Image by Pexels All good pet owners know the importance of healthy food, a safe environment and lots of love for our furry companions. But equally important is their emotional well-being. I recently read that a lot of cats suffer from boredom and depression, especially when being left alone all day. It helps having more than one. If Ziggy and Zorro aren’t not napping or hanging out in their catio enjoying the sunshine and outdoor

Image by FreePix For many years, I’ve been a compulsive label reader. I do my best to avoid chemicals, pesticides and other harmful substances, try to never eat foods with ingredients I can’t pronounce, and, whenever possible, treat illnesses with food, herbs, homeopathics and supplements rather than through traditional medical means. This isn’t just for me but is also for my cats. About every four to six weeks, I get out the meat grinder and

Image by Pexels Anyone who has read this blog or followed me on social media for long has seen lots of pictures of my two black cats. If you scroll through the gallery on my phone, the majority of the images feature Ziggy and Zorro, except for when we’re traveling. (Even then, there are lots of pictures of the cats, since they always go with us, but at least the cat photos are interspersed with

Image by Pexels Anyone who has ever shared their home with a pet will agree that pets provide benefits that go far beyond companionship. Ziggy and Zorro seem to sense when I’m stressed or down and jump up in my lap to offer big purrs and kitty kisses. My current series is called the Canine Defense Series. Each story centers around a working dog. The next one, Uncovering the Truth, releases in January and features a chocolate

Image by Pexels Hubby and I just got back from a trip to Florida. While he did a bunch of work for his mom there, I attended the Florida Writers Conference in Altamonte Springs and presented some workshops. Of course, we brought Ziggy and Zorro with us. My mother-in-law is always happy to have her grandcats come for a visit. Our next trip will be to the southwestern United States. Today, Ryan Goodchild is back.

Image by FREEPIK Last week Ziggy told you all about his and Zorro’s cross-country adventure. We will soon be planning next year’s trip. Today, Ryan Goodchild is back with some great travel tips. I especially appreciate the first one: Balance adventure with relaxation. I have to admit, we didn’t plan nearly enough down time on our trip out west. (Well, Ziggy and Zorro had down time, but we didn’t!) We will definitely be incorporating that

Image by Pexels Hubby and I just got back from a six-week cross-country camping trip. We visited several national parks and saw amazing scenery, and the best part was we didn’t have to leave our babies behind. Ziggy and Zorro seemed to enjoy the travels as much as we did. In fact, our first day back home, Zorro sat at the front door, staring out the glass at the camper and meowing! Not all cats

Image by FREEPIK Many years ago (before becoming an author), I had a special events decorating company. I worked out of a shop on my property and met with customers in my home. I also had two cats at the time. Although they usually were no problem, one day I was meeting with a customer to plan décor for her wedding, and when I looked down at Suki, my Siamese, she was methodically emptying my

Image by FREEPI Anyone who has talked to me for more than a few minutes knows I am an animal lover. Almost all of my books have at least one cat or dog and sometimes even a horse or two. Today, John Dunbar is returning to offer some great advice for new pet owners. Take it away, John! *     *     * The decision to bring a new pet into one’s life is both exhilarating and

Image by Kayla Renee via Pexels I love weddings! And as someone who really enjoys nature, I especially love outdoor weddings. The last three weddings I attended were outdoors—one in front of a waterfall, one at a lake and one in a grassy area with a backdrop of woods and the stone ruins of an old church. As a romance author, most of my stories end with a proposal, if not an actual wedding. On