Favorite Childhood Pet: Guest Blog by Lea Kirk

I'm beyond enthused to be one of nine authors contributing to Pets in Space, a wonderful collection of novellas and novelettes. After all, pets + space. What could be more fun than that? But along with the fun comes adventure, aliens, intrigue, excitement and compelling romantic mayhem. We're also very proud that part of the proceeds will be donated to Hero-dogs.org who provide trained service dogs and companion animals free of charge for our veterans. For the next several weeks, Pets in Space authors will be guest blogging to share insights into their stories, pets, experiences and favorite things.

I'm very happy to have Lea Kirk, an author from Pets in Space here to guest blog about her favorite childhood pet.

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Excerpt from Space Ranger, a story in the Pets in Space Anthology:

I am the dog, the guardian of this place, and I survey my domain as I lay here in my yard, warming myself in a spot of sunshine. I really love the cold-damp season the best because it rains, and rain is glorious. It makes puddles, and those are my favorite things. Although, it hasn’t rained for almost a week and now all the puddles are gone. Most disappointing. Now I have to figure out what to do for the rest of the day.

 

Some asked me recently what my favorite childhood pet was. I’ve had dogs all my life, and I have loved them all. But, there are two that achieved favorite status. I’m going to go backward chronologically. The second of my favorite pets was my dog, Indy. We adopted her when she was six-years-old, and somehow she and I quickly formed a close bond. She was my writing buddy and all around BFF for six years. She may even be my favorite of my favorites. However, I am supposed to tell you about my favorite childhood pet, and Indy came into my life when I was an adult.

The first dog to achieve favorite status is well ensconced in my childhood memories. Her name was Mai-Tai. (Yes, I swear that’s true!) I was four-year-old when my parents took me to look at a litter of “Cocker Spaniel” puppies. Notice the quotation marks? That’s how the owners had advertised puppies, as Cocker Spaniels. And it could have worked. All the puppies did look exactly like their mother, who was a Cocker. All but one, that is, who looked suspiciously like a very small black Labrador with a docked tail. Coincidently, the father of these pups was not on the premises.

Naturally, we picked the little, black, non-Cocker named Sandy and took her home.

How, you may ask, did she get the name Mai-Tai? My parents couldn’t bear calling her Sandy so they wracked their brains for a name that fit. The story I heard was that the other puppies in the litter had been named after alcoholic beverages. Brandy, Sherry, Whiskey, etc. For some unknown reason, our puppy was the only one in her litter not to be named after booze. Did I mention we lived in Hawaii at that time? My parents, in a moment of quirkiness, stuck with the theme, but put their own Hawaiian twist on it. And that’s how our new puppy came to be named Mai-Tai.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

Needless to say, Mai-Tai and Indy are only two of the dogs who have blessed my life. Hero-Dogs.org is an organization who provides canine “blessings” to our veterans. As a military daughter, sister, and sister-in-law, I am proud to part of the Pets in Space anthology. 10% of the first month’s sales for this anthology will be donated to Hero-Dogs.org.

Thanks so much for hosting me today!

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Lea Kirk is author of the Prophecy Series.
You can find her here:
Lea Kirk Website
Facebook
Twitter  @LeaKirkWrites

SPACE RANGER

By Lea Kirk

Graig Roble is the Senior Commander of security for the Guardian Fleet. His expertise as a weapons specialist and combat master is his world, what he was born to do – or so he thought until he finds his resolve and focus inexplicably wavering. Even returning to his position aboard the Atlantis can’t save him; if anything, it has left him questioning his own motives. He never thought that could happen until he met Simone Campbell.

Simone’s focus is on her home world – Earth. She thought her life was full with her research as a botanist. After all, she always believed that helping the people of her world become self-sufficient should take all of her concentration – except it doesn’t. There is one man that keeps pulling her attention, and her heart, away from her job.

Graig’s gift of a puppy to keep her company does more than that, it keeps him in her dreams. How can such a simple gift bring her comfort and make her long for more? Graig and Simone are about to find out that sometimes love can blossom from the smallest, furriest ties.

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Pets in Space Anthology
Release Date: October 11 2016
ISBN: 978-1-942583-40-0

Join the adventure as nine pet loving sci-fi romance authors take you out of this world and pull you into their action-packed stories filled with suspense, laughter, and romance. The alien pets have an agenda that will capture the hearts of those they touch. Follow along as they work side by side to help stop a genetically-engineered creature from destroying the Earth to finding a lost dragon; life is never the same after their pets decide to get involved. Can the animals win the day or will the stars shine just a little less brightly?

New York Times, USA TODAY, Award Winning, and Best selling authors have eight original, never-released stories and one expanded story giving readers nine amazing adventures that will capture your imagination and help a worthy charity. Come join us as we take you on nine amazing adventures that will change the way you look at your pet!

10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.