Pet Publications

Since I write about pets, and am obsessed with them, I take great pleasure in reading about them. I was aware of some local publications focusing on pets, containing articles but also filled with ads for all kinds of pet-related stuff like food, grooming, adoptions, whatever.

With our younger Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Mystie now on a restricted diet because of her fortunately former health issues, I sent my husband to a local shelter with some food we had bought for her that she now would never eat. I wanted to be sure that the food wouldn’t go to waste, and I hoped the shelter would be able to use it for its residents. While there, he picked up some copies of additional local pet magazines, some I‘d never seen before. I’ve had a great time going through them and hope to find them other places as well. Now I’m aware of at least 3-4 different pet publications in the Los Angeles area.

Of course there are nationally distributed magazines that feature pets, and I enjoy them, too, reading them as often as possible, although I don’t always maintain subscriptions. Their pictures are often adorable, glossy photos of the featured animals, and also interesting articles. But I can’t always find things that are of specific interest to my own backyard in them.

What about in your area--have you found pet publications? What about other local publications dealing with your favorite interests?

By the way, I was also excited by a segment on The Today Show today--all about a couple who had their beloved golden lab cloned. It was expensive, and wasn’t done in this country, and I know there are plenty of reasons not to clone a pet, no matter how beloved. Even so, I was enthralled by it, especially after my own Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery DOUBLE DOG DARE. Oh, and the couple had other pets as well--including a tricolor Cavalier King Charles Spaniel peering at The Today Show camera from the background.

--Linda

The Winner!

Even though I’m an avid Today Show fan, I missed the Best in Show contest until the naming of the winner yesterday. Darn it! I did look online to see the finalist doggies, and watched the video. One played miniature golf. One sang opera, along with her owner. One, a therapy dog, knew how to read, and obeyed commands displayed on cards--like shake and speak.

The winner did no tricks, but was an absolute inspiration anyway. He was a three-legged rescue dog. He’d been found by a rescue group with a bandage wrapped too tightly around his leg, cutting off circulation. The leg was removed, and he manages quite well without it.

Although all the finalist pups were adorable, I thought it said a lot about the viewers who voted for Truman, the winner. These days, when so many people are facing adversity with all that’s going on with our economy, it’s really inspirational to see anyone who, with determination, has risen above some pretty nasty difficulties, found a loving home and now thrives--including a dog!

Yay, Truman. You’re our hero.

By the way, I have a question for all you determined writers out there. I’m currently writing three different novels all at the same time, two under deadlines. Have any of you taken on any more at once? I’m actually finding it fun to change voices so many times in a day. But, then, I’ve always enjoyed changing from writing contracts and legal briefs to fiction.

--Linda