This new book “uncovers the stories of some of the most extraordinary dogs in history,” including the true tale of how the Nazis tried to create an army of dogs trained to speak, read and write. (The Nazis claimed one of the dogs told them he wanted to serve in the German army because he disliked the French.)
Author: Esri Allbritten
My family and I moved to Albuquerque, NM during the pandemic and don't go anywhere.
When Taxidermy and Pets Collide
[NOTE: Clicking on the pictures in this post will take you to their source articles. Have fun!]
Welcome to the world of permanently preserved pets. First of all, I have a confession to make. When our beloved rabbit, Glory Roberta, died, I took her to a taxidermist and had him remove the pelt and cure it for me. Her fur was beautiful, and I wanted something to remember her by. Once the grief wore off, I stuck it in a drawer and mostly forgot about it, but it seemed like the thing to do at the time. Now I wonder how much more it would have cost to go the whole way and have her mounted in a lifelike pose — rolling in her litterbox, perhaps, or chewing a baseboard.
Taxidermists are interesting people. They love animals, and they love a challenge. When a heavily tattooed and heartbroken guy brought in his dead Chi puppy, this taxidermist embraced the difficulties of mounting a seven-inch long animal, and the results are both poignant and adorable.
Preserving pets has a long history, possibly starting with the Egyptians, and certainly achieving heights of weirdness with those wacky Victorians, who made entire tableaus of dressed-up cats, dogs, mice and monkeys. Their motto seemed to be, if it moves, make a pet of it. When it stops moving, turn it into decoration.
And of course, some people preserve pets somewhat less sensitively than others.
If this is a subject that interests you, you’re in luck. Animal Planet has an upcoming reality show which is described thusly.
The show, set in Romance, Ark., follows taxidermist Daniel Ross as he runs family business X-treme Taxidermy with his wife LaDawn and three sons. Together, the family and employees specialize in reassembling family pets, including a chihuahua, a goat and a poodle.
Because of the location, the working title is, “Romance is Dead.” <cue reluctantly admiring groan>
Chihuahua News
Tips for Skype Interviews
Thanks to an email from HARO (Help a Reporter Out), I’m going to be doing a Skype interview for the new website, WriterViews.com. How handy that the founder’s blog linked to this great article on improving the lighting for your webcam interview.
And as a bonus, here’s Lauren, the interviewer of WriterViews herself, talking about what she’s learned as an interviewer. It’ll help you, too.
New review of Chihuahua of the Baskervilles
Nikki of Obsessive Chihuahua Disorder wrote a review on the advance review copy I sent her. Gotta love a reviewer who includes photos.
Chihuahua of the Baskervilles kept my attention from the very beginning to the very end. I couldn’t wait to get back to reading each time I had to put down the book because it was time for dinner, time to go to work, time to go to class, etc. I couldn’t wait to find out who was behind all the strange activities going on in the Baskerville’s house.
Read full review here.
Help a Reporter Out
HARO is a website that puts reporters in touch with the sources they need. Their slogan is, Everyone’s an Expert at Something, and here’s how it works.
You sign up. They send you several daily digest emails of stories for which media people need interviewees. It could be a pet-insurance newsletter, InfoWorld magazine, CBS’s morning news show, Marie Claire magazine, or some dude’s blog. They might want to talk to people who have helped their arthritis through diet, or have a funny zoo experience, or have experience with cloud computing.
As an author, the best-case scenario is that I can help someone with an article or show that is directly related to my book. The worst-case scenario is that my zoo story is credited to “a reader.” Between those two ends of the spectrum is the chance that I’ll be credited as “Esri Allbritten, author of the upcoming mystery, Chihuahua of the Baskervilles,” and that it’ll happen in a forum that reaches bajillions of potential readers.
I also pass leads to friends and family, ’cause this both endears you to people and reminds them that you exist. Make sure your email signature line is in good shape.
Chi of B available through Mystery Guild Book Club
Chihuahua News Round-Up
Dogs of Mexico: Chihuahua and Xoloitzcuintli
Humane society files charges against chihuahuas‘ owner
URBAN PUP CLOTHING IS THE FASHION CHOICE OF STARS (Note that this is a press release. I believe that anyone can submit a press release to this site, although this site appears to be aimed at Brits.)
Even Pets Suffer Recession as Health Declines
The Wise Articles » Basic Chihuahua Training Tips and hints
The Whole Enchihuahua (still offering free spays and neuters through the end of May)
Family’s Future Uncertain After Fire
(The Chihuahua woke them up)
VIDEO: Running of the Chihuahuas in Chattanooga
Small Dogs Packing Silicon Valley Shelters; Adoption Urged « CBS …
Adoption Fees Waived at Northern CA Shelter, During Month of May
LA councilman Koretz proposes regulation of commercially bred pets
Two Adopted Chihuahuas Doing Well (heartwarming)
Joke: The trial of the three huts.
I was just saying to my parents that I haven’t heard a good joke in a while. Here is one of my best ones. Gimme yours.
An explorer gets lost in Africa and is captured by hostile natives. He’s taken before the chief, who says, “You were caught trespassing on sacred burial grounds. We can kill you immediately, or you can attempt the trial of the three huts.”
“What’s the trial of the three huts?” the explorer asks.
“In the first hut is a giant boa constrictor. You must tie the snake into a knot so it can’t kill you. In the second hut is a huge lion with a toothache. You must pull the tooth and leave him purring like a kitten. And in the third hut is the mighty Gullenda, a warrior woman who has never been sexually satisfied. If you can sate her incredible sexual appetite after completing the tasks in the first two huts, we will deliver you back to your people, a free man.”
The explorer doesn’t hesitate. “I’ll take the trial of the three huts.”
“You’re a brave man,” says the chief. The tribe trots the explorer through the jungle to a clearing, where three huts stand, and they shove him into the first hut, which is festooned with giant empty snakeskins.
The natives wait outside and listen to groaning and shrieks from the man, and the occasional angry hissing. Finally everything is quiet. They go to the hut, expecting the explorer to be dead, but as they reach the door he staggers out, coated with sweat and grime. They look inside the hut and find the giant snake tied into a knot like a pretzel, completely helpless.
“You have survived the first trial!” They take a moment to cheer him, then push him into the second hut. The noise is much worse. The man’s agonized screams are interspersed with roaring and snarling from the lion, and the sides of the hut bulge as things crash against it from inside. Finally everything is still. They tiptoe toward the entrance, expecting to peek inside and find the lion eating the explorer, but as they reach the door he staggers out, his clothes in strips, claw marks all over him. They look inside the hut. The enormous lion is relaxing inside, purring like a kitten.
The tribe cheers like maniacs. “No one has survived the second trial!”
The explorer, looking a little disoriented, raises his shaking arms over his head in triumph. “All right! Now where’s that warrior woman with a toothache?”
First review from the trade pubs: Kirkus on Chi of B
Review Date: May 15, 2011
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Pages: 288
Price ( Hardcover ): $23.99
Publication Date: July 5, 2011
ISBN ( Hardcover ): 978-0-312-56915-0
Category: Fiction
Classification: Mystery
A magazine staff investigates a ghost dog’s appearance in a quirky Colorado town.
Beleaguered Scotsman Angus MacGregor is sent to resuscitate Tripping magazine (about ghosts, not drugs) with a fanciful story of a ghost dog. Charlotte Baskerville, the owner and operator of the niche shop Petey’s Closet, “Where the Well-Dressed Pooch Shops,” has seen the clothing catalog’s namesake wandering her home’s grounds at night, a year after Petey’s death. Charlotte’s sourpuss husband Thomas insists that her story is further grounds for having the poor old dear declared incompetent, though a skeptic might suspect he’s more concerned for her money than her mind. With bold photographer Suki Oota and cynical writer Michael Abernathy in tow, Angus visits the Baskerville home determined to write the story, whether or not the ghost is real. The Tripping team quickly becomes integrated into the quirky Baskerville household, from fame-hungry Russian dog trainer Ivan Blotski to Charlotte’s own granddaughter and recovering alcoholic Cheri to bizarrely optimistic neighbor Bob Hume, who’s obsessed with acai berries. Charlotte’s living Chihuahuas, Lila and Chum, play non-speaking, emotionally supportive roles for the old girl while Angus and his mates investigate in order to assuage her concerns over Petey’s message from the beyond. The mystery takes a backseat to tensions among the characters, all culminating at the town’s annual coffin race festival.
Allbritten (Bound to Love Her, 2008, etc., as Esri Rose) tells a light and engaging tale with charming characters that will appeal to those outside of both mystery and canine genres.
Esri Allbritten 