Victoria Zigler's Blog: Zigler News, page 137

#Furkid Friday: Jacob The #Degu's Recent #Vet Trip (FD)

Hi humans, rodent types, and anyone else reading this.

This is Jacob the degu.

My human caretakers took me to the vet.

They stuck me in a box with air holes cut in to it, and wouldn't let me get back out... I didn't even have my brothers with me! Then we had a ride in one of those taxi car things, which I didn't like, because it was hard to stay in one place in my box when we went around corners, and the taxi car thingy was really noisy. Plus, they still wouldn't let me come out of the box, which wasn't fair! I didn't like the box, and I especially didn't like being by myself in it.

Anyway, after that we had to wait to see the vet. I kept busy with escape attempts, but the human caretakers were paying too much attention, so I never managed to get out of the box. One time I even tried to trick them by suddenly staying still so they'd worry I'd hurt myself, and trying to leap out of the box when they lifted the flap to check on me. But they were too quick for me, and I never made it out of the box.

So, the vet checked me all over. I'm free of mites, and my ears look great. I'm also in the right weight range for a degu, and weighed in at 214 grams. However, two of my front teeth needed trimming, so the vet fixed those for me right away. Actually, those teeth were part of why the human caretakers decided to take me to the vet, apparently. Them, and the fact I've lost a lot of fur and have sore patches from biting at myself.

Part of the reason for the fur issue is how upset I am after losing Bilbo and Jasper, but another part of it was infection. You see, I somehow managed to bite the inside of my mouth, and it got infected, which isn't comfortable, as I'm sure you can imagine. So the vet said I had to have something for it, and squirted some nasty tasting stuff in my mouth. Then he gave the humans a bottle with more of the stuff in it, and said I had to have it twice a day, and have to go back to see him two weeks after the appointment to see if the infection has cleared up, and to make sure that I haven't lost any weight (which is a concern, both because I had an infection in general, and because of the fact I've been really picky with food lately).

I didn't like the sound of that, and wasn't impressed about what I had to go through when the vet was seeing to me. So I sulked in my box all the way home. Then I went straight to bed. I was going to refuse to talk to the human caretakers, but the Mummy human gave me one of my favourite nibbles, so I changed my mind about that. Speaking of nibbles, the vet also said I wasn't allowed to have any fresh veggies until I get better, just in case they upset my tummy. I'm not a big fan of fresh veggies anyway, so I don't mind that much... I'm more of a cereal kind of degu, so instructions for me to be on dry food only are just fine with me. It was the only part of the vet trip I approved of, actually.

Anyway, the vet trip was last week (on the afternoon of Thursday, July 21st) and my appointment to go back to the vet is scheduled for next week (it's at 2:00pm on August 4th). Personally, I'd prefer it not to have been scheduled at all. But apparently what I want doesn't come in to it, because the appointment was made before we left the vet... I heard the human caretakers scheduling it while I was still inside that stupid box.

I don't like vet trips, and this stuff they keep making me take tastes really awful! The human caretakers keep insisting it will make me feel better, but I'm not convinced, and don't see why I should have something nasty tasting squirted in to my mouth. I mean, how would the human caretakers like it if someone did it to them? I bet they wouldn't be so eager for it to happen then, would they?

OK, so maybe I am doing a bit better. Maybe. But for all I know I'd be doing a bit better even without that nasty stuff they keep squirting in to my mouth. Like I said, they keep insisting that stuff is doing me good. But, as I also said, I'm not convinced, and I'm not looking forward to going back to the vet next week.

Squeak soon,
Jacob

#Writing Wednesday - July 27th 2016

I'm now done with writing about Saxons and Normans, since I've pre-released "Eadweard - A Story Of 1066" - my story about the Battle Of Hastings. It's not out until October, and I actually have another book - my science fiction story, "Jeffrey The Orange Alien" - due out between now and then. But it was finnished, so I figured I'd go ahead and pre-release it. This means that those of you who like to pre-order my books from places like Barnes & Noble, or Apple iBooks, can do so, if you wish to.

Also, "The Ocean's Lullaby And Other Poems" is now available in paperback from CreateSpace and Amazon, and will become available in paperback elsewhere soon... Barnes & Noble will start carrying the paperback version in the next couple of months for example (they already carry the eBook version).

(Clicking on the book's title above will take you to the page for it on the CreateSpace store).

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Are you a writer? Or, do you just dream of being one?

Struggling with writers' block? Or, feeling creative, but out of ideas? Try this simple method for writing a good story... You'll never be out of ideas again! But, if you need some help getting started, here are 15 plots from European mythology and ancient literature to inspire you.

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There are still a few days left in which to take advantage of the huge discounts in the Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale!

As I've mentioned so many times you're probably sick of hearing it by now, the eBook versions of all of my books are half price as part of this sale. So, just head on over to my Smashwords author page to see what books I have on offer, pick the books you want, and enter coupon code SSW50 at checkout for each book. After that, all you have to do is grab the version that works best for your eReader of choice - mobi, if you're using a Kindle, for example - and enjoy!

You may also want to just head on over to Smashwords to find out who else has their books on sale.

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It's never too early to start thinking about the holidays when you have a product to market, whether it's a book, or something else. So, this is just a friendly reminder that you might want to start planning for the holidays. If not now, then at least some time very soon.

Finally, if you recently published a new book, and the book launch didn't go well, here's what to do when your book launch fails.

July 2016 #Vegetarian Friendly #Food themed Thoughts (FD)

If you don't already know, I'm a vegetarian, though my hubby, Kelly, isn't one, and swears he never will be. In fact, I'm the only vegetarian in my immediate family. I also like to try new recipes. So, though I don't always try them all, I'm always on the lookout for new vegetarian or vegan friendly recipes... Especially ones that are quick and easy to prepare and cook. I watch for them on social media sites I'm on, as well as on the blogs I follow, and I search for them on Google sometimes too.

During one of these Google searches, I recently stumbled across a tasty sounding avocado egg roll recipe, so decided to give it a try. I haven't had much experience with avocados, and the only other time I've done anything with them myself was when I had one raw in a sandwich once (I think it was with tomato and onion).

The first time I planned to try it, I couldn't get any avocados, so I decided to see how it worked out with zucchini instead, since I had everything else. It worked really well, in my opinion, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had it with a peanut sautae sauce for dipping.

The second time, I actually had an avocado. So, YAY! Anyway, I think it worked out well, and tasted really good that way too. That time I had it with hoi sin sauce for dipping.

Both versions I did work with other kinds of wrappers as well, such as tortillas. Tortillas aren't the best choice for making these though, since it's a little more difficult to get them to stay together for frying when you use a tortilla. Well, actually, a LOT more difficult... Messy too!

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Don't forget, my website has a recipe section, which you may want to take a look at (if you haven't already done so). Most of the recipes listed there are vegetarian friendly, and several are also vegan friendly.

More On The #Smashwords #SummerWinterSale2016

As you probably figured out from all my posts about it lately (especially if you follow me on Twitter, and have seen the stack of Tweets I've been putting up on there too) the Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale is still going on.

But, of course it is... It lasts until July 31st!

Have you taken advantage of the great books on sale yet?

All of my books are enrolled at 50% off with coupon code SSW50, making even the most expensive of them just $2.50, and a couple of them free!

But mine aren't the only books enrolled!

There are hundreds of authors enrolled - if not more. So, to see who else has enrolled their books in the sale this year, browse the list of books on sale.

And, remember: Smashwords offers multiple formats, which most authors take advantage of. This means that there will usually be a format that works for you regardless of your eReader of choice. Don't forget to check the list of available formats on new to you authors though, just in case. However, my own books have all available formats enabled, and so do those of the majority of the other authors who publish via Smashwords. So, as a general rule, if you can read this post, you can read the eBooks.

As already mentioned... The sale ends on July 31st 2016.

#Furkid Friday: Star The #Rat On Correct Hot Weather Behaviour

Hi humans, rats, and anyone else reading this - rodent or otherwise.

This is Star the rat.

I know I posted about a similar topic a couple of months ago, but it's been a very hot week, so it's the topic on all of our minds right now. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have a reminder.

Because of the heat, our human caretakers have been making sure we had plenty of water to drink, and have also provided us with fans to help us keep cool. Even so, we've all been a bit cranky because of the heat. The human caretakers have been really good about it though, and haven't scolded us for being cranky, or bothered us too much. Not that our human caretakers do scold us if we're cranky normally, mind you.

I hope, if it's as hot with you, that everything is being done to make you as comfortable as possible too. Drink plenty, don't stay in direct sunlight too long (or expect your furry friends and family members to do so) and stay cool!

Also, humans, Be patient with your furry friends and family members if they get extra cranky in the heat... They can't help it.

Squeak soon,
Star

#Writing Wednesday - July 20th 2016

Do you write poetry? Or, even just read it? If so, what are your thoughts on breaking grammar rules in poetry? Personally I agree with the post: it's OK to break the rules of grammar, as long as you know them and are doing it in a creative way that works better for the poem, rather than just because you haven't bothered to learn them. So, learning proper grammar is important, but breaking the rules is acceptable sometimes. In fact, I feel that way about most writing rules: learning them is a good thing, but there are times when it's acceptable to break the rules.

Do you write stories? If so, regardless of the genre you write in, it's a good idea to keep track of your worldbuilding details. You don't have to use the exact method discussed in the post I just linked to, but keeping notes of how things work in your world, what different places are called and who - or what - lives in them, etc, is a very sensible idea. Yes, even if you're writing about the real world. But, don't forget to get the story out of your head and on to the page.

Also, don't forget about the importance of an exploding sandwich!

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The Smashwords Summer Winter Sale 2016 is still going on, with eBooks of all lengths and genres available in multiple formats, and at various discount lefvels from 25% off to completely free!

Among them are my books, which are all 50% off with coupon code SSW50, and are available in all formats Smashwords offers, including mobi for Kindle, epub for Nook, PDF for use on your computer (and many tablets too) and a few others.

The sale ends on July 31st 2016.

Parade Along The Seafront In #StLeonards

July 9th 2016 was the anual St Leonards festival.

I'd hoped to go, but wasn't feeling up for an outing. We were able to hear some of the music for the event through our open bedroom window though. Plus, there was a parade along the seafront, so we grabbed some photos of the parade as it went past, and I listened to some of the music - which was really good, by the way.

Conditions for taking photos out of windows weren't the best, and our camera isn't anything fancy either, so they're not the most amazing quality of photos, but here they are, anyway:



Enjoy!

#Poetry #Book by #Author Agnes Mae Graham

After learning that Chris and his sister had published a collection of their Mother's poems recently, I wanted to give them the opportunity to tell my readers about it. I e-mailed Chris, and invited him to do a post on my blog. Naturally, he accepted. So, here's what he had to say:





My thanks to Tori for including me on her great site, it's a great honour for me.
I must confess that my sister and I are completely blown away by the fantastic response to, and support of, our Mum's book 'My Vibrating Vertebrae: and other poems'
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The reviews posted on Amazon have caused us both to feel very emotional, but proud, about Mum and her poetic storytelling skills.
Full credit goes to my sister Lorna for gathering, compiling and typing up all the poems she could find (I was still living and working Overseas at the time).
Her dream of publishing them came closer when I retired and, without knowing about the poems, decided to start a blog to help Indie Authors spread news about their works.
Three years or so later, Lorna sent me the poems and asked if I could publish them.
After reading them, I certainly agreed to try, thereby entering into the (scary) world of the 500+ authors I'd had as Guests on my blog.
Chris Graham (aka The Story Reading Ape)
To give a flavour of what Mum wrote, here is one of her poems:

Journey in an Aeroplane
Were you ever in an aeroplane?My, but the feelings are hard to ponder.The engine starts, the speed builds up,then you're in the blue yonder.
We boarded the plane at Aldergrove,and up the steps we staggered.Our hearts in our mouths, our faces white,our eyes all looking haggard.
300 miles an hour 9,000 feet up,the fields looked so wee and neat.The roads like grey ribbons,and the houses like those for dolls, so petite.The rivers were like silver bands,the trees like chips of green jade.A lough, like a shimmering jewel lay,what precious things our God has made.
Clouds now each side like fleecy snow,unmarked by man, so virgin white.Bits of blue, like best porcelain,what a glorious, breathless sight.
Now the sea of grey-green marble,stretching as far as the eye can see.Big ships, a lighthouse in model size,huge waves, like ripples in the sea.
If all could fly, above God’s earth just once,to see ourselves as God us does see.Humility would make us pray, with joy,thank you God for noticing me.
We land at last, land flashes past,the doors open on man’s world again.Strange how quiet and thankful we feel,after our moment near God, in an aeroplane._______oOo_______If you enjoyed it and would like to read more, the book is available in eBook and Paperback at:Amazon UK   -   USA   -  CA   -  AUS and other worldwide Amazon Online Stores

#Smashwords #SummerWinterSale2016 - #Author Rosemary J Peel

Rosemary J Peel is an author of multiple genres, including - but not limited to - children's books and poetry.

And, guess what? I happen to know that at least some of her books are enrolled in the Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale this year. In fact, the ones I know for sure are enrolled are completely FREE!

Like me, Rosemary has a rather long list of published works. So I'm not going to list them all here. Instead, I'll tell you to check out her Smashwords author profile, either by clicking on her name above, or clicking on the following link:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RosemaryJPeel

For details of how much you can save, as well as the coupon codes you will need, see the individual book pages, where the coupon code will be listed (Yes, really... The codes get listed on the book pages, because it's a sitewide promotion).

Rosemary's books are available in multiple eBook formats, so there should be a format that works for you, regardless of your eReader of choice. In fact, if you can read this post, you can read her books.

Sale ends July 31st 2016!

#Furkid Friday: Baggins The #Gerbil's Cute Begging Trick (FD)

Hellooo everyone!

This is Baggins the gerbil.

I tried for a couple of weeks to find my gerbil brother, Bilbo, but after that I decided I wasn't going to spend the rest of my life sulking about losing my brother. Sure, I miss him. But there are tunnels to be dug, and nibbles to be eaten.

I'm especially enthusiastic about the nibbles, and have learned that raising one paw and wiggling my nose when the Daddy human is bringing nibbles will result in me getting an extra nibble, because he thinks it's so cute. Naturally, I take advantage of this every single chance I can. And, yes, it works every single time!

So... Anyone got any Cheerios, cheese, berries, or other gerbil friendly nibbles? *raises one paw and wiggles nose*

Squeak soon,
Baggins