Pooch Bling!

Last night I ordered a new "going out" collar for Princess Ava. I feel it's important to have an around the house collar for everyday use, plus something pretty for special occasions. Billie already has one - as she's modelling in the picture below, but she has a lovely black coat that goes with just about anything. 

Ava has red fawn fur, which is more difficult to match, but I've eventually decided on a pretty blue feathers design (which also means both girls will have blue going out collars, which is kind of cute). 

Both collars from the awesome Collars By Christine: www.facebook.com/collarsbychristine/

But there were so many other pretty collars that I think I'll need to let the girls have a few each. Which got me to thinking about other pooch accessories. Both girls have winter coats:

And I may have been tempted to put scarves on them in the past. They just have such lovely long necks!

And Ava had painted nails when she first arrived, courtesy of her foster mother. I've bought more pink for her, and a lovely bottle of purple for Billie, but haven't got around to putting them on yet. In fact, I even have a scene in The Finn Factor where the characters paint the nails of the border collie, Harvey.

But this all makes me think about how much I'm paying attention to their accessories, when I hadn't given it much thought with all of my previous pooches. Perhaps the girls have a touch of glamour that lends itself to accessorizing? Or maybe the world is changing - pretty collars like the ones at the top of the post were hard to find 10 or 15 years ago.

What about you? Have you ever put a particularly nice collar on your pooch or kitty? Bought them accessories? Maybe a lovely coat? What about painting their nails? Please tell me I'm not alone in this!

Choosing a Name

by Bronwyn Jameson

You may recall my December post, when I pondered whether a No-Gift Christmas would work out for my family.  I promised to report back and I'm here to say that it worked out pretty well.  Except for the "thank you, Mum" and "I love you, honey" gifts which I was assured were not Christmas gifts.  Hmmm.

One such gift was this little bundle of cheekiness who arrived a few days prior to Christmas and promptly took up all my time and attention and cuddles.  The perfect pre-Christmas gift from my eldest son and daughter-in-law.  To distract me from the fact that they're moving to London for several years.  (So far the distraction seems to be working!)

At Christmas everyone wanted to know his name.  At first I thought Digger was a good fit. He'd already dug his first hole in the garden (and tried to bury his squeaky chook toy) and I liked the idea of a good Aussie name.  But, alas, my husband kept calling him Roy.

Fast forward several weeks.  Puppy is growing quicker than asparagus and is now totally ruling our lives although no name has stuck.  Son has moved to London and during our first FaceTime he mentions going for a run in Richmond Park and the deer which we all remember from this video.

Suddenly my pup is re-christened Fenton and the new name sticks. For no particular reason: he does not chase deer (or sheep) and always comes when he is called.  But that's the thing about names, isn't it?  Sometimes they just fit for no particular reason.

When starting a new story, it can take me chapters -- and many trial names  -- to settle on the right one.  And sometimes it is the exact opposite; a character arrives in my mind with the perfect name already attached.  If you were to ask me why the name is perfect, chances are I would not have an answer.

That said, there are names that I know will never "fit."  Often because of an association with a real person, either someone I know in real life, or a celebrity or fictional character.  Point in case: my first published book featured a heroine named Paris.  Shortly afterward, Paris Hilton hit the headlines and I wanted to go back and change that name.  It no longer sat right with me.

Sometimes -- although not often -- when I'm reading, a character name does not sit right either.  Perhaps because I associate that name with a real-life person who has made a remarkably negative impression, perhaps because I feel the name doesn't fit the character's background or age or personality.  It can distract me, it can affect my enjoyment of the story, but usually not enough to stop me reading.

Does this ever happen with you?  Do character names matter enough that they can influence your enjoyment of a book...or stop you buying a book after reading the blurb?

The doggie dilemma...

I’ve never had a dog. When I say this to people who have had dogs they pull a sad face, pat my shoulder and say something along the lines of, ‘Oh, you poor thing.’



I would love to own a dog. Or two. :-) :-)

Image courtesy of vudhikrai at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The thing is, I also love to travel…and I’m not quite ready to call it quits on my traveling days yet.

So, my dilemma is this: is it mean, perhaps even cruel, to spend the odd six weeks abroad and have my K9 friend(s) boarded?

I’m perfectly happy to factor in the cost of a good boarding kennel. I’d absolutely and positively want my doggie(s) to be well looked after while I’m gone. But it seems that every time I’m on the cusp of rescuing a dog from the pound, up pops a poster on FB giving me some version of: I am your dog and I love you. When you leave me I worry and mourn for you. I wonder what I’ve done wrong, and why you have abandoned me? I only live to be seven or nine (or some other miniscule number!) and every year of your life is seven in mine. Please, please, please be kind to me and love me as much as I love you.

Image courtesy of Maggie Smith at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Seriously, if I wanted that kind of guilt in my life I’d have had children! ;-) I do not want to adopt a dog simply to make said doggie's life an utter misery.

So this is what I’m trying to work out: would the good of giving a rescue dog a secure and happy home cancel out the bad of leaving said puppy for a few weeks every couple of years?

Or should I just forget the whole thing?

Or, here’s a third option...should I become a dog foster carer? I’d have a dog or two (or six!) in my life, I’d be doing something for the greater good, but when I traveled someone else would step up to the plate?

Image courtesy of Theeradech Sanin at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So, what say you (I’m channeling Aragorn from Lord of the Rings here– did you catch it?)? Come on, weigh in with your thoughts and opinions—all advice will be gratefully received.

Cats Who Think They're Dogs

Have you ever met a cat who thinks it's a dog? One who has a few more canine traits than feline?

The cat in The Summer of Jake, Rover, thinks she's a Jack Russell Terrier and I had a whole heap of fun writing her character. But she's not alone!

If you're not sure what I'm talking about, or you just want a chuckle, here's a little introduction to cats who think they're dogs for you:

Here's a little snippet of the moment when Jake first meets Rover at Annalise's apartment:

At that moment, Rover came bounding out from my bedroom, almost barreling over Jake as she jumped up on his leg. I think he faltered more from surprise than her cat-weight. I bent to pick her up, but she was scrabbling her paws to reach the new person.

Jake took a step back. “Is that cat on medication?”

Used to this kind of comment, I just smiled. “Rover thinks she’s a dog. A Jack Russell to be specific.”

“Ah.” Jake thought for a moment, then shrugged and reached forward to pat her. “Have you considered therapy?”

For a second, I wondered if he meant the cat or me, but then his eyes twinkled.

“No need. She’s perfectly happy as long as people treat her like a dog.” Rover turned and licked my cheek as if to reinforce my point. “She was dumped at four weeks old outside my grandmother’s house, and Nan took her in.”

“Let me guess, your grandmother had a Jack Russell who adopted the kitten?”

“Her dog Spot completely took over her care. And Nan didn’t like cats, so she treated Rover like a dog. Between the two of them, Rover didn’t stand a chance.” I snuggled my face into her black and white stripy neck, and she relaxed for a few seconds before trying to reach Jake again.

“So why’s she living with you?”

I put Rover down on the ground, and she sniffed the leg of Jake’s jeans. “When Nan died a year ago, Spot had already been gone a little while, so Rover came to live here. I’ll just give her some dog food, and we can start.”

Jake started nodding, then hesitated. “You feed her dog food? Isn’t that taking things a bit far?”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s C-A-T food,” I spelled out. “We just can’t let Rover know that.”

And because I can't resist, here's another cat who thinks she's a dog. :)

I love to hear about unusual animals - tell me the most unusual pet you've had or met. I'll give away a copy of The Summer of Jake to one commenter so they can meet Rover for themselves!

Travelling with Animals

Okay, some might say that travelling with certain friends or family members is like travelling with animals! Not that I would of course. Mine are very civilised.

As you can see by these of photos, my post was inspired by someone I saw recently. Before you wonder, no, I wasn't driving the car at the time. I was a front seat passenger and for a change I had my camera with me just at the right time! Isn't this pooch cute?

It got me thinking about how we don't like to leave our furred family members behind. I've seen middle-aged men cycling down suburban streets while their dog runs alongside, probably keeping the pace slow so their 'master' can keep up. I've seen tiny, tiny dogs in the baskets of push bikes. I've seen a teenager hoon along the bike path not far from us, standing on a skateboard while pulled along by his cattle dog.

Admittedly I've only seen a dog in a handbag on a film, but I have seen a small canine head poking out of a backpack.

I've met people out walking in Europe, with their ferret draped around their shoulders, taking the air together. Also in Europe, I recall walking into cosy German pubs on cold days to find half the space under the table taken up by a snoozing dog.

I can't recall seeing anyone travel with a cat, except to the vet, but I'm sure it happens.

How about you? How do you cope with leaving your furred family members or don't you? Have you had adventures travelling with them? What's the strangest way you've seen a pet travel? Maybe you have an interesting animal travel experience to share. Or if you've never travelled with an animal, maybe you've encountered an interesting one on a trip.

Because it's a miserable winter's day here as I write I've decided it's time to spread some cheer. I'll give a signed copy of UNDONE BY HIS TOUCH, my current release, to someone who leaves a comment. I'll post the winner's name here before the next post goes up so do look out for that announcement.

The Second Time Around.

by Helen Lacey

I was watching a early morning news program the other day and saw the wonderful story about an elderly couple, both in their eighties who had just married. Both had been widowed many years before and had met and fallen in love at their retirement home. It was a lovely, romantic story and it got me thinking about some of the novels I've read over the years, or movies I've watched, where one or both characters fall in love even though they never expect to again. You know, the ones where they've had the great love of their life, and once lost, it can never be repeated or replaced.

Sleepless in Seattle, is an example. This is one of my favourite romantic comedies with incredible chemistry between the two main characters (Amazing since they actually only appear in about three scenes together for the entire film) The hero, Sam, lost his wife eighteen months earlier and is trying to keep it together for the sake of his son. In one scene Sam is talking to a radio talk show doctor and she said something that I often think about  - "People who have truly loved once, have a strong chance of falling in love again." Of course the hero of this movie didn't think that was at all possible - until he spotted the gorgeous Annie at the airport, and experienced the 'thing'.

So, the thing of course is the thunderbolt - the love at first or second sight.

The movie Jack & Sarah is another example of love the second time around. Again, the hero has lost his wife in tragic circumstances and thinks he'll never love again. Of course he's wrong, and the journey of how he falls in love with the totally inappropriate nanny is delightful.

Many years ago I read a book by Ruth Wind, called Her Ideal Man. The hero had lost his wife and was raising his son alone. Enter the heroine, a weekend trapped in a snowbound cabin, an unexpected pregnancy and hasty wedding and presto, the makings of a fabulous torchy romance. I love this book. It's one of my keepers and a great example of love the second time around. There's something a little magical reading about a character, particularly a hero, who's sworn off love becuse the great love of his life is gone - but finds himself falling again when he least expects it.

But there are other kinds of second time around love. A elderly friend recently lost her beloved pet - a dog amongst dogs. After having her faithful companion for fourteen years she grieved and swore it was the last dog she would own. She insisted no other dog would ever compare to her treasured pooch. But six months later a new dog came into her life - one she aquired from an animal shelter. So, two hearts saved. My elderly friend now has a young dog and a new lease on life herself. Many years ago I owned a Great Dane called Libby. To me she was the dog of all dogs and I thought would never be replaced in my heart. Until two years ago and my husband brought home an eight week old Dogue De Bordeaux pup (That's him above, soooo cute) His name is Barney and he now weighs over 65kg - and he is awesome.

And the couple who met over bingo at the retirement home? Well, they both said they weren't  looking for love, but it found them anyway. And perhaps that's why second time around themed books and movies have such a huge appeal. They hint of a chance at happiness. They give us hope.

Do you have a favourite second time around movie or book? Or perhaps your own second time around story?

Animals in Books

Rachel's CAT STATS
Reading: To Catch A Bride, Anne Gracie
Listening to: Michael Buble
Watching: Dr Who (season 4 on dvd)
Making me smile: my 8 year old nephew, Jai
Hi, I’m Rachel and I’m a cat lover. And a dog lover—yep, a huge fan of dogs. And penguins. And green tree frogs. Oh, and wallabies—I love wallabies (they visit my back yard, very cool).

I also love books. So when I find a great book with a dog or a cat or a frog or a penguin, I’m even more in love with it (though I can’t actually remember reading a romance featuring a penguin…).

Some of my favourites have been (but in no way limited to):

Tom Bradley’s Babies, by Marion Lennox (Harlequin Romance / Sweet). A playboy stuck in a storm suddenly has to deal with a woman giving birth to twins and a bloodhound giving birth to six puppies. Both females pass out afterwards from exhaustion and Tom is left caring for a heap of newborns. Fabulous, fabulous story. (Though I could just as easily have chosen Marion's one with the green tree frogs. Or the one where the border collies fall in love.)

Anyone But You, by Jennifer Crusie (originally Harlequin Love and Laughter, now reissued by HQN). In the foreword of the reissue, Jenny Crusie says people often refer to this as Fred’s Book. I can understand why. I loved Fred – he learns to jump out his apartment window and walk down the fire escape for his ablutions. And he brings the hero and heroine together. Definitely a great dog book.

Naughty Nights in the Millionaire's Mansion by Robyn Grady (Modern Extra / Presents / Sexy Sensation). The heroine owns a pet store and the gorgeous alpha hero comes in to buy a fish. Soon after, the heroine has to make an emergency call out when his fish gives him trouble - it keeps leaping from its tank, trying to commit suicide, and the poor hero is completely baffled. This was very sexy and quirky. I loved it.

His Secluded Survivor (working title) by Nikki Logan (Harlequin Romance / Sweet). This one is yet to hit the shelves (it'll be in a UK-only anthology for 2010 release), and I haven’t even read it, but it holds a special place in my heart already – it stars four dogs: Dougal, Oliver, Fergus and Jazmine. Anyone who knows me (or has visited my website) will know they’re my dogs in real life (in fact that's Dougal decorating my post on the top left). :) Nikki has immortalized them and I can’t wait to read it.

Given my love for animals in books, it’s probably no surprise that I managed to sneak in a dog or two into The Blackmailed Bride’s Secret Child. I gave my mother’s Dalmatian Misty a starring role. Well, she’s more of a minor character, but she gets to run in the park with a little boy, and the real Misty loves doing that. :)

So tell me, do you like animals in stories? And if so, what have been some of your favourites? And if you’ve read a romance that features penguins, please let me know!

I have 10 books to give away (including my first two releases and Robyn Grady's book about the hero and the fish): The Earl’s Dilemma, Emily May (in Fate & Fortune, with A Country Miss In Hanover Square, Anne Herries) Quills / Regency; Marriage Reunited: Baby on the Way, Sharon Archer Medical; Claiming His Bought Bride, Rachel Bailey Desire; The Blackmailed Bride’s Secret Child, Rachel Bailey Desire; Tonight, My Love, Tracie Sommers Spice Briefs; The Rebel King (Suddenly Royal #1), Melissa James Harlequin Romance / Sweet; His Princess in the Making (Suddenly Royal #2), Melissa James Harlequin Romance / Sweet; Naughty Nights in the Millionaire’s Mansion, Robyn Grady Modern Extra / Presents / Sexy Sensation; Back in Fortune’s Bed, Bronwyn Jameson Desire; Stone Cold Lover, Mel Teshco Ellora's Cave