Friday, April 26, 2013

Cat-alogue

Imagine Film Festival
Imagine Film Festival

Do you remember that Avalon could be admired on the big screen at the Imagine Film Festival in Amsterdam thanks to the horror movie he played in? Guess whose picture the film festival chose to represent the film in their cat-alogue?

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Cattitude {guest post and book giveaway}

Cattitude Edie Ramer
Let's welcome Edie Ramer to the blog today. Edie is the award-winning author of Must Worship Cats, Miracle Pie and Mo's Heart, a series of cute books in which cats and other animals play an important part. She'll talk to us about her love of cats and how they inspired her romance novel Cattitude. Edie is also giving away an ebook of Cattitude to one lucky commenter.

Guest post

Vanessa and Avalon, thanks for having me at your wonderful place. I published CATTITUDE in 2010, and it’s still a special book for me. Before we lived with a cat, my husband and I were dog people. At the time, about twelve years ago, our latest rescue dog was used to being with a pack of dogs, and we actually adopted our cat to keep her company while we weren’t home.

That didn’t work out too well. The cat was scared of the curious, active and (to her) giant dog. They tolerate each other now, but as far as the cat is concerned, my office is her go-to place. (She’s curled on the chair beside me as I type.) She claimed me as her special person, and I immediately fell in love with her.

Though she’s small, she has a BIG personality. Like Belle in CATTITUDE, she can be a sweetheart to people she loves. And she has an attitude sometimes, too. But that’s where the resemblance ends. She inspired the book, but once I started writing, the fictional Belle was separate from the real cat.

Since then, cats and kittens have shown up in many of my books, from major roles to walk-ons. They’ve had speaking roles in three books: CATTITUDE, MUST WORSHIP CATS and MIRACLE LANE. In my work-in-progress, four cats have speaking roles. You can tell I’m a fan of cats now (fancatic?). I have dogs in my books, too, but not as many as cats.

Mostly I do this because in my real world, I like having cats and dogs around. Why not in my fictional world?

Now that I've told you about my cat, what would you like to tell me about yours?

About Cattitude

Have you ever wished to wake up one morning and be a cat? I know I have.

This is exactly what happens to the gorgeous heroine of Cattitude. Belle the cat isn't too happy with her new furless looks though and she will do anything she can to get back into her feline body.

It's just that she didn't count on falling in love with her former owner... Or that a CEO and beauty queen want to use up her nine lives...

Now is the chance to prove that anything a human can do, a cat can do better.

Giveaway details

To enter to win an ebook of Cattitude by Edie Ramer, tell us something about your cat in the comment section below (or, in case you don't have a pet, the reason you want to win this book).

You can gain extra entries by sharing this post on Pinterest, StumbleUpon, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and/or on a forum. Or by following this blog through Pinterest, Bloglovin, Facebook, Twitter and/or Google+.

Giveaway is open worldwide and ends April 30. Good luck!


Purchase

Monday, April 8, 2013

Avalon at the Imagine Film Festival in Amsterdam


The Strangers Outside, the horror movie in which Avalon had a starring role, will play at the Imagine Film Festival in Amsterdam on April 12 and April 14. A unique chance to see Avalon on the big screen. Meanwhile, here's the trailer to get you in the mood.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Most popular dog breed in the UK

Most popular dog breed UK

Choosing the right breed of dog to suit your lifestyle requires careful consideration and thought. Each breed of dog will have different characteristics so it is worth thinking about factors such as how long you can spend walking the dog, the size of dog that you want and if you have a family then it is absolutely vital to choose a breed which is known for being good around children. The Kennel Club state that the most popular breed of dog in the UK is currently the Labrador and they have been a consistently popular choice for many decades. The breed is particularly known for its friendliness and patience which makes it the perfect choice of dog for a family with small children. A Labrador will also have a playful nature and will require firm training to curb their over enthusiasm but their intelligence and willingness to learn usually makes training easy. The friendly nature of a Labrador does mean that if you are looking primarily for a guard dog then a Labrador is definitely not the best choice. A Labrador may bark at an intruder but their playful nature means that they will normally greet all humans with enthusiasm as they delight in human company and attention.

A Labrador is not a small breed of dog. The Kennel Club specifies the height of a full grown male as 22 to 22.5 inches. A Labrador will require regular lengthy exercise and space to run around in during the day so they may not be the best choice for someone without a garden. Choosing a smaller breed may be the best option in these circumstances and Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels and Golden Retrievers are also very popular breeds in the UK. Labradors also thrive on attention and human company so they may not be the best choice of dog if you are out at work all day and they would be left alone.

Many breeds of dog can suffer from specific genetic health issues and unfortunately Labradors are no exception to this. Many can suffer from joint problems such as arthritis in later life particularly if they become overweight so taking out dog insurance to cover potential vet’s bills is very important. Regular health checks by the vet will also help monitor any potential problems or weight gain. This is also one of the reasons why regular exercise is vital for a Labrador.

If you have the time to devote to training and to provide the exercise and stimulation needed then you cannot choose a better breed of dog than a Labrador. Their friendly nature and desire to please their owner will make them a wonderful companion and addition to your family.

* This is a guest post on behalf of RSPCA

Picture source: Labrador Retriever

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Animal Wise: The Thoughts And Emotions Of Our Fellow Creatures {book giveaway}

Animal Wise: The Thoughts And Emotions Of Our Fellow Creatures by Virginia MorellToday's giveaway is courtesy of Random House who is giving away a hardback copy of Animal Wise: The Thoughts And Emotions Of Our Fellow Creatures by Virginia Morell.

About Animal Wise: The Thoughts And Emotions Of Our Fellow Creatures

If you're as much in love with animals as I am, then this book will make you love them even more!

Without falling into the trap of anthropomorphism (believing animals have the same feelings as humans), Animal Wise discusses the emotions and cognitive abilities of animals. Each chapter digs into one scientific study, one animal and one emotional or cognitive ability. With easy to understand wordings, Virginia Morell explains the nature of the study, how it was conducted, the devices used, the results and the most likely interpretations. A fascinating read that will have you turn the pages wanting to find out more about our fellow creatures.

Here are a few examples of what you will discover in Animal Wise:

* Rats laugh. They love to be tickled (even more than petted) and they have a great sense of fun;
* Parrots are able to count and distinguish between colors and materials;
* Elephants have memories;
* Ants teach. They can quickly communicate new insights (such as the way to a new home);
* Parrotlets give each other names;
* Fish feel pain. Some fish can make quick, complex decisions;
* Some dogs have a vocabulary of more than one thousand words.

Animal Wise will give you new insights on the emotional lives of animals and I'm sure you will be citing this to your friends and family. As one of the best animal books of the year, Animal Wise is not to be missed. Let's to hoping this book receives some sequels.

Giveaway details

To enter to win, leave a comment telling me why you want to win this book. You can gain extra entries by sharing this giveaway on one or more of your social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, StumbleUpon, Tumblr, forum etc) or by following along through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and/or Bloglovin). Six possible entries per person.

Contest is open worldwide and ends April 5th. Good luck!

Purchase
Amazon *
b&n * Kobo
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