Enter to Win! Zogoflex Dog Toys from Good Things Green Things!

Have you heard of Zogoflex?  It's a dog toy material developed by WestPaw, and it's changed my life.  Virtually indestructible, and recyclable at the end of their very long lifecycle (in longevity terms, these are the tortoise of dog toys), Zogoflex toys are tough enough for my strong chewers, and that's saying something.  Stella is a master of destruction, and Argo loves to play, but they have yet to wear one of these toys out over years of use.

Enter to win! #DogKarma Sponsor: Opie & Dixie!

One of the things I'm excited about with the #DogKarma Prize Pack is the opportunity to share some of my favorite dog products with you.  Opie & Dixie products are absolutely a favorite of mine.

Argo and Stella are itchy dogs, and if I use the wrong shampoo when I give them a bath, they'll be scratching for days.  Opie & Dixie's line of organic grooming products are gentle on their sensitive skin, but unlike many sensitive skin products I've tried, they actually get the job done.  I did a review of an Opie & Dixie product for TheGreenists.com last year, and you can read it here.

#DogKarma Sponsor: Planet Dog

Talk about #DogKarma!  Planet Dog has a great lineup of eco-friendly toys and pet accessories for pups of every size, and they do so much to support great dog causes and advocate for dog adoption.  I'm thrilled that they're a part of the #DogKarma Prize Pack!

#DogKarma Sponsor: Newman's Own Organics Premium Pet Food

I feed my dogs Newman's Own Organics, and have for a very long time.  I've even reviewed Newman's dog food at TheGreenists.com.  I'm super excited that Newman's Own Organics Premium Pet Food is giving our lucky winner of the #DogKarma Rescue Dog Prize Pack a sample kit of dog food, because I think Newman's Own Organics is a wonderful example of good karma in action.

#DogKarma Sponsor: Dogeared Jewels & Gifts

Dogeared Jewels & Gifts has so generously passed along a Karma Necklace (the same style worn by Julia Roberts in the movie Eat, Pray, Love) for the #DogKarma prize pack.

About the necklace:

what goes around, comes around... wear your necklace as a reminder to keep the circle positive, peaceful and loving...

One of our best selling and most loved pieces, our karma necklace is a simple reminder to keep your own circle peaceful and loving. One of the most comfortable, and powerful necklaces we sell.

• 16" sterling silver chain
• 1/2" sterling silver karma circle
• sterling silver trigger closure
• karma message card
• handcrafted in california

About Dogeared Jewels & Gifts:

Dogeared Jewels and Gifts have been hand crafted in California for 20 years, when designer Marcia Maizel-Clarke recognized the need for jewelry that speaks. The style is modern and versatile, inspired by California's free spirited, natural beauty. Designs range from subtle classics to eclectic, unexpected statements, all designed in the spirit of love, kindness, and consciousness. Each jewel is handmade in the USA, collectable, and one of a kind.

Dogeared believes what goes around comes around. We are committed to the same values we held when we started on this journey in 1991... And we will always design with the planet in mind and support nonprofit groups working to heal the environment and create social change.

We're celebrating 20 years of good Karma, doing what we love, and loving what we do: creating jewelry that puts good energy out into the world, and makes personal, positive statements about people who wear it.

Follow Dogeared Jewels & Gifts on Facebook & Twitter!

Win the #DogKarma Rescue Prize Pack: Because rescuing a dog is good Karma . . .

Wooftown Rescue used my donation to sponsor two dogs, Liza and Chandler.  Both pups can now go to forever homes without an adoption fee!

If you live in Western New York and are thinking about adding a new dog to your family, please consider meeting Liza and Chandler to see if one of them might be the right dog for you.

Here's some information on Chandler (could he BE any more adorable?):

Chandler is a young , neutered, French Mastiff (bordeaux)/Staffy mix. He came to us from a kill shelter where he was going to be euthanized. Chandler is a young dog, maybe only 1 or 2 years. He is dog selective and prefers dogs that are smaller than him and female. Although, we would prefer him in a no dog home. He loves cats and actually prefers them to dogs. He is potty trained, crate trained and does not chew. He loves everyone he meets and just wants to be loved on. He is a really nice boy that deserves a family of his own! Chandler will jump up so please no small children in his forever home!!!

And here's some information on Liza:

Liza is a beautiful 2 year old Belgian Shepherd mix who has never met a person she didn't love. We rescued Liza from being euthanized in shelter down South after she was seized from a bad living situation. 

Liza is a very happy girl with lots of energy, lives to go for walks and to be with people. She is a great running partner and can run up to 4 miles a day! She plays with toys and gives lots of kisses. Her pictures don't do her justice. She's very camera shy. When she is out at the park people often comment on how beautiful she is!!!

And for my next . . . book.

I am so excited to announce that I'll be working with Plume again on my next book!

From Publisher's Marketplace:

STAY author Allie Larkin's next novel, about a heartbroken woman who is mistaken for a long lost classmate at a high school reunion and decides to assume her identity, to Denise Roy at Plume, in a very nice deal, by Elisabeth Weed of Weed Literary(World).

And there's a super dreamy guy, who has an awesome, awesome dog. . .

I'm having a blast writing it and I'm thrilled that I'll get to share it with all of you!

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Girl!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

STAY in Target

So, back in February of 2009, I was shopping at Target when my agent called to tell me that STAY had sold.

I still don't remember what I'd gone in to buy.  Handsoap? Laundry detergent?  Dog toys?  Whatever the item, it was probably an excuse to visit the book section, stare at all the covers, study all the imprints, and daydream about seeing my book on Target shelves one day.  I was always particularly fond of Plume's beautiful covers for Jane Green's books (and Jane Green's books in general).

I can't say it ever felt like a realistic dream.  It was actually more than my mind could completely fathom -- kind of the way I used to kiss frogs as a kid, hoping they'd turn into princes, even though I had a pretty good idea of what the odds were.

But, yesterday, while running errands with J at the very same Target, I pulled him over to the book section.  And there it was: my very own beautiful Plume paperback, hanging out with one of Jane Green's beautiful Plume paperbacks.

If you know anything at all about me, I'm sure you can guess that there were happy tears involved.   Me and crying happy tears in Target go way back.

But, I have J now, so I don't plan to kiss any frogs.

Wordless Wednesday - I wasn't joking about the praying mantis video.

Change of plans and lists of things

 - I had to cancel my NYC trip this week, but I'm donating the funds I would have put toward travel to Wooftown Rescue, and I am just plain giddy about it! They do such amazing things for dogs in need! I can't wait tell you more about them and the beautiful dogs they save (like Liza!).





 - This little guy showed up while I was doing some yard work the other day.  I, of course, stopped what I was doing to go take some high def video of him cleaning himself with his "paws" like a cat.  It's still on my camera (I know you're totally dying to see it, right?).  


 - It has occurred to me that there's a reason my yard is a mess.


 - Since Stella & the cat are both afraid of storms, I thought maybe encouraging them to cuddle together would solve the problem.  

 - The cat gave me some serious hard stares.

 - And then she bit me.


 - Most stories about the cat can end with "and then she bit me."


 - Or "and then she puked."


 - I have been a writing machine lately.  


 - I just discovered that three seasons of Felicity are on Netflix Watch Instantly.


 - I have been listening to Chris Pureka so much that it feels strange when I'm not listening to Chris Pureka.  





 - Remember how in STAY Van gets all upset because she wanted a red toaster and Janie told her it was tacky so she didn't buy it?  Our toaster started smoking recently (it had already stopped toasting things one side), so I used it as an excuse to buy a red one.  I like to think Van would be proud.


- If she were real.


- I swear I know Van's not real.  But the toaster makes me happy.


 - I did an event at Present Tense Books last week and the ladies in the book club felt very motherly toward Van, wishing they could have given her sound advice and helped her stick up for herself.  I wanted to hug all of them.  It was such a fun event and I am so glad I got the chance to visit Present Tense.  It is an awesome bookstore!  They have an unbelievably wide selection of new books and an upstairs room full of used books that they call the Past Tense room.  If you live near Batavia, NY, you have to go.  It's a cool cool place full of kindred spirits.