On what these goats are currently reading

When I first met these darling goats, I was hesitant to include them in my blog. Goats who can read? Who would believe that? I wouldn’t believe it myself it I hadn’t beheld it and personally interviewed these lovely beings and was impressed not just with their ability to read, but with the sheer depth and breadth of their reading. Let’s meet these cuties:

Theo is still a child at heart. His first great loves are children’s book and now that he’s found a home in a children’s library, he’s wholly dedicated to reading every children’s book ever written. Currently, he’s trying to read up on difficult issues kids face these days, so he’s reading Blubber by Judy Blume - a book all about a group of young Mean Girls. Theo hopes that reading this can help him give good tools to the kids he works with and provide them with books that understand what they’re going through. Theo had to end our interview to run the daily story time - his favorite part of the day.

Benji is a devoted mystery reader with a deep love for anything dark or scary. He loves tortured detectives with a drinking problem, which he acknowledges is a cliche, but loves all the same. He’s currently reading When the Sacred Ginmill Closes by Lawrence Block - which is complete with a boozy and sad detective. So far, Benji says that it’s all he’d hoped for - lots of drinking and three different crimes to solve. At that, Benji ended our interview so he could find out what would happen next.

Gertrude is a tough lady who’s tired of the political drama and unrest these days. She used to spend her time reading activist books, but she decided it was time for a break and time for a bit of self-care, so Gertrude has started reading more self-help books and religious books. Right now, she’s reading The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by Dalai Lama XIV, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Carlton Abrams. She’s hoping that she’ll learn to make the world a bit of a better place and that she’ll find the peace she’s looking for so she can continue to fight the good fight.

If you like goats and want to meet a few more, check out these goat rescue centers:

• Puget Sound Goat Rescue
• Sanctuary One at Double Oak Farms near Jacksonville, Oregon
• Goats of Anarchy
• New Moon Farm Goat Rescue & Sanctuary in Arlington, Washington
• The Sanctuary at Soledad in Mojave, California

Do you know any goats who are reading anything interesting? What are you reading right now and why?

On the benefits of writing groups

If you don’t have a writing group, you need one. In addition to being ridiculously fun to have regular get-togethers with interested and motivated people, writing groups can help you a ton for a lot of reasons.

1. Writing groups hold you accountable - If you’re meeting with people regularly and telling them about your writing, you’re going to feel the need to keep up. In her memoir You’re Never Weird on the Internet (almost), goddess of geekiness Felicia Day talks about how meeting with a group about their creative projects motivated her to finally write her acclaimed web series “The Guild” - and she even roped some people from the group in to help create it. In my writing group, we have weekly goals and we report on these goals at the beginning of each meeting. It can be difficult to explain why you didn’t get that chapter written, but it’s excellent motivation to do more work before the next meeting.
2. Writing groups give you a ton of beta readers - With a writing group, you automatically have a handful of folks who will review your work and give you the necessary feedback. While your significant other might only give your work glowing reviews, your writing buddies will be harsher with you - partly because they understand being in your shoes and they want you to be just as honest with them. And let’s be real - that honesty will make your work better and it will push you to be a better writer. Even if you don’t accept all their feedback, it’s useful to hear because you may hear something similar from a publisher or from other beta readers further down the path.
3. Writing groups let you really discuss your work - In a writing group, you’re meant to discuss your work and why you’re excited about it and why this is the story you have to tell. Here is a group of people who understand your passion (even if theirs is centered on their own work and passions). Talking about your work forces you to really think about it and make some snap decisions about your characters and world. Also, in discussing your work, it’s useful to have people to point out inconsistencies in your world, your work, your philosophies, your characterizations, etc.
4. Writing groups encourage really ridiculous conversations - These are real quotes from my writing group meetings: “I don’t think you should have plant magic powers because that would get rid of most of your menial labor needs, which is a big deal in a medieval society.” and “Well, if you’re stuck, the robot could stumble onto some corporate espionage. That would make things interesting.” and “If I understand your world correctly, your 19 year olds should all be married off at this point so the attendance at this matchmaking ball is going to be a lot less than you’re describing here.” and “Oh my word. I can’t decide if I love him or hate him but I’M FEELING SO MANY THINGS.” It’s beyond bizarre and if anyone walked past when the group is in a deep discussion about seemingly insignificant aspects of your novel, they’d be thoroughly confused. Which simply makes things more fun.
5. Writing groups give you a chance to connect with people - Everyone in your writing group will understand you at a level that no non-writer ever will. A fellow writer will know the deepest secrets and inner workings of your soul without necessarily knowing the exact details. They will see and connect with a part of you that few others will and this, if for nothing else, is why you need a writing group in your life.

On puppies

Alright, folks. It’s time for something random and ridiculous and today, I have some of my favorite book characters as portrayed by pictures of puppies that I found on the internet.

This lil’ beauty is the spittin’ image of Beth March from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - if Beth was a tiny maltese puppy. Like this puppy, Beth is a) absolutely adorable, b) tiny and vulnerable, c) always wearing a shawl or blanket (at least she does in my imagination whenever I read the book…), and d) capable of making everyone want to take care of her all the time.

This little guy is being cast as Locke Lamora from Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora. Like this cutie, Locke a) always has his eye on the prize and goes all in to get what he’s going for, b) is kind of oblivious to the fact that what he’s doing may not always be the best idea. (Spoiler: I’m still crying.)

A+ grade for this adorable pup who is wholly dedicated to getting the part of Kaladin from “The Stormlight Archives” by Brandon Sanderson. Kaladin and this pup both a) try to escape and have freedom NO MATTER THE COST, b) get into all sorts of shenanigans by being themselves and by striving for said freedom and c) venture where they shouldn’t.

Some puppies just can’t be messed with and this little one falls into that category. So does Mattie Ross, the heroine of Charles Portis’ True Grit. Maddie and this pup have quite a bit in common: a) Both are tiny and adorable, b) both are going to mess you up if you don’t do exactly what they want, c) both are really good at getting their way by looking like they’re about to pull out their revolver to shoot you in the face.

This cutie aspires to play Ford Prefect from the Hitchhiker’s Trilogy by Douglas Adams. Like our pup here, Ford is a) typically upbeat and optimistic and beyond earnest, b) absolutely determined to get his entry into the Hitchhiker’s Guide book (among other things), and c) sweet and hilarious and wonderful. I just can’t get enough of either of them.

And finally, here is our contestant for the part of the Dormouse from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. He’s a good fit for this part because a) he’s in a teacup.

Do you know any puppies who personify characters? Do you know any characters who could pass as a puppy? DO YOU KNOW ANY CHARACTERS WHO ARE PUPPIES?! Let me know in the comments.