My special guest today is fellow Ellora’s Cave and Deliciously Decadent December author, LA Day. Check out her latest release, Greek Temptation a few posts below! Over to Laura…
First off, I want to thank Shelley for inviting me here especially during her birthday month. Happy Birthday, Shelley, I hope you get everything you want.
For those that don’t know me I love to read and write erotic romance but I have another passion and that is animal welfare. With the holidays drawing so near, everyone’s thoughts turn to giving and we all know of many needy causes. I’m not one to promote one cause over another. There are so many, most are very deserving and I know all of our pockets are a bit lighter this year.
However, there is one cause that is very dear to my heart and that is the protection and care of our four-legged friends. It breaks my heart to see neglected pets and strays roaming the streets, not to mention the number of animals euthanized each year. Every town has a local shelter or animal sanctuary in need of assistance or donations. And, let’s not forget one of the easiest and best things we can all do is have our pets spayed and neutered.
This year, my daughter and I have decided to give up some of our presents in favor of supporting a local shelter. I know this isn’t feasible for everyone but if you have a few extra dollars or maybe some room in your home remember there is not a more unconditional love than that of a loyal pet.
However, you spend your holiday season; I hope your days are filled with love, laughter and of course hot reading material.
While I don’t usually incorporate pets into my stories, I do write about animals of a different kind…the Alpha Male. Whether my heroes are shifters, vampires, spacemen or executives, they all share a few aggressive, animalistic traits. If you share my passion for two-legged animals check out my website.
Remember, Alpha Males are only a ‘Day’ away!
Laura/LA Day
Excerpt from Greek Temptation
Blog
Website
Question from Shelley: Do you like reading stories that feature animals? Why or why not? Do you have any recommendations?
Related posts:
December 17th, 2008 at 5:46 am · Link
Hi Laura! I love my kitty. I’ve gotten my last two pets from our local shelter and wouldn’t have done it any other way. When I went to pick him up, I stepped in the back room to look at the kittens and there he was crawling up the side of the cage, staring at me. I only had eyes for him and that’s the end of that.
Your excerpt intrigued me, and I’m definitely going to read your book, what else have you got coming up?
Thanks, take care,
December 17th, 2008 at 6:56 am · Link
Hi JK,
Awww. I love kitties. We took in a stray cat for about three years and then it disappeared one day. We were so sad and looked everywhere but never found it. Unfortunately, because of my dh’s allrgies we have gotten another but we have two dogs.
Glad you liked the excerpt. I have two releases so far with Ellora’s Cave next year. Prey, a vampire story releases 2/13/09 & Companion Operation, a sci-fi story with a date yet to be determined.
Thanks so much,
Laura
December 17th, 2008 at 8:37 am · Link
Hi, Laura! I do sometimes like animals in stories–occasionally I enjoy the heartwarming variety (I think Debra Salonen has a couple in the Harlequin Superromance line) and I do also enjoy some shifters :) That’s a different kind of appeal! ;)
December 17th, 2008 at 8:44 am · Link
Sometimes, depends on my mood. Animals are very loving and can be an extension of a loving family.
Deidre
December 17th, 2008 at 9:28 am · Link
Hey, LA! We should talk; I’ve been bantering around the idea of a spring something-or-other to raise funds for ferals. I’ve been talking to another blogger about this, as animals are her passion. Sounds like you should join us in whatever we’re going to cook up.
December 17th, 2008 at 10:46 am · Link
Hi Fedora,
Shifters definitely have an appeal!
December 17th, 2008 at 10:47 am · Link
Hi Deidre,
My pups are a very welcome part of my family.
December 17th, 2008 at 10:48 am · Link
Susan,
Definitely let me know what’s going on.
:)
December 17th, 2008 at 11:16 am · Link
Hi Laura and Shelley;
I love to read stories with animals, they are what got me hooked on reading when I was a kid. When my friends were reading Little House on the Prairie, I was reading Sheila Burnford’s The Incredible Journey~still my favorite animal book. I’m also a sucker for romance novels that have animals on the cover, they always catch my eye. And since I have a Labrador, I’ve read Marley and Me several times…can’t wait for the movie!
December 17th, 2008 at 11:18 am · Link
Hi Cheryl,
I love Marley and Me!!
December 17th, 2008 at 11:24 am · Link
Hi,
I love shifter stories.
loretta
December 17th, 2008 at 11:29 am · Link
I love pets in stories! They add such sweet and funny moments to a story. My library is littered with many. Be it Harlequin to Sci-fi, to four legged to shifting to four legged, they’re in there. Robin D. Owens and of course Shelley are among my favorites.
December 17th, 2008 at 11:41 am · Link
Hi Laura,
We got our dog from the Humane Society here in NZ who take care of strays and unwanted pets. She’s a real part of the family and was the inspiration for my Ellora’s Cave Talking Dog series. She’s getting very old now (15) and has slowed down a lot. Our daily walks are much slower and shorter because she can’t manage much. All the locals must peer out their curtains and watch us because if ever she’s not well or we walk without her, they ask after Scotty.
I know we don’t have much longer with her and value every day.
It breaks my heart the way people treat animals as casual throwaway items because they’re suddenly inconvenient and don’t fit their lifestyle. Parents who don’t consider the pet-buying decision from all angles before buying a Christmas present need their backsides kicked.
December 17th, 2008 at 11:44 am · Link
Oh, I meant to add that I love pets in stories and have done from when I started reading. Kristin Higgins usually has a dog in her romances. The one I’m reading at the moment has a part bloodhound/bitza dog called Buttercup. The heroine adopted her.
Stephanie – thanks for mentioning my Talking Dogs books. I love Robin Owens’ cats, too. They have such attitude!!
December 17th, 2008 at 1:06 pm · Link
Hi Laura,
I have a beagle and a strange mut mixed with Chesapeake Bay Retriever and Sharpai. It’s the head that got the Sharpai end. lol Both animals were rescued from the local humane society. I’ve never owned a dog from anywhere else. When I was three years old, my first dog came from the pound.
This year my little boy is involved in a food drive for the humane society at his school. Huge bags of food, treats, and doggie and cat toys are pouring in. Between the four legged friend drive and the canned food drive the entry hallway at school is bursting.
Things are tight with everyone this year, but there is always room for giving. If you don’t have the money, then give your time.
Wonderful excerpt. And I love the sound of your upcoming title “Prey”.
Great post, Laura. Truly heartfelt.
December 17th, 2008 at 3:14 pm · Link
Hi Laura and Shelley,
Thanks for having Laura on today.
Laura, I really admire that you and your daughter are giving presents up to spend your money on animal welfare. You are definitely teaching her compassion. There’s another author, Genene Valleau, who is donating proceeds from her books in December to animal welfare.
You are right about people needing to neuter their animals. We got one of our 3 cats from some people outside of Wal-Mart years ago giving away a box load of kitties. Now when I see people outside doing this, I want to tell them, “Fix your animal, so you won’t have to be doing this again!” BEcause it’s softies like me who get taken advantage of, in that respect.
Julie
December 17th, 2008 at 3:20 pm · Link
No only do we have 3 cats, we also have 2 dogs. One of our dogs, a Wheaton Terrier, was from the pound. I happened to say one Saturday on our way to Home Depot, “Why don’t we stop at the pound?” My son, who loves cats, immediately agreed. My husband, who is adamant about ‘no more animals’ actually said yes that day.
When we got there, a guy with a cowboy hat was sitting there with a dog on its leash. My husband stopped and chatted with him a few minutes. My son went to look at the cats; I went to the big labs, etc. All of a sudden, we realized the man had left, but his dog was still tied up. My husband, a self-admitted computer nerd, said the man had told him the dog was bad because it had peed on his wife’s laptop. The pound had a different story.
Cowboy had come in the weekend before asking the pound to euthanize it because he just didn’t want it. they convinced him to come back the following weekend. My husband felt sorry for the abandoned dog. The lady at the pound, sharply observing my son’s interest in the cats, said that she’d throw in a free cat if we took the dog because they didn’t have room for it.
My hubby agreed. When they tried to give Terri (terrified terrier/aka terrible terrier) her shot, they couldn’t find any fat underneath all her matted fur. She was skin and bones. We went home with a dog and cat to add to our menagerie.
What was sad at first was that the person who loved her the most, my husband, was the one she was most terrified of. She now loves him more than anyone, though she follows me around everywhere I go in the house, even if I’m just getting up for a minute to run to the kitchen.
There’s Terri’s story. All our money seems to be going into feeding the farm and vet bills. My dog is half-German Shephard and half Catahoula, and she eats like a pig!
Of course, who’s to say we wouldn’t have room for another creature looking for love?!
Julie
December 17th, 2008 at 3:21 pm · Link
My son has to perform volunteer work for school. He’s probably going to work at the pound (the three cats are his), so there is a danger in him coming home with another . . .
Julie
December 17th, 2008 at 3:25 pm · Link
Shelley,
I’ve never read your Talking Dog series. Now I’ll have to! Please keep us updated on your dog’s condition.
Julie
December 17th, 2008 at 5:03 pm · Link
Loretta—I love shifters too.
Stephanie— I haven’t read Robin D. Owens but of course I love Shelley’s books.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:04 pm · Link
Shelley,
I know how you feel about your dog. We had a Rottweiler for 12 years. He’s been gone for 5 and I still miss him. Enjoy every minute you have. Our pets lives are way too short.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:05 pm · Link
Hey Tess,
Wow that is a strange mix but I bet it’s adorable.
Glad you like the sound of Prey.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:08 pm · Link
Hi Julie,
My daughter wants to work at a shelter when she gets a bit older. I can only imagine how many pets she’ll bring home.
We are always picking up strays but usually we find their owners even if we don’t want to.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:08 pm · Link
I think most humans have animal tendedncies which is why I truely love the shifter stories. And every one needs a great pet… lol
December 17th, 2008 at 5:11 pm · Link
Julie,
I don’t know why but all our pets always like my dh best. Even though, I’m the one that feeds them and takes them to the vet 7 the groomers. I think it’s because thay consider him alpha.
December 20th, 2008 at 3:26 am · Link
I love cats and have three of my own. I keep odd hours so cats fit better with my schedule. I enjoy reading books with animals in them but prefer shifter stories.