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“Balancing momminess and sexiness? Yeah, right!” This is the most common response I hear when I tell people about my novel, “Momnesia.” Until people read it, of course, at which point their response changes to, “The woman in that book … Read More

Do you ever feel as if you’re on a treadmill? Running from one responsibility to the next, driving yourself to as-near-perfection-as-possible while juggling ten balls, making you feel like an exhausted version of a circus triathlete? If so, you’re not … Read More

I can remember my first serious boyfriend, back when I was nineteen, saying, “Baby, all you gotta do is ask.” Sounds simple, right? So then why is it so difficult for so many of us women to ask for what … Read More

As a novelist, one of the most common conversations I have with people is, “What is your book about?” to which I reply, “An average mom trying to balance ‘momminess’ and ‘sexiness.’” This, of course, is followed by all sorts … Read More

Moms. We’re just so… mommyish. Which is a good thing, for the most part! I mean, it’s important to take good care of the children we’ve brought into this world and for most of us, our “momminess” is not the … Read More

Balancing momminess and sexiness. This is one of the themes in my novel, “Momnesia,” and when I tell people about it, their most common response is, “Sexiness? Yeah, right!” As women, we have so many responsibilities. Between kids, work, pets, … Read More

When it comes to celebrities, the honest truth is, I don’t usually care much. I mean, of course I don’t wish them harm, but I also don’t usually get torn up over the things that go on in their personal … Read More

Often, when people think of obedience training, they think of “perfect” dogs. Show dogs, police canines, or at the very least, extremely obedient pets who follow every given command. While having a very obedient dog does have its benefits, even … Read More

Most of us know that almost all dogs like to swim… particularly retrievers and other sporting dogs. However, regardless of your dog’s breed or mix of breeds, it’s very important that your pet be taught how to swim, rather than … Read More

Animal shelters are overloaded with homeless pets because there are far more animals than there are people looking to adopt. Rescue organizations can be seen just about every weekend hosting adoption events, and even television and radio stations have spots … Read More

I was recently watching television when a commercial came on, asking viewers to support the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Throughout the piece, numerous animals were pictured; dogs and cats of every age, size and … Read More

When people think of obedience training, they often visualize “perfect” dogs being led around a show ring by a professional handler, or perhaps working dogs who are on duty doing their part to assist handicapped people, the police, or rescue … Read More

When spring is in the air, most people’s schedules and lifestyles change quite a bit. More time is spent outdoors, kids start to have more after school activities, and visitors come into your yard more frequently. Just as these and … Read More

I once saw a bumper sticker that said, “Deeds, not breeds.” Although I understand (and to some extent agree) with that slogan, I also firmly believe that you can have both deeds and breeds at the same time. What I’m … Read More

It’s interesting to observe how many pet owners are initially very hesitant to train their dog. However, most people change their minds once they realize that in order for your dog to enjoy certain freedoms, he must first have some … Read More

Has your dog ever been a “deer?” Obviously not in the literal sense, of course he has always been a dog! However, most dog owners will agree that at one point or another, we’ve all experienced our dog acting like … Read More

Dogs love riding in the car, right? Most do, and some may even seem to love it too much! Jumping around, trying to sit on your lap, barking at everything; for some dogs, a ride in the car gets them … Read More

One of the things that can really help humans to understand their pets is to realize how dogs think. Part of this is remembering that the majority of canines have been bred to do a job for many, many generations. … Read More

As spring warms the soil, our lawns, flowers, trees and bushes begin growing. It is at this time of year that many people work on sprucing things up to make their property look pretty. However, many dogs and puppies seem … Read More

Some might say that summer is a season of strange noises. With fireworks frequently fired on Memorial and Independence Days, and thunder that often accompanies storms, many dogs find these strange sounds difficult to deal with. Whether your dog barks, … Read More

One issue that can present a significant challenge to pet owners is finding a place to live that allows dogs. Particularly for people who rent, this can be a big problem! Even those who do own their own house or … Read More

Most pet owners have heard that it’s important to socialize your dog. However, unless you really understand why, it’s hard to imagine why your household pet would need to be comfortable with so many things. Further, people sometimes worry that … Read More

Unless you have a “hypoallergenic” dog (one with hair instead of fur), chances are that, particularly when spring comes along, your pet is beginning to shed his winter coat and will be trading it in for a somewhat thinner summer … Read More

When gas prices are high, (or there are other economic strains), most people feel the pinch in other areas of their lives. Newscasts report that fewer people take long road trips during vacation times, and air travel also becomes less … Read More

Originally from New York, I have enjoyed being a North Carolina resident since 2004. When it comes to pets, one of the big differences between the two locales is the level of “pet friendliness.” For example, on Long Island in … Read More

Does your dog seem to think that many things around your home are canine cuisine? Many dogs, especially puppies, tend to munch on things like remote controls, paper towels, food trash, and even unmentionables from the bathroom wastebasket. For many … Read More

Years ago, when I bought my first home in NY, my family and I excitedly settled in to our first night in our new home. Needless to say, it had been an exhausting day complete with lifting, carrying, setting up, … Read More

Most people know that some foods are dangerous for dogs, such as chocolate or bones that may splinter. However, there are several other foods and items you may be unaware of that can be very harmful to dogs, including: raisins … Read More

Most people will agree that even if you have a “significant other,” Valentine’s Day is a time for showing all the important people in your life some love and appreciation, and our pets are no exception! (Yes, I did just … Read More

Just in case you’re not familiar, what they say is that when you assume, you make an “ass” out of “u” and “me.” (Catchy, eh?) I don’t know if I would go so far as to say that I, or … Read More

A year-and-a-half ago, I turned 40. (This article was written in 2010.) Not so very old, right? That’s what I thought until I discovered that yes, in fact, at least according to the medical community, it is old… not that … Read More

MOMNESIA (mahm-nee-zhuh) -noun- Loss of the memory of who you used to be. Caused by pregnancy, play dates, and trying to keep the house cleaner than the Joneses. My novel, “Momnesia,” is about a mom who, feeling invisible in the … Read More

If you haven’t started using Pinterest yet, surely you’ve at least heard of it. What is it? An online “pinboard” where you can keep track of things you like, or are “pinterested” in. I admit, at first glance, my reaction … Read More

Winter. It’s cold, right? In many places, yes, but not so much where I live, which is in North Carolina. I mean, I do have to wear a light jacket here and there, but compared to New York, where I … Read More

I refuse to buy groceries for my family. It’s true! I do this several times a year and while my family hates it, I love it. You see, I get tired of working around the giant cases of Carnation Instant … Read More

The publishing industry is changing/has changed. This we all know, and I articulated a bit in my recent blog post “Let’s All Wear Our Grown Up Pants.” The series continues with today’s post, in which we discuss methods of how indie bookstores … Read More

The publishing industry is changing (has changed). This is not news. Well… it is news, but in my opinion, old news by now. So what’s the “new news?” It’s what we’re all going to do about it. Let’s face it … Read More

This holiday season, (this was written in 2011), Amazon is getting a lot of press coverage… and not in a good way. There’s a huge backlash from the book industry regarding Amazon’s Price Check App, which allows people to scan … Read More

Small businesses. Big businesses. We know that they all make an impact on the economy, jobs, and ultimately, our communities. However, it’s one thing to say that and it’s another to experience it firsthand. This being an election year, (this … Read More

I’ve been reading a lot lately. I’m not sure if you do the same, but I tend to go through phases with reading; I read either a lot or a little (but I never don’t read at all). Sometimes I … Read More