National Pets Day . . . everyday by Kate Walker

Yesterday was apparently National Pets’ Day so on  my Facebook page I posted pictures of my two ‘official’ pets – Charlie the giant red and white Maine Coon cat  and his little ‘sister’ Ruby the black and white Cat’s Protection rescue who, chose us when we went looking for a new furry  Well, my official pets.

to love. These. I said – are my pets.

Then I moved away from my keyboard and went into the garden to organise things  before the sun set and darkness fell.  And that’s when I realised how inaccurate I had been when I said Charlie and Ruby were my pets.

W  well grown and fill the spaces wonderfully.  Then there’s a hedge and  what we laughingly call ‘the orchard’ beyond that. This space  is what my son used to label ‘the secret garden’ – it’s a rather hidden part of the garden beyond the hedge and there are some old apple trees and pear trees where there is always a huge crop of apples  but not so many pears to pick in the summer. Most of these apples  tend to become wind falls – that is when there is any typically British ‘spring’ weather the wild winds and the rain knock them to the ground and they all have to be gathered up before the birds get the. The windfalls go to the  home for retired horses where the horses and donkey there enjoy them with relish.

e have a large garden – with a long lawn and then a shrubbery down one side of the fence. Lots of shrubs and they have all been there for years so they are

So – as well as the two cats  - there’s the horses and the donkeys that are ‘pets’.

Back home in my garden I have a morning  and an evening ‘pet’ routine.  The mornings are for the birds who are usually sitting waiting for me before I venture out the door first thing. You’d think that feeding the birds would be simple – some wild bird seed  . . .and that’s it? But  no – I don’t know if we had particularly fussy eaters  but it goes something like this: wild bird seed on the hanging feeder for the  doves, the starlings, the sparrows.  The suet balls hanging in a tree  for the blackbirds, the ravens and the crows –  then suet cakes on the ground and mealworms for the robins, the bluetits, the seagulls – yes we get seagulls  even though we’re  miles from the sea . . . .

Right now it’s nesting and egg-laying time and it seems like some of the eggs are hatching as there is a HUGE amount of food disappearing every day. The birds themselves are so small that we assume they must be feeding babies because they’d be bursting at the seams if they ate all the food themselves.

When the birds have had their fill in the mornings things get a bit quieter – at least until the squirrels arrive.  I’ve tried to protect the bird food from these greedy little things but they have wo

rked out ways of hanging upside down from the bird feeders and pulling out peanuts and sunflower seeds to gobble up.

The evening is the time to put out the food for the hedgehogs. In the UK hedgehogs are in danger of becoming very rare so we’re always glad to encourage the family of these cute prickly creatures  who live at the bottom of the garden – they love the shrubbery and the little wooden ‘hedgehog houses’ we have set up for them.  He haven’t actually seen any of the hedgehogs this year but we know they are there because all the food goes and we have seen  bits of hedgehog poo around. What do we feed hedgehogs? Well, you can get special hedgehog food – but we use kitten crunchies and they love that. Sometime they hedgehogs get hungry early

and they come out looking for food before dusk. That’s when the cats play with them, sniffing and patting them and sometimes jumping right over them

.

So as you can see I have more than just my two beautiful cats as pets There are the horses and donkeys at the rescue centre -  . Out in the garden it’s more of a mini wildlife park – birds, gulls, squirrels and hedgehogs – and now I think we also have an occasional visiting fox!   I love feeding them and enjoy watching them from our garden room – but the animal feeding bill is ridiculous!

You can read more about me and my books on my web site and my blog -  and catch up with me too on my Facebook page

The Great Christmas Tree Tour 2016 Kicks Off!

The Great Christmas Tree Tour has become a popular tradition for readers, writers and even editors! I just love seeing how others decorate and hearing about their family customs, and plenty of you enjoy it too, because it's my biggest traffic event all year.  

Once again this season I have a great line up of trees and Christmas decorations you are going to love. You'll want to visit every day to see who has shared their lovely Christmas tree.

I have a few spots left if you'd like to participate. All that's required is a photo and a big dose of Christmas spirit. 

email me at SaintJohn@aol.com for available dates.

Here's how to participate and see your Christmas tree on the web: Take a photo of your tree as soon as it's up. 



or:
Take a photo of a tree you particularly enjoy, for example at a museum, a lobby or mall.
Send me the photo as a .jpg attachment. Include anything you'd like to share: a family tradition, something about the ornaments.

If you're an author, include a cover and a brief blurb about your current book, so readers can learn more about it and you.

Check back in the morning to see Laura Chapman's tree and a GIVEAWAY!

Michelle Styles: Can you train your cat?

Can you train a cat or is this an exercise in futility? was my first thought when I heard of the new book by John Bradshaw and Sarah Ellis —    The Trainable Cat How to make life happierfor you and your cat.  After all dogs have masters but cats have slaves. And then I thought about it — my cats have always been trained to know when food is coming with the words -- trot trot trot They have always come racing. They know how to use a litter tray etc.  After deciding I did know how train cats, I thought little of it because my cat was about 6 and he was a good cat (ie we got on very well).

Unfortunately he developed congestive heart failure at the end of last month and despite the efforts of the vets he died at the beginning of the month. He left behind a very large heart so I went to the Newcastle Cat and Dog Shelter and chose two kittens (Hercules and Persephone) to help fill it   The shelter told me that they were brother and sister but the vet pointed out that they were both girls. Kittens are notoriously hard to sex! Because the Trainable Cat book was being reviewed and it is supposed to be the latest on cat behaviour, I ordered it and read it to see if there were any tips to help them settle. In particular I want them to become comfortable around my collies and to hopefully not get so stressed at going to the vet’s.

Heathcliff last year

It was an interesting read. Training your cat is not about making it into a stunt animal but making it easier to get on with. A lot of it is about working with your cat rather than against its natural instincts. It is about getting your ca to relax and keeping your cat amused. Cats are intelligent and can easily get bored. Cats are also very much hunters and as such tend to need their space and as well enjoying exercising their minds.

I was surprised to discover how much they rely on scent and visual cues, rather than meowing. Feral colonies tend to be quiet places.  Cats save their meows for humans. Apparently humans are very good at deciphering their own cats’ calls but not so good at deciphering a strange cat’s. Thus  researchers believe cats tailor their vocalisation to the specific person.

Hercules and Persephone 

Cats  are also very wary of the unfamiliar, particularly dogs and people. Kittens under two months are adaptable and spend much of their time learning about the world. Researchers think that cats do not really know the concept of *human* until they are introduced to it. During the kitten socialisation period, they build up a picture of a *human* and decide which are friendly and which are not. They do not instinctively recognise children as small humans. Thus it can be helpful if a kitten meets a wide range of people. They also need to learn that being handled and stroked is pleasurable but need to understand on their terms.

Cats in general should ignored when first encountered — the cat should be given time to approach.  Apparently a friendly cat greeting sounds like *prr-up*. They  also hold their tail up.  It is difficult to say but I was surprised that my kittens do greet me with it. They have scent glands in their face (the other place is at the base of their tail). It is why cats do like to be stroked on their face — they are marking you with their scent.

After a week, Hercules and Persephone are beginning to relax

Currently I am trying to get my kittens to relax around the collies. The collies are used to cats and have behaved really well – not making eye contact, preferring to play with toys, not bothering the kittens but allowing themselves to be sniffed etc.  The kittens still hiss and spit a bit but since I took some of the dogs’ bedding upstairs (where the kittens are currently spending a great deal of time) to allow the kittens to investigate the smell, they have calmed down. This is called systematic desensitizing. The kittens have also been fed cat treats when the collies are in the room. Feeding treats and understanding the hierarchy of such things is an important part of training. For my cats, they will work for chicken but do like Dreamies and then there is cat food and biscuits. They also love chasing toys so the fishing rod toys the shelter gave as part of the *cat welcome* pack have come into good use. They are kept for training and luring purposes and should be used sparingly (ie put away before the cat becomes bored)

Persephone on her comfort blanket

With the vet’s, there is a long process to get your cat to feel comfortable in a cat carrier. It all starts with getting your cat to relax on a comfort blanket. I have started doing this and we shall see. Persephone had a reaction to the cat flu vaccine and did seem calmer on the blanket but really going to the vet is no fun — lots of needles and strange people. There  are also tips for getting pills down. You can train cats to accept syringes (filled with tasty meat/pate to begin with).

Apparently cats need to scratch on posts that are taller than they are. They also need several places to scratch. In the UK, it is illegal to declaw your cat.

I was interested to learn that the chewing of boxes and paper – something my old cat did is because they like to disembowel their prey.  By playing with your cat and encouraging your cat to look at your home as a *hunting ground* through providing lots of surfaces to jump on and things to hide in, you can help keep a cat’s natural instinct for catching small prey at bay. It is also trying to re-direct the cat’s attention to the toys rather than to attacking feet or hands. Apparently squealing or jumping away if playfully clawed can encourage the cat. Some people have to resort to wearing wellies at home until the cat learns not to attack feet, so it is best not to start such games…

Anyway The Trainable Cat is an interesting read and worthwhile if you want to understand how cats behave.  I believe my new kittens are becoming much more sociable.

When not playing with her kittens, Michelle Styles writes warm, witty and intimate historical romances.  Her next Harlequin Historical will be published in February 2017 Sold to the Viking Warrior. You can learn more about Michelle and her books on www.michellestyles.co.uk

Kitty companions – by Kandy Shepherd

 Some writers work in cafes or noisy parts of the house where they feel part of the world. Not me. I need to be by myself to write—away from noise and distraction so I can draw deep from my imagination and escape into the creative zone where the words start to flow. I like a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the closed door. And none of that music that other writers find so inspiring.

Alfie helps keep the printouts of my drafts from blowing away (actually he just likes the box!)

 That solitary, writerly existence could get lonely. Not so with cats for company.

Ivy supervises from a stack of books waiting to be filed

 There’s nothing three of my cats like better than to be with me—on my lap, on my desk, on a chair or floor nearby. As I write—often very late into the night—I’m never short of feline company.

Tabitha prefers to be on my lap as I type, but a nearby chair will do as second choice

 Of course my kitties can become a distraction. Like when the one who always wants to sit on my lap squeals in protest when my back starts aching and I lift her off. Or when two of them start to argue in escalatingly loud cat voices for possession of a prized cardboard box.

Ivy tucks herself neatly nearby behind my computer, sometimes I don't know she's there 

And my fourth cat? She’s primarily an outdoor cat who loves to go for walks with us around our farm and into the surrounding bushland. Sometimes during the day she appears at my window sill as if to urge me outside for some much-needed exercise. Being a natural-born procrastinator, that's often just the excuse I need to down tools!

Cindy makes sure I get off my chair and get some well-needed exercise

 What about you? Do you have a pet that keeps you company when you’re at home? When you're concentrating on a task do you need quiet or thrive on music or chatter?  Please make a comment, I’d love to hear about it!

I have one copy of my debut book for Harlequin Romance The Summer They Never Forgot to give away—either a mass market paperback or via an Amazon gift voucher for an e-book

Please include your email address in your comment if you want to be included in the draw (and let me know if you prefer print or e-book.)

Kandy Shepherd writes fun, feel-good fiction.  The Summer They Never Forgot is Kandy’s first release from Harlequin Romance in the US, the UK and Australia. Watch out for The Tycoon and the Wedding Planner in July 14.

Visit Kandy at her website

www.kandyshepherd.com

Some things never change - Kandy Shepherd

“Give me the child until he is seven and I'll give you the man” is a famous quote about how childhood experiences affect the adults we become.*

As a romance writer, I like to delve into my characters’ fictional lives to see what happened in their early years to influence the way they behave as adults.

What aspects of my hero’s and heroine’s childhoods; their ingrained likes and dislikes; their buried hurts and memories might have some bearing on their relationships? In particular what might cause my fictional heroes and heroines not to commit to the perfect partner I have created for them? Well, not to commit until near the end of the novel, that is! By that time, there can be no more barriers to stop them getting their wonderful happy-ever-after ending together…

My recent release from Harlequin The Summer They Never Forgot is a story of first love and second chances and features a hero and heroine who first met as teenagers. Twelve years later they meet again—are the aspects of their character that made them fall in love still the same?

Recently, while celebrating a significant birthday, I trawled through family photos to find images that represented milestone times in my life for a party slide-show. Here’s a few that made me smile—those early interests certainly lived on!

Copying my mother or an early obsession?

 I think I was about eighteen months when the photo above was taken. It was the start of a life-long obsession with my weight. Hopping on the scales is still a regular occurrence. (Not that there's anything wrong with wanting to stay a healthy weight! ) Sadly, these days the numbers on the now digital scales are less than edifying...

Cats have been a life-long love

 In this next photo I'm about seven years old. These two kittens, Lucky (left) and Big Boy were born under my bed, their mother a stray who had wandered into our suburban garden. Big Boy went to a home nearby where we could visit him, but Lucky stayed with us until I was eighteen. I was heartbroken to leave him when I left home to go to university and I think he must have been too as he died not long after. That precious feline was the first of a number of beloved cats in my life.

Ivy (left) and Alfie, the most recent additions to my kitty family

What about you? How different are you now to when you were a child? Any particular incidents you might remember? Have any of your interests carried through to adulthood?

Please leave a comment—I’d love to hear about it!

I have one signed copy of The Summer They Never Forgot to give away. Please include your email address in your comment if you want to be included in the draw.

The Summer They Never Forgot is Kandy’s first release from Harlequin Romance in the US, the UK and Australia. Watch out for The Tycoon and the Wedding Planner in July 14.

Visit Kandy at her website

www.kandyshepherd.com

*Attributed by the Jesuits to St Francis Xavier

:Michelle Styles: Christmas and a review of a new writing craft book

This autumn I became an empty nester when my youngest went off to St Andrews to study zoology.  So Christmas is particularly special for me as all my children will be back home. And I don't know for how many more Christmases I will have like this with all my children home. After all I left the US for the UK when I was 24 and my eldest is now 23. And to think when he was 6 weeks, I thought I had forever until he went off to school at age five! You have to enjoy the time allotted to you...

So I am determine to enjoy every moment of my very special Christmas.  When my daughter arrived home on Thursday, we went out and chose a tree. It is not perfect but it works. The non-breakable ornaments are on the lower branches as my cat who often displays editorial tendencies loves to rearrange the ornaments. However we have to guess where he wants the ornaments. He just knows where he doesn't want them. Once the tree is to his satisfaction, he loses interest and finds something else to edit. Cats!

 

I like getting new ornaments every year. This year I  found the sled and skis. They were supposed to go on the tree but they work better with the Kachina dolls which once belonged to my father.  I had put them there is see if my dh even noticed!  My dh added the polar bear which my sister gave me many years ago to see if I would notice that he had noticed! Sometimes men!


As some of you know I can be a bit of a writing craft addict person. I love learning about the whys and wherefores. However earlier this year, I decided no more craft books. I felt like they were undermining my confidence and that I should just go back to the older craft books to refresh my memory rather than seeking some new insight. HOWEVER when Cheryl published her book, I knew I had to get it. I have loved Cheryl's writing for many years and I know that she does emotion very well. Plus she is a fellow Harlequin Historical writer.

I'm so glad that I downloaded the book and took the time to read. It is a book that I wish had been written years ago. Cheryl relies heavily on Dwight Swain as his earlier book The Techniques of the Selling Writer taught her about craft. I love Swain. I discovered him when I was in high school and rediscovered him when I became serious about my writing. BUT he is dated and some of his explanations don't exactly work.

Cheryl builds on his work and provides exercises for the author to use to enhance her own work. She also uses movies and tv series to illustrate her examples. Personally I find it easier to see technique in a film because if the author is doing her job correctly, I am utterly immersed in the Story World.

Cheryl's book is divided into several sections Conflict, Feelings, Setting, Tension, Dialogue and finally Drawing Emotions from Characters. Cheryl is a very character-driven author and so this book is aimed at other authors who are character, rather than plot driven. It is not a book about how to plot but rather how to create characters who leap from page and compel the reader to keep turning the pages. Reading is all about the emotional tensions that the reader feels.

The book is destined to be a classic. I personally preferred her take on Goal, Motivation and Conflict to Debra Dixon's. It is interesting that Dixon owes a great deal to Swain as well. The exercises are clear and helpful.

I can whole heartily recommend the book. Capturing the hearts of your readers is so vital and this book gives a detailed explanation of how to go about it. How to really ratchet up the tension and keep your reader involved. It is definately worthy of inclusion on any romance writer's  craft bookshelf.

It is availabe in both print and ebook and is published by Writer's Digest. You can learn more about Cheryl on her website http://www.cherylstjohn.net/ She also has a blog http://cherylstjohn.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Currently Amazon.co.uk  kindle have one of my books HATTIE WILKINSON MEETS HER MATCH on super special discount of 59p. I can't see the US pricing. But I  thought I would highlight it as I always like knowing about bargain books.

My next Harlequin Hisotrical release is in May 2014 --The Return of the Viking Warrior.

You can learn more about my books on www.michellestyles.co.uk

Second-Hand Love : : Anne McAllister

In my first published book there was a rabbit.  She was a harbinger of things to come. 
Or should I say, animals to come?
Because, though I didn’t know it then, my books -- and our lives -- would end up with their fair share of four-footed family.  And virtually all of them ended up here (and in my books) because they needed a home.
Whiskers (that was the rabbit) came to live with us as a consolation family member when our daughter learned that her long-hoped-for sister was yet another brother.  “Well, at least we could have a girl rabbit,” she said hopefully.
My husband, feeling her pain, found her a ‘sister’ at the local farmers’ market. Whiskers was a family member long after said daughter went away to college.  And came home with a cat.
The cat loved our daughter.  But he loved our house more. And once he came home for Christmas, there was no going back to live in the dorm (not that he was a legal resident anyway). She’d found him at the pound and decided he didn’t belong there. He belonged with her.  Only it happened that he belonged with us instead.  He took over running the house when Whiskers moved on to greener celestial pastures.
His name was Goliath.  It fit.  He was a big cat.  No. He was a VERY BIG cat. A twenty pound cat. And when he stood on you, which he often did, he managed to put all twenty pounds in the weight of each step.  Or more. 
He had allergies and diabetes and a vast variety of health issues which taught us a great deal about Maintaining A Cat’s Well-being.  For seven and a half years he made sure we were home at seven every morning and seven every evening to give him insulin. 
It Taught Us Responsibility, he said. I know he said it because he talked to me in my dreams. Seriously. It got so I didn’t want to go to sleep for fear the cat would start talking again. He was a very sarcastic cat.
And then there were the dogs.
There have been a lot of dogs. “Too Many Dogs,” Goliath said.
We ignored him. 
We got a golden retriever who was in need of a boy. At the time we just happened to have an eleven year old (he whose arrival had, eleven years earlier caused the advent of Whiskers) who was in need of a dog. He lobbied long and hard for a dog.  He took care of Goliath for a year (and the cat was never sarcastic to him) in order to prove he could take care of a dog.
At the end of the year, we found the dog: AJ.  He was three. He was big and lovable and perfect for keeping a boy in line.  AJ was a god among dogs.  A far far better dog than we ever deserved. 
We have had every dog since because we owe him so much we feel as if having all these other dogs is in some way paying it forward for what he gave us. As his boy said a few months after AJ arrived, “See, Mom. He really has improved the quality of life around here.”
He did.  And so did all the rest.   Two of them arrived as puppies. One arrived when he was already going seriously gray and beyond the age of eight.  But in every case, they were second-hand dogs.  They were all dogs who needed a home, who needed love, who need a family.
But they didn’t only need – they also gave.And gave and gave and gave. 
They gave us love and companionship and joy beyond measure. Certainly they gave us more than we have given them.
We’ve loved and lost five of them now. Not to mention Goliath and Whiskers.  We’ve loved and lost grand-dogs, too. Most recently Star who is keeping an eye on her boy in the picture I often use in my "destination life" blog at the Pink Heart.Society.
It’s heart-wrenching and indescribably painful to lose such a wonderful dog, cat or rabbit. But it’s such a small part of the years and years of joy that comes from the love they have brought into our lives, that I can’t reject the pain. It’s part of the process. Part of the fullness of life. 
They have all in their own ways enriched the quality of our lives (and, I hope, my books) for years and years.
Have you rescued a dog or cat?  Had your life enriched by a four-footed friend or family member?
Tell me about it, and Mitch and Micah, our current beloved dogs, will pick a winner to receive a copy of my book Savas’s Defiant Mistress, which was overloaded with furry friends.
I’ll post the winner on Tuesday. Watch this space!

                      * * * * * * * * * * *

Mitch and Micah had a terrible time choosing a winner. They think you are ALL winners.  Finally we just put names and treats on the kitchen rug (they liked THAT a lot) and Mitch, who said, “Me first!” picked Stefanie’s name with his treat.

Congratulations, Stefanie. If you send me your snail mail address, I’ll mail you a copy of Savas’ Defiant Mistress. Alternatively, if you have a kindle and would prefer an ‘ebook’ version, let me know the email address to send it to. You can reach me at anne.mcallister (at) gmail.com.

And thank you to everyone who told such wonderful stories about your four-footed family and friends.  I loved reading them, and I’m so happy to know that they’d brought such joy to your lives.

The good, the bad and the way better than expected… Kandy Shepherd

Was 2011 a good or a not-so-good year for you? At the turn of the year, I was concerned by the number of people, both around me and on social media, saying 2011 had been a terrible year for them. It made me think about my year past. I concluded that—although the world situation was an ongoing cause for concern—it hadn’t been a bad year for me, though there were some ups and downs.

I like to think the beautiful rainbow over our farmhouse brought it good luck and saved it from destruction by fire.

DOWN

Last July, a fire at our farmhouse destroyed the kitchen and caused severe smoke damage to practically every possession. Thankfully, no human or animal was hurt. Months of angst, disruption and inconvenience followed. We are only just this week moving back in.

UP

The insurance company was fabulous. They provided a “disaster recovery” team who cleaned and restored what they could and a builder to replace the kitchen and make repairs. What can’t be restored we can replace. Looking around the beautiful new kitchen, carpets and window coverings in the newly-painted rooms, we think maybe the silver-lining part of this dark cloud turned out to be pretty substantial! 

Lots of rain plus sunshine equalled magnificent roses in my garden

DOWN

As a family, we seemed to catch every cold and flu going around—despite having flu vaccinations. I swear I felt ill for half the year! My teenage daughter had mononucleosis (glandular fever) twice. Would we ever get better?

UP

Of course we did. My daughter successfully got through her first year at university. Medical tests concluded that there is nothing seriously wrong with any of us. So reassuring!

I learned to cook Thai food--yum!

DOWN

After a long wait for confirmation, a two-book contract with a big publisher didn’t happen for me. Very disappointing. But that’s publishing for you.

UP

Excited by the surge in indie publishing, and with some trepidation, I decided to self-publish my contemporary romance The Castaway Bride. To my ongoing amazement and delight, it became a Kindle bestseller. The Wall Street Journal recommended it in its "Reader’s Guide to Self-Published Big Sellers". I’ve gained lots of wonderful new readers. Now that really is an “Up”! 

My Kindle bestseller

Over the course of twelve months, there was much to celebrate: ongoing friendships; my pleasure in my family; the joy from my animals; good books read and movies enjoyed; new recipes tried and enjoyed; the biggest and most beautiful roses I have ever grown. I’m hoping for more ups than downs in 2012—not just for me, but for you too. 

Happy New Year!

Just looking at them makes me feel happy!

What about you? Any particular ups and downs for you in last year? Any hopes for 2012? I’d love to hear about them!

Please leave a comment for a chance to win a signed trade paperback copy of my contemporary romance Home Is Where the Bark Is published by Berkley Sensation. Be sure to include your email address if you want to be in the draw.

Kandy Shepherd writes fun, feel-good fiction.

http://www.kandyshepherd.com

Cats and Dogs and Things that Go Thump in the Morning : : Anne McAllister

Things that go thump in the morning are rabbits. I know. We had one who banged the lid of her cage over and over every morning to get us up.

When I wrote my second book, Starstruck, many moons ago, it was about a divorced mom with five kids, a slightly charred casserole, and a rabbit in the back of her van.

The cover copy called the rabbit "hyperactive." I think that was a bit of an overstatement. She didn't bang anything, after all. But the rabbit, hyperactive or not, was something of a hook. People bought the book.

It could have had to do with the five kids or the casserole or the heartthrob who came to dinner and ate his peas. But over the years, I've come to believe the sales might have been for the rabbit.

I'm surprised my daughter, whose rabbit she was, didn't lobby for a cut of the royalties. But they helped put her through college, so maybe that's enough.

I love having animals in books. Animals make people human.

I like animals. I think most of my readers like animals. And sometimes my heroine or hero needs someone to talk to who won't argue with them or kick them in the shins. Animals also give heroes and heroines a chance to show that they are pretty good people. So they get animals in their lives. It makes things better all the way around.

Though one of my editors thought perhaps that Neely had a few too many in her houseboat menagerie in Savas' Defiant Mistress.

I didn't think think so. They showed Neely's character. Harm the bloodhound moved the story along -- and the hero right into Lake Union. And in the end a bowl of fish were exactly what Sebastian needed to take the first steps on his road to being the man he wanted to be.

It's true what they say, any hero has to be at least as good a man as his dog (cat, rabbit, goat, fish, salamander, guinea pig) thinks he is.

Just ask Gunnar -- the flatcoat retriever hero of my most recent Harlequin Presents, Hired by Her Husband. He makes my sexy physicist George Savas human. He makes my heroine realize that there is a person who cares inside George's handsome body -- that he's more than just a man who is smart and who fulfills his family responsibilities.

Other animals I've known and loved have made it into books as well. Quite a while back I wrote about Goliath, our Maine Coon cat, too. He appeared, wandering among the mixing bowls in MacKenzie's Baby, and being danced around the kitchen by Annabel before Carter showed up to spin her life out of control. But then, her goat spun his life out of control as well.

Animals are like that.

I've mentioned Kate Walker's cat, Sid, before. Sid is a hero in his own right -- A Cat of Superior Breeding (no one dares ask what sort). He has such charisma I have to be careful or he will take over entire books.

Another friend, Ange's, cat called Sparks had a part in one book, One son's dog, Belle, was Hugh MacGillivray's sidekick in In MacGillivray's Bed, and another's Newfie cross, Roy, just had a part in my next.

In that one, I needed A Suitable Cat and several of you offered your nearest and dearest animals to me. Pat Cochran's cat Gerald got the part. He came to live with my heroine, Edie, and the Newfie, Roy. Gerald didn't have a big part, but he made Edie's life richer, and I was glad to have him there.

Just now thinking back, I was amazed at the dogs and cats and other animals who have made it into my books. There was one friend's whistling guinea pig, another's Irish wolfhound, a third's mynah bird (how could I have forgotten Boris?). There was MacKenzie's goat and Jethro and Sara, the Maine Coons who could Call Up The Wind, Ted, the french bulldog, in The Santorini Bride, and a whole last will and testament of animals in Fletcher's Baby!

There is a new guy on the block now whom I can see taking over the next time my heroine needs a dog. His name is Mac.

Mac is my friend Nancy's new dog. He is a rescue -- a cocker/poodle mix -- who was seriously neglected for the first few years of his life. Mac isn't sure if he has died and gone to heaven or if he is in heaven here on earth since he has come to live with Nancy.

Suffice to say, he is a happy dog. He is also an assertive dog who Makes Demands. Mac finds bags of dog biscuits and carries them around in his mouth, expecting Nancy to open the bag and give him them.

He takes his ball and drops it next to Bart the cat and expects Bart to throw it for him and barks when Bart goes right on sleeping. I never said he was smart. I just said he was assertive.

He's got Nancy wrapped around his paw and he has made friends with Mitch and Micah, the dogs at my house. And he knows how to charm me out of tiny dog treats just by sitting and thumping his poor excuse for a tail.

I adore Mac. I can hardly wait for a book in which he can feature. He has Ideas for that. The other day he told me he would like a heroine who is a butcher who works from home.

See what I mean?

Do you have any new animals in your life? Rescued ones? I'd love to hear more. Please tell us about the ones who have made your lives a happier place.