Showing posts with label Dogs in a novel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dogs in a novel. Show all posts

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Dogs Are The Best People @JoanReeves #RomanceGems

Normally, my first of the month post points out the updates on the blog, but I've spent this past week babysitting my daughter's dog while she and her hubby take a vacation.

My notes about the blog are home so I'll take another blog date to brief you on the changes, including the Author Spotlight for October.

I say I'm babysitting rather than dog sitting because Freddie is  more like a child than a dog.

He had his first birthday last week added a new kerchief to his wardrobe of kerchiefs, courtesy of his visits to the vet. 

When Darling Daughter puts a kerchief on him, he immediately poses on his own without anyone saying, "Be still, Freddie."

He's a natural and seemingly loves to have his picture taken. When he goes for a walk, he collects compliments. Daughter is frequently asked what kind of dog he is.

The answer to that is a Golden Doodle, meaning half golden retriever and half poodle. When someone says, "What a beautiful dog," Freddie prances with his feathery tale waving back and forth as if he understands what was said.

Freddie is on the cover of April Fool Proposition, one of my short stories. (I'll be publishing it and four others starting next week.) That picture of him was taken when he was about 6 months old, and it was perfect for my story of a lost puppy.

He's also under contract by 2 instagram accounts to be a spokes-dog.

Love Dogs?

I do. Our lifestyle doesn't allow for adopting a companion at this time, and I miss having a dog. Between Freddie and writing dogs in my books, my need for doggie-gratification is filled.

Favorite Dog Quotes

As a dog lover—no offense to cats and cat lovers—I want to share some of favorite dog quotes.

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. —Will Rogers

I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts. —John Steinbeck

Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog. —Franklin P. Jones

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person. —Andy Rooney

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down. —Robert Benchley

If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons. —James Thurber

Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul—chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth! —Anne Tyler

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. —Robert A. Heinlein

“Nothing in the world is friendlier than a wet dog.” —Anonymous (Freddie loves rain and playing in the mud, but he doesn't like the bath that follows.)

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man. —Mark Twain

You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, "Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!' —Dave Barry

Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you can’t eat or play with it, just pee on it and walk away. —Anonymous

Dogs are better than human beings because they know but do not tell. —Emily Dickinson

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them. —Phil Pastoret

Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen. — Orhan Pamuk

My favorite dog character I've written in a book is Tiger, a golden retriever, in Second Chance Bride. He's an essential part of that story.

In real life, Tiger was Freddie's predecessor, who was loved just as much during his life. He's chasing sticks and toys in that big dog park in heaven now.


He was the only man she wanted—and the one man she could never have.

She gave up everything and reinvented herself as wealthy, successful Constance Quinn, a woman who carefully guards her emotions. Yet, she longs for all that she's denied herself. The only problem is there's no room for love or even for relationships in her rigidly controlled existence until she decides to find the part of herself that was lost in her transformation.

When she meets Alex Martinez, something hot and urgent passes between them. Their attraction is mutual. Their desire is palpable. 

Although Constance cannot resist him, she realizes she's playing with fire and avoids him, but Alex won't be kept at arm's length.

As their desire grows, so does her fear that Alex might discover the secret she is desperate to keep from him.


Bookzilla, TOP 500 REVIEWER, 5.0 out of 5 stars

Easy to follow stand-alone. No editing errors, graphic violence or drag-you-down drama.

Enjoyable HEA romance. Believable characters with distinct personalities. Thought-provoking and memorable dialogue.

“Ah, you know what Graciella says about coincidence. It’s God’s way of remaining anonymous.”

'He told me young dogs would always be adopted but that this old dog would never find someone to love him if we didn’t take him. I told him that the dog wouldn’t have many years or maybe not even months of life left. He said that was an even better reason to adopt him so he’d know love before he died.”

I look forward to other works by this author.

To Conclude

Here's some advice for all of the mudslinging politicians. "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog." —President Harry S. Truman

Last Chance Beach: Summer's End is here for only a few more weeks. The box set is still only 99¢ and is available on Amazon.

If you haven't picked up your free copy of Cocktails on Last Chance Beach, do that too. Our little recipe book is still in the Top 100 of Bestselling Special Occasion, Beverages, etc. on Kindle.

TIP: A cocktail can be warm you up on a brisk autumn day!

FOLLOW or VISIT JOAN ONLINE


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Sunday, August 4, 2019

Who writes dogs into their books and why. @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

August's theme is dogs and pets. It is an old knowledge now that dogs on covers sell books. This knowledge is from before the internet and before self-publishing became a viable choice for authors. This conclusion came from focus groups. They gravitated toward cover art with dogs. (And horses and children, too)

Dogs were not really characters then, but sometimes they'd show up as a means to get the protagonists together on the page.

Today, in my books at least, the dogs I feature have real purpose in the stories. The books wouldn't be the same if they weren't there.

They are matchmakers. They are heroes. They are sources of conflict and resolution. They are sounding boards. They are tools used in a romantic suspense. They have opinions they seemingly express with gas emissions, smiles, nudges, and effective glares.

Also, the dogs in my books mean something to me, personally. I bring some back to life to live again between the pages. (I sniffle when I write them.) Some are still alive and part of my life today. One passed away while I wrote a trilogy of books with her having a starring role.
Amazon Exclusive

Which brings me to Love at Christmas, A Collection. These three stories span the Canadian/US border and Bella features in each one. She was a sweet poodle-cross who chose the hero for her owner. Bella brings more people together in the following two books.

Love at Christmas is always a bargain at half the cost of separate purchases of the trilogy.

And it's August already...Christmas is around the corner. (say 4 little boys I know)

In Love in a Pawnshop, I introduce an opinionated pit bull, named Razor. But one book wasn't enough for my Beau (more about him on the 15th) and he's been a big part of my Return to Welcome series starting with Finding Mercy.

He appears briefly again Loving Logan but in Craving Jake he rises to hero status when he saves lives and warns of danger. Craving Jake will be released in early September. When I return from a much-needed holiday, I'll be sharing links for a pre-order to my newsletter subscribers. You can sign on here:  Bonnie's Newsy Bits

I'm excited this month to kick off our Monthly Giveaway here:  a Rafflecopter giveaway For contest rules and a list of prizes check out our Monthly Giveaway Page.

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Why Every Writer Should Own a Dog By Connie Vines

Gertrude Stein claimed the water-drinking patterns of her dog, named Basket, taught her the difference between sentences and paragraphs in writing.
add a comment on the contest blog 

Steven King’s dog was banned from Pet Co.

I laughed when I read Steven King’s tweet and looked at the photo of his unrepentant dog.  Every dog owner has ‘been there’.

Dogs are wonderful companions, the perfect literary critic, and teach us about love, loss, relationships, and how to live each moment of life in joyful abandonment.

I look at my own relationship with the dogs who have touched by life.  Several AKC pedigree pets:  Jacques, my miniature black poodle, from my childhood and my constant companion.  Inca, my basenji whose yodel (they do not bark) unnerved the neighbors. Justine, my rescued greyhound, who was the ‘mommy’ assistant for my two young sons.

More recently my dogs have been lost or re-homed.  Buddy a little chiweenie (chihuahua and dachshund) who passed away at the age of 10 years. And my current ‘sweet-heart’, Chanel, a toy poodle-mix.

If you aren’t a pet owner, you may not understand the bond.  However, if you have a dog, oh the stories you can, and will, tell!

What better way to share the joy of a living with such a treasured soul than to her/he leave paw-prints on the hearts of your readers?

Jacques would steal a biscuit from the table and hide it between the couch cushions. If you left your bathwater unattended, he would jump into the tub for a swim.

Justine, sounded like a horse when she ran (hooves on packed earth), spent most of her time resting on the living room love-seat.  She wore a hat and sunglasses when we went for walks. She tattled on my child and stacked boxes of Rice-a-Roni in the living room.

Buddy was my husband’s side-kick and had a snarky-personality (but we loved him anyway).
Chanel, is a sweetie and loves to wear a sweater in the winter and play in the rain.  She’s likes to talk to her humans.  She wants a hug before bed time and kiss on the head when she wakes up.

How do you feel about pets in the stories you read?

What is your fondest memory of your pet?

What does your pet do that makes you nuts?

What is/was your favorite pet?

Happy Reading,

Connie

my website




Chanel enjoying the SoCal sun!

Me in my dog persona on Saturday morning




Book 2, Rodeo Romance Series