In previous blogs I’ve written
about my love of big dogs, specifically Labrador retrievers and how I’ve
included them in my books. Well, I confess – I added a little dog to one of my
earlier novels. It had to be a small critter for the plot. The books is, Call
Sign: Love and it was the number one best seller on Fictionwise in
August of 2009.
My
protagonist, Cyndia Simmons (she explains that her first name is pronounced
just like Cynthia, but without the lisp) has a Chihuahua that she named Thor.
She gave him a big dog’s name to give him confidence.
I
got the idea for this book while working at the San Diego Sheriff’s Department
as a volunteer. I was with the department for over two years, learned a lot and
loved my “job.” I wrote a non-fiction book about my adventures, An
Extra Pair of Eyes, www.writewords.com and www.amazon.com and had fun with
that but, I felt I just HAD to write a romance too. Of course as with all my
books, there’s a mystery and a bit of humor. In this case, the mystery revolves
around a man running naked through the small town of Oakdale, with only a brown
bag on his head. Here’s the synopsis:
Cyndia Simmons is
searching for a new career and the love of her life, but there’s a problem. She
grew up in a family of law enforcement officers and swore never to marry a man
with a badge. She refuses to even date men in law enforcement—which is rather
difficult, considering that she’s a dispatcher at the Sheriff’s Department
Communications Center and all the men she meets wear guns. Then she meets Todd
Witlow. He’s handsome, kind, and generous—and he’s a deputy. Although Cyndia
does everything she can to avoid him, destiny keeps throwing them together.
Todd is on the fast
track through the ranks at the Sheriff’s Department; he knows that’s best done
alone, but when night after night he is forced to listen to Cyndia’s husky
voice over the radio, he becomes determined to meet her—and more.
Doggy tip for today.
How to Remove Small Blood Stains from Carpet,
Fast, Easy & Cheap
It’s happened
to all of us. You cut the dog’s toenail to short and a few drops of blood fall
on the family room carpet. Or your dog works on a raw hide chew too long and
soon blood is dripping from her mouth. Sometimes the animals play too hard and
you find the result, blood on your carpet. I’ve lived with dogs most of my life
and have come to the conclusion that if you live with critters, you’re going to
find spots of blood on your rug. Not to worry. There’s an easy, inexpensive way
to remove blood stains from your carpet. I got this tip from my veterinarian
and have found it works every time!
1. Pour
a little water on the stain – just enough to dampen the area.
2. Take
normal table salt and sprinkle it on the fresh stain to lightly coat it.
3. Gently
rub the salt into the stain with a clean, wet cloth.
4. The
salt will break down the protein in the blood.
5. With
a dry cloth blot up any remaining moisture from the area. The stain is gone!
6. When
the spot is dry, smooth the carpet area to blend the fibers with the rest of
the carpet. Using a coin really brings
the fibers up and blends them. I’ve found quarters work best.
Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and a Happy, Healthy
New Year!