Amy Shojai's Blog, page 97

Do Readers Care #WhyIWrite

Do Readers Care #WhyIWrite

Do readers care why writers write? One time at a writer conference, that question was asked and an overwhelming response was, “I write because I HAVE to write, it’s  compulsion, I must write…” And an agent on the panel responded, “They have medication for that now.”

Ba-da-boom. *rimshot*

My audience doesn’t read. Well, unless you count Magical-Dawg (and his canine compadres) chewing up or (ahem) “being creative” on paper. And of course, cats “read” by sitting on top of the words and absorbing the text through their furry nether regions.

Yvonne DiVita tagged me recently in the “Why I Write” blog hop. I know Yvonne through the terrific BlogPaws.com organization she co-founded, but Yvonne also blogs at Lipsticking.com where she answer the question #BecauseIAmWhoIAm Why I Write. The blog hop started on Susan C Foster’s site and continues here, today.

HOW I BECAME AN ACCIDENTAL PET WRITER

Nope, I never planned to be a “pet writer” but I am so glad this happened! As many of my colleagues (including Yvonne) confess, I began writing as a child. My first book was written when I was in fourth grade, a story about a heroic dog named Bounce that I illustrated, created a cardboard cover and bound with a shoelace. I’ll admit, the story had many similarities to Beautiful Joe and Black Beauty but with a Sheltie instead. (Yes, we had a Sheltie at the time). During those years, I read pretty much every mystery novel, dog and horse book in the school library–there weren’t many cat books, as I recall, other than The Three Lives of Thomasina.

My twin brother was the writer in the family–he’s still a much better writer than me. Oh, I enjoyed writing short stories and angst-filled (bad!) poetry, but never considered writing as a career. I focused on music, art and theater during my high school and college years.

That all changed when I got married and we moved to a small town with virtually no TV reception and few jobs to be found. When a new animal clinic opened, I got a job as the vet tech, and shared some of the funny, amazing, and moving stories about work with my Mom. She told me I should write them down. So I did.

WHY I WRITE, REASON #1

Actually, I was bored (no TV, no theater to perform, no close friends in a strange  new place), and used the time to write my first book, a collection of personal experience stories. But nobody wanted to publish the book.

WHY I WRITE, REASON #2

I was stubborn, and hated rejection so I kept trying and trying and trying. There’s a bit of masochism in every successful writer, I believe. Eventually, I broke up the chapters and submitted them as separate articles to the “pet press.” A Dog Fancy magazine editor took pity on my awkward prose, told me why it was rejected, and she basically coached me until my first sale to the magazine. That launched my pet writing career.

WHY I WRITE, REASON #3

Working for veterinarians, I learned so much–and even more, I learned how much I didn’t know, and what questions to ask. I also learned how to explain technical “medicalese schtuff” to pet parents in easily understood language. My focus became writing to empower pet parents to make informed decisions for their pets.

WHY I WRITE, REASON #4 & #5

During these early years, publishing articles paid very little and as young marrieds, income was a major concern. I’m going to date myself here–there was no Internet or submission by email. Snail mail costs of sending physical manuscripts (especially book-length material) with SASE for return of rejected material added up. Each time a rejection came back, I questioned should I be wasting my time and energy, and spending household funds and gamble on a dream that might never happen.

So initially that stubbornness reared its head again and I wrote to get paid, to prove to myself I wasn’t wasting my time. The occasional acceptance contract and small check arrived, rewarding my effort, and a funny thing happened. Each time I saw my byline in the magazine, oh my heavens! That made all the effort and angst worth far more than the income. I realized that I’m pretty good at this writing gig, and when I finally was able to “own” the title that I AM A WRITER, I discovered that writing validates my sense of self worth.

Admitting not just to myself and my close friends, but to the world at large that I AM A WRITER opened up a world of opportunity to me. Perhaps it was a difference in confidence, or the years of practice began to pay off, or I’d developed more professionally relationships–or all of the above. In any event, editors began to call me with assignments, and even books. Who’da thunk it?

WHY I WRITE, REASON MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL

Writers as a breed tend to sit alone, composing in our minds as we sit in the small spaces we’ve carved out of our homes for such purpose. Before the Internet, writers and authors were even less connected with each other, and even further separated from our readers. As I said in the opening, my audience is cats and dogs, and from them a writer gets little feedback. Ah…but from the pet parents, now with this blog, with Facebook and Twitter and other inter-connected-icity, we’re able to have actual conversations. The barrier is gone, HALLELUJIA! What a joy to hear from readers who appreciate the virtual scribbles, and learn from them about their own furry wonders.

At a book signing event a year or so ago, a couple introduced themselves after recognizing one of the books at my table. They already had a copy of the book, and didn’t want an autographed, but only to tell me that the first aid advice had saved their dog’s life. I still get choked up writing that…

I write hoping my work will have a positive impact. 

Today, I write in a variety of venues: newspaper column, online articles, blogs, Ebooks, audiobooks, print books, nonfiction and fiction, and I’ve combined my love of of music and theater with my pet passion in a musical production with cats and dogs as the actors.

What about you? Do you have a passion for writing, or a particular cause you champion? Is it to make a living? Please share!

Now it’s my pleasure to tag the next three people in the blog hop.

Carol Bryant is a well known and successful blogger, freelance pet writer and social media expert also affiliated with BlogPaws.com. She authors one of my favorite blogs Fidose of Reality. Carol writes about dog health and lifestyle (among other pet-centric topics) and creates some of the most unique and fun promotions and campaigns. Read one blog–and you’ll get hooked on the bark-alicious content and be inspired in your own writing!

Dr. Lorie Huston is a veterinarian and freelance pet writer specializing in …well, all things pets! She is the current president of the Cat Writers Association, and among other things, writes the award wining online pet-zine Pet Health Care Gazette. I just recently learned we have music and playing cello in common–what is it with pets, writers and music? Dr. Lorie should be one of your go-to destinations whenever you have a pet health question.

I’ve known Carol Shenold for nearly 20 years. We originally met in a writers group, and became fast friends and continue to be critique partners particularly with our fiction. Carol is a nurse and writes continuing education courses, articles and books for the profession; and specializes in spooky mysteries and intriguing urban fantasy fiction. She’s recently retired, giving her more time to play with the fur-kids and write, and I’m tagging her to encourage Carol to blog some  more here –because she’s got a lot to share!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my  THRILLERS WITH BITE!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

You Wrote WHAT? Why I Write What I Write

You Wrote WHAT? Why I Write What I Write

Some of y’all know that my *virtual HIDE AND SEEK book tour* ran during June and July, and I had a wonderful time visiting various blogs and sharing about my writer-ly journey. All the links to various blogs can be found on my website here.

But now I’ve been tagged for another virtual tour, a way for my Sweet Peeps to find out about other paw-some writers and their work. My author-friend, Angie Baily, invited me to join The Writing Process Blog Tour. Be sure to check out Angie’s blog and find out all about her works-in-progress. If you love quirky humor and love cats, you’ll find a treasure there!

The Writing Process Blog Tour is a way for bloggers to share their own writing process and current projects with readers, as well as introduce them to a couple of fabulous authors they might not be reading … which they should. I’m supposed to answer these four questions–so hang on tight, and I’ll try to be concise.

*snicker* Yeah, THAT’s gonna happen!

What am I working on?

Wow, probably too many projects to list. Here’s the short list at the top of my to-do’s:

I’m awaiting the return of final edits on my next nonfiction book COMPLETE PUPPY CARE, due to release later this month. This book will be the companion title to mirror my best selling COMPLETE KITTEN CARE book. Hey, I have to give equal time to the fur-kids!
Writing the next book in my suspense/thriller series, titled SHOW AND TELL. The books feature an animal behaviorist, September Day. She lives with a trained Maine Coon cat and suffers from PTSD which is helped by her German Shepherd service dog named Shadow. Shadow is a favorite character because he has his own viewpoint chapters, character arc and storyline (but no, he DOESN’T talk).
Preparing for the debut of STRAYS, THE MUSICAL, a full-length play co-written with Frank Steele. We’ve got a workshop scheduled to teach folks some of the music and introduce to the script, auditions scheduled, and performance taking place November 6-7-8, 2014. This show is very close to my heart, as it incorporates my love of cats and dogs with music and theater (all characters are cats or dogs). You can expect some blog posts in the future detailing this STRAYS journey!
In the planning stages for a writers’ guide “how-I-did-it” short book, hopefully this fall, to provide a one stop place to answer many of the writing and publishing questions I receive. It will be based on the several conference talks and webinars I offer.
SUPER-SECRET-SOON-TO-BE-REVEALED PROJECTS that I can’t yet announce, but will be PAW-some for cats, dogs and pet parents. Yes, it has to do with great health and behavior information, and some opportunities for bloggers to get involved , too. Stay tuned!

How does my work differ from others in my genre?

Some of my work is very similar to my colleague’s, in that I strive to provide great actionable information that helps pet parents and the cats and dogs they love. It differs in that many of the venues or platforms are outside the box, and that I try not to limit myself to one avenue to reach my audience.

For years I wrote very prescriptive nonfiction books and articles–and I still love sharing that information. But now I work to “edu-tain” readers who perhaps aren’t specifically looking for pet care advice or information. Reading a book told through “dog voice” opens a window into how and why dogs behave certain ways. Watching a play in which cats and dogs offer insight into their world and it’s all from their purr-spective may offer some ah-ha moments for pet parents. Using a variety of publishing platforms, from the Internet and blogs to Ebooks, traditional print and even audio books or songs, increases the chance more folks will benefit from the work.

Why do you write what you do?

I was put on this earth to be a voice for the voiceless–I truly believe that. Writing about cats and dogs gives me great pleasure, and it’s fun! How neat to wake up every morning excited to go to work and–basically–play with cats and dogs for a living. I am truly blessed!

How does your writing process work?

Hmnn. Often, I get ideas from readers asking questions, or from news stories that make me go “wow…what if?” Typically I work 6-7 days a week, although I try to take at least half a day off on Sunday. My world would go off the tracks without to-do lists. I love putting together lists, and crossing off each item once completed! My calendars (several, both paper and online) are highlighted and color coded to keep track of various projects, and often look like a peacock exploded.

For book-length projects, I do my best to meet a daily word count, and calendar progress toward the deadline. Otherwise, with so many things to juggle, something’s liable to go SPLAT when it’s dropped. Once a book-length draft is finished, I work on a different project for a time and come back to edits with fresh eyes. Books generally go through several rewrites and drafts before going to beta readers and later to my editor, so it’s an involved process. Shorter work like articles can be turned around much more quickly. Blogs (like this one) often are written in one sitting.

Now it’s time to tag two more wonderful writer friends. Please head on over to their blogs/websites and check out their work. I promise, you’ll be glad you did!

JaneA Kelly is a contributing author to Caster.com and is the webmaster and chief cat slave for Paws and Effect, an award-winning cat advice blog written by her cats, for cats and their people. She is a professional member of the Cat Writers’ Association, and has been a speaker at the BlogPaws and Cat Writers’ Association conferences. In addition to blogging about cats, JaneA writes contemporary urban fantasy, and whatever else strikes her fancy.

Carol Shenold has been a nurse for forty years, and a writer/artist almost as long. She writes the Tali Cates mysteries, as well as urban fantasies with weirdly wonderful characters (“The Monster under the bed…is real!”), and nursing textbooks. She also writes nonfiction in general interest, technical magazines, newspaper columns and more. You can find Carol at her website and her blog–when she’s not busy painting pictures of her cat or dogs or grandkids.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my  THRILLERS WITH BITE!

 

 

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

How to Keep a Skinny Old Cat Young

How to Keep a Skinny Old Cat Young

Karma just can’t fit into Seren’s bed these days, but that doesn’t stop him from trying!

My faithful readers know that Seren-Kitty (aka “The Queen”) is a skinny old cat and has struggled for the past year or so with the “schnorkles” and “sneezles.” I’ve written about her increasingly scary bouts with URIs (upper respiratory infections) in this post. URIs is one of the major reasons that cats refuse to eat.

Thank goodness, Seren still has an appetite. Her sneezle-attacks began last Friday and alerted me to the potential problem. So early Monday morning, I called my veterinarian and got a refill on the liquid Clavamox that helped so much the last time. After just two days, she’s already breathing a bit easier. God bless veterinarians!

CELEBRATING SENIOR PETS

Old cats get sick quicker and take longer to get well. August happens to be Senior Pet Month–and both Seren and Magical-Dawg are senior citizen pets. So this post is doubly appropriate.

Nutrition is a huge issue for older pets, too. Seren has always been tiny and had trouble eating enough nutrition to maintain a good body condition. At her heaviest she weighed 7 pounds. This past winter, Seren had dropped weight to 5-1/2 pounds. Her fur looked unkempt, claws were overgrown so she “clicked” walking on the hardwood floor, and she just wanted to sleep. The dry therapeutic diet she’d eaten for the past several years became difficult for her to munch, and she asked to be lifted up to tabletops she’d previously scaled with ease–arthritis rearing its ugly head. Honestly, I feared my dear old girl might be ready for that final trip across the Rainbow Bridge…

ENTER THE KAMIKAZE KITTEN!

Then Karma-Kitten came home. Suddenly, the new-kid-on-the-block disrupted the household, adding stress to Seren’s life, and a wee bit of excitement.

Karma chased the dog, and Magic chased him. Karma chased Seren–she was not amused, and told him so. He continued to pester until she got off her furry nether regions to tell him off. I kept them separated when I couldn’t supervise, fearing the bruiser-kitten would hurt Seren.

Karma also ate EVERYTHING, including Seren’s food (the dog’s, too). So again, I had to supervise feedings so Seren wouldn’t starve when Karma cleaned out her bowl.

WHAT TO FEED? ANYTHING SHE WANTS!

Seren’s food wasn’t appropriate for a kitten and when he showed up, all I had in the house were samples of dehydrated kitty ration I got at BlogPaws.com from The Honest Kitchen (You can get free samples here). He loved it! And as a plus, I figured that would keep him out of the other pet’s food. I really like not having to refrigerate leftovers, and mixing only the amount needed for meals ensured it was fresh and still warm when served. And when The Honest Kitchen read about Karma’s homecoming and how the food helped so much, they sent me additional samples of various flavors to try out (even some for Magic!).

Now, with kittens, you don’t want to limit food since they’re growing so fast. I think Karma wrote those instructions. He packed on pudge, and still tried to swipe the other pet’s food, and I feared Seren would shrink even more.

Instead, The Queen Seren took control, and she began to steal mouthfuls of Karma’s food. And chase HIM across the room!

FOOD & QUALITY OF LIFE

Now folks, I’m a huge proponent of feeding appropriate foods for pets. Seren had been eating the Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d from my veterinarian to support her kidney function since she tested in the borderline range for kidney insufficiency. Her teeth, though, weren’t handling the dry kibble very well so I listened to Seren–she really liked the warm wet ration she’d stolen from Karma. So I ran the Hill’s k/d kibble through my blender, and then softened each meal with warm water. Granted, I could purchase canned food of the same formulation (I’d recommend you do this and have it on hand from the beginning). But I’d just purchased a big bag of the dry food and figured this was better than wasting good nutrition.

Eureka! Seren loved it, and began eating better. But she still wanted Karma’s food, too.

And frankly, at age 17, I decided Seren’s quality of life meant any time she asked for food, I’d give her what she wanted. That means a mix of foods including tastes of lean meats from my plate if she asks; a scoop of Karma’s Honest Kitchen ration or a taste of plain yogurt; or even a sip of water from my glass. When the dry food ran out, I continued with the dehydrated diet, offering a teaspoonful at a time, many times a day.

These days, Seren still steals Karma’s food, which isn’t ideal since we’ve switched him to Science Diet Perfect Weight to slim down the pudge. He weighs 13 pounds or so, over twice as much as Seren, and the Perfect Weight seems to be working.

What about the dog? Well, Magic gets treats by cleaning up any kitty food leftovers, plus his own occasional treats of The Honest Kitchen. It’s a bit pricy to feed as routine ration to a 90+ pound dog like Magic, but for treats it’s ideal. I was just sent samples of THK Halcyon “Duck Recipe” and Magic can’t wait to try that, too.

Notice the name ‘MAGIC’ on the box…that’s because my husband tried to feed this dog-ration to Seren while I was gone. She was NOT amused!

THE KARMA CURE

Forgive me for a bit of philosophical musing. I truly thought Seren was near the end of her life, and then Karma showed up. Running away from him force her to get up and moving. Guarding her own bowl gave her reason to get up in the morning. Chasing after him keeps her arthritic joints lubricated and she now jumps up anywhere she wants. Wet food enticed her to eat more–she now wakes my husband at 3 am for a treat and, being the well-trained human he is, he accommodates her. I don’t limit her to a single diet and my veterinarian is fine with that. (Always check with your vet!)

Shortly after Karma arrived, Seren began grooming her claws again, so she could CHASE and chastise Karma. She began grooming her own fur better and caring about her appearance. Seren also now demands lap time in the evenings (to keep HIM out of my lap, LOL!). According to her last vet visit, Seren is back up to about 6 pounds. She’s active, interested in life again, and (I pray!) has at least one more of her 9 lives to spend with me.

Karma came unexpectedly, a clown-cat and snuggle-puss that makes me smile every day. Seren remains a serious, dainty Queen who wishes he’d go away–but when he came into her life, he shared with her the Karma cure.

She’s shared the sneezles with him. Ahem.

What about your pets? Have your fur-kids ever influenced the other cats (or dogs) to get healthy–or the opposite, do they teach each other bad habits? How do you manage feeding multiple pets? Do tell!

I am not being paid for this post. The opinions expressed in this blog are my own. I initially received free samples of The Honest Kitchen, as well as Science Diet Perfect Weight for Cats to try. The fur-kids did so well on both products, I’ve continued to purchase and feed them. I do have an affiliate relationship with The Honest Kitchen.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my  THRILLERS WITH BITE!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Sick Kitty: What to Do When #Pets Won’t Eat

Sick Kitty: What to Do When #Pets Won’t Eat

Yesterday, Karma-Kat got sick. He snubbed the bowl. Yes, I’m worried, particularly since he’s usually such a little chow-hound.

All pets lose their appetite once in a while and may snub the bowl for a meal or two. Some pets are just picky by nature, but healthy dogs and cats tend to make up for a missed meal with the next serving. As long as the pet acts like he otherwise feels good, loss of appetite for one or two days isn’t cause for concern.

Magical-Dawg and Seren-Kitty have never been finicky eaters, and eat pretty much anything that’s offered. Karma-Kat is a bit of a glutton, and will scrounge for more when the bowl is empty.

But a few days ago, we received a PAW-some box full of dog treats to review (Magic is a very happy doggy!). As I set up some photo ops, Karma got into the act and beat the dog to the schnarf-op. Yesterday, he ate a bunch of Magic’s dog treats—he LOVES them!

But too many proved to rich for the boy’s tummy and later that day threw ‘em up. His tummy was so upset, he “whoopsed” twice more. I know he felt bad because he didn’t pester for food or attention, and just wanted to sleep. I’d been invited to attend a local theater production last night and worried the whole time I was there, and when I returned home, he’d been sick one more time. Oh no…

WHY PETS WON’T EAT

Nearly any illness can cause a pet to refuse to eat, though. Life-threatening diseases such as distemper or kidney failure, parasites such as hookworms, a sore mouth from dental problems, or just the stress of a mother-in-law visiting the family, could prompt anorexia. High outdoor temperatures also can kill pet appetite.

Any sudden loss of appetite that lasts more than two days needs medical attention—sooner, if the pet acts sick. Puppies and kittens have fewer fat and fluid reserves and can’t go without food longer than about 12 hours before needing medical help. Toy breed puppies are particularly prone to potentially deadly drops in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) if they skip a meal. Signs of hypoglycemia are weakness, drunken-type gait, and sometimes seizures. Lift the pup’s lip and put Karo Syrup, honey or something similar on the gums, and once he’s conscious, feed him.

Cats, especially pudgy kitties, can also become gravely ill by skipping just one or two meals, so I’m extra careful about Karma since he’s packed on a bit of weight. For overweight cats, refusing to eat can start a chain reaction that moves fat cells into the cat’s liver. Hepatic lipidosis or “fatty liver disease” can kill the cat.

If your pet stops eating, you’ll need a diagnosis from the veterinarian to figure out why. But often it’s perfectly legal to tempt his appetite with healthy people food. Offer wholesome tidbits like a sliver of lean beef or chicken, or spike his kibble with no-salt meat broth. That will also help you decide if he’s just being finicky, or really has a problem that needs medical attention.

Cats suffering from upper respiratory infections often have stuffy noses. If they can’t smell their food, cats won’t eat. Use a humidifier in a small room to help open up the breathing passages or run a hot shower so the pet breathes steamy air in the bathroom for ten minutes a couple times a day. Warm water on a cotton ball gently cleans off the plugged nose to keep it unblocked.

HOW TO TEMPT PET APPETITES

Tempt your pet’s appetite with pungent-smelling foods. Many cats relish tuna juice from a can of water-packed tuna, while dogs often live for liverwurst. You can also offer meat-based baby food. That’s not only very palatable for most cats and dogs, but is easier to eat if the mouth is sore from respiratory infections or dental problems.

Studies have shown that 95 to 98 degrees is the most attractive food temperature especially to cats. Warm the food and test it against your wrist–close to your own body temperature is the right range. Anorexic cats often will lick food off a spoon or your finger more readily than out of a bowl so hand feeding helps get nutrition in him until you can see the veterinarian.

Leaving food out in front of a reluctant eater for long periods at a time overwhelms and “wears out” the appetite centers. That will kill any appetite the pet may have left. Instead, offer your reluctant eater a small amount of food, and when he’s had his fill or refuses to eat, take it away and try again an hour later.

KARMA-KAT UPDATE

This morning, I warmed up some wet food and Karma lapped up two tongue-swipes of the food. He also drank some water, and eliminated normally, which encouraged me he was on the mend. I had a lunch meeting, and resolved to take his temp and get him to the vet if Karma hadn’t improved by the time I got home.

When I returned from my meeting, Karma seemed more alert, so I offered him a bit of plain non-flavored yogurt. Many cats like the flavor, and it’s soothing on ify tummies and helps re-balance “good” gut bacteria. He wasn’t particularly interested, though, and Seren for once stole HIS food instead of the opposite.

Karma followed me into the master bath (his purr-sonal space) and actually went to his bowl. So…I offered again a tiny amount of warm wet food and this time, he ate! Yee-haw! He kept it down and asked for more a couple hours later, and has started inviting Magical-Dawg to play, so it’s clear he’s on the mend.

It’s also clear I need to teach the boy to read, and avoid anything treats that say “dog” on the package. Until then, I’ll have to be much more vigilant going forward, to avoid any future pig-out problems.

Do you have pets that steal each others’ food? How do you manage the marauding maniacs? Do tell!

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my  THRILLERS WITH BITE!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Caption My Ass-ets! #FunnyCats Rule

Caption My Ass-ets! #FunnyCats Rule

I’m head-down busy today preparing edits to send back to my editor on the new COMPLETE PUPPY CARE book. And my “helper” Karma has made editing a new challenge. I’ve shared a couple of these pictures on my Facebook page (have you “liked” me yet?!) but wanted to post here, too.

How do your pets “help” you with your work? Is their attention welcome or aggravating? Do tell! Oh…and let’s have some fun in the comments. Suggest captions for the two pictures.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my  THRILLERS WITH BITE!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Why Won’t My Puppy Potty On Grass?

Why Won’t My Puppy Potty On Grass?

Today’s Ask Amy has some basic puppy potty training tips, and answers the question, “Why won’t my puppy potty on grass?” Some poor pooches have no experience “being creative” on a proper surface, and they can become terrified and traumatized when faced with a new-to-them surface. Just imagine having to “go” so badly but being scared to do anything about it.

DEAR ASK AMY…

“Hey Amy! I’m pretty stumped and you’re the only dog expert I know. I recently rescued a Husky/Australian Shepherd that was kept 100 percent inside. He’s a super sweet puppy-named Loki–about five months old. They never let him out and he eliminated on a “trashcan lid” according to his owner. Now, he won’t eliminate outside unless it’s the last resort. He doesn’t go in the house… only on my concrete porch. Would you have any ideas on how to get him to make the transference from porch to grass? Dave”

AMY’S ANSWER

This happens a lot with backyard breeders and puppy mill dogs. This poor pup may also have been punished for eliminating anywhere but on the trash can. So how would you handle this issue? Here’s my very brief reply…we can get into more detail in the comments, if y’all like.

Hi Dave, Congrats on the new puppy, Loki…poor fellow. The key here is two-fold. First, reward Loki for performing the behavior you want–eliminating in the right spot. To do that, figure out what he likes best–treats? toy?…and basically PAY him with a reward to do the right thing.

Second, make sure you transition slowly. Instead of forcing him onto the grass, give him some options so he naturally makes the choice you want. For instance, get a trashcan lid and place it first on the concrete porch–something familiar he already accepts. That way, he gets to be a “good dog” for going in the right place. And after that, gradually move the lid across the porch and eventually onto the grass in the yard. Once he’s in the yard, you can transition to the grass…maybe even making the trashcan lids smaller and smaller. Actually if he’s going to be a big dog, as he grows this may happen naturally.

Another thought, you could get some “puppy pee pads” used for house training. They smell “right” to the dog, and use those first on the porch and slowly move to the grass. Whether you use the trashcan lid or the pee pads, be sure Loki only gets the treats when he’s creative on the grass.

So folks, what about your suggestions. Have you ever had this situation of a dog refusing to use a designated area? How have you managed training for your new pups? Please share your tips in the comments–and feel free to add some SQUEEE! cute puppy pix, too. Of course, my forthcoming Complete Puppy Care book will include many more details on all-things-puppies. But here are the basics in this Ask Amy.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my  THRILLERS WITH BITE!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

My Pet Hates My Date! Teach to Accept Babies, Toddlers & Lovers

My Pet Hates My Date! Teach to Accept Babies, Toddlers & Lovers

Pets are considered a part of the family, but what do you do when your kitty interferes with love and romance? When your dog hates your date, but you’re smitten, what’s a caring pet owner to do? Or perhaps you’re pregnant, and your longtime “fur-kid” acts jealous, or you worry Grandma’s pets aren’t used to toddler antics. The stress put on family relationships can make animal behaviors and communication go sideways, and turn a once loving pet bond into a dysfunctional relationship. Cats and dogs often lose their homes or lives when the bond breaks, unless you teach them to accept babies, toddlers, and lovers.

My two newest publications–currently KINDLE EXCLUSIVES–pack prescriptive advice into a short how-to guides that offer step-by-step instructions how to improve family relationships between babies, toddlers, kids and adults, and your furry family members. You’ll learn how to CREATE A FURRY LOVE-CONNECTION!

Why Cats and Dogs (Sometimes) Hate New People
Tips to Solve Pet Jealousy
Ways Cats and Dogs Show Love
The Health Benefits of Pets & Why Kids Benefit Most!
Pet-to-Baby Introductions
Pet-to-Toddler/Kid Introductions
Why “Acting” Like Your Cat or Dog Makes You a Great Romantic Catch

With a fun conversational tone and easy to use proven techniques, MY CAT HATES MY DATE! and MY DOG HATES MY DATE! helps ensure your loving bond remains strong and intact.

NOTE: If your sweetheart wants you to choose between him/her and your beloved dog or cat, suggest they read this book…before you show ‘em the door. Use the book as a “pet test” to teach dates how to win affection from your furry family members! And when you hear about concerns when a new baby will join the family, point ‘em to these tips.

What about you? How do you deal with your pets (or family member fur-kids) and the two-legged humans? Has anyone ever suggested you “get rid of the pets” for…whatever reason? Do tell!

  I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my  THRILLERS WITH BITE!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

How Pets Play, Why Cats Play, and What Dog Play Means

How Pets Play, Why Cats Play, and What Dog Play Means

How pets play and why dogs and cats play games fascinates the people who love them. Cat play, dog play and kitten games are exactly the same–only different–with identical purposes but variation in styles. These days, I have a front-row seat with the “old lady” Seren-Kitty doing her best to keep order, while Magical-Dawg and Karma-Kitten wreak havoc.You can’t help but smile or laugh out loud when the fur-kids throw a play-party.

Oh, and that picture (above) of the kitten vaulting over another? That’s Karma’s latest favorite hiss-inspiring activity. I call it his “drive by” when he races across the room, and LEAPS over top of Seren, creating feline angst and prompting her to chase-to-chastise the furry miscreant. Of course, that’s what Karma wants, to get the old girl to chase him. When she catches the big guy, he immediately flops on the floor while she yells cat curses at him, and paw-swats his face.

When that doesn’t work, Karma simply tackles Seren, using his 13 pounds to pancake her petite 6-pound frame to the carpet. You can almost see him smile as she yodels her outrage.

Karma is in kitty heaven.

He does something similar with Magic. Karma saunters up to my 90+ pound German Shepherd, crouches for a moment, makes sure the Magical-Dawg is watching, and then SPRINGS away to duck under furniture. Magic takes the bait and invitation, and sprints after him. It makes me tired to watch.

IS IT PLAY, OR AGGRESSION?

It can be hard to tell sometimes what’s “real” and what kind of play is “just fooling around.” In fact, both dog play and cat play can tip over into dangerous aggression if the pets get too wound up.

Dog and cat play use the same behaviors as hunting, attack, and aggressive behavior, but the pets use “meta signals” to let the other party know it’s all in good fun. For instance, dogs use the “play bow” with butt-end up and forepaws down to signal that everything that comes after this signal is not serious. Cats also can use a play bow, or roll on their back to solicit attention or a game.

Here’s a BIG clue. Doggy play includes growls, whines and barks. Cat play typically is silent. If your cats become vocal during play, it’s time to stop the games. And if both of the pets keep coming back for more, they’re likely just having a good time.

WHY PETS PLAY

In years’ past, the experts often ascribed play to be only the means by which juvenile animals practiced skills they’d need later as adults. Kittens played to hone hunting ability, while puppies played to strengthen muscles and practice various doggy techniques.

They neglected to mention that play, quite simply, is FUN! Cats stalk toy mice and kittens attack ankles for the pure joy, as an outlet for energy, stress reliever, and potent relaxation technique. Dogs steal socks and dance away out of reach, and play “tag” with owners, other animals, and even the reluctant cat. If you believe cats and dogs don’t laugh, just look more closely at your furry companion in the throws of blissful play.

Now 13 pounds and a year old, the play has slowed down, and 17-year-old Seren is grateful!

KITTEN PLAY

By four weeks of age, kittens practice four basic play techniques: play fighting, mouse pounce, bird swat, and fish scoop. The first play displayed by kittens is on the back, belly-up, with paws waving. Feints at the back of a sibling’s neck mimic the prey-bite used to dispatch mice (toy or real). Kittens also practice the simpering sideways shuffle, back arched high, almost tiptoeing around other kittens or objects. Soon, the eye-paw coordination improves to execute the pounce, the boxer stance, chase and pursuit, horizontal leaps, and the face-off where kittens bat each other about the head.

Karma has decided “riding” a towel dragged across the floor is great fun. Kitty sledding, anyone?

PUPPY PLAY

Puppy play can be similar, but while kittens use paws to tap-tap-tap objects and manipulate/test their surroundings, pups mouth–everything. By five weeks, puppies often carry things around. This ensures owners must be good housekeepers or risk losing wallets, underwear, and other important valuables. About the same age, pups begin playing tug-of-war with your pant leg, each others’ tails, and anything within reach.

Magic still loves to play keep-away. Thank goodness he only targets doggy toys and human socks these days, rather than (urk!) puppy poop.

Puppy and kitten play offers endless entertainment to them as well as watching humans. The awkwardness, intensity, and abandon of these antics give way to greater finesse and dexterity as the pet matures.

ADULT PET PLAY

While adult pets play less than rambunctious babies, all dogs and cats play to some extent through their entire life. It’s not only fun for you both, but healthy as well. Keeping dogs and cats active and moving ensures they stay lean, and interested in the world around them.

At age 17, Seren still races laps around the living room and up and down the stairs. While she’d deny it, chasing the Karma-Kitten has brought a gleam back to her eyes and Seren really seems to enjoy the tag-team matches they play.

Now eight years old, Magic could play “fetch” literally for hours, with his ball, a stick, a stuffed toy–anything at all that fits into that grinning mouth. Frisbees are a favorite. In the summer, hose-tag keeps him happy. And of course, rolling on his back with a squeaky-chew in his mouth is right up there with treats. His most favorite game of all, though, is sniffing cat butt. Ahem.

Play is serious business for our dogs and cats. Take a lesson from them, and find time to play every day. In a stress-filled world, we all benefit from a daily dose of giggles. Play with your pets–and watch them smile from both ends. Just for fun, here’s a kitten fix, below!

So what special games do your cats and dogs play? Seren used to love to play “chase the feather” as it disappeared underneath a pillow. Are doggy (or kitty) games learned from each other? Do tell!

Find out more about kitten play and behavior in the book COMPLETE KITTEN CARE. And stay tuned for more puppy-licious info in the forthcoming book COMPLETE PUPPY CARE!

  I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my  THRILLERS WITH BITE!

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Bunny Slippers With Teeth, Thrillerfest & Michael Palmer Tribute

Bunny Slippers With Teeth, Thrillerfest & Michael Palmer Tribute

I had the most comfortable feet at the after-party!

I’m just back from Thrillerfest where my bunny slippers with teeth were again a hit–and one of my fav authors was honored in a Michael Palmer Tribute (scroll down for the video). As always, feeling revitalized, energized and writer-ized (is that a word?) for the future. Kathleen Antrim calls the event “Summer camp for thriller writers” and this year, the week-long event boasted Craftfest (for aspiring writers) including a Master Craftfest and insights from FBI experts; Pitchfest (where writers could “pitch” their book to agents); and culminated in Thrillerfest with still more panels for fans and authors to meet and greet, get books signed, and more.

After getting up at 4 a.m. Thursday to catch my plane, I was delighted to pick up my registration materials and discover no less than FOUR free books in the bag as a give-away. Wow. Then I attended a great add-on session and learned more about Apple and the iBookStore. You’ll notice I’m now an Affiliate and there’s even a nifty widget on my book page listing iBooks available. Or you can just click here and go directly to the iBookstore.

Thursday evening at the opening reception is a terrific time to reconnect with friends and meet new ones, and I had a lovely time. Much of networking takes place in the bar (ahem!) even if one doesn’t indulge in beverages.

Now, I planned for this trip for a year, plotted which sessions to attend, and prepared to “stalk” (in a good way!) all my favorite writers and readers. I got to meet Aubrey Hamilton from an online readers list when we decided to share room expenses (hey, she loves cats, too!). And then all my plans went sideways–and I was sick all day Friday, able to only attend one session, URK! Oh, how frustrating! I found out later that I wasn’t the only one afflicted with this–whatever it was. I even had to bail early during a meeting with my awesome editor Jen Talty–but we did have a great conversation then and later as well, and I’m eager to get plans ramped up.

Fortunately by the end of Friday, I’d finally recovered enough to go out to dinner with my thriller-gal-pal Paula Lanier, and new friend Stefanie Stolinsky at the Beach Cafe. Seriously, this is a fantastic restaurant and owner Dave Goodside makes everyone feel so welcome.

Thrillerfest Panel: “WHAT MAKES AN ENDING UNFORGETABLE?” L-R (back row) Tom Young, Joanna Penn, Sean Lynch, Amy Shojai (front row) Ward Larsen, Donald Bain.

Saturday morning I felt great! The 8 a.m. Debut Breakfast was inspiring, this year with 24 new authors (and that many more in the program present in spirit). Just last year it was me up there in the dais, wearing my bunny slippers, and scared to death I’d never get my second book done. Steve Berry’s “second-book-itis” talk got me over the hump–check out the new review on HIDE AND SEEK!–and now I’m working on my third thriller, whoda-thunk-it? This year, Brenda Novak was the Silver Bullet Award Winner and speaker at the breakfast.

I had to slip out early to prepare as Panel Master for my 9:30 talk, WHAT MAKES AN ENDING UNFORGETABLE? Check out the picture, above, with the best possible lineup of author speakers ever! Wow, they made the time go fast, with great discussions and comments. Incidentally, those unable to attend can purchase audios of the presentation and I have to say this is one panel you won’t want to miss.

The author signings have to be one of the highlight of the event. Literally hundreds of authors sit elbow to elbow and sign books together, with Barnes and Nobel host bookstore providing the support. The one downside is the crowds at this time but it’s worth it to actually get to speak with your fav author, meet new ones, and share the love of reading with fans. I ended up with so many purchased and donated books that I had to ship them home, to keep the plane from being too heavy.

Thriller buddies Kevin Singer, Paula Lanier and Jon Land.

The final Saturday evening reception leads to the Awards Banquet where the Thriller Awards are presented. I was honored this year to be on a preliminary panel to help choose the best Ebook original and urge you to make a point of reading ALL these winners! What a lineup! Read the list of winners here.

And the AFTER party goes on for hours and hours–and yep, that’s where I re-introduced the bunny slippers.

But the most moving event of the weekend for me was Daniel Palmer’s funny and poignant tribute to his father, Michael Palmer–authors and readers everywhere miss him, too, and we ALL want to be like him. I missed getting the first few seconds of the song, but here’s the rest of the tribute.

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter.

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!

Getting Cut: Bleeding Is Good For Writers & Pets

Getting Cut: Bleeding Is Good For Writers & Pets

Last week my writing routine (and income) took a major hit. Getting cut from my puppies.about.com site and getting cut or fired, in effect told you’re not wanted or needed, is pretty dang high on the suck-isity scale but BLEEDING IS GOOD FOR WRITERS — and by extension, bleeding is good for pets (figuratively speaking, of course!).

Anything truly beautiful and worthy of our passion has the power to cut. And anyone truly open to change and growth must be willing to sacrifice for their art–and yes, bleed.

It’s very easy to fall into a routine *cough* RUT *cough* and for creatives, that’s deadly. For me, time is the most precious commodity in both my work life and outside life. Wait, who am I kidding? My work life and “outside” life are joined at the hip and that’s not always such a good thing. There is always MORE to do. Those who are FB friends are familiar with my to-do lists, and self-promises of “once THIS is done, then THAT will happen” and…as long as the About-puppy-schtuff demanded more and more time, those reward-end-goals on the list wouldn’t have ever happened.

My husband commiserated with me about the lost opportunity and then surprised me by saying, “I’m glad it happened. You never would have quit. Now you can…(all those things on my list).” After about 10-seconds of surprised silence, I took a breath and simply said,

“You’re right.”

So what has happened this last week? Did I get through all the “wanna-do” wish list?” Not really. In fact, not much happened on the writing front other than a few more to-do lists (I now have a list of the next 6 books to write!) I messed around with SEO, wrote a blog post and newspaper column, read a lot of blogs, a couple of wonderful books, and finally–finally–admitted the need for a REBOOT.

Those who regularly read this blog know I love shiny objects, so it should be no surprise I love art glass. My home is filled with stained glass panels and lamp shades, and even the rose garden boasts half a dozen glass mosaic pieces.

I even created a character in my Lost And Found and Hide And Seek suspense thrillers who works in stained glass. You know that stained glass table in September Day’s kitchen? It’s in my kitchen, and yes, I made it. By the way, the latest stop on the Hide And Seek Blog Tour posted here today.

The garden and the mosaic work has been neglected. It also needed a reboot. So I spent the past several days cleaning, repairing and re-cementing a couple of bird baths and garden table and I count that as valuable writing time. I’ve found over the years that any creative endeavor feeds across into other aspects of my life. Playing music inspires acting endeavors, designing glass feeds the writing muse, playing new games with the fur-kids offers a rich abundance of song material. So over this past weekend, I wrote nothing–instead, I heeded the call of shiny-brilliant-glass, and ended up bloody but smiling for my efforts. When working with glass you must expect to be cut.

Magical-Dawg doesn’t hesitate to go all out to chase down, leap high, and snatch Frisbees from the air. He’ll turn eight years old this month, and I fear he’ll injure himself and so keep the toys low to the ground. Seren-Kitty at 17 weighs less than half as much as the kitten, and could be severely injured by him, but her newest joy is teasing and then reprimanding the young whippersnapper. Karma-Kitten has discovered the joys of (eeek!) stalking, chasing, leaping to catch WASPS, and again I try to get to ‘em first. Magic, Seren and Karma risk bleeding because the rewards outweigh the potential cut.

Hell, our cats and dogs take risks every day, just by loving clueless humans who may leave their hearts broken and bloody with disappointment — but oh, the risk is worth it when they can celebrate that Gotcha Day connection when dreams come true.

Yesterday I spent all afternoon putting together fun bios and questions for this weekend’s Thrillerfest when I’m a Panel Master on Saturday, and get to paw-tograph my dog viewpoint fiction next to best selling thriller authors. (stay tuned for video & pictures!). Meanwhile, all the getting cut and bleeding over the past week has done its job–sores are still a bit raw but healing commenced, and with it, oh-so-much new energy, inspiration and joy to come!

Maybe September Day needs a stained glass bird bath–or perhaps Macy and Shadow should deal with a new kitten in the next book SHOW AND TELL. Hmmnn.

Do you “bleed” for your passion? Have you had to do a career (or life) RE-BOOT? Do tell!

(All images Copr. Amy Shojai, CABC)

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter.

 

 

AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!