One Writer Mom. One Teen Kid. One Brilliant Australian Shepherd. One Comical Border Collie Mix. One Dog in a Maine Coon Cat's Body. And Latest to the Party — One Cuddly Cavalier.
Posted in On Writing, The Mail Bag on Jan 25th, 2009
From the Mailbag: Emma writes: I don’t get it. I read lots of blogs from the “famous” Dooce (who’s a little too, I dunno, b*tchy for my tastes), and now Pioneer Woman (who seems like a lightweight one-trick pony/cow), to obscure blogs on personal subjects that interest me. And I gotta tell ya, I think [...]
Posted in On Writing, The Mail Bag on Nov 16th, 2008
From the mailbag: Cheryl writes: I just started a blog four months ago and at first had all kinds of things I wanted to write about. Then I started putting too much pressure on myself to come up with something brilliant everyday and I quickly got writer’s block. Then I got obsessed with checking my [...]
Posted in On Writing, The Mail Bag on Jun 29th, 2008
From the mailbag: Hannah writes: I’ve been writing a novel and have been stuck for weeks. That’s my pattern: I write a little, get stuck, have a breakthrough, write again, etc. It often feels like torture. I’m wondering if you also have this problem and if you’ve found a way to overcome it. I’ve read [...]
Posted in Dogs in General, The Mail Bag on Jan 28th, 2008
From the mailbag: Andrew writes: “In just the last couple of months I’ve had two scary run-ins with dogs and wish I knew what the reason was. The first incident happened when I was visiting a client for the first time and the dog came out and bit me hard on the leg. This was [...]
Posted in On Writing, The Mail Bag on Dec 13th, 2007
From the mailbag: Sue writes: Is it necessary to have an agent to sell a book? I’m having trouble finding one to take me on, so I was wondering if I could just try to sell my novel by myself? What do you think of self-publishing? Dear Sue, there aren’t many publishing houses that accept [...]
Posted in .My Dogs and Me, The Mail Bag on Jul 16th, 2007
From the mail bag: Kevin writes, I love dogs and live with a partner who doesn’t. She merely tolerates them because she loves me. I’m wondering how you and Andrew work out ways to keep everybody happy. Dear Kevin: I was born with an affinity for dogs, and was permitted to have dogs from an [...]
Posted in .Cait and Me, The Mail Bag on Jun 5th, 2007
From the mailbag: Samantha writes: You and Caitlin seem to have quite an amazing relationship. Has it always been so peachy? Don’t you ever lose your cool? Dear Samantha: Like Kiera, my daughter came into my life to slap me upside the head and wake me up out of any sleep-walking through life I might [...]
Posted in .Cait and Me, The Mail Bag on Mar 8th, 2007
From the Mail Bag: Several people have asked if Cait reads my blog. The short answer is: No she doesn’t. Cait knows I write a blog as part of my writing work, and that sometimes I write about her and her dad. But she thinks it’s mostly all about the dogs, and she doesn’t have [...]
Posted in On Writing, The Mail Bag on Mar 1st, 2007
From the Mail Bag: Kate writes: I’d like to start writing nonfiction, human interest stories, emphasizing topics such as dogs and life with dogs, health and psychology. I’d like to start with articles (magazine, newspaper or both) and eventually work towards a book. I have done a few small human interest pieces for the newspaper [...]
Posted in Dog Training, Dogs in General, The Mail Bag on Jan 18th, 2007
From the mail bag: Allie asks: Just wondering. What do you think of Jon Katz? As a person, a writer, and now a trainer? Dear Allie, I can’t comment on Katz as a person; I’ve never met the man. And I know all too well how it can be hazardous to draw conclusions about someone [...]
Posted in Dog Training, Dogs in General, The Mail Bag on Jan 10th, 2007
From the Mail Bag: Renee asks: I have a mini Aussie a little over a year old. I’ve been thinking of getting another dog as a companion for her. I am home most of the time, so I have time for two. I play with Sierra a few times a day throwing Frisbee, etc. but [...]
Posted in On Writing, The Mail Bag on Nov 28th, 2006
From the mail bag: K.W. asks: What do you say when someone has asked you to read something they’ve written, and it really stinks? I don’t want to hurt my friend’s feelings, because I know she spent a lot of time on it. She thinks the story she’s written is ready to be sent off [...]
Posted in Nature, The Mail Bag on Oct 16th, 2006
From the Mail Bag: I’d love to hear more about your coyotes, S.B., a reader writes in. She goes on to ask: Have you always had them nearby? When did you start having the coyote dreams? Have they taken over your area or are they remaining a stable population? I am fascinated by the relationship [...]
Posted in Life, The Mail Bag on Sep 16th, 2006
From the Mail Bag: Reader, B.T., wrote in and asked: I wonder why Andrew has been conspicuously absent from your blog? Dear B.T.: Fair question, since Andrew (my wonderful husband) did play a pretty major role in my book—and since he will continue to remain mostly conspicuously absent from my blog. Andrew was a good [...]
Posted in .My Dogs and Me, The Mail Bag on Aug 14th, 2006
From the Mail Bag: M.M. wrote in and voiced that she experienced my search for Kiera as very single-minded and focused–bordering on obsessive (and definitely annoying to her). She felt that I was caught up in “looking for something to fill a need (for Kiera) rather than for someone to help.” Dear M.M.: I hope [...]
