Monday, November 14, 2011

Senior Pets and Scarlet Roses



Did you know that November is "Adopt a Senior Pet Month?" Sure, those puppies and kittens are adorable, but nothing beats the loyalty and love that an older pet can give.

I can attest to that personally. My own dog Leonardo(pictured above) is half Lab and half who-knows-what and is thirteen years old. A loveable guy, he seems to be going through a second childhood. He's up to one of the tricks he played when he was a pup, namely counter-surfing. Recent items that have "mysteriously disappeared" include a package of hamburger buns, a box of donut holes and half a stick of butter.

You might be wondering what senior pets have to do with romance. Well, in first my Scarlet Rose novel, "One Good Man", an aging Golden Retriever named Daisy plays a special role. In a sense, she's the catalyst that gets my hero and heroine together.

Andie Benedetto is dog-sitting for her father when she first takes notice of studly Matthew Vostek, her dad's neighbor. But Andie's interest is far more than neighborly. Stung by her boyfriend's sudden need for "space", she fantasizes about a hot, no-strings affair. When those fantasies become reality, Andie finds that she wants more—much more—from Matthew than just sex. But will she overcome her own fears to show him that he is the one good man she needs?

In addition to Daisy, Matthew's dogs Marilyn and Angel add fun to the story. I've always liked stories with animal characters and enjoy including them in my books.

Do you have a pet? Whether he's old or young, add a comment and brag about him! And if you're in the market for a new animal companion, remember, there are a lot of advantages to adopting an older pet!

For more information about adopting a senior pet, click here

To purchase "One Good Man" click here

Nona Raines



8 comments:

Susan St. Thomas said...

Hi Nona,

I cat-sat for a senior named Honey last winter. She had quite the playful personality- much like Leonardo. As a senior pet lover, and hot sexy romances, I can't wait to read this one.
Susan

Marie Tuhart said...

Great post, Nona. My poodle was 16 when she passed. One of my romances had a poodle in it, who likes the hero when she hates other men. Makes the heroine think twice that maybe he is the right man for her.

Lise said...

Nona, I always include dogs & cats in my writing and think they add a wonderful element, both for the reader, but also to help my characters become fully-fleshed humans. Because after all, what's a human without a furry companion?

My aged rescued greyhound, Angus, is the last of my 3 and he's still fairly spry. I have always adopted dogs, old or young and can attest that they are the best.

Nona Raines said...

Hi Susan, thanks for stopping by! I have a senior cat also, and he thinks he is the boss of it all!

Marie, I love the idea of a pet that "nixes" the heroine's wrong choice in men and okays the right one. Sometimes animals have better judgment than people! Your poodle lived a good long life.

Lise, I agree that animals help us see another side of our characters. No one who loves animals can be ALL bad! Sometimes people can show warmth with animals that they're not able to share with fellow humans. It's great that you have rescued greyhounds! You are an angel!

Thanks all for taking the time to post!

Lelani Black said...

aww, what a sweet wise old face on him! (The dog, not the hero, tee hee) Our pets are just out of control. Spoiled and adored. They are like little four-legged kids. Congratulations on your new release, Nona!!

Nona Raines said...

Hi Leilani, I know what it means to have spoiled pets! I've pretty much given up on the training aspect. Mine have me trained instead!

Anita Philmar said...

Great post Nona.

Who doesn't love their pet? Young or old.

I have had several Callie my current dog was three when we got her.

Now, she pushing ten.

Nona Raines said...

Hi Anita! Time really flies with our pets, doesn't it? Seems like only yesterday Leo was a pup, now he's a "geezer". But I'm not getting any older, am I? Nah...