Caturday Cinema: Monopoly Better Cat TV Commercial

I'm hearing that Monopoly games featuring the new cat token are hitting the shelves. Have you spotted it in your local stores? Are you planning to buy a new Monopoly game to get your paws on the kitty game piece?

I love this brand new TV commercial advertising this major event in Monopoly history:

Petco's National Adoption Weekend September 7-8

Give Purebred And Other Pets Forever Homes at Petco's National Adoption Weekend (via PR Newswire)

Adoption events taking place at Petcos across the country, September 7-8, 2013, offer meet-and-greets with Breeds In Need Download image Petco. (PRNewsFoto/Petco) SAN DIEGO, Sept. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For those wanting to add a new pet to the family…

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Guest Post/Review/Giveaway: The Money Bird by Sheila Webster Boneham

(*Photo courtesy of Cheryl Ertelt)

Why My Protagonist is an Animal Photographer

By Sheila Webster Boneham

Janet MacPhail, the protagonist of my Animals in Focus Mystery series, loves to shoot animals. In fact, she loves it so much that she’s made a career of it. She’s been at it for years and, as with most things, practice has made her very, very good. Her photos have won awards and appeared in books, magazines, and major ad campaigns. They also grace the walls of many a doting owner’s home.

So, out of all the professions available to an amateur sleuth in a mystery series, why did I make give Janet a camera and tell her to make it pay? I don’t suppose “why not” will cover it, so here are my top seven reasons:

1. Janet isn’t me, but we share many interests—dogs, cats, other animals, the outdoors, art. I wanted her to be creative and to focus her creativity on animals, as I have done for many years, but I didn’t want her to be a writer. I’m an amateur photographer (meaning I know enough to be dangerous), so I gave Janet a bunch of equipment and told her to get busy.
2. Photographers are observant, and that’s important in a sleuth.
3. I love beautiful photographs.
4. When I started Drop Dead on Recall, the first book in the series, I lived in Fort Wayne and had a dog-training friend, Cheryl Ertelt, who is a professional nature and animal photographer. I had been around some of her shoots with dogs, and I had heard some of her stories about crazy photo shoots, so I knew there was lots to work with there as a writer.
5. I wanted Janet to make her own schedule so that I could put her where I want her when I want her there. That’s harder to do when we have regular work hours, but as a freelancer, Janet can pretty much do as she pleases.
6. A camera sometimes gives the appearance of a reason to be somewhere. This can also be useful for a sleuth who might otherwise appear to be loitering—or stalking someone!
7. Photos, like writing, have the potential to teach, to document, and to change minds. I wanted to give my protagonist that sort of personal power, whether she uses it or not.

Janet’s photography is critical to the plot of The Money Bird in several ways, and gets her into more than a little bit of trouble!

* This beautiful photo of the real Jay (above), the dog behind the lead dog in the Animals in Focus mysteries, was taken by Cheryl Ertelt, whose stories made me think that my sleuth should be an animal photographer. You can see more of Cheryl's photos at http://www.photosphrases.com

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Review: The first book in the Animals in Focus Mystery series, Drop Dead on Recall, was one of my favorite books of 2012. Leo the cat even ended up being Tara's very first interview. When the opportunity arose for me to get my hands on an early copy of book 2 I was ecstatic and am thrilled to say it lived up to my every expectation.

The action begins during a field retriever training photo shoot at Twisted Lake. Janet's boyfriend Tom's Labrador Retriever, Drake, retrieves a wet satchel with an exotic feather and torn 100 dollar bill in the bottom. Shortly after she receives a message from one of her photography students who has spotted an unusual bird at the lake, but he ends up dead before they get to talk. It appears that he accidentally drowned, but Janet knows he called her from his car and was on his way back to town. A "spiritual renewal center" that resembles more of a cult has opened up nearby, and rumor has it has applied for permission to open up an aviary on the property. Janet learns that many tropical birds are already being housed there and being fostered out to various members, and becomes convinced that all of the unusual happenings are somehow related.

The early part of this book features Janet taking pictures for A Day in the Life feature at her local vet's office where we are introduced to many interesting animals, including a wildlife detection dog, Lennen. This brings her into contact with the wife of the retreat's minister and their little monster of a daughter, not so affectionately known as "Tiffany dear". What happens between the devil's spawn and Janet will forever be remembered by those who witnessed it. It's at the same time shocking and hilarious, and confirmed why I've always preferred children of the 4-legged variety!

I understand the next book in the series revolves around a feline agility event, which I can't wait to learn more about. This is one of my very favorite animal-related cozy series on the market today.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for review.

 

Book Details:
Genre: Traditional/Cozy Mystery
Published by:  Midnight Ink
Release Date: (September 8, 2013)
Number of Pages: 336
2nd in Series

Synopsis

Animal photographer Janet MacPhail knows that trouble is in the air when Labrador Retriever Drake fetches a blood-soaked bag holding an exotic feather and a torn one-hundred-dollar bill during a photo shoot at Twisted Lake. One of Janet’s photography students reports seeing a strange bird at the lake, but he turns up dead before Janet can talk to him. When she learns that the mysterious retreat center near the lake is housing large numbers of tropical birds, Janet is sure there’s a connection and decides to investigate between dog-training classes, photo assignments, and visits to her mom at Shadetree Retirement. With help from her Australian Shepherd Jay and her quirky friend Goldie, Janet is determined to get to the bottom of things before another victim’s wings are clipped for good.

About Sheila Webster Boneham

Sheila Webster Boneham is the author of 17 nonfiction books, six of which have won major awards from the Dog Writers Association of America and the Cat Writers Association. She is also the author of Drop Dead on Recall, the first in the Animals in Focus Mystery series. For the past two decades Boneham has been showing her Australian Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers in various canine sports. She has also bred top-winning Aussies, and founded rescue groups for Aussies and Labs. Boneham holds a doctorate in folklore from Indiana University and resides outside of Wilmington, N.C.

Links

Website - http://www.sheilaboneham.com
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/sheilawrites
Blog - http://www.sheilaboneham.blogspot.com

Purchase Links:
Amazon   B&N    Book World   Powell’s Books      Book Depository
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If you would like an autographed copy you can place your order here.

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Guest Blog/Review/Giveaway: Murder, Plain and Simple by Isabella Alan

Oliver’s Fear of Birds 

By French bulldog Oliver from Plainly Murder and Murder, Plain and Simple by Isabella Alan 

Angie Braddock is my bestest friend and I don’t know what I would do without her. But even she doesn’t know why I’m afraid of birds. At times, I wish I could tell her, so that she would give up all her ideas to make me like birds. I’ve been to a doggie therapist, acupuncture, and hypnosis. Nothing worked and nothing will because birds are terrifying. 

It all started when I was just a wee thing of a pup before Angie came and gave me my forever home. I didn’t have any litter mates and was alone much of the time as my birth mother napped. Unfortunately, I wasn’t completely alone. My breeder had a cockatiel named Floyd. Shiver! The bird didn’t like me from the word “go” because its owner gave me too much attention. Most of the time the white menace sat in its cage hanging from the ceiling, squawking at me, but sometimes, the owner would let him out to fly around the house while he was at work.  

All day Floyd would torment me. I had to wriggle beneath the covers in my little bed and pray for the owner to return. Sometimes, my birth mother would scare Floyd away, but most of the time she was asleep, and I had to wait for the owner to come home. This went on for weeks until one beautiful day Angie came. The moment I saw her, I knew she was the one for me. She had wild golden hair and the biggest smile I had ever seen. I jumped into her arms and that was that. We were together, and nothing would tear us apart. I knew she would protect me. When Floyd squawked at me, she glared and him, and he shut right up. That was the best day. 

Angie took me back to her apartment in Dallas, and we were happy. Angie was going to marry Ryan and I was going to be the best dog. But then, Ryan broke my sweet Angie’s heart and we moved to Amish Country where there are a lot of birds. Gulp! I know this is what Angie needed to do to recover from her broken heart, so I went along because I love her and that’s what you do for those you love. 

Thankfully, Mr. Gooding, our landlord built a doghouse for me in our backyard. It’s a good place to hide from Floyd’s wild cousins. 

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It’s SUPER SEPTEMBER! Amanda Flower (also writing as Isabella Alan) has three novels releasing in September 2013. To celebrate, she is giving away an authentic Amish Quilt hand-stitched by Amish in Holmes County, Ohio. 

Enter to Win an Authentic Amish Quilt from author Amanda Flower! Click here to Enter! 

Follow Amanda on Social Media at: Facebook Twitter Goodreads Pinterest 

Follow Amanda’s alter ego Isabella on Facebook 

When Angela Braddock inherits her late aunt’s beautiful Amish quilt shop, she leaves behind her career and broken engagement for a fresh start in Holmes County, Ohio.

With her snazzy cowboy boots and her ornithophobic French bulldog, Angie doesn’t exactly fit in with the predominantly Amish community in Rolling Brook, but her aunt’s quilting circle tries to make her feel welcome as she prepares for the reopening of Running Stitch.

On the big day, Angie gets a taste of success as the locals and Englisch tourists browse the store’s wares while the quilters stitch away. But when Angie finds the body of ornery Amish woodworker Joseph in her storeroom the next morning, everything starts falling apart.

With evidence mounting against her, Angie is determined to find the culprit before the local sheriff can arrest her. Rolling Brook always appeared to be a simple place, but the closer Angie gets to the killer, the more she realizes that nothing in the small Amish community is as plain as it seems.

Review: Amish cozies are taking the mystery world by storm, and this first book in Isabella Alan's Amish Quilt Shop Mystery series stands out as one of the best in the bunch. I haven't read a lot of Amish fiction and don't know that much about their culture, but this book made me feel like I was instantly a part of their world.

Angie Braddock inherits her late aunt's Amish quilt shop in Rolling Brook, Ohio, and she's eager to start her new life following a broken engagement in Texas. Unbeknownst to her, Amish lady Martha Yoder, who managed the shop during Aunt Eleanor's illness, believes she should have inherited the shop, which immediately causes friction. Then she discovers the shop's next door neighbor, woodworker Joseph Walker, claims he owns the Running Stitch, and Eleanor's deed is nowhere to be found. So when Angie finds Joseph dead in her storeroom - his throat cut with a fabric rotary cutter, a quilt in shreds beside him - according to the sheriff, she had the biggest motive to kill.

Cowboy boot wearing Angie is a fantastic character, and the friends she makes in town, from bakery owner Rachel to antiques shop owner/foster kitty mom Jessica, make Rolling Brook a place I would love to visit, especially during Watermelon Fest! But the absolute scene stealer here is Angie's French bulldog Oliver, scared to death of birds, prone to overreacting and fainting when he gets upset, yet always faithfully by Angie's side.

This is a pageturner of a debut, and I can't wait for book 2 in the series - hopefully Dodger the kitten will be in his forever home with Angie by then!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher with the request for a review.

Grain-Free Cat Food: Is It the Right Choice for Your Cat?

Is it time to eat yet? ---Truffles

My natural instinct when faced with a problem is to research and hoard information in order to move forward. Over the past 10 years I've lived with two cats with serious health issues which required me to learn everything I could about their disorders, most importantly with regards to their diet. Now that Truffles is in my life, the youngest cat I've ever adopted, it's my mission to keep her healthy and happy for many years to come, therefore adding another layer to my study of feline nutrition - to find the best diet available for a young, growing cat. When the wonderful people at Hill's Science Diet chose me as one of 25 cat bloggers to share information about topics such as Grain-Free Cat Food and Nutrition for Aging Pets, I was given a fresh opportunity to learn even more about subjects that are extremely important to me.

As pet parents, we all want what's best for our pets, and the fact of the matter is, there's no "one size fits all" in cat food. Grain-free cat food is certainly generating a lot of buzz lately, but what is it and how do you know if it's the right choice for you and your cat?

Grain-free cat food was developed for cats with allergies or stomach sensitivities due to corn and other grains which can result in itchy, dry skin and upset tummies. Grain-free does not mean carb-free or that the food is high in protein. Grains are replaced with ingredients such as sweet potatoes that provide similar or even higher carb levels, allowing for grain-free foods to still provide complete nutrition for your cat.

Grain free or not, the most important factor in choosing a cat food is determining that it's nutritionally balanced. Nutrient excess or deficiency can lead to health problems. I found this article from Hill's very interesting, listing the optimal nutrients in cat food and their benefits.

Here's the exciting news: NEW Hill’s® Science Diet® Grain-Free cat food offers the precise balance of nutrients your cat needs for optimal health without any grains! Plus, it’s made with REAL CHICKEN as the FIRST ingredient and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The grain-free natural ingredients in Science Diet support healthy kidneys, immune system and good vision while providing nourishment for a radiant and lustrous skin and coat. Prebiotics promote nutrient absorption and digestive health, too.

It gets even better...you and your cat can enter to win 1 of 4 10 pound bags of Hill’s® Science Diet® Adult Grain-Free cat food. Simply leave a comment with your email address (4 separate winners, entries are limited to the USA and Canada, ending 9/15).

Let Hill’s know how much your cat loves their new Grain-Free food!
Visit http://www.hillspet.com/products/sd-feline-adult-grain-free-dry.html and click “Write a Review.”

This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s Science Diet for Cats, but Mochas, Mysteries and More only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

Opt to Adopt: Fall Into Love With an Adoptable Pet at PetSmart Charities® National Adoption Weekend, September 13-15

Fall Into Love With an Adoptable Pet at PetSmart Charities® National Adoption Weekend, September 13-15 (via MarketWired)

SOURCE: PetSmart Charities August 28, 2013 08:30 ET PHOENIX, AZ--(Marketwired - Aug 28, 2013) - This time of year, a few things are certain: days get shorter, leaves change color, and kids return to school. But, did you know September may also be the…

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The Sunday Post #57

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

* Truffles had a very exciting first full week in her new home, busily making her rounds on the blogosphere. On Monday she won a Kitty Lounger Mini from the wonderful Glogirly and Peach Industries. She even got her cute little picture posted on Glogirly's website. She's stalking the mailman as we speak! Then on Thursday our blogger bestie Jessica at Chick Lit Café wrote the most lovely post mentioning our blog, Tara and Truffles. If Chick Lit Café isn't on your blogroll add it now!!!

* Must read blog post of the week: Odilia's World. Odilia is a blind kitten fostered by the amazing Connie of the Tails from the Foster Kittens blog. Her forever mom Amy Jo has submitted Part 1 about their new life together and it is absolutely purr-fect!

* Woohoo I'm off to see Toby Keith tonight!!!!!

Last week on Mochas, Mysteries and More:
* Review: A Wilder Rose by Susan Wittig Albert
* Rest in Peace, Homer
* Opt to Adopt: Betty
* Truffles Dreams of Paris
* Guest Blog & Giveaway: Lucky Phoo by Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohon
* Review: whiskerslist the kitty classifieds by Angie Bailey
* Cynthia Woolf's Fiery Bride Virtual Book Tour: Ten Best Western Romance Novels
* Caturday Cinema: The Internet Cat Video Festival

NetGalley:

  

Thank you, Minotaur Books!

Bought: