Bloggers & Puppies & Thieves, Oh My!

It has been brought to my attention that I haven't blogged since February. This is what happens when I tell myself I have to do something (like blog every day). I'm so rebellious that apparently I can't even follow my own directions! Perhaps this is another reason why I write Young Adult?

Anyway, I've been meaning to blog again, honestly. After all, so much has happened in the last few months:

• The fabulous Tessa Dare's first novel, Goddess of the Hunt, came out to rave reviews - of course! Hooray Tessa! Is anyone else going mad with anticipation for August 25th and her second release?
• The group blog I haunt (formerly First Edition) was rechristened as www.WriteChic.com - with an elegant new look to go with the name. (Today on the blog: Kelly is reviewing One Week As Lovers by Victoria Dahl, which I'm currently reading and loving.)
• Stephanie and I traveled to Washington D.C. for our second RWA Nationals. It was my first time in the Capital and I can't think of a better way to spend it than meeting up with all of our great writer buddies, talking books, and networking the heck out of the conference. We also managed to hit the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where I enjoyed a whole room of paintings by my favorite artist, Thomas Wilmer Dewing. It was the perfect first D.C. trip!

But here's the obvious question: If all of this didn't make me sit up and blog, what has?

Well, friends, I'm getting a DOG.

Not a big deal for most people, but I'm a cat person. In fact, I come from a long, long, circle-the-Earth-a-few-times looong line of cat people. We had a dog or two growing up, but one too many nights of howling and they mysteriously disappeared to nice friends who had farms or neighbors who were a little more understanding of animals who don't just purr and nap. Of course, being rebellious little me, I fancied that I'd have a whole kennel of dogs when I grew up. Yet when I decided to get a pet after undergrad, the puppies may have been tempting, but logic won out and I adopted a kitten, Toulouse the Wondercat.

In that last two years, I've thought more about dogs - even going so far as to research breeds and rescue organizations - but could never rationalize it. Then, this past week, my house was robbed. Someone sliced open the screen to my bathroom window, punched a hole in the glass, and climbed in.

Luckily, I was in California visiting family and the thieves didn't get anything more than my DirectTV box (that I needed to replace anyway). Not going to lie though, I've been a little shaken since finding out. Suddenly all those romances about jewel thieves and highwaymen don't seem so charming. What's makes it all worse is that this will be the first semester that I don't have a roommate. It will be just my cat and me. Toulouse may be fierce when it comes to lizards, but girlfriend doesn't exactly terrorize intruders. Unless someone can be purred to death, of course.

A thief: not scared by terrifying guard cat.

I hate being scared of my own house. So in go the security system and outside motion detectors, but a barking companion will set my mind even more at ease. Plus, that whole never lived without a roommate concept? Yeah, also scary. I may be super independent and a writer to boot, but who likes being lonely? Enter a dog. Or rather, my dog. I'd really like a West Highland White Terrier and have applications in at the Texas area Westie rescues, but I'm also going to look at our local humane shelters to see if I click with any other little friend.

A Westie: white, fluffy, will bark at Cary Elwes & other intruders.

But, of course, I've never had a dog of my own! This is scarier than starting a new manuscript or going to Australia. Cats are easy - you pet them, you feed them, they love you. Dogs are a bit more complicated. All the walking and the training and the potential drooling! My bookshelf is filling with dog guides and The Dog Whisperer is set to record on my Tivo. Luckily, I have Stephanie and our other good friend, Sarah, as my on-call puppy experts - whom I'll no doubt harass and annoy with all my ridiculous questions. And, also, I have this blog. In the coming months, I'm sure there will be puppy stories galore (though hopefully none involving my Stewart Weitzmans), as well as all the updates from the writing world.

So, tell me friends, which are you - a cat person or a dog person? Let's hear all about your little furry ones. Any horror stories about shoe-chewing that I should know ahead of time, or adorable moments (pictures!) you want to share?