As Hurricane Harvey barrels down upon the Gulf coast, our prayers are with those in the path of the storm. Please tell me you’re disaster ready, both you and your pets! Read more about disaster preparation in this post.
ARE YOU DISASTER READY FOR A HURRICANE?
Yesterday was the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Two years ago, I published this post and with more and more hurricanes today threatening Texas and beyond, it’s important to share this information again. The ASPCA says that in addition to killing nearly 2,000 people, the Katrina disaster left 600,000 pets deceased or homeless.
Almost half (44%) of the people who refused to evacuate during Hurricane Katrina said they did so because they felt they could not bring their animals with them. Can you blame them? I couldn’t leave Magic, Karma or Seren behind!
Today, there are many more resources available. Pack up your pets and GET OUT OF DODGE before the winds and wet cause tragedy.
Despite the Katrina tragedy, the ASPCA also says that polls still show that 35% of pet owners still don’t have plans in place for the next big storm. Whether you’re in the path of a hurricane, wildfire, tornado, flash flood or any other disaster, we OWE IT TO OUR PETS to get prepared. Check out the infographic, below, for some easy tips.
Please share this with those who need the information. And pray–pray that the forecasts are wrong for once, and we don’t have a repeat of the Katrina disaster.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter.
Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE! Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
I’ve had a lot of jobs over the years, all why searching for my own personal bliss. Some were glorious adventures while others hit big numbers on the suck-ometer. That happens, when you follow your muse…in my cases, a furry one.
Jobs, Careers & the Bliss Factor
I’m a college graduate (woo-woo! thanks Mom and Dad!) with a double major in music and communication (aka theater/writing/fill-in-the-blank). So what’s my work history with such credentials?
Cashier, actress, newspaper delivery person, optometric associate, legal assistant, TV news reporter/anchor, voice teacher, vet tech, bank compliance officer, author, behavior consultant, spokesperson, middle school and high school choir teacher. For a while, I wondered if my folks had wasted their money sending me to college when it seemed my “just a job” treading water (to put, you know, bread on the table) had little to nothing to do with my original aspirations. Along with each came a boatload of shoveling crappiocca (and dodging what was lobbed my direction).
Being Grateful For Crap
Would I change a single day? Well yeah…there are a few I’d give anything for a do-over. The worst times made me that much more determined to reach that shiny brass ring. And some days, I made enough headway to see it up close and personal.
I think without the bad times, I wouldn’t be as appreciative of the not-bad-times. The contrast makes each stand out more stark and bright and distinctive. It’s a struggle sometimes to be that optimist especially when the world around us has lost it’s sparkle, and the darkest portions seem to catch the spotlight attention, drowning out the goodness that I know is there.
For me, I gotta focus on the good stuff or I’ll drown in the pessimism. Goodness doesn’t always come in a spotlight, either–it rarely attracts the hand-waving LOOK-LOOK-LOOK that media wants. No, the goodness comes quietly, without fanfare, and sort of sneaks up on you: A grocery store clerk going out of her way to help find an elusive product. A stranger in the car ahead paying for a Starbucks. Prayer chain at church making a difference. A car stopping a line of traffic to let a mom-duck and ducklings waddle safely across the road.
If the “big bad” throws a large shadow, each of these tiny pinpricks of light are cumulative. You don’t need one big GOOD THING to throw the darkness back where it belongs–taken together, those individual star-shines out-shout the sun.
Finding Bliss Means Watching For Star-Shine Moments
No more dwelling on doom and gloom for me. Today, I resolve to take stock on a daily basis. Watch attentively for the tiny sparks of goodness that together banish the bad. Oh, and to add my own tiny flame to help fan that ember to full light.
We all make excuses. It’s the human thing to do. But if something or someone tried to keep me from my fur-kids, from writing my heart, from shiny objects or my music, my God-gifted bliss—I’d by-heaven find a way over, through, or around. And shame on me for letting anyone try to take that away!
There’s a rush, a natural “right-ness” and physical Snoopy-Dance-‘O-Joy feeling in doing what is meant to be. It never gets old, but there’s no real destination, either. It’s a moving target that makes you reeeeeach just a bit beyond comfort level time and again.
I’m ready to stretch a bit. How ‘bout you? What is your bliss? What’s kept you from reaching out for that brass ring? Are you ready to join your spark to the light shining just over the horizon?
Magic says…”Bliss is Frisbee-Fetch!”
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
I am DELIGHTED to introduce you to Keiki and her trainer Lia, my very first novella in Toby Neal’s Lei Crime Kindle Worlds. I told you about this opportunity last year, and have been hard a work along with a host of other fantastic authors.
GO TO THE AMAZON BOOK PAGE HERE!
In fact, we’re holding a FACEBOOK PARTY on Monday, June 27, from 6-8:00 pm EDT with a whole bunch of fantastic give-aways, everything from free books and Amazon gift cards to….BLING! Yes, in addition to a paw-tographed book AND the chance to have YOUR pet star in a future novella, I’ll be giving away this:
So who is this Rottweiler? Keiki is a police dog in Toby Neil’s wonderful Lei Crime series that’s set in Hawaii. When she first appears in the first in the series, Keiki is already two years old. What, I wondered, happened in the two years before Keiki joined Lei?
And so my novella BORN TO LOVE tells Keiki’s backstory. Or should I say, KEIKI tells her own story! *s* Y’all know how much I enjoy writing in canine viewpoint and I had a ball writing in puppy-viewpoint. Here’s a taste.
Can the past unlock the future
and love preserve a life?
A puppy’s job is to learn. Keiki relishes the sights, sounds and smells of her world, but people frustrate and confuse her. Why do humans control all the good stuff?
Lia Corazon channels her energy and emotions into the dogs she trains in her North Texas kennel. She especially enjoys four-month-old Keiki’s enthusiasm, but the pup’s owner makes her uneasy. There’s something very…wrong about him.
When a vicious storm, violent flood, and scary creatures menace Keiki, her Rottweiler bravery comes through. But what can a good-dog do when a human enemy threatens? Keiki must use all she’s learned if she’s to save Lia from a killer.
You can “adopt” the new puppy-book here, and I can’t wait to read your reviews! And…don’t forget to join the Facebook Party, win some prizes, find out about some great books–and maybe get YOUR pet featured in a future story!
Subscribe to Amy’s YouTube Channel
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Please note that I earn a small percentage from affiliate links to books or other products which are mentioned from time to time in my posts. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Catnapped? Shadow to the rescue, in HIDE AND SEEK. And then YOU to the rescue for this pet writer. Wow…
I want to THANK YOU (yes, I mean YOU!) for adopting my debut thriller LOST AND FOUND back in 2012 when it first released, and again this past week when all the Ebook formats dropped to free.
Yes, free. It’s still free, and will remain free for the foreseeable future. 🙂 I announced this last week in this post (with the other links to the book), and as a result, this week the book ranking EXPLODED!
#1 Thrillers, #1 Suspense, #1 All Free Books
Why would I make the book FREE? I want more readers to discover the book and possibly read and enjoy the series. A book needs to be read…But I had no idea the book would take off like this. UPDATE: It’s 11:00 pm on Tuesday night and still holding at #2 Thrillers, #1 Suspense and #7 Free…absolutely amazing.
It would not have happened without YOU becoming a cheerleader, adopting and sharing the book. You have made this pet writer’s dreams come true. I am truly blessed.
By the way, you can get a SAMPLE of the free book by texting the word THRILLS to 44222.
I think the sale goes away the end of the week, so don’t wait! You can get it on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBookstore and others. And yes, you can share with whoever loves edge-of-the-seat pet-centric stories. I know you particularly love Shadow…but to answer reader requests (yes, I always listen to you!), HIDE AND SEEK has more Macy-Cat in the story (along with assorted mayhem).
This is a “kitty in jeopardy” story (well, September and other pets, too), but you know me…the pets always come out ahead.
A mysterious contagion will shatter countless lives unless a service dog and his trainer find a missing cat . . . in 24 hours.
Again…THANK YOU! And please take advantage, and get your sale copy of HIDE AND SEEK.
I’ll be at the OWFI Writers Conference this weekend signing print copies of all three thrillers (as well as the Cat Facts and Dog Facts books). If you’re there, please introduce yourself, I’d love to connect.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Please note that I earn a small percentage from affiliate links to books or other products which are mentioned from time to time in my posts. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Hyperthyroid cats is a fact of life for people lucky enough to have an old cat. Most of y’all who read this blog know that Seren-Kitty is a senior citizen girl, and as such she’s at risk for hyperthyroid disease. At her last checkup, we ran tests to check and–thank goodness!–she’s normal and doesn’t have that issue. That makes this Mother’s Day a happy one for this “cat mom.”
Old Cat & Hyperthyroid Concerns
That’s not the case with many older cats. There are a couple of causes of the condition, with about 95% of cases due to a benign tumor on the cat’s thyroid, which is highly treatable. I write about feline hyperthryoidism signs, diagnosis and treatment in my CAT FACTS and also my COMPLETE CARE FOR YOUR AGING CAT books. (Both are way-cheap in the Ebook versions *s*).
Learning about cat care issues is an ongoing passion at my house. Maybe you know a “cat mom” that needs some solid information to keep her cat-babies healthy and happy.
Signs of Feline Hyperthyroidism
AAFP’s Cat Friendly Practice has created a feline hyperthroid disease brochure that you can download with all the details. They’ve also shared this neato infographic, below, for quick reference.
Do you have an aging cat? Has your kitty shown telltale signs of problems? Seren-Kitty had thickened claws from arthritis, and needed regular claw trims. Or maybe your feline kid has been diagnosed and gone through treatment for feline hyperthyroidism. Please share your experiences in the comments–it could help other “cat moms” out there!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? NOTE:Some links to books or other products may be to affiliates, from which I may earn a small percentage of sales, but I recommend nothing unless I feel it would benefit readers. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
The 1st installment of Shojai’s dark, female-driven domestic thriller series featuring pet-centric plots
LOST AND FOUND is FREE!
James Rollins said, “Riveting, heart-wrenching, and brilliant, here is the debut of a stunning talent.”
I’m delighted to announce that LOST AND FOUND is now available for FREE for your reading pleasure. You can find the FREE Ebook version at these great sites:
A young woman races a Texas blizzard to save her autistic nephew from a deadly secret others will kill to protect–and the service dog she’s trained finds his true purpose, when he disobeys.
Animal behaviorist September Day has lost everything–husband murdered, career in ruins, confidence shot–and returns home with her trained Maine Coon cat Macy to Texas to recover. She’s forced out of hibernation when her nephew Steven and his autism service dog Shadow disappear in a freak blizzard. September and Shadow forge a stormy partnership to rescue the missing … But can they also find the lost parts of themselves?
Again, get your free copy at the links below–Dang, I hope you like it! With 75+ positive reviews, lots of folks have already enjoyed this dog-centric story as well as the following stories, HIDE AND SEEK and SHOW AND TELL. Please SHARE this post with anyone who enjoys a pet-centric roller-coaster suspense!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers?Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
I’m celebrating the release (and great reviews!) of my two latest books with GIVE AWAYS! Hey, you can enter for yourself, for your dog or cat, or tell others about the chance to win a PAW-tographed print copy of these books.
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, wouldn’t one of these books make a great gift for a pet-mom? *s*
Of course, if you don’t want to rely on chance, you can order Cat Facts here or for dog lovers, Dog Facts here for the pet-loving folks in your life, and get it to them in time.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers?Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
This post is sponsored by Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network. I am being compensated for helping enrich the lives of senior dogs, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND is not responsible for the content of this article.
Magic, at age 9, acts like a dog half his age.
My baby-dog is now considered a senior dog—so very hard for me to believe! But in order to stay vital and connected to life, experts agree aging pets have different nutrition requirements than youngsters. Magical-Dawg has always been a fan of crunchy dry food, and (bad Amy!) I had been reluctant to change his diet since his vet checks and activity level were good. He’s always been a go-getter, highly athletic, and almost too busy—trying to keep him entertained can be a challenge.
Then I was invited to attend the Better With Pets event late last year and learned about a new Purina Pro Plan food. I even got to speak with the veterinary nutritionists who researched and created BRIGHT MIND Adult 7+ formula. I’m a pet journalist, and always on the lookout for innovative research that benefits our dogs. In this case, the product offered a personal benefit for my own furry wonder, so I was delighted to return home with a sample.
Magic gave it a paws-up when he taste-tested, and his enthusiasm rivaled that given to those tidbits he knows as TREETZ. As the resident dog of a pet writer/blogger, I’m reluctant to change up what works for the sake of a one-time blog post, so am very selective about what products I actually test with my pets. I wanted to know more—why change Magic’s food? What would be the benefit?
According to the Purina researchers, the glucose metabolism in a dog’s brain begins to change starting at age 7. That can affect memory, learning, awareness or decision making. I hadn’t really noticed any change in Magic’s behavior. Let’s face it, when you live with a pet 24/7, gradual changes may not be noticed while the big ones get your attention. But I was offered the opportunity to test the BRIGHT MIND formula, just to see if I noticed a change.
In fact, part of what convinced me to give it a go was my short video interview, below. If the human researchers believed so much in this ingredient that they used it on themselves, I could offer my beloved dog a 30-day trial, too.
We transitioned Magic to the new food over a period of about a week because some dogs get upset tummies with abrupt change. We mixed his former ration with the new in a 50/50 split and gradually increased the new food until he only ate the new diet. That was in mid-November, and I’ve been feeding Magic the BRIGHT MIND Adult 7+ formula exclusively ever since.
I had attributed Magic’s increased sleep and his “selective hearing” on the colder December-January months. Older dogs do lose hearing acuity, so I didn’t think that behavior change could possibly be affected by nutrition. Then Magic was diagnosed and treated for an ear issue (one ear only) in early February, yet his behavior between December and mid-February hadn’t changed measurably during that time.
Magic loves the new food!
Reality check here—I’d kept him on the BRIGHT MIND food not because of any behavior improvement, but because he loved it and I knew it was good for a senior dog. With chicken as the first listed ingredient, and EPA (an omega-3 fatty acid) and glusamine in the formulation, the benefits are clear, whether there’s a behavior improvement or not. But about two weeks ago, when I noticed a dramatic behavior change that I have to attribute, at least in part, to the new food.
I think you can even tell in the pictures. Look at his face in the one next to the bag, and then compare it to the one I just took, below.
Magic loves his Bear, and wants to play fetch constantly.
He solicits play—insistently and incessantly. He not only hears me (at a whisper once again), but is more attentive than I can remember. He sleeps through the night, and his paw stress-licking has declined. When I ask him to “find Bear,” he no longer must search, but remembers exactly where he last left the toy. I have my Magical-Dawg back again—the energetic, engaged, play-play-play-NOW! attitude from three or four years ago has returned! Never mind the white on his muzzle, Magic acts like he could run a marathon.
Magic loves his bear toy so much he bites and shakes him (that’s love!).
Yesterday morning at Magic’s annual wellness exam, he received a clean bill of health. Even his “senior dog” baseline blood panel looked great. What started out as professional curiosity and interest in an intriguing new nutrition concept has literally brightened the mind of my beloved Magical-Dawg. If you’re like me, you want that special bond to last forever—or at least as long as possible.
Now, if I could get ahold of those same enhanced botanical oils in the BRIGHT MIND food (an additional energy source for Magic’s brain) and add to my own diet, I would. Find out more about BRIGHT MIND here.
What about you? Do you have a dog age 7 or older? What sorts of aging changes have you noticed—and if you could turn back the clock, would you give it a try? Have you changed your dog’s food to a “senior” formulation? Learn more about canine cognitive disorder in this post.
Note: Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
Kelly’s dog Kermit is reading SHOW AND TELL (and stole the pillow). After all, a dog’s gotta be comfy while reading, right?
Tonight at 9 pm (Eastern Time) I’ll be the kick-off guest for March’s WOMEN WRITERS’ MONTH at the awesome AUTHORS ON THE AIR program. I get to chat with Pam Stack along with guest host Rebecca Warner about SHOW AND TELL…and other writerly endeavors and books.
EDITED: It was a GREAT show, what fun! You can listen to the recording, too.
There’s DOT with the paperback copy of SHOW AND TELL, and the “bonus” poster behind her. She’s in the paw-tographed poster, too, because Dot is one of the characters in the book. Her person, Kristi, entered and won one of the NAME THAT DOG spots.
Incidentally, there are still posters left. If you’ve read the book and reviewed it, send me the link and your snail mail address, and I’ll send one to you, along with the “bonus” chapter (in Shadow’s viewpoint).
Mike also got in on the act, and sent a picture of his paw-tographed poster, too. He lives with both cats and a dog, so probably didn’t want to play favorites. *s*
No way we can leave CATS out of the conversation. I happen to know that Pam, (the host of AUTHORS ON THE AIR) has some kitties of her own, so there’s likely to be some feline fun discussed, too. In fact…
My cat fiction expertise has now been FEATURED IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL! Woot! This was a front-page story, no less, in a discussion of the pros and cons of having CAT characters in mysteries talk to the humans. Hey, my thrillers include cats and dogs, and Shadow (the service dog) has his own chapters, but none of my critters “talk” …other than with tail wags and ear twitches, of course. But that’s my preference as an animal behavior person. I have not problem with others imbuing their fictional felines with the ability to communicate. Don’t we all imagine what Kitty thinks and says, anyway?
The feature also included some information about several of my Cat Writers’ Association colleagues and the organization. Yes, there is a professional writer organization dedicated to a focus on the feline. You can read the WSJ article here.
My Karma-Kat and Seren-Kitty have been campaigning for cats to have their own viewpoint chapters in a novel, too, so…what do you think? After all, I’m an equal opportunity pet person and wouldn’t want to hiss off the cats. (And yes, book #5 HIT AND RUN does have kitty viewpoint chapters, woo-woo!).
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
I’ve had a lot of fun cobbling together trailers for my most recent thrillers. And today, I want to share how I put the trailer together, and also added “click-able” links to the video. In other words, pull the curtain aside just a bit for readers, and also for other book writers.
A book trailer is no different than one created for a movie: short, full of impact-icity, and designed to entice or even compel viewers to BUY the book. There’s debate on how much benefit (if any) book trailers have on sales, but heck–more eyeballs and ears just learning about SHOW AND TELL could potentially help.
It’s a given that the book must be good. And it’s a given that it should be available as widely as possible. Those two aspects must happen for the book to garner positive reviews–which also serve to convince readers your book is worth the purchase.
The real unicorn-rainbow-dust is obtaining DISCOVER-ABILITY. I suspect a well-done and compelling book trailer can help.
RULES FOR BOOK TRAILERS
There’s no real “rules” about trailers. Just put yourself in the viewer’s seat and take notes.
1. What makes YOU “click” on the video on YouTube or wherever,
2. What makes you STOP watching before it’s done?
3. What makes you watch to the end?
4. After viewing, what makes you A. like/share/recommend B. take the next step (click/buy/subscribe/whatever).
Based on that, I now strive for 1. Click-able cover image 2. Succinct (under 90 seconds…60 is better…10-15 ideal!–think TikTok) 3. Tension (what happens next? use the CLIMAX scenes of plot, not the whole story) 4. Value added…in my case, free sample chapter
I don’t pretend to be a whiz or professional at movie-making the way many of my actor and producer colleagues are, but for a DIY super-low-budget project, I’m pretty pleased. Using the criteria in the previous paragraph, I’d love your feedback. Does it make you want to click/watch? Did you watch to the end? Would you “click” the link at the end for the free read? (We’ll get to how it was made, including the click-able link, so please keep reading!).
Did you see the clip with Magical-Dawg? Hey, he had to be in there somewhere, since he’s the inspiration for Shadow, my hero-dog character. You can read more about that in this fun blog post.
Cut to the Chase with Book Trailers
One of the so-called “rules” is to keep the video short. Apparently, today we’re all ADD-voyeurs with such short attention spans that—–> OOOOH SQUIRREL! In fact, on a recent Facebook ad with a video, the “average” watch time was 8 seconds. Yikes!
Although now it’s a single video complete with sound, it didn’t start out that way. If you want, watch again and see if you can count how many separate videos, pictures, and sound cues were used to create this final product. Post your guesses in the comments, and I’ll reveal the answer later. *s*
My first attempt at a trailer was nearly 2-1/2 minutes long, yikes! but it’s had over 500 views so I guess folks liked it well enough. For LOST AND FOUND trailer, I shot nearly all the video myself, (some of it OF myself!) and recorded the voice over but purchased the gunshot sound effects. So other than the cost of the software, which I already had, the first video was nearly free. *s* I’ve included that video further down the page, for those interested.
Book Trailers: Captions & Audio
The trailers for the next two books HIDE AND SEEK and SHOW AND TELL cost more because I purchased more stock video and audio. There are free-share sites for this but be careful of licensing and copyright issues. Authors don’t want books pirated, so we must respect the rights of the photographer/videographer/model/actor. I purchased several clips from DepositPhotos.com (yes, they have video, too). I think that I paid $30 for “web rights” version for each clip I purchased from them. So each of these videos cost me about $100.
My book trailer for HIDE AND SEEK (also included toward the end of the post) not only used sound effects but also mood-enhancing music, and I tried to time the musical emphasis with appearance of the subtitles. For thrillers, I think that works well. Other genres probably it wouldn’t matter quite so much.
In fact, most book trailers I’ve seen consist of still pictures representing characters or setting with captions that sketch the high points of the plot. There are folks able to make these types of trailers compelling, but I’m not that talented. I prefer video to still pictures, and I prefer voice overs to captions. Probably using a combination works best because reading vs listening is more (or less) compelling and memorable depending on the individual. Today with the advent of SmartPhones and easy-to-record video, you can often shoot the video and images you need yourself–and do the whole thing for free.
But once you have all the different 10-second clips of images, settings, characters and actions, how do you put them together? Video software, of course.
Review Previous Book Trailers for Future Improvements
Since I first posted this blog in 2016, I’ve changed the covers on my first four books (and had to update the trailers). And I’ve also released two more books in the series. Here are the most recent video trailers, and I like to think, I’ve gotten better. I used purchased clips from DepositPhotos for these. And I also got several of the same model, so I could use the same character for consistency through the series.
VIDEOPAD EDITING SOFTWARE FOR BOOK TRAILERS
There are many kinds of software packages that are easy to use, often free, and provide the effects you’ll want. A simple slide show with captions works well, and can be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo or other host services (even directly to FaceBook) to leverage share-power.
I discovered VideoPad editing software several years ago, and first downloaded the trial version and fell in love. Using the VideoPad freeware, I produced dozens of my short Ask Amy cat and dog behavior videos and several hundred others all available on my YouTube channel here. When you take a look at some of these, you’ll notice the same intro for each (with puppies or kitties added, depending on the subject), so often you can create your own “stock” footage to use time and again.
Here’s how it works. You open the software, click the “add” button to upload images or video clips or audio files, and then drag/drop into various “tracks.” You can layer these as you wish, move them around, create fade in/fade out or other (zoom!) transitions between these components. The audio track runs below the image files so you can time them, and see where (57 second mark) something happens to create your caption to appear/disappear where you wish. I love this software! You can then “export” the file into any of several formats. The MP4 format works for YouTube very well, but you could expert as a .MOV or any of several other options, including low or high definition, save the file to DVD or whatever you’d like. Brilliant!
I promised to share with you the first book trailer I created–here it is, and *blush* I do better now. But I did just add that click-able link to the sample chapter at the very end of the video. That’s a nifty technique and it can be used for ANY video, not just book trailers. I’ll be adding this to many of my Ask Amy videos. To learn how, read on. *s*
ASSOCIATING WEBSITES TO YOUTUBE
You can’t use the “free” version of VideoPad for monetizing. I’m not sure if that counts with simply adding the clickable link on your YouTube account, so you’ll have to check further on that. Several years ago I upgraded to the professional version of VideoPad (it’s only $70!) because it has a few extras that I wanted to use. I just discovered that VideoPad is Available on Amazon here.
This is NOT a sponsored post and VideoPad doesn’t know they’re being mentioned…I just like the program a lot and (full disclosure) I could earn an amazon referral fee if you choose to purchase the software through amazon. But get the free trial first.
To add links to YouTube, you first need a YouTube account. Many of y’all already have one, if you’re posting video or sharing it. So login to your YouTube account, and “click” on your icon on the top right-hand side of the page (that’s probably your thumbnail image), and then “click” on your “creator studio.”
That brings up a menu on the left side of the screen. On the drop-down menu for your channel, click the “advanced” button. That’s where you will ASSOCIATE a url with your YouTube account. In my case, I’ve associated my website www.Shojai.com with YouTube, because that’s where most of the pages/content is found that I want to link video to. If you have other links outside of that one allowed website, you can create “legal” links using the Pretty Links plugin (there’s a free version).
For instance, in each of these trailers, I’ve linked the “sample pages” of the book to the book trailer, so that folks who finish viewing the trailer can automatically click-and-read to get a taste of the story. Now, you can associate a site with your YouTube page that you do not own…but then the owner must approve (or not) of that affiliation. Once you have your YouTube account associated with the blog or webpage, then you’re ready to add cards…or clickable links.
ADDING LINKS TO YOUTUBE
Once you have a website associated with your YouTube account, you can add two neato-torpedo types of links. You can add up to 5 “cards” to each video with click-able links. These cards appear wherever you place them, and can have an image with a “teaser” and title. I didn’t use cards in these videos because I wanted folks to watch all the way through–and clicking on a card stops the video and takes the person to that link. I will, however, use cards in some other videos (such as my trailer for STRAYS, THE MUSICAL to include the CD, script and piano score options).
In order to use an associated link, though, you’ll go to the specific video to which you wish to edit/add a link. Click on Video Manager and scroll (or do a search) to find the video you wish to edit. Click the arrow/menu beside the “edit” button and it will reveal several options. Click on “annotations” and then the top right side the box to “add annotation.” To create a click-able box, select “spotlight” and then move the created box to where you wish–a picture, for instance, or an area of existing text. You can also type in text to appear. There are a few tools for sizing the font or changing colors of type, too.
Then check the “link” box below/left, select from the drop-down menu (defaults to “video” and you want “associated website checked), and then enter the url to the page on your website you want to direct folks. You’ll also want to check the box “open in another window” so it doesn’t stop your video. And be sure to adjust how long you want the click-able box to remain visible, using the “start” and “end” times. Once satisfied, click the “apply changes” in the blue box at the top-right of your screen.
Whew! I wrote a book, it seems! Was this helpful? Have you created YouTube videos or trailers for your books? Feel free to post links to your own book trailers in the comments section!
TRAILERS FOR NONFICTION
Yes, you can also make trailers for nonfiction. For these, I used page spreads from the actual books, and incorporated original music from the STRAYS show (but you can use any freeware music or purchased audio you want. Here are two I made for my DOG LIFE and CAT LIFE books:
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
UPDATE: The collars were originally to be delivered March 2016. A year ago, the company pushed back delivery to September 2016. Several more delays have been shared since then.
On January 23, 2017, I received tracking information that the collar has now been shipped. I look forward to updating everyone once I’ve received the Nuzzle collar and had an opportunity to test it.
Lots of y’all have read my dog-viewpoint thrillers and know how much I enjoy weaving fact among the thrilling fiction, with care, behavior and pet safety at the top of my list. When something I made up in my fiction becomes reality–as with Nuzzle® Smart GPS collar–I get shivers of delight. Read on…
Nuzzle helps keep both dogs and cats safe! Image courtesy of Nuzzle.
This post is sponsored by The Nuzzle Smart GPS Collar and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the Nuzzle Indiegogo Crowd Funding Campaign, but Bling, Bitches & Blood only shares information relevant to our readers. Nuzzle is not responsible for the content of this article.
In my second thriller HIDE AND SEEK, a fictional GPS pet tracking collar is instrumental in nailing the bad guy, with help from my canine hero. The technology was based on then-current kid products that were expensive, complicated to set up, cost a monthly fee, and had a limited two-mile effective range. But let’s face it…if your dog or cat takes off or gets picked up by do-gooders (or nefarious characters as in my fiction), two miles distance is nothing.
The thought of lost pets gives me nightmares, how about you? Magical-Dawg has upon occasion “gone south” on us in pursuit of evil coyotes, teasing bunnies, or who-knows-what. Karma-Kat has perfected a door-dashing escape plan, and we lucked out when Magic managed to track and lure home our AWOL delinquent cat. In her youth, Seren-Kitty disappeared a time or two and gave us heart attacks before we realized she was in the house hiding (and snickering at our frantic antics). In other words, my premise for HIDE AND SEEK arose from real life fears.
Magic loves running…anywhere! and has multiple IDs just in case. Image copr. Amy Shojai, CABC
I’ve got multiple layers of pet ID on all my pets. Magic has an ear tattoo (now faded), and he and the cats have collars with tags and also are microchipped. I’m still a huge fan of these precautions, but for them to work, the pet first has to be found.
Imagine my delight to learn about Nuzzle, a GPS collar tracking system that’s waaaaay better than what my poor characters experienced with my made-up product. If you care about your pets’ safety, you owe it to them (and yourself) to check this out. You can follow them on Facebook here.
The collar is waterproof, and adjusts to pet neck size. Image courtesy of Nuzzle.
Nuzzle uses a cellular network like your cell phone and has NATIONWIDE coverage (at short range it uses bluetooth), that integrates with the Nuzzle GPS Tracker App. You can define a “geo-fence” so the App sends you alerts if your pet moves out of those regions. All you do is put on the lightweight GPS collar, download the app, and then register your pet’s profile. If you prefer, you can also detach the Nuzzle tracker portion from the nylon collar and re-attach to your pet’s own collar or harness.
Even if you have a homebody pet like my 19-year-old Seren-Kitty, you can keep track of activity when you’re away from home to see if she’s napping, or rearranging the furniture. Just imagine, you’ll be able to find your cat’s most secret hiding spot! That’s right, Nuzzle works on cats as well as dogs. The app is another nifty way to keep your pet’s health records in a handy, accessible location.
There are no monthly fees, either. All that’s factored into the one-time price of the collar. In my thriller, the hero worries about battery life in the fictional device. The Nuzzle comes with two batteries so one can always be charging, and each battery lasts up to five days.
Nuzzle offers a great way to find pets that stray.
The pets featured in next SHOW AND TELL book deal with being stolen, surviving tornadoes and flash flood, among other things. They sure could have benefited from a waterproof GPS tracking collar like Nuzzle. In fiction, it’s entertaining to read about heroic people and pets that overcome outrageous odds to survive and bring bad guys to justice.
In real life, though, we want to prevent angst. How better than with the peace of mind of a GPS tracking collar? The Nuzzle collar and Nuzzle GPS Tracker App is currently only available via an Indiegogo campaign herewhere you can get in on early bird packages. I did–and I can’t wait to get mine!
Has your dog (or cat) ever gone missing? What sort of identification do you have on them? Do you have a plan for recovering your wandering pet? Do tell! And please share this post, with others concerned about wandering pets.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
Yes, I’ve been cast in the Sherman Theatricks production of Mary Poppins, and I’m having a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious time! Tonight is opening night, yee-haw!
Some of y’all know that I’m also an actor/singer and that performing for me is brain candy that reduces stress and invigorates all other parts of my creative life. The more “creative schtuff” that I do, it seems that just feeds the muse. You can find out more about my “playing around” endeavors here. And when able to combine acting, singing, and PETS, what could be better!
Playing Multiple Roles in Mary Poppins–Meet Miss Lark!
Miss Lark loves her Willoughby!
That’s right, betcha didn’t know there’s a character in the cast who is dog-crazy. Gee, why did I get that role? LOL! Miss Lark carries around Willoughby, a small barky and very opinionated canine she treats like her child. (Oh gee, now that’s a stretch for moi as an actor…). I found a brilliant Yorkshire Terrier puppy puppet, from the paw-some folks at Folkmanis Puppets.
Willoughby’s paws and mouth can move, as well as his head. We’ll see how believable his “acting chops” are!
Miss Lark only appears in the first act. I’m fortunate to also be able to sing with the brilliant company in all the chorus numbers, too, many of them sung from backstage. But in the second act, it’s “evil nanny time” and I get to play the part of the polar opposite of Mary Poppins in the role of Miss Andrew.
Evil Meanies Offer Lots of Fun to Play!
Miss Andrew “seeks satisfaction in punitive action” using brimstone and treacle to punish (instead of a spoonful of sugar).
The Tap-Dancing Chimney Sweep
Finally, all the extra hair comes off, and I get to pick up a broom to sing (and try to dance!) in the Step In Time number as a chimney sweep. Hey, it’s all about challenging ourselves with new things. There are some brilliant dancers and singers and actors in this show, and how kewl that I get to “play” alongside them? I have a feeling some of these experiences will go into a future book.
Actually, the next thriller has a scene in which my main character plays cello in the orchestra for Secret Garden (something I was pleased to do last year). In my world, EVERYTHING is material!
Here’s the details from the theater’s press release, so for those of you in the North Texas area, I hope to see you at the show. Make reservations quickly. We’re only performing two weekends, and the theater holds just barely 100 seats.
So…will I see you there? Please share and tell your friends, this is a delightful show–with FLYING, too!
The story unfolds in 1910 England as the jack-of-all-trades, Bert, played by Rafe McConnell, narrates a tale of the troubled Banks family. Mr. and Mrs. Banks are played by Paul Jordan and Jennifer Becherer alongside Erica Romm as Jane Banks and Luke Rostyne as Michael Banks. Jane and Michael are naughty children who give the household staff and townspeople plenty of trouble. Kaitlyn Casmedes, Christina Childress, and Leigh Walker play household staff and the colorful town characters are played by Brandon Carnes, Lew Cohn, Drew Crocker, Ken Kozak, Bella Ortley-Guthrie, and Amy Shojai.
Mary Poppins, played by Amanda Ferguson, arrives on the Banks’ doorstep and uses magic and common sense to teach the family how to value one another. She takes the children and the audience on whimsical adventures where anything can happen. Characters they meet include Mrs. Corry, played by Leanne Duigan, and her children Annie and Fannie played by Andrea Bryson and Alivia Bryson; Neleus, played by Caleb Crocker, and the other lively statues in the park played by Brittani Crocker, Reagan Hayes, Allison Hill, and Queen Victoria, played by Logan Shurtleff. Amy Shojai reappears as Mr. Bank’s old nanny, Miss Andrew to shake things up further. Jane and Michael also learn important lessons about kindness and generosity from the Bird Woman, played by Heidi Scheibmeir and the life-size toys played by Charley Becherer, Molly Brown, MacKenzie Kozak, and Sarah McGinn.
Production Notes
The cast was selected in late July and has been working under the direction of Webster Crocker, choreographer Amy Wallace, vocal director Sylvia Rivers and Thomas Bryson. Costumes and make up are the creation and handiwork of Shelley Shurtleff, Tina Ross, Cheryl Hayes and Anne Schell. The show is accompanied by a 12 member orchestra conducted by Thomas Bryson.
Performance times are 7 p.m. on September 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19; and 2 p.m. on September 12, 13, 19 and 20. For reservations, call the Sherman Community Players box office at 903-892-8818 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. until noon on Saturday or visit the box office inside the Honey McGee Playhouse, 313 West Mulberry in Sherman during the same hours. Tickets are available for season members beginning Monday, September 7 and for all other beginning Tuesday, September 8.
Tickets are also available online at www.theatricks.org. Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $10 for students. 2015-2016 Season Memberships are available at the ticket office for $25 adult, $20 senior, and $18 student and include Mary Poppins, James and the Giant Peach, and The Boxcar Children.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
Reminder, gang…for some reason this poor lil’ puppy book hasn’t been widely adopted. So I’m again making it available for reviews. Message me in the comments if interested!
COMPLETE PUPPY CARE is now available for your puppy-licious reading pleasure. I’ve included a brief excerpt below about how to tell when GOOD puppy play tips over into DANGEROUS games. That’s just the tip of the furry info, though. Please share the news about this book with all your puppy and dog loving peeps.
WANT A FREE PDF TO REVIEW?
COMPLETE PUPPY CARE includes more than two-dozen SQUEEE! cute puppy pictures (including Magical-Dawg as a baby), plus all the puppy must-knows. Those who subscribe to my PET PEEVES newsletter (click here & get another book free!) got the news early–and TEN folks won a free copy in exchange for posting an honest review. I’m nervously nail-biting until those get posted!
I’ll make the same offer here–post in the comments for a chance to review a free PDF copy of the book (the first 10 requests get the book!).
ABOUT COMPLETE PUPPY CARE…
Nothing beats a cute puppy for love, but proper puppy care and training prepares you and your new dog for a healthy and long life together. This up to date new guide provides a “Puppies 101” packed with veterinary facts, health care advice, how-to tips, and fascinating information about:
Choosing, training and communicating with your new puppy
Pros and cons of purebred versus shelter/rescue sources
Understanding common behavior problems and how to prevent them
Food, grooming and humane training recommendations
Tips for introducing your puppy to adult dogs, cats, babies and kids
The latest veterinary recommendations for preventive care
How to recognizing common health issues, and what to do
First aid and home remedies that save you money—and your puppy’s life!
More than two-dozen SQUEE! cute puppy pictures
Canine legends, myths and fun puppy facts including: Why puppies drink from the toilet, why dogs act guilty, reasons dogs hump your leg, and more!
COMPLETE PUPPY CARE empowers you with all the information necessary for your puppy to grow up into the happy, healthy dog you both deserve.
HERE’S THE EXCERPT…
“Just Kidding” During Play
Dogs use exaggerated behaviors, called meta signals, to tell other dogs all action that comes after is not serious but a game. For instance, the play-bow is a butt-in-the-air with front-end down position where the pup’s forelegs dance back and forth to invite play. When your puppy first play-bows, he’s
telling you that any growls or wrestling that comes after are meant as fun and games.
Adult dogs often “pretend” to be subordinate to a puppy—with play bows or rolling on the back—to build up the pup’s confidence and invite him to play. This “just kidding” game allows lower-ranking pups to practice being in charge with play bites, mounting behavior, and wrestling games. Once the
play is over, the higher-ranking dog again assumes his more “mature” behavior that tells the pup to respect his leadership.
BAD VS GOOD PLAY—KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE
Dogs of all ages enjoy playing. Behaviors for fighting and fun are similar, but you must know how to tell the difference between aggression and play-acting. Watch for “meta signals” which tells participants that whatever comes after is meant in a “play” context.
Dogs commonly drop toys on your feet or lap to solicit a game, and offer toys to other dogs in the same way. A play bow—the dog sticks his butt and tail into the air, and bows forward on lowered forelegs that dance side to side—is the classic signal and invitation for the games to begin. Often, the
“fighting” behaviors seen during such games will be exaggerated to indicate play, or the “fight” behavior sequences may be jumbled.
Play includes inhibited mouth-open bites often aimed at the legs and paws of other dogs. Dogs also paw and bat each other without force to hurt. In appropriate play, all the dogs willingly participate. If you suspect one of the dogs doesn’t like the activity (one dog repeatedly tries to escape or hide),
gently separate the pair to see if they go back for more. If the play session was too rough, one will sneak away.
Inappropriate play results in one or more dog frightened, hurt, or overwhelmed. Bully dogs always end up on top, while in appropriate play you’ll see dogs take turns chasing and pinning each other during wrestling. Mouthing aimed primarily at the head or neck, or uninhibited bites means play has gotten out of hand. You’ll hear yelps from the bitten dog.
Consistent play up on hind legs may indicate problems. Ongoing mounting, clasping and thrusting also can lead to problems, as can resting of paws, heads or whole bodies across other dog’s shoulders to intimidate or achieve social status.
Growls don’t usually indicate problems, but play can be so exciting that the action escalates into aggression. Listen for louder, lower pitched growls,and be prepared to break up the session before they get too aroused.
***
Okay now, what about YOUR puppies and dogs? How do they play? Is it polite, taking turns, or is there some bully behavior involved? At my house, Magical-Dawg’s best play buddy is Karma-Kat and that involves a whole new set of signals.
Don’t forget–post your comment for a chance to review a free copy of the book!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
For their launch weekend August 8, guests will have the opportunity to meet a special guest of honor, internet “celebricat” Sauerkraut Kitty. Image courtesy of Tamar Arslanian
What the heck is a Cat Cafe and why does Dallas, Texas need one? Do they serve cream and mice to cats, or what? Find out this Saturday, August 8 in Dallas–with specialty coffee drinks and treats in addition to some adoptable kitties.
What Is A Cat Cafe?
Cat Cafes have been around for decades, and are very popular in Japan, in part to deal with cat lovers who don’t have enough space to live with their own feline. But in the past year or so, the cat café concept has become a popular idea in the US, too, and offers a legal “kitty fix” to those unable to share their life with a cat purr-haps due to rental policies or allergy concerns. In the best situations, cafe cats offer a way for cat-seeking adopters to get a more up close and personal test of potential kitty candidates behavior, and c’attitude.
Cat Connection Has You Kitty-Covered!
The Cat Connection, a Dallas based pet supply store and cat only hotel and spa, located at 14233 Inwood Road in Dallas, will be home to the first Cat Café in Dallas for four weekends starting Saturday August 8th, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The event will feature adoptable cats and kittens compliments of various local rescue groups. Guests will be able to play with cats on a first-come-first-serve basis for up to twenty minutes.
Operation Kindness will provide adoptable cats and kittens for the Grand Opening on August 8th, and be on hand to facilitate adoptions. Operation Kindness is the original and largest no-kill animal shelter in North Texas, saving more than 75,000 cats and dogs over almost 40 years. The organization cares for approximately 300 cats and dogs on a daily basis, with another 100 in foster homes. This first weekend, you’ll find specialty drinks with a barista on site and snacks all weekend for free.
Texas Cares and other local rescues will be on-site for subsequent weekends. Donations are not required but are appreciated and will support local rescue.
Errin West, co-owner of The Cat Connection says this will be “…a great opportunity for cat lovers in the area to connect with and interact with adoptable animals in a relaxed setting, hopefully increasing adoptions for local rescue groups.” I’ve visited the store, and it is well worth checking out all the PAW-some cat-centric products–having cats on hand puts this event over the top.
Sauerkraut, pictured above, will attend this first event on August 8 only, to offer her paws-up of approval. Sauerkraut is a special needs rescue kitty from Central Oklahoma Humane Society. Rising to internet fame due to her adorable scowl and struggles with Feline Hyperesthesia, Sauerkraut now serves as an ambassador for shelter cats nation-wide.
To ensure both feline and human attendees have an enjoyable time, The Cat Connection asks that no outside animals be brought to the event. Children are allowed under an adult guardian’s supervision. We can access a complete set of guidelines at The Cat Connection’s website.
Have you ever visited a cat cafe? Would you if given the chance?
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
Magic with his littermates and Greta, his mom. Guess which one is him?
Today, my baby-dog Magic celebrates his 9th birthday! I can’t believe the puppy I fell in love with now has a gray muzzle, and am so very grateful he remains the funny, energetic, loving bundle of furry delight. He doesn’t act like an aging dog at all.
We had been without a dog for about 8 years before we got him. After I lost my heart-dog, another wonderful GSD who inspired me to become a pet writer, we just couldn’t bring ourselves to adopt again. Part of that was my travel schedule at the time, and then Seren-Kitty came along. There came a point that the hole in our lives could only be filled with another GSD.
We were incredibly fortunate to find a fantastic breeder (Fernheim Kennels) in our neck of the woods, so close that we got to visit the Mom-Dog before Magic was even a gleam in Greta’s eyes. After being on the waiting list for two years, the “M” litter was born. We got unprecedented visiting and photo ops during his early weeks of life. Here’s little “orange collar” at 17 days old, our boy who became Magical-Dawg.
Magic at 17 days old.
Magic at 7 days old, probably during his temperament test.
These days, I get to help Gillian with temperament tests when she has a new litter (her “Z” litter just went to new homes). I was told Magic temperament test indicated off the charts for Schutzhund potential.
Magic was night-and-day different than our first silver and black GSD in so many ways. Our first boy had hip dysplasia and such bad skin/allergy disease (atopy) we couldn’t have afforded to keep up with vet bills if I hadn’t then been working as a vet tech with a discount on services. Our first shepherd also was fearful of strangers, and a “soft” doggy eager to please and easy to train.
Magic’s breeder does all the tests, and then some, on the doggy parents. He came to us already knowing a “potty command” and crate trained.
He was never shy or “soft” by any means. He’s smart, but hard headed. A smart aleck. A challenge. Driven. Healthy, thank doG, with sound elbows, hips, eyes and skin. A canine athlete willing to throw himself into every game, to such an extent that torn dewclaws and sliced paws and other such accidents “dogged” his early years. Easy to train–he did “puppy pushups” (sit-down-sit-down) on TV at age 9 weeks–and went to HARVEY (play) rehearsals and hung out with the cast at about 5 months of age. We were grateful when he outgrew the 9-month-old delinquent phase. The fact he adored us–BOTH of us–and still does, made it possible to put up with his few challenges.
First day home–8 weeks old. You can see his tattoo in his right ear which by now has faded. He was microchipped, too.
My husband didn’t grow up with pets, and our first shepherd wasn’t close to my husband at all. So I think he was surprised to fall so hard for Magic. It was a treat to watch the relationship develop between them. Today they’re still best friends.
Puppy kisses!
Seren-Kitty was not amused. During our long dog absence, she’d come into our lives and been an “only” cat for seven years. I planned the introduction and set up gates and schedules and relocated litter boxes and food 6 months in advance, and then more step-by-step intros once Magic arrived. He weighed 11 pounds when he arrived–and Seren never tipped the scales at more than 7 pounds. So from the very beginning, Magic was taught that “Seren is the BOSS…don’t care if she started it, she is the BOSS!” I wrote a case study published in the IAABC Journal about the introduction process that also won writing awards. Even then, Magic inspired my work. And nine years later, he still knows to bow to Seren’s rule.
It took 5 months before Seren would willingly come this close to Magic when he was awake. Philly cream cheese helped.
It took a while for the floppy ears to go up. And then it took another while for Magic to grow into the donkey-size appendages.
My first shepherd’s health issues inspired me to write about pet care and health issues. Magic’s joy and delight in everything inspired me to return to fiction-ing. Magic has never met a ball or toy or Frisbee he didn’t love. He is all about the PLAY! Does your dog find ways to make you laugh? Magic does, constantly! Magic also has patiently helped me with photos and product reviews. Here he is in the Thundershirt which he’ll be the first to tell you, he does not need. He loves loud noises! (Maybe it’s the puppy-party and treats he gets with each thunder-boom that helps, hmnnnn). Magic had to wait 7 years before he got to sniff cat butt up close and personal! I think Karma-Kat was the best gift he’s ever gotten and the pair of them are inseparable.
If you’ve read my fiction, you’ll recognize the character Shadow patterned after Magic as a youngster. I wrote the first book LOST AND FOUND using the name “Magic” and then changed it once the book was finished. Here’s Magic and Seren celebrating the arrival of my debut thriller (the old cover featured one of Magic’s doggy relatives…) My boy does love his “treats” and especially people food. He’s cleaning up the last of the yogurt.
Writing fiction is addictive. When it includes pets, it’s joyful. Magic again inspired some of the scenes in our play STRAYS, THE MUSICAL–and helped us promote it by serving as a model. GOOD dog!
I took this picture (below) about an hour ago. There’s more white in his muzzle now, and he’s a wee bit calmer. But Magic will still play Frisbee-Fetch forever, if you let him, still loves games of hose-tag, adores his BFF Karma-Kat, can’t wait to play and hang out with me and my husband–
He’s the perfect dog. And I am so grateful, and hope that he has many more healthy years ahead. Today, we’re spending lots of playtime together, and (shhhh! lotsa treats!). We’uns got lots more stuff to do together!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
In the words of Velma Kelly (from “Chicago”), “I can’t do it alone!”
Actually, authors have very little to do with attaining success. READERScreate author success by reading/liking the books, posting positive reviews and then recommending books they love to everyone they know.
That’s only one reason I’ve created AMY’S AUDACIOUS ALLIES, aka TRIPLE-A TEAM. I’m also passionate about mentoring but have limited time so this is one way to pay-it-forward without bankrupting my energy, LOL!
The TRIPLE-A TEAM is a select group of 50-75 members given exclusive access to early chapters and advance readers copies (e-versions) of forthcoming books, first dibs on give aways and a private forum to discuss our love of books and pets–and yes, help share my books in reviews, social media, blogs . . . whatever you want!
I also want to share some of the great pet care and fiction books from colleagues, too (did you SEE that haul of books I got from Thrillerfest?). Heck, I get lots of great pet products that my fur-kids can’t always use (don’t tell Magical-Dawg!), and would be delighted to pass ’em on to members of the TRIPLE-A TEAM.
And for those that want ’em, I’ll create a TRIPLE-A TEAM BADGE you can share/post on your personal blogs, websites, Facebook pages, etc. I’ll set up a special members-only FaceBook group, too, where we can support each other–I want y’all to make this group into something valuable for you.
Apply with the form below (it’s filling up fast!), and I’ll let you know if there’s an opening, and send info about next steps as soon as I can. Please be patient–I may be traveling (and collecting more goodies for give-aways!).
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
I am absolutely blown away both by the wonderful name suggestions and the enthusiastic voting for the pet stars of SHOW AND TELL. Arrrooo!!! and meee-WOW! Some names were hotly contested, with y’all rallying the troupes to vote.
SHOW AND TELL: An animal behaviorist and her service dog race a deadly storm to expose a treacherous secret others will kill to protect. The story once again takes place in the fictional town of Heartland, Texas. When September Day figures out missing pets aren’t lost, but instead stolen to be training bait for dog fights linked to a drug distribution ring, she has 24 hours to save the victims (furry and human). For those who have read the first two books, you’ll be pleased that SHOW AND TELL brings the story full circle. (Okay, that’s enough of a hint!).
The winning names not only will be included in the book, but your name and real pet’s description will be added to the “fact or fiction” acknowledgements in the book, and I’ll send you a paw-tographed copy of the book as soon as it comes out. I would also like the WINNERS named below to please email me (amy@shojai.com) 1-3 photos of your named pet for possible use in future blogs/publicity about the book.
Because of the incredible interest, and I wanted to acknowledge your effort, I’ve included the names of the runners-up in the contest, too. BRAVO! And…here’s a teaser. All the runners-up will get a prize, too–not sure what just yet, but because it’s still percolating, but will have something to do with the book promo so you can share bragging rights with your peeps. Stay tuned!
The Name That Dog/Cat: VOTE post garnered a total of 7456 pages views. The combined votes of the 6 polls totaled 16,930 votes.
. . . AND THE RESULTS ARE IN! . . .
Dog and cat images courtesy of DepositPhotos.com
NAME THAT “DROOLER” MASTIFF, total of 987 votes
WINNER: HERCULES (419 votes) Nominated by Patricia H.
Runners-Up: Thor, nominated by Vicki in honor of her Bouvier
NAME THAT SMALL CAT, total of 1494 votes
WINNER: WAFFLES (510 votes) Nominated by Debbie Glovatsky
Runners-Up: Lucy, nominated by Robbi Hess; and Truffle, nominated by Paula/Sweet Purrfections
NAME THAT TARZAN CAT, total of 2192 votes
WINNER: BORIS KITTY (763 votes) nominated by his-own-self (with help from Kelly)
Runners-Up: Caster, nominated by Emily Hall/Kitty Cat Chronicles
NAME THAT KITTEN, total of 2,954 votes
WINNER: FUZZIT, aka Anubis (1688 votes) nominated by Karyl Cunningham
Runners-Up: Einstein, nominated by Elaine Dalke
NAME THAT DIGGIDY-DOG, total of 4,111 votes
WINNER: KINSLER (2,134 votes) nominated by Theresa Littlefield
Runners-Up: Freckles, nominated by Karyl Cunningham
NAME THAT HAWG DAWG, total of 4,592 votes
WINNER: TEDDY nominated by Lynette George, and DOT nominated by Kristi Brashier (1,850 votes)
Runners-Up: Buster & Bo, nominated by Una Bell Townsend
Thank you so much for lending your pet’s name to the contest–and congratulations! I can’t wait to add in these great names and descriptions and personalities into the storyline.
Now go tell all your friends and thank ’em for their votes! Hope this news gave your JULY 4th an extra SPARKLER-Y reason to celebrate!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
I am blown away by the response to the call for pet name nominations to star in my next thriller SHOW AND TELL. After sending out the request in my Pet Peeves newsletter, I also posted here on the blog and shared via social media and various email lists.
There were a total of 46 dog names suggested, and (wait for it…) 81 cat names suggested. Wow! Some of y’all nominated a name for a specific dog or cat character, while others simply suggested names without a preference.
For simplicity’s sake, though, I’ve had to limit each character/poll to no more than 15 names (sorry!). I tried to include at least one name from each person (some of y’all offered several nominations), and avoid those too similar/already used for human characters. Stay tuned–because I have saved all the suggestions and have planned a special tie-in to include even more pet names. Because after all, EVERY pet is a star!
So without further delay, here are the lists. Feel free to vote for up to 3 in each category, and share this post to encourage your friends to campaign for your dog or cat name. I’ll leave the polls open until July 1st, and announce the winners on July 4th.
So feel free to share this everywhere and campaign for your top picks. The winning names not only will be included in the book, but your name and real pet’s description will be added to the “fact or fiction” acknowledgements in the book, and I’ll send you a paw-tographed copy of the book as soon as it comes out.
I’ve only included the suggested names and brief description (if offered) but if you want to review more details check out the comments on this blog post. Sorry, some came to me privately so can’t share beyond what’s on the poll for those…
But to THANK YOU for voting, scroll on down to the end for links to a couple of free E-books available June 24-26. Ready–set–VOTE!
Images courtesy of DepositPhotos.com
NAME THAT DOG!
Two “hog hunting” dogs that belong to BeeBo (from the HIDE AND SEEK book). They are adult Pit Bull (or pit mix). These dogs (one girl, one boy) adore each other.
The third dog is a 200-pound Mastiff, lovely docile but powerful dog (and a drooler).
Dog that belongs to Willie Combs, the young son of Detective Jeff Combs. The dog loves to dig and is a fence escape artist addicted to chasing rabbits and squirrels, and of a size that September can carry him/her for a short time.
NAME THAT CAT!
A young rescue kitten, found with a murder victim. It has typical kitten antics and can be any breed or look, and will be the key to catching the bad guy.
One of the stolen pets, small enough to fit inside Willie’s jacket and be carried—so could be a small adult or an older kitten, any look/breed.
The third is an adult stolen pet cat, a shoulder perching, Tarzan-leaping, rope climbing maniac cat and can be any age, any breed/look. This kitty will help September and Shadow escape a trap.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Hey there, all my Facebook Sweet Peeps may have already seen my SQUEEE! new cover designs on the nonfiction books. So over the next couple of weeks, I’ll post COVER REVEALS here on the blog. You’ve probably already seen them in the sidebar but this is the “official” launch…and a kewl offer, so keep reading! 🙂
First up–COMPLETE KITTEN CARE! The new cover version is now available in print and kindle on amazon, and other platforms soon. This was the first book that I “kindle-ized” and is a title that quite literally has had 9 lives (and counting). For writers out there, this experience possibly will give you hope. Some of y’all may have heard this before.
COMPLETE KITTEN CARE wasn’t the original title. Nope, I was asked to write KITTENS FOR DUMMIES when that brand was pumping out titles like…well, like kittens. After I turned in the manuscript to the editor, and she accepted it, the “For Dummies” publishing franchise was sold to another company, and a bunch of contracted books got cancelled. My editor simply emailed me the news–“sorry but your book has been cancelled.”
Oy.
WHEN BOOKS GET CANCELLED…
I could have ranted and raved and thrown a fit. Instead, I re-read my contract and then sent back a reply to the effect: “So sorry to learn this disappointing news. Since the manuscript has been delivered by deadline, and ACCEPTED, I am entitled to payment in full of the advance as outlined in my contract, and full reversion of the rights. Please advise when I will receive the payment.”
Great lesson–always know what’s in your contract. Most are written in kitty litter so don’t take the first “boilerplate” they offer. Ask for better terms–they won’t shoot you for asking, and may even say yes! If they say “no” then you can decide whether to sign or not.
That same day, I emailed my editor for the “aging” pet books (from New American Library/Penguin) and offered the manuscript to her. The reformatted, re-titled book became COMPLETE KITTEN CARE. That book went on to win several CWA Muse Medallion and Special Awards from the Cat Writers’ Association for both the content and the photos, mee-wow!
Oh, and did I mention that I got paid a SECOND advance for the book, this time from NAL? And a few years later, when the “dummies” franchise rethought their titles, a friend of mine was offered the chance to write the kitten book in the series–which also won subsequent CWA awards. Kewl beans!
WHEN BOOKS GET KILLED…
This could have been the end of the story, but I promised you nine lives, didn’t I? 🙂 As happens with traditional publishing, when a book no longer sells as well it probably will be “remaindered.” That’s a fancy term for “killed” which means the book gets offered at a deeeeeeeep discount to get rid of left over copies, no more are printed, and it “goes out of print.”
Bummer. Hey, this was an award winning book! and the information actually is pretty ever-green. Remembering the lesson from before, I asked my then-agent to get the rights reverted to me…and then I did nothing for a year or so other than create a head-shaped dent in my office wall and invest in Kleenex with woe-is-me pity parties.
Enter Kindle. Actually, I came late to the party, but finally decided–what the heck? I stuck my furry toe in the digital publishing waters with COMPLETE KITTEN CARE, and learned not only how to properly format text but also pictures. Oh, and redesigned the cover because New American Library owned the original art.
WHEN AUTHORS GET REINVENTED…
That led to me partnering with Cool Gus Publishing to bring COMPLETE KITTEN CARE back into print and in other Ebook formats so y’all can read it via Nook or iTunes or however you want. And THEN, the next incarnation–AUDIO BOOK! You’ll notice that it’s my voice on the recording, too, since people seem to like hearing authors read their own nonfiction titles. All those years performing onstage paid off!
Yes, the AUDIO COMPLETE KITTEN CARE is available at Amazon, Audible.com and iTunes. (You can get it FREE with a 30 day trial membership at Audible.com).
Also, next Tuesday, I’ll be giving away free codes to review the Audible version of the book, through this really neato service AUDIOBOOKBLAST.COM where you can sign up for free to receive review copies of whatever kind of book you like. (COMPLETE KITTEN CARE will be in the “general nonfiction” category).
That cover, though, was due a furry facelift. See, I used the same sort of “style” as the design on the original NAL print cover, and times have changed. Hence, the cover reveal for the updated look to match the spiffy updated content. And yes, the photos inside are now in color in the digital versions!
So do you know someone with a kitten in his/her future? Or perhaps a shelter that would benefit from having the audio version in their educational library? It’s kitten season! Please share this post with anyone you think would benefit from some SQUEEEE! cuticity and solid kitten care info.
And remember, if you’d like a FREE copy of the audio version to review, please sign up for AUDIOBOOKBLAST.COM and check the GENERAL NONFICTION category before next Tuesday. I’ll have codes for both the US and the UK store.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Last week, I received this press release with a request that I share it today–and I’m such a huge fan of the AAFP and anything that will help our cats, that I’m delighted to share this news of a wonderful cat health feature on Discovery Channel. The American Association of Feline Practitioners also just confirmed their sponsorship of a Cat Writers’ Association “Cat Friendly” Award for the 2015 contest to encourage getting the word out about how to help cats get health care they need. Find out more about sponsorship ops here.)
Watching this upcoming TV segment is a fantastic opportunity to find out more about the work that AAFP does on behalf of cats and the people who love them. Hurray for Discovery Channel for making this possible!
Now then, if you love cats, read on–and then share with all the other kitty advocates.
Innovations Series, to Feature American Association of Feline Practitioners
Discovery Channel, April 20, 2015 DMG Productions explores the latest advancements in animal health
Hillsborough, NJ— The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) will be featured on an episode of Innovations with Ed Begley Jr., airing via The Discovery channel Monday, April 20, 2015 at 7:30 a.m. EST / PST.
The AAFP improves the health and welfare of cats by supporting high standards of practice, continuing education for veterinary professionals, and scientific investigation. Scroll down for a video sneak peek of the AAFP’s Discovery Channel debut!
In this segment, Innovations will educate viewers about the AAFP’s dedication to advancing the field of feline care through supporting veterinary professionals in elevating the standard of care for cats. The association also focuses on educating cat owners to increase their understanding of feline behavior, the value of veterinary care, and the need to actively participate in their cats’ individual healthcare plan. The AAFP’s Cat Friendly Practice® Program (CFP) designation is a major way the association is innovating the field of feline medicine.
Viewers will learn about the AAFP’s CFP designation, which is a program that provides the tools for veterinary professionals to integrate a feline perspective and embrace the standards needed to elevate care for cats. It equips practices with the tools, resources, and information to improve the treatment, handling, and overall healthcare of cats. The CFP program also focuses on reducing the stress of the veterinary visit for both cats and cat owners.
“The AAFP’s Cat Friendly Practice Program is a groundbreaking program in veterinary medicine,”said Susan Little, DVM, DABVP (Feline), 2015 AAFP President. “The time is ripe for a program that helps veterinary practices do the best they can with their feline patients. The CFP program is about setting the standards of care, educating veterinary practices about what their feline patient’s need, about decreasing the stress of the veterinary visit, and it’s about making sure that once the cat is at the veterinary clinic they receive the best quality of care that’s appropriate to the cat.”
In addition, the segment will examine how the AAFP focuses on educating cat owners to increase their understanding of feline behavior, how to reduce the stress of the veterinary visit which actually starts at home before the cat even gets to the clinic, the value of routine veterinary care, and the need to actively participate in their cats’ individual healthcare plan.
“We are thrilled to be able to bring this important information to our viewers,” said Michele Nehls, Producer for the series. “Cat lovers around the world will be amazed by the cutting-edge feline-friendly advancements the AAFP’s Cat Friendly Practice program provides.”
The segment will air Monday, April 20, 2015 at 7:30 a.m. EST/PST via The Discovery Channel and be available to view immediately after at: http://www.catvets.com/cfp/ . Dates and times of additional broadcast airings of the episode are still TBD.
About The American Association of Feline Practitioners:
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) improves the health and welfare of cats by supporting high standards of practice, continuing education and scientific investigation. The AAFP has a long-standing reputation and track record in the veterinary community for facilitating high standards of practice and publishes guidelines for practice excellence which are available to veterinarians at the AAFP website. Over the years, the AAFP has encouraged veterinarians to continuously re-evaluate preconceived notions of practice strategies in an effort to advance the quality of feline medicine practiced. The Cat Friendly Practice program is the newest effort created to improve the treatment, handling, and overall healthcare provided to cats. Its purpose is to equip veterinary practices with the tools, resources, and information to elevate the standard of care provided to cats. For more information or to find a Cat Friendly Practice by you, visit: www.catvets.com.
About Innovations and DMG Productions:
Innovations, hosted by award winning actor Ed Begley, Jr., is an information-based series geared toward educating the public on the latest breakthroughs in all areas of society. Featuring practical solutions and important issues facing consumers and professionals alike, Innovations focuses on cutting-edge advancements in everything from health and wellness to global business, renewable energy, and more. For more information visit: www.InnovationsTelevision.com, or contact Michele Nehls via phone at (866) 496-4065 x 822 or via email at: Ryann@InnovationsTelevision.com.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
WOW! That’s all I can say at the moment. My blog FAKING IT: about scammers hurting legit service and emotional support animal services, has been nominated for a BlogPaws NOSE-TO-NOSE AWARD.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
The Dog Writers Association of America banquet was held last night in New York City. It’s traditionally held the night before Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and I’ve had the great joy and honor to attend both events several times. But not last night–due to travel constraints *cough-BLIZZARD-cough* and work issues, I wasn’t able to attend, despite knowing that I had a couple of entries in the running.
My book COMPLETE PUPPY CARE was nominated for a Maxwell Medallion in the category of Reference Books. I received the Nomination Certificate some time ago and am deeply honored. You can see all the regular category winners here. I hope that you’ll recommend the award-winning book to anyone with a new puppy in their future!
Much of the book is based on research and articles I’d written over the past three years for my puppies.about.com site, and so this was particularly sweet for me. As many of y’all know, my contract with that company was abruptly cancelled last summer–for those morbidly curious, details here. Ya know, the best “revenge” is always success, LOL!
So an even sweeter recognition came when I won a DWAA Special Award last night for an article written for the puppies.about.com site titled “AKC Canine Good Citizenship Programs.” The information from that article of course is also included in the book. You can see the list of all the special awards winners here.
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and Canine Good Citizen Award
Sponsored by the American Kennel Club, this award is for the best writing about the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program or the puppy level of CGC, AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy.
Recognized as the ‘gold standard’ for family dog manners, CGC and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy focus on teaching good manners to dogs and responsible dog ownership to dog owners. This award is a $500.00 cash award.
CONGRATULATIONS to all of the nominees and winners! I am very fortunate to live in a world and participate in a community of professional communicators dedicated to sharing life-saving and relationship-saving information about the dogs we love!
Now then–how many of y’all have taken your puppy through the CGC or S.T.A.R. Puppy Programs? Or how about the AKC Community Canine program also mentioned in the article?
And…how many of y’all will be watching Westminster tonight and tomorrow night on TV? *raising paw* Magical-Dawg and I will be rooting for the…well, you know. *s*
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
It’s almost 2015, wow. A new year is a time for reflection on the past, and resolutions for the future. This year has been incredibly rewarding on the pet-writing front. I’ve published three new nonfiction pet books including COMPLETE PUPPY CARE and two short-tips guides, the sequel to my dog-viewpoint thriller HIDE AND SEEK, and produced/directed/wrote with my partner Frank Steele the show STRAYS, THE MUSICAL.
My furry crew has increased this year, too, with the addition of Karma-Kat. They tell me it’s a good time to take stock of the past year from a pets’-eye-view, too, and the year to come.
The Magical-dawg romped through the year and had only one “issue” with licking his paws nekkid. Thank goodness, the veterinarian’s prescription worked even better than expected and that has resolved. Magic is now eight but he shows little sign of slowing down.
Seren-kitty has reached the grand age of 17 and noticeably slowed down. This year she continued having problems with schnorkles. She sleeps more, her black mask has turned nearly solid gray, but the arrival of Karma gave her new energy and zest for life—first, staying out of his reach, and then making sure he knows she’s the boss. I pray that the years will touch me as lightly as they have my little Siamese wannabe.
Karma has grown from a lanky adolescent kitten into a hefty man-kat eager for a game of tag, chase and treats. He’s the delight of Magic, makes Seren grumpy, and keeps us humans laughing.
So here are New Year’s Resolutions from Magic, Seren and Karma with commentary by Amy.
Magic: “I will train my humans to spend more time playing.”
Amy: He insists on fetch. All the time. I mean ALL the time! both inside the house and out. So I resolve to keep breakables out of tossed-ball-range, and use only the soft stuffed toys to cut down on household damage.
Karma: “I will train my humans to leave open the pantry door so I can help myself.”
Amy: He’s actually learned to open the pantry door himself, where he chews through packaging to spill dog food et al across the floor where Karma can taste. So I resolve to Karma-proof cupboards and offer only cat-healthy treats to (ahem) trim down his waistline.
Seren: “I will stand on table tops, hassocks and Amy’s lap and cry and yowl to get the (spit) Karma-Kat in trouble.”
Amy: She’s used to being the “only” cat and now must compete for our attention. I resolve to keep Karma and Magic otherwise engaged so that Seren can enjoy her teasing perch antics for as long as she continues to want to harass the other pets.
Magic: “I will kill all squeakers and chew sticky-out wrong parts on toys.”
Amy: He amputates teddy-bear ears, and SQUEEEEEKS toys forever to drive us crazy. I resolve to find a Magic-proof squeaky stuffed toy—been looking for years now.
Karma: “I will stalk and tease and pounce at Magic so he chases me—and makes the humans yell, what fun!”
Amy: Karma takes great delight in teasing Magic and getting him into trouble. I resolve to play interactive chase games with Karma each day to give him the exercise, attention and fun he craves and deserves.
Magic: “I will train Amy to play with the Frisbees—all 12 of them—ALL THE TIME!”
Amy: Magic obsessed over the Frisbees. He’s learned to catch and retrieve them, if Amy can throw them correctly. And yes, he’ll stack and carry as many as I throw. I resolve to keep a supply of fresh Frisbees handy for the times Magic loses them (or they’re stolen by coyotes).
Seren: “I will sleep more, hiss less. Except around the *spit* other cat.”
Amy: Seren’s blue bed rests on the dining room table under a stained glass lamp shade. Karma likes the bed, too, but it’s too small for him and he squashes Seren when he tries to climb inside, too. I resolve to invest a larger cat bed so Seren and Karma can maybe-sorta-kinda share.
Magic: “I will go for a ride forever!”
Amy: Magic continues his love affair with the Magic-Mobile. I resolve to give Magic a car ride at least every other day, pending good weather.
Seren: “I will train Amy there’s more to nine lives than paw-tapping and staring at a boxy computer-thing. Like catnip. And whisker-kisses.”
Karma: “I will train Amy that playing with cats is more fun than anything else.”
Magic: “I will train Amy that naps together are a good thing. So are tummy rubs.”
Amy: I resolve to listen to my furry wonders. What about you?
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Did you miss the Google Hangout? Wanna learn about WRITING LIKE CATS AND DOGS? Here’s Yvonne DiVita, Doc Halligan, Lisa Erspamer and myself talking about publishing, how we wrote our books, and other writer-icity experiences! Enjoy!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
This post is sponsored by Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network. I am being compensated for helping enrich the lives of senior dogs, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND is not responsible for the content of this article.
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