Amy Shojai's Blog, page 151

Tuesday Tips, Kindle-ization #5: Formating For Kindle

Happy pet books are thoroughly kindle-ized!

Welcome to my series with tips based on my DIY Kindle-ization Journey. For those who just found this blog, you can take a look back at the Installment #1 Helpful Links,  followed by #2 Why Do It? and #3 The Challenges.  Last Tuesday Tips #4 covered the various platform options and what's required for each. Today's gets into the nitty gritty of how to format specifically for Kindle, along with some of the challenges and "fixes" for nonfiction work.

While publishing via the KDP (Kindle Digital Plaform) provided by Amazon works great for text-only (fiction) works, there area number of hoops nonfiction cat-egories must leap. Pun intended. So for all you other DWAA and CWA and other nonfiction authors including all my good friends at OWFI, (maybe even some nonfiction Thriller Writers?) here's how I did it. I'll even include some of my mistakes and what I'd do different in future books.

When I write a book, for ease of management I save each chapter as a separate WORD file. So my first step is to "marry" these into a single document. If you have the manuscript already in a single PDF document, you're a step ahead.


The manuscript will be translated into HTML coding which strips away fancy formats. KDP supports very little in terms of fancy fonts and suchlike, and truly, simple is better. If you wish to have chapter titles in a different/larger font, you can use the styles template "Heading 1″ at top of your WORD creation software to set it apart. For nonfiction with subheads, the "Heading 2″ and "Heading 3″ may also be appropriate. NOTE: In HTML coding, these are represented by the tags


Hard page (control-enter) at the end of each chapter if you wish the first page of a next chapter to begin on a new page. Otherwise, the text will continuously flow.


Insert any links you wish. In my bio section, I've included my other writing venues as well as my website. Throughout COMPLETE KITTEN CARE, any website mentions for products or resources also have live click-able links. The books COMPLETE CARE FOR YOUR AGING CAT and COMPLETE CARE FOR YOUR AGING DOG as well as PET CARE IN THE NEW CENTURYhave been updated and include hot links to veterinary resources, and the experts interviewed for the books in the Kindle-For-PC version, and PDF versions (but are not on the Kindle itself). For that reason I strongly recommend any links be fully "spelled out" if included so Kindle owners benefit from this value of your book.

Neatness counts!

Remove any tables, boxes of information or other such graphics, headers/footers/page numbers as they will not translate, and format as straight text. Alternatively, scan the formatted tables and input as image files. For authors formatting straight text only without images, you've got it easy, you lucky dawgs! You're nearly ready to Kindle-lize.



Before you convert the finished WORD or PDF document be sure you always save your original document as a backup before moving forward, in case you need a do-over. I'm told that PDF works best if first converted to WORD and then to HTML using the method, below.


To create your HTML document, choose SAVE-AS. From the choices given, select OTHER FORMATS and save as a WEB PAGE, FILTERED. You will lose much of your margins and formatting, but don't let that scare you. Check throughout for any inadvertent missing paragraph tabs and correct. You can also delete any extra code that's not needed, such as the commands. HTML is pretty simple once you're familiar with a few of the most common tags, and you can learn some HTML code basics here.

For those with images including scanned boxes/tables, look for details about images in next week's Tuesday Tips #6 Kindle-ization installment. Happy writing!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, "like" me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Kindle, Tuesday Tips, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, books, cat books, cat writers association, cats, Complete Kitten Care, dog books, formating for kindle, formating nonfiction books for kindle, HTML coding for kindle, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, Kindle, kittens, Oklahoma Writers Federation, old dogs, pet books, pets, publishing, writers conference, writing

Monday Mentions: The Devil Made Me Do It!

I've been a fan of Jim's even before I met him at Thrillerfest a few year's back, and then got to interview him for this Pet Peeves radio show about his Altar of Eden thriller featuring a veterinarian. So I can't wait to read his latest Sigma Force novel.

Tomorrow, June 21st, is an all-day virtual launch party of James Rollins' new book, The Devil Colony. If you're a thriller lover, then you already know the name–and if you don't, WOWZER you're in for a treat!

Yep, that's right, he's a VETERINARIAN! A thriller guy who likes puppy dogs and kitty cats, yay! He even has some very cool swag available, with all proceeds benefiting the Humane Society of America (check it out!).

Oh, and did I mention, a thoroughly nice guy willing to talk to unknown wannabe thriller writers–like me. He may not even remember cuz I know he does this so often. But Jim is the reason my pet first aid book qualified me for full Thriller Writers membership when he was co-president with Steve Berry.

Did I already say–WOW!? Oh you devil, you! Just what were you thinking?

"Devil Colony? Aha! A veterinarian finally wrote a tell-all about your family!"

And nope, he wasn't under the influence of catnip–I can only think the Devil Made Him Do It. I know from devils. I live with a feline demon who answered to "Devil" long before her real name, because she got called that so often. And in turn, I make that sweet innocent kitty live with a "devil dawg" that's an affront to feline-icity just by breathing the same air. As a behavior consultant, I deal with furry and human devilish behavior on a regular basis–and then there's those devilish writing deadlines. Guess you could say the devil makes ME do it, too.

In fact, later today I'm giving a live Webinar on Senior Moments: Quality of Life Issues for Aging Pets (both cats and dogs). Sometimes I wonder if Magical-Dawg will survive to senior citizen canine status, while Seren-kitty is already well into her 9th life.

Let's turn this devil-may-care c'attitude around and make dancing-with-the-devil a fun nose-thumbing event. Are you up for it? Join the virtual launch party tomorrow and give the Devil his due! Hang out with thriller authors, wear costumes, win prizes. My colleague Kristen Lamb (another Jim-Fan-Girl and a social media genius) came up with the idea so read all about Kristen's devilish party plans here. You can learn more about James Rollins–the man, the author, the veterinarian–in the video below. Check out his books – here's the full list.  And for those on Twitter, come party on Twitter at #DevilColony.

A slew of devilishly talented bloggers have already started the party ball rolling, so check 'em out:

Jenny Hansen's Blog – Friday Devil's Playground

Danielle Meitiv's Blog – Digging Taters & Devilish Book Party

Piper Bayard's Blog – On Life, Belly Dancing and Apocalyptic Annihilation

Tiffany White's Friday FabOoolous Post on James Rollins

Writers in the Storm – Devilish Fun…A Worldwide Book Launch Party

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I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, "like" me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Monday Mentions, Pet Peeves Radio, Video, Wags & Purrs, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, books, cat behavior, cat health, cats, Danielle Meitiv, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs USA, dog behavior, dogs, fiction, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, James Rollins, Jenny Hansen, Kristen Lamb, Pet Peeves Rado, pets, Piper Bayard, publishing, senior cats, senior dogs, The Devil Colony, thriller writers, Thrillers, Tiffany White, veterinary care, video, webinar, Writer's In The Storm, writers, writers conference, writing

Feline Friday: Scaredy-Cats, Ask Amy & Why Cats Groom

Does your new kitten hide under the bed? Do your adult cats disappear when visitors ring the doorbell? Does the new puppy send your kitty into hiss-terics? Learning why cats act scared helps you know how to avoid fear triggers.

Scaredy cats react with fear to unfamiliar people, places or situations, because if they haven't had a good experience, they assume the worst. Many kittens are clueless, but as the cat matures, this "stranger danger" behavior protects them so they don't walk up to hungry critters, dogs or people. Find out more about kitty fear and what to do about it in this Paw Nation article about understanding scaredy cats. In fact, some cats that get upset simply groom a bunch and lick-lick-lick themselves bald.

Most cats are neatniks, and spend up to 50 percent of their awake time indulging in some form of cat grooming. However, grooming is learned by copy-cat behavior during kittenhood. So if the mom-cat is a slob, chances are Junior may get a bit dingy and care less about his appearance. Kittens learn to lick themselves by two weeks of age and are washing by the time they're weaned. Learn how cats groom–and why–in this article about understanding cat grooming.

Do your cats have unique grooming habits? What about licking you–yep, that's a cat's way of sharing the joy of mutual grooming with a beloved human! Just as long as the kitty doesn't snatch you bald, it can be quite a pleasant sensation. Are your cats neat freaks or do they get dingy and need baths? Have you ever bathed your cat…and lived to tell of it? Of course, there's lots more cat-centric info in my best selling books Complete Kitten Care and Complete Care for Your Aging Cat….but what did I miss in the Ask Amy video, below? Please share!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, "like" me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Ask Amy, Bling Alert!, Feline Fridays, Furry Fridays, Video Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, books, cat behavior, cat books, cat care, cat fear, cat grooming, cat health, cat training, cats, Complete Kitten Care, how cats groom, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, Kindle, kittens, PawNation.com, pets, video, why cats groom, why is my cat scared

Thoughty Thursday: Feeding Your Soul

"Stop the world, I wanna get off!"

I'm a bore.

No, really–don't let the sparkle-icity fool you. This lady am-stuck-in-a-rut. I can't remember the last time my husband and I took a vacation together, other than to visit family. We have responsibilities. Two fur-kids that don't do well left alone. Property that needs attention. And work deadlines that refuse to recognize the term "vacation." The whole concept of R&R gives me an eye twitch when I think of all the work not yet done.

Am I beyond redemption?

Each year for the past dozen, my writers group makes a trek to the mountains of Colorado sometime during the heat of Texas summer. This year we've postponed that week-long outing until September. Because our various WORK schedules simply won't allow us that leeway until later, if then.

The Colorado trek used to be a respite from work, a place to indulge in aspirational endeavors–that novel idea burning a hole in my brain, copper-foiling stained glass pieces, shopping for sparkles, drinking beverage, fine conversation until late in the night, wildlife visitation–deer, birds, squirrels, bear, raccoons, turkeys, hummers and more–and LAUGHTER. Lots of laughter, a few tears, and support without bounds. This was a place of few phone calls. That rare and MIRACULOUS call from editors or agents with neato-torpedo news was cause for more beverage and celebration.

This same core group of talented wannabe writers and authors transformed each other into established professionals. We are family, community, friends and sisters who champion each others success. Our local face-to-face meetings have become few and far between with some members moving away but staying connected via Internet and phone. Our annual Colorado trek renews us emotionally, physically and spiritually and has become that "golden carrot" that sustains us through the angst of day-to-day crappiocca.

It's changed a bit since laptops and WIFI arrived. Leaving work behind takes extra effort. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to be able to check email and stay connected to put out emergencies. But there's only so much one can do from the mountaintop. That feeling of soul-soothing renewal comes so rarely and must last another 12 months, it hurts my heart and almost feels like blasphemy to interrupt with such things as . . .

Work.

Maybe this year I'll turn off the WIFI.

Do you have a "golden carrot" place, real or virtual? How do you reward your hard work and diffuse the normal crappiocca? Here at home in hotter-than-hell Texas, I spend one-on-one time with the fur-kids, read my Kindle, play my cello, write music. What are your leisure joys? How do you feed your soul?

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, "like" me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Howls & Hisses, Thoughtful Thursdays, Video, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, bears, birds, books, Colorado, dog books, emotional support, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, pet books, publishing, squirrels, vacation, video, writers retreat, writing

Woof Wednesday: Old Fogey Dog Webinar, Ask Amy & Dogs Rolling Over

Those who regularly read my blog know about all the cute puppy pictures and content (SQUEEEE!) I've been creating. Our old fogey dogs are just as–or even more–deserving of our love and attention.

I'm thrilled to offer the fine folks at the Danish-Swedish Farm Dog USA organization a live Webinar next Monday June 20, based on my best-selling updated Complete Care for Your Aging Dog book. The presentation–with Q&A and some fun pictures from the powerpoint–has pending CCPDT accreditation. And a portion of the registration goes to fund dog-specific causes (your choice). Feel free to spread the furry word– and I  hope to "see" some of y'all there.

"Rub my tummy....please?"

That puppy in the picture from last weekend's local adoption event wanted to just chill on my lap, sleeping on his back, all afternoon. What a sweetie. When we first got Magic, he was NOT inclined to "roll over."

Rolling onto the back and baring the tummy places a dog into a vulnerable position and not all feel comfortable doing this. As Magical-Dawg has matured, he's much more willing to volunteer this behavior–and I'm flattered. It actually can be a sign of great trust, although many folks assumes this posture always means submission.

And no, of course I never "forced" Magic onto his back. Okay, guess I need to also mention "alpha roll" where the owner forces a dog onto his back to establish dominance. Probably a better name for it would be the "stupid roll" because it does nothing to foster submission and actually can get owners bit.

The premise comes from thinking that wolves make other wolves roll over to prove who is in charge. Uh…nope. Wolves roll over on their own to indicate deference, they aren't "forced" to do this by a bigger wolf. And of course, dogs aren't wolves. Dogs will show deference and respect to more potent, powerful and in charge individuals (whether that's another dog, a cat or human). And sometimes the most powerful doggy in the group rolls over to show a less confident canine he means no threat, as an invitation to play or build confidence.

The fellow asking the question in the Ask Amy video was not happy about his newly adopted dog's inclination to roll over. I suspect he wanted his dog to be "macho" and "dominant" and wasn't clear on exactly what his dog was telling him–or what the dog "heard" his new owner saying.

Do your dogs enjoy tummy rubs? Does your dog flip on his back at the drop of a "hello?" When does he show his tummy–do you ask, or does he simply volunteer and request your attention?

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, "like" me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Ask Amy, Bling Alert!, Kindle, Video, Wags & Purrs, Woof Wednesdays Tagged: alpha roll, Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, bling, Complete Care for Your Aging Dog, Danish-Swedish Farmdog of America, dog books, dog care, dog rolling, dog training, German shepherd, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, old dogs, pet books, publishing, puppies.About.com, puppy rolling, veterinary care, webinar, writing

Tuesday Tips Kindle-ization #4: Pub-ing Services & DIY

"They said I was all wet...until they read my royalty statement!"

Doncha just love technology? It seems almost poetic justice that last week's post on the DIY Kindle-ization got derailed due to computer woes. Oh, I'm still battling with the fall out–and today, JOY JOY JOY! my landline phone went out. But life goes on.

For those new to the blog, a quick recap: I'm the author of 23 best-selling pet care nonfiction books. Last year, after seeing the success of Ebooks, I updated and released my backlist books on Kindle. The first one to be released (complete with photos) Complete Kitten Care, exceeded all expectations and has been my Kindle best-seller, staying in the top 5-10 "cat" titles and top 50 or so "pet" titles on the amazon lists. Complete Care for Your Aging Cat released shortly thereafter and will soon catch up, while Complete Care for Your Aging Dog, the "Cutting Edge" pet care book, and Competability round out the group. After other writers heard me rave about the process (and pull hair!) I've presented my talk at Cat Writers Association and Oklahoma Writers Federation conferences. This blog recaps (and sometimes updates) information from those talks.

The last Kindle-ization #3 blog discussed the multiple challenges of DIY Ebooks incuding covers, cost of ISBNs and where to find them, and listed some conversion services if you'd like to hire that portion to be done. Read to the end of this blog for links to the first two installments. Moving forward, here's what you can expect from some of the more common DIY options and publishing services.

A service takes the hair-pulling aspect away but can limit some aspects of the process.

PUBLISHING SERVICES

LULU

LULU is a publishing service best known for POD (print on demand) options. For a nominal fee they also offer Ebook options.

Offers PDF file conversion.
$99 for 250 pages or less, $199 for 251-500 pages, $299 for 501-750 pages.
Includes  linking of (TOC), sizing illios, removing pg  # and headers, re-flowing text by chapter & re-pagination.
Free ISBN (or bring your own)
Distribution into US, UK, Canada, French, and German iBookstores.
Apple gets 30% of iBookstore sales. Author gets 80% of remainder, Lulu receives 20%.
Royalties paid quarterly.
No free do-overs–better do it right…er, write…the first time!


SMASHWORDS
Smashwords is a self-serve publishing service. You can do it all yourself, or hire portions done by more experienced amateurs or pros.


FREE
Requires Microsoft Word Doc file
Style Guide MUST be used (Smashwords can recommend folks to do this for you for around $60).
Requires ISBN—can provide free or low cost
Royalty is 60% of price you set
Quarterly payments.
Distributes to Apple iBookstores in Australia, Canada, the US, France, Germany and the U.K.
Apple iPad, iBookstore,  and Barnes & Noble, Sony and Kobo, and multiple mobile platforms such as Aldiko and Stanza.

DIY puts you in the driver's seat with a clear view of where you're going.

DO-IT-YOURSELF E-BOOKS
Barnes & Nobel PubIt!


FREE
~20% of market
Converts from Microsoft WORD, RTF or HTML, you supply ISBN (purchase from Bowker)
Distributes to B&N eBookstore
Nook, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android smartphones, and PCs.
$2.99-$9.99 royalty is 65% and outside that range is 40% Royalty paid quarterly


KDP-Kindle Digital Publishing

I have the most experience with this, and currently it appears to offer the most bang for your buck, as well as distribution. The Los Angeles Times reported that 31 percent of iPad owners consume ebooks using the Kindle app rather than Apple's own iBooks app, so having your ebook in the Kindle store certainly makes it available to iPad users. Among avid readers who go through 25 books or more a year, 44 percent prefer using the Kindle app on the iPad. And according to a study by JPMorgan, 40 percent of iPad owners also own a Kindle.

FREE
Accepts these formats:


Word (.doc, or DOC) (not very well)
ePub(.epub, or EPUB)
Plain Text (.txt, or TXT)
MobiPocket (.mobi, or MOBI and .prc, or PRC)
Zipped HTML (.zip, or ZIP)
Adobe PDF (.pdf, or PDF) (awful formatting issues in translation)




Free AIN assigned
Free Kindle reading app for PC, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch.
Distributed by Amazon.com in Austria, Canada, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland, US, UK, Germany
Books $2.99-9.99 receive 70% royalty, priced $.99-$200 receive 35%
Royalties paid monthly
Can update price, content, cover anytime

Next week's installment begins the step-by-step Kindle-ization format tips. Check out the first blog on the subject, E-Books, Why Do It? as well as a blog that includes all the must know important Ebook links.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, "like" me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Ask Amy, Kindle, Tuesday Tips, Writing Tips Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, backlist books, Bob Mayer, books, cat books, cat writers association, competability, complete care for your aging cat, Complete Care for Your Aging Dog, Complete Kitten Care, dog books, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, Oklahoma Writers Federation, OWFI, pet books, Pet Care in the New Century, publishing, writers, writing

Monday Mentions: Cancer Support, Disaster Help & Furry Professional Ops

Please take me home!

I've saved up lots of great info to share in today's Monday Mentions. First, I had to share some of the puppy-licious pictures from this weekend's adoption event. The babies mostly slept but finally woke up for some yappy-happy playtime. If you have a dog intent on breaking the bark-a-thon record, the latest puppies.About.com tips for curbing barks may help.

Older dogs benefit from a terrific promotion hosted by Morris Animal Foundation on Sunday, September 18, for a K9 Cancer Walk at the Cove at Concord Park in Knoxville. The event will benefit the Foundation's Canine Cancer Campaign, an initiative to fund research to prevent, treat and, ultimately, cure cancer in dogs. An estimated 50 percent of all dogs will battle cancer. All dog lovers are invited to attend and are encouraged to walk to celebrate the life of their canine best friend or walk in memory of dogs that have lost their battle with canine cancer.

Last week I talked about disaster pet preparation tips on the blog. The ASPCA has worked closely with the Joplin Humane Society and the last I heard, nearly 850 animals have since been rescued__with more than 200 beloved pets being reunited with their families. Here's one story of a kitty and owner reunion!  Now the recent fires have displaced more families–and animals. Check out this video…and help if you can:

Some might be curious about those initials after my name, C.A.B.C.–that stands for Certified Animal Behavior Consultant (dogs and cats). I'm a professional member of IAABC. This professional membership organization promotes Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) principles in work with companion cats, dogs, parrots, horses and working animals.

In honor of Cat Adoption month in the U.S, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants have a "special deal" for Cat Division applicants. The application fee has been waived for all new members (to all divisions) throughout the month of June–YEEE-HAW!!! President Marjie Alonso writes, "Cats are currently the most popular pet in the United States and  it's imperative that we support and educate regarding growing need  for feline behavioral assistance and services to help cat owners.  Learn more about joining IAABC here.

Adopt a new friend, don't wait!

This past weekend I attended a puppy and kitten adoption and am pleased to say several fur-kids found new forever homes. But there are always so many more waiting . . . and after all, there's still several days left in Adopt A Cat Month.

CATalyst Council is working with American Humane Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, and Petfinder.com to make this June the most successful Adopt A Cat Month® ever! Check out the official website here. Better yet, visit your local shelter this month to take home a new feline friend! Oh, and check out the fantastic how-to video on kitty carrier training at the end of the blog, courtesy of Catalyst Council folks.

Can't adopt right now? No problem. Consider fostering. Everyone wants to help critters–well, those who read this blog do anyway! But it comes at a cost. Good news! Did you know that your expenses of caring for "foster animals" may be tax deductible?

Unable to foster? One of my fav organizations Alley Cat Rescue offers a brilliant alternative. You can have a virtual adoption and sponsor an ACR office cat or special needs kitty.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, "like" me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Monday Mentions, Video, Wags & Purrs Tagged: ACR, Adopt A Cat Month, Alley Cat Rescue, American Humane Association, American Veterinary medical Association, Amy Shojai, ASPCA, cat behavior, cat books, cat health, cat training, cat writers association, Catalyst Council, cats, cats and carriers, Certified Animal Behavior Consultant, Complete Kitten Care, cute kitten pictures, cute puppy pictures, disaster preparation, dog behavior, dog books, dog cancer, dog training, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, IAABC.org, International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, kittens, Margie Alonso, Morris Animal Foundation, old dogs, pet books, petfinder.com, pets, pets and disasters, puppies, puppies.About.com, stop puppy barking, veterinary care, video

Feline Friday: Ask Amy, Cat Smiles & Book Love

What's not to love?

How does your cat show affection? There are so many ways–and many times folks just assume the kitty purr says it all. There's no doubt that cats love us as much as we love them. People who haven't been blessed with furry feline love have a difficult time believing this, though, because kitties show affection very differently than people do. In fact, some cat behaviors that puzzle, aggravate or even offend people are a cat's way of expressing undying affection.

My kitty Seren often indulges in what I call "flipping" behavior, where she THROWS herself on the ground in front of me and rolls back and forth while meowing. She also cheek-rubs and head-bonks us–and yes, she purrs. Here are 14 unexpected ways cats show love. What are some other ways your cats demonstrate their affection for you? Please share!

In fact, in honor of Adopt A Cat Month, I will draw a name from the comments posted on today's blog for your choice of one of the books, below, but there's a catch:

There must be at least 10 comments to do the drawing–and I'll choose a winner by Sunday night so maybe the autographed book gets to a Father's Day recipient on time. Forward the link and encourage your friends to comment so somebody can get some free kitty-book-love. Yes, I'm purrrr-fectly evil! Which brings me to the most recent Ask Amy video, below–enjoy!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, "like" me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

Filed under: Ask Amy, Bling Alert!, Feline Fridays, Furry Fridays, Video, Wags & Purrs Tagged: Amy Shojai, Ask Amy, books, cat, cat behavior, cat books, cat care, cat communication, cat health, cat training, cats, complete care for your aging cat, Complete Kitten Care, cutting edge veteterinary care, Gina Spadafori, how cats show love, http://www.amyshojai.com, http://www.shojai.com, Kindle, kittens, old cats, pet books, Pet Care in the New Century, pets, video, why cats purr, writing

Thoughty Thursday: Playing Catch-Up…NOT!

"Excuse me...could I get some help here?"

It's been a week from hell, frankly, and an emotional roller coaster for any number of reasons. Have you ever had a week where you could see NO progress made at all? As my dad would say,

Quelle frustration!

Most of the angst has to do with the death of my laptop, purchase of a new one, set up of the latter and rescue/recreation of files from the former. Today–finally–I'm back at square one and ready to forge ahead. I ended up losing (permanently) some dog/cat images and videos, but managed to find a backup of all the Ebook docs, yay!

And yes, next Tuesday Tips Kindle-ization Journey will return. I again purchased the video editing software (locked up on the DOA laptop) and should have the next Ask Amy video posted tomorrow.

When I look back, quite a lot did get done. I now have a better furry handle on content/topics needed with an updated to-do list. After months of hard work with my co-author, the orchestration, printing of music and script, and first read-thru with the cast last Tuesday night was both scary and exciting. And yesterday's acting gig in Ft Worth added another credit to the resume. Now that the "must do" stuff on the acting side of things have been done, I can turn attention back to the "gotta-write" stuff.

Just "leaf" me alone!

I always feel like I play catch-up. Why is that? This week I failed to create my to-do list, and that leaves me feeling adrift without a map. My feelings of accomplishment seem inexorably tied to highlighting and crossing off little boxes on my calendar or notepad. And yes, it's got to be pen-and-paper…physical list. Generating "to-do" lists on a computer isn't the same.

Why is that? Do you feel like you lag behind the curve? Where's that feeling of FINISHED!!! that's so satisfying? I find that being my own boss and having no set work hours keeps me at the keyboard longer hours with always something–one more thing–left to address before I can shut down the work of the day. Is that common to our modern world or is it just me–or other self-employed folks? How do you get past the frustration?

Each time I start a book, I feel the overwhelming excitement closely followed by horrible realization that NOW I GOTTA WRITE THE @#$%^! THING! The only way to manage the angst is break it into manageable bites. That's what my to-do lists offer. Losing the laptop threw me off my schedule and derailed that list, and so I flail and fail and feel fruitless (say that fast five times!).

But I can fix this. Chocolate helps. And a very specific to-do list. With lots of bright highlighters, so it looks like  a peacock spit up on the paper. Ahhhhhh….that's MUCH better!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, "like" me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

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Woof Wednesday: DISASTER! Plan Ahead

Storm showers do bring flowers.

I'm tired of the wind and weather—how about you? I've written about disaster prep way too often recently but now again with fires in Western states, hurricane season upon us, and tornadoes whirling through my neighborhood, it bears repeating.  When Mother Nature throws a tantrum, you have no time to waste. Keeping your human and furry family safe can prove daunting unless you've made advanced preparations.

Watch weather reports. When weather turns ify, bring all pets into the house so that you won't have to search for them. Make sure all dogs and cats are wearing collars and up-to-date identification. If you have nothing else handy, use a felt-tip marker and write your phone number and name on the pet's tummy.

Designate a "safe room" in the house to confine pets until the all clear. Many homes in North Texas don't have basements or storm cellars. An internal room without windows, often a bathroom without windows, can be a good option. At my house, Seren gets stuffed into her cat carrier and placed inside the pantry situated under the stairs. It's big enough that the humans and Magical Dawg can fit inside, too.

Seren is NOT a fan of the carrier--but it's the safest spot for her.

If you must evacuate, take your pets along. It may be days before authorities allow you to return home. If you've got to evacuate, find a hotel, friend, or other accommodations in advance that will let you bring your dogs and cats.

Attach the phone number and address of your temporary shelter, if you know it, to the pet's collar tags. You can buy temporary tags or put adhesive tape on the back of your pet's ID tag, adding information with an indelible pen. Write directly on a flat nylon collar or halter to make it easy for a stranger to read the information.

In addition to providing for human family members, have a "pet kit" ready to take along that contains a three-day supply of all the pet essentials. If easily packed, take an extra towel or blanket for each pet. Don't forget sturdy leashes, harnesses, carriers or X-pens for safe confinement.

Carriers for the small pets are a necessity!

Most facilities will require your cats and dogs to be under your control, and may also require proof of current vaccination. Include a favorite comfort toy or treat, the pet's food and can opener if needed, and don't forget water—one quart per cat-size pet per day (more for big dogs) is a good rule of paw. One of the pheromone spray products such as Comfort Zone/DAP for dogs or Feliway for cats can help relieve the stress of being in a strange environment.

Have plenty of plastic bags and newspapers as well as containers and cleaning supplies to help deal with pet waste. Puppy training pads or Depends undergarments work well.

Prepare for the unthinkable, too. Include current photos of your pets in case they get lost, and bring a first-aid kit to care for possible injuries. Include disposable latex gloves, sterile dressings, antibiotic towelettes and ointment, eyewash, thermometer, and any prescription medications your pets need. You can find more specifics in "The First-Aid Companion For Dogs & Cats."

Your evacuation kit should also include a cell phone, flashlight, extra batteries, battery powered radio, map of area, whistle/air horn to signal for help, and matches in a waterproof container. Keep a list of emergency numbers with your phone, including a pet emergency clinic number and shelters that may temporarily house animals. Keep your car tank filled with at least half a tank at all times.

A halter and leash gives you something to grab.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides information and relief for human victims of disaster, and also offers more information about pet disaster planning.  Petfinder.com also offers great disaster preparation information for pet owners.

Have you ever had to ride out a storm with your pets? How did you manage the situation? Did you evacuate and take the fur-kids with you, or were you forced to leave them behind? That would just about kill me…I'd likely risk my life and stay with them, if it came down to it. Be ready for Mother Nature's "what if" surprises now and prepare for the worst. Then pray that you and your pets will never need this information.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, "like" me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!

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