Launch Week Elements: Cats
Welcome to my launch week celebration! If you missed my other posts, you can find the links at the bottom of this page. Today, I’m writing about a new character in my novel: a feline.
I have never been a cat person—mainly because I am allergic. I’ve never met a dog who didn’t like me. Now cats—I’ve met some who insist on curling up on my lap until I sneeze. And to be honest, there’s nothing quite like that contented purring vibrating through my body as they sleep and keep me warm. But I’ve met others who hiss at me and even bite. During one of my house-hunting adventures, a cat darted out from a closet, jumped on the bed, and actually bit my arm. It didn’t draw blood, but it did scare me away from considering that house!
My earliest memory of a cat isn’t actually my own memory. It’s my mother telling me about a cat she had that she taught to play fetch: she had a little rubber ball, and she threw it up the stairs. Her cat would retrieve it and then chase it again. Strangely enough, this feline story actually made me want—you guessed it!—a dog. (A few years later, my begging resulted in a loveable little puppy.)
My next memory of cats—also doesn’t involve an actual cat. My parents had these salt and pepper shakers. They had these lids that lifted up in such a way that they looked somewhat like mouths (at least, they looked like mouths to an imaginative young girl). While waiting for dinner many nights, my sister and I played with the salt and pepper shakers, imagining that the pristine white salt was a cat and the speckled and aromatic pepper was a dog. My sister’s picky personality (which was somewhat cat-like during those early years) implanted itself onto that salt shaker, and I actually found myself slightly resentful of cats (again, without ever knowing one!). This was compounded by my mother explaining to us the truth about cats and dogs. My sister insisted that cats were really nice and sweet, and dogs were rough and mean. My mother told us that cats and dogs are all different. She did scare me by saying that a cat’s tongue is rough whereas a dog’s tongue is soft. I felt a little resentful—that cats could lure us in with their cute looks and then scratch us with their rough sandpaper tongues!
You might guess that my third memory of a cat doesn’t actually have to do with a cat, either. My sister had this beloved Halloween stuffed cat. I’m pretty sure it was named Blackie. She seemed to take it everywhere with her so that its fur looked well-worn by the end. Although I didn’t have any problem with her stuffed toy, and I did quite enjoy Halloween and the mystery surrounding black cats in October, my sister’s love of that cat pushed me to be different, to associate myself more with dogs than cats. If cats were going to be her identity, then dogs were going to be mine, dog-gone-it!
So you see, before I even got to have a real experience with a cat, I was already a dog lover.
When I finally did get to interact with cats—mostly babysitting—I found myself perplexed. Dogs get excited by all manner of words. Cookie, walk, leash, food, water—these words all seem to bring out a smile on a dog. But talking to a cat to me is like talking to an alien. With no eye contact and no reaction, I’m not sure cats even are about what I’m saying, let alone understand a word of it.
It was my own inability to communicate with cats that inspired me to add a feline to Corgi Capers 3. I knew at once that the best character to communicate with the cat would be tiny and wild Sapphie. With her inability to focus, Sapphie has her own communication problems. But we all have talents, and Sapphie’s just haven’t been discovered yet. When Zeph is terrified and perplexed by the strange mewing of the cat, Sapphie jumps right in with the ability to understand and empathize (in her own hilarious way, of course).
Drawn out to larger themes in the novel, I hoped to emphasize that we all have our own talents and—as the cliché goes—it takes all kinds to make the world go ‘round. I try to take time to understand multiple perspectives and see the world through other eyes just as my characters have done. I challenge you today to look at the world from a different perspective and see what inspiration may come your way.
Corgi Capers Book 3 Giveaway
Sign up to follow this blog via email (sign-up is toward the upper-right), and at the end of the week, I’ll randomly select a winner to receive a free copy of Corgi Capers: Curtain Calls and Fire Halls. Haven’t read the first two? The winner can choose one of the other Corgi Capers books instead.
Contest details:
Winner will be chosen on or shortly after November 17, 2014. The prize will be the winner’s choice of Corgi Capers 1, 2, or 3. Paperback copy available only to U.S. addresses. International winners will receive choice of ebook version instead. Void where prohibited.
Related Posts
I’ve already blogged about the winners of the Name that Cat contest and about the inspiration of one of the winning names. Being inspired to enjoy life is a constant theme in Corgi Capers, as Zeph (inspired by my own fraidy-dog Yoda) is afraid of most things. Many characters learn to find the heart of a hero beating within. Curious to learn more? You can view the trailer here. I’m pleased to be working with Yuming Cao to bring this bravery to life through illustration, and this illustrated corgi book will also be available soon.
Launch Week Elements: The Heart of a Hero
With a little inspiration, we can all find a hero’s heart beating within.
Welcome back to my launch week celebration. If you missed my other posts, you can find the links at the bottom of this page. Today, I’d like to share my thoughts about being a hero.
In Corgi Capers 3, several characters examine what it takes to be a hero. On the lighter side, little Sapphie escapes to the woods, facing cold and danger to help a friend in need. Likewise, Adam and Zeph venture into uncomfortable territory to follow what is right. Zeph is enlisted to act in a middle school play with Courtney. His character is his complete opposite: a brave, outgoing pup who pushes boundaries every day. Through the story, Zeph keeps the inspiring character in mind, challenging himself to move out of his comfort zone to brighten the world.
Adam, like his dog, has been sheltered his whole life. But hanging out with his best friend Patrick and his new friend Gavin show him different perspectives, and for the first time, Adam considers what he might want to do “when he grows up.” As a volunteer at the local fire company, Adam realizes that ordinary people make sacrifices every day to make the world a better place.
And on a more serious note, Courtney starts to see the world from a broader perspective, growing out of the harmful hijinks she participated in during Halloween.
The common theme is that in some ways, each character has the heart of a hero. Like Adam, I grew up sheltered in many ways. It’s easy, given a comfortable life, to look beyond the struggles of fellow man. I’ve noticed, too, especially with social media and the prevalence of phones, how easy it is to become absorbed in one’s own world. In some ways, I fear we’re all losing the benefits of making good, old-fashioned human connections. Each of the main characters in Corgi Capers 3 grows in one way or another through his or her interactions with others. They all find themselves in new situations—often uncomfortable ones—but through the human connection they forge in these new circumstances, they learn and grow and become inspired.
Misery is contagious, but so is happiness. My characters have learned the benefits of spreading happiness, and it’s something I hope my readers will be inspired to do as well.
I’ve intentionally chosen Veterans’ Day to post about this element of Corgi Capers, and I’d like to thank all Veterans for their service to this country. It doesn’t need to be said that those serving in our armed forces do so with the heart of a hero and push themselves through situations that are more than uncomfortable. I have many veterans in my family, and I’ve seen only a fraction of the sacrifices they’ve made on our behalf. They are an inspiration to me. Today only, the first ten veterans of a US armed service to email me will receive an e-copy of Corgi Capers 1, 2, or 3, or The Scarred Letter or Faulkner’s Apprentice.
Thank you to all veterans today and every day. You have the heart of a hero.
Corgi Capers Book 3 Giveaway
Sign up to follow this blog via email (sign-up is toward the upper-right), and at the end of the week, I’ll randomly select a winner to receive a free copy of Corgi Capers: Curtain Calls and Fire Halls. Haven’t read the first two? The winner can choose one of the other Corgi Capers books instead.
Contest details:
Winner will be chosen on or shortly after November 17, 2014. The prize will be the winner’s choice of Corgi Capers 1, 2, or 3. Paperback copy available only to U.S. addresses. International winners will receive choice of ebook version instead. Void where prohibited.
Related Posts
I’ve already blogged about the winners of the Name that Cat contest and about the inspiration of one of the winning names. Being inspired to enjoy life is a constant theme in Corgi Capers, as Zeph (inspired by my own fraidy-dog Yoda) is afraid of most things. Many characters learn to find the heart of a hero beating within. Curious to learn more? You can view the trailer here. I’m pleased to be working with Yuming Cao to bring this bravery to life through illustration, and this illustrated corgi book will also be available soon.
Launch Week Elements: Trailer
Happy Launch Week!
This is launch week for Corgi Capers 3: Curtain Calls and Fire Halls. Launching a book is always a combination of nerves and excitement, but this one is extra special to me. I’ve woven lots of heartfelt elements into this book to celebrate what has touched my life and the lives of so many others. To celebrate and share the passion I have for this book, I’ll be highlighting one element of the novel each day this week. Sign up to follow this blog via email (sign-up is toward the upper-right), and at the end of the week, I’ll randomly select a winner to receive a free copy of Corgi Capers: Curtain Calls and Fire Halls. Haven’t read the first two? The winner can choose one of the other Corgi Capers books instead. (Please see contest details below.)
For today, I’m excited to reveal the trailer for the book. If you haven’t already, check out the links below for other posts related to the book.
Contest details:
Winner will be chosen on or shortly after November 17, 2014. The prize will be the winner’s choice of Corgi Capers 1, 2, or 3. Paperback copy available only to U.S. addresses. International winners will receive choice of ebook version instead. To enter, simply sign up to follow this blog via email. Valid email address required: winner will be contacted via the email address used to sign up to follow the Corgi Capers blog. If winner does not respond to notification within 48 hours, we reserve the right to choose a new winner. Void where prohibited.
Related Posts
I’ve already blogged about the winners of the Name that Cat contest and about the inspiration of one of the winning names. Being inspired to enjoy life is a constant theme in Corgi Capers, as Zeph (inspired by my own fraidy-dog Yoda) is afraid of most things. I’m pleased to be working with Yuming Cao to bring this bravery to life through illustration, and this illustrated corgi book will also be available soon.
Cover Reveal: Corgi Capers 3
Corgi Capers 3: Curtain Calls and Fire Halls
I’m happy to reveal the cover for the upcoming book Corgi Capers: Curtain Calls and Fire Hall. The book will be released soon through DWB Children’s Line. The story takes place in the weeks surrounding Thanksgiving and continues the adventures of Sapphie, Zeph, Adam, and Courtney. Once again, Leia and Yoda Corgi were happy to model for the cover.
Inspiration in Unexpected Places
Adam’s favorite comic book detective knows that a mystery can appear anywhere. This is a lesson Adam learns when money disappears from the Stoney Brook Fire Company, where he volunteers. But who would steal from the firefighters? Can one of his new friends be the culprit?
Meanwhile, Courtney tries to make things right after the mess she made on Halloween. She balances her time between volunteering at Willow Lakes Retirement Community and taking her wild pup Sapphie to obedience classes. But inspiration strikes in unexpected places, and Courtney finds herself captivated by an acting group that visits her school. Does Sapphie have what it takes to earn the canine role in the play and perform alongside Courtney?
Sapphie and Zeph add their own capers to the mix as they find new ways to escape and discover what exactly is hiding in the chilly autumn woods near their home. In this inspirational chapter in the Corgi Capers series, Adam and his friends discover exactly what makes the heart of a hero.
Related Posts
I’ve already blogged about the winners of the Name that Cat contest and about the inspiration of one of the winning names. Being inspired to enjoy life is a constant theme in Corgi Capers, as Zeph (inspired by my own fraidy-dog Yoda) is afraid of most things. I’m pleased to be working with Yuming Cao to bring this bravery to life through illustration, and this illustrated corgi book will also be available soon.
To Denby
I was touched to learn of the passing of Denby Dog yesterday. He is now running free across the rainbow bridge. (For those not in the know, I have blogged about him before—here.)
I say “touched” instead of “saddened” because although I am terribly sad and thought about Denby throughout the day, I can’t help but think of the joy he brought his family during all the years he lived against the odds, not to mention all the happiness they brought him. I can’t help but think about all the two- and four-legged friends Denby brought together over the years—friends on Facebook who never met in person but who shared joy and comfort in each other’s company, and will continue to do so, all because of a spirited little dog.
Every dog touches the hearts of his owners—his family. But Denby reached beyond his “mommy’s” heart and touched the lives of more people than he could count. And so when I remember Denby, I do not dwell on the sorrow of losing him—but rather, I celebrate the joy of having known him and having been part of the community he inspired. As they say—corgi on!
Though I am a prose writer, I do sometimes write poetry, and Denby inspired me to write something for him. So here goes:
To Denby, on Earning Your Wings
You earned your wings some time ago, though they could not be seen:
Your spirit soared, with soul aglow, through each computer screen.
A Super-Dog, you showed us how to find the “super” within,
To “corgi on” and be “Denby Strong,” your wink an inspiring grin.
You taught us all to enjoy each day of peace and joy and love.
And corgi nation’s members, they now feel your spirit above.
For years, you crossed impossible bounds, transcending nations and states.
Bringing together a world of hounds and people; you’re one of the greats.
You’ve let us fly, with your invisible wings, for many inspiring years;
Now’s your time to soar like angels and kings. There is joy for you, in my tears.
For now you sleep on a bed of stars and wink at the moon “goodnight.”
And spend your days in the rainbow world, in happy, frappy flight.
We’ll see you again, brave Super-Dog, but until that day,
Be with our pets that have gone before—and enjoy your time to play.
-Val Muller
During an auction to raise money for Denby earlier this year, I auctioned the opportunity to name a character in the upcoming Corgi Capers: Curtain Calls and Fire Halls. Miss Kat generously won that opportunity, and she chose to name the character Denby, after the inspirational corgi whose stamina and spirit greatly inspired all of corgi nation. In the upcoming book, I created a character that captures Denby’s spirit—spreading joy, enjoying life, and bringing people together. I hope I have done justice to his memory and legacy.
Yoda and Leia, wearing red for Denby. Yoda’s cape is a tribute to the Super-Dog.
The Power of the Pen
In Corgi Capers, Mrs. Hollinger (the protagonists’ mother) is a freelance copy-editor. Bad grammar is more than her pet peeve. She allows typos and misused punctuation to distract her from the time, from her appointments, from the road–in short, from her life. Luckily for the family, her distractions lead her to fun, serendipitous things like finding two corgi puppies at a tucked-away farm.
A sketch of Mrs. Hollinger, protector of the English language
Like Mrs. Hollinger, and like my own mother, I love grammar. Maybe I don’t love it, but I feel the need to protect it. Just the other day, I had to stop myself from replying to an email in order to thank the sender for correctly using the correct punctuation (a semicolon) when using “however” as a conjunctive adverb. It was only when I started typing the thank-you email that I realized how crazy I sounded.
Don’t worry: I deleted it.
During a writing class, I asked students to think about an object that had power to them—and then write about the object from the object’s point of view. When I assign writing, I try to model it by writing on the topic, too, volunteering to share if no one else is willing. Through brainstorming and drafting that day, it occurred to me that I find much power in a pen. I always have; in fact, Courtney wrote about this on my blog, too, as part of an assignment she had to write.
I ended up writing from the point of view of a red pen—but not just any red pen. A pen with thick, wet ink that glistens as it dries on the paper. This is a pen wielded by a pompous professor, a Mrs. Grundy. It is a pen feared by many. Here is what my pen had to say:
My ink smells like fear. Thick and red, it bleeds onto the paper as I slash students’ work with painful lesions. I’m a high-class pen, more expensive than most—and rightly so. A benefit of being so expensive is that my ink was designed not to run after it dries. This is important because I’d hate for students’ tears to wash away the genius of my markings.
Sometimes I press so hard against the paper that I bleed onto the pages below. My favorite letter to draw is an “F,” but I am content drawing C’s and D’s as well. I’m also especially fond of a minus sign. I am good at writing check-marks, but I’m even better at writing X’s. I’m so powerful that I leave marks even on teacher’s hands when they wield me because they are not perfect, either, and I love to show them their flaws. No, even teachers are not strong enough to escape my judgment.
I stopped writing because it occurred to me that perhaps that is how some people see pens: they see writing as scary, grammar as a mystery. And that made me sad.
In grad school, my education professors warned us not to use red pen to grade students’ work. The red, they claimed, looked too much like blood, and it would seem that the comments were actually wounds on the students’ work—like the paper was bleeding.
I didn’t buy that, and I have since asked students their opinion on the matter. They chuckle whenever I ask, telling me that one color marking is just as intimidating—or not—as the next. But the professors’ comments got me thinking about pens and their effect on people—the connotation of their stroke, thick, thin, watery, or dry.
I do not like to write with pens that use thick, flowing ink that comes out wet. I do not like to use pens to intimidate. The pen truly is mightier than the sword, and it should be wielded responsibly.
I prefer smooth pens—of medium or fine tips—with ink thick enough to run evenly but thin enough to dry on impact. The pens I like would not sound as spooky or arrogant as the one above. The pens I like are full of potential, each one housing an untold story within its ink. For me, a pen is full of a liquid dreams—an elixir that allows the mind to transcend its metaphysical boundaries and share itself with others. For me, there are few objects that hold more wonder, or potential, than the pen.
What story might be inspired by this little corgi butt and its obsession with whatever lives under the daisies?
That magic came out in full force for me this past winter when, during a terrible snowstorm, I penned the majority of Corgi Capers 3 while waiting for the schools to reopen. It amazed me that the story cooking in my head could enter reality via that magic ink.
I’m excited to be finishing the final edits on Corgi Capers Book 3: Curtain Calls and Fire Halls, in which I pay tribute to the bravery of fire fighters and the spirit of everyday heroes like a very special dog named Denby. My goal in writing the book is to inspire people to see heroes in everyday people and magic in everyday occurrences. The book should be released soon, and I hope you enjoy it!
The Lucky Birthday Pups (by Leia Corgi)
I’m so excited that my person is finally letting me write a blog post! I get to write about my brother, too. He’s too scared to write about anything. See, this weekend, we got to celebrate our birthday. It was a busy time but so much fun.
My brother doesn’t even know what “Happy Birthday” means, but every time our person said it to him, he wagged his tail and howled. Silly boy. I, on the other hand, know full well that “Happy Birthday” means treats.
First, we got to chase our absolutely favorite thing in the world–the green dot! For those of you who don’t know, the green dot is sneakier than a squirrel, faster than a rabbit, and smellier than a deer. We haven’t caught it yet, but we sure keep it in line:
Here’s another video our person took because Yoda wasn’t being chasy enough in the first one;
We kicked off the weekend with a rare treat. Our person gave us CANNED DOG FOOD! We love it so much, but when we eat it, we are super focused and growl at each other a little because we’re so excited. So our person was a little preoccupied making sure we weren’t going to try to eat each others’ food that she didn’t get to snap a picture. Our person is sitting here as I’m writing and told me to tell you that if you saw a picture of us eating canned dog food, you would think it was gross. Our person says we look like snakes eating prey. Whatever that means.
Anyway, after eating our canned food (our person says it makes us stinky–hee hee!), we were lucky to enjoy perfect weather for our birthday weekend. I got to sneak around, and I rolled in several unique smells.
This is me being sneaky.
My brother is so boring. He just likes to sit under a tree and watch things. He always has to make sure our person is in his sights. How boring.
This is my brother being attentive and boring.
I like to hike around and see if I can lose my person!
This is me sneaking under the pine trees, where I’m pretty sure a family of skunks live. They haven’t sprayed me yet, and I don’t know why my person always yells at me when she catches me here.
This is me showing my brother the bestest, stinkiest place to roll.
But the very best part of the weekend was that my person left the gate off the stairs. Me and my brother aren’t supposed to run up and down stairs on account of us being short-legged corgis. Usually, we obey the rules, but if my person is upstairs for too long, I like to sneak up a few steps to be closer to her. But sometimes, if she’s upstairs sleeping, I sneak all the way up and hide in the hallway. She never even suspected that this weekend, I took a nap in the hallway right outside her room! Though come to think of it, I’m not sure where this picture came from…
We wrapped up the weekend with one final treat, and now that we’ve enjoyed all that, we’ll sleep well. Luckily, our person has to go to work tomorrow, so we get to have a nice long nap!
Until next time my person lets me write a blog post, take care and send me treats!
This is a picture of my brother, not me, because when I eat treats, I don’t sit still long enough to snap a picture!
Why Be Afraid?
I’ve written many times about my “fraidy-dog” Yoda, who is afraid of almost everything. In fact, for fun, I’ve compiled a list of his fears here. I’ll have to update that page with two new additions, one from last night.
The front cover, illustrated by the talented Yuming Coa.
His sister Leia loves to steal socks, but Yoda never does. Leia has so much fun running around the house with a sock in her mouth that I felt sorry for Yoda—he was missing out on the fun. Last night I tried to give him my other sock, but he just hurried away, hiding behind my chair. Since he was a small pup, he hasn’t really played with stuffed toys or anything soft—only rawhide bones or hard toys. If I try to play with him with a soft stuffed animal, he simply runs away. Sad!
It got me thinking that maybe he is missing out on some of the fun he could be having if he were less afraid. I thought about my own childhood. I definitely didn’t live life to the fullest; I was always cautious. My dad always repeated a saying to me: A coward dies many times, but a brave man dies only once. I understood what he said even as a kid, and I tried not to let fear of anything keep me down.
These musings inspired me to write a book in verse, an illustrated book that both children and adults would enjoy. It’s called Cora Cassidy and the Craven Corgi, and it will be available soon. I found an amazing illustrator at my alma mater, The College of William and Mary. Yuming Cao definitely captured the emotion behind each scene in the book.
The story takes us through a year in the life of Raven, a cowardly little corgi. Raven explains to her person Cora exactly what terrifies her about each part of the year, and Cora tries to dispel the corgi’s fears, looking with optimism at each time of year. Cora’s glass is always half full. For Raven, the glass is usually half empty (and full of something terrifying!).
My favorite line from the book is Cora’s: “Every month of the year keeps improving.” I love the optimism she shows when thinking about the world. Anyone who knows me knows how much I fear winter—I was trapped in a car during a snowstorm for thirteen hours once, and I’d much rather deal with a little heat and humidity than with crippling snow. I aspire, though, to look at the world the way Cora does.
Cora views each day as a gift, and she finds the enjoyable and the memorable in each time of year. Cora truly embodies my father’s advice, appreciating each day and all it has to offer.
Corgi Capers Comix: Feeding Time
Welcome to a new feature on my blog. I’m going to try to post one of these each month. I spent lots of time in high school drawing comics–I mean, studying. I continued my interest in comics during college with the school newspaper. Though my drawings are very cartoony, I hope to keep practicing them here while sharing my love of those quirky little corgis. This first comic is inspired by my own dogs, who become ornery if I don’t feed them exactly on time. Enjoy! -Val Muller
How Many Names Can You Name a Dog?
I’m excited to share this guest post by the amazing C. Hope Clark, author of the Carolina Slade Mystery series and owner of two adorable dogs. You can check out her links at the bottom of the post:
Writers often love having a pet around the keyboard. Dean Koontz has his golden retriever. Virginia Woolf had Pinka, a red cocker spaniel. Like my host Val Muller, Stephen King loves his corgis. John Steinbeck had a poodle he’d walk or drive around to remove writer’s block. And I’m proud to say that E. B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little, adored his protégé Minnie the mini-dachshund, because I’m a dachshund lover, too.
While I don’t have quite the acclaim of E. B. White, I write day in and day out, publishing The Carolina Slade Mystery Series, mystery novels that take place in rural South Carolina. And at my feet, or running up and down the hall to my study, or wrestling around the floor, or chasing each other around the sofa, are two dachshunds that my readers know well thanks to Facebook.
Roo and Winnie.
Simple names. We acquired Roo first. As the last of a litter, she was a smooth, red sable, an inch or two shorter than a proper, well-bred dachshund should be, which only made us fall in love with her more. But I wanted a distinctive literary handle for her, so I researched high and low for characters and authors with cool names.
Suddenly I heard down the hall, “Stop jumping! This dog is a dang kangaroo.” Worried about her dachshund spine so prone to injury, my husband fought to keep her from leaping in his lap, on chairs, on the sofa, but she ignored his pleas. “I’m calling her Roo,” he declared. And since Roo was such a wonderful little character in Winnie the Pooh, I agreed.
Roo turned into her daddy’s pup, though, preferring his lap to my study, coming to me only in his absence, so we decided a year later on another pup for me, as well as for Roo. On the way home, the tiny brindle pup in my hands, we searched on our phones for a solid German name for her. Agnes, Mathilde, Gretchen, we read down the list. Then we came to Winifred. Cool and unusual. Wini for short. It wasn’t until days later that we realized we’d unconsciously pulled out another Winnie the Pooh name, and we changed her spelling to Winnie. And as if to compensate for Roo’s shorter body, Winnie decided to be looong and lean.
“Come here, Rat Dog.”
As children of the South, our family has a deep supply of stories, metaphors and nicknames. Winnie was small and low to the ground, and soon learned that she could out-maneuver the more rotund Roo by scurrying under chairs, couches and beds . . . like a rat.
Then as Winnie grew long, and Roo grew more round, they became Mini-Winnie and the Mighty Roo.
When they needed to go outside, they were called Winnie the Poo (husband’s idea, I assure you) or the Poo Puppies.
At dinner time they were the Gorgeous Guts.
When they misbehaved, they were the Nasty Pups.
Roo slipped up behind you at times, earning her the title Stealth Puppy. Winnie, on the other hand, was Crazy Puppy. She couldn’t be quiet if she tried.
When Roo became such a Daddy’s girl, and she tired some evenings of a new puppy’s gnawings on her ears, she became:
“The Sweetest Puppy in the World”
“The Smartest Puppy in the World”
“The Prettiest Puppy in the World”
“The Cutest Puppy in the World”
You get the idea. Winnie didn’t care. She was too busy being wild and carefree, wreaking havoc on the nearest shoe, sometimes piling shoes and slippers until she’d cleaned out the closet.
There are some days I wonder why an author is supposed to have a dog. It’s not like they politely pose at your feet, being quiet, helping the writer feel inspired. Instead they frolic, yap, scramble, rip and run, reminding us that we cannot live continuously at the computer. There’s a real life out there, and sometimes it takes a leash with a friend on the other end, and a day of sunshine to make a writer go outside, take a deep breath, walk and rejuvenate.
And that pup lets that author call her whatever name she wants. Because that dog knows that her main goal in life is to make her author healthy and happy, so that she can better tell her stories.
ABOUT C. HOPE CLARK
C. Hope Clark is author of the award-winning Carolina Slade Mystery Series. She is also editor of FundsforWriters.com, a website chosen by Writer’s Digest for its 101 Best Websites for Writers – a resource for career writers. She lives on the banks of Lake Murray in central South Carolina, with her husband and two doxies who love life. www.chopeclark.com
Corgi Capers 