Pamela King's Blog, page 9

Becoming a writer – three years on

This month’s featured post is the first Random Jottings blog I wrote just after publishing my first book, ‘Angel with Drumsticks’.
Looking back, I remember feeling very proud of my accomplishment but also unsure if it was good enough to share bookshelves with other authors. I was fortunate to find some reviewers willing to read the story and they gave my work some very kind reviews. This gave me the confidence to publish my second book ‘For the Love of a Dingo’
I read as much as I could about Indie (independent) or self-published authors and the need to promote not only your books but yourself. There were two key areas I have focused on. 
Building relationships with other authorsSocial media and internet presence
Meeting and sharing with other authors is beneficial in many ways. My small circle have honestly reviewed each other’s books, shared each other’s social media posts and freely offered advice on a range of topics relating to writing and publishing.
More recently, I joined my local branch of the Fellowship of Australian Writers (FAW). Not only is my writing critiqued, and therefore improving, I have found a group of people who are friendly, sharing and encouraging. I get inspiration, learning and friendship.
Three years ago I published one little eBook. Last year I published my second book. I am now researching my next book, writing three blogs, compose short pieces for the local FAW magazine on given topics, review books for other Indie authors, administer four Facebook pages related to my writing and actively post on other social media forums.
Life as a writer does not have to be a lonely existence.   
Excerpts of both books, copies of the reviews, links to my other blogs and social media pages are on my website www.pam.id.au)
*****
As my original blog post explains, originally “Angel” was only published as an eBook. Today, both books also have print editions and “Angel” has also been translated into Italian.
This has been made possible thanks to Ingram Spark’s easy to use print on demand process and my husband’s patience in laying out the books to meet their requirements. (http://www.taufer.com.au/)

Think about your pets this holiday season

It is November and the shop shelves have been stacked with Christmas and holiday season treats, decorations and gift ideas for over a month. In Australia it is Spring and from now until the end of Summer we are out and about enjoying the warm weather, visiting friends and partying.
Sadly, it is also a time of year our beloved pets get left at home alone. As much as we love our pets we can't take them everywhere.
However, leaving them alone in the house can get boring, and boredom can lead to misbehaviour. So to help keep your dog occupied and content while they're on their own, and therefore keep them from chewing, digging, or playing up, try some of these ideas to keep them busy while you're out.  

Treats Dispenser: Treat dispensers will keep your pets entertained for hours. There are dispensers for both cats and dogs.
Digging Box: If your dog loves digging, you could always build them a digging box. In the corner of the garden distinctly mark out an area and fill it will soil or sand, you can then bury toys inside to reward your dog for digging in the right place. This can keep some dogs busy for hours and helps focus their digging desires to one controllable area.
New Toys: Studies suggest dogs will get bored with each toy in time although some dogs will stay interested longer than others and some have a toy that becomes a contestant favourite, but most will get excited with each new one. When introducing a new toy, take away some of the old ones to be reintroduced at another time.
Room with a View: Being able to watch people on the street or birds in the yard can interest cats and dogs for extended periods of time. Many pets also love to nap on the window sill to bask in the sunlight. But, we aware of your dog’s behaviour in reacting to people outside. Some dogs who have watch dog or guard dog instinct may damage the house if they get over excited in addition to barking and disturbing the neighbours.
Chew Toys: Chew toys focus a dog’s behaviour on what they are allowed to chew. And are a healthy activity for their teeth and gums.
Dog Walker: If you know your will be away frequently for an extended time and can afford the cost, hiring a professional, trained dog walker will give the dog exercise and company.
Want to get some affordable toys online? Check out the Taufer shop on eBay
Disclaimer: the information presented in this article is of a general nature and not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice. Please consult your veterinarian for more professional advice.
And for Australia and other countries heading into summer - never leave your dog in the car
The RSPCA advises:The temperature inside a car can reach higher than 50°C after only five minutes when the temperature outside is 32.5°C (in tests conducted by the RACQ). During this test, the inside temperature reached over 75°C in less than two hours. The tests also showed that the colour of the car, the tint on the windows or even leaving the windows open did not reduce the cabin temperature by a significant amount, nor did parking it in the shade.

Dogs suffering from heat stress may pant, drool and become restless. Over time, they become weak and the colour of their gums may change. They may also start to stagger and experience vomiting, diarrhoea or seizures.
Heat stroke is an emergency and your dog needs to be checked by a veterinarian. Emergency treatment is aimed at bringing the body temperature down at a steady rate; spray cool water onto your dog’s body and use a fan. Don't use ice or ice-cold water as this may cool your dog down too rapidly.

A fun look back at technology from the past

I still have the photos I took on one of these.This week I thought I'd share some of the technology I remember from my young days - just for fun.

My fellow baby boomers will smile and nod, X gen may rack their brains for some distant childhood memory from their parents time and X gen will just scratch their heads. 
No teenager would be without one  This will test even some baby boomers. The fastest message sender in its day.

We had an even older one when I was a kid. You had to pick up the receiver, turn the handle and ask for the number you wanted. "Appin 8 please" I used to fill this up when Mum and Dad had a shop. Do you know what went in it?




I had my record player but Dad still used one of these I actually operated one of these in the late 1970s And the pencil you carried wasn't just to write on the label Pre photocopiers I didn't actually use one of these but I did work in a pay office and have to calculate working hours from the cards. How many of these do you remember?

What if?

Have you ever pondered 'what if'?  A couple I thought of are:What if Remus, and not his brother Romulus, had founded Rome. Would we be calling it Reme today?  What if it was James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, who wanted meat between bread while he played cards and Lord Sandwich had led the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava. 

Would be eating cardigans and wearing sandwiches? 






Many creative people have pondered ‘what if’. Here are just a few well known examples:
What if four siblings stepped through a wardrobe and entered another world?—The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe, C. S. Lewis
What if a man fell in love with a woman who hates him?—Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
What if a boy discovered he was a wizard and had to go to school to learn magic?— Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K. Rowling
What if a boy was raised by wild animals?—The Jungle Book, Rudyard Kipling
If you are a writer, asking ‘what if’ may spark your best work yet.

Glimpses of Past Lives

I was fortunate to be given a small metal trunk recently. 

It contained generations of photos, personal letters and other keepsakes. The letters spanned sixty years and were written not just to one person but between several family members located in Australia, New Zealand and England.
I carefully sorted through all the items putting the letters and photos in neat piles. I glanced at the assorted items of memorabilia and pondered, what does one do with a 75 year old plait of hair and 85 year old baby teeth in little bottles?
I turned back to the letters and photos and conscientiously sorted them into date order then selected the photos that had notes on the back telling me who the people were or where they were.
I carried the pile of letters and selected photos tenderly into the lounge room, placed them on the table and made myself a cup of tea.  For the next few hours as I read the letters, and put the photos in perspective, I was immersed in the past.
The letters were handwritten, many in pencil that were faded, but my interest in the story they told made compelling reading as I was transported back in time.
My trunk of memorabilia provided valuable information for research I am currently undertaking for my next book but the people and stories have also inspired a future book.
I thought how sad it was we don’t write letters to family and friends today that will tell generations to come how we lived and loved. Today, communication with loved ones far away is by email, Internet social media and texting; formats that won’t survive and stories that will be forgotten.

We should learn from the past not condemn it

In my book reviews blog you may have noticed at times I have been critical of other reviewers when their comments condemn a historical genre book based on the stories it relates and its descriptions of attitudes and lifestyles. The reviews can contain anything from criticism to the total abhorrence of events in the story that actually took place.Whether they are fiction or non-fiction books, providing the author has stuck to the truth, this reaction, I believe, is unjustifiable and unfair. Sorry, but if you can’t handle the truth don’t read books set in eras where attitudes are very different to today.
If you feel comment of cruelty, hardship and extreme sadness must be included to convey the storyline to readers then why not consider statement like “the author clearly depict the hardships of the time” or “this book serves as a reminder that xyz people where harsh in their treatment of ……”
I believe that we must read history in its context. We must take into account the views, attitudes and knowledge of that time. This does not mean we should condone the actions of our forebears. It means we need to understand history so we can learn and be better people today.
I have noticed that this also happens in social media where a post depicts a negative event from history and condemns that event. That is fine, but don’t expect to change what happened – just do all you can to contribute to the world to ensure it doesn’t and won’t happen again.

Please keep your cat inside

I don’t hate cats, I have been owned by several in my life, but I do hate what they do when allowed to roam free, especially at night.
First some small scale peeves against cats of mine. I hate to have to sweep my garden mulch back onto the garden every morning because someone’s cat is allowed to roam at night. I hate it especially because the cat has piddled in my garden, killing the third lot of plants and it stinks each morning I walk out the door.

Further up the scale, and I got so angry if I had caught the cat I may have throttled it; this time the cat killed the three baby blackbirds in my camellia bush. Now I know in Australia blackbirds are not native but we had been enjoying the parents’ songs and became very attached to them. We were overjoyed that they nested in our bush at eye level where we could check on their progress every day. That is until the blasted cat came along.
Now for the off the scale doings of cats, and this is what I really want cat owners to think long and hard about. Domestic cats not controlled can go feral. I found this graphic on Facebook that clearly shows the harm they do to our wildlife – and that is just lizards and insects. Feral cats catch and kill birds, fish, and even small native mammals.
Please, train your cat to use a litter box so it doesn’t have to go outside into your garden, or the neighbour’s, to do its business.
If you feel your cat needs some fresh air and exercise, buy it a lead and collar and go for a walk with it. I did it with my Burmese cat, Sultan. We had wonderful walks together and made many new friends who didn’t know a cat would walk on a lead.
The other alternative is to build a cattery. There are some excellent ones that link to an opening in a window and your cat can come and go as it pleases.
Why did you buy the cat in the first place? Because it was a cute and cuddly kitten and the kids nagged you?
Now the kids are bored and no one wants to look after the cat so you let it roam and find food elsewhere. If you are not committed to a fully mature cat that will live for 15 years you should not have one.
Is your cat desexed? Did you know that one cat and her mate together and through their offspring can produce over 11 million offspring? This is based on each female giving birth to 2.8 kittens twice a year. Scary isn’t it? When you are next tempted to buy that cute kitten because the kids are crying for it, please consider the responsibilities not just to the cat but to local wildlife and neighbours’ gardens.

Please share if you agree with me.

A chuckle to warm

It is winter here in Australia. The wind is blowing and the temperature is dropping. A good laugh always helps to cheer so I thought I would share some of my favourite funny posts from Facebook to warm us up.

Do we euthanize our pets too soon?

You often hear “We had to put our dog to sleep to put them out of their misery”. 
I recently had an occasion to ponder if this might be something I had to do for my dear old girl.
She developed an enormous cancer that required, for us, an expensive operation for breast cancer. 
It was a case of finding the money or have her put down. 
The vet assured me it was a simple operation with a very unlikely chance of recurrence. As difficult as it was we found the money and it was a complete success.
About a month later I woke to find she could not move her back end and was dragging herself along the ground. We had to lift her bottom so she could go to the toilet. Then with tears in my eyes expecting the worse I took her to the vet.
It was a slipped disc and evidently, unlike people, was not operable but he gave her an injection and some tablets and warned me she might have to be on them the rest of her life. Within 24 hours she was mobile although she was limping badly and dragged one foot rubbing the top of it along the ground.  
The tablets gradually helped but haven’t given a complete recovery and she was still very stiff in her movement and still had a bit of a limp.
What to do? Was she suffering? Should we have her put down?
Her movement was limited and she obviously had some pain. Were we just keeping her alive and easing her pain with medication for our own selfish reasons? Was it time to say goodbye to my beautiful 13 year old Sassy?
Then I thought. I am not young any more. I have pain and stiffness and I will also be on medication the rest of my life but I am enjoying life and I certainly am not ready to be “put out my misery”.
I don’t believe Sassy wants to end her life yet any more than I do.  
And so, each day, my beautiful Sassy and I take our medication. At times we both hobble around with stiffness and pain but most of the time we just take things slowly and we are both happy.  She is still the matriarch of our dogs but now is our time to leave things to the younger ones.

Due other commitments I won’t be writing my blog for about a month but I will be back in June with some new thoughts and ideas.