Denise Brixey's Blog, page 4
April 13, 2020
Interview With Savanna the Dog
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Savanna
Harry: “Hi, folks! Today I’m bringing you an interview from another character in my new book, The Jamaican Mission. Her name is Savanna, and she is a curious mix of a Husky and Australian cattle dog. I normally have no use for dogs, but Savanna proved useful in a few ways. So, without further ado, Here’s Savanna.”
(A dog runs on the stage, mouth open, tongue out and panting wildly. She has sleek reddish-brown fur with beautiful markings. Her ears are abnormally long, which makes her expression comical, but her eyes are the first thing that people notice. One is blue, and one is brown.)
Harry: “Hi, Savanna.” (Harry was trying to be polite, after all, it was an interview and, he was the host of the show, but he couldn’t keep the edge out of his voice)
Savanna: “Hey, Harry! I’m so excited to be here!” (wiggling from her head to her tail)
Harry: (chokes out) “I’m glad you’re here.”
Savanna: (grins) “Really? It seems like you didn’t like me when you were in Jamaica.”
Harry: (rolls his eyes) “Yeah, okay. Shall we get on with it? I wouldn’t want to keep you from doing whatever you dogs do.”
Savanna: (sits down across from Harry and pants her excitement) “Okay, I’m ready anytime you are.”
Harry: “I’ll ask you the same question that I asked Bobby and Sox last week. Now that the mission is over, what are you doing with your time?”
Savanna: “Well, you know how great Jamaica is. I spend a lot of time on the beach. Sometimes Charlie takes me, and we play ball. I get to soak up that Jamaican sunshine.”
Harry: (getting restless) “Do you ever see the Beach Cats?”
Savanna: “Yeah, I see them all the time. They made me an honorary member!”
Harry: (unable to hide his shock and disapproval) “Really?”
Savanna: “You sound like you’re surprised.”
Harry: “It’s just that…[clears his throat] moving on. What was your favorite part of the adventure?”
Savanna: (takes a minute to think about it)
Harry: (rolls his eyes impatiently)
Savanna: (grins again) I guess I would have to say when you and I almost got caught by Charlie.
Harry: (hates to admit) “ Yeah, that was pretty exciting. Well, it looks like our time is up for today. Thanks for coming, Savanna.”
Savanna: “Thanks for having me. It’s been fun.” (trots off the stage)
Harry: “Well, folks, that will do it for today. Next time, be sure to join us for my interview with the lovely Luna. Until then, don’t forget my first book, The Legend of the Pink Diamond, is on sale on Amazon, where you can also pre-order The Jamaican Mission. So long, everybody.”
April 10, 2020
Bonus Post! Interview With Bobby and Sox
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Bobby
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“Harry here and for the next couple of weeks, I’m going to introduce you to the four most important characters in The Jamaican Mission. Today, we have Bobby and Sox. These brothers are tuxes who are almost identical except for the goatee that Sox sports. Let’s get to know a little bit about them.”
Sox
Harry: “Hi, boys, and welcome to my blog.”
Bobby and Sox: (in unison) “Hello, Harry!”
(Sox looks around with eyes wide with amazement.)
Harry: “Now that The Jamaican Mission is complete, and you are about to become famous, how do you feel?”
Bobby: (steps in front of Sox and clears his throat) “I don’t know about Sox, but I’m excited. [puffs out his chest] I want the world to see just how much more helpful to the mission I was than Sox.”
(Bobby smirks at Sox, and Sox sticks his tongue out at him. Bobby looks proudly at Harry. Harry’s look told him that perhaps he had gone too far.)
Harry: (clearing his throat ) “Yes, well…” (Harry’s demeanor softened when he looked at Sox) “How about you, Sox? How do you feel?”
Sox: (looking forlorn) “I’m sad that the mission is over.”
Harry: (moved to Sox’s side and laid a comforting paw on his shoulder) “There will be others, I’m sure. After all, a cat’s work is never done.” (Harry dropped his paw and steps back behind the microphone)
“So, tell us, Bobby…what was your favorite part of the mission?”
Bobby: “My favorite part was when you chose me.”
Harry: (nods his head) “How about you, Sox?”
Sox: (pouting) “He took my answer.”
(Bobby rolls his eyes)
Harry: (chuckles) “That’s okay. You both can have the same answer, Sox.”
(Harry clears his throat again) “So, boys, what’s next?”
Sox: (This time it was Sox who puffs out his chest) “As you know, Luna put me in charge of the Beach Gang. I have big shoes to fill. After all, Luna was a great leader.”
Bobby: “Yeah, and I get to be Sox’s co-leader.”
Harry: “Well, it sounds like you guys have it all mapped out. Good luck, and thank you for joining us today.”
(Bobby and Sox both raised their paws to Harry as a salute and trotted off the stage)
Harry: (turns back toward the microphone) “And thank you, folks, at home for coming. I hope that you have enjoyed Bobby and Sox. Next time, I’ll have Savanna, the dog.
Until then, I want to remind you that my first book, The Legend of the Pink Diamond, is on sale on Amazon, where you can also pre-order The Jamaican Mission. So long, everybody.”
April 6, 2020
Harry the Wonder Cat: The Jamaican Mission
Those of you who have heard about Harry’s new book know that it is set in Jamaica. In The Jamaican Mission, which is coming April 21st, Harry goes on vacation with his two roommates and solves a mysterious murder that happened a century ago.
Since he has to leave his gang behind at Harrot Reef, he finds a new gang that is led by a spunky little cat called Luna. Like the gang at home, this beach gang has several members in it, but when Harry calls for volunteers, only Luna and two brothers, Bobby and Sox, step forward.
Later Bobby brings in Savanna, the neighborhood dog. Now those of you who read Harry’s first book, The Legend of the Pink Diamond, know he has no use for dogs. However, Savanna proved herself invaluable and Harry had to rethink his opinion.
Will Harry and the Beach Gang solve the murder that happened so long ago? You’ll have to read the book to see.
Harry was based on my first cat, Monkeyface, but his physical attributes were from my imagination. The other cats and the dog are real and chosen from my Facebook community page, Kitty Tales.
While writing this book, I found myself laughing in some parts and crying in others. I visited Jamaica years ago, and I reminisced as I researched the beautiful island. I hope you enjoy reading The Jamaican Mission as much as I enjoyed writing it.
March 30, 2020
How to Tell Your Kitten’s Age
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There is no sure way to tell the exact age of a kitten, but you can estimate by examining them physically and watching them closely. Are their eyes open? Are they still blue? (Some cats’ eyes never change, so this isn’t always a guarantee.) Are their teeth in? If so, how many and how are they shaped? As far as their actions, do they walk with confidence or are they a little shaky on their legs? Are they socializing with their litter mates? I’ve done a little research on this subject and here’s what I’ve found.
When I bring a kitten to the vet for the first time, one of the first things I ask is how old is it. There are things that you can look for to estimate the kitten’s age.
At birth, the kitten’s ears and ears are closed. The eyes open during the second week, and the ears open when he is about three weeks old, causing the kitten to perk up and take notice of the world around him. It’s at this time that his eyes will start to change color to their permanent color.
The teeth of a cat often tells his age. Like a human, kittens are born with no teeth. Also like humans, they have two sets, baby and permanent. There are two differences between the first and the second sets of teeth. The first set, or baby teeth, are small and pointed, while the second set are larger and have flat edges. The baby teeth start to come in when the kitten is about three weeks old. About eleven weeks later, at fourteen weeks, the middle incisors come in. Then at about about fifteen weeks the second incisors and at sixteen weeks the third incisors come in.
Example by ASACA: if the kitten has both his first permanent incisors but not her second or third incisors, our best guess would be t hat he is 14 weeks old
At birth, the kitten makes sounds that are no more than soft mews, telling mom that he is hungry. When he is three weeks, he begins to purr.
Also at three weeks, he will venture out on shaky legs, and about four weeks, he will be more confident in his wanderings. It’s then that you need to kitten proof your home. We will discuss this in a future post.
He will start to socialize with his litter mates at about four or five weeks. It’s then that you want him to get used to socializing with you very slowly. The best way to do this is with cuddles.
By the time he is a year old, he is no longer a kitten.
Being a guardian to a kitten is work, but it’s worth the endless rewards you’ll receive for years to come.
March 23, 2020
PLA Event
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I’m back! And I have exciting news for you.
I’ve just returned from Nashville, Tennessee where I attended a book signing that wasput on by the PLA (Public Library Association). This event was full of librarians looking for books, etc. to fill their libraries.
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There were so many booths there…too many to visit. The conference went from Wednesday to Friday, and a person could not possibly see everything there was to see in that amount of time. Of course, there were a lot of authors signing their books, but more than that, there were oodles of things that were associated with libraries and learning.
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The people I met were awesome, too. Below is a picture of the representatives for Ingram (the distributors that my publisher uses).
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I received a pleasant surprise when I arrived at the Ingram booth. One of the ladies informed me that some people were excited to see me and get a signed copy of Harry’s second book, The Jamaican Mission, (which is on Amazon for preorder now). Imagine how I felt! All of the books that my publisher sent for me to sign were gone before my allotted time was up. Yippee! It seems that a lot of librarians love cats. One even stopped to tell me that their library had a cat for a mascot!
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After my first session was done, my friend and I had the pleasure of meeting with another author for lunch. Some of you might know her. Carla Vergot is the creator of Lily Barlow. Carla has written two smashing books starring her lovable character. You can visit with Carla on her FB group, “Carla Vergot’s Back Porch”.
Carla Vergot
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Below is a picture of my friend and I at Barlines where we had lunch with Carla. (I’m the one in the red sweater.) Even though it was first time we had met Carla, we felt as if we had known her for years.
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All in all, it was a great trip. I met some wonderful people and I’m looking forward to the next signing.
February 24, 2020
5 Ways To Talk To Your Cat (and he will understand)
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This beautiful kitten is KeeKee and she will be helping to make her lucky guardian happy. As you can see, she is kickin’ back and adoring the photographer. Enough of that. Here we go for the tips:
The first thing to know is the cat’s “Love Language”. This isn’t very hard. Anyone can do it. Ready for this: it is what they call “The Slow Blink”. Get down to your cats level and blink very slowly. Do it again…and again, until he returns that seductive blink.
Body Language: we all have body language; you know, like when a person leans towards the speaker, it means that whoever is talking has the full attention of the listener, whereas leaning back with their arms crossed in front of them generally means that the listener is turned off by the speaker or he might not agree with what he is hearing. Well, believe it or not, your cat speaks with his own special language. He says volumes with the position of his tail. (We will hit this topic next time.) more on tails
The way that cats greet other cats is by bumping noses. You can replicate this by, again, crouching down to his level, curling your index finger and slowly reach out and gently touch his nose.
Happy times, i.e. dinnertime, playtime, etc., call for happy voice. Use your high-pitched, sing-song voice.
. One thing I do when my cat, who is a 25 lb. bruiser, sits on me, is to say, in a stern voice, “Ow”, and he gets off of me. Now granted, this may not work the first time you try it, but don’t give up.
Cats are smart animals and they catch on fast, as long as you speak their language.
February 18, 2020
Dead Wrong by Leighann Dobbs
This delightful cozy mystery series is about Fiona, Morgan, Celeste, Jolene Blackmore and their cat, who live in the family home in the small town of Noquitt, Maine.
The first book of the series is Dead Wrong. It opens with one of the sisters, Morgan, and the town busy-body, Prudence, having words in front of the coffee shop. Unfortunately for Morgan, the patrons of the restaurant saw the two woman in an animated discussion and got the wrong idea. Everyone knew that Prudence despised the four Blackmore sisters and the feeling was mutual. Therefore when she turned up dead, Morgan was accused of doing the dirty deed. The next thing she knew, she was in jail.
The sisters fretted over how they would get the money for Morgan’s bail. In walks Belladonna. This lovable cat has her own special way of helping to clear Morgan’s name. When the other sisters try a little sleuthing on their own, they meet with nothing but trouble, until a handsome deputy comes to the rescue. Bella allows him to join her in helping the girls.
Dead Wrong is a fast read, as well as a charming story. I love the characters and will continue the series to find out what trouble the girls and Belladonna get into next.
February 10, 2020
Why Adopt a Cat?
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Last week was the biggest adoption event of the year, so I want to tell you my experience with my adopted cats.
“Cats are independent and don’t care if you are there or not.” I hear this from people all the time.
Another blanket statement I hear is, “Cats don’t show love and they have minds of their own so you can’t get them to do what you want to.”
Both of these statements are true…sometimes. I happen to know that cats can and do show love; and some are even dependent on their person…if they deem that person is worthy. I have one that won’t leave me alone and one that comes up on my lap only at certain times of the day.
Cats are smart, too. Why, my cats even mind! I have taught them to”go” when I’m in the kitchen. (There is nothing worse that to have a cat under foot.) I have also taught them to “get out of my way” and to “come” (although they are still working on that one).
What made me a cat person you may ask? I’m glad you asked. When I moved into my new home, I wanted someone with whom I could share my life. I really wanted a dog. After all, I always had dogs. But, alas I didn’t have a fenced-in yard for a dog to play in. So, reluctantly, I adopted Monkeyface, a gorgeous Maine Coon, from a rescue. I found myself adopting another to keep Monkeyface company.
I started volunteereing at the rescue. Soon the founder put me in charge of writing monthly columns in two local paper. I did a lot of research on cats and wrote about breeds, history, behavioral issues, and more.
People would ask me about cats behavioral problems, etc. so I gave them the best information that I knew. Pretty soon, I heard someone refer to me as ‘cat lady’. A name of which I am very proud.
Now, understand that I’m no expert. I just know what I have read over the past twenty years.
Sadly, cats have had a bad rep handed to them, but all cats are not alike. They, just like dogs, have their own personalities, all are special in their own way. You cat people know what I mean!
Yes, I believe that cats will love, mind and even worship their person, just like a dog…well almost. If you still need convincing, just keep coming back to Harry the Wonder Cat’s blog!
February 3, 2020
2020 Kitten Super Bowl VII
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When January 1st of every year comes around, I start to count the days until the Kitten Bowl. It’s always an exciting event, full of giggles, guffaws and a lot of “awws”. Since 2014, I have been entertain by these furballs tustling around a miniture football field. In this writer’s opinion it is one of the cutest Super Bowls around. It ‘s also the biggest adoption drive of the year…and it’s televised, as well! The game is presented in association with The North Shore Animal League America, the nation’s largest no-kill shelter, and The Lasthope Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation.
This year, over one hundred kittens were featured. The day before the game, I went on my computer to find if I could adopt one of the fuzzy kittens and I received a message that said “unfortunately, I was too late to adopt”. I think that is fortunate, don’t you?
For those of you that have not watched a Kitten Super Bowl, I will explain how the champions are determined. There are a total of three games. Four teams split up to play the first two games. The winners of those games go on to the third game. The winner of the final game will be the Kitten Super Bowl champions.
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In the first game this year, the North Shore Bengals challenged the champs from last year, the Little Longtails. The last play of that game was made when Maverick of the Little Longtails recovered a fumbled and “ran” it in for a touchdown, making the final score the Little Longtails – 40 and the North Shore Bengals – 34.
In the second game the Last Hope Lyons took on the Courageous Cougars. The new expansion team, the Courageous Cougars squeaked by the Last Hope Lyons with a final score of 14 – 13.
Which brought the Little Longtails and the Courageous Cougars to game three and fight for the championship. In the last few seconds of the game, the Cougars made a sneak attack, surprising the Lyons and taking it in for a touchdown. The final score was Courageous Cougars – 57 and the Little Longtails – 51.
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So, after a morning of cuteness, the Courageous Cougars were named the champs of Super Bowl VII, leaving this writer yearning to add to her cat family.
If you can provide a loving furever home, please contact your nearest shelter.
Click here to meet the kittens.
Click here for the players profiles.
Our thanks also goes out to:
January 27, 2020
Why Is Anti-freeze Dangerous
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When the weather changes from warm to cold, our cats are in danger of becoming fatally ill. To be a responsible guardian, we need to be aware of their surroundings and make them totally safe for our furry friends.
Anti-freeze is one danger that can be deadly to our cats due to the chemical, ethylene glycol. Since cats have a keen sense of smell and curiosity in abundance, they are attracted to the scent of the poison. Once they have found the deadly liquid, they are tempted to sample it and find that it is enticingly sweet. Before we know it, we have a very sick cat on our hands.
So, we might think that it would be perfectly safe if the container has the cap on, right? Wrong! What if a tiny bit dripped down the side of the container? That small drip might be enough to attract him to it and, after a lick or two, we might find ourself rushing our little darling to the vet. If our baby found a puddle of the sweet-smelling stuff under a car and drank it, chances are much more likely that the poison substance would kill him.
There is another type of anti-freeze that contains propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol. This chemical is touted as completely safe for consumption. While it is safer than its counterpart, it still is dangerous and should be treated with the same care as anti-freeze containing ethylene glycol.
If you think that your cat might have consumed anti-freeze or any other poison, please contact the Pet Poison Hotline at (855) 764-7661.
Our thanks go out to:
