet writer I needed a pet. So it was Amy-to-the-rescue, and love at first sight.

My husband wasn't so easily smitten. He still missed our elderly and sedate German shepherd but cherished the freedom of being pet-less. I convinced him a lap-snuggling kitten would be no trouble. Besides, the cream-color carpet he'd chosen matched the color of Seren's fur. It had to be an omen.

The cat gods have a wicked sense of humor. They made me pay for that fib.

The Siamese wannabe had no off-switch. She talked nonstop and demanded the last word. She opened drawers and explored kitchen cabinets. She answered my office phone but never took messages. And she left legions of sparkle ball toys everywhere.

The colorful toys polka-dotted the stairs. You'd think a peacock exploded. The toys floated in the kitten's water bowl, swirled in the toilet, and bobbed in my coffee cup. And Seren hid sparkle balls everywhere to later stalk and paw-capture them from beneath household appliances.

Mahmoud quickly learned to check his shoes each morning before putting them on. He was not amused. I knew better than to suggest he should be grateful Seren only stuffed his shoes with sparkle balls and not–ahem–other items.

I'd managed to buffer the cat-shock-effect over the past months by keeping her in my office during the day and wearing Seren out with lots of games before Mahmoud came home from work. Weekends proved a challenge. By Monday morning, my husband reached his kitty threshold and welcomed a return to the cat-free-zone at work.

But now the holidays loomed. Mahmoud looked forward to two weeks at home, two weeks of relaxation, two weeks of napping on the couch in front of the TV.

Two weeks sharing the house with "the devil."

It would indeed be a Christmas miracle if we survived with sense of humor intact.

In the past we'd often visited my folks over the holidays where we enjoyed a traditional snowy Indiana Christmas morning, stocking stuffers, decorated tree, lots of relatives, and a sumptuous turkey dinner. This year we planned a quiet celebration at home in Texas, so snow wasn't an option. But I wanted to decorate with lots of holiday sparkles to make the season as festive as possible.

"A Christmas tree? Don't cats climb trees?" Mahmoud's you-must-be-insane expression spoke volumes. He'd already blamed Seren for dumping his coffee on the cream-colored carpet. Maybe matching fur color wasn't such a great omen after all.

But 'tis the season of peace on earth, and I wanted to keep the peace–and the cat. So I agreed. No tree.

Mahmoud didn't particularly care if we decorated at all since Christmas isn't a part of his cultural or religious tradition. But he knew I treasured everything about the holidays. So we compromised.

Gold garland with red velvet poinsettias festooned the curving staircase, wrapping around and around the banisters and handrail. Gold beads draped the fireplace mantel, with greeting cards propped above. A red cloth adorned the dining room table, while in the living room, the candelabra with twelve scented candles flickered brightly from inside the fireplace. Other candles in festive holders decorated the several end tables, countertops and the piano.

The centerpiece of Christmas décor was the large glass-top coffee table placed midway between the fireplace, TV and the leather sofa. The wooden table base carried puppy teeth marks, silent reminders of the dog Mahmoud and I still mourned. Since we had no tree, the table served to display brightly wrapped packages that fit underneath out of the way. And on top of the table I placed Grandma's lovely three-piece china nativity of Mary, Joseph and the Baby in the manger.

Grandma died several years before, right after the holidays. Each family member was encouraged to request something of hers to keep as a special remembrance, and I treasured Grandma's nativity. The simple figurines represented not only the Holy Family but evoked the very essence of Grandma and every happy family holiday memory.

Of course, Seren created her own memories and put her paw into everything. It became her purpose in life to un-festoon the house. She "disappeared" three of the faux poinsettias, risked singed whiskers by sniffing candles, and stole bows off packages.

She decided the red tablecloth set off her feline beauty. She lounged in the middle of the table beneath the Tiffany-style shade that doubled as a heat lamp, shedding tiny hairs onto the fabric. As every cat lover eventually learns, fur is a condiment. But Mahmoud had not yet joined the cat-lover ranks and was not amused.

"Off! Get off the table. Amy, she'll break your glass lampshade."

Crash-galumph-galumph-skiiiiiiid-thump!

Mahmoud had no sooner resettled onto the sofa to watch the TV when the whirling dervish hit again. The twinkling gold beads dangling from the mantel caught her predatory attention. Seren stalked them from below, quickly realized she couldn't leap that high, and settled for pouncing onto the top of the TV. From there, only a short hop separated her from the ferocious mantel quarry she'd targetted.

"Off! Get off the TV. Amy, will you come get your cat?"

Crash-galumph-galumph-skiiiiiiid-thump!

I arrived in time to see her complete a second Mario Andretti lap. I swear she grinned at us as she skidded past. With the next drive-by Seren stopped long enough to grab my ankle, execute a ten-second feline headstand while bunny-kicking my calves, then resumed her mad dash around the house.

Mahmoud glared. "I thought you said cats sleep sixteen hours a day."

I shrugged and hid a smile. Seren had already learned what buttons to push. Rattling the wooden window blinds worked extremely well, but now she need only eye the decorations to garner all the attention she craved.

Cute kitty. Smart kitty. Mahmoud wasn't amused, but I was.

She raced into the living room, leaped onto the glass top table, and belly-flopped alongside my treasured Holy Family . . .

"Off! Get off." Mahmoud shooed the kitten out of the danger zone before I could react in shock. This time, I was not amused.

Mahmoud knew what Grandma's nativity meant to me. "Decorating was your idea. Don't blame me if the devil breaks something," he warned.

Before he could suggest it, I caught the miscreant and gave her a time out in the laundry room to cool her jets. We'd relegated Seren's potty, food bowls and bed to this room and routinely confined her at night or when away. Otherwise, she set off motion detectors and the house alarm–or dismantled the house while we slept. Besides, Mahmoud complained Seren's purring kept him awake at night.

I used a wooden yardstick to fish toys from beneath the washer/dryer to provide necessary feline entertainment during the incarceration. Several dozen sparkle balls–red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, purple–and the three missing faux poinsettias emerged, along with an assortment of dust bunnies and dryer lint.

I sighed. The kitten's age meant several more months of madcap activity and I wasn't sure how much more Mahmoud could take. He only saw Seren at full throttle. He also suffered from "Saint Spot Syndrome" which meant he recalled only the happy memories of our beloved dog, and overlooked potty accidents, chewed shoes and other normal canine misbehavior of the past.

Seren suffered mightily in the comparison.

I felt exhausted after the first week of running vacation interference between my husband and the kitten. Whenever possible I kept Seren confined with me in my upstairs office but that backfired. She slept in my office, but once downstairs she turned into a dynamo intent on pick-pick-picking at Mahmoud especially when he ignored her.

The second week began, and as Christmas drew near I found more and more errands that required my attention outside of the house. Mahmoud came with me for some, but other times he preferred TV.

"Just lock up the devil before you leave so she doesn't bother me," he said. "I don't want to watch her."

It made me nervous to leave them alone together in the house. I worried that Seren might commit some last straw infraction and I'd be unable to salvage any potential relationship. I loved her, heaven help me; she'd hooked her claws deep into my heart. And I loved Mahmoud. I wanted my two loves to at least put up with each other.

But as I prepared to leave I couldn't find her. At less than five pounds, Seren could hide in the tiniest spaces. One time I found her inside the box springs of the guest bed, but that day–December 23rd–she disappeared and refused to come out of hiding.

I think she planned it. Maybe the spirit of the holidays inspired her. Or perhaps some other loving canine (or grandmotherly) influence worked its Christmas magic. Whatever the motivation, when I returned home that rainy December evening, my unspoken holiday wish had been granted.

I found my husband napping on the sofa. On the glass top table beside him the Holy Family nested in a radiance of sparkle balls–an inspired feline gift of toys for a very special Child.

And atop Mahmoud's chest, quiet at last, rested a very happy kitten.

Mahmoud roused enough to open one eye. "Fafnir–I mean Seren still purrs too loud," he grumbled.

Fafnir had been the name of our dog.

With a nod toward the overcast day Mahmoud added, "At least our cat won't need to be walked in the rain."

Seren blinked blue-jean-colored eyes and purred louder.

Note: HOLIDAY SPARKLES first appeared in a short story collection titled Christmas Cats: A Literary Companion (Chamberlain Bros. Publishing). May your Christmas be joyous, bright, and filled with loving woofs and purrs. ads

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: Furry Fridays Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat behavior, cats, Christmas cats, Complete Kitten Care, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, short story, writing

Woof Wednesday: Pet Proof Christmas & Broken Memories

Holiday homes become pet playgrounds at this time of year. Cats delight in un-decking the halls and climbing the tree. Dogs eat decorations and baptize the tree. The result is a holiday that's anything but merry. My latest Paw Nation article addresses some of the most common holiday safety issues for pets with how to pet proof your holiday.

Dogs and especially puppies chew nearly anything, including plants. Cats rarely eat plants, but they do claw them and then lick/groom away the residue. Fireplaces offer extra warmth and atmosphere to holiday gatherings, but can prompt singed whiskers or burned paws.

Gobbling any sort of candy may cause vomiting and/or diarrhea. But some food items can actually kill your pet.

Holiday trees pose additional challenges for pet families. Refer to these tips to keep your pets safe and your holiday happy.

If you're planning to board your dogs over the holidays, I urge you to keep him safe with proper vaccinations for kennel cough. You can learn more here about this highly contagious disease in my latest puppy-licious article here.

The holidays is an awful time of year to run short of funds for pet care. For those wanting to make a big difference in the lives of needy pet owners–and their pets–perhaps you'd like to donate to a Good Samaritan fund for vet care help. Or maybe you need a little extra help this year. Here's a list of several organizations that will help you with vet bills.

MENDED TEARS

Holidays mean memories and damage to "things" may matter more at this time of year than others. My grandmother always displayed a gorgeous white porcelain nativity each year. That nativity symbolized for me all-good-things about Grandma's house and Christmas–good food, happy reunions, presents, and love shared by our close-nit family. So when Grandma died, I was blessed to keep her Nativity and continue to display it in my own home.

When Seren-kitty arrived, I was nervous about her rambunctious behavior around the Holy Family. But it wasn't until a decade later that the worst happened while my husband played his nightly fetch game with the dog–it could have been me, so there's no blame here. The Magical-Dawg's ball ricocheted off of the delicate nativity and managed to behead Joseph and lop off Mary's hand.Sounds funny, right?

I had a melt down. You probably could hear my scream for miles and the sobs lasted days. It wasn't just china, a THING damaged. It was my personal Christmas, my Grandma, childhood happy times–shattered.

Eventually I stopped crying. There was no question of replacing the pieces–they're hard to find and besides, it was THAT nativity that meant everything to me. We did find a restoration expert able to give Mary back her hand and replace Joseph's head right in time for the next Christmas. So this weekend, Grandma's Nativity once again will add to our personal traditions and holiday happiness.

And the Magical-Dawg's games of fetch are suspended until after New Year's, at least inside the house! Hey, it wasn't the dog's fault. But it's up to us humans to protect what's important to us–not just our pets but our memories.

What do you do to keep your Christmas memories safe from doggy damage? Does the baby-gate-of-despair keep the tree and poochie free from harm? Have you ever "lost your head" over holiday damage?

#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: Howls & Hisses, Woof Wednesdays Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, cat books, Christmas trees, dog books, dogs, holiday safety, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, Paw Nation, puppies.About.com

Tuesday Tips: Timely Themes, Hot Topics & Global Concepts

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.

Last week discussed the IDEA TREE.  Today we're covering topic choice.

Can't...keep...the secret...any longer!

TIMELY THEMES, HOT TOPICS

"Where do you get your ideas?" That's a question every author I know gets asked time after time. Because all of you bling-followers are such fantastic folks and know how to KEEP A SECRET (shhhhhhhhh!), I'll share with you how every successful author gets their ideas. Lean close to the computer now, and read quietly and pinky-promise you won't spill the beans. Because we authors are stingy about who we let into the club and not even bribes (CHOCOLATE) with spectacular benefits (BLING-ICITY) and good taste (CHEETOS and SPARKLY CAT SOCKS) will get you this info anywhere else. Are you ready? Here's the secret.

Successful authors get book ideas from the IDEA BOOK, and you only get a copy and key to the inner sanctum by joining the club and paying dues (chocolate, bling, cheetos et al).

Okay, I'm a sick, twisted puppy and had my little fun. Now on to the real answer.

Authors get ideas anywhere and everywhere. Ideas trip you up crossing the street or falling asleep or arguing with your kid/pet or watching a sunset. Ideas gob-smack you when least expected. When looking for nonfiction topics there are three prime fishing holes for me:

1. Newspapers, Magazines, Media

What's in the news? Read headlines, not just the first page but the back of the book. Often the best ideas are those buried deep in the magazine or in some esoteric blog link or online article. Several years ago, cloning pets was the biggest NO-SH*T??? concept around. With the Missyplicity Project and CopyCat Program in my own back yard in Texas, it had to go in a book. Oh, and on the Pet Peeves radio show Cloning Around.

"And then he said...and then I said...and are you LISTENING?!"

2. Eavesdrop

Hey, fiction writers do this all the time. They listen for dialogue, emotional tags, quirks of conversation and more that offer texture and realism to a made-up-story. Nonfiction authors should do this, too. But rather than just listen for the dialogue or how X's eyebrow caterpillars his brow when excited (okay, that's a bit much…), listen to WHAT they talk about. Water cooler conversations are rich in what interests the masses. Is it a topic that could be a book? or part of a book? If people are talking, you should listen.

3. Fairy Gifts

I'm talking serendipity–not my cat's name but those "happy accidents" that just happen. Watch out for unexpected opportunities. How many people shared funny cat (or dog) pictures and created silly captions for holiday or other events? ICANHAZCheezburger took that concept to the next level with website, blog, and books galore.

Big ideas mean a larger readership.

THE GLOBAL CONCEPT

Once you have your idea (from your own persona IDEA BOOK or whatever) ask yourself these questions:

Is it "Big Enough" for a book?

My pet cloning idea was great but seriously, could I write a whole book about the subject? No. It became a part of a larger work that encompassed a variety of "cutting edge" care for pets. But that cloning concept still made for a great hook and marketing bullet that got some attention when Pet Care in the New Century appeared.

Competition

Are other books on the topic available? That's actually a GOOD THING because it means an audience exists. When existing books already do a good job of covering the topic, you'll need a "fresh take" on this proven subject.

Beware book ideas that have never been done–there's usually a very good reason why. Perhaps the topic is too narrow to interest a large readership.  Or perhaps there have never before been experts able to bring the topic to public attention. Are you that expert? If not, are experts available that you can access?

Where do you find your book ideas? If you write articles, are there topics that stick in your brain and won't let you go–is that a potential starting point for a book? For columnists and bloggers, do your followers clamor for more and more? Would a compilation of your work make a great book? Remember, "Marley & Me" evolved from previously published newspaper columns.

#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: Pet Peeves Radio, Tuesday Tips, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, books, cat books, cloning pets, dog books, how to write proposals, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, nonfiction books, pet books, Pet Peeves radio, pets, writing

Monday Mentions: Severed Heads, Writing Fines & Star Trek Cats

What every kitty wants in her Catmas stocking...

Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and blogs and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. My little cat Seren(dipity) slipped this picture under my pillow as a heavy handed…I mean, pawed, hint. I'm sure all the fur-kids have their own personal wish list. I think the Magical-Dawg has something stinky in mind.

As for me, I'm climbing aboard a plane and traveling to visit my parents and siblings in Northern Indiana, yay! It's been way too long since I've seen everyone. That means, though, that I must meet my deadlines earlier rather than later. The blogs–well, I have plans to get them done in advance but who knows if that'll happen? Santa's Elves may have their own plans.

PET SCHTUFF

Help With Vet Bills Yes, there are organizations that help fund pet care. They rely on donations–wouldn't it be a great holiday gift to be a Good Samaritan and fund helping someone's needy pet? *s*

Dog People vs Cat People some interesting differences revealed in this survey.

Vegan Cat Food? Oh no! Check out this post from my colleague JaneA Kelley.

Demon Dawg–I wouldn't want to be a vet on THIS critter! Gene Lempp once more offers great plot idea starters in his Designing From the Bones blog post.

3-D Doggy Anatomy, this is wild and awesome technology! For those writing about canine issues, not to be missed. And fun for anyone.

WRITING SCHTUFF

Conflict In Novels an awesome post from Bob Mayer

Using Track Changes from Jenny Hansen, priceless tips for editing

Jan Morrill's Blog with some great writerly links in her mashup

Do's & Don'ts About Email Marketing from the always awesome Lorie Huston

SEO Mistakes are you committing any of these?

Bloggers Get No Respect–or Protection! This blogger was fined $2.5 MILLION, don't let it happen to you.

10 Rules of Writing–Best Checklist EVER for novelists posted by Heather Webb with kind permission from Janis Hubschman

KDP Select Program–read the fine print, from Writer Beware, and more about it from Kait Nolan and yet another from David Gaughran.

Left Coast Crime Convention  Left Coast Crime mystery convention will be in Sacramento, CA March 2013. Prices go up at the end of this year, so register before the deadline for the best deal. Author John Lescroart is our Guest of Honor, and James Rollins will also be in attendance, along

with some other great authors.

WEIRD-ASS-TERICK SCHTUFF

Myths About Introverts Are you an extrovert, an introvert or–well, how is YOUR brain wired?

Olympic Pole Dancing ain't for sissies or introverts…wait, maybe it is! Hilarious post and videos from Piper Bayard

#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: Kindle, Monday Mentions, Video, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, cat books, cats, dog books, dogs, help with vet bills, how to writing, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, severed heads, star trek cats, vegan cat food, writers conference, writing, writing fines

Feline Friday: 12 Weird Cat Behaviors Explained

Yes, this is a repeat of a previous blog post but I've many more followers since it first appeared. And frankly, I'm at deadline on a number of projects so–DO-OVER TIME! Enjoy!

We love them but cat behavior can puzzle and frustrate owners, making us think we have a weird cat. Does your cat eat weird things? Seren-kitty (above) can't get enough of roses. Some cats act like battering rams, and pummel their special humans with head butts and body rubs. It's called bunting behavior, and is one way cats communicate with each other, and their humans.

Why do cats pose in a quirky front-end bow with their nether regions raised? I call it elevator butt, although there's a more polite technical name for the display. And what's up with presenting his tail to your face? Actually, your cat's action is a backhanded compliment and kitty-correct.

Do your cats cover their–ahem–creative efforts? Not all cats do this, and some try to cover their food bowl. How weird is that? Especially when they seem to prefer eating plastic.



Does your cat want to phone home? Is kitty jealous of your time with the telephone?  or maybe they want attention when you're on the computer? This quirky behavior also has a logical explanation. Learn about 12 weird cat behaviors, why cats do them, and how you can learn to live with them – or even enjoy your quirky kitty's antics.

What are your cats' foibles? Every cat is different, of course. My Seren-kitty, for instance, adores Philly cream cheese and has learned how to get the Magical-Dawg in trouble. She just "meow-meow-meows" so he comes running, and then her head spins around and she throws a hissy fit and chases the 90-pound lug across the room. How do your cats express their "inner creative kitty?"

#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, Wags & Purrs Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, behavior problems, cat behavior, cat health, cats, dog health, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, kittens

KURVES, the MUSICAL CAST

L-R, back row: Joe Maglio, Cheri Anderson, Craig Sturm, Johnny Flowers, Frank Steele; Middle L-R, Amy Shojai, Theresa Littlefield; Front: Leah Martin

Local playwrights, co-authors Amy Shojai and Frank Steele, have cast KURVES, THE MUSICAL with eight popular local performers. The original show features twelve catchy songs, an ensemble cast, and laugh out loud dialogue. KURVES, THE MUSICAL will be performed for three nights only, February 2, 3, 4, 2012 at The Rialto Theater in Denison, Texas.

Frank Steele directs the show. He has appeared in many TV and radio commercials, movies and TV shows including DALLAS. He taught drama for twenty-seven years and has appeared in over fifty plays as an actor or professional musician. "I've co-written several benefit shows," says Steele, "including the sold-out Star-Struck Night musical benefit with Amy Shojai, produced for Theatricks some years ago."

Shojai directs the music. She is best known as a local author with 23 published pet books. "But I have a degree in music and love composing and performing," she says. "Frank Steele and I have acted and written together, so we decided to combine forces to write fun and poignant characters that we'd like to perform." She has acted in several dozen plays in six states, and made countless TV and radio appearances both locally and nationally, including Animal Planet appearances as an expert. KURVES is her third co-written show.

Eight quirky characters, misfits all, become trapped inside Kurves, a woman's gym. The cast remains onstage the entire show. Despite failed attempts to find happiness and true love, they finally succeed—but in unexpected ways.

THE CAST

Steele plays the cross-dressing Maxine/Max who owns the women's gym and sings the title song "Kurves."

Shojai plays Celia, the sequin-wearing visitor to Kurves who sings "Dreams For Sale."

Cheri Anderson is cast as the many-times-married Mabel, director of a soup kitchen, and sings the rousing gospel number "Suck It Up, Sweetheart." She has performed in many local theater productions, including all three Smoke On The Mountain shows and the recent Ring Of Fire music review. She has performed gospel, bluegrass, country and classic rock-n-roll and performs with a number of country musicians in the area. She works as a Paralegal at Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd & Joplin P.C. in McKinney.

Theresa Littlefield is cast as mousy poetry teacher Jane who transforms from plain-to-sparkling in the duet "Poetry & Jazz." Theresa has been in numerous college, church, and community productions.  She is an active member of the First United Methodist Church choir and handbell choir. She often plays saxophone for high school plays and church programs. She is a counselor at Fairview Elementary in Sherman.

Leah Martin is cast as newlywed Ronnie, and sings about her insecurities in the plaintive song, "The Picture." Leah has logged countless hours working backstage with Sherman Community Players and has performed leading roles in The Mousetrap and The Miracle Worker. She most recently appeared in The Big Friendly Giant, and has appeared in the City of Sherman "Can the Trash" commercial. She works as a Nanny for Dr. Clint Hayes and his wife Sunni's children.

Johnny Flowers is the inept but lovable movie-quoting robber Fingers who laments his lack of finesse in the song, "Silver Screen Blues." Johnny has been active in community theater for the past 30 years. Most recently he delighted audiences in productions of The Odd Couple, Arsenic & Old Lace, and Smoke On the Mountain III. Johnny is also involved in the Music Ministry at Parkside Baptist Church in Denison. He is a graduate of Grayson County College and works in the produce department for the Sherman Kroger's Store.

Joe Maglio plays ladies' man Boots and sings, "You're The Chick For Me." He was one of the original dancers on American Bandstand and will show off smooth moves in Kurves. He attended Lon Morris School of Drama and worked for eleven years as technical director at Finley Playhouse. He graduated from Southeaster School of Theatre in 1988, moved to Hollywood and was active with Group Repertory Theatre in North Hollywood. Joe is a member of the Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, and this year serves on the nominating committee for the SAG awards. KURVES marks his return to performance after a 19-year retirement.

Craig Sturm plays Ronnie's husband, Troy Chadwick Noonan IV, who literally holds the key to Kurves and ties up all loose ends in the song, "Life Happens." Craig has seen over 80 Broadway musicals, and has performed in many musicals both in the orchestra pit as a percussionist, and on stage.  Craig brought the butler character to life in the Finley's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2003. He is a gifted arranger and composer, often sharing original compositions at Trinity Lutheran Church where he serves as pastor.

KURVES begins rehearsals on January 2, 2012. Mickie Martin serves as stage manager, Trinity Lutheran Church offers rehearsal space, and Garrett Guymon and The Rialto provides the performance venue. Further information about tickets will be available soon.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: acting, Amy Shojai, musical theater, songwriting, theater, writing

Woof Wednesday: Pets & Poison Plants!

Roses are edible--but not all plants are safe!

Today I'll be on KXII-TV's "Pet Talk" discussing holiday safety for pets and that includes pets and poison plants. The video (below) is from last year but today's segment will address many of the same issues. This blog has already covered a number of tips about protecting the Christmas tree from both your dogs and the kitty-cats. But what are some other plant poisons that happen around the holiday?

PETS & POISON PLANTS

We know today that poinsettia isn't the demon-child out to get your pets, but it can cause some irritation. And there are some very dangerous plants out there.

The deadliest plants must be chewed or swallowed for the poison to work. Dogs are affected most often, particularly breeds that eat anything that doesn't move faster than they do. Some cats enjoy grazing opportunities and nibble leaves, but all cats can be affected after clawing the plant, when they later lick their paws clean. Paws, mouths, and sometimes ears and eyes also are vulnerable to spiky parts of plants. Swallowed Christmas tree needles, for example, do damage to the tender insides of the pet, too.

BAD PLANTS FOR PETS

Azalea, for example, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, coma and death. Eating or chewing caladium, dieffenbachia or philodendron makes the tongue and throat swell up so breathing is difficult. Mother-in-law's tongue (snake plant) causes everything from mouth irritation to collapse. Crown of thorns and English ivy will prompt thirst, vomiting and diarrhea, stomach pain, and death in one to two days. Holly also causes stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea, while lily poisoning prompts kidney failure (excess urination and drinking). Mistletoe can be deadly—only one or two berries can kill your pet, and causes vomiting, diarrhea, slowed breathing and heart rate.

PET FIRST AID FOR PLANT POISONS

Different poisons require very specific first aid. Usually that will be either 1) induce vomiting, or 2) give milk or water to wash out the mouth and dilute the poison. Make the pet vomit the same way you would if he ate chocolate with these tips. But making the pet vomit the wrong poisonous plant,  could make a serious situation even more deadly, so you MUST know what to do for each type of plant.

You'll also need to be ready to give pet CPR and rescue breathing if necessary. When there's a question about what first-aid to offer, call your veterinarian or an animal poison control center for accurate advice.

Detailed advice for dealing with the most common plant poisoning is available in The First-Aid Companion for Dogs and Cats. The ASPCA Animal Poison-Control Center provides a database of common pet poisons, and is available for telephone consultations (1-888-426-4435) in case of poisoning emergency. The fee can be charged to your credit card. Preventing plant poisoning is ideal. Choose only pet-friendly safe varieties for your garden and home.

What type of plants do you have in your house? How do you keep the fur-kids away? Have you ever had a pet poisoned by plants? What did you do? I hope these tips help prevent any future mishaps!

#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: Woof Wednesdays Tagged: cat books, cats, dog books, dogs, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, KXII Pet Talk, pet first aid, pets, poison plants, tv

Tuesday Tips: Nonfiction Books & The "IDEA" Tree

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. It all begins with what I call THE IDEA TREE.

TREE ROOTS

Everyone understands the basic structure of trees. The roots of the tree offer only secure footing to hold it upright and steady despite mudslides, wind storms or other acts of nature. The roots also feed the rest of the tree. Without the roots, a tree won't be born. Cut off the roots and it will wither and die.

The root of your nonfiction book is the CONCEPT. That basic concept must be so healthy and vital that it will weather anything thrown at it, defeat arguments before they're mounted, and answer any question an editor/agent/reader might have. Like an iceberg, the roots of your book may not be entirely seen but offer the ballast that floats the visible portion.

The CONCEPT of the book, like the tree roots themselves, must be fed with nutrients from the soil and water. A writer feeds and waters a book concept with his/her own abilities brought to bear on the project. Writing skill, research and discipline feed the concept. Individual vision/author voice pushes the work beyond the ordinary.

TREE TRUNK

The tree's trunk arises from the roots and supports the many limbs and countless leaves of the tree. The trunk bends in the breeze, and grows round obstacles. Here in Texas we have trees that grow through fences and simply make the barbed wire a part of themselves. Trees that survive let nothing stand in their way, won't take "no" for an answer, and seek solutions to problems.

The trunk of your nonfiction book is the PUBLISHER. These days, publishers must be even more flexible with greater determination than ever before to survive and succeed in supporting a book. Whether your book finds a "big 6″ publisher, smaller press, or you serve as the publisher, this vital part of the book can't act like a weenie. It must be robust, healthy, and have a no-bull-crap attitude.

TREE BRANCHES

Trees come in all shapes and sizes, from sapling burl oaks to redwoods, palms to baobob. All rely on branches that reach out, support and provide a home for the leaves of the tree. The more branches a tree has, the greater number of leaves it potentially can produce.

Consider your nonfiction book's tree branches to be the AUTHOR SALES SKILL. Even if your tree trunk publisher provides support once the book is published, it is your individual expertise, market research and promotion efforts that sell the work first to the agent or editor, and ultimately to your audience.

TREE LEAVES

How many leaves do trees produce? That depends on the health and vigor of the roots, how well the tree is fed, and the vitality of the trunk and number of branches produced. Some trees survive quite well with a limited number of leaves–which of course also do their part to feed the health of the tree. The more leaves a tree has, the better it is able to absorb sunlight and bolster the health of the branches, trunk and roots. No leaves means even an otherwise healthy tree dies.

Leaves on your book tree are the AUDIENCE. The audience may be vast or niche. As with trees, the more leaves/audience you have, the healthier becomes the book/tree. Readers who like your book spread the good news, and you gain more readers. Even when readers come and go–as leaves change color, and fall off–a healthy book/tree continually generates new ones and remains vital for years.

I know many of this blog's followers have published nonfiction work. What have I missed? Are there other important parts of the IDEA TREE that you feel are important? For those planning a nonfiction book and proposal, what are your concerns and questions? How many leaves does your proposed book have in mind?

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, books, how to write proposals, nonfiction book proposals, pet books, publishing, speaker, the idea tree, writers conference, writing

Monday Mentions: Pets, Writer-icity & Bo Does Christmas

Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and blogs and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Although I didn't participate in the NaNo-nanny-boo-boo November fictioning project, I'm impressed by several friends and colleagues who have made great progress on their novels. I hope to have news on my own thriller-icity WIP in the coming weeks.

To get my brain back in nonfiction book gear, tomorrow the Tuesday Tips begins the next series–this time on putting together book proposals. Stay tuned–and please check in to offer your own tips and suggestions.

Also please send your Ask Amy suggestions for future videos. Next weekend I'm putting on the sparkle-icity for more Q & A. Hey, if I don't know the answer I'll find out (or make something up!).

PET SCHTUFF

Pepsi Refresh Project! My friend and colleague Mary Ann Miller was just notified that her project idea for saving older stray cats has been approved to participate in the Pepsi Refresh project. You can help to get the word out and vote for this project three times a day with this link. You can go directly to the link and vote, you can vote via FB or you can text in a vote. In the 2 field you need to put 73774 and in the body of the message 110725 then send it. Spread the news–cats will thank you for it!

Cat Lady Land, great kitty photos with funny captions (how does she read those feline minds?)

Fidose of Reality gets dogs ready for winter–with a contest for safe ice melting product from Morton's Salt

Cats Around the World by BJ Bangs. We love cats here in America but kitties don't have it so lucky elsewhere.

Dog Food Company Tour, behind the scenes at Hill's Pet Foods

Pet Store Picketed, article by my colleague Sally Bahner

Animals Predicting Earthquakes–fascinating!

Holiday Pet Portraits, a very kewl article on the subject from Sandra Murphy

Morris Animal Foundation funds studies that help companion animals as well as wildlife. Check these articles on keeping pets free of pain, and novel canine cancer treatments as well as help for feline oral cancer. You'll also find information about what they're doing to help aging horses. 

WRITING SCHTUFF

What Editors Think of Writers, hoooo boy

Inglish Spocken Here a hilarious blog from Colin Falconer on translations (sorta-kinda-in-a-way)

Publishing Options analysis helpful to judge pros and cons for authors

Ode to Traditinally Pub'd Authors, a great blog post by Libby Fischer Hellmann

NaNoWriMo Now What? from Alexandra Sokoloff, great advice as always

SEO for Bloggers, great tips and information for bloggers of all furry stripes from Karen Nichols

Bo does Christmas–Merry Ho-Ho-Ho! A fun video from the Whitehouse.

#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: Monday Mentions, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, bo, cat behavior, cat books, dog behavior, dog books, http://www.amyshojai.com, video, White House, writers conference, writing