Guest Pet Blogger Jack, proud owner of award-winning Oregonian artist K.C. Snider

My co-owner, illustrator K.C. Snider, doesn't have a clue. I can pull the wool over her eyes anytime I want to. I love to chew up her eyeglasses (they were only $700) and her favorite paint brushes, especially the ones that cost at least $65 each. I can snag those things off her table or desk faster than white lightening and she'll never know if someone doesn't rat on me. I guess she's a pretty good illustrator, at least that's what Lynda Burch says.

I definitely rule the roost around here. I get a treat for just about everything I do. If I go outside and bark at the donkey named Jack, as long as I come back inside when K.C. yells at me, I get a treat. Of course, I know how to pester K.C. until she gives in. My favorite treats are dried chicken and duck dog jerky, Boy, is that stuff expensive. I eat better than my other co-owner, Fred.

My name is Jack. But Fred decided when I was little that all I did was poop. My dad says that all I do is eat and un-eat. So he called me, "Little Pooper." And that sort of stuck, so now my mom calls me "Poop" and my mom's publicist calls me "Poop". I'll answer to anything as long as I get a treat.

K.C. is a really dedicated illustrator and she works at her easel until the wee small hours of the morning. Usually, I bug her as often as I can so she'll give me a treat. I'll jump up on her and make sure my claws dig in. I talk to her incessantly (just like right now). I nudge her with my cold nose. But once in a while she gets a little tired of me and puts me in my dog carrier. That's my 'doghouse'.

My mom doesn't snack while she works, unfortunately because I like to get the leftovers. In fact, sometimes she gets so absorbed, she forgets to eat. Dad has to come into the studio and complain loudly that he's hungry. Then things start to happen and pretty soon I'm licking a juicy plate. Dad says,"Well, we don't have to wash that one."

I love having visitors. I'm always a great hit with a crowd. I was definitely the life of the GAP West Coast Get-together party. Those folks (especially Lynda Burch and Susanne Batson) really made a great deal of me. Susanne even sends me gifts now. Mom won't let me have the red beanie baby dog because she says I'll rip it to shreds (I'm starring at it right now up on the window sill and everyone is very amused about that.)

My mom hopes some day that someone will write a book about me and she'll get to illustrate it. She'll really do a great job with that since she'll have me to model for her anytime she wants.

Well Amigo, I've got to go check on the dumb donkey and the rest of my territory.
Adios,
Jack

Check out K.C. Snider's links!

http://www.kcsniderart.com
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com

http://andyandthealbinohorse.blogspot.com

http://www.cafepress.com/KCSniderart

http://blog.kcsniderart.com

Interview with Molly, one of the characters in Mary Cunningham's The Magician's Castle

Say Woof! to my special guest today: Molly! Molly is a fictional doggy in one of Mary Cunningham's fantasy/mystery middle-grade novels, The Magician's Castle. But she's not just a fictional character. She's based on a real Molly who was very close to Mary's heart. Now she lives forever in her books!

If you've never heard of Mary Cunningham, she's a super cool author who writes exciting stories for tweens ages 9-12. My mom has read all of her books and she loves them! So be sure to check out Mary's website at http://marycunningham.wordpress.com.

Molly, I understand you're one of the characters in Mary's new book, The Magician's Castle. What type of character are you and what role do you play in the story?

Molly: Woof! My first interview! This is as exciting as taking a walk or getting a new chew toy!

In my author's book, "The Magician's Castle," I start out as a pretty unassuming little brown mutt, but do I ever change. Thanks to some pretty cool magic, I transform into the size of a Kentucky thoroughbred and save the day for Cynthia and Gus when they're threatened by a huge rock monster. I also do what doggies do best; dig up clues. When the two time-traveling best friends get stuck, I save the day with my clue-sniffing nose.

Mary told me your character is based on her beloved dog, who passed away not long ago. How does it feel to immortalize a real pet in such a way?

Molly: When I found out about how I was honoring the first Molly, I just wanted to chase my tail with joy. To be such an interesting and valuable character in a book is great, but to be able to immortalize a fellow canine that meant the world to her mom and dad, is more than I ever imagined. I knew from the start that the love and care Mary put into writing my character was not only her devotion to the series, but mainly her devotion to Molly.

What was the real Molly like? Are you any different than the real Molly?

Molly: The real Molly adopted her family when she was three years-old. Her first mom died and a neighbor took her to the Miami Animal Shelter. It was mutual love when her new dad spotted the solid brown, twenty-pound pooch with the inquisitive eyes, sitting in a pen behind two barking, obnoxious German Shepherds. She loved to run, until her knee got hurt, but even then she loved being outside helping her family with yard work and chasing squirrels. When they were inside watching TV, she had a whole loveseat all to herself. She loved to please and never made a mistake. She could sense moods and was always available for a loving pat or a tender hug. She had 13 wonderful years with her family, and I know they still miss her.

The only difference I can see between me and Molly is that, as far as I know, she never grew to horse size! But, had she been confronted with some big monster trying to hurt Cynthia and Gus, or her real family, I'm sure she would've been just as brave, even at her small size.

What is it like inside Mary's imaginative brain? Things must be pretty turbulent in there. I mean, this lady writes middle-grade fantasy, right?

Molly: Whoa! Are you sure you want to go there? Sometimes, her fingers are a blur on the keyboard. Then, other times, she grumbles about not being able to get over writers block, whatever that is. She also complains about all the stuff she has to do that has no connection with writing, but I guess that goes along with being an author. I've also heard her talk about the weird dreams she has and that she started writing "Cynthia's Attic" because of a recurring dream she had for more than 20 years.

When I dream, it's usually about chasing rabbits or squirrels. Maybe I'll write a book about that, someday!

Who is your favorite character in the story?

Molly: You mean, besides me? I like all the nice characters (there are some mean ones, too!) but the little fairy, Elly Elloway, is pretty special. She dresses in purple and is pretty cool, but talks funny! She introduced herself by saying, "Eloise Elloway, I am. But call me Elly, ye can." She helps find clues when it comes to finding a missing page in The Book of Spells. She also helps me grow to horse size so I can protect all of us from the Rock Monster.

What is your favorite part in the book?

Molly: My favorite part of the book is when Gus and Cynthia travel forward into the future and meet a very familiar pair of best friends. That's also when I first appear! The girls think I'm pretty cute, but don't consider me anything more than a nice, little pet...until later.

You must be feel pretty special, being in Mary's novel...

Molly: Arf! I sure do! Especially since my character was created because of a very special member of my author's family. I just hope Molly would like how I play her in the book. I'm identical to her in looks, and also have her independent personality, so I'm sure she'd approve.

Tell us where we can find The Magician's Castle!

Molly: Here are some links where you can buy all four "Cynthia's Attic" books. Thanks, Amigo, for inviting me to your blog!

Mary Cunningham Books
Amazon
Kindle
Fictionwise
Quake/Echelon Press

Thank you, Molly! Woof!

Chia talks about her human mom, author Smoky Trudeau

Woof! Woof! Say hello to my guest Chia! She's here today to talk about her human mom, Smoky Trudeau, a talented author of both fiction and nonfiction.

Meet Chia...

Chia is a nine-year-old shepherd mix who was rescued from an animal shelter when she was a five-pound puppy. She grew quickly on a steady diet of kibble and puppy biscuits, and now tips the scales at a whopping seventy-six pounds. When not sleeping under Smoky’s desk, she enjoys playing with her squeaky vet and squeaky lamb chew toys, chasing her cat siblings, Beetlejuice and Po, around the living room, and trying to eat lizards while taking leisurely walks through the neighborhood.

(Hmm. Quick calculation here... how much is 76 pounds in kilos. Aha! 34... Darn, I'm fatter than her!)

Chia lives with her family in a ramshackle cottage in the woods overlooking the San Gabriel Valley and Mountains beyond. While she tries to maintain a low profile, the same cannot be said for her human, Smoky. You can learn more about Smoky at her Website, www.smokytrudeau.com; at her blog on Xanga (authorsmokytrudeau.xanga.com), and on Facebook. She also hosts guests on her radio show!

Okay, all this is very sweet, but let's get to the real stuff, Chia. What's with Smoky? Give us the lowdown!

Smoky is deeply connected to our Mother Earth and to all its creatures, and that connection comes through in her writing. Of course, it’s most obvious in her latest release, Observations of an Earth Mage, which is a collection of essays and poems she wrote about her connection to our planet. I helped her a lot in writing that one. I’m in at least three of the essays; we go walking together a lot, along with her male human, Scott. There’s even a cute picture of me in the book on page 73. The entire book is illustrated with more than 50 of Smoky’s beautiful nature photographs.

But her love of nature is also very evident in her two novels, Redeeming Grace and The Cabin. She describes the beauty of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and the Southern Appalachian Mountains like the true earth mage she is. I know this because I heard her read the books aloud to my human grandmother, who can’t see very well, when the books were first published.

Hmm. She sounds pretty good. But is she a good pet owner?

As a pet owner, she’s the best. My kibble dish is promptly filled at breakfast and supper time, and she takes me to the vet every six months. I have toys and two cat companions, although Beetlejuice and Po can be pretty annoying at times.

I can imagine! But really, Chia, one can't expect much from cats...

But then again, they unanimously agreed I should be Smoky’s spokesdog for this interview, so I guess they aren’t all that bad. Of course, it helps that I outweigh them both by about seventy pounds. They don’t argue with me too often.

Tell us more about Smoky's books!

I’ve already told you a little about Observations of an Earth Mage. I features stories and photos of places of beauty and wonder all across the country, from the Great Smoky Mountains of the east to the great deserts of Joshua Tree National Park and Red Rock Canyon in the west, to Yosemite National Park and the tidepools of Big Sur on the west coast. I’ve heard her friends talk about the book; they say reading her stories makes it possible for them to visit these places in their minds without having to step foot outside their front door. I’ve heard Smoky tell people her goal in writing the book was to get people to do that very thing, though: get outdoors and take a hike. I agree with her on that one. I love my walkies!

But she writes fiction, too. Redeeming Grace is her first novel. It’s about a young woman’s struggle to save her young sister from the verbal and physical abuse of their father, a zealot preacher on a downward spiral toward insanity who uses biblical verse to justify his behavior. Grace’s husband, Otto, is struggling over his guilt about an accident that claimed the life of a young woman and left his brother severely brain damaged. Tragedy strikes just as Otto’s secret is uncovered, unleashing demons that threaten to destroy the entire family. Grace has to find the strength to save them all, and in the process find her own redemption.

Redeeming Grace is pretty heavy stuff, but it’s been very popular among readers of women’s spirituality fiction and people who enjoy theological debate.

The Cabin is Smoky’s second novel. James-Cyrus Hoffmann has just inherited his grandfather’s farm in Virginia, and with it a mysterious cabin deep in the woods. When James-Cyrus enters the cabin, he is vaulted back through time to the Civil War era, where he meets Elizabeth, the brave young woman who lives in the cabin, and Malachi, a runaway slave. Cora Spellmacher, his elderly friend and neighbor, begins to unravel the secret of how he is able to make his fantastic leaps back and forth through time. In doing so, Cora begins to hope a tragic wrong from her own past can be righted, and that she can regain something precious that was lost to her many years earlier. When James-Cyrus realizes Elizabeth and Malachi are in terrible danger, he undertakes a daring plan of rescue that promises to rewrite his family history and change all their lives forever.

The Cabin is a really exciting read. People interested in Civil War history, time travel, or just a good read will like this book a lot.

Smoky also wrote two books especially for writers. Front-word, Back-word, Insight Out: Lessons on Writing the Novel Lurking Inside You From Start to Finish is a complete writing workshop in a book. Her other writing book, Left Brained, Write Brained, is 366 writing prompts and exercises to help writers stimulate their muse. Whatever a muse is...I’m not sure. I’m a dog.

What the heck! That is a LOT of stuff and in different genres! You must be proud of Smoky. Of all these books, which one is your favorite?

Well, I’d have to say Observations of an Earth Mage, because I’m in it. But she memorialized my dog sister Chance in The Cabin by naming James-Cyrus’s horse Chance; and my dog brother Chico by having James-Cyrus refer to a little chipmunk as “Little Man.” That’s what she used to call Chico. I thought that was nice of her, to make sure they lived on in her books.

So what's with your name: CHIA?

I like my name! People tend to pronounce in CHEE-a, like those silly things you see on TV. They think I’m a CHEE-a pet, which would have been a really dorky name, don’t you think? But actually, it’s pronounced with a long-I sound: CHI-a. Chia means “shadow” in the Bangladeshi language. And I am definitely Smoky’s shadow! So the name is a really good one. It fits me. And actually, Smoky didn’t name me. Her daughter Robin did. Robin was only ten years old at the time; pretty cool a ten-year-old came up with such an exotic name.

Okay, okay, no need to get defensive... jeez... I admit Shadow is a great name.
Does Smoky let you sit on her lap while she writes?

That would be kind of hard. I’m a big girl! But she lets me curl up under her desk, and she scratches my tummy with her toes while she works. That feels really good.

My mom does the same, Chia. So I can relate.

Interview with Friday, proud owner of Lou Allin

Meet my special guest: Friday! (talk about cute, people! Look at that face!) Friday shares her home with Canadian mystery author Lou Allin. Visit Lou and see more photos of Friday on her website. Be sure to check out her bio. This lady has some impressive credentials!

Okay, so in Friday's own words...

I was born in June of 01, which makes me a brilliant, quick-thinking, and creative Gemini going on nine. My parents were champions of course. My birth name was Chile Pepper, which is perfect for my apricot reddish hair, but I was named Friday, as in “His Girl.” My new parents, Lou and Jan, and my brother Nikon the German shepherd picked me up and took me camping that night. They put a leash on me for the first time, and I shrieked blue murder, earning nasty looks from passersby who thought a puppy was being killed. In the night Nicky got out of the tent and stepped on the remote control for the truck. The horn started beeping and woke up the campground at two in the morning. Was that an auspicious arrival or what?

Nice intro, Friday. So tell us, are you Lou Allin’s boss?

I am everyone’s boss. Let’s get that straight. Sociologists have a word for me, and it’s Alpha Bitch. I knew my destiny the minute I saw the light outside my mommy’s tummy. My bro Nicky never touched a hair on me from minute one. Having a GSD as your muscle is a great idea. When Nicky spoke up with his 120 pounds, dogs listened. Now that he’s at Rainbow Bridge, I have these dippy border collies, Shogun and Zia. Zia competes in agility competitions. Big deal. Who can’t do that? Shogun’s pretty good for scaring off bears when we walk in the clear cuts on Vancouver Island. I sleep with Lou with my own pillow. If I want to get up in the night and shake, I do. If she wakes ME from a sound sleep where I’m chasing prey, I might just growl. There are rumours about me biting when being groomed. Lies, all lies. Once she took a pair of sharp scissors to tidy up my privates and ended up sticking me. I laid fangs on her finger right to the bone. Tell me that you wouldn’t do the same. Ouch. I can still feel that nick.

Boy, and I thought I was arrogant... Tell me, Friday, has Lou immortalized you in any of her books? Did she show your real character or did she exaggerate it for the book’s purpose? Are you happy with her portrayal of you?

Lou started writing about me when I was barely four pounds and four months old. She called me “The Hunchback of Notre Dame with a Rastafarian haircut.” When I had my Anna Karenina cape on and got onto my hind feet to make a run, I look like him, all chesty with shapely legs. I posed on the cover of Dogs in Canada in this outfit, one of many custom made clothes in my closet. I even have a purple parka with my initials and pockets for handwarmers.

Lou called the book Bush Poodles are Murder. That’s because “are murder” has to be in the title. Lots of people have thought that there is a breed called bush poodles and asked her where to buy one. Humans are so dumb. Natch, I was the hero of the book. We got stuck out in the middle of nowhere in a blizzard, and it was -25 below. I’m not gonna tell you how we made it out, but I was an inspiration. The bad woman had even taken the coat from my fictional owner, Belle Palmer. But I got my hunting talents working and found a shrew. Still can’t understand why Belle didn’t want it. But the grouse she roasted tasted pretty good . The cover shows blood on my face and in the snow, but I don’t want to give any more away. In the book they called me Strudel ‘cause I was “good enough to eat.” See how silly people get about poodles?

Yeah, I noticed the blood on your lips on that cover... I was hoping that was rabbit blood. The rabbits in my garden are driving me crazy...

Anyway, have you actually read any of Lou Allin’s books? Are they really as good as she thinks they are?

I’m only in one book, so I can’t be a fair judge of this because why would I read the others? She puts all her animals in her books. Freya, her first German shepherd, has five books of her own. That’s the record. Nikon has one. A Little Learning is a Murderous Thing. It’s an academic mystery, starring him as a pup. Sounds boring to me.

Now, me as a pup is another matter. Shogun has one (And on the Surface Die), and another coming up (She Felt No Pain) in Lou’s new series set here on Vancouver Island. Aren’t those titles stupid? What the heck are they supposed to mean, anyway, from some poems in the 19th century? I keep asking, “Why can’t I be in this one, too? I have zillions of fans,” but she says that her publisher wants her to keep the characters separate.

Every night I whisper into her ear: Return of the Bush Poodle, Return of the.... You get the idea. Hope she does. People bought my book because they thought George Bush was in it. Humans, go figure!

What does Lou do besides writing? Is she a hermit or does she actually set her foot outdoors? My mom is an antisocial hermit. She sits and writes all they long. Totally disfunctional...

My mom has to be dragged outside. Lou used to teach in a college in Northern Ontario,but she retired. Now she has big responsibilities because she is a VP in the Crime Writers of Canada. She’s in charge of British Columbia and Yukon. Sometime I want to go up to Whitehorse YK to see if there are any other bush poodles. Also she takes care of membership, like finding people all over the world who want to join. She also organizes events like the Arthur Ellis Shortlist Release Event at the end of April. Arthur Ellis is the name of Canada’s last hangman. He’s an award given in six categories in crime writing. Arthur is made of wood like a puppet, and when you pull the strings, he dances like he was on the gallows. Is that weird? And people think Canadians are so polite.

What does Lou do to promote her books? Does she ask your advice at times?

I taught Lou everything she knows. I went with her when she signed my book at the big Chapters bookstore in Sudbury back home. I wound around her with my leash so many times that she kept getting tangled up. This was a ploy on my part to take her mind off her own nerves. When little kids came up, I backed off big time. You never know what they are going to do. They stick out a hand and then they pounce. Not that I’ve ever bitten anybody but Lou. That wouldn’t be good for business. She always asks people if they like to read mysteries. Half the time they don’t. If she asked them if they liked dogs, she would get a better response. Maybe someday she will learn this.

It’s been great talking to you! If you’d like my autograph or a lock of my hair, don’t be shy about asking.

You do have a lot of hair, Friday, especially around the eye area... so maybe just a little lock? Woof!

Be sure to check Friday in action on this video:

http://www.youtube.com/user/virtualdogs#p/p/CFC42A16F24B041A/0/eE5_-fu51G4

Meet Hana & Saba, proud owners of author and animal communicator Nancy Kaiser

Give a warm woof to my guests today, Hana and Saba, owners of author and animal communicator Nancy Kaiser! Nancy is a very special lady. She lives in the healing Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina surrounded by her family of dogs and a horse. She is the author of Letting Go: An Ordinary Woman’s Extraordinary Journey of Healing & Transformation, about her recovery from trauma with the help of animals and nature. Nancy operates Just Ask Communications, a practice devoted to healing the human-animal bond through enhanced communication and understanding. Nancy offers animal communication and healing consults via phone, in-person and on Skype. Visit her at: www.NancyKaiserAnimalCommunicator.com

It's great to have you here, you guys! Nancy sounds like a wonderful person. Describe her as a writer and as a pet owner.

HANA: Since I can’t read, it’s hard to comment on her talent as a writer. Nancy spends an awful lot of time pecking away at that thing on the table with the screen. I’m not sure if that means she’s good at it or terribly bad.

She’d be the first person to tell you that she doesn’t own my brother and me. She is our person, and we’re her dogs. Nancy abhors the word “owner.” We’ve been with her since leaving our mom and siblings. I think she’s great despite spending too much time pecking at that thing, but I guess whatever she’s doing is important.

She showers me with love, but I do cause her some grief at times. As she tells me, “You’re just a devil-catcher.” Apparently, it was something her father used to say. Sometimes she yells if I go too far, but she doesn’t stay angry for long.

SABA: I’m sure she’s a wonderful writer. Nancy’s happy most of the time, so I guess what she does at that table thing is satisfying to her. I know my brother and I keep her smiling and laughing too. I’m so glad I picked Nancy to be my person. She loves me too and takes great care of us. We have so many toys and bones although she’s pretty strict about our eating habits. She does give us treats and marrow bones, but not nearly as much as I’d like.

I hate it when Hana gets her upset. My brother gets in trouble much more than I do. I’m definitely more sensitive than he is. Hana’s the carefree one. I’m the thoughtful and emotional one. We share Nancy pretty well though, and she loves us equally; that is obvious.

I’m guessing your human mom chose your name... tsk, tsk, tsk. What has that done to your self esteem?

HANA: We agreed on it together. She can talk to animals, which is her other job. She explained about Hana and asked if I liked it. I told her, “Yes!” Hana is the name of a special place far away in Hawaii, wherever that is, that she visits. She loves the exceptional healing energy there. She knew that Saba and I would help heal the hole in her heart from losing the Labs that lived with her before us. They got old and returned Home.

Nancy calls me Hana Banana all the time. I really don’t care for it. What does banana mean? She says it with lots of love in her voice, so I put up with it. I love my name, but I don’t think I’m as calming & healing as she thought I’d be.

SABA: It was the same for me. She actually asked! So far she’s the only person that talks to me this way. She explained that Saba was a very special island in the Caribbean, wherever that is, that she visited several times. It is volcanic, so she chose this name for me since I’m black. She says the place Hana is volcanic too, but she thought Saba was supposed to be my name. I agreed. I am black like lava, but I don’t erupt like my brother does at times. Maybe he should have been Saba? I’m glad he’s not. She thanks me all the time for coming to live with her because I balance Hana’s mischievousness.

Has your Mom immortalized you in any of her books? Did she show your real character or did she exaggerate it for the book’s purpose? Are you happy with her portrayal of you?

SABA: I want to answer first this time. Nancy wrote a book about a painful time in her life just before we came to live with her. Hana and I arrived in her life just as she was almost over the worst of her pain. We appear towards the end of her book, Letting Go.

Nancy was pretty needy when we came to live with her. Just after we arrived she got really sick and her patience was low. She yelled at me once when I wouldn’t go out in the rain to pee, but I didn’t have to. She was outside with me and got angry when I sat by her feet under the covering thing (umbrella). I hate rain even though I adore water, especially snow!

Nancy wrote about it honestly and gave me credit for forgiving her very quickly, which made me proud. I forgave her a lot sooner than she forgave herself. People are odd that way. They worry too much about things that have already happened. I was embarrassed when she wrote about some accidents I had in the house. All in all, she tells it like it is.

HANA: Nancy doesn’t exaggerate. Why would she have to when we’re such great dogs? She wrote in her book that I’ve been in her life three other times. I don’t remember that, but I knew when I first saw her that she was my person. She writes about how much Saba and I have taught her, especially that she is worth loving. I don’t know why she would need to be taught that. She’s easy to love.

I wasn’t thrilled when she wrote about how much I whined in the car when she brought us to live with her. I wasn’t scared just confused. She had a hard time with us when she got so sick, but I think we helped her feel better. At least that’s what she kept telling us. I’m so happy Nancy found Saba and me.

What type of books does your human mom write?

HANA: Nancy’s book, Letting Go: An Ordinary Woman’s Extraordinary Journey of Healing & Transformation, is about her life before we were born. It’s called a memoir. Something terrible happened when she moved from her horse farm in some place she calls New Jersey to where we live in the mountains of somewhere called North Carolina.

Her man, husband they call them, left her while they were building the house we should be living in. Thanks to her animals, 2 dogs, 3 cats and a horse, and her journaling, she was able to recover from her devastation.

Nancy says by writing she was able to discover lessons buried beneath all her pain. Her recovery was dependent upon her ability to learn the lessons and let go of the pain. She published her writing so that other humans that are suffering can learn from her story and let go of their pain more quickly.

I can tell every time Nancy hears from someone that her book has helped. She is filled with the most wonderful energy. I didn’t know her two dogs, Shadow and Licorice, but she has pictures of them all over. They were Black and Yellow Labs just like Saba and me. I’m thankful they took such good care of her until we were ready to take over. Nancy needs to be reminded all the time how great she is.

SABA: Hana told you about Letting Go, so I’ll tell you about her next book. Nancy’s been so busy promoting her first book that she has only just started the next one. It’s going to be about her animal communication stories. Nancy knows it will be a series, because the animals have taught her so much that humans need to know. Nancy always intended to write her animal stories, but Letting Go had to be written first.

With all the time Nancy spends pecking at that thing, I can’t believe she hasn’t written more of it, but she writes other things too. She’s had lots of online and print articles published, as well as print interviews and guest blog posts. What’s a blog? What an odd word.

Nancy writes a weekly column on Thursdays for Petsense.com called Animal Insights. Hana & I are so excited that she’s agreed to be a regular contributor to a neat, new publication, “Dogs…Naturally! Magazine.” That starts this March. Nancy’s happy about that too and also about writing for “The Infinite Field Magazine” starting in February.

What does Nancy do besides writing? Is she a hermit or does she actually set her foot outdoors?

SABA: Me first! Nancy talks to animals and helps their people deal with all sorts of problems. It is so cool. She’s been doing this for a really long time; longer than she’s been writing. I’m not exactly sure how, but Nancy helps animals overcome fears they have from many things that happen when living with humans. Not all animals are as lucky as Hana and I are which we hear all the time!

Nancy does her animal work downstairs away from that screen thing. It’s very important that we don’t bark when she’s communicating or she gets upset with us. I’m not the barker of the family though. You know who is. Nancy helps lots of animals live more happily with their people. I want to help her by keeping her happy too. She must be pretty good at it, because she’s always doing it.

HANA: Nancy takes us everywhere in the car, as long as it’s not too cold or too hot. Mostly we go to the stable where her horse, Stormy, lives. He lived with her on her farm. We have to stay in the car while she rides Stormy, but afterwards we get out and play with the two dogs that live there. I love going to the barn. It’s so much fun. Really I love going anywhere. We both do.

The other place we go to that’s so cool is what Nancy calls, “The Mountain.” We run free all over the place, and it’s big. I think it’s where we’re supposed to be living, but the man ruined that plan. We both love it since there’s no fence like at the house we live in. I can feel sadness in Nancy when we’re there. She thinks she’s let it all go, but she hasn’t. I don’t care where we live as long as we’re all together.

SABA: Hana didn’t tell you that we go hiking too. We have to have our leashes on mostly, but sometimes Nancy takes them off. That’s the best! She’s more willing to do that since we’ve gotten better at coming when she calls. Of course, I always come.

HANA: I heard that. You don’t always come. You know how our sensitive, Labrador noses interfere with our hearing. But, we are getting better at coming when Nancy calls. It’s those thousands of smells that direct us away from her shouts. Who can blame us? We have a great life with Nancy. Saba and I are lucky dogs!

Interview with Corley, Elizabeth Eagan-Cox's canine companion

Say Woof to my canine guest today: Corley. She's here to spill the beans about her author mom, Elizabeth Eagan-Cox. Take it away, Corley!


“I’m Corley, a half lab, half Sharpei mix. It’s a good ancestry because I have the smarts and loyalty of a Lab and the Sharpei prowess for guarding and protecting. I love to fetch. I love to make doggie angels in the snow and in summer I love to swim in the creek. And I love our bed, it’s an air mattress, I have my own sleep number, it’s 35! Another number I like is 7, ‘cause that’s my age in people years.

"I hate free-loading animals, like the raccoons that come into my yard.
Rah-erh! You better watch out coons, I’ll get ya!

(I can relate to that, Corley--I hate the rabbits in my backyard. They pretend they're so cute and fuffly. It's all an act!)

"I’m the proud dog and BFF of author Elizabeth Eagan-Cox. She’s my Mom and she writes paranormal mystery novels. Her books have dogs in them, I think this is due to my influence over her. You can learn more about us on my Mom’s Web site: http://www.ElizabethEaganCox.net”

So, Corley, what’s with your name? Did Elizabeth choose it? What has this done to your self-esteem and what does that say about Elizabeth?

Huh? My name? It’s an Irish name. Whadda ya mean, what’s with my name? Can’t you pronounce my name?

It’s C-O-R-L-E-Y. Here, I’ll make it easy for you. It’s CORE , like an apple core, then LEE, like, well, I don’t know, um… like the name LEE. A Long time ago, it was MacCorley.

It’s a good name, a really good name ’cause I have my very own street. Yeah, for rea,l I do! There’s a picture of the street on Elizabeth’s Web site. It’s a proud name and it makes me feel proud! ‘Cause, well, I was adopted. And my Mom (okay, you should call her Elizabeth, but to me, she’s my Mom) wanted to make me feel special, she said she gave me the name of a street named for her great-grandmother Elizabeth Corley.

I’ve got the best name ever, because I’m the best dog ever! My Mom said it was a special name for a special dog, ‘cause, well… this is a secret, I chose my mom, she didn’t choose me. You see, it happened like this…

A puppy caretaker named Zara had taken me and my sibs to this big adoption day at a mega-giant pet supply store. And I told my sibs: “Hey, look cute, put a sparkle in your eyes, this is a great opportunity to put your best paw forward!”

I knew I could pick out the best mom for me. There we were in this little pen and I looked up, and W-O-W, it was like in a dream, there she was: my mom-to-be was walking down the aisle rolling a big basket with a huge bag of puppy food in it. W-O-W! Like magic, ya know. I jumped up and almost cleared the pen, but I got stuck, that’s when she saw me. She came over and picked me up and then I heard her say to Zara: “This is Corley, I just know it is.”

The rest of the day was a blur. We went for a long ride in a JEEP, a real JEEP, and when we stopped, we were home, in a place that is another world, maybe another planet! Mountains and forest! Trees are everywhere! Yippee! I’m a mountain dog!

So…uh, about my name…it’s a legendary name and was meant to be for me, ‘cause I’m special, I know this ‘cause my Mom told me so.

That's quite a story, Corley! Tell me the truth… is Elizabeth as disciplined as she said she was in her last interview?

Yep, she sure is, and then some! She works so hard, by the end of the day, she'’s the one who’s dogged tired. That’s when I’m super appreciated. I do things to make her laugh. Like when I told her she shouldn’t feel bad for not making up our bed, because “Mom, our bed is not messy. Uh-uh! Our bed oozes with doggie-lover’s ambiance!” Or I’ll ask silly questions like: “Mom, how come you have only two boobs and I have eight?” HA! We always laugh at that question.

Does Elizabeth plot like a madwoman or just write ‘down the bones'?

My Mom plots like the dickens, she does. A madwoman, you ask? No, not at all, more like a mad dog. She gets this crazy look in her eyes and starts to foam at the mouth, a real Cujo. She reminds me of a bloodhound on the scent of a criminal. ‘Cause ya know, it’s takes that kind of determination to turn an ordinary book into a page-turning murder mystery!

This reminds me of the time I stole my mom's piece of pizza... she started foaming at the mouth too...

Psst… if you want to know the secret to my Mom’s plotting strategy, well, she uses recipe cards to keep all the twists and turns straight! People think she’s writing food recipes, when actually she figuring out how to murder someone. My Mom is sly as a fox.

My mom uses index cards!

What’s the best part of having an author as a mom? The worst part?

Well, some times during our work day, we sneak down to the bedroom, kickback on the bed, switch on the TV and watch reruns of the Sam and Dean show….uh wait, wait! That’s not the real name that’s our code name for Supernatural. Yeah, Supernatural. Mom can’t decide whom she likes best, Sam or Dean. But me…most definitely, I’m a Sam girl! WOOF! I’d do a lab dance for Sam, cause, ya know, I’m part lab.

Hmm…the worst part? Well, when we go out for walks, I get sooo annoyed when people stop us and yakity yak about a book that they’ve written and they want my Mom to read their manuscript and blah, blah, blah. Those are the times I pretend I’m a boy and I mosey up to the wannabe author and ever so slowly I lift my leg! You should see the look on their face! Mom pretends to be shocked and pulls me away and then I take the lead and we get outta there, fast! So ya see, even the worst part can have a good part.

Will you be boasting to your other pet friends about this interview? Do you think they’ll be able to take it?

Boast…uh-uh, but I will do a lot of barking. Mom promised me she would too and she said we would tweet about it on Twitter! Though, it would seem to me that Twitter is just for the birds and I don’t think birds will give a hoot for what a dog has to say. And she promised I could howl at the moon about it. In fact, she said I could bay like a banshee and she wouldn’t stop me. And, Mom said she would talk about my interview when she goes on the radio. Boy-oh-Boy, my Mom does lot of radio appearances. I’m waiting with baited breath (hmm, make that bacon breath) for my interview to hit the cyber waves.

Will my pals be able to handle my celebrity status? Oh sure, why not. Now my foes, they might get their hackles up, but I don’t care and besides, the only real foe I have is Crabby Rose (that’s not her real name, it’s really Abby Rose), the cat that lives here. She’s just a cat, and a sour puss… whadda she know, anyway! Cats drool and Dogs Rule! WOOF!

Thanks, Corley! Good talk, girl!

Interview with Teddy, proud owner of author and model L.E. Harvey

My guest this week is Teddy the cat (no, he's not named after a teddy bear, you people, but after Roosevelt!). teddy shares his home with author and model L.E. Harvey, who's written a number of novels in the suspense, mainstream and romance genres. Check out her website and blog. You can also find her on twitter and facebook.


BIO: “Teddy Roosevelt” is a Maine Coon that was found homeless and dumped in Las Vegas, Nevada. His outgoing personality quickly won over the heart of contemporary fiction writer, L. E. Harvey. He is the youngest of the four felines and one canine Harvey household. Bold and outgoing, he is more than happy to discuss his life with his fellow felines, a canine, and a crazy writer.

What’s with your name? Did Lauren choose it?

Yes, Mommy Lauren named me Theodore Aloysius Satan Roosevelt Cuprillowitz Rocker, III. Ummm…As far as my self-esteem goes, I try not to let it get to me. I figure that many names must make me memorable!  What it says about her is that she has too much time on her hands if she can give me that many names. I mean, I was supposed to be Theodore Roosevelt, and she turned it into that! Clearly, she needs to get out more!

I agree! Tell us, is your mom as stable as she looks in her website photo?

No. Mommy Melinda thinks that Mommy Lauren doesn’t look stable in that picture any way. Regardless, she is anything but stable! She sings and dances around the house a lot. And she holds one-sided conversation with me and my other siblings. That’s not normal, is it?

Not if she does it hours and hours. I agree that's odd. But then most authors are weird!

Writer’s block… yeah right! The fantasies lazy writers come up with! What excuses does Lauren give for her procrastination?

She blames us a lot. She always complains about taking care of four cats, a dog, a three year old and cleaning the house takes away from her writing time. I don’t get it. I mean, all she does is feed us, clean the litter box, let Yankee (my doggie brother) in and out of the house (I still don’t understand why), pick up our fur balls, and play and feed with the little girl. That’s not much!

My mom uses similar excuses... Does Lauren let you sit on her lap while working at the computer?

No. I’m not allowed near the computer at all. Neither of my Mommies like my gifts of mouse and computer wire pieces. They say I destroy their computer equipment. I call it art.

Will you be boasting to your other pet friends about this interview? Do you think they’ll be able to take it?

Oh, I am absolutely boasting about this. I mean, I have three cat brothers, a cat sister and a dog brother and I was the one to spill the beans! My oldest cat brother, Chantico, is going to be really jealous. He thinks he rules the house. Little does he know, it’s all about me! 

That's pretty evil for a cat named Teddy... Woof!