Any Animal Lovers Out There?

I've been trying to come up with a topic for my first blog post as a member of Midnight Seductions. So after running through various topics, I decided to blog about my animals and how they influence my writing.

Animals?

Yup. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those crazy old ladies with 47 cats in my house. After all, I'd never admit to being old.

I love my animals, and I seem to be developing a penchant for having an animal secondary character in every book.

Most of these animals are based on animals I've known and loved. The horse in the first picture is my beloved Hanoverian mare, Gailey, who stars in my latest release, The Gift Horse. In this particular novel, I experimented with short scenes in the horse's point of view.

Then there's Khat. Now, my hubbie and I are not cat people--well at least we weren't. I mean I like cats, but a nice barn cat that doesn't spread cat hair all over your house. My husband is one of those macho guys (a former Army Ranger and SF Weapons Sergeant) that didn't like cats at all. At least, he "claimed" he didn't. A year ago last fall, an orange tabby moved into our barn. Hey, we were fine with that. They're ruthless mousers, and we're all for a friendly little barn cat. So we fed him...

Khat had greater aspirations. He wanted to be a house cat. Last winter, my husband injured his back at work and was flat on the couch for a few weeks. Day two on the couch--I came home from work. There was the cat on Dennis' chest, both of them sound asleep. One year later....So much for the barn cat.If you have cats, you know the rest.

Khat is going to be the feline star of my next novel.

That brings me to the deaf, lame, and blind dog. Years ago, my former husband and I took in a Rottweiler badly in need of a home. When we divorced five years ago, my ex got custody of Casey. Last year, I got him back. Casey is seventeen years old, somewhat blind, really deaf, and has two good legs. But he's happy, healthy, and still living a quality life. This picture is of the old man rolling in the snow last month.

Finally, we have Skeeter. Skeeter had been owned by a family who didn't really like him. They kept him chained in the backyard. He'd never been a house dog and had no manners when we got him.

Skeeter needs a job or a tireless ten-year-old kid. His obsession is his tennis ball. We live in the woods and often entertain friends by throwing the ball in the woods. They watch in amazement as Skeeter circles over and over until he finds the ball.

Skeeter is in my current WIP as a clepto Lab who steals and hides anything he can get his mouth on.

So if you read my books, you'll see my animal friends in some form or another. I'd like to hear about your pets. If you're a writer, do you ever use them in your books? If you're a reader, do you like reading books in which animals play a role?