COSCBWI October Meeting: Choosing The "Best Of" Books

My goodness, this month is just flying by!  Our COSCBWI October meeting featured a great chat on how "The Best Of ___" books are chosen with librarian Claudia Fett.  Claudia works in the Upper Arlington school district and spends her days instilling a love of reading in kids.  Outside of the school day, she reads mountains of books to keep up with what's on the market and to help her decide what she should acquire for her library (and ultimately share with her students!)  With so many books out there--and more being added constantly--Claudia says she often relies on reviews and awards to help her choose what books to pick up.  Some of the reviewers and organizations Claudia recommended checking out include the Horn Book Magazine, NY Times Reviews, School Library Journal and any websites with starred reviews.  But how do books get chosen as the pick of the litter?

 

The "best" books are, of course, subjective to opinion.  But a fair assessment includes a panel of multiple readers who follow a list of criteria in order to bestow the title of "best" on a certain book.  Claudia has experimented with this process with her students, giving them the opportunity to determine their own "Best Books of 2011."  She compiled criteria from various committees and reviewers, creating a list her students could use when rating books.  The criteria varies from committee to committee and reviewer to reviewer, but most are generally objective observations including originality, readability, quality, and kid-appeal.

 

Claudia gave us a taste of being the book reviewer by handing out books and asking us to judge them based on the criteria her students used to evaluate picture books.  The criteria list included aspects such as, "Do the pictures match the words?" and "Do you want to read this again and again?"  I choose a humorous little book called, "The Runaway Wok" by Ying Chang Compestine.  In it, a poor boy buys an old, beat-up wok on Chinese New Year, unaware the wok is magical and will dupe the royal family into giving the less-fortunate one heck of a feast.  The illustrations were detailed, funny, and adorable--and who can resist a mischievously grinning wok?  I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars, rating it high in terms of art, content and originality, but lower in re-readability.  (It was a little dense, so I couldn't say I was raring to read every single word over and over again!)  It was interesting to evaluate the book with a list of criteria.  Usually, I can judge a book however I darn well please.  But with certain aspects chosen for me to look at, I felt I was forced to give a more objective review.  This activity was great for emphasizing how important specific criteria is for funneling subjective opinions into as-fair-as-possible judgments.  Criteria lists certainly make you focus more on what's on the page rather than what opinions and preferences/biases you already have in your head!

 

Because librarians are so intimate with books and children, it was wonderful to hear Claudia's input on the literary world.  Librarians are "in-the-know" for what books are missing from the market, too, and what books she's dying to have in her library.  Shhh...I'll spill the secret on what she'd like to see, but it's just between you and me, okay?  ;)  Claudia says that in her opinion, the market is in dire need of kid-friendly, non-fiction books on plants, amphibians, invertebrates, and unlikely friendships.  So, if you happen to feel like writing a book on sequoia trees or have a passion for newts and octopi, the time may be ripe for you to pounce on those publishers!

 

I hope to see you at our next meeting featuring the lovely author of East, Edith Pattou!  (And in case you've been wondering where I scampered off to the past week or so, well, let's just say I've been a little busy with a special project.  But I can show you what I've been up to in just a few more days!) 

Note: Cover art of The Runaway Wok is from Amazon.  You should check out the book--it's adorable AND makes you want to go get some Lo Mein!

Book Review #6: The WindSinger

This week's book review is Peggy Harkins' unique contemporary fantasy, The WindSinger.  You may remember that back in July, Harkins spoke to my local SCBWI chapter about her foray into self-publishing.  (You can read my meeting summary here.)  As I mentioned in that post, I was lucky enough to win a copy of The WindSinger signed by the delightful Peggy Harkins herself.  I was thrilled to discover the book can actually be categorized under my favorite genre of "animal fantasy" (at least in my opinion) and eager to see how a self-published book stacked up to those published by the bigger houses.

 

Here's the book blurb from Harkins' website:

 

James Braden was like any other twelve-year-old boy, except for one thing. He had a secret. A big one. As a young child, James had slipped away from a family outing and vanished into the forest. He reappeared three days later – alone but unharmed, and miles from where he was last seen. Where had he been? Who had helped him? James wouldn't say. He had promised to say nothing about meeting the WindSinger.

The WindSinger was a creature with the power to care for and heal all living things. She suspected she was the last of her kind. Because humans had exterminated many members of her species, she'd been taught to fear them. Yet, in the three days they spent together, she made a connection with James that would cross time and space.

Nine years after their first encounter, the WindSinger came back into James's life. This time it was she who needed help. Conscious of the debt he owed her, James willingly became her protector. But he didn't anticipate the dangers he'd face in returning to the forest with her. What happened there would leave him with an even bigger secret. And it would change his life forever.

 

The story is told primarily from two perspectives--James' and Z'Nia's--with a few chapters here and there from other side-characters' POV's.  Because Z'Nia is a Tazsmin--a bigfoot-like creature with the ability to communicate via mind-link--I think this totally counts as an animal fantasy.  What I particularly love is the way Harkins has Z'Nia "speak" and think.  You can tell Harkins put a lot of thought into her word choices, phrasing, and Z'Nia's general attitude.  She is mature in comparison to humans, but youthful within her own species.  There is also a distinctly non-human quality about her "speech" that is rather magical and allows the reader to see through to the very core of the Tazsmin society and beliefs.  It's enlightening to experience the world through Z'Nia's filter--and an enviable author-talent if you write animal fantasies!

 

The second thing I want to impress is how The WindSinger breaks all those stereotypes and misconceptions that self-published books are "lesser" books.  The publishing house Harkins chose, Author House, did a wonderful job across the board with her book.  Everything about The WindSinger looks professional, from the layout and editing to the paper quality and beautiful chapter title fonts.  (There are even whimsical little designs between the section breaks in the book.)  Harkins' self-designed cover is visually appealing, and in my opinion, looks just as enticing as any of the novels you'd find on a bookstore shelf.  Of course, as pretty as a book may be, it's the content that's important and I'm pleased to report that Harkins does not disappoint.  The plot and perspectives of The WindSinger are truly unique (and even better than some of the traditionally published books I've read!)  The plot is gripping, the characters are engaging, and the powerful themes are conveyed in a quiet, dignified way.  I'm very happy to say I didn't find a single "unprofessional" thing about The WindSinger during my reading experience.  :)

If you like books about self-discovery and seeing the world through another's eyes, then The WindSinger is definitely for you.  If you're thinking about jumping into the self-publishing pool, then you should certainly pick up this book to see what kind of product your own novel could be.  And though you can't find The WindSinger in stores (at least not yet!), you can buy it online from Harkins' website and Amazon.com.  (It's even an easy-to-download e-book now, too!)  Despite all the misconceptions, self-publishing is no easy feat.  It takes a special kind of writer to brave the publishing world on her own and create an outstanding book from scratch--then somehow get that book into the hands of readers!  I am so happy I had the chance to read this book and pass my experience along to you.  I wish Harkins the best of luck with The WindSinger and hope she brings us many more great books in the years to come.

 

You can check out Harkins' website at: http://www.harkinsbooks.com 

 

And if you pick up a copy of this awesome book, let me know!  I'd love to hear what you think.  Happy reading!

 

Note: Cover art and book blurb are both from Harkins' website.     

Guest Post COSCBWI Sept. Meeting: Creating Websites & Online Presence

Today I have my very first guest post for your enjoyment!  I was feeling under the weather and missed September's COSCBWI monthly meeting, so my good friend, Andrea Hall, wrote up her reflections on the presentation to share with you all!  Andrea is our local chapter's Critique Coordinator and a hard-working, aspiring author who writes some pretty sweet manuscripts. :)  Here are her thoughts on websites and online presence for unpublished authors:

There seems to be an ongoing debate right now regarding aspiring authors needing a website.  Some say that it’s necessary, even if you haven’t published a thing.  Others claim you should spend the time on your actual writing, and worry about the ‘online presence’ later.  I tend to agree with the latter, but find myself agonizing over starting a website anyway.

At the September COSCBWI meeting, Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin weighed in on this very subject.  She is the author of the books My Name is Bilal, The Best Eid Ever, and A Party in Ramadan.  She struggles herself with the technology of building a website and actually hired someone else to create her's.  If you have the money to spend, she says it’s not a bad idea, but to make sure the person will be around to update as necessary.  Her best advice was to not be afraid of the process.  While it may seem scary now, it’ll be worth the agony and effort later.

The first step is to buy your domain name (i.e. your website address).  Several years ago, it was recommended that I buy mine.  I didn’t listen.  Now, I’m in a pickle as the web addresses I wanted to use are all taken.  I found this out by looking them all up at GoDaddy.com.  It’s super simple.  You just type in what you want to use and it tells you whether or not it’s available.  Perhaps I should add something on the end, like andreahallauthor, andreahallbooks, etc., or I can take the route of the pseudonym.  I have a feeling if I pick a fake name, and down the road give an author signing, I would automatically use my birth name, though.  It makes for a tricky situation.

Assuming you have an easier time buying a domain name, the next step is to start designing your site.  There are several options that can help you do this, but before anything else happens, you should know what you want on your site.  How many pages should you have to begin?  Do you post your work in progress?  What should you have for contact information?

My advice: keep it simple.  Start out with a few core pages, such as an ‘About Me,’ ‘Contact Information,’ etc.  Check the websites of your favorite authors to see what features you like, as well as those you don’t.  Make your website representative of your personality, but don’t overdo it.  Remember your audience and keep it family-friendly.  Consider creating an email account that handles inquiries from your website only.  As for your current writing, if you post any, ensure that it is solid work.  You never know when agents or editors will come across it.

Also, be careful with any clip art or photos you post.  Most clip art is copyrighted and you don’t want a lawsuit for using it without permission.  The same is true with photos.  Make sure you have permission from the photographer, as well as anyone else that might appear in it.

Happy creating and I hope to visit your site soon!   -Andrea Hall

Big thanks to Andrea for her insights--and giving us all a lot to think about!  I want to add that you can use blogs to boost your online presence, too.  I also HIGHLY recommend following the advice to purchase your domain name NOW.  (I did and sleep much better at night knowing it's all mine.)  What do you think about aspiring authors and online presence?

You can learn more about Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin at: http://www.asmamobinuddin.com

Note: The cover art for The Best Eid Ever is respectfully from Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin's website.

3rd Grade Kathryn Is Changed Forever

 

In case you hadn't heard, my all-time favorite movie, The Lion King, is being re-released today to inspire and delight a new generation.  As part of the release, Disney ran a special 3-D engagement of the film in theaters over the past two weeks.  I couldn't pass up this rare opportunity to see my favorite film on the big-screen and wasted no time getting myself to the theater with my Lion King-loving little sister.  When the lights went down and the "Circle of Life" started blaring, raising goosebumps all over me, I found myself transported to 1994 when 3rd Grade Kathryn stared up at the same film in complete awe.

I remember that moment vividly.  3rd Grade Kathryn was mesmerized from the opening title to the end credits, crying when Mufasa died, laughing at Zazu's lame jokes, and gaping open-mouthed when Simba triumphed in the end.  The movie captured my thoughts long after I left the theater and manifested itself in a large collection of Lion King plushies, clothes, toys and trading cards.  I saw the movie twice in the theater during the first run, watched it a bazillion times on VHS, and was able to recite most of the script from memory (and I probably still could!)  Once the story and characters grabbed hold of me, they just wouldn't let go.  I've never been affected by a movie in such a way before or since.

As an adult, I still love the movie as much as I ever did, but now I can put words to my appreciation.  Though it may sound silly, The Lion King is one of the three biggest influences that shaped my writing and, ultimately, my life.  (The Legend of Zelda video games and Harry Potter books claim the other points of my influence trifecta.)  So what's so great about The Lion King?  In my opinion, practically everything.  (Um, apart from Timon and Pumbaa.  I don't like fart jokes.)
 

Simba Sketch Day 12--he's happy, yet still sad...

What impresses me the most, is that Disney accomplishes something remarkable by taking an incredibly deep and dark plot and making it completely accessible to kids.  Over the years, I've learned that people normally fall into two Lion King camps and either loooove the movie or don't like it at all.  I can understand why people wouldn't; overall, it is not a happy movie.  This really hit home while I was drawing my "30 Simbas in 30 Days."  In the second half of the movie, adult Simba is rarely happy.  His expressions are riddled with pain, remorse, anger and uncertainty, and even when he does smile, his furrowed brow still reveals the turmoil within. 

Considering the plot is essentially Hamlet (minus all the boring parts) + lions, I suppose this darkness should be expected.  I've spent just a wee bit of time with Disney movies over the years and truly think The Lion King is the weightiest of them all (followed by The Fox and the Hound, Brother Bear and Mulan).  The sheer amount of heavy and not-so-PG topics Disney throws at kids in The Lion King is astounding: regicide; fratricide; identity-crisis; betrayal; self-loathing/guilt; usurpation; revenge; death; grieving; the afterlife; persecution; exile; and ultimately growing up and self-actualization.  I didn't know that's what I was being fed when I was little; I just knew the movie was powerful and so much bigger than myself.  If you think about it, these concepts are topics most parents would shield their children from, but the sugar-coating of cute, fuzzy lions makes it acceptable and easy for kids to digest.  Just think if Simba was an eight year old boy who grew up believing he killed his father while his uncle took over his kingdom.  Whether animated or acted out by real-people, I think the movie would have quickly left the realm of kid's films and entered PG-13 cinema.  Having these terrible things happen to animal characters, though, removes the audience just a degree, making the themes and concepts a little less scary to young minds and a lot more pallateable. 
 

Aww!  I have a puppy AND Lion King lunchbox

This combination of a mature, powerful story conveyed through animal characters simply amazes me and ignited my respect for animal fantasies.  Add in animation that is an artistic masterpiece and an achingly beautiful musical score, and I don't know what more you could ask for in a film.  Like the other legs of my influence trifecta, if I had never experienced The Lion King, I'm not sure I would have chosen to follow my writing path.  Even in 3rd grade as I watched the movie for the first time with a jumbo bucket of popcorn in hand, I knew deep down I wanted to do this.  (Heck, I'll be happy if my characters and stories are even a fraction as resonating!)  And though my love for The Lion King may make me sound a teensy bit crazy, I'm glad a new generation of kids will have the opportunity to experience this film and maybe find themselves in Simba's epic story, too. 

Now that you've had the chance to gaze into the inner-workings of my (slightly-insane) creative mind, are there any movies, books, games, or other works that have profoundly influenced your life?  

And in case you're wondering, "Hey!  Where are those 30 Simbas you promised?"  I am terribly sorry to disappoint.  I had to pause in the middle of the endeavor to work on my SCBWI calendar contest entry instead.  (At least I was still doing something artsy!)  But you can bet those remaining Simbas will be finished up and posted just as soon as I can!  :)

Note: Simba, The Lion King, and anything Disney-related in this post (including the poster artwork) is respectfully owned by Disney.

2011 NOSCBWI Conference Recap

As I mentioned in my last post, I attended the super-awesome 2011 Northern Ohio SCBWI conference this past weekend.  This was my fourth time attending the yearly conference and, as always, they put on a great event!  (The NOSCBWI conference was the very first conference I ever attended back when I still didn't even have a full draft of my manuscript!)  In case you couldn't be there, here's a recap of the breakout sessions and keynotes I attended.

Keynote 1: Bruce Hale "Warrior's Mind, Writer's Mind"
Author Bruce Hale got our conference off on the right foot with the Friday night keynote address.  He talked about how writing is a war we fight with ourselves, and I couldn't agree more!  He had 6 steps for writers to follow.  My favorites were:
-"Start a 'good habit' habit" (Make small goals and steadily eliminate distractions--like checking email 50 times a day!  Just think how much you'd get done...)
-"Face the Iron Tiger" (A funny story about his dog taking baby steps to face her fears of a lawn ornament.  If she can do it, we can do it, too!)
I don't want to spoil all the surprises, so you'll just have to make sure you see him at a conference someday to hear the rest!  I must say, Bruce Hale is simply hilarious and even ended his keynote with a sing-a-long.  What a great way to start the event!  :)


Keynote 2: Andrew Harwell "Hard Work Pays Off"
HarperCollins Associate Editor Andrew Harwell gave the Saturday morning welcome address.  He shared success stories from writers who kept at it, often over many years.  He also debunked the notion that "overnight success stories" are the stuff of fairy tales and that no one usually hears about all the hard work authors put in before they landed on the New York Times Bestseller list.  It made us all feel like maybe we will see that light at the end of the tunnel someday... 


Breakout A: Bruce Hale "7 1/2 Secrets of Humor Writing"
Bruce Hale was so funny, I just had to attend his first breakout session.  In it, he discussed how writers can find humor in everything if they look closely enough.  He also went over the "Rule of 9"--that for every 10 jokes you write, 9 will stink (badly).  Lastly, he recommended simply writing what you think is funny, and hopefully other people will laugh, too.  (My goodness we laughed a lot in this session!  I worked off all those muffin calories from breakfast!)


Breakout B: Andrew Harwell "Keep Your Eye On The Arc"
Andrew Harwell's breakout session focused on arcs of novels--both the plot and character kind.  He said both arcs should closely relate to each other and end with the reader feeling satisfied.  A fun thing he recommended was to set up details that would "pay off" later (i.e. like the Basilisk fang in "Chamber of Secrets" showing up again in "Deathly Hallows").  He also reminded us to never stop moving our story forward.  If something in our stories brings the movement to a halt, it needs to go!


Keynote 3: Mary Kole "3 Things That Separate An Aspiring Writer From A Published Author"
Agent Mary Kole gave our lunch-time keynote address.  (She presented at our SCBWI chapter's fall mini-conference last year and is such a delight!)  Mary discussed changes in the the Picture Book, Middle Grade, and Young Adult markets, emphasizing how "High Concept" work is highly sought after.  It's important for writers and illustrators to be mindful of these changes so they can give themselves the very best chance for success.  Her "3 Things" she encouraged us to pay special attention to in our own writing were:
1) Character
2) Voice
3) Authority
So, if you can write a book with multifaceted characters, an "extra-oomph" voice, and craft it so that the writing simply melts away, then you're golden.   (Piece of cake, right?)


Breakout C: Bruce Hale "Becoming An Authorpreneur"
Yes, I attended ANOTHER session with Bruce Hale, but how could I not with a session title like that?  In this session, Bruce talked about how authors need to take the bull by the horns and accept responsibility for their book's (and career's) success.  This was great for all authors--whether published or not.  He talked about how (tasteful) self-promotion is not a dirty word and that writers and illustrators need to learn how to celebrate their achievements and strive to make themselves seen.  He also recommended finding your "niche" (i.e. humor writer, outdoorsy writer, dog-loving illustrator, etc.) and to take advantage of social media (hooray for blogs!)  Lastly, we all worked on our "elevator pitches," and Bruce reminded us that it's nice to keep our spiel conversational so we don't end up sounding like robots to agents and editors.


Breakout D: Linda Gerber "Storyboard Plotting--Visualizing the Four-Act Structure"
Awesome author Linda Gerber (I know her!) gave a session about plotting stories in a Four-Act Structure using elements of the "Hero's Journey."  (A good term to Google if you're new to the concept.)  While writing, she plots her story on one of those science fair tri-fold boards to make sure the ups and downs of the action are where they need to be.  Each of the four acts is divided into sequences with turning points in each (i.e. "Everything seems to be going well when SUDDENLY...")  It was really neat to see a three-dimensional plot structure and the format is great because you can you move your plot points around on sticky-notes.  I'll definitely be trying this method sometime on one of my own WIP's!


Keynote 4: Gayle Brown "The Creative War At The Heart Of Children's Books"
Art Director Gayle Brown gave our closing keynote to end our day of fun and education.  My head was already stuffed to capacity by this time, so props to her for managing to cram some more info into us all!  Gayle discussed the battle between following our hearts and filling our wallets--a battle most writers are familiar with.  Sure, writers can write to trends and try to make the big bucks, but when writers write from the heart, their work is more meaningful and lasting.  She spoke about many of the Newbery Award books and how we should strive to write "timeless" books, too.  Gayle really left us all with something to aspire to.

And with that, I went home, bored my hubby to tears as I spouted off everything I learned, and fell asleep before my head hit my pillow.

Of course, there were many other breakout session and presenters, but this is just how I spent my time at the conference.  It was a fun (albeit exhausting) weekend and now I have so many new tips and tidbits to try out on my own writing!  If you're an Ohio writer or illustrator and you've never been to Cleveland to attend this conference, you should definitely try to make it next year.  I know I'll be there!

2012 N. Ohio SCBWI Calendar Contest

This weekend while attending the Northern Ohio SCBWI conference, I received some great news: my illustration was chosen to be in their 2012 calendar!

My submission: "A Brave Voice Conquers The Beast"

The news was a bit unexpected--prior to the judging, I had no idea how I would fare in a contest with actual illustrators.  I hoped I'd be considered one of the 12 best entries who made it into the calendar, but I've never competed in anything like this before.   This whole thing started a few weeks ago when I heard that the Northern Ohio SCBWI chapter was holding a calendar contest for illustrators during their conference.  The theme was "Discover Your Voice" and anyone could enter.  The prospect made me go, "Hmmm....I would very much like to be an illustrator!  This could be fun..."  Then again, that little voice of doubt in my mind said, "Who are you kidding?  You're not an illustrator.  You can't compete with professionals.  You're a cotton-headed ninny-muggins!"  And so, I internally debated but ultimately decided, what did I have to lose?  (Remember my favorite 80's song motto by the Psychedelic Furs?  "You can never win or lose if you don't run the race?")  Well, boo-yah voice of doubt!

It took me a while to decide how the heck I was going to depict the "Discover Your Voice" theme.  (Voice can hardly be defined as a writing concept--it's even harder to draw!)  Ultimately, I thought up the idea of a mouse reading a lion a bedtime story, calling my piece (with a hint of irony), "A Brave Voice Conquers The Beast."  (Apparently, drawing those 30 Simbas in 30 Days this month rubbed off on my subconscious!)  But the idea was only one piece of the puzzle; if I was going to pull this off, I was going to have to actually create it--and that meant learning Photoshop FAST.

Over the past week, I taught myself Photoshop and worked non-stop on my entry.  (Hence the lack of blog posts recently--many apologies!)  I made a lot of stupid rookie mistakes (a word of advice: LOCK YOUR LAYERS), but learned so much along the way.  I also found a lot of great Photoshop tutorials on deviantArt and doubt I would have gotten very far without those great resources.  In the end, I lost a lot of sleep (and meals, and patience, and my sanity), but I'm quite happy with how it turned out.  Are there things my inner perfectionist wants to fix?  Of course, but I'd say it's not too shabby for my first Photoshop piece.  :)

Now that I've dipped my toe into the illustration pool and found it didn't get bitten off by sharks, I'd really like to dive deeper into my art.  It may be tiring and full of frustrations, but it makes my heart happy in the end.

The other contest entries were all great, too, and I can't wait to see everyone's art in the finished calendar!  Just a few more months until 2012!    

An Unexpected Furry Friend

Yesterday, I made an unexpected friend in a little lost calico kitten.  Everyone in my office saw it hiding beneath our Head Accountant's car first thing in the morning.  For some unknown reason, it took a fancy to me and scampered over as soon as I set foot in the parking lot.  Mewing, "Help me!  Help me!" incessantly, the kitten tried to follow me into the office.  It then spent the morning pawing at the window by my desk, squishing its face against the glass and meowing pathetically.  As much as I wanted to let the poor thing inside, it's out of my jurisdiction to allow strays into our building.  Fortuitously for the kitten, one of our nicest clients saw it, brought it in, and plopped it on my lap saying, "I think it wants your help."  And even the Head Accountant won't say "No" to our clients!

 

Kitten says, "Oooh!  I want to play with the camera!"

 

This is not the first time a lost animal has latched onto me.  Last summer (and to my terror), a big Pitbull followed me home while I was walking my dog.  Thank goodness, she turned out to be really sweet and did not want to eat my little Cavapoo or myself.  We gave it water, called some shelters, and brought it to a rescue center (where she was ultimately found by her owners--hooray for happy endings!)  Likewise, I put the kitten in our spare conference room, gave it part of my lunch, and took it home at the end of the day.

 

I think animals must be able to smell my bleeding heart from a mile away and know I won't turn them down.  This little kitten sparked an interesting conversation with the other employees in my office.  Like I said, everyone saw it, but I was the only one it chose to beg for assistance.  One person said they saw it and thought, "Ew--a mangy cat is hanging around the building."  Another said they had hoped it would go away so they wouldn't have to think about it.  A third employee said his wife was just like me and would have wanted to help it--or made him help it!  And one not-so-compassionate person said they couldn't have cared less if it was run over in the parking lot.  (The horror!)  Apparently, that nice client and I are in the minority of people who opt to help a critter in need.  This rather surprised me.  My insides turned to mush at the sight of an adorable, helpless kitten; other people welcomed its extermination.  All I can say is there must be a pheromone or vibe or something that makes animals run to me instead of someone who happily envisions them as roadkill!

 

So what happened to my kitten friend?  If it weren't for my allergies and the fact we already have a dog and two ferrets (one of which is quite possibly the world's most expensive ferret), we would have kept the little guy in a heartbeat.  (Even my hubby melted for it--and he doesn't like cats!)  I made a few calls to see if any of my friends would possibly want it, then hubby and I took it to the Capital Area Humane Society to check for a microchip.  Since they had room and we didn't want to risk our ferret, Link, picking up any unknown germs (now that he is FINALLY healthy again), we decided to leave the kitten at the shelter.   Hopefully, some sweet little girl will call looking for her lost pet.  (Wouldn't that be nice?)  If not, it will go up for adoption pending a health and temperament exam.  The darling was so cute and friendly, we know it will find a home in no time.  (If you want an adorable calico kitten, you should keep your eye on the shelter's website!)

 

Hubby had a grand time making fun of my bleeding heart all night long, but I feel better knowing the kitten is in good hands.  It only took a portion of my lunch, a few phone calls, and a drive to the shelter to make a difference in one animal's life.  I probably won't learn what happens to it from here, but at least I know it wasn't smushed by a car, swept into a storm drain, or eaten by a hawk.  And that, to me, is worth it.

 

Do you have a bleeding heart, too?  I'd love to hear your rescue stories!