males and other animals

Off Topic: Open letter calling for Go To place for copyright complaints

2010-06-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

An open letter to the Presidents of RWA, SFWA, and Authors' Guild concerning copyright infringement.

Dear Scott Turow, Allison Kelley, John Scalzi,

Thank you very much for everything you do to defend authors' copyrights against copyright infringement. We very much appreciate having an address to which to send our complaints, and the comfort of knowing that you compile a database of the most egregious "pirates" and pirate sites.

Despite small triumphs, ignorance persists among honest readers; lies about the legality of "sharing" go unchallenged, and the problem is getting much worse.

Please Scott Turow, Allison Kelley, John Scalzi will you talk to one another, set up one powerhouse task force, meet regularly, share resources, engage your members, give authors one central "Go To" address where we can submit complaints, report piracy sites, blogs and yahoogroups, cc our individual take-down notices.

One forceful industry voice could shut down an entire account and insist on a hosting site complying with their own TOS where their TOS has been repeatedly violated, instead of individual authors taking down one file at a time.

Thank you.

Rowena Cherry
EPIC Award 2010 "Friend of ePublishing"

Permission granted to forward, share, repost, or use as a template for other open letters.

How multitasking is not a good thing sometimes

2010-02-18T13:01:00.001-08:00

Everyone thinks that they can multitask. Everytime you see someone on the phone as they drive, texting as they drive, texting as they cross the street (and sometimes blithely STOP in the middle of the street as they do so), work on the computer as they chat with someone either on the phone or over the cubicle wall or outside the office — anyway, you get my point. Multitasking is part of our lives.

But it’s not necessarily something we should be doing. Note the rising number of accidents because drivers are chatting or texting and not paying attention to the traffic. Or, in my case, trying to podcast as I’m trying to make dinner. This morning I have a lovely wound at the tip of my thumb because I was chopping carrots and managed to scrape off the epidermis into my curry mixture. To my credit, I didn’t scream; I did keep talking and wadded a paper towel onto my thumb, chatting away as I lost blood.

That’s not so bad, you think. It was fun times, I tell you. I sliced off a bit of my thumb, but then the coffee I was trying to make kept not getting made and I didn’t notice, only to discover that my cup had a hairline fracture, so the water went all over — and I kept pouring water in, not realizing I had already prepared it, only noticing after the podcast that water was everywhere. I just kept thinking I hadn’t done it because I was chatting and bleeding all over the place.

And there’s more: my cellphone battery kept beeping, telling me it was almost dead, so when it did die (during a Q&A), I had to grab another phone and log in again.

And that was all during one podcast. So multitasking is a lovely theory, but I’ve known for some time that it’s not for me, or at least not most of the time. Think about this the next time you think you can do more than one thing, or even two things, at a time. Maybe you can … and maybe you can’t.

Eilis Flynn
INTRODUCING SONIKA and ECHOES OF PASSION (both are available at CerridwenPress.com and on Kindle, incidentally)

The current uproar

2010-01-28T08:14:00.001-08:00

Steve Jobs has long been one of my heroes — I never thought I’d admit that in public, but there it is. The hero of my first book was based on him (now an online graphic novella, many decades after it was first written), and everytime Apple came up with something new, I’d have to find out more about it. And yesterday’s big reveal of the iPad (oy, such a name!) was no exception. Is it the greatest thing that’s ever been invented? Probably not — the wheel’s position on the list is still safe — but it’s a jump forward in the hopscotch of technology.

Notable among the complaints is what it can’t do. It’s not set up for multitasking. It’s slow. It’s not a laptop. It’s an overgrown iPod touch (incidentally, am I the only one stumbling over that “touch” not being capitalized?). But it’s also been pointed out that it’s not supposed to be those things — it’s a jump forward, it’s not man-on-the-moon leap forward. And it’s the reveal, the beginning. I have no doubt that it’s going to be fine-tuned in coming months and years.

I’m so embarrassed. I sound like an evangelist for Apple, and I don’t even have that much stock.

Anyway, it’s still an infant. Give it time. Five years from now, like an iPod or an iPhone, it’s going to be different, and it may even be in your hand. (Truth in commentary: I have neither an iPod nor an iPhone. We have a touch, but we got it as a premium for buying a car. We are VERY slow in adapting. So by the time the iPad overcomes its original problems, we may consider one.)
I’m not sure I should mention we still have an Apple Newton. Remember those? It’s around here somewhere. But it has its own place in that hopscotch board.

Eilis Flynn
INTRODUCING SONIKA, ECHOES OF PASSION
Now available on Kindle

The obligatory year-end note

2009-12-31T08:53:00.000-08:00

Okay, it’s obligatory for somebody. But the year is over, and for some, it was a year to be forgotten, while for others, it was one to be revered. Whichever is the case for you, it’s time to celebrate the change of the years. Do you have resolutions to make (again, for some) for the coming year? My usual resolution has been to make no resolutions, but this ending year I made some and only managed to keep a few (I resolved to write two novels and ended up writing one, thanks to a flare-up of carpal tunnel). And this coming year, instead of going back to my tried-and-true, I’m going to try again, but instead of two novels, I’m going for one novel, two novellas, and a partridge … uh, never mind.
Happy new year, one and all! If you have resolutions, good luck in keeping them. In any case, enjoy life.
Eilis Flynn
ECHOES OF PASSION, on sale now

Christmas Wrapping

2009-12-16T17:25:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is, but I have long had this habit of buying Christmas gifts that have to be sent and ... letting them sit. We're awful at wrapping in our family. For the past few years I've been buying and having signed by the authors all sorts of books for the Hub's cousins, but there they sit in a very big box, patiently waiting to be sent ... someday. And it's not just a dozen or so. No, by now it's approaching a dozen's dozen, and I may take the plunge at last. We have boxes ... tape ... and even the addresses. The only excuse I have now is laziness and the fear of going to the post office and an inability of properly packing a box.

And of course, that fear of the post office (and being a lousy packer) at this time of year is why we tend to do a lot of online shopping. The only time we've forced ourselves to go through with this torture is when we're sending things to my relatives in Japan, and that's iffy.

But all that has to change. With a deep breath, I'm going to approach that very big box of books and ... start to pack. If nothing else, it'll be one fewer thing in my living room. Wish me well!

Eilis Flynn
ECHOES OF PASSION, on sale now

Wildlife Vet joining

2009-11-06T19:35:00.000-08:00

Greetings to members.

Rowena Cherry invited me to join as I too am an animal guy.

I have been blogging for just over a year and write about 90% of my blogs on conservation, many of them about issues in Africa. I was born in Kenya, moved to Canada and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1975 and have been back to Africa many times. I have written two books about things, mainly wildlife things, on that continent and you can pick up info on them from my web page here where there are extracts, whole chapters, photos and interviews. If you want to dip into the Glasgow Vet in Africa blog you can do so here or through the actual site.

Here are a couple of pics from those works.

I am starting on a new book about work in Canada. The title is Of Moose and Men and here is a short extract from one of the chapters. The scene takes place in Alberta when I had been asked to examine a pet moose that had recently delivered a calf and was not well. The moose (Petruska) had complete trust in her owner but when I approached to about 50 metres in my attempt to examine her...

Petruska let out a loud snort as she set off at a full charge and then I could hear her breath as she crashed through the underbrush, her hooves pounding on the hard ground. It became a sort of Mexican stand-off. Petruska looked at me between the fortunately thick branches of the spruce and tried to get at me, first by stamping her feet, much as she would in killing a predator, and second by trying to move around the tree to get a clearer run. Of course there was nothing I could do about the stamping except be glad that it was occurring twenty-odd feet from me, but I could and did move around the tree to make sure that we remained at exactly opposite sides. Not that she came round all the way. That would have put me between her and her calf, which would been quite unnatural as she presumably viewed me as some sort of predator that was going to get the most precious thing in her world.

Ring-around-the-roses is now a children’s game derived from the grim days of the black death. Ring-around-the-spruce-tree played by me and an irate mother moose intent on reducing me to a thin layer of pulverized flesh on the ground is quite another. While she was determined to protect her new calf, I was keen to protect myself.

Baseball and Claude Levi-Strauss

2009-11-04T20:10:00.001-08:00

For the most part, these two things wouldn't be mentioned in the same breath, but today, it is inevitable. Because it's the World Series (game 6, Yankees vs. Phillies, or as the kid of one of my coworkers refers to the team, the Philistines!) tonight, and famed anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss died only a few weeks shy of his 101st birthday.

Social science majors, and anthropology majors in particular, will tell you that few classes pass by without a mention of Levi-Strauss' works. Cultural anthro wasn't my focus, but I read his work nonetheless (because honestly, you can't take an anthro class without reading Levi-Strauss), and it's only in retrospect that you can truly understand how broad the man's scope was in looking at human society and culture. (I could swear I remember some comment he made about baseball, but could I find it? Of course not.)

From the piece from The New York Times:
"His legacy is imposing. Mythologiques, his four-volume work about the structure of native mythology in the Americas, attempts nothing less than an interpretation of the world of culture and custom, shaped by analysis of several hundred myths of little-known tribes and traditions. The volumes — The Raw and the Cooked, From Honey to Ashes, The Origin of Table Manners and The Naked Man, published from 1964 to 1971 — challenge the reader with their complex interweaving of theme and detail.

"In his analysis of myth and culture, Levi-Strauss might contrast imagery of monkeys and jaguars; consider the differences in meaning of roasted and boiled food (cannibals, he suggested, tended to boil their friends and roast their enemies); and establish connections between weird mythological tales and ornate laws of marriage and kinship."

I always found the differentiation between why one cannibal boils and why one roasts to be illuminating and inspiring. It makes you see the world differently, doesn't it?

That's why it's good to be an anthro major, kids, especially if you want to be a writer: You get to explore the world in a whole new way.

Eilis Flynn
ECHOES OF PASSION, on sale now

Promoting oneself

2009-10-21T12:13:00.001-07:00

It's something that most writers, introverts that we are (for the most part), don't like to do, but we've got to do it. Sometimes it's in the form of an interview, sometimes it's in the form of marketing material like bookmarks or postcards or magnets, sometimes it's in the form of modern technology, like a podcast. Promoting yourself -- or at least your work -- is inevitable and necessary and sometimes can be downright frightening.

Which is why when Jacquie Rogers, one of the cofounders of the 1st Turning Point website on doing your own marketing and promotion, originally asked me whether I'd be interested in contributing a piece on occasion about marketing and promoting, I said no. I didn't know much about it, because that was the bailiwick of the Hub, who is a professional Marketing Guy. Well, it turned out that what she really wanted was to pick the brain of the Hub, but through me! No problem, I said. I could parrot someone else, if he had a chance. (If there's baseball on, all bets are off. And guess what's on right now? Yes, baseball.)

Of course, that said, I only found out the topic today ... and the podcast she assigned me to is this evening. Do I have time to do any research? Of course not. So I have to use what knowledge I have. The topic is tag lines: the good, the bad, and the indifferent.

Thank goodness I have others around me with more experience and knowledge. If you're interested in what real professionals have to say on the topic (and me), check it out at http://www.pivtr.com or http://www.internetvoicesradio,com at 6pm Pacific Time, 9pm Eastern Time. It's only an hour, so if you've got questions, there will be answers. Drop on by! And if I'm lucky, the Hub will come home in time for me to give a professional's answer!

Eilis Flynn
ECHOES OF PASSION, on sale now

Excitement can be good and bad, you know

2009-09-09T19:05:00.000-07:00

It's been one of those days that you scratch your head and wonder to yourself if it's actually the magical date (it's 09-09-09, and when my dentist's receptionist booked my appointment for 9am, I laughed; and I was late and actually walked in at 09:09!), or the fates had been saving stuff up to announce all at once. An epress that was just announced a couple of months ago, with publishing professionals the driving force and everything, just as abruptly closed its doors before they got going with simply a letter. Just like that. And Warner Communications, parent of DC Comics, announced that DC would henceforth be known as DC Entertainment, reflecting its reach beyond simple comics. (There was also a presentation by Apple Inc. about its updated iTunes store and updated iPods, but that's not particularly relevant. Although a video camera in the new Nano is certainly a fun idea, Steve.)

Now, the epress going under was a surprise, but the renaming of DC Comics (which, you may know, has always been redundant, since the "DC" stands for "Detective Comics") was more so, especially since the president and publisher, Paul Levitz, stepped down to be replaced by a Warner executive with no comics experience. (Levitz is going back to writing comics, in case you were curious.) This isn't the first time the comics publisher has changed names; it was known as National Periodical Publications as recently as 1970s. And it's not the first time that someone with no comics experience has been at the helm. On the one hand, it's a reaction to the Marvel Comics (sorry, Marvel Entertainment) acquisition by Disney, and on the other hand, it's also a nod from Warner that DC, always a cash cow but sort of overlooked, is being recognized as a more important property than it was when it was first acquired by Kinney (a parking-lot company) back in the 1970s. And there are lists you can look up showing that comics-related movies are among the top earners of all time.

So what does all this mean? Maybe nothing, maybe everything. This company's been around since the late 1930s (home of Superman! Batman! Wonder Woman! Green Lantern!), under changing names through changing times and cultures. It's endured, through good times and less than good, through changing technology, offering the stories of demi-gods reinterpreted for the modern age.

Now let's see how it changes for the 21st century.

Eilis Flynn
ECHOES OF PASSION, on sale now

Disney acquires Marvel

2009-08-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

for you geeks, wherever you are:

Howard the Duck vs. Donald Duck: Death Match!

My Adventures in Romance-land

2009-08-13T20:07:00.001-07:00

Like a couple of thousand other writers, I attended Romance Writers of America's National Conference in mid-July, this year in beautiful Washington, DC. It was warm, but since it turned out to be even warmer when I got back to Seattle, the weather in DC in comparison (in hindsight) was lovely.

The conference itself was a mixed bag. I hadn't attended in a few years; the last time I went was in 2006, when it was in Atlanta. This was the first year I got to attend as a member of PAN (Published Author Network), which allowed me to check out a whole different series of workshops, which was both interesting (we had Amazon evangelists espousing the goodness of Amazon and, of course, the Kindle) and mystifying (there was a motivational speaker who didn't do much for me motivation-wise). I got to see old friends again, see Washington again (the Hub's alma mater is there), and endure the discomfort that has become travel by air.

But no matter what else the conference brought, it was all wiped out by an incident when I stopped to speak to someone whose blog I read fairly regularly. As I turned to leave, someone from my home chapter called me by a wrong name. I was momentarily confused, because she knew me and I knew her; but she repeated it. She called me by the name of another chapter member, and when I corrected her, she shrugged and said that she couldn't tell us apart, and that it didn't matter.

That would have been funny, but see, I'm tall and Asian. The chapter member she was confusing me with is short and of Indian extraction. We're pretty different. She couldn't tell us apart? Why, because we didn't fit into her mold?

There are so many things I wanted to say, most of which wasn't politically correct ("All blondes look alike," I was tempted to say to this person, who is a blonde, but I know that's not correct). But I bit my tongue, because, you know, I was trying not to be impolite.

This short exchange has bothered me since. I live in an area that's predominantly Caucasian; my writers' group is predominantly Caucasian. It's times like these that I am reminded, in an abrupt fashion, that I am not Caucasian.

Sadly, that's what I'm going to remember the most from this year's RWA conference.

Romantic Times Spotlgiht

2009-07-31T20:52:00.001-07:00

The Romatic Times Magazine website has a spotlight profile for me for the release of the September issue.

You can see the page here: http://bit.ly/iv2LZ

When reality reflects fiction

2009-07-30T17:27:00.001-07:00

In my recent ECHOES OF PASSION, I described a scorching hot arid environment that my hero, Daegon Bosaru, comes to. It wasn't a pleasant place, but then it wasn't just the weather that was dreadful, but the circumstances too. Little did I realize that I would be experiencing that hot, icky, scorching climate just a while after the book came out.

And it is horribly, ickily, dreadfully hot. Here in the Puget Sound, in the state of Washington, we are used to mild weather: mild winters, mild summers. But with the blast of ice and snow that we were subjected to this past winter (in the two decades we've lived here, it was the first time that we had police advisories not to leave the house if we didn't have to), it was inevitable that we have this horrific heat in the summer. We are not used to 100-degree-plus days, multiple ones. We are not used to glaring heat. Mild heat, yes. Mild sunshine, yes. But not THIS. When Seattle temperatures hit 103 around the city, it is truly unnatural. This is a city without a real history of air-conditioning, mind you. I think we are getting there. Right now, I have one coworker who has air-conditioning. I think by next year this time, I will have more. It doesn't help that I drive a car without air conditioning (bought in 1986, back when a/c wasn't standard issue).

Why am I whining about this? Well, as we were all whining about the heat (and around here we were), I realized that I didn't add enough details about the heat and the glaring sun in ECHOES. Every time I was out and about the past couple of days, I thought about a detail I should have added. The sweat around the hairline. The belabored breathing. You get the idea.

The moral of this story? THINK about those details. THINK about those senses. I was used to a mild climate. I should have been thinking about a much harsher one. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go find some air-conditioning. The grocery store, the library, the bookstore. I think we're going out for dinner.

Eilis Flynn
ECHOES OF PASSION, on sale now

Happy Interdependence Day! It's been 25 years

2009-07-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

For those of us in the US, today is Independence Day, celebrating the day we
as a nation decided not to be ruled by England. In other parts of the world,
though, it's just July 4. But wherever we are, no matter what culture we're
currently in, today is Interdependence Day for my husband and me, because it's
our anniversary.

We got married on July 4 in Brooklyn, NY, 25 years ago, in the restaurant in
the tallest building in Bay Ridge. We chose that spot because that's where we
lived; we loved the area (the southernmost tip of Brooklyn, right before the
Verrazano Bridge, which leads you to Staten Island), and by having our
reception in that building, we could see the fireworks over in Manhattan. It was one day
that we knew most everyone we wanted to invite would have off, and
surprisingly, neither the church nor the restaurant were booked. It was a lovely, sunny
day (okay, it was summer in New York: It was scorching, the church wasn't air-conditioned,
but the sky was a beautiful blue), and we remember it fondly still.

Eventually, we moved away -- across the country, even, to Washington state --
but we had the opportunity to go back to New York a few years ago, just in
time for our anniversary. We had dinner at the restaurant at the top of that
same building, and watched the fireworks over in Manhattan again. We remember
that fondly, too.

How is any of this relevant? Well, I write romances. And our wedding was
romantic. And it's Interdependence Day. So Happy Interdependence Day, one and all!

Eilis Flynn
ECHOES OF PASSION, on sale now

It's about a guy, see, and he's dreaming about a girl

2009-07-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

ECHOES OF PASSION releases today! It's part of the sci-fi Hunters for Hire series available from Ellora's Cave and Cerridwen Press! Here's a bit about it:

Neotia Prime… The home world of the Neoti and the Vozuans was destroyed by a doomsday device twenty years ago, but the troubles and unrest that led to the event still plague those who resettled on the twin planet.

When Daegon Bosaru arrives on the unnamed world, determined to uncover who is out to smear his dying father’s good name, he discovers that the tragedies of that civil war still haunt those who remain. Not only that, the mysterious, beautiful woman he’s been seeing in his dreams over the past twenty years may have information he needs. But when he finally meets Imreen Dal in the flesh, she seems not to know him—and furthermore, she runs from him every time she encounters him. Why?

Rumors persist that the crazed dictator who set off the doomsday device may still be alive…with fresh plans for conquest. Bosaru needs to find out how his father, the mysterious Imreen and the madman are related…and stop another world from being destroyed.

Buy it now (since I have no shame left) at: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-7007-echoe..s-of-passion.aspx

Eilis Flynn
ECHOES OF PASSION, on sale now!

The countdown begins ... well, it continues

2009-06-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

I got my author copies of ECHOES OF PASSION yesterday, and I was pleased. For one reason or another, I didn't see the book after I turned in the manuscript, and so I was in the dark as to whether it had weathered the editing stages. As a rule, after I finish writing a book I don't revisit it (I mean, if it's done, it's done, and I don't see any reason to go back unless it's to look something up), but it had been so long since I had seen it I felt I had to do something. So I did: I sat down and read my book.

As I did, a few memories of the writing process came trickling back, little by little. I remember writing descriptions, piecing together the descriptions of a war that was waged twenty cycles (approximately two and a quarter years) ago, the battles and the outcome. I remember writing the descriptions of a settlement that had seen more than its share of sorrow and mystery, the descriptions of a lover who never was. Sometimes the descriptions came on like a waterfall, while other times ... well, they didn't. (I'm sure you know that feeling.)

Most of all, as I was reading, I remember shaping the people. The green skin of the Neoti and the golden skin of the Vozuan, so close in so many things cultural and physiological but so far in others. And I remembered why I write; shaping those people, the places, the stories can be an amazing experience.

Only 15 more days until launch! I can't wait!

Eilis Flynn

ECHOES OF PASSION, 7.2.09

Friday Night Reflections: Great summer read - Insufficient Mating Material by Rowena Cherry

2009-06-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

Friday Night Reflections: Great summer read - Insufficient Mating Material by Rowena Cherry

Voice is picky

2009-06-03T09:05:00.001-07:00

So many other people do articles on craft, so I tend to shy away from them. But something happened a few days ago and I felt compelled to comment. (If I didn't feel compelled I don't know what I'd be doing writing about it. But anyway.)

I work with someone at the Day Job who's not much of a reader. In fact, she jokes (but not really) that she reads one book a year, and she chooses it just before she goes on vacation for a week to the family vacation place beside a lake. The place has no Internet, barely electricity, so reading is the way to go. She's got a dozen books that she's started to read at the lake but never finished. She'll finish them someday, she says.

This year, though, she may finish the book she chooses. Recently, she saw the movie Twilight, and got so curious about the story that she picked up the source novel ... and LOVED IT. She devoured it and had to read the next ... and the next. She can't imagine what those people who disparage these books are thinking, she says. She's never read anything like them!

Now, I have to admit I've never read anything by Stephenie Meyer. Like my coworker, I figure I'll read 'em someday, but they're not really in my bailiwick (I've read enough vampire novels in my day, and I can't imagine that these YA versions are much different from the adult romance version). But my coworker was raving about them, and that makes me curious. I know it's got to be the voice -- and voice is, as we're told, over and over, what makes all the difference.

Two examples. Stephen King. Brilliant writer of short fiction and nonfiction, but his horror novels leave me cold. But I know it's the voice that brings 'em in. I've read two of his novels, and I remember admiring his technique, but while I recognize his craft, it's not something that hits my heart or gut. Will I have nightmares? Eh. I applaud him for everything he's done, but it's not to my taste for the most part. Next.

Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Mertz. My personal favorite. Her voice spoke to me the first time I read Ammie, Come Home, and it has greeted me like an old friend every time since. I've always loved her work, but I know others have only nodded and said, "She's okay."

And that's mostly voice. Does it suck you in? Does it transport you to a land not of your choosing, and do the characters appear in your dreams? If so, damn but the author's done his or her job. And won a convert to boot.

My coworker is afraid that she'll finish the fourth book in Meyer's series before her vacation, but I pointed out that even if she does, there ARE other books out there that she'd probably like just as well. I could suggest a few (more than a few, in fact), but of course, it's her own personal journey to find that voice that speaks to her in quite the same way.

And it's every writer's wish that a reader makes that discovery of his or her own books!

Eilis Flynn

ECHOES OF PASSION: 7.2.09

Only 29 more days to launch!

Technology stares me in the face

2009-05-20T19:32:00.001-07:00

Technology is an underlying theme in much of what I write, mainly because it both fascinates me and alarms me. And the fact that I managed to destroy three computers at work in three months has a little something to do with it too.

So knowing that, what does The Hub get me for my birthday? That's right, technology. He got me a Sony eReader because, as he explained, an epublished author needs to have a Reader. Or a Kindle, but the Reader was closer, and he could examine it (and I have certain reservations about the Kindle). I spent the entire day (because I took a vacation day) on line trying to find out how to make it compatible with my Mac, because of course it's Windows only. And I found the software to do it, and so I rubbed my hands together with glee!

And could not get it to work. Not unusual; my learning curve for tech has always been fairly long, and this was no exception. And managed to run down the battery completely, so the next day I had to go out and get an AC adapter. And then I charged it, and sat down to work with it again.

And managed to wipe out the data that already came with it. Sigh. Still couldn't upload any books. The next day either.

It's been a week and it stays there, mocking me. I may have to break down and see if I have any better luck on the Windows machine downstairs. Sigh.

But at least I have high hopes that I'll be able to read my next book on it -- ECHOES OF PASSION is coming out on July 2, so one way or another, I will! I will!

ECHOES OF PASSION, 7.2.09

Only 43 more days! I will conquer the Sony beast. I will! I will!

I'm starting to wonder

2009-05-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

I managed to kill computer no. 3 at work today. The third in three months. I'm starting to wonder about the jokes I've made through the years, about how technology doesn't like me. I DON'T THINK IT'S A JOKE!

Meanwhile, in decidedly nontechnical matters, I'm down to my last three teas in the house. Well, there are six, but I've decided that the liver tea etc. will stay where they are. Until I feel like drinking icky-tasting tea. The other three teas I have left are a motley bunch -- one of them is Market Spice tea, from Pike Place Market; one is unnamed, but I prudently put it into what used to be a Superman peanut butter jar (which gives you a clue when I got both the jar and the tea, which is to say, a long, long time ago); and a tea from a foreign country not Japan or China, but somewhere in Africa, if I can make out the postmark. The end is in sight. I cannot wait. Fresh teas, somewhere ahead!

Eilis Flynn

ECHOES OF PASSION, 7.2.09

Only 55 more days to launch!

Does it ever change?

2009-05-06T14:22:00.003-07:00

I have a book coming out from Cerridwen Press on July 2, and I find myself looking forward to it. And I'm amused by that, because I thought I was over that kind of thing. ECHOES OF PASSION is my fourth book with CP, and I figured I was pretty much in the groove, downright blase, for the routine -- you know, you write the book, you submit the book, you get the book accepted, and then your editor takes over. (Oversimplified? You betcha!)

But the deal is, everytime is a little different. The first one is different from the second one (the first one is WAY different from anything else!) is different from the third. The first you're terrified of doing something wrong; the second you're wondering if you're going to do something wrong; the third you're fairly sure if you keep doing the same thing you'll be okay, but the fourth ... can you make any new mistakes?

And the answer is, of course you can. You just don't know what it is yet. So I'm keeping that in mind. And because I've changed editors, the way things get done is a little different too; it's something else to remember.

But the big thing I have to remember is that it's only 57 days until ECHOES OF PASSION comes out. It's still a thrill!

Eilis Flynn

ECHOES OF PASSION, 7.2.09

earth day, and the I-5 mountains

2009-04-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

This past weekend The Hub and I went down to Portland, OR, where he had lunch with his cousin Jonathan and I went to the Readers' Luncheon, sponsored by the Rose City Romance Writers. The speaker was Lucy Monroe, and she was fabulous, as alway. After lunch (and Luncheon), we headed back north to Seattle. The trip going down (at an unspeakably early time of morning) we couldn't see much, thanks to the thick fog that blanketed the route, but on the way back home? Wonderful. Scenic. Mountains!

At this time of year, most mountains are covered with snow, and yes, there is a certain sameness to them because of it -- but the snow is gorgeous, particularly when the sunlight hits it just right, and the entire mountain glows. That was the case with Mt. Hood, seen here without that glow, but quite handsome, nonetheless:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hood

What we found remarkable is that with all the times we could have seen Mt. Hood in all its glory, we'd never seen it like that, whether because of pollution or weather or stress (if traffic's bad, do you notice anything else? I thought not).

Farther north, we saw a mountain with an amazingly rounded top. Never seen anything that before. Until we realized it was Mt. St. Helens, and we'd just never seen it from that particular angle. The image of St. Helens here is clearly not rounded, but it sure looks as if the top's blown:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mt._St._Helens

I was in Seattle in 1980 when St. Helens blew. A fine layer of ash fell on my mother's yard, but it quickly disappeared. Not so in Yakima, in the middle part of the state; the wind must have been just right, because the town got something like six inches or more of ash, and it was not nearly as easy to get rid of, but it had to be done, and fast, because it could suffocate local vegetation and animals. And people, who were advised to stay inside for a while. The mountain's still around, after all these years, and still reminding us that we've got to keep an eye on her.

An hour or so later, we saw the first signs of home. Mt. Rainier is just known as "the mountain" in Seattle thereabouts, because it is omnipresent. It's there when the weather's clear, and it's there when the pollution's high (just murky). The first Japanese who came to this area saw the graceful lines of the mountain and were reminded of their own distinctive mountain, and referred to Mt. Rainier as "the American Mt. Fuji." The angle of this picture makes it look far less like Fuji than it does from other angles, but on a clear day, from the right perspective, it's understandable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rainier

Where we live, the mountain's not quite visible; we need to go five minutes one way or another to be able to see it. But we still regard ourselves as fortunate that it's close enough to see.

Happy Earth Day. And that includes our mountains.

Eilis Flynn

ECHOES OF PASSION, 7.2.09

Coming soon from Cerridwen Press

The shape of things to come

2009-04-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

Terry Odell's post on green tech (cerridwenpressauthors.blogspot.com) had me thinking about the technology of tomorrow, specifically tech like "electronic paper," tech as thin as paper and reads like it but something that changes -- imagine a newspaper that holds the information of the Sunday New York Times but is one sheet thick. You turn to the page to whatever you want to read, to the size you want it to be. It's an amazing concept, but when you consider there's a light source just as thin and easy to manipulate, right now (but not marketable due to cost), you know it can't be too far away. The Star Trek (original series) inspired us to expect something the size of a paperback book to read from and write on, and we have something a lot like those now. If that's the future realized, what's the real future going to hold? I'm not sure we can fathom it.

It's not just the far-flung future, either, that this is the case. I remember reading recently that the spy gadgets we were amused by on the TV series GET SMART were the source of inspiration for the real-life CIA. The CIA scientists would see something on the show and try to figure out how they could make a variation for their own uses. (But no cone of silence, as far as I know. After all, on GET SMART, they never could get the cone to work!)

The book I have coming out in July, ECHOES OF PASSION, has a control device that's smaller than a paperback but a little thicker than a sheet of paper, easy to pocket and easy to overlook. It's a coin, basically; distinctively shaped and integral to the plot. Because The Hub works at a mint (where they design coins), I got a chance to see how intricate coins could be, and that was my inspiration.

But once I thought about it, it's not new at all. I have something about that size, something distinctive, a control device. You probably do too. Got a garage-door opener?

Eilis Flynn, www.eilisflynn.com

83 days to ECHOES OF PASSION! On sale at Cerridwen Press at 7.02.09

Bryl's Blog: Honor National Humor Month!

2009-04-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

Bryl's Blog: Honor National Humor Month!

Every year, April fools come out of the woodwork

2009-04-01T08:12:00.000-07:00

Every year, I dig out the link to the piece I wrote about April Fools' Day, just to remind myself that having a sense of humor is important. If you try to nurture the child within, if you have a fondness for pranks, if you, frankly, have a juvenile sense of humor and see no reason to grow up, you'll appreciate the article:

eilisflynn.blogspot.com/2008/04/april-foolery.html

Happy April Fish!

Eilis Flynn

ECHOES OF PASSION, 7.2.09

A dead man fell from the sky...: Anal Impalement

2009-03-28T05:19:00.000-07:00

A dead man fell from the sky...: Anal Impalement

A dog named Woof, and a smart Capuchin monkey

2009-03-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

Horror yarns may not be what you expect from this blog, but Jack Kilborn's AFRAID is a remarkable gripper which features villainous males who certainly behave like animals (that is an insult to animals) and a couple of animals who behave much better than most of the humans in the story.

Afraid by Jack Kilborn is a horrifying book with a particularly satisfying ending.

I like cozies. I might as well be honest about that. Also happy ever afters. Further, in the interests of full disclosure, you should know that I read AFRAID by Jack Kilborn (with a view to a review) because Joe Konrath dared me to do so. He has a thick skin, and a strong stomach... and anyone who reads AFRAID needs both.

This is not a book to take on a fishing trip, especially if you've left your loved ones at home, alone. In fact, this book ought to come with a free membership of the NRA. You'll want your Brinks alarm turned on, and a loaded shotgun under your mattress if you read AFRAID in bed at night. You might want one of those panic button pendants, too.

Be warned. It is gruesome. AFRAID is the sort of book to be read aloud, in a large group. Maybe journalists who need to be kept up all night --for a slow-to-break story on Airforce One, for instance-- or secret types on a stakeout, would get a bang out of AFRAID.

The villains are seriously, SERIOUSLY, nasty. My own most horrible villain (Insufficient Mating Material) rendered his victims insensible, had his wicked way, then took a small plug of pubic hair for a souvenir. Jack Kilborn's baddies do a great deal more than that. You get a sense of the horrors to come when a faceless bad guy sits on his first victim's bed, and when she asks what he's going to do to her, he says "Everything."

And that's just page 7.

This book contains some sick stuff. Nothing is off limits. Think Hannibal Lecter times five --or six by my count-- with the absolute might and force of the US government backing them up...or at least covering them up.

The pace is relentless, the characterization --unfortunately-- is excellent. You will care about these people. No one deserves to die the way so many do. The writing is crystal clear, like carved coal, dark, sparkling, with more than an evil glint. There's no silliness, no messing about, and nothing strikes you as implausible at the time, even if some of the violence is over the top.

You won't want to put down this book until you reach the last line. It's a good last line. Really good. Yay for the animals!!!

best wishes,

Rowena Cherry
SPACE SNARK™

Scroll down the playlist for Knight's Fork related interview
http://www.theauthorsshow.com/

Then sign up to apply for your own interview!

Jumping on the "bright blue scrotum"

2009-03-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

There isn't a "bright" blue scrotum in my book. There's a "glorious blue scrotum". Can you find it?

In this scene, the villain --who is known as The Saurian Dragon-- has decided to convince an alien king Viz-Igerd that his queen is committing spectacular adultery. To that end, he has doctored a radio transmission from the man, Grievous, much as it is alleged Mr John Gibson's remarks were doctored

The Dragon considered. Grievous was a memorable character, and it was dangerous to underestimate an enemy. “The same, I think. But I cannot be positive. Dirty-pink Earthlings all look alike to me.”

“They look like Djinn!” Viz-Igerd agreed, blind drunk. The King seemed struck with the physical similarity. This was not the first time His Majesty had commented. Presumably, the splendid idea of breaking intergalactic law with one of a billion human women had taken root.

“I hope you can still hear me, Your Imperial Highness. I have to say that I would not have thought it of Princess Electra....” Tarrant-Arragon’s man appeared to continue his report without a pause. The editing had been smoothly done. “…There’s no way to put this delicately. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes. Bunking… both of them.”

The Dragon narrowed his eyes, watching Viz-Igerd carefully. The re-use of “bunking” had been a calculated risk. It sounded sufficiently like ‘bonking’ for his seditious purposes.

By now, at least three official transmissions were curving their way around the space-time continuum at different speeds, and in different directions, all making reference to Electra-Djerroldina enjoying unlawful carnal knowledge of someone. Or not. The flow could not be staunched. The only sensible course was to goad Viz-Igerd into such a blind fury that he’d never take a rational moment to consider that ’Rhett would be the more plausible lover.

Other auditors would hear accurate versions, of course. And Viz-Igerd’s mind could always be wiped with Djinncraft, if exploratory mischief-making turned out not to be advantageous.

“Dragon! What is a Fust-er-Cluck?”

That one had obviously been festering in Viz-Igerd’s imagination for some moments.

“Where that human comes from, it means an orgy,” the Dragon mistranslated. “That is, various clumsy sex acts performed in rapid succession, with the greatest excesses condensed into a relatively brief time.”

He glanced at his victim. He refrained from discussing how many participants were required for an authentic orgy, as opposed to a Volnoth “Orgy of State,” where only the King copulated with the Queen, although they both watched multiple goings-on. Amusing as it would be to torment His Majesty, he did have to protect his only son. ’Rhett had to survive. He was the succession plan. ’Rhett would be the next Saurian Dragon, and all the sooner—perhaps— if he wanted to avenge Electra.

Yes, the Queen might have to be sacrificed. However, a show trial without a named co-conspirator might be difficult to orchestrate. Fortunately, he’d identified a satisfactory scapegoat in Prince Thor-quentin. No one cared about Thor-quentin.

“I imagine that your Queen and the vigorous young Great Djinn Prince are thoroughly enjoying the rut-rage.” He turned the screw, while gesturing blandly to the hologram, where the messenger was still speaking, and trying to scrape invisible dirt off his footwear. “It would be Electra-Djerroldina’s first rut-rage, would it not?”

Poor Viz-Igerd, unable to control his embarrassment, was displaying his… displeasure to hear that his queen was creatively fornicating her way to Earth. There was some species of primate on Earth—the name of it would come— that had a boiled-red face that turned redder the angrier it got. It seldom had to fight. The facial reddening was threat enough. Ah, yes! The red uakari. That was it.

Then, there was the ridiculous vervet monkey from somewhere on the African continent, which came with a violent red tallywhacker, shown off to great advantage—to those easily impressed or demoralized by that sort of thing— against a glorious blue scrotum. The Volnoth threat-to-mount had nothing on the vervet for sheer outrageous… cojones.

The Dragon discovered that his urbane finger steepling had turned to pantomime- villain hand rubbing, and stopped himself.

“Anyway, Sir,” Grievous continued, “it seems your sister can’t get it off… without… bunking… Prince Thor-quentin…”

“Bun-King?”

“Need you ask?” The Dragon sighed expressively. He’d never thought of phrasing it quite as Viz-Igerd did, and his unruly mind filled with a crinkly bed of lettuce, three kinds of runny cheese, man-handled meat, and all the trimmings.

“…And, Prince Thor-quentin is proving a right bugger.”

“What is a bugger, Dragon?” Viz-Igerd’s voice sounded choked, which was not altogether surprising, given the way His Majesty was twisting the chain of office around his neck, like a panicked Earthling bureaucrat “social” worker trying to loosen a knotted necktie.

This excerpt is from KNIGHT'S FORK by Rowena Cherry

This is the news video mentioning the monkey with the bright blue scrotum. It seems to be a different species from the vervet.

What's in your werewolf poop?

2009-02-28T10:37:00.000-08:00

Some of us push the envelope... Some of us push it one bathroom fitting too far, no doubt.

The Male

JA Konrath is going to be on my Crazy Tuesday internet radio show at ten a.m. Eastern Time on March 3rd on the strength --and I found it very strong!-- of his werewolf story S.A. which begins with a most unhappy --but healthy-- gentleman crossing a snowy parking lot, carrying a semi-see-through, blue plastic box containing a large stool sample. In fact, it's not a sample. It's the whole enchilada.

He's taking this vigorous specimen to his doctor because there's something unusual about it. There are coins in it. Now, it's nothing like that health insurance advert where the patient has money coming out of the wazoo, as the western oriental ER surgeon explained when making one of those mandatory predetermination phone calls.

The coins are small change. The doctor's advice about unhealthy midnight snacks is... priceless.

After a thorough rectal exam which brings to light many strange things and leads to some unpalatable conclusions in the mind of our hero, he waddles off to search the internet for clues as to whom he's been eating when the moon is full.

The Animal

Just when I thought I'd read every dragonish permutation of bad people tasting good (or bad), or good people tasting bad (or good), JA Konrath comes up with a fresh twist.

This story is a riot. I laughed out loud three times in the first three pages. Of course, there are certain bathroom words that will make me laugh out loud. One of them is poop.

The would-be sci-fi writer in me appreciated the elegance of JA Konrath's solution as regards mass. The hero has a mind-boggling telephone conversation with a were-squirrel... who collects nuts... and he asks both questions that spring to mind, much to this reader's delight.

I'm not going to tell you what "S.A." means, because I enjoyed guessing for as long as the mystery lasted.

"S.A." can be found in the anthology "Wolfsbane and Mistletoe"

However, I came not to praise J A Konrath, but to talk about craft. Poop struck me as a brilliant place to start, when one is creating a convincing introduction to a bewildered werewolf's world. Done right, starting with the scat is an excellent short cut to world-building.

I'm not a gentle reader. I don't suspend disbelief easily. I'm not programmed to trust my author, no matter how outrageously funny he is. Not at first, anyway.

I can give a turd the benefit of the doubt for several reasons. For a start, the narrator is embarrassed about it. That's believable. He's also frightened. He's not Mike Rowe (of Dirty Jobs), so he's probably not inclined to put it through a sieve. A few details suffice.

If there are bits of teeth, chips of bone, coins, buttons, a crucifix, a clump of dead man's beard... I get the picture. I don't worry about the force of a werewolf's bite, or his stomach capacity, or the inhuman speed of his digestive processes whereby the indigestible evidence of his midnight feast ends up in his morning toilet bowl.

There are a lot of ways you could go with an opening premise such as J A Konrath's. Much would depend on your editor, your length, your genre. If the requirements are heart pounding, action packed, humorous, romantic Horror, for instance, there is a limit to how many Tom Clancy-like factual briefings can be included in a 50 page submission.

I love war room briefings as a plot device!

The werewolf hero's search of the Internet was absolutely convincing to me. As I read (and this might not be such a good thing) I visualized Joe (J is for Joe) googling as if he were his own werewolf. That's the sort of thing I do.

JA Konrath and his new Horror-writing persona, Jack Kilborn, aren't my only guests this coming Tuesday. I shall also be joined by Lori Soard who has at least seven books in four genres in print, and several more books that are out of print. Also, visiting will be Michelle Pillow, who writes in almost every genre under the Paranormal umbrella.

Meet Sir Noel de Servian

2009-02-23T10:27:00.001-08:00

Since this blog is Males and other animals, I figure I would show off my newest "male" This is my Sept 21, 2009 release of One Snowy Knight, 3rd in the Dragons of Challon series.

The guy on the cover is so much like my hero it's rather spooky!

The Tea Project

2009-01-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

When you open a cabinet and boxes of tea fall out, you know it's time. Somepeople clean their office (which I should do, but that's not my point here) and others their kitchen, but this year, I'm going to clear out my tea collection.

It didn't start out to be a tea collection … it was just tea that wehappened to have a lot of. But I realized that we had had some of that tea since we lived in Brooklyn — and we moved to Seattle in 1989. Yes, that'ssome mighty old tea! So if nothing else, if my office continues to look likea sty, if my kitchen … no, actually, I keep the kitchen pretty clean, that's not a problem … I will do this one thing this year for my home. I will drink all of the tea already in my home and actually end up with no tea that's notactually from this century in my cabinet.

Inspired by this idea, I started a little early, guzzling tea during thegreat snowstorms of December 2008, polishing off three types by the end of the year. (It was cold, and the weather was dreary. But you've already heard allabout that.) There were several boxes of tea that hadn't been opened, even, and I know I bought one particular one at a little shop in Bay Ridge, in Brooklyn. There was also a box of "Chinese-style tea," and that's how it was described on the box, complete with quote marks. Not the greatest, but it's gone, it's done, go 'way now. I also have no idea where I picked that up. I can see now that drinking through all this stuff is going to be tea paleontology of sorts.

Currently I'm drinking Twinings green tea. Not bad, but not great -- but I'm picky about my green tea. There's a liver detox tea and then a morning-pick-me-up tea that's next on my list. I'm not really looking forward to something that claims to be a liver detox tea, but hey, that's the point of this"Tea Project." If it's there, it will be drunk. And no, I have no recollection when the liver detox stuff came into the house and snuck into my tea cabinet.

And that's it. None of this is earth-shattering, but I suspect it may inspire a few of you out there to go look at your own tea cabinet. Little by little the tea in my house will all be drunk. And at the end of the year I will reward myself with something amazing, maybe even some Queen Anne tea from Fortnum & Mason, a lovely English breakfast tea. But not until the end of the year!

Eilis Flynn
www.eilisflynn.com
ECHOES OF PASSION, coming in 2009

Not a lot to do with males or animals

2009-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.amazonclicks.com/Allwinners.html

I am absolutely thrilled that Knight's Fork received enough votes to win the award, and I'd like to thank all the authors who voted.

Thank you!
Rowena Cherry

Romance Junkies Valentine's Contest

2009-01-05T09:56:00.001-08:00

http://www.romancejunkies.com/contests.html

Romance Junkies Valentine's Contetst - in my entry
winner will receive set of my books and this lovely

sterling silver bracelet.

2008-12-31T12:17:00.000-08:00

For the month:
Finished: Novella. It's true what they say, PLOTTING IS GOOD! Should do that more in 2009.

Do: Make some effort to holiday-ize the house. We did! We put up our minitree and dug out our Meowy Christmas Cats Caroling wreath, since clearly we have no shame or embarrassment left.

Plan: Gift purchases for THIS year. Sent out. At least some. Better a few than none!

And since this worked better than I thought it would, for the coming year:

Do: Two shorts and two novels. At least plotting. I could get to like this novella business, too. But it all requires more plotting than I'm used to. Guess I'll get used to it.

Straighten: Office. Seriously, when you have to pick your way throughthe space to get to the computer, it's time to clean and eradicate and straighten. And speaking of computer...

Replace: Computer. Sadly, my 1998 iMac is no longer up to thechallenge of modern-day requirements. It's been a good one, though. Time to do research. Technology has never been something I see eye-to-eye with, so this will be particularly challenging.

Launch: New website. It's up, but not quite done -- a few tweaks needed that my webhost, Bill Hibler, is addressing. The Hub and I have known Bill and his wife for many years, so I have full confidence that I'll be asking many stupid questions. It's that tech thing again. Check out http://www.eilisflynn.com/, and get a glimpse of what's coming in the new year. If nothing else, I have all those eNotes articles I want to put up there. At last count it was something like 60.

Happy new year!
Eilis Flynn
http://www.eilisflynn.com/, eilisflynn.livejournal.com, eilisflynn.blogspot.com
ECHOES OF PASSION, coming in 2009

Congrats to Rowena

2008-12-30T06:02:00.000-08:00

Nice surprise!

2008-12-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, I got email from Mark I. West, famed children's literature professor and editor of a number of volumes on the same, saying that Japanification of Children's Popular Culture had been published from Scarecrow Publishing. This pleased me because about four years ago, when he pitched the idea to his editor at Scarecrow (originally conceived as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Godzilla), he asked me to write an essay on the topic (I don't have a copy yet, so I don't know exactly how many contributors Mark ended up with).

After some thought, I came up with "Two Worlds, United by Anime," about the anime and manga I read and watched when I was a kid growing up in Japan, and then about the anime I watched when we came back to the States. Then the way these things go, I sent it in and promptly forgot about it. I was happy to read that it had finally been published, and now I can't wait to see how it turned out. Take a look!

Happy Holiday

2008-12-24T03:55:00.000-08:00

Solstice greetings

2008-12-21T15:31:00.003-08:00

I work with someone whose birthday is on the Solstice, so let me say firstly: Happy birthday, Karen! I remind her that without her birthday being celebrated we can't have longer days.

Snow is appropriate for this time of year, no matter how much I complain. So far we have something like eight or nine inches, and since this is Seattle, that's messy business being near or on a hill. No newspaper -- not a surprise, considering the awkward series of steps necessary to deliver one; if there's a problem anywhere, either from the printers to the distributors to the dealers to the delivery guys, there is no paper on our doorstep. There's a good reason why newspapers are endangered.

But there's enough to look at. Everytime we look outside, there's another flurry of snowflakes. Once in a while there are folks braving the elements, either on foot or in a vehicle, chained and moving slowly (well, chained if they're in a vehicle, but everyone's moving slowly). None of them look happy. And I surely don't blame them for that. We're not used to icy cold temps and snow around here. I've run into more than a couple of locals who're from Southern California, who moved here because they thought this was a mild climate. They shiver a lot. The sensible ones don't drive. But since the buses don't move most of the time in this weather, they end up waiting and shivering a LOT, poor people.

But how often do we get a white Christmas around here? Not often. And I'd like to keep it that way!

Thunder and snow

2008-12-18T07:58:00.000-08:00

That's a combination I haven't run into before, or at least if I have, I don't remember. We had thunder and snow occur a few hours ago. I woke up at 3:30 am -- Fido was persistent in wanting food, and even though I didn't give him any (I mean, isn't 5 am early enough for him to have breakfast?? Really??), went down to check my email when I couldn't get to sleep, and soon enough I heard a sound I assumed was a very large truck going down the street. Nope. Thunder and snow. And it's been snowing since.

If I wasn't on deadline at The DayJob, I wouldn't think twice about not going in. But deadline's next Monday ... I have articles to look over and figure out how to fill a few empty pages ... and I probably should go in later. But once it's light out, and maybe once the snow stops. If the buses come; it's only three miles, but it can be a messy three miles to walk (I've done it in snow and in rain. It can be wet and cold and slippery, as you can imagine).

This is the kind of day to stay at home and read. If you have that option!

Eilis Flynn

ECHOES OF PASSION, coming next year

People are outside playing in the snow

2008-12-14T07:11:00.001-08:00

Weirdoes. *shiver*

They should be inside reading!

Eilis Flynn

INTRODUCING SONIKA, on sale now

Porta-Potties to the left of me, Porta-Potties to the right of me

2008-12-03T18:17:00.001-08:00

Why Porta-Potties? Well, you see, the city is doing its maintenance thing in my neighborhood, and so far, the workers have taken over all available parking, cut off water once when they cut into the wrong pipe (they're working on updating the gas lines), broken a hydrant so I came home to gushing water running down the street, covered their holes with large, awkward steel plates, and covered everything with a fine grit, which since this is Seattle has combined with the rain that comes with this season, making everything, well, icky.

It's the Potties that make me crazy, though. There are two of them on my block. They're not even color-coordinated, since one is this institutional green and the other is this flat, faded peach. Not just one. TWO. We are truly blessed. I know this is all temporary, and the Porta-Potties and the spare pipes tossed around and abandoned and the other things just dumped in places randomly will be gone before I can complain too much longer (can you sense the hope in my words? Yeah, I couldn't either).

But in the meantime, in this season of happiness and joy, I'm tempted to decorate the Potties with some Christmas decorations, just to perk them up a little.

Eilis Flynn

ECHOES OF PASSION, on sale next year

Call Your US senator and insist unemployment benefits are extended

2008-11-18T10:27:00.001-08:00

Date: Nov 18, 2008 12:06 PM Subject: Call your US senator to see unemployment extended Body: Unemployment Extension Legislation Update before US Senate
November 17, 2008:

The National Employment Law Project is asking for assistance in getting the Senate to pass an unemployment extension. They suggest calling 1-800-473-6711, asking to speak with your Senators’ offices, and telling them that unemployment is a national crisis and that you need them to pass the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008.

I personally know people who have been on uneployment and it's running out. They will be facing no Thanksgiving and maybe eviction from their homes in Decemeber unless unemployment is extended.

PLEASE CALL. - the number is US Capitol, ask for the senator of your state - you don't need to know his name - just your state. His office will answer.

Tell her to have the senator vote for unemployment extention as soon as possible, so families will have a safe holiday season.

Males, mer-men, and wedding tackle

2008-11-14T03:04:00.000-08:00

I seldom mention my internet radio shows, but this week I did two and
they can be found on http://internetvoicesradio.com

The Sunday evening specials are in celebration of a theme related to animals and conservation. And Romance. Sometimes it is a bit of a stretch to link a popular topic in Romance with the endangered species act, and sometimes my colleagues rise to the challenge.

The "Crazy Tuesdays" can be anything related to romance and writing, and are very much off the cuff.... so much so that they are not necessarily even on the first Tuesday of every month.

Last Sunday evening (November 9th at 9pm), my guests were Joey W Hill, Judi Fennell (visit her site and try to win one of three holidays), Sandy Lender, and Jo Webnar. Grammarians, please note the Oxford --or Harvard-- comma. Sandy and Jo are not a writing team.

We were talking about manatees and mermaids and how sailors could possibly have mistaken manatees for cuddly mermaids blowing kisses. Jo Webnar lives on a boat in Florida. We all visited her website on the air, and looked at her own photographs of her boat, her dogs, her local dolphin, and the manatees that come to visit, especially when Jo is hosing down the boat with clean water. They love clean water fresh from a garden hose.

Excerpts were read. I have no idea how someone came to ask Judi about the sexual logistics of being a mer-man with a tail. (It was probably me!) However, Judi mentioned that the correct name for a fish's wedding tackle is a gonopodium.

Who knew? Since a mer-man would be an aquatic mammal, I am not sure why it would need a modified anal fin. Whales and dolphins (etc) don't need a special name
for it.

However, I googled gonopodium, and much to my delight, I found that it was indeed a very impressive adaptation for targeting what needs to be targeted. Researchers had done the inevitable research, and it seems that female fish are intrigued by--and attracted to-- a male with a very large gonopodium. So, the males have adapted, everywhere except those that live in a geographic location rich in predators.

Next time I go to a doctor's office, I'm going to watch the goldfish more carefully. I'd always assumed that what I've occasionally seen trailing behind a fish was a partly eliminated streamer of the previous day's lunch.

All the best,
Rowena Cherry

Give a gift for Thanksgiving - to needy cats

2008-11-05T22:02:00.000-08:00

Give Your Thanksgiving Tribute Gift Today
Click here to donate online and pay tribute to a special cat in your life.

As cat lovers, we all know the joy that a cat can bring into our lives. As loyal companions, our feline friends add richness to our days as they play at our feet and snuggle in our beds. We often find ourselves talking about our cats with our friends and laughing at their many zany moments. These wonderful cats are surely something to be thankful for.

And even more, we should be thankful for the feral cats who provide richness to their caregivers - those who visit them daily to provide food, shelter, and care. These cats, who never snuggle at our feet or sleep in our beds, still bring joy to us each and every day as they frolic and thrive in their outdoor homes.

This Thanksgiving, please give a gift of $15, $30, or even more to pay tribute to the special cats in your life – and to the dedicated citizens who work every day to protect our nation’s cats. We will put your donation to work to end the killing of cats in our nation’s pounds and shelters and lead the movement for their humane care.

With a gift of $15 or more, you can post a special tribute to the cats in your life for all to see at the Alley Cat Allies’ Thanksgiving Gallery. The gallery is a unique way for you to express appreciation for the cats in your life – and to help protect cats across the nation at the same time.

Please consider this special way to pay thanks to the cats in your life this Thanksgiving. With your support, Alley Cat Allies can end the killing of cats nationwide.

One half of all royalties earned by sales of Cat O' Nine Tales are donated to Alley Cat.org. This tradesize book, is a perfect Christmas gift for that cat lover you know, and you will be helping a worthy cause when you give a copy.

Barnes and Nobles

Happy Halloween

2008-10-30T04:11:00.000-07:00

National Feral Cat Day

2008-10-16T03:44:00.001-07:00

Thursday the 16th is National Feral Cat Day!!!!!!!!!
Join an event going on in your state.

One-Half of all royalties paid on my anthology

Cat O'Nine Tales goes to AlleyCats.org to help them
rescue feral and abandoned cats.

Language: English
ISBN-10: 0978713907
ISBN-13: 978-0978713904
autographed copies through or you can order from Barnes and Nobles, Amazon and wherever books are sold worldwide.

http://highlandpress.org/catonine.html Autographed copies

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780978713904&itm=2 Barnes and Noble

the sad tale of Dawn Thompson and her sister Diane

2008-10-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

A Tale of Two Sister

The sad story of Dawn and Diane Thompson of New York, USA.

I won't address the many hard knocks that hit the Thompson sisters through the years. Life tends to visit death, loss and unfortunate circumstances upon us all. It's their later life-and death of Dawn-that touches my heart and mind on this day meant to bring world consciousness to the ugliness of poverty.

Eleven years ago, Dawn was hit in a car accident that left her unable to walk. She could barely take more than two or three steps, dragging one leg. She had rods in her arms, and due to improper care in hospital, she lost the use of the last three fingers on her left and right hand. They were curled back and could no longer respond for her. From that point on a wheelchair was her only means of moving about. There was a settlement for the accident, so she was able to get along.

The government provided her $565 per month in disability (I have no idea why so LOW), meaning she would have had no means of existing without the settlement. They originally provided her with an aid in the morning to help bathe and get her dressed. Another came in the afternoon to do errands such as pick up medicine, fetch groceries and do laundry. A third came in just before bedtime to help her undress and get into bed. Three years ago, they decided Dawn was getting too much aid, and cut her aids for afternoon and evening. Afternoons were difficult, but the night aid really was missed most of all. It was very hard for Dawn to get out of the wheelchair after sitting in it for 12 hours straight. Sometimes it took her an hour of battling just to get into bed. This was a woman in her late sixties and riddled with pain and arthritis. Each night was dangerous on her heart.

Dawn's plight became more acute at the end of 2005. She had an accident that nearly killed her-the wheelchair malfunctioned and tossed her into the dishwasher, ripping open her thigh. She was lucky she didn't bleed to death. Medical expenses mounted. Yes, she had Medicare. But co-payments and so many medicines she needed were not covered by the government support saw her money from the accident settlement eaten up by these expenses. She was forced in the spring of 2007 to sell her pre-paid funeral policy just to pay her rent. She had to choose between food and a roof over her head. Things grew so grim, that I began sending her food and cat food. Author Rowena Cherry was another who sent money to help Dawn, as well as my dear friend Monika Wolmarans. Monika is retired and on very limited means herself, so her giving to help Dawn really touched me. I thank both ladies for their caring about Dawn's plight.

Dawn fell had to be hospitalized, and things spiraled out of control. People couldn't understand how a woman with over a dozen books out for two publishers didn't have plenty of money. Well, sad fact, new authors don't make big bucks, and often you have to wait 2-3 years before you are seeing money from your books. The money those books would earn would came way too late to help Dawn.

During her final days, her younger sister, Diane, stayed with her as much as possible. She was a driver-education instructor and basically the only person there for Dawn in her final days. She requested family emergency leave, and was refused. Then she requested vacation time - time she would spend easing her sister in her final moments. The hard-hearted boss refused to give her vacation time. Instead, she was forced to choose between obeying her boss and being there with Dawn in her final moments. I am eternally grateful she chose to be there for Dawn. I do not want to imagine how horrible it would have been for my friend had she faced dying alone.

Only, the problems started for Diane. Diane-called Candy by her friends-was fired by her hard-hearted boss. She is sixty-one, has trouble walking without a cane because of arthritis in her knees. She was forced on unemployment, which barely paid her rent. What money she had in reserves went for food, electric and phone. Very quickly, she was facing little food in the house, losing electric and phone service. Unemployment was extended three months. We are hoping they will extend it another time, but so far that hasn't happened. Things are getting grim for her, and once again, I am sending food shipments. Once again Monika, who has so little, is sending money to help.

Candy is sixty-one. Recently, she went in for a job interview and the lady took one look at her slow gait and told her not to bother applying. Candy doesn't own a car, doesn't live near buses (couldn't walk to them if they were near), and is in an area too far from anything that might provide a job. Even if she could get to a job, it would have to be one where she could sit down. She just cannot stand all day. Within a few weeks she is going to be facing some ugly decisions if she doesn't get some help from somewhere. There is a period of about seven months before she can get Social Security. She might qualify for disability, too, but she would spend months, even years getting that. She needs help NOW.

What are the answers? I don't have them. I do know the American government allows their seniors to live on next to nothing. Rent subsidy for New York is only about $350. WHERE can you live in New York for that? The answer from the social worker - "You can't. You will have to go into a group home, but you don't want that as it's nothing but drug addicts." Candy was denied medical aid. This woman NEEDS medical care and cannot get it. She checked into Meals on Wheels and was told sure they could add her, but the meals came with a fee. A fee? She cannot afford anything. She is facing winter afraid of losing heat, electric and being thrown into the streets.

There are untold of Dawns and Dianes out there. Too many. The government just bailed out the economy, gave out rebates earlier this year to everyone. But nothing to help those who really are in need. Both Diane and Candy worked all their lives, paid their taxes and Social Security. Yet, when they needed help it was and isn't' there. How can this United States sentence their elderly to this sort of humiliating and life threatening circumstances?

Someone needs to care. We all need to care. Time ran out for Dawn. Time is running out for Candy. How many others are facing the same sort of scary, grim circumstances as the holidays approach? When you sit down to your turkey dinner come Thanksgiving, take a moment to consider those who won't have the comfort of family, a safe place to live, and food on the table.

Don't say how sad. DO SOMETHING. Demand of your representative to ensure better care for our elderly; look around you, see how you can help. Millions are being collected for the poor in other countries, which is perfectly fine, but who is looking after the poor and sick and helpless in the USA? "Family and friends" should come first before we pour money into other countries. Is a sad state of affairs. We are always ready and willing to donate money to a good cause. Help is needed right here at home. It should be made easier for people to qualify for funds, red tape should be cut. It is very humiliating to apply for welfare or for help, it takes far too long to receive funds and the deserving cases are getting nothing, or have to fight over and over and have to wait until it is too late.

And on a more personal note we all need to do more to help family and friends - shame on those who turns their back on their family and friends when they need help. Bad Karma will come visiting you one day!

http://blogactionday.org/js/312bc7750aa90de5c19ef7155cd69721150fdd1a

2008-10-03T08:32:00.001-07:00

Ten reasons NOT to read Knight's Fork

(Ten reasons not to—may be a new, contrarian trend among authors who blog.)

10. It's long. It has 340 pages, and most new Chapters do not begin on a fresh page.

9. It has a Prologue and an Epilogue. That's two beginnings, and two endings!

8. It's going to take about eight hours to read

7b. Disrespectful words such as tallywacker and joystick are used with reference to male body parts
7. The hero is a virgin and proud of it

6. The heroine is locked in a chastity belt, and she doesn't have a key

5. The family tree is so complicated they needed to spread it over two pages.

4. If you read in bed, your significant other might be disturbed by your giggles

3. The F- word is used, but only by villains, and only in conversation

2. If you read it in public, someone may ask why the naked man on the cover is lying in a puddle

1. If you don't read every paragraph, you may ask yourself why the naked man is lying in a puddle

Socrates Sez

2008-09-20T01:53:00.000-07:00

Note:
Socrates is a minature mule and the star of

Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues
by Jacquie Rogers

Copyright (c) 2008 Jacquie Rogers

Humans are so stubborn.

But never let it be said that we mules don’t take care of our humans. Mine is Brody Alexander. I’m Socrates, master of cogitation and entertainer of both large and small children.

Infinite patience is required to endure Brody’s obstinance. Granted, we john mules do have it easier than men. We don’t have this hormone thing going on so we don’t spend our lives trying to make little mules.

That gives us lots more time to cogitate. And believe me, I can think of a few more species who could do with a little thoughtful uncommon sense.

Human males, for instance. Why, they seem to spend every waking hour thinking about sex, getting sex, or being disappointed by not having sex.

That’s how I see it. Except I left one thing out—human males need more than sex. They need love. My human could use a little loving these days. Why, he’s been moping around worse than a porcupine on a bad hair day.

That’s where the cogitating comes in. If testosterone hadn’t clouded Brody’s thinking, he’d already know what he needs. Funny thing, those hormones.

The way I see it, my job is to help his brain listen to his other parts—especially his heart. And I have the answer. Yes, sir, I do. I just saw a pretty little filly drive down the road, the very same one who mooned over Brody ten years ago.

It’s time for action.

Read what happens to Brody when Socrates puts his plan into action. Perseus the Australian Shepherd and Guinnevere the skunk are gung-ho to help, along with the neighbor dog, Beauty (bloodhound/collie mix).

May your saddle never slip!

Jacquie

Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

also check out:
Faery Special Romances *** Book Video

Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through Research
Jacquie Rogers *** Myspace *** Twitter *** Faery World

Pets who ride on your shoulder

2008-09-14T10:01:00.001-07:00

I was on a podcast the other day (thanks again, Rowena), and talking to Jacquie Rogers at the same time made me remember something almost relevant, especially when Fido the cat, my 19-year-old Tonkinese, tried to come up behind me and get my attention (usually by swatting at me). There was a time when he, and his student Bowser, got our attention by climbing the tallest chair in the house and jumped on the shoulders of the Hub and me (sometimes by surprise, sometimes by calculation). Neither were dainty, one 18 lbs at his heaviest and the other about 15 lbs, so it was better if we were prepared for the jump. If only we could have had them like that outside, walking around. They were both very happy being carried around like that.

Long ago, when we went more regularly to comic book conventions, there was someone who walked about with a toy stuffed dragon perched on his shoulder. It was a little out of the ordinary then (why, at a comic convention? It's hard to say), but he did it consistently. At least it was memorable (and considering it was several decades ago, it must have been memorable, since I still remember it). Jacquie and I are putting together a dragon workshop. It makes me wonder if I should go find a stuffed dragon for each of us to do the same thing.

A few decades makes a difference. It was odd then, but now, it would be amusing. Maybe it was amusing then. But we were much younger and so much more worried about not looking like an idiot. Now? Don't worry about it nearly so much.

Mules, Males and other animals

2008-09-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

I love talking to people. I ought to do it more often!

On today's Crazy Tuesday show, I chatted with some animal-lovers who happen to be authors. Some are most definitely kindred spirits, and there's at least two books I'm going to treat myself to before Christmas.

Among the characters trotted out to meet me was Pretty Bottom, a proud porcupine; Christopher-the-Assassin, a cat; Nova the cowardly dog who once overcame his fear to chase a bear... which reminds me of the cartoon "Courage"; a parakeet named Jubilee who likes Bonnie Tyler and The Randy Rogers Band; Miz Fuzz the cat with her own boom box; Foutchie the foot fairy; an exotic bird that throws seeds; Socrates the wise --and wise-cracking mule who believes that sterility improves the masculine mind and ability to cogitate; a pet chicken of a Warrior Trainer; Guinevere the skunk; a terrifying cat who takes his toys to water but can't make them drink; some extremely smart ravens; and a deliriously happy guinea pig.

Oh! And a 300 year old gentleman who is trapped in the body of a cat. I can't begin to imagine (well, I can) all the things he's forgotten how to do, and all the new things he has to learn once he finds a lady who can lift the spell in A Cat O'Nine Tales.

Rowena Cherry

CONTEST! Males, Mules, and Other Animals

2008-09-07T01:53:00.000-07:00

Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

Pet Pictures Contest

Give me your best shot!

Cats, Dogs, and Equine categories. Don’t forget the mules!

10 categories in all and GOBS of prizes from a dozen authors (including some of our fabulous IWOFA authors!). Plus, everyone will get to see how cute your pet is! Cats, Dogs, and Equine are the three groups. Each group has three categories: cutest, most heartwarming, best overall. And then the tenth category is the 2008 Best Pet Picture.

(There are more prizes than represented in the following graphics, and not all titles are prizes. Please go to http://www.jacquierogers.com and click on Contest for a complete listing, as well as contest procedures and rules. Because of postage costs, we have to limit entries to USA only.)

Alexis Morgan

http://www.alexismorgan.com

Celia May Hart

http://www.celiamayhart.com

The Late Dawn Thompson

http://www.dawnthompson.com

Deborah Macgillivray

http://www.deborahmacgillivray.co.uk

Eilis Flynn

http://www.eilisflynn.com

Gerri Russell

http://www.gerrirusell.net

Jacquie Rogers

http://www.jacquierogers.com

Judith Laik

http://www.judithlaik.com

Rowena Cherry

http://www.rowenacherry.com

Almost Taken by Isabel Mere

Saving Tampa by Jo Webnar

Kissing Lessons (e-story) by Sherrie Holmes

So enter your pet pictures today!

Go to http://www.jacquierogers.com and click on Contest

Good Luck!!!

Jacquie

Jacquie Rogers *** Myspace *** Twitter *** Faery World

Faery Special Romances *** Book Video
Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

October 2008: Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues (See the Book Video)

Cat O' Nine Tales book video

2008-07-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

Cat O' Nine Tales from D Macgillivray on Vimeo.

Bear Awareness Week

2008-05-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

Now, here's a male of the species who is welcome to make me very aware of bear.

I can't resist a totally --well, not totally-- gratuitous hunk to start the day. Look out for further news from me about how this manly pose was transformed into a poster representing 'Rhett (Prince Djarrhett) the hero of the sequel to Forced Mate and Insufficient Mating Material. Or maybe you've seen the ad with the temporary cover?

Even if I knew that he might "shift" into bear form at any moment, I think I'd risk letting a hero who looks like this give me a Bear Hug!

Anyway... Not only is today (Sunday May 11th) Mother's Day, but it is also the start of Bear Awareness Week.

Angie Fox, Carrie Masek, Sandy Lender, Cynthia Eden and Charlee Boyett-Compo are joining me on internet voices radio tonight between 9pm
Eastern and eleven pm to give a whole new depth of meaning to Bear men and Romance.

We'd love some listeners, even for a little while.

FOR CRAZY TUESDAY: In the last program, Jade Lee and Emily Bryan (aka
Diana Groe) talked about everything below the belt in honor of Earth
Day... from Brazilian waxes for courtesans, to castration, to foot
binding.

http://www.internetvoicesradio.com/CrazyTuesday.htm

FOR CHERRY PICKING SPECIALS, which is the irreverent and irregular
Sunday night-time show about Romance heroes and the animals they shift
into being when the right female comes along.

http://www.internetvoicesradio.com/rowena.htm

Best wishes,
Rowena Cherry
http://www.rowenacherry.com
http://www.internetvoicesradio.com

Romance, loaded (with love) for Bear

2008-05-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Cat Laws

2008-05-03T04:25:00.000-07:00

Cat Laws

Law of Cat Inertia

A cat at rest will tend to remain at rest, unless acted upon by some outside force - such as the opening of cat food, or a nearby scurrying mouse.

Law of Cat Motion

A cat will move in a straight line, unless there is a really good reason to change direction.

Law of Cat Magnetism

All blue blazers and black sweaters attract cat hair in direct proportion to the darkness of the fabric.

Law of Cat Thermodynamics

Heat flows from a warmer to a cooler body, except in the case of a cat, in which case all heat flows to the cat.

Law of Cat Stretching

A cat will stretch to a distance proportional to the length of the nap just taken.

Law of Cat Sleeping

All cats must sleep with people whenever possible, in a position as uncomfortable for the people involved, and as comfortable as possible for the
cat.

Law of Cat Elongation

A cat can make her body long enough to reach just about any counter top that has anything remotely interesting on it.

Law of Cat Obstruction

A cat must lay on the floor in such a position to obstruct the maximum amount of human foot traffic.

Law of Cat Acceleration

A cat will accelerate at a constant rate, until he gets good and ready to stop.

Law of Dinner Table Attendance

Cats must attend all meals when anything good is served.

Law of Rug Configuration

No rug may remain in its naturally flat state for very long.

Law of Obedience Resistance

A cat's resistance varies in proportion to a human's desire for her to do something.

First Law of Energy Conservation

Cats know that energy can neither be created nor destroyed and will, therefore, use as little energy as possible.

Second Law of Energy Conservation

Cats also know that energy can only be stored by a lot of napping.

Law of Refrigerator Observation

If a cat watches a refrigerator long enough, someone will come along and take out something good to eat.

Law of Electric Blanket Attraction

Turn on an electric blanket and a cat will jump into bed at the speed of light.

Law of Random Comfort Seeking

A cat will always seek, and usually take over, the most comfortable spot in any given room.

Law of Bag/Box Occupancy

All bags and boxes in a given room must contain a cat within the earliest possible nanosecond.

Law of Cat Embarrassment

A cat's irritation rises in direct proportion to her embarrassment times the amount of human laughter.

Law of Milk Consumption

A cat will drink his weight in milk, squared, just to show you he can.

Law of Furniture Replacement

A cat's desire to scratch furniture is directly proportional to the cost of the furniture.

Law of Cat Landing

A cat will always land in the softest place possible; often the mid- section of an unsuspecting, reclining human.

Law of Fluid Displacement

A cat immersed in milk will displace her own volume, minus the amount of milk consumed.

Law of Cat Disinterest

A cat's interest level will vary in inverse proportion to the amount of effort a human expends in trying to interest him.

Law of Pill Rejection

Any pill given to a cat has the potential energy to reach escape velocity.

Law of Cat Composition

A cat is composed of Matter + Anti-Matter + It Doesn't Matter.

Older cats and grief…

2008-04-28T11:12:00.000-07:00

Cats are the most adaptable creatures. Give them a safe place, regular food, and a nice clean litter box and they will adjust. The younger they are, the more quickly they adapt. But what about the older cat who has belonged to one person for all or most of their kitty life? Cats grieve; the longer the association that is being broken, the more they can actually will themselves not to live. Think of Grey Friar’s Bobby. That’s the worry I faced when I took in Miss Fuzz, the elderly cat that belonged to my dear friend, author Dawn Thompson, who died in February.

Dawn bought Fuzz when she was a kitten from a pet store. She said there were other pretty kitties vying for attention. However, back in the corner of one cage was a small tuxedo cat. Her foot had been broken, there was not much hair on her tail, the fur on her forehead was missing and one set of eyebrow whiskers was gone. Obviously, this small kitten had gone through some ugly abuse. The pet store owner said he would probably have to have her put down because no one would want the poor thing.

Dawn knew she and Fuzz were meant to be. Life had never been very good to Dawn, thus she saw another kindred spirit in this very tiny cat, took her home, and a friendship that lasted sixteen years was born. Fuzz bloomed under Dawn’s TLC. Her tail is bushy and everything has grown back―save for the right eyebrow whiskers. Her back right foot still points a little to the side. Those are differences you notice immediately. After Fuzz came to live with me, I noticed other oddities, which had to result from the abuse. Instead of the natural rounded form of her ribcage, hers is flatter. You will also notice upon feeling, she had four ribs broken on the left side.

When Dawn became ill in hospital last autumn, she feared she might die, and bemoaned what would happen to Fuzz. I have often pondered this about my own cat. What would happen to her if I die? How would she accept me not being there for her? It was a serious concern due to my own bad health these past two years, so I empathized with Dawn’s panic at fearing for Fuzz’s security. A feline that is used to being a pampered puss, all their whims indulged, how do they adjust to not only losing the love that they have grown to believe will always be there, but suddenly ‘their person’ is just gone? With humans, we go through funerals; people offer explanations of death. What do cats think when one day their person goes away and never comes back? They cannot say, “Oh, she died. I need to move on.” They wait. And wait. In Fuzz’s case this waiting was even more heart-rending because of Dawn’s long hospitalization, and the fact she did come home once. At one point, after a few weeks, she was sent home from Brookhaven Hospital. Fuzz had Dawn for part of a day before it ended up with Dawn having to be rushed back. Fuzz must have thought Dawn came home once, surely, she would come home again. If she just waited long enough then Dawn would come again.

A housecleaning service was sent into the apartment; strangers came and went before, during and after the funeral. Fuzz was very territorial, Dawn said, and very protective of her. Dawn suffered from lymphoma and a nurse had to come every morning to wrap her legs to compress the fluid out of them. Once the nurse hurt Dawn accidently, and when she cried out Fuzz jumped up on her lap and hissed at the nurse and wouldn’t let her near Dawn again. Suddenly, not only was this poor cat alone for the better part of four months, now people were invading her home.

I knew Fuzz would come to me. I told Dawn this a couple years ago, that I would take Fuzz if anything happened to her. But when I made that vow I was in good health and could drive to New York. I was not in shape to make that trip when the time came. I had pneumonia for months at the start of the 2007, then a heart attack in July. There was no way I could make that drive. Plans were discussed, putting Fuzz in a carrier and shipping her with an airline ticket, but fortunately a very sweet man named Don said he was making the drive to the South, he could carry Fuzz to me. Bless you, Don! You’re an angel. We arranged things and Fuzz came to me on a late Sunday night a little over seven weeks ago.

So now, poor Fuzz not only didn’t have her person, she was removed from her home of sixteen years and was carted halfway across the US and given to a complete stranger. Worse, there is a ‘furry critter’ in this unfamiliar house where you have never seen before! Fuzz had NEVER seen another cat. My cat, Foutchie, is seven now. Though she was raised with other cats, the last one died two years ago. She ‘inherited’ everything and has a bit of a problem sharing. I hoped they would take one look at each other and be friends. Not to be. Fuzz was terrified of Foutchie. And Foutchie had a cat hiss at her! What to do? Fuzz would make 2 ½ of Foutchie. I cannot just toss them out there and say get along. Worse, Fuzz was known for slinking off in the old apartment and hiding. What if she did that here and I couldn’t find where she went? Knowing how traumatized she was I feared she would crawl off in some corner or under something. We are packing and preparing to move later this year, so we are slowly sorting through stuff in the attic and such, boxing everything. I was seriously upset she would get someplace she deemed safe and I wouldn’t be able to find her. I had knee surgery last year and couldn’t get down and play hide and seek with a kitty that didn’t want to be found. Worse, would she come out? I have seen cats crawl off and hide like this for days; they can dehydrate and die.

Well, I was worried. Here I promised to care for Fuzz and give her a good home; I couldn’t allow that to happen. Fuzz wouldn’t even allow me to pick her up without going on the attack. Hum…what to do? We hit on the idea of putting her in the one bedroom used for storage. She would have a full bed to sleep on, her own heater, plenty of room for a kitty. I hated “locking her away” until she grew to trust me so we took off the solid door to the room and put up a louvered door, with the slats facing so she can watch into the house, yet still feel safe.
She quickly sussed out the bed and claimed that. I had some things Don had brought that were hers and I put them there to give her a sense of something from her old life. Dawn had prepared me how Fuzz liked things. She needs more than one water bowl, likes milk in the morning and tuna in the afternoon. So immediately I had her routine matching how Dawn cared for her. My editor, Hilary Sares, said tuna every day wasn’t good for a kitty, so I gradually moved her to canned food. Her appetite gaveme hope she would not allow grief to claim her. At sixteen it was a serious concern. Older cats can become frail so easily, and once they lose muscle, it’s hard for them to regain it. Fuzz ate and showed a strong appetite.

Over the past seven weeks, she’s gradually accepted me, maybe is even growing to like me. She expects things done her way, but allows for new adventures such grilled chicken breast for lunch. She hears me coming into the kitchen and gives me so long to gather her food and water and arrive. I am still cannot pick her up, but I am able to pet and stroke her. She comes to me. This week, she finally meowed. She had been silent. No meows, no purrs. Dawn said she did a lot of talking to her, so I figured her silence was another side of her grief. She often refused to look at me when I came into the room. I think she believed if she didn’t look, she could grieve in silence and still pray Dawn would return.
Bittersweet, she started talking to me just days ago. I guess she is finally accepting life has moved on. Yes, cats are very adaptable, but I often wonder what they think about their person just going away and never coming back.
I have a new Dell computer, Vista OS. My old camera won’t work with Vista so I must buy a new camera to go with it, so sadly, no Fuzz pics yet. Maybe soon. Maybe we will have bonded enough I can present you with one of me holding her.

Maybe she will be purring.

Off topic, but I can't help myself....

2008-03-28T05:08:00.000-07:00

Preditors and Editors has awarded my site the Author's Site Of Excellence Award.

Needless to say, I am thrilled!

Hi Everyone! Thought I'd introduce myself!

2007-12-28T18:17:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to introduce myself and pose a couple of questions. First, who am I? Well, my name is Teresa D’Amario. I’m a paranormal romance writer, who writes about shapeshifters. While shapeshifters COULD be human, mine are based on animal society. My first release, SheWolf is available at Freya’s Bower, and I’m sure you’re going to love it.

Now, the first question: Why are animals so interesting to use as shapeshifters for paranormal romance?

My thoughts are simple. A shapeshifter who operates primarily on instinct can not be politicially correct.

Politically incorrect writing? Who would have thought it would be so fun to read such things! A few months back, Angela Knight posted on her blog “Where have all the balls gone.” This is still one of my favorite blog posts of all times. It discusses the rise of the alpha male in current paranormal romance. But to me, I think part of what makes our Werewolves, and Werecats so fascinating is because they don’t have to be like real men. They don’t have to worry about being chauvinistic, because they expect their woman to be almost as powerful as they, if not in strength, at least in intelligence. They don’t get yelled at for being dominant, for taking what they want, for protecting those they love.

So while I write, I watch my dogs, and every step they take. What do they do to show dominance over one another? Is it in the eyes? Is it in the actions? Is it in both?

Having worked with dogs for years, I know it’s in all of the above.
But in SheWolf, I took it a step further. The woman runs on her instincts. Feminine. Wolven and human. They work together to create a powerful female. She loves what she does, she protects those she cares about, and she uses those instincts and intelligence to move through life.

So, if you were an animal shifter, what animal would you want to be? What animal has skills and instincts you admire the most? Who knows. You may find that animal in one of my future releases!

More cat pictures that make me think

2007-12-07T07:05:00.000-08:00

Not being a fan of dogs, this image really appeals to me. Has anyone written a story about a kung fu fighting cat?

Rowena Cherrry

A close-up of a cat's tongue

2007-12-07T07:03:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been licked by a cat? It's not unpleasant.

Cat Wars!!!!

2007-11-28T04:52:00.000-08:00

Though I am sure he will sell more than me in the long run,
it's still fun to see this! (P.S. I had the title first!!)

Cat O'Nine Tales [SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION] (Paperback)
by Deborah Macgillivray (Author), Monika Wolmarans (Editor)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,176 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories: (What's this?)
#24 in Books > Romance > Anthologies
#95 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Short Stories > Anthologies

Cat O'Nine Tales: And Other Stories (Hardcover)by Jeffrey Archer (Author)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #60,513 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
(Publishers and authors: Improve Your Sales)

mass market parperback
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #82,524 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
(Publishers and authors: Improve Your Sales)

Listen Up - I am raffling off editors - for a worthy cause!

2007-10-25T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am raffling off editors!!!

Listen up!

Tired of submitting to slush piles and getting rejected before
the editors even see it?

Want a chance to get your book before a print editor???
Want a guaranteed that the editor actually reads it?
You don't ever get that request for a FULL manuscript??

Well here is your chance!!

Win a chance to have your completed or nearly completed
manuscript read and receive a one page critique from

Hilary Sares
Kensington editor
(Debut, Brava, Approdisia lines) YES!!!!

FIFTEEN people will win this amazing opportunity.

Yes, 15 people will have their full or nearly completed
manuscripts read and will receive a one page
critique from editor Hilary Sares.

How do you win this amazing chance??

RAFFLE -- $100 per entry.
Enter as many times as you want.
(all money is going to a worthy cause)
~~~~~~~~~ Rules: ~~~~~~~~~

You may enter as many times as you want at $100 a "ticket".
The more times you enter, the better your chances are.

Winners will be randomly selected from a drawing of names.
on
December 21st, 2007

~~~~~~~~ What do you get? ~~~~~~~~

15 people with completed or nearly completed manuscripts
(any genre!) will have their manuscript read
by
Hilary Sares
(Impress her and she could even want to buy you
~~ if you are what she's looking for!)
All 15 will get a one page critique of their manuscript.

But that is not all....

RUNNERS up will get....

2nd place Runners up.... (#16 and #17 winners)

Chris Keeslar
Senior Editor, Dorchester Publishing
(Leisure Books and Love Spell)
~~ will read and critique 100 pages ~~
you get to put a proposal of 100 pages before
Dorchester's editor, and receive 1 page critique.
Again, he will consider buying if you impress him!
(Historical Romances, Magna, Contemporary, Paranormal)

Leah Hultenschmidt
Editor for Dorchester Publishing
(Leisure Books and Love Spell)

~~ will read and critique a 100 pages ~!
you get to put a proposal of 100 pages before Dorchester's editor,
and receive 1 page critique.
Again, she will consider buying if you impress her!
(Historical Romances, Contemporary, Paranormal)
3rd place Runner up (#18, #19, #20 and #21 winners)

Leanne Burroughs
Publisher/Editor of Highland Press, will read and
critique 4 full manuscripts -the publisher/owner of
Highland Press
will read and giveeach a 1 page critique.
Again, she will consider buying.

(Historical Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary,
Mainstreams YA, Childrens)
Trade size PRINT Books

Details....The raffle runs through
midnight EST December 15, 2007

The random drawing will be held on:
December 21, 2007

so 21 people will have a very Merry Christmas!!!
winners will be notified by phone and email on that day.

All monies raised go to help author Dawn Thompson's hospital
and medical bills.Dawn recently had a bad fall. She is a new
writer so has to wait for nearlya year or more to start receiving
her royalties. She doesn't have family to help herand has a lot of
needs not being covered by her insurance. Money will go to
help her pay for medicine not covered, and other needs
arising from her recovery.

All drawings will be final. No Refunds

Any questions about the contest
email
Deborah Macgillivray
Kensington, Dorchester, & Highland Press author
writer@deborahmacgillivray.co.uk

To enter

Name:

email address (working email addy for you will be billed $100 through Paypal):

Penname, if any:

Your full address:

Your Phone number:

The Title of your manuscript:

The genre of your manuscript:

Is your manuscript completed? Yes NO

If no - expected completion date

Once your email application is received
you will be sent a "ticket" bill through
Paypal at $100.00 for each entry.
You pay enter has many times as you want to increase your odds.

You will be helping a fellow writer get back on her feet
after trauma, and you finally get that GUARATEED
chance to be read by some top print editors.

Last Week to enter NAME THAT CAT CONTEST

2007-10-22T05:07:00.000-07:00

Watch the Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JARtVbE2Fg0

Ballad Version (Music by Mike Duncan, mike-duncan.org)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VOmoDpwPOvk

Rock Version (Music by Mike Duncan, mike-duncan.org)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0505526921 Amazon.com
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780505526922&itm=4 Barnes and Noble

Name that Cat Contest -

Romantic Times ad in November 2007 issue "This second story about the Mershan brothers is as interesting, fast moving, suspenseful and fun as the first one." - Susan Mobley, Romantic Times

*****I fell in love with the characters in this story and wanted a happy ending for each of them. Ms. MacGillivray's storylines do more than give you an escape from reality, they allow you to dream of a world where happily-ever-afters are possible and love conquers all. Beautifully done! - Chrissy Dionne, Romance Junkies

*****The great thing about Macgillivray's "series" novels is they get better with each release. - Amy Wolff Sorter, author of Soul Obsession

*****This is a very compelling tale about lost lives and loving forever. It takes you back through visions to an earlier time and literally a time warp in some cases, like the haunting. I love the jukebox playing only music from the Sixties and that it is always apropos to what his happening in the story. The motley cast of characters is also a great ensemble, with side plots all throughout the story and meshing so well tying it all together. The past and the present meet and come full circle to give justice to a wrong done. This is a tear jerker at times but be prepared to laugh, cry, and sing along to your favorite oldies. If you like young love, time warps, haunting ghosts or jukeboxes, and even riding the thunder on a Harley, this is the one for you. - Lainey, Coffeetime Romance Reviews

Cat O' Nine Tails goes to printer! Coming Soon!

2007-09-29T21:57:00.001-07:00

Many of you who get the Romantic Times Magazine will receive the newest issue Monday, October 1. In it will be an ad for Highland Press advertising three HP books - Into The Woods by RR Smythe; The Sense of Honor by Ashley Kath-Bilsky; and my one-author anthology, Cat O' Nine Tales. The other two books are already out; mine goes to Press on Monday, so there will be a small delay before they reach Amazon and other online outlets.

This collection has eight of my stories -short stories and novellas - many have received awards. Its ninth tale is a new novella. Highland Press is putting them into the Collector's Edition, tradesize paperback, because they received so many requests to have my works under one cover for collectors.

So do hang on!! If you would like to be notified of when the books are hitting the shelves, you can go to my website and use the contact me button to email me and get on the notification list. That way you will know precisely when the books are shipping.

The stories are: Bad Cat; Getting It In The End; Double, Double, Toil & Trouble; Rider in the Storm; Devil in Spurs; All I Want For Christmas Is A Hula-hoop...And A Mother; Blue Christmas Cat; Chicken What Du Hell?; and A Very Special Man.

They are an eclectic mix of Contemporary, Historical and Paranormal Romances, and each story has a very unusual feline. So this book will delight Romance readers who especially love cats. A super gift just in time for the Holidays!

Because I am a deep cat lover, half of all my royalties will be donated to Alley Cats to help them with their great efforts in rescuing feral cats worldwide. (www.alleycats.org)

Deborah Macgillivray

Dogs in Romance

2007-09-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Natale's post struck a chord with me!

At the moment, I am reading Georgette Heyer's The Reluctant Widow. I've no business reading for pleasure at the moment because I'm behind on a deadline, but I wanted to see how a classic author dealt with a basically implausible premise.

I've done that. I should put it down, but I'm hooked.

There's a dog. It's name is Bouncer, and in my current mood, I think it is the most masterfully written character in the book. Bouncer certainly steals his scenes. He is carrying the book, at the moment. I want to know what this bad dog will do next, because he is partially trained, and therefore cannot be trusted to bite the villain, or to not bite the heroine.

He's frightening, but endearing. He'll cheerfully take a bribe... but will not necessarily modify his behavior out of gratitude.

Bouncer rocks!

Rowena Cherrry

Horses in Manhattan -- a Newsweek article

2007-09-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20978024/site/newsweek/from/ET/

I always took horses rather for granted in my favorite historical romances, but this Newsweek article opened my eyes to some things I'd never considered.

From a morality point of view, I probably will rule out taking a horse-drawn carriage ride in a major city, such as New York or Indianapolis, as a shortcut to researching that mode of transport, if I ever desert my alien romances and return to Historicals which were my first love.

Best wishes,
Rowena Cherrry

Animal Appeal

2007-09-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

Men and animals. Men who are animals. Animals who inspire men -- or male characters. Before I begin this, let me just say that I don't consider men animals. I like men. I married one male and I gave birth to another and I respect and admire both of them. I'm also not a reverse chauvinist. I don't require that I be treated like I am a man or like I'm better than a man. I'm not a man. I don't want to be a man. I like being a woman. Heaven help you if you suggest that I am inferior in any way solely because of my gender, but different? Sure. Go ahead.

That said . . . let me also say I love animals. Never would I demean my dog by suggesting he in any way resembles a human male--

Sorry. I just couldn't pass that one up*g*.

With regard to books and writing, like a lot of paranormal romance authors, I've linked human males and animals pretty closely in my upcoming release, PANDORA'S BOX (Dorchester, Feb. 2008). One of my main characters is a puca. A puca is a lesser-known shape-shifter with roots in nearly every culture's mythology. He's a trickster who can shift to human form but usually takes the shape of a dark stallion with yellow eyes. In my story, however, he assumes the more adaptable form of dog so he can more easily pass inspection as a normal part of my heroine's life -- in spite of his spooky eyes, irrepressible personality and inability to truly bark.

Now, I will admit that it's been fun to occasionally draw parallels between my puca Riordan in dog form and my human male character Teague. Hey, when you discuss food, sex, or getting a male "fixed," I'm thinking the reaction among males would be entertainingly universal, independent of species. But more than that, having this seemingly unappealing mutt in my heroine's life is an effective characterization tool. Think about it. You can tell a lot about people by the way they treat animals. Do they feed them? Baby them? Kick them? Steer clear of them? Treat them firmly, sternly, hatefully, fearfully or dotingly? Is the animal seen as a friend, a nuisance, a baby, a rival, a member of the family?

And then there's the entertainment value. I write humor and I find dogs vastly amusing. That's why my tail-chasing hound Max shows up so frequently in my own blogs. To him, every walk around the neighborhood is an adventure fit for a knight in shining armor, with dragons (i.e., automatic sprinklers, trash cans, rival animals) lurking around every corner.

Ah, but don't forget the goopy moments. Picture your hero sleeping on the couch, with fifty pounds' worth of sleeping hound sprawled across his chest, muzzle tucked under the man's chin. What does this say about the hero? See? So many opportunities for characterization.

Thanks for humoring me*g*.

Natale Stenzel
http://www.natalestenzel.com/

Pets and small children in SF and Fantasy

2007-08-31T07:39:00.000-07:00

Many new writers are taught not to include pets and small children into their Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy stories. Supposedly, the inclusion of pets and small children in adult fiction detracts from the story and especially the Romance. However, if you’re writing Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, you would have pets and small children because you’re writing about their world and their reality.

I disagree. In my opinion, including pets and children as secondary characters makes the story more realistic and believable. They flesh out the background of the world-building. After all, pets and children are a natural and normal part of our lives, aren’t they?

Robert A. Heinlein incorporated pets and children in his Young Adult Science Fiction. Classic examples are PODKAYNE OF MARS en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podkayne_of_Mars
and THE STAR BEAST en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star_Beast

In David Drake’s Honor Harrington series, web.telia.com/~u54504162/honor/index.htm
Honor is one of the few people adopted by a Sphinxian treecat an intelligent indigenous species. This occurred when she was a child, a rarity among treecat adoptions. She has dubbed her 'cat Nimitz. After conducting considerable research on them, she has eventually become one of the foremost experts on treecats.

Andre Norton’s www.andre-norton.org/books/date.html
Beast Master series of books takes the relationship of humans and their pets to a higher level of an equal partnership and blending of physical and psychic abilities. In her Moon of Three Rings, the aliens have a “circus and pet show” where the animals are equal partners in their presentation of their acts.

In the Liaden Universe books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, www.korval.com/liad.htm
cats are honored pets within many of the Liaden households. In I DARE, www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0441010857/blookangarue/107-2494529-45437/blookangarue
the cat plays a major role in bringing down the villain of that tale.

For the second book in my Sidhe trilogy, DOWN CAME A BLACKBIRD, www.atlanticbridge.net/publishing/blackbird.htm
Indio’s eight-year old daughter Socorro stows away on the mining expedition spaceship with her pet kitten, Licorice. The miners on the spaceship voted to hide their presence on the ship from the scientists and captain because they didn’t want to have to cancel their mission in order to return her and Licorice to the space station.

Readers and book reviewers have written to me to express how much they enjoyed the different scenes with the kitten. Especially, the chapter where Kevin has created a cat spacesuit and has to put it on the struggling kitten. Needless to say, blood is shed in this chapter and none of it belongs to the cat. LOL.

In THE HUNTRESS, www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=linda018&cart_id=2724621.20752&product_name=The+Huntress&return_page=&user-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact
my award winning Erotic SF novel, the alien hero Rulagh is an exo-biologist working for the Interstellar Humane Society. He’s on Earth to handle the animal control problem of the chupacabras, the feral descendants of alien pets left behind by UFO tourists eighty years ago. In addition to killing off wild chupacabras, Rulagh and Sonia wind up adopting two orphaned chupacabra pups.

Here’s a scene from THE HUNTRESS where Rulagh teaches Sonia how to handle the baby chupacabras and bond them to her. (Special note: When Rulagh speaks, there's a double ss in words beginning with s in order to indicate the fact that he hisses because of his forked tongue. Those double ss's are not typos. )

THE HUNTRESS: EXCERPT

Rulagh squatted in front of the cardboard box and removed Suma, the chubbier one of the chupacabra pups. He cradled her against his chest and stroked her belly. She gave a delighted meep and stretched her body like a courtesan begging for attention.

Sonia lifted a tentative hand and stroked the baby chupacabra’s soft belly. Miniscule scales tickled her fingers. The puppy was too small, too trusting for Sonia to feel afraid of it.

Rulagh’s quiet voice deepened into a raspy whisper. “Now’s a good time to give them their first blooding.”

Sonia pulled her hand away as if she’d been bitten. She peeked at the tips of her fingers and saw no bite marks. Her heart skipped a beat. Chupacabras was Spanish word for goatsuckers. “First b-blooding?”

Rulagh cocked his head and flicked his tongue at her for a split second. “It’s nothing to be afraid of. The feral ones were never taught how to control their bloodlust. They’re omnivores. They need meat and plants, not just blood to ssurvive. When the first blooding is done properly, it binds them to you for life.”

He thinks I’m afraid. Was she? Sonia pursed her lips. No, she wasn’t, not with Rulagh hunkered down on his heels calmly cradling one of the pups in his arms like a baby. She slanted a defiant look at him, picked Anga up and tucked the tiny body into the crook of her arm. The pup snuggled against her with legs splayed apart, coiled her tail around Sonia’s wrist and gazed up with glowing red eyes. The feathery soft crest on Anga’s back and head tickled Sonia’s arm.

Rulagh hugged Suma to his chest, extended his fore claw and crooked his finger. “I promise you, after the initial cut you will feel no pain.”

She held out her right hand. He inserted his claw into the tip of her index finger with a swift, delicate touch. It felt like a needle had pricked her. A bead of blood formed on her finger. Anga turned her head, flicked her tongue out and stared at the blood on Sonia’s finger. A shiver rippled through the pup’s body.

Sonia stuck her finger in the pup’s mouth before she could change her mind. No way was she going to act like a sissy for Rulagh’s amusement. Anga latched on to the finger eagerly. A contented croon burbled from her throat while she sucked with innocent greed and clung to Sonia’s finger with her paws. Anga’s tongue had the same sand-papery feel of a cat’s.

A slightly deeper croon burbled from the other pup. Sonia risked a look and saw Suma sucking on Rulagh’s finger with the same greed. He pulled his finger out of the pup’s mouth. It gave a sad meep. “Now we sswitch.”

Why was he doing this? Why didn’t he just bond the puppies to him and leave her out of it? If he planned to take them with him when he left the planet, it didn’t make any sense to bond them to her too, and then leave her behind. Did this mean he planned to take her off planet too? The implications, the possibility of being able to actually fly in his spacecraft whirled around in Sonia’s mind.
She tugged her finger out of Anga’s mouth and inserted it in Suma’s mouth while Rulagh placed his finger in Anga’s mouth. The pups sucked for about thirty seconds more and released the fingers with satisfied sighs. Their heads lolled back, they yawned and their eyelids slid shut.

Sonia followed Rulagh’s lead and returned her drowsy pup to its adoptive mother’s side. She rose to her feet and studied her finger. The pinprick mark had already sealed shut. “How often will we have to do this?”

“Once a week. As long as we give them blood as a regular treat, they’ll develop a taste for our blood only and won’t even consider drinking from anyone else.”

“What about when they get bigger, won’t they need to drink a lot more than just a couple of drops?”

Rulagh touched Sonia’s arm and stroked it with his blunted fore finger. “They won’t ask for more because by that time, they will love us too much and accept whatever amount we choose to give them.”

IMPLOSION ZONE www.loose-id.net/detail.aspx?ID=531
is my newest Erotic SF novella. It’s also the sequel to FLARE ZONE, which debuted in the FANGS anthology www.loose-id.net/detail.aspx?ID=333
at Loose Id. IMPLOSION ZONE is scheduled for release within the next two weeks at Loose Id.

In addition to trying to find and arrest the serial killer who’s terrorizing the space station, Maris and Pierce have their hands full acting as godparents for Kayle, a week old A.I. (Artificial Intelligence).

Kayle is eager to prove himself by trying to solve the mystery of the serial killer with the help of his friends, the children who are supposed to be helping him learn how to socialize properly with others. Kayle is frustrated by the limits placed on him because he’s still considered an A.I. child. He hopes to be able to upgrade to AdminNET level instead of being restricted to only KidNET Internet access at the station.

Here’s a short excerpt from IMPLOSION ZONE where Kayle and his friends wind up in the middle of danger on the deck where spacers and stationers are fleeing in a panicked stampede from a undead vampire on a berserk rampage.

EXCERPT: IMPLOSION ZONE

Kayle hadn’t anticipated this vast warren of space where the five-level-high ceiling curved into the distance. Gantries loomed two and three levels high, holding the lopsided weight of the massive robotic cranes that loaded and unloaded cargo. Every fifty yards, holographic message boards rotated and showed constantly changing data updates about arriving and departing ships, stock market reports, prices of commodities, and job openings.

Dockworkers monitored the loaders. Ship captains, cargo-masters, and stationers exchanged loud and raucous discussions over availability of passenger and cargo space. Assorted spacers on shore leave strolled to and from the side corridors where various shops, restaurants, sleazy bars, gambling parlors, and sexual entertainment houses catered to their needs and vices.

Suli stood beside Jason. Her straight black hair flipped over her shoulder while she moved her head back and forth to watch the sights. Jason’s red hair and pale skin kept him readily visible in comparison with the normally dark-haired and dark-skinned population of the station.

Cataloging the immense variety of human coloration and body type still kept Kayle occupied each time he wandered about the station. He looked forward to increasing that visual database even further when Lilith and Caliban decided he’d matured enough to upgrade to AdminNET instead of KidNET.

Suli kept a tight, white-knuckled grip on Jin’s hand. He’d wandered off in the wrong direction right after they exited the tube-train. She’d freaked out when Jin disappeared from view, and wasn’t taking any chances on him getting away again.

Jason jammed his hands in his pockets. “This is fragging! I always wanted to see the docks, but my dad never had the time to take me here.”

Kayle turned to Abrized. “Are you sure this is the right place?”

The Avee child spun around in a circle. “Deck 10, Sector 13 is where Station Security said they found my second-father’s body.” He stopped. His nostrils flared and the blue feathers on his scalp rippled. He pointed to the left. “Och-Eoce blood scent is very faint in that direction.”

A high-pitched scream of endless fright scaled up. Echoes bounced off the walls in confusing tangents. Kayle damped down the background noise and turned his audio sensors up to full power in an attempt to pinpoint the source of the scream.

People stopped. Heads swiveled in every direction.

Hooting sirens wailed overhead. Suli, Jason, and Jin stuck their fingers in their ears. Abrized sunk down to the floor and covered his head with his arms. Ramps retracted into docked ships. Machines loading and unloading shipping cans ground to a stop, their flexi-metal grips and extensions frozen in midmotion.

The words RED ALERT! RED ALERT! followed by PLEASE PROCEED TO THE NEAREST EXIT POINT IN AN ORDERLY FASHION flared inside Kayle’s head. The same bland and frustratingly noninformative instructions scrolled across the holographic message boards in flashing red letters.

He opened his illegal backdoor link to Security Central to find out what information the police and station administration were holding back from public links in order to avoid any panic. His link shunted to an automated reply node. All lines are busy. Please hold until the next available line is open.

The booming, bone-shaking crash of emergency seals closing at both ends of Section 13 reverberated through the metal-plated deck. Garbled screams and yells exploded from around the left-hand curve of the dock. The cascading logic of chaos math failed to encompass the sudden storm of frightened humanity that exploded from every side corridor onto the dock.

A very faint whisper of smoke tainted the airflow. A mass of adult humans, all sizes and shapes, stampeded around the curving line of the corridor straight for Kayle and his friends. Approximately forty-six percent of the panicked mob waved work tools and jagged lengths of pipe over their heads.

Sara’s Combat Law #6: Mobs are bad news. Panicked mobs are worse news. Avoid them at all costs.

Kayle blinked. Who programmed Sara’s Laws into my brain? Sara wasn’t even a sentient being. She was a minor science fiction vid heroine with a cult following that encompassed eighty-four star systems. He discarded the thought as irrelevant to the present situation.

Jason pointed at the rear wall. “Go that way. We have to get out of their way. Fast.”

Obviously Kayle wasn’t the only one with a working knowledge of Sara’s Laws.

Suli tugged Jin along with her and ran toward the wall. Jason pulled Abrized to his feet. They raced after Suli and Jin.

Jin’s toy clattered to the deck and rolled backward. He yanked his hand free from Suli’s hold, ducked under Jason’s arm, and barreled past Abrized’s grasp to retrieve his prize.

Adult legs blocked Kayle’s view. He pelted at a sharp angle that cut across the deck a few feet ahead of the river of panicked humans and caught sight of Jin.

Tears streaked the little boy’s face. Eyes wide with fear, he squatted down on the deck and hugged his toy to his chest, making his body as small as possible.

Sara’s Combat Law #2: Don’t be a hero, but if there isn’t any other choice, go for it.

Between one step and the next, Kayle morphed from his Avee shape into a shimmering flexible panel with feet. He lunged forward, grabbed Jin, and wrapped his flattened body around the little boy in a protective bubble. The mob crashed into them. Legs, hands, and feet kicked and pushed Kayle and Jin in random directions like a soccer ball bouncing across a playing field.

He rolled to a stop. The thundering roar of feet slamming against the deck damped down into a faint vibration. He unfolded his body from the bubble shape, released Jin, and morphed back to his default form of a two-foot-tall silver humanoid.

***
In conclusion for today’s blog, my advice is as follows:

Don’t limit your horizons when you write Science Fiction and Fantasy. Include pets and children in your stories as part of the normal lives of your characters.
Thank you.

Barbara Karmazin
www.sff.net/people/selkiewife
www.myspace.com/barbarakarmazin
groups.yahoo.com/group/TheSensuousAlien/

Animals that inspire

2007-08-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

I'm under deadline at the moment, so cannot take long. If you watch this video of MATING NET, at the end you will be offered --by YouTube-- an array of animal videos that have absolutely nothing to do with me or my work.

I did write a scene inspired by the horse and the golf bag... but then I decided it was not in the best possible taste!

If you are on YouTube, check out my sites RowenaBCherry also rowenabeau also rowenacherry.

I've started to collect some videos for my Cherry Picking radio program... sea otters, manatees, seals.

All the best,
Rowena Cherrry

Animal heroes of the furry kind

2007-07-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

I came across a couple of links in my research files that I thought might be useful.

For Dogs:
http://animal.discovery.com/guides/dogs/selector/selector.jsp

For Cats:
http://animal.discovery.com/guides/cats/selector/selector.jsp

Best wishes,
Rowena Cherrry

Males and other animals ... indeed!

2007-07-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

Males do some pretty disgusting and unromantic things from time to time. No doubt females do, too.... such as eating the head of the male while, or just before, he impregnates her.

Infant cockroaches, and infant koalas eat their mother's waste. And one type of infant spiders eat their mothers.

When it is a matter of survival, one does what is necessary, no matter how gross.

That was gross!
Moreover, it's not something that inspires me to write a scene for a romance. I just cannot imagine any heroine wanting to kiss him for any reason under the sun any time soon after that.

I would have loved to have been a fly on the nearest object of great attraction to flies, in order to have heard the camera crew's remarks during filming. Unlike SURVIVORMAN, who was filming his own, original series, in Africa during February/March --and who carries 50lbs of his own, self-operated filming equipment--, "Bear" Grylls has a cameraman with him.

Judging by the quality of the video, I'd guess that the cameraman was shaking with laughter.

Males are better equipped to carry out this survival trick. There is a long tradition of unspeakable things that thirsty men will drink. Warm beer. "The stale of horses" to quote from one of Shakespeare's plays with Roman heroes. "Goat's" in a recent film about a Beerfest (involving competitive drinking).

I wonder what kind of toast would be appropriate?
Here's looking at you?
Bottoms up?
Your very good health!

All the best,
Rowena

Hybrids in fiction

2007-06-14T00:11:00.000-07:00

Hybrids aren't just cars that run on more than one fuel source.

There are hybrid animals, and hybrid plants which occur either naturally or with the assistance of mankind, also hybrids in Greek and Roman mythology. Some hybrids are sterile, and some are not. Some hybrids are called after a combination of the father's name and the mother's (father's name first).

The mythological creatures do not appear to follow this convention... and in fact, now I understand the convention, my mind boggles over the Manticore (man-lion-scorpion).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid
wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid

The etymology is delightful. According to wikipedia, hybrid comes from the ancient Greek for "son of outrageous conduct."

I could have called my Tigron world's black sabre-toothed tigers ... pangers, or tigthers, but I think that would have complicated matters.

After the discussion with Josh about what carnivores in fiction should and should not eat, I spent several hours reading the ingredients on dry pet food for research purposes, I do have to wonder under what circumstances a dog in the wild would eat corn on the cob. Or rice!

There are some schools of alternative healing thought that claim some of our painful ailments (such as arthritis) are a consequence of us eating fruits or vegetables that we are not adapted for, or to which some of us are allergic. My mother cured very painful arthritic swelling in her hands by giving up all produce in the tomato families. Other people have a problem with potatoes. (Some have a problem but don't know it.)

In Insufficient Mating Material, the hero and heroine are marooned on an island on an alien world, and they have to test food and deal with the possibility that the heroine might not have a tolerance for some of the fruits and vegetables growing there.
They also notice some strange and apparently inappropriate alien animal behaviour and wonder how those animals evolved.

(For those who like to watch such things, it's quite instructive to see some of the videos that You-Tube in its wisdom has decided should be bundled with Insufficient Mating Material... a lot of animals going about their business!)

Best wishes,

Rowena Cherry
Insufficient Mating Material
"racy, wildly entertaining futuristic romance" ~Writers Write

What Josh said on Werewolves

2007-06-09T05:13:00.001-07:00

Josh's remarks are too cool to be left in "Comments"

When I asked what would happen if a werewolf guzzled chocolate, Josh (author of PET HATES) said...

Werewolves and chocolate? Real (high-cacao) chocolate would certainly excite them as their livers would be intermediate between humans' and dogs' at metabolising theobromine. There's a possibility that they could have fatal seizures. On the other hand if you palmed them off with the inferior so-called chocolate that many Brits seem to love then they might explode with rage.

As for animals with strange, expanding genitalia (of the sort that develops a natural "anchor" to keep the male parts inside the female parts for prolonged coitus).

Josh said...

Interrupted mating? There's a possibility that you'd be severely bitten! The genital tie is very firm.

Best wishes,
Rowena Cherrry

Animals in love stories

2007-06-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

On one social loop, the conversation has turned to strange sights seen in Spring time, such as astonishingly well hung male tortoises trying to mount small, mewing felines (they were mewing before the pursuit began), but that is not what I mean.

Got you going, though!

And if Josh, author of PET HATES, wants to explain how animals can make such a horrible mistake, I'd love to know more.

Deborah Anne mentioned the monkey in Pirates of the Caribbean. In the first Pirates, there was another pet: the psychic, and strategically incontinent parrot.

I don't think this is the first time a pet bird has been used for comic relief in a romance. (Pun intended)

A couple of years ago, at the Amelia Island concours d'elegance, there was someone with a really well trained parrot. When nature called, it climbed down its owner to the ground, did its business, and then climbed up him again. Which goes to show that a bird doesn't have to be messy.

Fieldfares (I believe) used divebombing as a coordinated method of deterring raptors such as crows. Apparently, there is something in bird poop that is not good for wing-feather condition and functioning, so after the crow has taken a few hits, it leaves before serious damage can be inflicted. I wonder if my local geese are under the impression that my black car is a threat to them! They'd probably like my house to move away, too.

I'd like to conclude with a mention of a bird with a starring role in a love story. Lady Hawk.

Best wishes,
Rowena

Don't you love the editing process??

2007-06-02T05:29:00.000-07:00

I know Rowena is running into the "do as I say, not as you think" wall.

I am busy editing--though at the moment waiting for some Green-eyed male to fix me breakfast. Handy things to have around once they are housebroken.

Now, if only I could get one editor similarly trained...mwahahaha.

nixsnay on the fake ice cream!!

2007-05-31T07:58:00.001-07:00

Hard working writer-reviewer kitty FOUTCHIE, loves to take a break from all the work and chow down to a drumstick. She also loves strawberry ice cream, enjoys getting the berries!

Only, she is on strike. I have been in a mood for sherbet - Lime and Pineapple. She is not amuzed. She gets her tongue going and then gets close enough to smell, and has to stop in mid lap! This is FAKE ice cream and she is getting bloody well tired of me tormenting her in this fashion.

It could possibly be on par with shooting undead monkeys!

At least, she thinks so!

Capt'n Jack Sparrow -- sexy pirate or vicious cruel abuser of undead monkeys?

2007-05-31T06:24:00.000-07:00

Does shooting an undead monkey constitute an act of cruelty?

Mwahahaha... In Pirates of Caribbean 2, Capt. Jack shoots the undead money. Now, I wonder. Will this precipitate poor undead monkeys to have a new fear from piratehood in general? How about little children exposed to this random act of violence? Might they not try this at home with their undead monkeys??

Inquiring Minds want to ken!!???

This is what happens when you have edits!

What PET HATES author Josh said.... (wine)

2007-05-30T05:32:00.001-07:00

Could a fictional big cat drink wine?

Josh said...

Wine bad for cats? Depends on how the owners behave after having imbibed it! Surely you don't mean to give your cat alcohol? Cats' livers are very poor at detoxifying chemicals as they are obligate carnivores and so have not evolved to cope with the array of chemicals that plants contain.

----
I am so glad I asked!
Fortunately for me, I write about Alien cat-like creatures (the black, saber-toothed Tigers of Tigron) and they are not the apex predator. Maybe I can find an evolutionary loophole.

I suppose it would be plausible for animals on an Earth-like moon of a gas giant to evolve differently, especially if the world had large arid areas. Perhaps they have to get their water by chewing succulents, like cactii.

Would that work, Josh?

I've seen dogs and cats chew on, and swallow grass, so I'm sure the behavior could evolve under the right conditions.

You'll say, perhaps, that the blood of their prey ought to provide all the liquid a predator needs. I wonder how I get around that one. Is blood salty? Might too much of it interfere with a creature's sanity?

Another possible loophole would be your comment about "the array of chemicals".

What chemicals are in plants? Are all the problematic chemicals in plants natural, or are some of them the result of farming methods? Or of mankind's pollution?

Rowena Cherry,
Insufficient Mating Material

Animals are better at understanding...

2007-05-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

Animals are better at understanding people...

A generality, yes, but very often generalities are spot on.

But think on it. An animal gives you devotion, true devotion and trust. People don't display this open acceptance. I know Josh will cringe, but I do a lot of vet style work. Force to. Often when you are far away from things, it's hard to get vet to give a herd of cats shots, hard to get one to come treat a horse when it's sick. Poke one of my cats with a needle, he will fuss and fight, but never takes it personally. Kitty's love doesn't change. Without words to justify my actions, she has an understanding of me that I won't do anything to hurt her. So if I poke her with a needle, she may not like it, but she comprehends I'm doing it for a reason. Two minutes after, she is back to loving me, all forgiven.

I'm sure if I poked my husband with a needle, he would not be anywhere so understanding.

If I could "Ask A Vet..."

2007-05-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

As an author of speculative romance, I make up animals as part of my world-building, but that doesn't relieve me of the obligation to be plausible, and also to be responsible.

If I create an apex predator, he has to be constructed like a predator. His eyes should probably face forward, unless there is a very good evolutionary reason (such as convergence -- where he evolves to look like his prey in order to mingle better and pick off prey without having to chase it, or spoil its flavor by frightening it.)

Here are some questions I'd like to ask a vet.

1. I know chocolate is bad for dogs. Is wine bad for big cats?

2. If chocolate is bad for dogs, should it be bad for werewolves?

3. I've read that dogs have a knob that acts as a sort of anchor once mating is underway. What would happen if a knobbly mating was forcibly interrupted?

4. Is it true that cats have "barbs" on theirs?

5. Do wasps (yellow jackets) really get drunk on rotten fruit? And if they do, is it because they like getting drunk? Or is it accidental?

6. Is there still animal cruelty involved in movie-making these days?

Best wishes,
Rowena Cherry

Archetypical male stupidity

2007-05-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

The camera often lies. What are we seeing here? And why is it interesting?

For instance, looking at this astonishing picture, my first thought is not to ask myself whether the photographer put the doggy equivalent of Spanish fly on the dog's belly. Or hamburger.

To be honest, when I looked at this photo, I laughed to think of the shock he seems to be about to inflict upon himself. How nasty of me! Why do I think that is funny?

Would I find it equally funny if the contortionist in question was not a dog but a man? (Not as much! I wouldn't believe that he was going to follow through). Suppose it was a tom cat? Do I like cats better than dogs? Having read excerpts from Josh's clever and amusing book PET HATES, I'm not sure I want to admit to any animal preferences.

Dogs --and cats-- chase their tails for fun, don't they? They even catch their tails. Why do they do that? Doesn't it hurt when the triumphant jaws snap shut on a tail?

In real life and in art (or in our literary endeavours) do we all do the equivalent of chasing our tails? Do we repeatedly set out to bite ourselves in the butt (metaphorically speaking) even after we've done it once, and ought to have learned not to make the same painful mistake again?

The archetypical shapeshifter

2007-05-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

The archetypical shapeshifter was Zeus. Right? He was king of the gods, his wife was rightly jealous. He loved to swing, but was too glorious for an ordinary mortal woman to look upon and live.

So, he went looking for love in animal disguise (except for the time he turned himself into a shower of gold, which I hope represented coins... sovereigns, perhaps).

I guess the ancient Greeks didn't have a problem with bestiality. Nowadays, I think we prefer our dragons, bears, wolves, lions, horses, centaurs, elephant seals, very large bats... you name your beast! to shift into manly form in order to make love.

Occasionally, Zeus turned the woman into a cow --Io, if my memory serves-- so he could act the bull. In some cases, after he'd had his fun, he neglected to turn the woman back into herself again. This was for her own protection, the myth writer would say. Now, speaking personally, I don't think I'd want to live out my life as a bovine after a quickie with a shapeshifting god, even if my eternal reward was to have a distant star or planet (or moon) named after me!

We have swans on our lake, and they are fiercely sexy birds, so I can understand the fascination of Leda and the Swan (though I've never figured out why Leda had to lay eggs afterwards, and I've occasionally wondered how big a swan would have to be if it was really a godly hunk in disguise).

A Tiger in a Spaceship

2007-05-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

I'm considering it, but all in all, I think it would be impractical. "Alien" was more dramatic. "Snakes On A Plane" was more visceral.

Men and horses - or Freud says giddy up!

2007-05-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

Ever notice how a 12-year-old girl can develop a grand love for her horse?

When I was twelve, I lived on the back of my horse. Out at first light, rode all day, swam together, ate together...we were inseparable. Mum had to come and drag me away at dark. I never made the jump from a young girl handling a 2000-pound animal to puberty hitting. However, Discovery Channel recently had a special showing that as puberty takes over the child and pushes her to be a young woman, it drives her to also seek out horses. Freud wasn't far wrong...mwahahah? A young girl learns through this experience―what does she learn? Well, that she is barely a hundred-pound lass, yet through smarts and misdirection she can control this beast and make it do as she wishes.

Nature pushes her to learn these things, that she―a mere slip of a female―can saddle and bridle these beasts of power (and some might say limited brainpower―though I won't). Horses are not smart. They have very small brains. Only, you should never underestimate them. They are tricksey elveses!! A horse who doesn't want a bit in his mouth quickly learns to gum it, so the rider THINKS they have seated the bit properly. They just spit it out and give you a horselaugh. If they don't want the saddle, they will suck air into their stomachs (they have several, another thing similar to man, methinks). In essence, they puff up like a blowfish. You tighten the girth, step into the stirrup―and POW―they will exhale and deflate. The saddle suddenly spins and will dump you on your arse!

Horses don't like to be approached from the rear where they cannot see. Again, men have similar aversions to someone sneaking up on their blindside. Horses can sleep standing up. Men have this ability, too! Horses adapt to repetition quickly. Again, I think males have this same characteristic.

So as you see, if a young lady can handle one of these monstrous beasties...it will be a snap in handling her man!
Giddy Up Go!

man / animal

2007-04-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

Personally, I tend to think of all my heros as an animal of some sort. Yeah, yeah, men are human (most of our alien heros have a human-like personna otherwise he would be hard for our readers to fall in love with him). But honestly, all the male characters in our books can tend to piggish, prissy, arrogant, fercious, feral, etc. Just about any adjective that can be attached to an animal can be attached to our men. So...what, I ask you is this difference between a hero and an animal with really good pecks and a tight bun?

Well, damn then, the best heros tend to use their brains sometimes--usually at an inconvenient time for the heroine. Just when she has him going all primal on her--hubba, hubba!--he actually shows that he's a smart, intelligent person too. The silly man! Doesn't he understand that our heroine wants him to do just as she says? Oh wait...perhaps that's what makes him different from all the other men in the book--he actually does think! And (hopefully, think well!) *Sigh* Do you think perhaps a nice mixture of animal and human makes for a great hero? Perhaps that explains the perponderance of shapeshifters, huh?

The cat as a device to show the inner man...

2007-04-29T03:13:00.000-07:00

So why pets in Romance novels??

Cats are very good judges of character. Dogs are too, but they often will sell their high standards for pats and a ball of raw hamburger. In other words, they are so hungry for attention, hungry for a big mac, that they will make pals with some serious jerks. I have known dogs to be very loyal, slavish to the point they would kill for their masters, die for them, yet the man was very unworthy of that adulation and devotion. Doggies are the accolites of some really ugly people--and I don't mean looks either.

Men tend to favour dogs because they are so easily controlled. This baseline programming of need for approval causes the dog to do tricks, fetch and will let an owner order them around. Men love to control things, so a pet that does as they are told, precisely as they are told, reinforces the male's need to be alpha leader of the pack.

Cats are too much like women. You need to earn our trust, our approval. Oh, we like attention, to be stroked, given goodies, but that doesn't mean we accept just anyone. Cats are caring, they give you room to make mistakes, but they want an equal. Cats are high maintaince and have high standards. They are picky about whom they give their affection to, and while it's a myth they won't come when you call them, they are not willing to perform like a dog.

Cats RULE. Man and woman are their servants. So males don't warm to this relationship. Men who respond to cats are worth looking at. If I were still dating and a cat didn't like my date, I would pay attention. On the other hand, when a cat takes up quickly with a man, the kitty is saying this is a person worth being friends with.

I used this "device" to clue in my readers about my heroes inner character, that he is worthy--even when the hero might not think so himself. Take Desmond Mershan from The Invasion of Falgannon Isle. Des is a wounded animal, a lot of pain inside him, pain for years, and it's driving him to be hard, sometimes uncaring, calculating. He comes to Falgannon to extract vengeance for his family. Instead of stopping the story and blethering how Des was hurting, yet inside was really a good man (i.e. telling the reader Des is this way), I opted to let The Cat Dudley demonstrate this. Dudley hates everyone. He is lord of Falgannon Isle and is used to getting his way. His immediate acceptance of Des, and Desmond's reaction to the cat, SHOWS the reader that Des is good inside, even when they may think Des is cold. Des storms into B.A.'s world, intent on destroying it, no regard for her or the people the isle. It would be rather easy to set the reader against Desmond. The fact that Dudley instantly loves Des and Des is charmed by him, it's out of character for the high-powered business man. A clear clue to the reader.

Thus, The Cat Dudley immediately tells the reader Des is a man above others. They warm to the hero and cat bonding, that keeps them liking Des, trusting he will grow and become a better person, the real person inside him.

Thus, having an animal in books is often more than just having a character with fur. They are an excellent way to show to the reader a person's true nature. If someone looks at a cat and the cat hisses and runs, that is worth more than a thousand words.

Males and other animals

2007-04-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

This is not to say that all males are animals, or that all animals are males. Nor are all animal characters in romances either male or female.

That said, this author, is at the Romantic Times Convention, where thoughts turn to the essential and decorative ingredients that make a romance novel charming, and it occurred to me that across all genres, animals play a role in a good book.

Linnea Sinclair has Furzels in her science fiction romances.
My alien royalty keep black tigers as impressive an intimidating house pets.
Deborah MacGillivray has cats in her historical and contemporary paranormal romances.
I've read about crime-solving cats.
I've loved books about shapeshifters, where men turn into dragons, bears, wolves, seals....

So I thought I'd open up cyberspace to an author blog across all genres, to talk about our animal characters, how animals inspire our creativity and move our plots, and even influence our heroes.

Best wishes,
Rowena Cherry