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Writerly Ways
Jan. 25th, 2026 11:53 pmOut of fear of jinxing anything I shall say nothing until I know this storm is fully over. But one of the things I did today was to try and entertain a bored feline. I turned on my tesla coil...only to remember this wasn't the tesla coil Halloween decoration but it does have swirling mist. Rocket could care less. And I had a flipping fish toy that you have to plug in to charge.
I was standing in TJ Maxx excited to find this. the lady next to me was too. We both scampered off, happy dreams of excited kitties dancing in our heads. I charged it today. I got my video recorder ready. I even swept the carpet so it'll look better. I pour out a line of catnip on the fish and get it to flipping. Rocket stares up at me, wtf food dispenser? why did you give me this? But...it's cute. Play with it! He side eyed me into non existence. I even say on the recording, I'm having more fun with this than you. He does the line of nip off the fish's flank and leaves me there with my stuffed fish.
What does this have to do with writing? I've been thinking about pets in literature. I'm reading one right now Sugar and Vice with a dog (that maybe too many chapters are about). I'll be honest I don't usually give my characters pets. I tend to forget about them. In fact, I think Angel Dust and Fat Nuggets (his pet hell pig) is the most I've ever written a character with a pet and half the time I still forget about Nuggsy.
How do you feel about pets in literature? Of course it's popular. But how do you handle the pet in question in a way that whatever it is compliments the story instead of distracting from it or leave us wondering where it went? I'm not including police dogs/search and rescue in this because they are easy to make integral to the story. Ditto stories where the animals are telling it? Do you write them? Are you like me and sort of dodging it? Curious minds want to know.
Open Calls
Pathways to Imagination: Whispers Made Flesh Stories where the unseen insists on becoming known
Sley House Press February 2026 Window Romance/Genre Blend. Send us your horror, sci-fi, or fantasy with strong romance elements.
Book of Madness Cosmic Horror based upon the cthulhu mythos (though doesn’t need to include characters or deities from the mythos)
Shared World A fantasy-horror, sword-and-sorcery world called Shared World. Think Conan meets Cthulhu! It can use their pre-existing ideas, or new ones
Agita Magazine
Root Smoke: Now Seeking Submissions
From Around the Web
How to Find the Right Literary Agent for Your Book
Making Quiet but Effective Moves: An Introverted Author’s Guide to Successful Marketing
Book Marketing on Amazon: How to Get Your Book Seen, Clicked, and Bought
The Pros and Cons of Launching a Book Without a Publicist
The Hidden Constraints in Your Writing
Harlequin France ‘trials AI translation’ and they fired their human translators
Notes from the Editor’s Desk: January 2026
From Betty
Want to Write Throuple Romance? Warrior Princess Assassin Shows How It’s Done ooo i need time to digest this one
How to Improve Your Attempts to Write Fiction for Change.
Writing Goals: Going from "Aaagh!" to "A-ha!"
The Hidden Constraints in Your Writing
How to Use Character Tropes Without Writing Cliches
Tagline, You’re It! Summing Up Your Story In Two Sentences.
Betrayal And Plot Twist: 5 Ways to Hide Your Villain
The Real Story: Character Journey as Structure
Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Managing Time
Alia Hanna Habib Offers a Guide to Finding an Agent
How to Write Righteous Anger in Fiction (Without Turning Your Hero Into a Villain)
The Complete Guide to Self-Editing for Writers, Part 3: Using Beta Readers in the Self-Editing Process
The Timing of Your Publishing Dream: How to Keep Writing Through Setbacks and Detours
Be Wanted in the Inbox: What Outlaws Can Teach Authors About Email List Health
Who Are You? A Writer’s Take
Listen Like a Writer: What Taylor Swift Can Teach Us About Story
The Sum of Our Longings
I was standing in TJ Maxx excited to find this. the lady next to me was too. We both scampered off, happy dreams of excited kitties dancing in our heads. I charged it today. I got my video recorder ready. I even swept the carpet so it'll look better. I pour out a line of catnip on the fish and get it to flipping. Rocket stares up at me, wtf food dispenser? why did you give me this? But...it's cute. Play with it! He side eyed me into non existence. I even say on the recording, I'm having more fun with this than you. He does the line of nip off the fish's flank and leaves me there with my stuffed fish.
What does this have to do with writing? I've been thinking about pets in literature. I'm reading one right now Sugar and Vice with a dog (that maybe too many chapters are about). I'll be honest I don't usually give my characters pets. I tend to forget about them. In fact, I think Angel Dust and Fat Nuggets (his pet hell pig) is the most I've ever written a character with a pet and half the time I still forget about Nuggsy.
How do you feel about pets in literature? Of course it's popular. But how do you handle the pet in question in a way that whatever it is compliments the story instead of distracting from it or leave us wondering where it went? I'm not including police dogs/search and rescue in this because they are easy to make integral to the story. Ditto stories where the animals are telling it? Do you write them? Are you like me and sort of dodging it? Curious minds want to know.
Open Calls
Pathways to Imagination: Whispers Made Flesh Stories where the unseen insists on becoming known
Sley House Press February 2026 Window Romance/Genre Blend. Send us your horror, sci-fi, or fantasy with strong romance elements.
Book of Madness Cosmic Horror based upon the cthulhu mythos (though doesn’t need to include characters or deities from the mythos)
Shared World A fantasy-horror, sword-and-sorcery world called Shared World. Think Conan meets Cthulhu! It can use their pre-existing ideas, or new ones
Agita Magazine
Root Smoke: Now Seeking Submissions
From Around the Web
How to Find the Right Literary Agent for Your Book
Making Quiet but Effective Moves: An Introverted Author’s Guide to Successful Marketing
Book Marketing on Amazon: How to Get Your Book Seen, Clicked, and Bought
The Pros and Cons of Launching a Book Without a Publicist
The Hidden Constraints in Your Writing
Harlequin France ‘trials AI translation’ and they fired their human translators
Notes from the Editor’s Desk: January 2026
From Betty
Want to Write Throuple Romance? Warrior Princess Assassin Shows How It’s Done ooo i need time to digest this one
How to Improve Your Attempts to Write Fiction for Change.
Writing Goals: Going from "Aaagh!" to "A-ha!"
The Hidden Constraints in Your Writing
How to Use Character Tropes Without Writing Cliches
Tagline, You’re It! Summing Up Your Story In Two Sentences.
Betrayal And Plot Twist: 5 Ways to Hide Your Villain
The Real Story: Character Journey as Structure
Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Managing Time
Alia Hanna Habib Offers a Guide to Finding an Agent
How to Write Righteous Anger in Fiction (Without Turning Your Hero Into a Villain)
The Complete Guide to Self-Editing for Writers, Part 3: Using Beta Readers in the Self-Editing Process
The Timing of Your Publishing Dream: How to Keep Writing Through Setbacks and Detours
Be Wanted in the Inbox: What Outlaws Can Teach Authors About Email List Health
Who Are You? A Writer’s Take
Listen Like a Writer: What Taylor Swift Can Teach Us About Story
The Sum of Our Longings
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