Saturday, July 3, 2010

Doggone It!


I was hoping to actually get myself to write at least a few hundred words a night this week, even 100 words would have been great. But life doesn't always cooperate. On Monday the hubby rescued this cute little guy from the middle of the highway.

Scruffy, short for McSruffy McScrufferson, has been with us all week and we are totally in love. Our two dogs aren't so sure about scruffy yet, but they seem to be warming up to him.

We've spent every night this week putting up found dog fliers and going to neighborhoods to see if anyone knows scruffy or is missing him. So far, no luck. He was obviously out on the streets for a long time because he was skin and bones. We're doing our best to remedy that! Operation "fatten 'em up" is in full swing.

Although Scruffy sidetracked my goal of writing during the week, he did manage to remind me of something - that my WIP is missing a doggie sidekick. I happen to love dogs in books and think that they can say a lot about the hero or heroine who calls them buddy.

My favorite is when dogs play the role of comic relief and confidant. I'm thinking that one of my characters needs that sidekick to talk to and to help lighten the mood.

Do you include animal sidekicks in your writing? What purpose do they serve in the story?

4 comments:

  1. Well, my 2nd work in progress in the Kraken's world involves a young kraken... A strange sort of pet...

    You know, with pirates filling my books, dogs and cats don't generally enter into things. And a pirate with a parrot is too cliche even for me. But I love reading books with animal sidekicks.

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  2. Oh, I'm in love with Scruffy! And it looks like he's using that item (umbrella?) as a microphone. LOL

    I like when there are animals as sidekicks in books. You're right about them providing comic relief as well as illuminating personality traits of the hero and/or heroine. I have a prickly cat in one of my books, and she definitely helps things along!

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  3. You're right, Donna, he looks like he's ready for his solo...

    Sabrina, if you don't find a home for Scruffy, you gonna buy him a funny dog outfit? And scar him for life? ;-)

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  4. That little guy is adorable! I wouldn't have been able to pass him up either. Good on your and hubby for coming to his rescue.

    I don't have a dog in the MS, but I do have a cat. In fact, when the story opens, the heroine is talking to her tuxedo cat named Charlotte. Right after Charlotte tweaks her in the nose to wake her up. LOL!

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What did you decide today?