Jennifer Caloyeras's Blog, page 19
July 25, 2015
SCBWI is almost here!!
I am so excited for the SCBWI conference next weekend here in Los Angeles! SCBWI stands for the Society of Book Writers and Illustrators and their annual conference takes place each year in August. This conference is open to members and non-menbers of this amazing organization. I have been a member of SCBWI since 2009 when I attended my first conference.
For those of you attending, I will be selling and signing my latest novel, Strays, at the Friday Night reception until 8:30 p.m.
Come stop by and say hi!
July 15, 2015
meet Blue!
Lael Smith is a writer living in Los Angeles. Meet her dog, Blue:
My husband and I drove out to the Santa Clarita hills one bright late-May morning eleven years ago when the Jacaranda trees were in a purple riot of bloom (I’d never noticed them before but always think of Blue when they bloom now) to a home where Blue was one puppy in a litter of nine.
We had fallen for a Rhodesian Ridgeback in our neighborhood and wanted one of our own. We thought them to be the most exotic, beautiful and noble of dogs. We thought one would make a good running partner. We were told they didn’t bark, unless they meant business and they didn’t shed.
We took Big Boy, as he was then named, home when he was eight weeks old. None of us had any idea what we were getting into but I held the little eleven-pound warm lump that smelled like popcorn the whole way home and promised to care for him and so I have.
He is sweet and silly and loving and stubborn as a mule. He sheds like crazy and refuses to run unless he feels like it, which is not often as he’d rather smell every square inch of ground, but only barks when someone knocks on the front door (which is handy as we have no doorbell).
You can feel his African roots — his eyes, nose and immense speed made for the safari. I read recently, in one of Alexandra Fuller’s books about growing up in Africa that of her immense pack of dogs, it was only her Ridgeback who could defend himself against the baboons. And I believe it. I’ve never once seen a hint of ferocity from Blue, quite the opposite — I’ve seen other, smaller dogs, abuse him.
There was one time when I was pregnant and hiking in the Santa Monica mountains and a mountain lion in a bush growled at me and Blue, obliviously smelling some other dog’s pee down the trail, missed his one opportunity to do what his breed was made for, treeing lions, and I had to run for my life. And another time we were hiking in the mountains, he got heat stroke (it was Memorial Day and only 80 degrees) and my husband and our friend and I had to carry him down the mountain, slung between us on a beach blanket. So, maybe he’s not exactly African safari material...
Blue used to be possessive of me and quite passive-agressive when his pack left him behind. He ate my wedding shoes before I could wear them again. He ate my wedding earrings (diamond studs). He ate a new pair of lovely designer heels before I could wear them at all when I came home once to dump my things and go back out without spending any time with him. He’s eaten my hats and underwear and plenty of meals meant for me. But he’s mellowed in his maturity. Of course this past Christmas he got ahold of the Gingerbread before I could serve it.
He was hit once, accidentally, with a Chuckit in the park (by the mayor of Santa Monica, no less) and pushed over by a much smaller bulldog (the fall snapped his young leg in half) and Blue avoids both still, more than ten years later. He understands more English than seems possible. I’m quite sure I’ll see him in the afterlife and he’ll have some things to say to me — mostly about his bland, vet-mandated Low-fat GI diet. He has a great party trick too — he likes to unwrap presents delicately with his teeth and paws. It’s pretty remarkable. He dazzled my husband’s entire town with this trick at my first son’s baptism party there. I have no idea how that trick got started; he must have watched us to it and taught himself?
July 13, 2015
interview at The Young Folks
Want to know what the original title of my novel Strays was going to be? Read my author interview at The Young Folks to find out!
To read their review of my novel, click here.
To read the interview, click here.
July 12, 2015
writers and other animals: interview
Today, I am being interviewed on Writers and Other Animals - a wonderful blog that looks at people writing about animals!
Click here to read the interview.
July 10, 2015
waterproof books are here!
Guilty as charged: I bathe with a book in hand. And yes, said book always get wet. Dare I say soaked, sometimes.
My kids had a stack of soak-able plastic books when they were little, so it only makes sense that adults should be afforded the same luxury.
The people over at Bibliobath are making this dream a reality with their commitment to publishing soak-proof literary classics using synthetic paper made of Polypropylene (think trading cards.)
To learn more about Bibliobath and visit their kickstarter campaign click here.
July 7, 2015
Los Angeles Teen Public Library Teen Author Reading Series - July 16th
Save the date! I'll be speaking alongside two fellow young adult writers, B.T. Gottfred and Elissa Sussman, at the Harbor Gateway Library in Harbor City on July 16th at 2 p.m. This panel is part of the Teen Author Reading Series hosted by the Los Angeles Public Library.
July 2, 2015
4th of July tips for pet owners
I wanted to pass along these great tips from the ASPCA on how to keep your pets safe and calm throughout the 4th of July celebrations.
I know my dogs get particularly spooked by all of the erratic noise.
June 30, 2015
review by the young folks
My novel, Strays, was reviewed over at The Young Folks - a site dedicated to reviewing books, movies, TV show and games for young people by young people. Look for my author interview over there in the near future.
June 28, 2015
four-eyed frog reading
I had a great time speaking at the Four-Eyed Frog last week in Gualala, California. I've been coming to that area for the past thirty years and that part of California holds a very special place in my heart.
Aside from the locals who showed up, I had the pleasure of seeing some familiar faces come out in support of Strays!
This week, I'm tooling around Sonoma having lots of adventures! (and visiting lots of book stores!)
June 23, 2015
Leo
How cute is Leo??
Leo's story as told by his owner, Jessica:
We adopted Leo (then called Squirrel) two years ago from a rescue group that is the nonprofit arm of a dog boarding and daycare in West Los Angeles called Cage Free K9 Camp. In fact, his adoption anniversary is one week from today.
He was approximately 10 months old at the time and was believed to have been living on the streets of South LA before being picked up. I found him through an online search for a terrier mix.
When we went to meet him, he immediately curled up in my lap and I knew he had to be part of our family. He is the greatest and clearly has great taste in books.
Want to be a part of the Meet the Dogs campaign? Shoot me an email and a photo of your dog with my novel, Strays, at writing (at) caloyeras (dot) com.
