Its Edith, hoping you had a happy holiday!
Im writing this with a dog standing on my lap. So forgive please any typos. See, Miss Daisy, my foundling, stork-legged, wasp-waisted black and white spotted muttsky, likes to climb upon my lap whilst Im working. She'll stand there, two legs balanced on my lap, and two on the chair handle, and looks out in to the garden, making sure its squirrel free. She weighs 43 pounds, by the way, but balances so deftly, I scarcely feel it. Right now, I have to rest my check on her flank, and shift her slightly, and peer under her tail (not to get a wrong idea its a long thin tail that waves under my nose like a mustache) - to see the keys. Every now and then she snakes her head around and buries her cold wet nose in my neck and tries to kiss me.
Why do I put up with this? Because of love. And because shes the best writing partner a woman could have. I dont need a critique group or a fan club. Ive got Daisy. She listens carefully to my chapters, and appreciates them. Her opinions are always right, and its downright eerie how often she agrees with me. When Im blocked, shes always willing to go for a nice long ride in the car with me so I can write in my head on the way. She reminds me when its lunchtime, and wont let me work past Judge Judy and before-dinner snack time. And Id definitely grow moss on my north side if it werent for her insisting that, rain, snow, or shine, I get outside for a good walk every couple of hours.
Dogs are essential writers assistants, helpers, critics and company. (Cats are too, except for the walking around the block bits.)
Our pets fit so neatly into our lives that we often dont give them enough credit.
Ive only had a few dogs in my books. LADY OF SPIRIT and two novellas I wrote about magical Christmas puppies immediately come to mind. (Hound of Heaven and Dogstar). This is because I find they steal the scene so completely they distract me from the rest of the story.
Now, April 10th is a ASPCA special wear orange for Adoption day.
If you haven't, I urge you to discover the joys of pet ownership too. Adopt a mutt. Adopt an elder dog or cat. They give us everything, and ask for nothing but affection, a bowl of water, and some kibble or fish treats.
I love animals, and of course, I love animal stories. I teethed on Albert Payson Terhune, and still weep at the mention of Old Yeller. I even loved Beethoven.
Do you have a favorite book about an animal? Even better, have you got a story to tell about how a pet has enriched and enabled your life?
Pray tell!
I have always loved dogs, and currently own three. I feel a special kinship to "The Grand Sophy" by Georgette Heyer since it contains Tina an Italian Greyhound (and my dogs are IGs). I can only guess that La Heyer actually owned or knew IGs since she seemed to have Tina down to a T. However, I think the most touching animal story has to be "Where the Red Fern Grows"....oh dear that was a tear jerker.
Enriched my life? you bet - there is no sitting around feeling sorry for yourself when you have dogs. They are always happy to see you, even when you are in your pyjamas and don't have your hair done. They'll lie with you when you feel sick. The simple act of petting them will lower your blood pressure. They are companionship when you are alone. I can't imagine being without at least one.
Posted by: piper | Monday, April 09, 2007 at 07:03 AM
A topic near and dear to my heart, as you know!
We've just celebrated the third week of having Jewel, our newest shelter adoptee, in our household. Prior to St. Patrick's Day we had Ruth and Lola, a pair of black-and-white dogs. Now we've got a trio, a threesome, a pack, a herd, a flock, a stampede.
Wish darling Miss Daisy were near enough to come over and play! She'd fit right in!
I've owned purebreds--shelties and a Border collie, and others. But shelter rescue dogs are the dearest pets.
The books I write nearly always have dogs in them. Somewhere.
Posted by: margaret | Monday, April 09, 2007 at 08:16 AM
I ADORE my elderly Pit Bull Terrier. I just realized yesterday during our huge Easter bash that she's going to be 15 next month. ACK! As my friends’ much younger dogs ran and ran and ran and wrestled and tussled and ran some more, my ancient beast lay in the shade, imperiously accepting rubs from the boys and the occasionally spare rib.
Posted by: Kalen Hughes | Monday, April 09, 2007 at 08:17 AM
From Sherrie:
Writers live solitary lives, and my 2 cats and 1 dog keep loneliness at bay and are excellent company, besides. As I write this, Lord Byron is draped across my forearm, his motor running, 15 pounds of cat body immobilizing my arm. Nova, my Doberman, is cruising for crumbs under the desk, and my other cat, Christopher the Assassin, is leaning over the edge of the desk making playful swats at the dog.
When I'm in writing mode, they're pretty quiet. I have a large footstool under the desk, and a big chair that lets me scrunch down into a semi-reclining position when I type, and the cats think that is an invitation to get on my chest, right up under my chin. Unfortunately, that blocks my view of the monitor, so I have to keep pushing them away.
But they are essential writing companions, and Byron, poet that he is, frequently vocalizes his approval and suggestions.
Posted by: Sherrie Holmes | Monday, April 09, 2007 at 08:51 AM
Love those doggie-inspired typos, Edith! And I know what you mean! Molly, our Westie, is either somewhere under my feet when I work, or busy elsewhere in the house or out in the yard. She has lots to do during the day, depending on who's home, and what the Bad Squirrels are up to (and they're always ready to taunt her).
I didn't grow up with a dog, and I'm allergic to most of them, which is a bummer, but Westies are hypoallergenic and adorable, and I've turned into quite the doggie fan thanks to her.
I try to fit Westies and Scotties in my books, and other dogs as well. I'm partial to Irish wolfhounds--what gorgeous, majestic, mysterious, gentle dogs. But the allergies, and the size of the living space, doth protest. *g*
~Susan Sarah
Posted by: Susan Sarah | Monday, April 09, 2007 at 09:53 AM
I must admit, I usually hate animals in romances. Animals books that I love: Thurber's Dogs, though a Terhune fan might want to skip the piece on him, it's pretty upsetting.
Posted by: Wendy Betts | Monday, April 09, 2007 at 11:04 AM
Parrots anyone? My Amazon and Macaw have been long-time loyal pets and certainly liven up the house. Plus, I like having pets that are smarter than I am (admittedly, not hard).
Posted by: Val Jones | Monday, April 09, 2007 at 02:48 PM
I have to be satisfied currently with my six granddogs and one grandcat. They are frequent visitors/boarders because it seems Mom and Dad are still useful for taking care of pets. I hope we'll be trusted with grandchildren!
We once had a basset hound named Spot who used to fall asleep in the middle of the road in front of our house every time she escaped from our fenced yard. Fortunately she lived to tell the tale, and went to dog heaven when she was elderly. She was the sweetest, smelliest dog, and I swear she could understand every word spoken to her. She loved nothing better than lying on a lap, but she was simply too fat (and smelly---did I mention smelly?) to be a lap dog. I miss her.
Posted by: Maggie Robinson | Monday, April 09, 2007 at 04:58 PM
I firmly believe that animal lovers are some of the luckiest people in the world. They give us so much--affection, company, entertainment. And I'm inclined to think that they channel creativity from the astral plane.
We always had cats--lots of cats!--and I'm still a certifiable cat person, but we had a basset, too, and a very fine fellow he was. There are virtually always cats in my stories, sometimes in snooze roles, but always there. I put a basset, Louis the Lazy, in one book. And in my August book, I included a hyacinth macaw in honor of a bird loving friend. :)
Mary Jo, surprised to hear that little Daisy weighs 43 pounds. She looks smaller.
Posted by: maryjoputney | Monday, April 09, 2007 at 06:51 PM
I love cats, and dogs, but I'd never own a dog. I just can't take that responsibility. It's probably why I won't have kids, either. I'll have a cat someday, that I know. My cat died last March, and I still miss him almost every day.
As for books, I always loved all the James Harriot books such as ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, and of course all of his children's books. What a wonderful author. I also used to watch "All Creatures Great And Small" on TV with my mum whenever it came on PBS.
Posted by: meardaba | Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 08:02 AM
I grew up on a farm and all our animals had names- even the sheep and pigs were pets. Animals have personalities just like people. I currently have 2 cats- both former strays- and I'm feeding another stray that has been hanging around and will probably mooch her way in eventually. I do not adopt cats- they just show up and move in. It is a family curse- all my siblings have been aquired by cats.(Not the other way around)
I love animals in books. Patricia Veryan and Georgette Heyer often included animals. They make British characters seem more authentic- I think of England as a nation of animal lovers.
Favorite animal stories? How about Charlottes Web? Herriot of course, and a book from my childhood- Old Bones, the Wonder Horse. The only animals I dislike are monkeys- to much like badly behaved humans, I guess!!!
Posted by: Gretchen F | Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 08:21 AM
How delicious to find so many friends of animals!
Bassets and Irish Wolfhounds, Scotties and Italian Grayhounds and muttz. And assorted pussycats. Loverly.
Margaret's photos of her trio of doggies make me want to reach into the screen to give them skritchies.
Answer to Mary Jo's query: Daisy is quite magical. You know how puppies are floppy and all out of proportion? Not her. When we found each other she was three months old, and 15 pounds. She didn't grow, exactly, she expaaanded. There was only one day when I noted her hind quarters were a little higher than her front. But the next day, she was level again. She went from 15 to 43 pounds without changing anything but size!!
And Wendy - I read Thurber's Dogs, but don't remember what he said about A.P. Terhune.??
Posted by: Edith | Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 11:36 AM
OOPS! And Dobermans and Pit Bulls and Parrots, of course!
Posted by: Edith | Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 11:38 AM
I've always loved animals too but since my first "pet", an Angora rabbit, which I can't even remember, had to be sacrificed towards the end of the war for lack of food both for it and the humans it cared for and who cared for it, our family didn't have another pet for many years. My mother did not partake of the meal of the sacrificed rabbit but we had its nice soft fur for many years and I keep expecting to find it again. In fact by the end of the war there weren't many animals left.
When my siblings were young we had fish, turtles, hamsters. The main pets though, and the last, were a Guinea pig named Hansi II (Hansi I had belonged to my mother's family)and a mostly Alsatian named Ivanhoe. They were definitely the most lovable ones. You can't really cuddle turtles or goldfish or even hamsters.
Sometimes I think of getting a dog but I don't like the little yippy ones and the bigger ones that I do like wouldn't have enough running room in the area I'm in. So I've enjoyed the dogs in the house here vicariously: Bandit, a pug which was poisoned in this tainted pet-food scandal and had to be put down. And Rebel a big but affectionate boxer who comes over to visit from time to time.
My favorite animal stories were definitely about horses, especially the Black Stallion and Island Stallion books by Walter Farley which I still have all of.
Posted by: Ranurgis | Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 01:08 PM
Ah, Ranurgis, We're sorry for your terrible experience with your pet.
But as for dogs... I've known tiny dogs with barks as big as the house, and since I've had lots of great big doggies, I can tell you that some of them are the biggest couch potatoes around.
How much room does a dog need? In the end, it's just as much room as you have in your heart for him.
Posted by: Edith | Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at 07:32 AM