Friday, July 22, 2011

The Dog Dish with: Candis Terry!



Mom fell in love with the cover of this book before she even knew what it was about, and we agreed we HAD to have the dogs and their person on the blog.

CJ, Maddie and Hank are here to help their person, Avon author, Candis Terry, promote her release, "Last Chance at the Sugar Shack". I hear that there's a prize of a $25 Amazon.com GC to one lucky commenter, so tell them howdy and let us know you were here!

And to read back on her other stops, click on this banner (look at the puppy!):


I didn't get a picture of the dogs who are visiting this time, but they describe themselves pretty darn well. So, with further

So, your human writes books. Does this mean she is home all day and easy to access? Elaborate if necessary.

Woof! Thanks for the inbarktation to your blog! My name is CJ and I’m the top dog around the Simple Dreams Farm on which we all co-inhabit. Me and my main pain-in-the-tail, Maddie, are both German Shepherds and then there’s Hank, a really dorky German Shorthair.

Candis, our Scooby-Snack Mom, as we like to call her, writes romance novels. Oddly enough she even has a puppy on the cover of her first book Second Chance at the Sugar Shack. A golden retriever puppy. Yeck. Unfortunately for us four-leggers she isn’t home during the day. She says she works as a graphic designer too. We think she’s just trying to avoid handing out more treats. Doesn’t make us happy, but we are down with make up snacks.

What are your techniques for distracting your human during crucial writing moments, just because it's fun? Whose primary job is it? What do the rest of you do to support the one doing the main distracting?

We are proud to say we have distracting Scooby-Snack Mom down to a science. Our doggy senses are on high alert when we notice her face starting to scrunch up and she starts to lean closer and closer to the computer monitor. When the big sigh pushes from her lungs we know it’s time to distract. Maddie is a pro nose-pusher. You have no idea what interesting words the Scooby-Snack Mom will type when eighty pounds of annoying pooch pokes, prods, and pushes the human hand with her big wet nose. I do my part by whacking Scooby-Snack Mom’s leg with the full force of my tail. Inserting, of course, the perfectly timed whine. When we see Scooby-Snack Mom’s eyes roll we know its treat time! But then she locks us out of the room. Grrrr.

What indignities and neglect have you suffered because of your human's writing career?

Ummmm, hello? Dog brush. Have you seen how much I’m shedding lately? By the way, I’m a plush German Shepherd, which means I have beeeautiful long hair that humans always compliment me on. What, Maddie? Oh, shut up. You are not as beautiful as me. You are a regular dog. And short hair is soooo dull. Right, Hank. You have no hair. Nice spots though.

Tell me about the animals in your human's fiction. How often do they appear and how big a part do they play?

You mean the pretend dog? The one who doesn’t really add to the dog breath center of our universe? Right. Well, I’m told that Kate Silver, the heroine in Second Chance at the Sugar Shack, finds this oh-so-adorable puppy and takes him home to try to find his parents. Can you imagine that? Kate doesn’t believe in owning an animal, she actually thinks they’re a part of the family. What, Hank? Oh, hmmm, right. We are a part of Scooby-Snack Mom’s family. We even get Christmas stockings and Thanksgiving dinner. Anyway, word on the street is this puppy is a huge, cuddly part of the book. Kate thinks there’s no way she can keep a dog but the puppy has other plans. Smart pooch. Kate is a Scooby-Snack Mom too.

On the off-chance your human has yet to incorporate animals into a story, what are your plans for making sure she rectifies this egregious error and demonstration of poor writing skills?

No worries. There are three books in the Sugar Shack Novels series. Each book has its own special pet. And since Scooby-Snack Mom is a big animal lover, the pets have more than a guest-starring role. You like cats? Oscar, the grouchy puss, is in book two.

What movies involving animals does your human enjoy sharing with you? Books with animals?

Well, we certainly aren’t into any of the Benji movies. Woof. No way. However, we did love Chicken Run. I dig (and I get in trouble for it too) Dr. Doolittle. What, Maddie? Animals most certainly can talk! Hank liked March of the Penguins but he walked kinda funny for a while after that one. And the tiger in The Hangover was pretty purry.

Books? Oh, you mean other than to chew on the corners of the cover? Hmm, Scooby-Snack Mom did recently bring home a picture book called If Dogs Could Talk (which, of course they can). Silly dog photos. Great one-liners.

If you could make one change to your human, what would it be?

More Scooby snacks! Seriously, I think we all would like to have her home more. Sometimes our distraction techniques need a jowl-lift.

Are you happy with your human? If you could tell your human one thing, what would it be?

Happy with her? Hello? She’s the Scooby-Snack Mom.

If we could tell her one thing it would have to be, “Dogs Rule and Cats Drool. Now can we sleep on your bed?”

What things does your human do that would mortify her it if known? What does your human do that most annoys?

Haven’t you ever heard never bite the hand that feeds you? She gives us double scoops of kibble. She rocks! Okay, okay. Maddie has a secret . . . “ Scooby-Snack Mom talks baby talk to the animals. And she gives nose kisses even when she has coffee breath. Ewwww. What do humans eat?”

CJ here again. One thing Scooby-Snack Mom does that drives me doggy is she uses me as a footstool. No kidding. What do I look like, a fur ottoman? Woof.

Has your human named a character for you? Are you pleased? If not, why?

No, she has not named a character for us. That would be totally undignified. Hank! Stop licking your–

And did your human name you for a fictional character? Hate it or love it? If you could rename yourself, what would your name be?

We here down on the farm are all originals. Maddie and I are perfectly happy with our names. CJ, by the way, is the initials for Candi’s Job. Ha! Hank says he is very happy with his name. His previous humans had given him a name that rhymes with Hank but describes a part of the male anatomy. Really.

Well, it’s been a grass-ripping time, but we have to get back to patrolling the farm. Can’t have any wayward poultry escaping the place. Did someone say chicken dinner? Oh, and the Scooby-Snack Mom says she’d love to hear about your animal adventures. Contact her at www.candisterry.com. Woof!

This is the first in a series of coming home stories. In SECOND CHANCE, the heroine, a Hollywood stylist’s estranged mother passes away and she returns home for the first time in 10 years. The high school sweetheart she left behind is now the deputy sheriff and doesn’t quite know if he’s forgiven her for leaving. As she settles back into small town life, the two try to fight their feelings for each other, but the attraction is explosive and they can’t resist its pull for long.

Thanks for visiting!

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15 comments:

Mary Preston said...

You certainly had me chuckling. "Last Chance at the Sugar Shack" is already on my reading list.

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Candis Terry said...

Thank you very much for having me here today!

I think I'll take over from here. I just looked out back and the dogs are all napping beneath the apricot tree from where they have a perfect view of the chicken coop!

Tell me about the pets that run your life or ask me questions about the Sugar Shack or writing or . . . I'd just love to hear from you!

Candis Terry said...

Thank you marybelle! Writing Second Chance at the Sugar Shack was a true adventure. I hope you will enjoy it.

Anonymous said...

It seems you get your sense of humor from your dogs! I've only been owned by a dog for a couple of years and it's been a blast. My neighbor says dogs bring happy into the house and I can't think of a better way to describe it.

Just started Second Chance last night and can't wait to get back to it!

JeanMP said...

What a fun interview. Really enjoyed the humor, my husband likes to call me the weeble when it comes to our 3 year old Akita, because I am a pushover when it comes to treats. He also likes to say that we are the household staff to the dog, course can't imagine life without him.

Jean
skpetal at hotmail dot com

Candis Terry said...

Hi Laurin!

Let's put it this way . . . I have to have a sense of humor because of my dogs! I've had dogs all my life from poodles to mutts. I can't imagine life without them!

Hope you enjoy Sugar Shack!

Candis Terry said...

Hi Jean!

Ooh, I like the weeble image. I'm kind of that way with Maddie for a different reason. She's a very strong and energetic 2 yr old. One too close pass of her tail and I'm teetering like I've had a glass of wine!

Yes, I bow to the greatness of my dogs. They rule me. I'm only lucky they let me live in their universe!

Maria Zannini said...

No pictures? Aw, woof!

Mysti Holiday said...

Candis, which of your pups inspired the one chewing the shoe on the cover? LOL...

No animals running my life currently, though I've had menageries in the past. It's a little empty without them.

I love a good sense of humor, and it's clear you have one -- it looks like it carries over into your book. I'm going to have to check it out!

Na said...

Hi Candis, CJ, Maddie and Hank!

I fell in love with the cover for "Second Chance at the Sugar Shack" as well and even more so with the premise. I am glad that Kate found the puppy, because just like her own life she and the pup are both going to receive their second chances at happiness. I think they'll have a lot of fun finding their way.

Cambonified[at]yahoo[dot]com

Candis Terry said...

Maria, apologies from the dogs. They will tell you that whenever I pull out the camera to get a trio photo, they all go in different directions! Squirrel!

Candis Terry said...

Well, Mysti, the dog who inspired the one chewing on the shoe on the cover of Sugar Shack would be Maddie. She's gotten to the point now where she doesn't so much chew on things as she just likes to carry them off. Heaven forbid you leave a pair of shoes by the back door or you may find them out by the barn, or the chicken coop, or . . .

I do try to keep my sense of humor in my writing. When you've done some of the crazy things I have in my lifetime you realize there is always an opportunity for a laugh. And that is something I never pass up!

I do hope you'll give the Sugar Shack a look. Drop me a line and let me know what you think!

Candis Terry said...

Na! Back atcha from the fur kids!

You know, I think you might have inspired me to give our little pup his own love story in book 3. Hmmm. . .

Melynda said...

Candis, you never fail to crack me up! I have Last Chance at the Sugar Shack (even the title is funny!) waiting for me on my Kindle, and I can't wait to dig in.

Gosh, I'd love to see you include a scene in one of your books about a certain wayward steer you once told a group about. The one you had to wrangle in your jammies in the middle of the night? Howlingly funny stuff, that!

I'm ~so~ glad you're a writer and can share your talent with me and the rest of the world.

Oh, and I have to tell you...my cat likes to watch TV. He's a total beast--sweet, but mischievous, and he won't let me work uninterrupted--except when the TV is on!

I can't wait to meet Oscar!

Melynda said...

Shoot, Candis! Meant to say, "Second Chance at the Sugar Shack," not "Last Chance!" I blame it on my cat. His craziness is catching. ;-)