Regan Black

The meet and greet experience – or whatever your retired greyhound adoption group calls these events are wonderful for the general public to meet greyhounds available for adoption.

Spending a couple hours at a pet store, community event, or convention is a greyt way for people to discover how wonderfully unique these dogs are.

Usually these events bust a lot of myths about greyhounds:

Aren’t they hyper? Unequivocally no. I tell people greyhounds are the cats of the dog world – napping as much as 16 hours a day.

Don’t they need a lot of space? Again, not usually. Greyhounds seem quite content to give up the busy track life for a comfy couch or cushy dog bed. If you’ve got room for a crate, you’ve got room for the dog.

A big yard isn’t even a requirement. Greys are usually good walking companions and don’t need an excess of activity in retirement.

Do they bark a lot? Not typically. Greyhounds are less vocal than most breeds, a trait that makes them ideal dogs for those living in condos or close neighborhoods.

Of course we have the exception to the rule in Brody, but even he doesn’t bark incessantly and only sings happy birthday on request.

Additionally, new retirees can mingle with happily retired greyhounds at the meet and greet. This teaches them how to socialize with people and dogs of all ages.

This is a valuable way to learn good manners in the retired life. It’s also a good way for the group to learn more about the dogs fresh from the track.

There’s no pressure at a meet and greet to be anything but adorable and somehow most newly retired hounds know it. (the dogs leave the chatting to the people as long as there’s a hand dishing out lovies)

How can a person not be charmed by the big eyes and frequent smiles of these lean, lovely dogs?

Live the adventure!

p.s. Brody would remind you that the best part – if you happen to be the top dog in a house fostering a greyhound puppy – you get a couple hours of rest while he’s out of the house…and peace when he comes home exhausted!

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At the annual RWA conference in Washington, D.C. this year, speaker Eloisa James told how certain events in her life showed up in her novels. Sort of.

She explained how a recent health scare with her husband gave similar scenes in her novel, This Duchess of Mine, more authenticity and spark when she drew from the well of her own emotions during the personal crisis.

Of course the hero and heroine of her book were going through something a bit different. As historical characters they obviously lacked the knowledge of medical discovery. As an historical romance author, she punched up the drama accordingly.

In this case, the author and her heroine shared the concern and worry for their husbands through the search for the right resolution to the health problem.

According to the speech it made for challenges – mostly the positive kind – in the writing. As a fan of the book, I’ll tell you it made for some very satisfying reading.

The point is, this book reflected a piece of the author’s life, if not exactly in medical terms, most definitely in emotional impact.

Thank you, Eloisa.

It’s important for writers (of any genre) to have the courage to tap into the personal emotional well. Events past and present in our own lives can give us the fuel to feed the reactions of our own characters.

As authors of paranormal romance, remembering emotions (good and bad), and reactions (big or small) can lend an authenticity to the story. Making the reader ‘feel it’, no matter the species, world, or situation, keeps the reader engaged with the story and keeps the pages turning.

Keeping a journal is one way to keep tabs of events and the emotions that go with them. Photos can spark memories too, as can the sense of smell. Whatever works for you – don’t be afraid to use it for the benefit of the story you want to tell.

Live the adventure!

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Kresley Cole, Lori Handeland, and Sherrilyn Kenyon write wildly different stories using settings within the ‘real’ world we know and recognize. All three of these talented paranormal romance authors have done the research that makes readers feel as if they’ve traveled along with the characters.

Still other authors use an entirely different world for their paranormal romance novels. While this may seem more challenging at first glance, there’s an infinite amount of freedom in the approach.

How do you convince a reader there’s life on the moon? Like maybe a werewolf colony that’s managed to hide themselves from every lunar landing and exploration. Building a brand new world for your paranormal romance can be fun.

The imagination is boundless! Other planets, lost cities, alternative histories and potential futures actually give authors plenty of new, undiscovered blocks to build the special world for their paranormal romance. As long as they stick to the rules of the world they create.

For example, if gravity’s important, explain how creatures cope or defy it. If you introduce a fuel cell, be sure your heroine doesn’t fill up the tank with unleaded on her way to catch the bad guy.

When you’re considering what sort of world to build for a paranormal romance novel, think about the specific strengths and weaknesses of your characters and/or creatures.

Build them a world that will challenge and surprise, as well as assist and comfort them on their journey through the story.

Also, writer know thyself. Consider the things you’re good at. Think about the voice that comes most naturally to you.

Do you have a penchant for the dark and angsty, or would a battle between good and evil land on the page sounding more like a walk through Central Park on a balmy June day?

Whether you’ve got supernatural creatures romping through the this world or humans trying to navigate an otherworld environment, there’s plenty of room for putting your own spin on the world you build for your paranormal romance novel.

Use your innate storytelling strengths as you build the right world for your paranormal romance. It’ll be more fun in both the writing and editing process and your readers will thank you later!

Live the adventure!

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