What Are Pet Memoirs?

 “They are actually family members, but they just aren’t with us long enough,” said my friend. She continued, “Their life stories are important.”

As a memoir writing instructor, her words were like a direct laser beam piercing my heart. She propelled my awareness that our pet stories deserve recognition and should be preserved, but is “petoir” a genre?

Although they are helpless and dependent upon our loving care, pets offer us even more than we furnish them. When are Fido and Fidette not thrilled to see us, tails wagging in delight? They accept and love us even when we are grouchy or have not yet showered today. The finicky feline brushes against our legs and curls around our ankles to acknowledge her contentment with our presence. They all greet us with open paws, and their hearts’ desire is to be treated well and merely hang out with us.

He is your best friend--your confidant. You can tell him absolutely anything with no fear of betrayal or gossiping with your friends or co-workers behind your back. She silently listens, tilts her head to one side and snuggles in to lick your hand in deep sympathy for your plight or your tears. You reward him, and he reciprocates with his unconditional loyalty and adoration.

I remember the friend who asked me about my current writing projects. When I explained that I was writing a book to help pet owners capture the life stories of their pets, she rather indignantly responded, “My dog doesn’t have a story!” After I asked her only three pertinent questions, she readily admitted that her dog did indeed have a story, and it was a deeply poignant one as well.

So how does one proceed to write the life story of a pet? After all, they are difficult to interview. Follow these helpful hints, and you will jump-start your pet story project.

• There are many aspects to consider, but there is always a beginning. Whether you were present for his birth, obtained her as a puppy or fell in love with a rescue pet, there is always a first encounter tale.

• Every pet has a different personality. What are his/her likes or dislikes? What makes him happy? What is her favorite activity?

• What are her endearing qualities and behavior?

• What is his ritual for trying to get your attention?

Consider what is or was distinctive about your pet’s life experiences, and capture the stories of special moments shared. Photos are valuable memory sparkers, but do not necessarily express the feelings of bonding between pet and owner, demonstrate their deep entrenchment in the lives of our families or detail the specific journey they have traveled.

The significant questions that aid in formulating a pet story are numerous, but pondering and answering them (or at least those which apply) are beneficial in recalling life with your furry family member and preserving the memories in a priceless document.

What is your pet’s story? Looking for more information on writing pet stories? Write Your Pet's Life Story in 7 Easy Steps! is a beneficial resource for capturing pet tales.

Visit http://www.awriterspresence.com for links to purchase options. 

For the love of memoirs,

Mary Anne Benedetto

Write Your Pet's Life Story in 7 Easy Steps!

Yip, yip! Meow, meow! They may be furry, make unintentional messes on the floor, exhibit unusual behavioral issues, demand that we not leave them alone for extended periods of time and make us walk outdoors even when we aren’t in the mood. But we love them as much or perhaps even more than we do some folks in our own family. They don’t argue with us, even though they may want their own way, are always delighted to see us, and they are completely helpless and dependent upon our loving care for their survival. They are our treasured pets and are essentially our family members.

Each has its own personality traits and habits, and unfortunately, their relatively abbreviated life spans insure that some day we will mourn their loss. As a Certified Lifewriting Instructor, I  spend considerable time influencing people to write their  life stories while it is possible to do so. But what about our pets? Why are we not preserving their sagas as well? Photos and videos are helpful in reminiscing, but they don’t offer the details. They don’t explain why a particular pet was chosen or define the qualities that made this special one so endearing.

Capturing pet stories can be accomplished in following seven easy steps. By answering the list of straightforward questions in order to formulate the story, anyone who can read a book and write a simple paragraph can create a booklet that encompasses the essence of a beloved pet.

Great for pet owners, class projects for students (even if they don’t own a pet, they can interview someone who does), pet groups, associations and clubs, this publication also represents a wonderful appreciation gift that groomers, trainers, veterinarians, animal hospitals, breeders and pet stores can provide to pet parent customers.

 

Minna

Complete with logical procedural  writing steps, as well as adorable pet-related quotes, sayings and photos, Write Your Pet’s Life Story in 7 Easy Steps paves the path to creating a document, booklet or book that preserves those special memories of sweet Fido or Whiskers.

Visit http://www.awriterspresence.com for links to formats in paperback, Kindle and Nook or

http://amzn.to/18mLbsX for a quick link to Amazon for print & Kindle versions.

Capture your pet's story today! Also makes a great gift for pet lovers...

Lovingly,

Mary Anne

Capture the Life Story of your Beloved Pet

SAMMY'S TALE
Pet Stories:
If you check out my Home Page at http://www.awriterspresence.com/, you'll notice that I am launching a new arm of my writing business. This is something that I had never imagined I'd be doing, but the idea was suggested to me, and I decided to see if it is actually a service that people desire. What is this new offering? Writing the life story of your treasured pet!
The average life span of Fido, Fidette, or Kitty is comparatively short. This is a fact. There are a multitude of heartwarming pet stories out there, but people rarely take the time and effort necessary to capture them. How does this service work? I will ask you a series of questions to formulate the story of your pet or former pet, you can e-mail me a favorite photo (or small prized photo collection), and I will create an attractive booklet that preserves his or her life story to share and treasure forever. You can order one single copy or several copies to distribute to people who love your pooch or kitty.

To create the prototype for this booklet, I interviewed Amy Maselli, who told the gripping story of acquiring her little Maltese, Sammy. My sincere thanks to Amy and Sammy for participating in this project, which resulted in the adorable booklet, Sammy's Tale.

The beauty of this service is that it makes a fabulously unique gift for the loving pet owner, and gift certificates are available! (Think Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's Day, Father's Day...) The cost is only $50.00 to have the story written and approximately $10.00-$15.00 per booklet. Booklet costs vary based on the number of color photos included in production. This service can be easily provided from a long distance, so you don't need to be a Myrtle Beach area resident to take advantage of this opportunity. Don't hesitate to call me any time if you have questions!! (843) 215-4676 or (518) 441-8107

Class reunion:
I'm counting down to October 17, my 40th (YIPES!) high school class reunion. Our Southern California high school class has decided to hold this event in Las Vegas, and that brings an entirely different level to "getting in shape for your reunion". Las Vegas in October, weather permitting, could mean wearing a bathing suit at the pool, definitely cocktail party attire, and the possibilities for feeling weight-scrutinized are endless. From dearest old best friends to the women who didn't like you then and couldn't care less about you now, an impending reunion gives you a sense of being under the microscope. From the guys who have gone from six pack abs to sixty extra pounds and thinning or mysteriously vanished hairlines to those who have managed to retain a certain charm and tremendous appeal, a reunion makes you feel as though you want to make some attempt at looking your best--at least for that one weekend of visiting Memory Lane.


Therefore, in honor of and preparation for my October 17 reunion, I am committing to at least 1/2 hour or more of exercise five days a week. And for the purpose of accountability, I am going to include in my blog entries whether or not I have managed to achieve this goal and what types of exercise I managed to squeeze into my schedule during the prior week. My ultimate goal is not to be a skeleton by October 17, but simply reasonably toned. I'll keep you updated on how this works, and perhaps you'll want to start your own exercise accountability blog in the future!!



Update on FLOATERS:
Since my last blog post, I've been amazed at the number of e-mails I have received from friends and family who said ,"Welcome to the World of Floaters!!" or that they had experienced this within the last few years or even just recently. I also appreciated those who e-mailed and said, "Thanks for the warning!" I'm happy to report that the pesky black spots that I've been viewing through my left eye have become less obvious, but seem to be more prevalent when I first walk outdoors into the bright sunlight or when I step into my shower, which is surrounded by a very light background. It would seem that posterior vitreous detachment (cause of floaters) is sort of a boomer right of passage, similar to receiving your first AARP card in the mail.

Lifewriting:
I'm gearing up for the fall lifewriting classes that I'll be teaching through Coastal Carolina University's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. I absolutely love teaching these workshops and giving people the tools to make them realize, "Yes, I really can create a memoir project!" Some folks would love to write their stories to pass along to future generations, but they find the very idea overwhelming. After they have attended my workshops, they know that it is not only possible, but they are enthusiastic about making this potential project a reality. Please see my web site at http://www.awriterspresence.com/ and choose the page "Write About Your Life". Scroll down to locate the dates, locations and descriptions of the workshops that I'll be teaching this fall, and don't hesitate to call me at (843) 215-4676 or (518) 441-8107 if you have any questions! I'd love to see you in my workshops. You can also visit www.coastal.edu/olli to view the entire catalog of classes.

I'll leave you with this quote, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." Psalm 37:5-6

Have a wonderful week, and find something that makes you laugh!!!


Mary Anne Benedetto