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Showing posts from February, 2021

PET PEEVES--WHAT MAKES YOU CRAZY by Heather Weidner

I started making a list of pet peeves and it grew. Originally, I was brainstorming ideas for why someone would commit a murder or a crime, but it was cathartic to write them all down. Some are humorous, and others make me go, "Grrrr!" Here’s my list: ·          People who leave grocery carts in parking places instead of returning them to the corral  ·          People who leave two squares of toilet paper for the next person ·          People who leave an empty box or container on the pantry shelf ·          People who talk on the phone in a public restroom ·          People who see that the copier or printer is out of paper and walk away ·          Telemarketers, especially those who call me at work on my cell phone ·          Those little ribbons for hanging in women's shirts and sweaters ·          Tags in clothing ·          People who don't hold the elevator doors for others ·          Sales people who don't listen ·          The fact tha

THE SCENT OF MURDER – DOGS IN MYSTERIES by Teresa Inge

      Since many readers love a good dog related mystery, this genre has become a winning combination for mystery and dog lovers alike. Readers are now purchasing books and their audio version based on the mystery and canine together.         And as a mystery writer this is a fun duo to write about. By adding dogs in the Mutt Mysteries series, it adds more interesting characters to each story. For instance, my protagonist, Catt Ramsey who owns the Woof-Pack Dog Walkers is always running into trouble in each book and stumbling across dead bodies. But with her Yorkshire Terriers Cagney and Lacey by her side, they help sniff out clues and alert Catt to dangerous situations, including murder. I always try to grow the dog’s interaction with the characters in each book.      Since I am an animal lover with dogs of my own, one thing I don’t do is harm animals in my stories. Readers do not like that and neither do I! But it is okay to shoot, stab, choke, and hurt my protagonist Catt Ramsey

A VERY PUPPY VALENTINE! By Maria Hudgins

My friend Sadie wants you to have a very happy Valentine and she reminds all of us that puppies need love too! They certainly mustn’t eat the chocolate in those beautiful boxes, but there are plenty of ways to show your love on this special day. I personally dislike peanut butter spread on dog bones because of what it does to the rug, but there are some easy ways to make treats that have your own special touch.  Here’s my favorite recipe for Easy No Bake Treats:   Ingredients:      Canned pumpkin.      Plain Yogurt      Peanut butter.      Bacon (sautéed until crisp and crumbled)      (Notice I’m not giving you exact amounts. Use your own judgement.) Directions:      Mix first three ingredients, form into small balls, and roll in the bacon. More ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day: Take your dog for a walk and stop when he wants to. Let him sniff as long as he wants. Sit in the yard or on the porch with your pooch. Just you and him/her. Invite another dog over for a play date. Read a boo

R U READY FOR THE BIG GAME? By Jayne Ormerod

First thing I did when my 2021 calendar arrived was to draw a big red circle around February 7 th . It’s game day! The big one! No, not the Super Bowl, but the Puppy Bowl. The big match up between Team Fluff and Team Ruff. The premise is nothing more than hours of watching puppies play in an enclosed area painted to look like a football field. Pups play with stuffed footballs, and score points when the ball is carried over the goal line. Talk about cuteness overload! Here is the official roster of pups for the 2021 game: https://www.discovery.com/shows/puppy-bowl/puppy-bowl-xvii/vote . Oh, be still my mutt-loving heart! I can’t choose which team to root for! My method for choosing a Super Bowl team is easy…I go for uniform colors. But when it comes to the Puppy Bowl, I base my allegiance on cuteness. So for that reason alone, I will be rooting for Team Fluff, more specifically, Chunky Monkey, a Chow Chow/Irish Red and White Setter mix. Okay, okay, uniform color figured into my choi