Monday, October 22, 2012

This Week's Special Guest Marcia James

This week's special guest blogger at The AuthorIsland Tiki Hut is Marcia James and she stops by to talk about pets.
 


Marcia James writes hot, humorous romances and finaled in eleven Romance Writers of America contests before selling her first comic romantic suspense, AT HER COMMAND. In her eclectic career, she has shot submarine training videos, organized celebrity-filled nonprofit events and had her wedding covered by People Magazine. in addition to writing fiction, Marcia presents author promotion workshops. After years of dealing with such sexy topics as how to safely install traffic lights, she is enjoying "researching" and plotting her novels' steamy love scenes with her husband and hero of many years.  
 


NO MORE HOMELESS PETS 

            October is a month associated with dramatic fall foliage, Columbus Day sales, and Halloween trick-or-treaters.  But the calendar’s tenth month also calls attention to two important issues: breast cancer awareness and the plight of homeless animals.

           
Smokey, my Chinese crested hairless dog logo, proudly displays his breast cancer ribbon.  Breast cancer has touched many families, including my own.  Close to 200,000 people – men, as well as women – will develop breast cancer this year.  In addition to supporting cancer research, we can all be vigilant for signs of cancer and get our annual mammograms.

 
           
Today’s blog isn’t about breast cancer, however.  I’m blogging about the millions of abandoned animals in the U.S.  October is Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month, and Smokey urges everyone who has space in their homes and hearts to consider rescuing a dog or cat from your local shelter.

 

Here's a tongue-in-cheek look at some of the dog breeds available at the nation’s shelters: 

Collie + Lhasa Apso mix = Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport

Pointer + Setter mix = Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet

Great Pyrenees + Dachshund mix = Pyradachs, a puzzling breed

Pekingese + Lhasa Apso mix = Peekasso, an abstract dog

Labrador Retriever + Curly Coated Retriever mix = Lab Coat Retriever, the choice of research scientists

Newfoundland + Basset Hound mix = Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors

Bloodhound + Labrador mix = Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly

Malamute + Pointer mix = Moot Point, owned by…oh well, it doesn’t matter anyway

Deerhound + Terriermix = Derriere, a dog that’s true to the end

Bull Terrier + ShihTzu mix = Uh, never mind…. 
 
 
           
Smokey, who was himself a shelter dog, points out that many of the animals who act in television and film came from shelters.  For example, Morris (aka Lucky), the spokescat for 9 Lives cat food — and his stunt doubles — were all shelter cats.

An Internet search reveals quite a few canine actors, who were rescued from shelters, including: 

1. Benji (aka Higgins), the Poodle, schnauzer, cocker spaniel mix star of the Benji movies

2. Old Yeller (aka Spike), the mixed breed whose breakthrough role was the lead in the movie Old Yeller

3. Sandy, the Airedale-Collie mix from Little Orphan Annie

4. Fang, the drooling Neapolitan Mastiff from the Harry Potter movies

5. Bruiser (aka Chico), the Chihuahua and Rufus (aka Chloe) the Bulldog, who star in Broadway’s Legally Blonde

6. Kelly, Chip, Topsy, Stella, Zelda, and Bo, the 6 mixed breeds who played Max in How the Grinch Stole Christmas

7. Lucky, the mixed breed from the Dr. Dolittle movies

8. Happy, the terrier mix on the TV show, 7th Heaven

9. Papi, the tiny star of Beverly Hills Chihuahua

10. Most of the canine cast of the movie, Hotel For Dogs 
 
 
           
Readers who can’t adopt a shelter pet can still help the animals through donations or by volunteering at the shelters.  I was honored to be one of ten authors who wrote stories for the Berkley benefit anthology, Tails of Love, which donates 100% of the author proceeds to a no-kill animal shelter in Hamilton, OH.  This anthology is the pet project (pun intended) of New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster.  Tails of Love has raised over $10,000 for the shelter so far. 

 
           
All of my romances, including my Christmas novella, HeatingUp the Holidays, features Chinese crested dogs and other four-legged characters not including shapeshifters!  I enjoy the humor and emotion a canine Cupid can add to a love story. 
           
Would you like to share your favorite pet stories – rescued shelter animals, remembered childhood pets, funny animal anecdotes, etc?  I’ll draw a winner from those who comment on this blog to receive a free download of my first book, At Her Command, a comic romantic suspense featuring Smokey in a key role as an undercover DEA drug-sniffing dog. 

As my Tails of Love co-authors would say, “Go pets!”

Marcia James

13 comments:

  1. Hi, DeNita! Thanks for hosting me at the Tiki Hut!

    I had a spaniel as a kid, and he was very fond of bringing dead things to our back door. That's one aspect of pet ownership I would gladly skip! ;-)

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  2. Welcome to the Tiki Hut Marcia! Thanks for being our special guest and for your great post. I didn't know Oct was Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month!

    Usually the pets I've had over the years have found me...lol - And now I have two little kittens that were so wild you couldn't look at them this past spring, but now are the most loveable little guys you've ever seen - all due to many hours of loving from my daughter, waiting for them to come around. And now they are bringing us all kinds of dead things as gifts - oh the joy!

    Can't wait to hear everyone's pet stories - have fun this week!

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  3. Howdy, Marcia!!!
    Looove this blog and so much fun being in Tails of Love with you. We raised a ton of money for AAF, animal adoption foundation.
    I have two rescue cats, my son has four plus a rescue dog, daughter one has rescue cat and dog, daughter two has rescue cat. We are a rescue family. LOL

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    1. Hi, Duffy! We're in a mutual admiration society, since I loved being in Tails of Love with you (under your Dianne Castell pen name) and am enjoying your Iced Chiffon cozy mystery!

      Your family is the epitome of pro-animal people! It's wonderful that you saved so many homeless pets! And I'm sure they bring a lot of love and entertainment into your lives. ;-)

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  4. Hi Marcia - We've adopted a variety of pets over the years. It's good of you to blog about the continuing need to find homes for these animals. I hope lots of people support the need.

    Hugs, Becky

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  5. Thanks, Becky! One of the things I like so much about blogging on pro-pet issues is meeting online like-minded people. Kudos to you and your family for adopting your pets!

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  6. Hi Marcia!

    My little dog Stella was a shelter rescue and she is the best dog ever! Thanks for bringing attention to more animals that need permanent homes.

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  7. I bet Stella is thrilled to be in her "forever home." Not only are shelter pets wonderful, but many are perfect for seniors to adopt, since they're already housebroken.

    Thanks for stopping by my guest blog! -- Marcia ;-)

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  8. Hi Marcia,
    What a fun post! Love the Bull Dog + Shih Tzu mix! LOL! Our three cats: Charlotte, Wilbur, and Templeton are rescue cats and we have 11 cats in our back yard who were abandoned ferals. We trapped, neutered, and released and are caring for them. They all have names, but it would make this comment too long to include them! It's always been my philosophy that animals, just like people, if treated with love, respond in love.
    Best,
    Carol Ann

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  9. Hi, Carol Ann! That's wonderful about your rescue and feral cats. My sister has a houseful of cats and also TNRs the ferals in her neighborhood. I think there is a special place in heaven for people who love and care for cats and dogs.

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  10. Hi there! What a fun post. I love animals and have wonderful memories of pets growing up, but live in an apartment and can't have any until I get a home of my own. It's a dream to have a house filled with the pitter-patter of some four legged babies!

    But you know as I read your post, I decided to see if I can volunteer at a local shelter. I've never even thought that before, but then again, how sad to not be able to bring home some of the little ones. I'll have to think about whether I can handle that.

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    1. Beckie -- I hope it works out that you can volunteer and get to be with the animals, but I totally understand how difficult it can be to see a homeless animal and not be able to adopt it. I'm VERY allergic to animals and try to help out through donations and blogging and such, since I can't actually volunteer at the shleter. I think that's why I have so many dogs and cats in my books -- and why they are all shelter rescues.

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  11. And the winner of my first book, At Her Command, is...Carol Ann!!! Yay!!! I'll contact Carol Ann privately and see what e-book format she'll want.

    Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by my guest blog! And many thanks to Author Island for providing me with this guest-blogging opportunity!! -- Marcia ;-)

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