The book also won a special award. The Dr. Jim Richards Cornell Feline Health Center Veterinary Issues Award Winner,Sponsored by Cornell University’s Feline Health Center. It’s presented to the highestquality entry on the topic of technological advances, research, new medical developments, or innovations in feline veterinary medicine. Qualifying entries include single newspaper, magazine, or newsletter articles; columns or series of articles (print or online); blogs, a website, single books, or radio/television broadcasts. The award consists of $500 and a commemorative award.
This Cornell award is named for someone very special to the CWA and to me personally. Dr. Jim Richards was always available to me (and many other writers) whenever we had need of an expert quote or explanation of feline issues. He gave so much of himself, and was one of the inspirations for creating CWA, and Jim even gave the keynote banquet address some years ago at an awards banquet. At the time, he presented what was then called simply the Cornell Feline Health Center Award.
And then, Jim tragically died in a motorcycle accident. We presented him posthumously with the Shojai Mentor Award, because he did mentor so many of us. So this past weekend, to have my book honored with an award presented in his name…well, I’m rarely speechless but this nearly did it. 🙂
I have LOTS more to write about the happenings at the 22nd Annual CWA Conference events…but that will have to come later. With about 30 pounds (no joke!) in swag from CWA, BlogPaws and wonderful vendors, my Magical-Dawg, Seren-Kitty and Karma-Kat are in for a wonderful treat! Stay tuned.
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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!
Many of y’all know that I’m a member and one of the founders of the Cat Writers Association. This year, I’m also helping with organizing our annual conference, which this year will take place in conjunction with the BlogPaws.com conference in June. And yes, YOU ARE INVITED, ya don’t have to be a member of either or both organizations to attend. Lots of great writerly and blog-istic learning ops, as well as many dogs, cats ferrets and other companion animals in attendance.
A highlight of the CWA conference is the awards banquet for the best published cat work of the contest season, and the AAFP — American Association of Feline Practitioners — is one of our sponsors.
I’m delighted that our CWA president Marci Kladnik took the time to interview CWA member Dr. Elizabeth Colleran about the AAFP, cat friendly practices, working with CWA members, and getting some cat-astic info out to writers to share with their cat loving peeps. Dr. Colleran will also be a panelist at the CWA Conference in June but here’s a preview taste. Enjoy this 30 minute video interview (and yes, I couldn’t resist…I added a few questions myself).
I learned some fun stuff about cats that surprised me–take a minute and post your surprises in the comments, too. Oh, and feel free to share the video! Don’t the cats deserve to get their story told? 🙂
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 anew 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!
For the past week, I’ve battled the “crud” with congestion, fever, coughing, aches and more. Apparently everything from the flu, pneumonia, colds and any combination thereof have afflicted many of my friends here in North Texas. I sure hope you dodged the bug!
Magical-Dawg thinks he’s “helping” by stealing the soiled tissues. Eww…sorry, TMI.
When you work for someone or a company, there’s always a bit of “wiggle room” built in, and you can call the Boss to say you’re just not able to attend to business and need a sick day. But that doesn’t happen when you work for yourself. It reminds me of that commercial playing these days, where the parent tries to tell the toddler, “I need a sick day…”
When you work for yourself, that just ain’t happening.
So those of us who are self-employed limp along and do our best to fulfill commitments. I don’t remember the last time that I forgot to send in my newspaper column–how embarrassing! And I didn’t have much of a voice and knew that coughing on camera wouldn’t be appealing, so yesterday I stayed away from my regular TV Pet Talk segment. Meanwhile, I’d love to unscrew my head to get rid of the yuck and the painful breathing/choking/coughing trifecta.
I’m a bit better today. And I promise, you can’t catch my “bug” by reading the blog, it’s not that kind of virus, LOL! I did want to update y’all on my must-do-projects I worked on despite the brain-fuzz-icity.
Cat Writers’ Association Collaborates with BLOGPAWS!
I’m honored to be the 2015-16 CWA Conference/Program Chair, and this week we announced an official collaboration with BlogPaws Conference 2015. I’m delighted that the CWA-branded WRITER TRACK of two professional panels will be highlighted at this prestigious blogging and social networking event.
Publish Or Perish? This publishing panel features pet book authors and publishers Amy Shojai of CWA, Pam Johnson-Bennett a best selling cat behaviorist and author, Lisa Erspamer a best selling publisher of cat and dog books, and Bob Mayer, a best selling author and publisher. The panel will discuss the current state of publishing from the “traditional” to “indie” paths, how publishing has changed, why bloggers should write a book (or become a publisher), how to choose your publishing path, pitfalls to avoid, and how to leverage social media and blogging to build your author platform.
Bridging the Gap Between Bloggers and Publishing This publishing panel features Layla Morgan Wilde, Janiss Garza, Alana Grelyak, and Deb Barnes. The session will be a “how to use your blog as a springboard to professional publishing” by learning how to write, research, edit, and design your blog posts in such a manner that they become a portfolio of quality work to help open the door to publishing deals. Learn more about the speakers and events at the CWA Website here.
GOODNEWSFORPETS.com INTERVIEW!
I’ve had the privilege of knowing and working with Lea-Ann Germinder for many years, and am thrilled to be featured in an interview on her fabulous GoodNewsForPets site. You can check out the interview here–but be sure to check out all the marvelous pet-centric news and information provided in this stellar site.
SHOW & TELL PROGRESS
The next thriller has progressed in fits and starts, it seems. But I’m determined to get this book finished and into the “paws” of all of you fantastic reader-fans who have been sooooo very patient. I’m very much hoping to launch the next NAME THAT DOG and NAME THAT CAT contest late this month, so stay tuned. The first two books HIDE AND SEEK and SHOW AND TELL would never have happened without you…and the contests and wonderful characters y’all suggested made them that much better.
Now, it’s your turn. Have you been afflicted with the “crud” or something similar, but still had to work? How’d you manage? Did your boss understand? (My boss is a b*tch about being lazy, LOL!) Do tell!
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!
Those who regularly read this blog know that formal “reviews” don’t happen very often. But lately I’ve received some invitations and free products to try, and they somehow all seem of a common aromatic theme (ahem!) and so today the blog offers a litter-ary assortment for kitty potty products. I was sent free samples from the manufacturers, and all opinions expressed are my own…and Seren’s.
Last November at the Cat Writers Association conference, those in attendance received thumb drives from Tidy Cats (a longtime conference sponsor) that included some quite clever promotions of the new “natural” product Tidy Cats Pure Nature. They also provided each attendee a coupon for a free bag of the litter product for us to try.
Full disclosure, my cat Seren is a longtime fan of the Tidy Cats clay/clumping product so I wasn’t sure how she’d appreciate a change. At 16, she’s a bit of a fuss-budget old lady cat, too. I stuck the coupon in my purse, and each time litter box re-fill rolled around I shopped for the new litter.
I’m sure the nice folks at Tidy Cats expected a mention much earlier but it was nearly six months before Pure Nature appeared in our local stores. I only recently had the chance to give Seren the opportunity to weigh in.
http://youtu.be/tlljHDnQ-Zc
As a result of attending the recent BlogPaws conference, I met with lots of paw-some products companies and got an invitation to review the Litter One kit, a self-contained fully disposable and biodegradable litter box system using pine pellets. The kit lasts 4 to 6 weeks and costs $24.95. I was sent a free kit to test with Seren, her Cranky-ness.
About the same time, I received an invitation to review the Litter Genie (above). How convenient! It’s designed along the same lines as the diaper pail product for babies only works as an odor/crappiocca container for litter box creativity. I’ve been using the Litter Locker for many years, ever since I won one as part of a Cat Writers Association awards (do you see a trend here? 🙂 ) With the new cat box substrates to test, it was a no brainer to accept a free Litter Genie to see how well it compared to my previous containment system.
I recently blogged about how litter evolved, and what cats tend to prefer. I always tell my consulting clients, “don’t mess with success!” and if you have a cat loyal to the box and substrate, don’t change it. Seren has never had an out-of-body(box) experience, though, and is a very confident roll-with-the-punches sort of feline. Heck, she’s got the Magical-Dawg totally buffaloed. Even so, I very carefully introduced her to both of these new litters. I added about half an inch of her favorite clumping-clay litter over the top of the new varieties. And I set the boxes side by side.
SEREN’S REVIEW: LITTER ONE
Seren totally ignored the Litter One. I suspect she didn’t recognize the pine pellets as appropriate substrate for digging. Cats tend to like very soft textures as their paw pads are quite sensitive, and since Seren is quite arthritic, this may also have been an issue. Granted, if that had been ALL that I offered (she had no other choice) she may have transitioned more willingly to give this a try.
Personally, I very much like the “environmentally friendly” design, and the pellets smell fresh and do offer odor containment. Litter One was awarded the Becker’s Best Award at the 2013 Global Pet Expo as the best new product–(that’s my buddy and one-time co-author Dr. Marty Becker!) and the innovation is clever and appeals to pet parents. For cats already accustomed to pelleted substrate, this would be a terrific option. I would caution that the size of the Litter One box may be an issue with large cats. Although it is a standard commercial box size, those tend to run small which is why I often recommend purchasing a much larger plastic storage bin-type box instead. For a multi-cat household, remember the 1+1 rule (one box per cat, plus one) may impact the cost factor as well.
Litter One offers a variety of Partner Programs for veterinarians, humane societies, rescue centers and other cat service agencies–kudos to the company. I’m all for owner convenience and preference. But cat vote trumps humans paws down.
SEREN’S REVIEW: PURE NATURE
A 12-pound bag costs about $16
Seren immediately accepted the Pure Nature without hesitation.
It’s lighter weight than clumping clay, has a fresh scent, and feels (to me) very similar in texture but smoother. It clumps in a similar fashion to clay products, too. The clumps are not quite as solid, though, and may break apart if you scoop too soon after the…uh…deposit…but I didn’t find issues with them breaking apart. With multiple cats that tromp over top of waste before you have a chance to scoop, that could be a problem. This product has much less dust than the clay clumping Tidy Cats I used before, too.
The scent is a bit too strong for my tastes but didn’t seem to bother Seren–that could be an issue with some cats. Kitty doesn’t mind her own smell but harsh perfumes can really make her avoid the facilities. But where I really noticed a difference was tracking–there was almost no tracking compared to the clay. What did spill from the box vaccumed up completely while the clay clumping is so heavy it always leaves some behind. Seren’s primary box is in my office on carpet, in my walk-in-closet-aka-audio-recording-studio, so keeping it clean and fresh is important.
Will I purchase another bag when it’s time to refurbish the kitty potty? Absolutely–if I can find it locally again. That could be a deal breaker, although online suppliers do offer the product (click the picture for a link).
AMY’S REVIEW: LITTER GENIE & LITTER LOCKER
Now we come to the Litter Genie. It costs about $14.99 ($7.99 for refill) at Target, and requires disposable plastic baggy liners that come in cartridge inserts, about $24 for a 3-pack, each said to last up to two months per cat. I’ve not used it yet for two months so can’t speak to this. Once loaded into the plastic container, the lid opens for you to dump scooped waste into the top opening, which is contained inside the plastic sleeve liner. A spring-loaded internal plastic divider ‘pinches’ closed the neck of the bag to block the reservoir of waste below and contain odor. The system comes with a litter box scoop.
For a single cat, the Litter Genie may work effectively. I found that the light weight of the Pure Nature litter meant I had to shake the container to ensure the waste dropped completely through. I also had to juggle to pull out the divider so that it would pass through to the bottom of the bin, a somewhat awkward design. Therefore, I had to fill up the top bin to capacity, stop, pull out the divider and agitate the pail to make it drop through, and then release the spring loaded pinch-divider. Also, the scoop (which fits in the side) is tiny and pretty much worthless as a scooper unless you have a kitten. Once the bin becomes full, there’s a “child safe cutter” to cut off the bag but I couldn’t get that to work and used scissors. With Seren (a tiny single cat) the bin filled up pretty quickly and I can’t imagine how often a multi-cat household would need to do this. The Litter Genie worked well and effectively and is an economic option for single cat households. 9.5 x 8.5 x 17 inches ; 3.3 pounds
The Litter Locker is pricier–but also works better–at about $46 and inserts cost about $29 for a 5-pack.
Once I’ve run out of the insert cartridges for the Litter Genie I’ll go back to using the Litter Locker (above). It costs more than double but has a much larger capacity to hold waste, and is much simpler to use without having to juggle pulling out/holding the canister itself. It also came with a (pretty worthless tiny) litter scooper, and I suspect this design “feature” is more for looks than functionality. It also uses plastic sleeves in cartridges inserted in the top. Waste also is dropped through the top opening–so far, very similar to the Litter Genie, but there the comparisons change.
There’s no spring-loaded pull-out smell-container to manage. Instead, simply close the lid, and then turn the side carousel a half turn. That wraps the waste-filled sleeve around the internal spindle. To empty, open the hinged middle, scissor off one end and knot, and toss the bagged waste away. Because of the larger capacity, it’s better able to manage multiple cats’ waste, and with my one tiny kitty, it doesn’t need to be emptied very often at all. The Litter Locker is 14″ long, 8.8″ wide and 15.4″ high.
How do you handle getting rid of your cats’ creativity? Do you prefer “natural” litter? How do you choose what kind of litter products to use with your cats–ever try something new and how did your cats vote?
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. 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, check out weekly PUPPY CARE must knows, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
The past couple of weeks brought two pieces of upsetting news, and their convergence prompted this blog. You see, a new report on the impact of cats upon wildlife extrapolated old statistics mixed with new suppositions to paint felines as the devil incarnate–not a new situation by any means (witness the dark ages of black-cat-witchery). Many of my cat writers colleagues and blogpaws friends have addressed these concerns in well written posts, and frankly, I wouldn’t have felt the need.
Except that I also learned that Cat Fancy magazine, first published in 1965, has been sold.
My earliest bylines as a “pet journalist” were with Cat Fancy. I got my first book contract because an editor read and liked a couple of my Cat Fancy articles. The magazine gave me my first “assignment” (rather than me submitting a query)–I really thought I’d arrived as a writer! But now Bow Tie is poised for change and Cat Fancy readers and contributors together hope this next “cat life” will be even better for all involved.
Sadly, at the moment things aren’t looking so good for the current Cat Fancy (and other Bow Tie) contributors. Many of them are owed a boat load of money for completed and published work, but since the new owner didn’t purchase the debt, chances are my colleagues won’t ever get paid. That’s suck-isity on a huge scale. Right up there with the sucky attacks on cats.
The last article I wrote for Cat Fancy (below) concerned feral cats. In the olden days (dang, that was 9 lives ago!) I was proud to be a contributor and wish only good things for the current editors and contributors now in furry limbo. I pray the TNR program also continues to thrive.
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The un-owned cats of America caterwaul from alleyways, give birth in woodpiles, and slink beneath dumpsters eking out a meager existence on the scraps of civilization. Nobody knows how many live homeless and unloved, but wherever cats gather, controversy soon follows.
Many “solutions” have been tried, and opinions abound regarding the best way to deal with un-owned and feral felines. In the last decade, a small army of dedicated and caring cat advocates including the Feral Cat Project (which lists several success stories!) has come to believe that TNR is a viable and ethical answer.
Defining TNR
TNR stands for “trap-neuter-return,” a program designed to control and decrease the numbers of roaming felines. Trapped cats receive a health exam to identify very sick cats, which are euthanized. Healthy kitties are sterilized and vaccinated, to prevent reproduction or illnesses such as rabies.
Friendly adult cats and tame-able kittens are adopted while the feral (wild) adults live out their lives–sometimes a decade or longer–in the managed colony. The removal of one ear tip identifies these cats as managed. The caregiver(s) monitor the colony and provides food and shelter.
In The Beginning…
TNR first appeared in Europe, and became better known once animal welfare societies in Great Britain began advocating the approach more than 30 years ago. Louise Holton, an early proponent, first learned of TNR in the mid-1970s while living in South Africa. “I fed colonies of cats in Johannesburg,” she says. “As soon as they started talking about TNR it just made sense to me, and I trapped my colonies and fixed them through the Johannesburg SPCA.”
It took longer for the idea to reach America. While working in animal protection, Becky Robinson noticed feral cats in downtown Washington, DC at around the same time that Holton relocated to the area. Animal welfare organizations offered no help. “I was pretty shocked when they said I should bring cats in for euthanasia,” says Holton, now with Alley Cat Rescue.
“We intended to spay and neuter,” says Robinson, “but we ran into all kinds of roadblocks. It was crystal clear that this had to be addressed.”
Believing education was the key, Holton founded Alley Cat Allies (ACA) in 1990 as an educational resource for humane methods of feral cat control. Today, Robinson is the National Director of ACA.
The TNR concept gained national attention in 1995 when Joan Miller of the Cat Fanciers Associationpresented a talk on cat lifestyle diversity at the AVMA Animal Welfare Forum. The next year she and Dr. Patricia Olson (then affiliated with the American Humane Association) co-coordinated the first National Conference On Feral Cats in Denver. Presenters offered a variety of views, and came to the conclusion that national coordination was necessary. “Alley Cat Allies began to grow more rapidly after that,” says Miller.
Hisses And Purrs
Not everyone supports TNR. “Pro and con is an easy way to categorize,” says Dr. Margaret Slater, a veterinary epidemiologist from Texas A&M University and author of Community Approaches to Feral Cats. “But almost everybody has a gradation of views. Nothing is black and white.”
The most common objections focus on protection of the cats themselves. People argue that as a domestic species, it’s our responsibility to keep cats safely confined. But feral cats can rarely be tamed or easily contained.
Relocating them becomes difficult when sanctuaries fill up. When cats are removed from an area that offers shelter and food, others quickly move into that niche–a “vacuum effect” that argues for maintaining the colony in its original location. Even if trap and kill programs weren’t expensive and ineffective, most Americans dislike the notion of treating cats as vermin.
As an introduced or “exotic” species, critics such as the American Bird Conservancy argue cats should be removed from the environment to protect native wildlife, particularly endangered species. Cats cause the most problems where ecosystems are already in the most trouble such as on island ecosystems where any predator is a problem. TNR is not a good choice in these fragile environments.
But proponents argue that for the most part, cats hunt more rodents than birds, and usually only catch sick, old, or very young birds. “Cats get blamed for a lot of things, but it’s almost never just cats,” says Dr. Slater. For instance, rats also are an introduced species, and quite good predators of many birds. Robinson adds, “A bulldozer on a spring day probably does more damage [to the ecosystem than a feral cat in his entire life.” Even critics of TNR often support the programs in situations such as barn or city cat colonies since no endangered species are at risk.
Looking for Common Ground
Alley Cat Allies and other educational resources have made great strides in educating the public about feral cat solutions. How much TNR has grown isn’t easy to determine, though, because most programs involve volunteers and little tracking information is available. “The really big comprehensive and oldest programs are primarily in the Northeast and West Coast,” says Dr. Slater, “but it’s pretty spotty. You can make any statement you like because there’s no data to support or refute it.”
There is common ground. People on both sides of the TNR fence agree that owned cats should be sterilized and identified, and safely confined in some way. “Rather than fighting over TNR, we need to think about how to turn off the source of cats,” says Dr. Slater. “There’s always going to be more cats if we can’t turn that faucet off.”
Feral cat programs have impacted our world in an intangible but perhaps even more important way. TNR demonstrates that all cats have a value, even those that can’t be touched. We as human beings now recognized our ethical responsibility toward these community cats and that they should be cared for and treated humanely.
“TNR changes public attitudes about the value of cats,” says Miller. “That message is enormous.”
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, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly PUPPY CARE must knows, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo links and blogs and writer-icity crappiocca. But I collected so much great stuff over the past week, yesterday’s blog concentrated on furry content and today’s Tuesday Tips catches the writer-icity spillover.
What are some of your favorite writer tips? Do you have a blog you love to visit? Or maybe there’s a book on craft that you can’t live without and made all the difference in your success. Add ’em in the comment section. Heck, if it’s your own tip, blog or book that rocks the world, you have MY PERMISSION for today to shout-about-it here in the comments. Spread the word, and we’ll make today’s Tuesday Tips a lasting resource.
CAN I USE THAT PHOTO?
My colleague Andrea Dorn always shares great writer and grammar tips with Cat Writers Association members (see her blog here). She shared that if you’re planning to use photos as news (that is, for the purpose of reporting on what happened at your event in newspapers, magazines or websites), permission isn’t necessary. However, if you intend to use photos in promotional or commercial materials, you need written permission from all individuals who can be identified in the photos. Publishing the art of a living artist on a web page, newsletter or brochure requires the artist’s permission. These and other questions related to “Can I use that photo?” are answered by Iowa State University experts.
INDIE WRITERS BEWARE
Victoria Strauss for Writer Bewarerecently posted that she’s received questions about a new awards program: the IndieReader Discovery Awards for self-published authors. Is it legit? What questions should you ask about Indie opportunities? The blog has some tips and insights you won’t want to miss.
INCREASE BLOG SUBSCRIBERS
. . . or subscriptions to newsletters or whatever else you want to share with your readers. I’ve done some of this but may add to my list. Derek Halpern offers tips for seven places on your blog where you can place sign-up forms to increase your chances that people will actually sign up and thus build your email list. I wouldn’t go with the pop-up box, though–that really hisses me off.
HOW TO FIGHT DIRTY FOR FICTION SUCCESS
I love Jenny Hansen’s “More Cowbell” blog and today’s Techie Tuesday offers GOLD for fiction writers wanting to escalate tension between characters. Learn how to use dirty fighting to your advantage!
KINDLE-GRAPH! WOOT!
Did you know that you can get autographed E-books on Kindle? You need to have a Twitter account, but I am SO going to look into this!
WANT YOUR INDIE BOOK REVIEWED?
Full disclosure–I’ve not submitted my books for review to any of these sources, but they have received favorable comments from other authors on KindleBoards. I know that some are authors themselves, others simply avid readers and book lovers. They also review “traditionally” pub’d books. Check ’em out and read some of their reviews before submitting your own book. Report back about how it worked for you. And hey, you just may discover a new fav Indie author!
Red Adept Reviews: Because Red has a team of reviewers, her site covers a variety of genres, including nonfiction.
Grace Krispy reviews mysteries/cozies/thrillers, some fantasy, some urban fantasy and women’s fiction.
E-Bookworms appears to review mostly Science Fiction and Fantasy.
www.DailyCheapReads.com mostly offers “bargain books” but sometimes also reviews them.
So what are your fav review spots for books? How do you judge if a new book is worth opening your pocketbook? Do you have a terrific writerly tip or resource to share? Add your comments and share the blog today with others and let’s get lots of stuff posted–I’ll do a recap later on all the goodies (and YES, include a shout-out to the submitters as well).
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? I’m nearly ready to record a bunch of new ones, so be sure to get your requests in the comments. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, check out weekly PUPPY CARE must knows, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!
Welcome to all the new followers! After last week’s Monday Mentions after the amazing Thrillerfest weekend, lots of folks “discovered” the blog. Turns out that folks who read (and write) thrillers often have a furry muse in the background–and also may be considering the pros and cons of continuing the traditional pub route vs “going rogue.” *ahem* I mean, ‘indy.’
More on specific writer-icity tomorrow as the weekly Tuesday Tips Kindle-lization Journey continues with tips on self promotion. This blog focuses on furry stuff usually on Woof Wednesday and Feline Friday. Monday Mentions–hey, that’s today!–offers a mash up of awesomeness, some of the great blogs, articles and other assorted WOW schtuff that makes me sit up and take notice. So I figure it’ll wag some other writerly tails, too.
To that end, those who have a new book, blog, article, fill-in-the-blank that might be a fit, please email me (amy AT shojai.com) with the particulars of your book/work and I’d love to feature you on a future blog. Hey, it’s all about helping each other out, right?
I suspect thriller writers (including those with a fantastical bent) appreciate some of the biting tidbits in today’s blog. Enjoy and share.
MINI BOOK REVIEW
Got a copy of “the Things That Keep Us Here” by Carla Buckley (Bantam) as a freebie at the Thrillerfest banquet. Started reading on the plane flight home. Couldn’t put it down, read straight through and finished it late that night. OUTSTANDING!
It’s what I’d call a “quiet” thriller, one with such internal tension and driving characterization that you nearly explode waiting to see what happens next. It’s “Hot Zone” meets “Ordinary People” and is awful and heartrending and scary-bad in just the way a thriller should be–with brilliant writing. Oh, and a dog appears in the story with a pivotal role.
WRITER CRAPPIOCCA NEWS
Rejections-R-Us: 30 Famous Authors’ Rejections–plus some more Well Known Self-Pub’d Authors and now they’re thumbing their collective noses, doncha think?
Spam Hits Kindle Okay, this is old news to self published folks, but others may not be aware of the latest get-rich-quick scheme to “aggregate” content (legally? illegally?), roll it into a ball and self-pub for big bucks. Uh…nope. IMO readers are smarter than that. But it does create lots of crappiocca.
CANINE CURIOSITIES
AMAZING pictures and story that purports to be the dog SEAL that cornered Osama Ben Laden
Where Does Kitty Roam? A study of free-ranging ferals and housecats, covers some amazing ground. All you folks writing about were-cats and suchlike might want to take a look at how real cats do it.
SCARY SCH*T & LOL!
Bubonic Plague Affects Pets–And People! It affects cats most often because they hunt critters infested with disease-carrying fleas, but dogs also can catch the disease. That “cat fight abscess” might instead be a bubo! (Anyone else thinking “medical thriller plot?”)
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!
Due to the magic of WordPress, I get to write this EARLY and have it posted tomorrow morning while I’m flying to New York. Can you see my arms a-flappin’ (insert “twack-thwackity-thwack” sound effects)?
I don’t have a lot to say today other than–I’m excited, exhausted, anxious, and thrilled all rolled up in one. Excited because Thrillerfest is the absolutely BESTEST-FUNNEST-INSPIRING-EST conference I attend. Exhausted because I’ve managed to cram a week’s worth of work into two days so I wouldn’t be distracted with (ack) work while there. Anxious because flying ain’t near the adventure it used to be and crappiocca always–ALWAYS–happens (wonder if I”ll be profiled this time?).
And thrilled because I get to see my favorite authors, reconnect with friends and make new acquaintances.
For writers, nothing gives us a goose in the ass-terick like a writer’s conference. We get to schmooze and express our jealousy admiration for all those successful folks; steal all learn the secrets of their success; hang out with cool people in the bar during seminars and find out–
They’re people, too. And they have some of the same angst-icity and writerly challenges that face the rest of us. Oh, and some of ’em worked for DAYS and WEEKS and sometimes MONTHS before they had an overnight success (I kid…more like years or decades in many cases).
So what’s the most inspiring part of being among people who really understand us–why we bang our heads on the virtual door of publication forever. It’s not that we’re born masochists. Okay, well, some folks are. And it’s not that we’re totally clueless about our lack of talent. Wait–maybe that fellow waa-a-aay over there might be a wee bit . . . never mind. For sure it’s not because we enjoy rejection.
Creative types do it because–it’s who we are, not just what we do. And gathering at a writer conference like Thrillerfest, or at a music festival or Harley Davidson convention, dog or cat show, quilt exhibition, or ComicCon or whatever floats your creative boat FUELS THE MUSE.
I’m already feeling all inspired-like.
What feeds your muse? How do you energize your creative side? When do you feel most in need of a pick-me-up, and where do you find the necessary go-get-’em juice to press on?
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? I’m nearly ready to record a bunch of new ones, so be sure to get your requests in the comments. Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways!
Today’s post will be short and sweet, just like “tips” should be. Lots of folks who visit blogs also host their own blogs–and images make ’em great! Just a caution, though, to treat images the same as you’d treat text and respect copyright. Some bloggers have learned this the hard way and been slammed with lawsuits by “lifting” images or even portions of text from other online sources. I’m not an attorney, but “fair use” generally covers all but the most egregious infringements–BUT, lately one law firm has targeted bloggers.
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Thanks to my colleagues a the Cat Writers’s Association for sharing information about the Righthaven Victims blog which explains how you can avoid being a victim of frivolous lawsuits. It includes definition of “fair use” so you have some guidance for your future blogs. There’s plenty of royalty-free images on the ‘Net and no reason to put yourself at risk. And yep, I own copyright in all the images in this post. *s*
Google copyright infringement case also got punted last week. They took it upon themselves to digitally scan and make available out of print books they believed to be in public domain–but lots of authors’ work got caught up in the round up, including mine. Why should Google harvest income from these books and force authors to jump through hoops to “opt out” of the program? Well, a judged agreed and rejected the proposed settlement. It’s not finished, of course–you can learn more about the whole @#$%^&*! situation here.
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Blair Sorrel, Founder of Street Zaps, sent a warning to beware of contact voltage hazards that can electrocute dogs, people, horses and their riders or really any critter. The voltage can mame, cause severe pain or kill your pet in an instant. Any metal fixture potentially could conduct current–and dogs in pain lash out and bite. Blair urges everyone to simply EYEBALL THE BLOCK, AND AVOID A SHOCK. Look for plastic, wood and cardboard that does not conduct electricity, and listen to your dog–if he’s resistent to walking in a particular area, change directions. It could save his life, and yours.
So where do you get your blog pictures? Have you ever had your writerly work swiped and used illegally? What about “shocking” pet situations–static electricity thank goodness is the most I’ve had to face.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments, tips and questions–and to stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, listen to the weekly radio show, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter with pet book give-aways! Be sure and check out tomorrow’s Woof Wednesday for some breaking news!
Welcome to all my new visitors. I suspect my Pawnation article on senior cats may have led you here. Today’s blog comes a bit late, reporting some exciting news from last month’s Cat Writers’ Association (CWA) conference and contest. I’ve posted some photos from the event–you’ll notice that I enjoy wearing sparkles from time to time. *s* Yep, there are other professional journalist out there who have a special interest in cats (and in dogs, but that’s a future blog).
The CWA was founded in 1992, and our 17th annual events took place this year in White Plains, New York. I spoke at the conference about my “kindle-ization” experience that was first reported in this blog back in April, and resulted in bringing several books back to life including Complete Care for Your Aging Cat, Complete Kitten Care and others.
I was honored to receive several awards, including several Certificate of Excellence, three Muse Medallions (that’s like Cat Writers “Emmy”), and also two special corporate awards. Yee-haw! I’m still a-purring!
These included the Tidy Cats Behavior Award of a silver engraved bowl and cash honorarium, for my cats.About.com series of articles Cat Talk: Cat Language Explained Cat talk and cat language puzzles us. Cats have been regarded for centuries as mysterious, solitary, unpredictable creatures because we can t understand what they’re saying. But savvy cat owners can decipher cat language with this article.
The second special award was my third win of the Friskies Writer of the Year Award of a Baccarat Cat figurine and cash honorarium for all my work entered. These included Muse Medallion wins for a Catnip (Tufts University) newsletter article “Dispelling Feline Myths” and two more cats.About.com online articles that address problems typical of aging cats. Separation Anxiety in Cats often affects older felines as well as some youngsters. And very old cats can suffer from Kitty Senility, sometimes referred to as feline Alzheimer’s. Both articles offer suggestions for dealing with these issues.
Thanks again for visiting, and please come back–I’m an equal opportunity pet writer. Doggy issues are often covered here, as well as writer-ly angst, how-to, and more.
The month of November had me running , and I’m still playing catch-up. First, the BIG NEWS–
I’ve a new book contract! This is a breed book on the American Pit Bull Terrier, and is due January 1st, so I’m typing like the wind to meet my deadline.
I spent the weekend before Thanksgiving in White Plains, New York overseeing the Cat Writers’ Association’s 16th Annual Writers Conference (www.catwriters.org) , to great success. We had several editors and agents, a host of great speakers, and an exciting awards banquet. I’m please to have won the association’s highest honor, the CWA Muse Medallion, for my Pet Peeves radio show at www.PetLifeRadio.com, my CBS-TV Pet Talk segment, and an online article on cat claw training at www.shojai.com.
In other news, I was flown to St. Louis by the Purina CatChow group earlier in the month for an all-day photo shoot (with cats!), to update the CatChow.com website and mentor pages. You see, I’ve written an “emotional health” online column as a Cat Chow mentor for many years, along with other veterinarians, and Purina plans to promote our advice columns more widely in 2010. This probably will be in conjunction with the Animal Planet “HousecatHousecall” show.
That same week, I traveled to Austin, Texas for the annual meeting of the CATalyst effort. This group seeks to improve/promote the profile of cats, in order to put them on equal footing (paws?) with dogs that receive more funding for health and other pet issues. I’ll write, radio, and tv on the subject in the future.
The CWA Muse Medallion was presented to CAT FACTS for the best health care book of the year.
