Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Special Guest Blogger!

Hey, all!
I'm still playing catch-up with being away this weekend, so I'm very honored to have a special guest blogger today!
Please welcome author Maria Zannini!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My most loyal fans can't read, yet they've stuck with me through every mood a writer can face. The one I could always count on was a black and gray herding dog called Chelly.

She was always under my desk, next to my feet and never far from a potential scratch behind the ears.

Chelly died two years ago and words cannot express the hole she left behind. But Tank, my 130 pound Rottweiler took her place as head foot warmer and kissy monster. Since he's such a big boy he lays in the corridor leading up to my office, making sure nothing gets in or out without his approval.

Tank was best friends with Chelly so whenever he hears her name he raises a brow in subtle expectation. Still, he knows she's not coming back. For a long time I thought so too.

It had been a terrible night of edits for True Believers, my mojo had taken a hike and it seemed as if I had lost all ability to string three coherent words together. I was angry, frustrated and tired. I closed my eyes for a moment then opened them when I thought I heard something under my desk.

(If you follow my blog, you know I live in an area where it's important to ALWAYS know what is advancing on your pinky finger—or toes.)

I looked down and saw a dog-sized shadow hop over my feet.

No dog. Just the shadow.

I stared at the floor as my brain tried to reason what I had just seen. Chelly was the only dog who ever sat under my desk. And it was normal for her to lightly jump over my feet just before I pushed away from the computer.

Was she still with me?

All the stress from editing melted away and I sat there waiting for a sign that she was still here.

I called her name and Tank came bounding into the room and gave me a big sloppy kiss before laying his giant head on my lap. I scratched his ears and asked him if he'd like a cookie.

He looked at me like I was an idiot. "Of course, I want a cookie!" (I happen to be very fluent in Dog.)

We got up to liberate the promised cookie and I turned back one more time to peek under my desk.

I can't help thinking Chelly's still with me, trotting behind me as close as my shadow.

Something tells me, she never left.

I miss my girl, but I still have Tank and now we've been joined by Iko, otherwise known as my penance on Earth. But that's another story—one that requires alcohol for the telling.


Tell me about your pet. How long has s/he been with you? Does he keep you company when you read or write?

***

Maria Zannini's latest release is a science fiction romance called TRUE BELIEVERS.


Mix one cynical immortal and one true believer and throw them into the biggest alien-hunt the world has never known. Rachel Cruz is a Nephilim masquerading as an archaeologist and she's stuck with an alien who believes she can lead him to his ancestral gods. Black Ops wants to find these gods too. They want them dead.

Follow Maria here:

Blog
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Goodreads
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Contest time! Every time you leave a comment, tweet or mention "Maria Zannini" anywhere with a link to my blog, your name goes in the hat for a chance to win a Texas sized prize. Go here for more information.

PS And if you're a real pal, you'll go to RT Reviews and vote for my novel, MISTRESS OF THE STONE. Go on. You know you want to. And if you vote for me, I'll love you forever.

152 comments:

Maria Zannini said...

Hi Jennifer!

Thanks for letting me (and the dogs) stop by. :)

Dru said...

When I was growing up the family cat was my companion. She played blocks with me, we ate together and she let me read to her at night.

Unfortunately as I got older, I became allergic to cats, but I do remember her fondly.

Maria Zannini said...

Dru! You had a kitty? That is so sweet that you read to her. I can just imagine you doing that. It makes a lovely picture.

Linda G. said...

Aw, I love a good doggy story, and this one is especially sweet. Thanks for sharing.

True Believer sounds like just my cup of tea--I'll be looking for it. :)

Joanne said...

We have a cat, Puddin. She'd spent nearly five months in a cage in the humane society, waiting for a home. Until we walked in. She's called our home hers for five years now, and does help me write, between her naps. She'll sit beside my desktop screen and paw at the moving cursor :)

Linda Leszczuk said...

Since I've been around for a while (spelled o-l-d) I've had the joy of quite a few furry fans. At the moment Brandi is sitting beside me, as she usually is. And when I get up to leave the room, she will struggle to her feet, groaning (she's getting o-l-d, too) and follow along. Who else in your life will give you that kind of devotion?

(Be patient with Iko. He'll figure things out.)

Maria Zannini said...

Linda G: I hope you like True Believers. It's been getting good reviews lately. I'm just hoping that's not my imagination. :grin:

Thanks for visiting me!

Jennifer Shirk said...

I only have hermit crabs. I have to say they're not really supportive of my writing. LOL

Joanna St. James said...

Oh I wanna hear about Iko now

Maria Zannini said...

Oh, Joanne. I'm so glad you found Puddin. 5 months in a cage. Poor thing.

That is one happy kitty now.

Maria Zannini said...

Linda: This reminds of when Chelly couldn't climb the stairs. I moved all my equipment downstairs so we could be together.

--of course, now I CAN'T climb the stairs. LOL.

Maria Zannini said...

Jennifer: Crabs? Seriously?

That is too funny. At least they don't pine away when you run off to DC.

Maria Zannini said...

Joanna: Ohh...Iko.

That dog has made me old before my time. LOL.

He is a sweetheart though. I can't stay mad at him for long.

Amy DeTrempe said...

One dog and now 3 cats. One cat keeps my desk chair warm and the dog is always by my desk when I am writing. It is a comfort to have them.

Maria Zannini said...

Amy: That's a good way to describe it. It's a comfort. I like knowing they're there.

PS Does the kitty give you any 'catitude" when he has to get off your chair? :)

Silke said...

I used to have a "visiting cat", who sat at on the radiator, directly behind my typewriter.
She'd always arrive when I sat there, hopping through the open window to park herself there.
One day she didn't show up anymore. I never found out what happened to her, but I have fond memories of it.

I miss that. There's just something about looking up and having company (who can't read what you're writing!)

Maria Zannini said...

Silke: I love that story! How neat that she chose you to spend her day with.

And you bring up a good point about animals. They're not critics. ...well, not most of them anyway.

Thanks for your story.

C R Ward said...

I lost my best friend and closest companion more than 7 years ago and I still mourn his loss. He was a scruffy ginger cat named Valentine and sometimes at night I still feel the weight of him across my legs and hear him purr me to sleep.

Anonymous said...

Have you considered the fact that this might work another way? I am wondering if anyone else has come across something
like this in the past? Let me know your thoughts...

Maria Zannini said...

CR: That hurts my heart, CR. I know exactly how you feel.

I don't know if pets stay with us, but I know they stay in our hearts. I still look for Chelly wherever I walk.

I'd like to think Valentine is still keeping you company.

Elana Johnson said...

Wow, what a great story. I, uh, don't have any pets. I'm not what you would call an animal person...

Maria Zannini said...

Elana, I don't think they could keep up with you!

Nice to have you pop in.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing this link, but argg it seems to be offline... Does anybody have a mirror or another source? Please answer to my post if you do!

I would appreciate if someone here at jennifershirk.blogspot.com could post it.

Thanks,
Jules

Cindy R. Wilson said...

Fun post! We don't have any pets right now, which is just as well as my kids keep me busy enough. We do, however have a little affection for the squirrel couple, we call them Frank and Sally, who wander into our backyard every day for peanuts or the bird seed that any birds refuse to eat.

They know nothing about my writing, though, which is also just as well as I have a feeling they'd tell all their friends and we'd have to buy more bird seed :)

Maria Zannini said...

Jules: Which link doesn't work? Jennifer and I checked what was in the post and couldn't find anything wonky. Let us know. Thanks.

Maria Zannini said...

Cindy: I don't blame you for not inviting Frank and Sally's relatives. LOL.

A friend of mine showed me some video of what one squirrel did to her outdoor furniture. He was pulling all the stuffing out of a lounger.

Not a nice squirrel.

Brenda Drake said...

Aww,what a sweet story. My shih tzu, Bandit, is always by my feet when I write. He's getting so old now, that I fear the day he won't be there anymore. :{

Maria Zannini said...

Brenda: What a great name for shih tzu!

I hate when they start to get old, but we baby them more and they like that. I hope you have many more years with Bandit.

Marianne Arkins said...

I've loved and lost a huge number of furry friends, having had pets since I was in utero... it's never easy, and I sure hope they're all waiting for me.

I get attached to everything though, and some days I think my heart can't take any more loss. Most recently, one of the pit bulls whose been in agility for months now -- a real ambassador for the breed, sweet, funny, outgoing -- got sick suddenly and died. I miss him terribly and he wasn't even mine.

I'm sure Chelly is still watching over you. Love never really dies.

Terri Tiffany said...

Wow! What an interesting and unusual book. I don't think I could ever think up something so cool!
As to pets, I miss all of mine still, years later. They make our lives, don't they?

Maria Zannini said...

Marianne:

Ref: I sure hope they're all waiting for me.

That's what I hope for too.

I get attached to most animals...except maybe furry gray mice. :grin:

Maria Zannini said...

Terri:

I can't imagine life without animals. They make my life full.

Ref: True Believers
Unusual and epic. LOL. Or so I'm told.

Carolyn V. said...

Aw! How cute. I wish I could speak dog. Great post Maria. =)

Maria Zannini said...

Carolyn:

Ref: dog language
It's a very simple language. And it always involves food and tummy rubs.

Unknown said...

I popped in to wish Jennifer a happy birthday today and was delighted to find your guest post, Maria! You don't have to ask me twice; I am certain you sensed Chelly under your desk. I love this story!! I'm not a "dog person," though I had one once I loved dearly. Today, I have a black kitten named Lily-Poo who is laying in my lap as I type this. She's simultaneously a pure joy and a pure pain in the @$$, and just an hour ago proved she's now agile enough to jump into the shelf nook where we keep our car keys and incoming mail. The area is a disaster zone, thanks to Lily's new feat.

But I love her :P

Thanks for the wonderful post! And Happy Birthday, Jennifer!!

Maria Zannini said...

Nicole: I think I have Lily-Poo's dog twin. Iko can be sweetest, and the most exasperating dog--at the same time!

I think you have it worse though. Iko can't jump up on counters...yet.

Lola Sharp said...

I too popped in to wish Jennifer a Happy Birthday (I will in a second), and am also delighted to find this guest post, Maria. :) I am a animal lover...dogs and a cat reside with me and the family. It's minor zoo, actually. LOVE this post!

And...Jennifer...

♬ *¨*•♪♫•*HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you•♪♫•*¨*•.¸. ☼
✩♡✩Happy 40th Birthday Dear Jennifer ✩♡✩
♪♫•*¨*•.¸✩Happy Birthday to YOU!!♬♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪✩*¨*•♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪

Love,
Lola

Maria Zannini said...

Lola: I'll bet Jennifer is dolling herself up right now.

Thanks for stopping by. I know what you mean by minor zoo, though I don't think mine is so minor what with chickens and dogs of epic proportions.

Unknown said...

Awwww, you are making me want to get a dog. I don't really want a dog, especially not until my youngest is out of diapers. He's 2. I know the boys would ADORE a dog and it is obvious how much you loved yours... Sigh... Maybe it's time. I'm sorry you lost your precious doggy friend. :( I'm sure he IS still with you. :)

Maria Zannini said...

Kelley: Oh, Lord. It sounds like you have your hands full already. LOL.

When you do decide to get a pooch, I hope you'll go to a shelter. That's how I found Chelly.

R.M.Gilbert said...

Yes, there's a cat in my life. His name is Mr. Kitty. He'll sit next to the laptop while I write, occasionally walk across it, and if I ignore him too much he'll rub his head against mine. lol. He's a little jealous of my relationship with a certain piece of electronic. ;)

Loved your post!

And happy birthday a day late, Jennifer.

Maria Zannini said...

RM: That's what we called our cat!

We never intended to keep him thinking the dogs wouldn't accept him, but they loved the little guy. We had called him Mr. Kitty for so long, we never changed it.

Thanks for sharing your story, RM.

Talli Roland said...

Happy Birthday Jennifer!

Oh wow, what a story. I wish I could have pets, but sadly our small flat doesn't leave much room.

Maria Zannini said...

Talli: I remember my first apartment they didn't allow pets, but they would allow small birds.

We bought two little finches. The sign in the pet shop called them 'Normal Finches', so we called the male Normal and the female, Abi-Normal.

:)

Samantha Bennett said...

Ah, great post! I grew up with dogs and pretty much have a dog magnet chip inside me. LOVE being around them.

Maria Zannini said...

Samantha:

Ref: dog magnet chip.

I LOVE this! The next time hubby complains about all the dogs that try to follow me home, I'm going to tell him I can't help it. I have a dog magnet chip. :grin:

Karen Lange said...

My 2 1/2 year old grandson has a new puppy - he named him Charlie. And... he named his stick horse Charlie too. Thankfully there's no problem being able to tell the two apart. :)

Maria Zannini said...

Karen, that is so cute! I wonder why he likes that name so much.

MTeacress said...

I have a dog (11) and a cat (6), but our collie died about 5 months ago. They've been with us since they were tiny, and I still miss our collie! Pets are great companions for people who write alone much of the day. :)

Maria Zannini said...

MT, I'm so sorry to hear about your collie. It's especially hard when you raised them since babies. They're a part of the family.

I'm glad you stopped in.

Emma Michaels said...

New follower!!!

Sincerely,
Emma Michaels
http://EmmaMichaels.Blogspot.com

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