In Advance of Hurricane Irma: 5 Reasons People Can't Escape

Our house, Seaspray, sits thirteen feet above sea level, on Jupiter Island, a barrier island in Florida. The house was built in 1982, before many of the code changes to harden a structure in case of a storm. Thankfully, it's concrete block, a sturdy little cottage that's seen a lot of storms.

But there's never been a storm like Irma. Ever.

The entire island has been evacuated. The town authorities sent out this...

Then they went door to door to make sure everyone had vacated. That prediction of 39 mph? Doesn't mean much. In fact, I'm sure that's a typo. The other forecasts are Cat. 3 or higher with wind speeds of at least 60-70 mph. It's not the wind that's worrisome. It's the water. The sea surge will be 4 to 6 feet. That's a wall of water, 4-6 feet above sea level, not counting the cresting waves. And that wall is coming at you with no warning when it arrives.

If you don't live in Florida, if you are watching television, you might be thinking, "Why don't those people just hop in their cars and leave?"

Fair question.

But there are harsh realities that happen behind the scenes, and these realities deserve to be considered.

Here are a few of those:

1. They can't get off work or leave school. In one hurricane, my youngest sister was the last adult out of the school building. As a teacher, she felt responsible for the students. At the time, she didn't have kids of her own. Even so, the schools are often the LAST to be called off when a storm hits. My brother-in-law and other sister both work in a hospital. They can't leave. If they did, they would be unemployed. If you can't get off work, what do you do? Send your family away?

2. They have animals they won't/can't leave behind. Right now, the shelters are accepting pets. That's not always been the case. Typically, they didn't. One of my friends has a dozen cats. To move them, she would need a dozen cat carriers and a luggage cart. Not going to happen. Also, in advance of the storm, my husband and I were on the phone all day trying to get a hotel room for my son and his fiance. They own a pit bull. Sweetest animal on earth. The weight limit for accepted pets was 50 lbs. Juice weighs about 80 pounds.

3. They've tried to make the drive to safety--and that didn't work. My sister drove from Orlando to pick up her daughter in Tallahassee from college. The trip usually takes four hours. It took eight. That was three days ago. My sister is more worried about running out of gas on the highway than sheltering in place. She couldn't leave without her daughter, and college classes weren't cancelled until the last minute. (Ignore the spokespeople you see on TV. Yes, the state is telling people to leave, but unless they cancel school, a lot of people simply can't.)

4. They don't have anywhere to go.  Florida is a very, very, very long state. To be precise, it's 447 miles long. As a point of comparison, California is 840 miles long. To drive out of the state, to safety, is a long trip. Originally my sister thought to drive to Statesboro, GA, where my aunt lives. But Statesboro is right outside of Savannah, also in the path of the storm. As I noted before, hotels as far away as Atlanta were full as of three days ago.

5. Their vehicle won't make the trip--and there's no gas. I'd never had a tire blow out until I moved to Florida. I've replaced my tires more often living there than any other place I've lived. I've been told it's the road surface. It could be the vast distances I drive or the heat of the roads. Imagine fleeing Irma in a car with bad tires. You could easily be stranded on a congested highway. As for gas? We heard reports of gas shortages days ago. If you wanted to leave early, you might have spent more time in line that on the road. Also, the last flights went out days ago--and what do you do with your pets? Leave them behind?

So now you might be wondering, did they board up their houses?

The cost to board up a house is $100 per plywood board. To cover all the windows of a house, might easily cost several thousand dollars. My son and his fiance just bought their house two months ago. They were saving to buy upgraded windows.

And so they've hunkered down in a relative's house in Orlando. I hope they'll be safe.

Meanwhile, I hope that all of you are snug and safe.  If you don't have a good book, I can help with that. I'm extending my special offer through the first of next week. Grab a book, charge your e-reader, and try to ignore the roar of the storm outside your window.

~*~

Feel free to share these links. 

Love, Die, Neighbor: The Prequel in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series is free. Go to -- https://dl.bookfunnel.com/tgy1n0mhbx

 ~*~

Paper, Scissors, Death: Book #1 in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series is 99 cents (and an equivalent amount in the UK and other countries). https://www.amazon.com/Paper-Scissors-Death-Lowenstein-Mystery-ebook/dp/B06VTFC9T3/

 ~*~

Cut, Crop & Die: Book #2 in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series is 99 cents (for the first time ever!) And an equivalent price in the UK and other countries. Go to – https://www.amazon.com/Cut-Crop-Die-Lowenstein-Mystery-ebook/dp/B06XYCMJJN/

 ~*~

Ink, Red, Dead: Book #3 in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series is free

Go to -- BookHip.com/QGGFQN BookHip.com/QGGFQN

Law To Save Dogs

Last week I wrote about loving dogs.  I had so much fun doing that... as always! 

And those of you who know much about me know that I'm an officially inactive attorney.

 

Those two interests came together this week when I learned that a law has been signed by the governor of California making it legal for people to break windows to save pets that are trapped in cars in the heat.

On Monday this week I visited Santa Monica, a nearby city along the ocean, and my car showed that the temperature was over a hundred even in an area theoretically cooler than many--certainly cooler than my home in the Valley.  If anyone were to leave a dog in a car for nearly any time at all anywhere around here, it could die. 

Now, there are conditions under the new law, such as needing to contact the authorities, and staying by the car till they arrive, but no one can be prosecuted for saving an animal's life that way.

A few months ago I did find a dog inappropriately locked inside a car in hot weather in a local retail parking lot.  At the time, he didn't appear to be in immediate danger, but I was still concerned.  I ran around trying to find the shopping center's security people and was unsuccessful.  Fortunately, the owner apparently returned since I saw the car driving away.  I wished I'd been closer then so I could yell at the person, but the main thing was that the dog was hopefully okay.

Will I break a car window now?  Depends on the circumstances.  But it's nice to know I can do it legally.

Meanwhile, as I mentioned last week, October is approaching, and that's when UNLUCKY CHARMS, my next Superstition Mystery, will be published. The promotional events I mentioned then have begun.  I really had a great time at the panel at the Woman's Club of Hollywood.  The Women of Intrigue event is next weekend, I'm being interviewed online by Duquesne Law School's magazine--my law school alma mater--and my blog tour is fast approaching.  All fun!

And though the weather here in LA is supposed to start cooling down, I'll keep my eyes open anyway for pets inappropriately locked in cars.

Loving Dogs

I'm sure it's no surprise that I'm writing about dogs today.  I often do!

Yesterday, my husband brought me a printout of a flyer that a friend sent to him.  It showed the backs of a young girl and a dog sitting beside one another, and the caption was: "Whoever said that diamonds are a girl's best friend never owned a dog."

Diamonds?  I like them well enough, or at least their value.  But dogs?  They're not just stuff to show off and flaunt, though you can do that with them, too.  They're family.  They're cute and playful, smart, strong and demanding, they're dear loves, and cute amusements, and noses to sniff out good stuff and bad, and ears to listen to all your problems. and tongues to give you kisses and... well, yes.  They're our best friends.

I started writing this, by the way, while taking a break from some computer frustration.  I have several email accounts for different purposes, most of them on Yahoo, and one of them--yes, just one--was giving me problems.  The problem is gone now (knock on wood!), but not because I was able to do anything about it.  The best I was able to do online is to sign into a community where a few other people posted they had similar problems.  But customer service?  So far it's hidden itself much too well.  If anyone reading this knows how to contact a real person at Yahoo and get a response, please let me know.  Not that I'm expecting more trouble--but I bet I'll get some anyway.

One other thing to mention: writing stuff.  It's getting close to October, which is when my next book UNLUCKY CHARMS, the third Superstition Mystery, will be published.  I'm busy with promotion-related things, like ordering bookmarks and participating in various events such as the Woman's Club of Hollywood panel and Women of Intrigue, as well as an upcoming blog tour.  I'm sure you'll hear more about it as I blog here, too.

Anyway, back to dogs.  Did you know they also are clocks?  Mine tell me when it's dinnertime, sure, although they always start reminding me early.  But Lexie now takes a pill around noon, and if she's not sleeping too soundly she'll come tell me when it's time for her meds.  It doesn't hurt that I wrap it in some dog food so she'll eat it.  Oh, yeah.  Maybe that's why her inner clock works so well.

I recognize that pets of any kind can be best friends and more to their family members and think it's wonderful, whether they're dogs, cats, birds, gerbils or whatever.  I'm just glad that so many people now recognize the love, and value, of their pets.  As I do.  With dogs.

Honey, I'm Sorry I Killed Your Aquasaurs

It's a great time to be a writer. We have so many more opportunities available to us. I love the fact that we can traditionally publish or self-publish on Amazon, for example. I self-published a book that's a compilation of my newspaper columns—Honey, I'm Sorry I Killed Your Aquasaurs (and other short essays on the parenting life). Thought I'd share the title essay from that book.  Enjoy!

Killjoy Mama—or Honey, I'm Sorry I killed the Aquasaurs

Thank goodness things are back to normal after the holidays. Well, almost—how normal can your life be when you have small children? We muddled through the holidays this year with a sense of foreboding, knowing we would get inundated with toys and we would be left wondering what to do with them. And we did. One of the worst things we received this year was the gift of Aquasaurs.

If you don't know what Aquasaurs are, consider yourself lucky.

The kit comes with eggs that hatch--but they must hatch in spring water that is a certain temperature and you must be careful that you don't bump them around too much. All this fuss tickled my husband. "If they are prehistoric creatures, why do you have to be so gentle with them?"

The girls and I followed to directions to perfection and soon we saw teeny, tiny Aquasaurs emerge in the murky waters. The only place I could safely put the plastic tank was on the kitchen table. After awhile, I wished I would have placed it somewhere else. No matter how much I cleaned it (every TWO DAYS) the tank looked filthy and the bigger the creatures became, the more they resembled some kind of bug. And I had them in my kitchen.

After about two weeks the girls lost complete interest. I found myself crushing the tiny bits of food for the three that survived. Of course, it was also me that cleaned the tank— much the same way that it is I who cleans the cat box and feeds the cat. As if I needed anything thing else to do in my life.

If I had toddlers in diapers, the care of the Aquasaurs would have driven me to madness.

I admitted to some friends that I really could not wait for the Aquasaur life cycle to end—they were disgusting little creatures, taking my time, and invading my kitchen. They only live 90 days or so. But I resolved to let nature takes its course, even though I had briefly thought of flushing them down the toilet.

This presented a moral dilemma for me, a vegetarian who strongly believes in the dignity of all life. I could not quite appreciate the dignity of the Aquasaurs.

Then something strange happened. I thought it was my imagination, at first.

When I cleaned the tank one day, I noticed that one of the little creatures would come to the top and look at me and do little flips. The more I talked to it, the more it flipped around. It seemed happy to see me.

This began to happen every time I cleaned the tank. My husband stopped and watched my cleaning the tank one night and said, "Look, that one likes you." And so I knew it was true. We had bonded, this little Aquasaur and me. Woe be unto me.

A few weeks later, as I was cleaning the tank (again), as I poured a clear liquid into the tank, suddenly I smelled something weird. I realized that it was vinegar. The plastic vinegar bottle was sitting next to the plastic spring water bottle and in my harried state I poured it in, instead of the water. All I could do was stand there and watch them die, hideously, but quickly.

We buried the creatures under the apple tree in our backyard, along with any thoughts of getting any more pets.

Author’s Note: I still feel like crying when I think about this.

Moving Day - Not!

I’m really glad that our blog topic this week involves how to move the important stuff relating to our hobbies. Since my theme around here concerns pets, and they’re members of the family, the answers are easy. Just pack up the pet food, the bowls and zillions of toys, the grooming stuff, the pharmaceuticals and flea treatments, and go.

But if I had to talk about moving my writing stuff, forget it. I’m in my house to stay. Otherwise, I’d have to get organized. I’d have to figure out what of my infinite research materials, including uncountable books, brochures, magazines, clippings and more, I could keep, and what I had to throw away. Of course I have to keep all the binders of notes I made during each trip, in case I ever set a story in the many places we’ve visited. And the photos, although my most recent ones were done on digital cameras with pictures not printed, so they don’t take up as much room as the albums and boxes of earlier photos.

I’d have to pack up all my promotional materials, including lots of bookmarks. Most of the copies of my 23 published books so far are already in labeled boxes, but there sure are a lot of them. Plus, there are my older manuscripts that aren’t on computer.

Then there are all the accoutrements of writing--notecards I wrote on each night after emerging from the bathtub with the info my subconscious mind told me I’d write about the next day. Pens, pencils, notepads, computer paper, and all the other things I need for writing and editing. Computer equipment--the computer itself, monitor, scanner, printer, fax machine, copier, etc. And, oh, yes, there are also the copies of contracts and books relating to my other career--as a lawyer.

Seriously, I do appreciate the discussion this week. Do I really need all the stuff? No, and I do go on occasional binges to clear out an area... to make room for more research material or books!

What about you--is it easier to move your pets or hobbies than the items you’ve collected to enhance your career?

Charlene

I know it’s not my usual “beat” to blog about pets, but I wanted to mention that it’s been a very sad week, because my oldest cat passed away. Her name was Charlene.

She had cancer, and was beginning to have physical difficulties that interfered with comfortable living. I made the difficult decision to have her “put to sleep” by a veterinarian. Even though it was a peaceful, quiet passing, I felt terrible about it.

Before taking her in for the procedure, I called the ASPCA, which has an 800 number that connects you to an animal psychologist. I expected to get a voicemail because it was the weekend, so I was amazed when the psychologist answered the line. She spoke with me about end-of-life management issues for animals, and reassured me that I was doing the right thing for my pet by letting her pass away without undue suffering. She also mentioned that I should stay her until the end. This was very hard to do, but I’m glad I did.

Yesterday, I was touched to receive a sympathy card from the veterinarian about the loss of Charlene. She said that I had made the best decision for my pet.

I found this picture of cats silhouetted against a sunset, with a cosmos of hanging toys to bat around. It made me hope that there’s really a rainbow bridge, and that Charlene and I will meet again someday. She was a good kitty.

The Joys of Research

We’re writers, which makes everything our business! That’s because writing is only part of the fun. Research is a wonderful perk that goes right along with it.

So what do we research? Anything and everything that we might ever write about. Of course our focus tends to be on what we’re writing now.

For one thing, I have lots of fun with locations, when I can. I set my upcoming (sometime) Silhouette Nocturne on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, which isn’t far from some property we own in Glen Burnie. It’s a kick researching the area. Not to mention werewolves. I’m considering a sequel that could take place in Alaska, which is also a great place to visit. And then there’s L.A. I live here, and it’s a great place to write about... so I do.

With me, in case you haven’t guessed, a lot of research is about animals... or, sometimes, quasi-animals. Unless, of course, you happen to believe that shapeshifters are real. I haven’t run across a real one in my research, but I’m keeping an open mind.

I’ve been plotting the seventh Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery. Each of the stories has featured different kinds of pets--dogs and cats, of course, and also ferrets, macaws, iguanas and even ball pythons.

So what’s next? Well, I’m relatively certain it’s potbellied pigs. One has already appeared in several of the Kendra books, but I’ve got an idea of how to focus on more piggies in a unique kind of way. And that gives me latitude to conduct some fun research.

I’ve been in contact with a really delightful local lady who both owns and rescues pigs, and I got to visit her home recently. I adored her household! And so far, it appears that pigs are every bit as intelligent as I’ve read, so I think I can use them the way I’d hoped in this upcoming story.

How? Well, I know I’m being cryptic, but I don’t want to give anything away. And if I say too much, it could spoil one of the subplots of Double Dog Dare, the sixth Kendra story, which will be available in June 2008. And that means that Kendra #7--and I’m still thinking about its working title--won’t be out until sometime in 2009. So, for now, I’m just hoping to pique your curiosity with my potbellied pig references. Could things change? Sure. That’s part of the fun of creating.

Meantime, I’ll continue to have fun with my research.

Stay tuned, pig lovers!

--Linda

Thanksgiving Thoughts

I’m fortunate enough to be able to post my blog for Thanksgiving Day, so I’m going to resort to the not entirely original idea of giving an accounting of some of the stuff I’m thankful for.

I’m thankful for prepared food mixes that, with some additions and embellishments, help me to make a tasty Thanksgiving meal yet have time to write and visit with family on Thanksgiving Day.

I’m a little thankful that my part-time temporary law job that looked, yesterday, as if it might move and morph, is staying as-is. Maybe it’d be better if things changed enough to get me to leave, which would increase my writing time, but I like it enough for now to hang in.

I’m thankful for writing, since it’s so much a part of who and what I am.

I’m thankful for my good friends and my fellow writers, absolutely including my co-bloggers who invited me to join them here at Killer Hobbies. You're all great!

I’m thankful for my wonderful agent Paige Wheeler of Folio Literary Management, her interest in my writing career and her support, and all her efforts to make my publishing dreams come true. I’m thankful for my publishers and their hard-working editors, at Harlequin and at Berkley Prime Crime. By the way, Kendra Ballantyne, my pet-sitter mystery protagonist, joins me in these good wishes for Berkley and everyone there. She really likes it when her stories are told and looks forward to more to come. And, yes, I'm thankful for Kendra and figure she's thankful for me, too.

And of course we're thankful for our wonderful readers!

I’m thankful for all animals, those that are wild, and those that allow us to think they’re tame. For pets of all kinds. For dogs, and for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. And at the top of that list, I’m thankful for my adorable Lexie. And Kendra says the same about her Lexie.

I’m really thankful for my family--those who remain in Pittsburgh, those who live in Phoenix, my extended in-law family in Ohio and Hawaii and here in L.A. And, most especially, I’m thankful for my two wonderful sons, Eric and Keith, and for my husband Fred, with whom I don’t always agree but I do always love.

I hope everyone reading this has a wonderful Thanksgiving. And please feel free to comment here to add the things you’re most thankful for.

--Linda

Canine Heroes

The Los Angeles Times had an article this week about the West Coast War Dog Memorial in Riverside, California, which is east of L.A. It was about the all-too-unsung heroes of many combat situations, military dogs.

As with dogs enlisted by various law enforcement agencies in the U.S., soldiers, too, use dogs in combat as scouts, sentries, guards, life savers... and friends.

The memorial in Riverside is a 16-foot-tall bronze statue of a soldier and his German shepherd. There are also tiles on which messages are left by the dogs’ handlers. The article said that this memorial was initially rejected by the Riverside National Cemetery as being disrespectful to veterans. I would beg to differ, but at least March Field Air Museum accepted the memorial.

The article really touched me, particularly because it said that through most wars and other combat situations, the hero dogs, after saving countless lives, were classified as equipment and killed rather than having any attempt to retrain them and bring them home. How awful! The article says that, of about 4,000 dogs used in the Vietnam War, only about 200 came home.

And what happens to combat dogs now? The article said that, in 2000, legislation was passed allowing handlers to adopt their dogs and bring them home. Yaaay!

Does that solve everything? Well, no, although it’s absolutely a step in the right direction. But I read a book a while back called From Baghdad, with Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava, about the difficulties a soldier had in bringing back a stray dog he’d adopted. The pup wasn’t a hero in uniform, so he hadn’t an absolute right to come to the U.S.

I have to say that the article that prompted this blog entry really got to me, as you can probably tell. Without getting into the politics of it all, I have to assume that soldiers in all wars must want to latch onto any kind of comfort they can--including the unqualified love of a dog. Dump that when they head home? Maybe, but I doubt it. Thank heavens that has changed, at least as to official animals.

I’m wondering if I can work this kind of situation into one of my Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries. I’m sure Kendra would use all legal precedents and shenanigans possible to bring all beloved doggies home.

--Linda

The Ubiquity of Pets

They’re everywhere! I was just checking my e-mail and found a pug staring at me from the computer screen. A bone-shaped dog biscuit appeared in the picture beside it and moved right along with my cursor--and the dog’s eyes followed the bone. What was this all about? It was an ad for on-line pet medications. Very cute! Did I shop on-line for the meds? No, but if I ever needed something for my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Lexie that I didn’t obtain from her vet, perhaps I’d consider that site.

Last night, after I watched national TV news, my husband called me back in to see a segment on one of the post-news paparazzi shows that relate too much information about stars' lives and upcoming appearances. This segment happened to feature doggy designer bathing suits. Cute, tiny pups were bedecked in bikinis and one-piece suits, and the designers and owners claimed to the interviewer that the dogs had preferences as to which to wear. I certainly believe that some spaniels and retrievers might love to leap into swimming pools or lakes, but probably unfettered by clothes. And these little guys in the story might enjoy romping on a beach, but I didn’t buy their diving into the water.

I collect articles from magazines and newspapers about interesting pets and, sometimes, incidents relating to them. Some of them give me ideas for plots and subplots for my Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries. Sadly, today, there is a news item about a lady in L.A. who obsessively collects pets to the point of abuse. They’re wall-to-wall in her home, everything from dogs and cats to reptiles. I feel sorry for all the animals, and for the lady, too. I’d imagine she believed she was helping them. Unfortunately, she may have been loving them to death.

Even while I was in the U.K., I sought out stuff on pets, as must have been apparent on some of my recent blog entries. I saved a story from the Daily Telegraph about a “robodog” with a new metallic paw designed so his skin will grow into the metal. The idea is to use the technology to help in devising human prosthetics, too.

Just this week, I read an article in Parade Magazine from my Sunday L.A. Times on “How Intelligent Are Animals?” And the August 6 issue of Business Week has an adorable bulldog in tiara and multiple gold necklaces on the cover to illustrate the feature article inside: “The Pet Economy. Americans now spend $41 billion on their pets. And a lot of humans are getting rich.”

Then there’s the on-line newsletter I get almost daily from a guy called Dr. Jon. He tries to sell pet insurance and other stuff through links to his site, but he also publishes some very helpful and interesting articles, including information about people foods that can harm pets. He also gives updates on the tainted pet food scare. In addition, he makes interesting suggestions on pet names.

Oh, yes, pets are everywhere--because people love them!

By the way, please stop by and see part of my interview with Melissa Kauffman, a delightful editor at BowTie Publications, on the Bird Channel. The link’s a bit lengthy, but you can get to it easily on my home page: www.LindaOJohnston.com

And if anyone reading this has interesting articles or links to show me, please chime and post some comments for me to follow up on!

--Linda