#i have a lot for book 2 because i started writing for oph when that was releasing

[choicesficwriterscreations]

CFWC Writer of the Month: GenevieveMD

Each month CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers, and this month’s writer of the month is @genevievemd! We hope you will enjoy learning more about her and her work below! The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page.

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog: genevievemd Blog Masterlist

How do you want to be known on Tumblr?  Sara

1- When did you start playing Choices? What's the first book you played? 

I honestly don’t remember, probably back in like 2017, 2018. I was playing it with the oldest of the kids I nannied at the time and also by myself cause I enjoyed it. We did it like a little book club together. It was also back when the app was not as spicy lol. We played America’s Most Eligible together, but my first book was Rules of Engagement. 

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I joined the fandom officially back in October of 2020, I had lost interest in the app and then found it again during the pandemic. I finished book one of Open Heart and got sucked in. I fell in love with the characters and then rushed to finish what was out of Book 2 at the time (chapter 8). And then I lucked on Tumblr for a bit, stalked @jamespotterthefirst (lol), and then after chapter 17, I joined for real and wrote my first fic. And I’ve been here ever since. 

3- How did you pick your url name? 

It’s my MC’s name, and what I imagined her instagram/social media handle would be. 

4- Go back to your archive and tell us about the first post on your Choices blog. 

OMG, my first legit post was actually me reblogging a post I made on my real blog about Open Heart. I was asking people what we thought Ethan called MC as a pet name for the fic I was writing. 

5- How long have you been writing fanfiction?

Oh man, way too freakin long. At least 15 years was totes part of the fanfiction.net phase of the internet. I used to write for a couple of shows I was into, but I didn’t get super into writing fanfiction until the show Once Upon a Time. And then I wrote all the time for my favorite ship, Captain Swan. They’re all still up on my main blog. 

6- What is your favorite Choices book to write about?

I’ve actually only written for one, Open Heart. I’ve never had the desire or inspiration for any other book. Even though I’ve played a bunch of books. 

7- Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it or would you change anything about it?

Do I have to? Lol A Love Like This

It was called A Love Like This, and I hate it. I think mostly because I didn’t have a true voice for Genevieve or my interpretation of Ethan. I contemplate deleting it from my masterlist all the time, but it was part of my journey in the OPH/Choices fandom and paved the way to finding my MC’s voice and my own writing style. So I keep it. 

8- What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

So many lol But I think my all-time favorite would be my series The Year Between. Does that count? It was the first major series I’ve ever written… ever and it tackled so many things about my characters. My second fav is Breathe Through – it was a very personal piece and means a lot to me. 

9- Do you have a fic that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to be but could use a little more love?

Oh totally. My first ever smut fic, Something About You. I was not expecting people to be as into it as much as they were. I was pleasantly surprised because our fandom has so many amazing smut writers, and I don’t compare at all. 

As for one I think needs more love? I honestly can’t decide. For as long as I’ve been in this fandom, every fic I’ve posted has been met with so much love and support I can’t think of any that I wish had gotten more. (Maybe my second smut fic, Sunset Glow, only cause I think it got lost in the Smutober chaos, lol)

10- If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 

Angsty Fluff. Best of both worlds. It also gives you more options with like fic topics. I like for my fictional worlds to feel a little more real, so people can relate more and I think angsty fluff allows for that. You can have the struggle and sadness but with a happy ending. 

11- Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

LMAO Yes. Genevieve is me but smarter. Most of her traits are my own, including her anxiety and I’ve always used writing her a comfort, a way to express myself in a way that’s healing. If that makes any sense. She’s like the version of me I’d want to be one day. Just not a doctor cause I can’t handle other peoples bodily fluids. Lol 

My OC, Natalie Michaels has a bit of me in her too, but not as much as Genevieve. 

12- What element of writing do you struggle with most?

I call it the in between bits, the descriptive parts between dialogue. I think that has to do with my schooling background. I went to college for film and television and did a lot of screen writing for my classes and so dialogue has always come so easy to me. I envision fics like scenes from an episode or movie, so getting the in between parts of fics can be challenging for me. 

13- Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

So many. The epilogue to The Year Between, a valentines day fic, the rest of the Absence Makes the Heart… series. I hope to get back to them one day, but I’ve learned that I can’t force my brain to write because I never like my work when I do. When I’ll wait until the inspiration for them returns, and then I’ll finish them. 

14- If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first? 

Yes. I’m so proud of the world I created from Open Heart and if someone wanted to read them I’d let them. I’d just give them the link to the masterlist for Open Heart: Sara’s Version and say, “Start from the top” lol 

15 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing?

IRL writers? No. I don’t read a lot outside of fanfiction which is horrible lol, but in the random, there are a few. Bree @jamespotterthefirst is a huge inspiration for me. She was one of if not the first people I read when I joined, and I’m just in awe of her work. Everything she writes is amazing and brings me so much joy. Others are @jerzwriter and @potionsprefect, and some who aren’t in the fandom anymore.

16- Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 

All of my universe, aka Open Heart: Sara’s Version. As I said earlier, I write like I’m writing a tv show lol So I wanna see my version of Open Heart as a show. 

17- Do you write original stories? 

I don’t but I think about turning OPH: SV into an original series.

18 -  What other hobbies do you have?

I love playing video games. I’m not good, but I enjoy it. I’m super lame and don’t have many hobbies outside of writing and video games… I should get some lmao 

19 - What’s your favorite emoji? 

The double pink heart 

[jamespotterthefirst]

Ethan x MC Masterlist

All my Ethan x MC works organized by year 

Open Heart: Year One Pictagram Series: The events of year one retold through social media posts and messages

All Posts in the series

Prelude (Three moments leading up to their fateful meeting.)

As Long as You Love Me So ( She needs a fake Christmas date. Urgently. )

Auld Lang Syne (More fake dating. Part 2 of As Long as You Love Me So)

For You (Ethan confronts Landry for his betrayal)

Most Beautiful (the morning after their first night together)

Diamond scenes written from Ethan’s POV

Don’t Let Me Down (1.1)

Drinks For Two (1.2)

Little Miracle (1.4)

Enchant Me (1.6)

The Art of Observation (1.7)

Along the Seashore (1.10)

Winner Takes it All (1.10)

In the Afterglow (1.10)

Lovely Series: (Continues to “Beyond”) Adding her on social media was a dangerous mistake. Particularly when she posts a picture looking like that.  

Lovely

Ocean Eyes

Everything I Wanted

Fake Husband Series:  (Continues to “Beyond”) When they run into her ex, Ethan pretends to be married to her to spite him

Fake Husband

Fake Husband II

Fake Wife/ Fake Husband III

Unsaid (The last time they see each other before he leaves for Brazil)

Knowing Me, Knowing You (AU: She is dating someone else when he returns from the Amazon)

All I Ask (A jealous Ethan confronts her about Bryce)

Irreplaceable (Prompt: “Just- uh … try not to die. I’m really not bothered to replace you”)

Valentine ( A jealous Ethan watches her flirt with someone else on his most hated holiday. Set during book 2)

Adore You (Ethan realizes how utter powerless he is before her.)

Beautiful Thing (A training session with Ethan turns romantic)

Macarons (Prompt: “I got these because I know they’re your favourite” )

Birthday (On her birthday, Ethan shows up at her door with a gift)

Lunch Date ( It is time to finally talk about the next steps after their kiss outside his apartment. Set after 2.8)

Adrenaline Rush (Another stolen kiss after breaking into Mass Kenmore)

Hands (Prompt:  “I really like your hands.”)

Most Ardently (Days after her recovery, he tells her of the Pride and Prejudice vibe they apparently give off. Set after 2.11.)

Without Words ( Desperate and afraid of losing her, Ethan turns to his mentor. Set during the events of 2.11.)

All-Nighter (He’d do anything for her, even fly across the country on moment’s notice. Set in the Vegas chapter, book 2)

At Last (It’s the day after gala and they’re not hiding anymore.)

Hit the Town ( After enjoying drinks with their friends, they escape to a quick dinner date)

Home (Their last words before Edenbrook shuts down)

NSFW: Warnings: Strong Language, Smut, NSFW content. Please use discretion and caution when viewing this work.By viewing of these works, you consent that you are 18+

Rivulets [NSFW]

Satin Sheets [NSFW]

Wish and Command [NSFW]  

For Lost Time [NSFW]

Late Night (Harper Emery is eager to share a new prospect with her old colleague, Ethan. But when she visits his apartment late at night to discuss, she is stunned by what-- or rather who-- she finds there.)

His Own Medicine (When Bryce Lahela brings her a coffee, Ethan Ramsey gets a taste of his own medicine.)

A Dance With the Devil (What will Ethan Ramsey do when he watches her dance with Tobias Carrick?)

Mariposa (Ethan should have known better than to take dancing lessons with his vivacious girlfriend)

Whispers (The dress she ordered online was not what she expected. Set in Book 3.)

Mirrors (They have always found comfort in one another.)

Sunrise (Suddenly, marriage doesn’t seem like a pointless endeavor for Ethan. Set in 3.10)

Cariño ( After their confessing their feelings to one another, everyone can see something has changed. Set in 3.11)

For A Long Time Now (He can finally tell her the three words he meant to say for a long time.)

Open Heart Third Year: A new year, a new relationship, and a new Edenbrook. Will everything go as smoothly as they had planned? (IN PROGRESS: ON HIATUS)

Prologue: His Beloved

Chapter 1: Promises

NSFW: Warnings: Strong Language, Smut, NSFW content. Please use discretion and caution when viewing this work.By viewing of these works, you consent that you are 18+

Burgundy [NSFW]

Private Lessons [NSFW]

Stress Relief [NSFW]

Beautiful Thing Together Pictagram Series

Other Pictagram posts

Speechless (Prompt: ““You’ve finally rendered me speechless”)

Homesick (Prompt:  “You’re the only reason I’m coming back”)

Blinding Lights (Dr. Ethan Ramsey would do anything for his patients and for his girlfriend)

Four Hearts (Who was texting Dr. Ramsey during his Hope Springs interview and why was he smiling so much?)

You Outshine the Morning Sun (She finds out she is pregnant. How will he react?)

Where We Belong ( Waking up to her boyfriend making breakfast for her? What did she do to deserve him?)

Corazon (When Ethan meets her mother and sister for the first time, they accidentally embarrass her by remembering the crush she used to have on him.)

October 31st (Ethan Ramsey doesn’t do costumes… except maybe for her.)

Five Birthdays ( Ethan’s birthdays with her in the next five years.)

Christmas Music ( What is Ethan’s favorite Christmas song?)

Gingerbread (The competition is on when they each help their patients make a gingerbread house.)

Bouquet (A Mother’s Day Surprise)

Espresso (She confesses years later that she didn’t like the Espresso Romano)

Observation Deck (Ethan knows it was her with Bryce on the observation deck during her intern year)

The Hunt (Easter egg hunt with the Ramsey children)

Babysitter (Ethan babysits five children who demand pancakes.)

Autograph (A young intern flirts with Ethan in front of his wife.)

Attending (Those poor, wide-eyed interns have crushes on the new attending at Edenbrook. How will her husband react when one decides to make a move?)

Apologize (Years later, a guilt-ridden Ethan apologizes for making her cry on her first day as an intern.)

That Morning (They enjoy a crossword puzzle before the chaos begins)

Are You In Love? (Ethan takes a Cosmo quiz)

Brave at Heart (What Hogwarts House are they in?)

Flirt (Ethan takes flirting advice from Bryce)

Mi Viejito ( Father’s Day more than twenty years later.)

Sick Day (Prompt:  “You won’t take care of yourself so I will”)

Alternate Universe

1800s AU: At a ball, Doctor Ethan Ramsey is entranced by her beauty, not knowing there is so much more to her than meets the eye.

She Walks In Beauty

A Red, Red Rose  

How Do I Love Thee

The Viper (AU: Detective Ramsey is a step closer to capturing a notorious criminal. If only Miss Allende, a key witness, would cooperate)

[carasueachterberg]

Everyone wants a puppy.

I get that.

Puppies are cute and fun and at least at this age (seven weeks) they are highly entertaining.

photo by Ian Achterberg

  These puppies are no exception and already, eight of nine have approved adopters waiting to take them home in just another week!

With every litter there are people who wait until they see the puppies on the site to apply, most times they are too late, but not always. There is an inevitable shifting around as people re-think the idea of a puppy. Which they should – puppies are a LOT of work. (They aren’t cheap, either.)

  What they require more than anything is time and commitment. If you don’t put the time in while a puppy is young, it will grow up to be a difficult dog.

At the rescue every year we get a few returned dogs who were adopted out as puppies and now are somewhere between one and two years old. Their adopters can no longer deal with their lack of manners, their destructive habits, their reactivity to other dogs or people or any number of issues that should have been dealt with while the dog was a puppy. Remember Bugs?

While, yes, just like people, dogs are individuals and there are some inherently challenging dogs; many of the issues for which dogs are returned could have been averted if the adopters had put in the time to raise their puppy well.

After the puppies are fully vaccinated, socialization is critical. With the current conditions, new adopters will have to get creative. These puppies are tiny, so you could literally carry them everywhere with you. Home Depot is a great place to take dogs for socialization (Tractor Supply too), visiting other families, and walking dogs in public areas, parks, and trails are great ways to work on socialization despite the pandemic. Praise and treats should be used copiously on these adventures.

New experiences and challenges help puppies grow into confident dogs. I try to expose puppies to lots of new noises – the vacuum cleaner, music on my phone, the nail Dremel, dropping loud objects nearby, popping plastic packaging, pretty much anything I can think of. We definitely don’t tiptoe around the puppy pen. These puppies were raised while Nick installed a hardwood floor next door to them – they heard the nailer, the compressor, and lots of hammering.

Over the weekend, the puppies met our foster cat, Neville. They met our dogs, Fanny and Gracie. They also got to race through the agility tunnel, learn to go up and down stairs, and pounce on a noisy, crinkly, empty feed bag that smelled like the barn.

[Side note: These are experiences that puppies raised in puppy mills do not have and likely account for some of the anxiety issues they may have down the road. If you decide to buy a puppy for personal or health reasons, be sure to find a breeder who raises their puppies intentionally.]

There is so much that puppy adopters can do now, while their pups are young and impressionable.

For example, if you don’t want your puppy to react negatively when someone comes to the door, ring the doorbell or knock on the door and give them treats and praise. Do this every day, multiple times. Eventually, you can teach them to go to their ‘place’ (like a crate, mat, or dog bed) when they hear those sounds to receive their treats and praise.

You can also do this with your older dogs. Whenever my dog Fanny hears a work truck or delivery truck in our driveway, she runs to me because she knows that if she sits quietly now she will get rewards. I can then leash her and put her in one of her ‘safe zones’ before dealing with the visitor.

Training doesn’t end with the puppy phase. It is even more critical during the teenage phase (6 months – 2 years). That’s when doubling down and perhaps enlisting professional help is important. Taking your pup to classes – manners, obedience, agility, nosework, even frisbee or dock-diving will challenge them and give you opportunities to reinforce their good behaviors.

Consistency and commitment are absolutely vital. I tell my adopters to use positive reinforcement methods of training. Too many people are quick to resort to negative reinforcement because it can get an immediate reaction, but it is the wrong approach and can backfire creating an anxious or aggressive dog. I learned this lesson in the most heart-breaking way possible and it haunts me every day, so now I am passionate about positive and force-free training methods.

Science has proven that dogs do not need an ‘alpha’ to lead them. Now that we know better, we should do better.

Instead of punishing a dog that is ‘misbehaving,’ redirect them to something else or get their attention with an impromptu manners lesson reinforcing what they know like ‘sit’ or ‘down’. A horse trainer told me once that you should help the animal by making the right the decision, the easy decision.

Not everybody has the time (or the commitment) for a puppy. They are cute and tempting, but if you are not ready to make the effort, adopt a dog instead. There are so many good dogs deserving of a good home. I am not saying they will not also require time and effort, they will, but it is exponentially less than with a puppy. Plus, if you adopt from a foster home, many times we can tell you what your new dog’s needs are and where you will need to focus your training.

Okay, enough puppy lecture. You have been warned. All of that said, it is incredibly rewarding to adopt a puppy and raise it well.

These puppies are thriving and getting bigger every day. It remains to be seen whether they will ‘catch up’ after their hookworm episode. The smallest puppy is just over four pounds and the largest is seven and a half pounds! The puppy charts put them all between 18 and 36 pounds, which is larger than the first calculation I made two weeks ago, so they are definitely jumping their curve now that we’ve rid them of the hookworms. I hope their adopters will let us know how big they ultimately get.

Their little personalities are blooming. They are bonded with me and follow me everywhere when I’m out in the puppy yard with them. To a pup, they are loving and people-centered. When they get too crazy, I scoop one up and snuggle it and it immediately calms right down.

Kiss Me Kate

Calamity Jane

Hello Dolly

Evan Hanson

Usnavi

Evan Hanson

Pippin

Dolly

Even Millie, one of the most outgoing pups (and the one still available for adoption!) is putty in my arms. I’ve been watching her lately because she has so much energy and I want to start channeling it in the right way, and I’ve come to realize that yes she does have a lot of energy, but so do some of the others. The difference with Millie is that she is vocal. She communicates with the other puppies (and me) with her voice more than they do.

All of them are starting to find their big dog voices, though, and it is no longer possible for my kids to sleep through the ruckus when the pups are ready for breakfast. (Which is a good thing since all three still need to ‘go’ to school and work virtually.)

In just over a week, we will be foster-free at this house. Rockee left with his adopter on Sunday. He was smitten from the moment they met and jumped in her car without a backward glance. Here’s hoping the third time is the charm. I’m pretty certain it is. Check out these pictures his new mom sent:

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Processed with VSCO with v6 preset

  Thanks for reading!

Cara

If you’d like regular updates of all my foster dogs past and present, plus occasional dog care/training tips from OPH training, be sure to join the Facebook group, Another Good Dog.

For information on me, my writing, and books, visit CaraWrites.com. I have a new book, One Hundred Dogs and Counting: One  Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues, coming out in July. If it sounds like something you’d like to read, I’d be beyond grateful if you’d consider preordering it. Preorders contribute to the success of the book, not only giving me and my publisher some peace of mind but hopefully attracting media attention.

And if you’d like to know where all these dogs come from and how you can help solve the crisis of too many unwanted dogs in our shelters, visit WhoWillLetTheDogsOut.org.

Our family fosters through the all-breed rescue, Operation Paws for Homes, a network of foster homes in Virginia, Maryland, D.C., and south-central PA.

If you can’t get enough foster dog stories, check out my book: Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs . It’s available anywhere books are sold.

I love to hear from readers and dog-hearted people! Email me at carasueachterberg@gmail.com.

Many of the pictures on my blog are taken by photographer Nancy Slattery. If you’d like to connect with Nancy to take gorgeous pictures of your pup (or your family), contact: nancyslat@gmail.com.

      CAUTION: Puppies are not for everyone. positive, consistent, #fearfree training makes a #gooddog Everyone wants a puppy. I get that. Puppies are cute and fun and at least at this age (seven weeks) they are highly entertaining.

[choicesficwriterscreations]

CFWC Writer of the Month Profile Bex-La-Get

As announced earlier this month, CFWC will now begin highlighting one fanfic writer per month. The writer will be selected randomly, and the criteria remain the same as before when this event was done only after attaining a certain amount of members.

This month, we randomly selected a winner from the writers who submitted their fics for Tumblr's Top 3 or My Top 3 of 2021, and the lucky winner was @bex-la-get. Please enjoy getting to know more about her and her works

Blog: bex-la-get

How do you want to be known on Tumblr? Bex

My Blog

Masterlist

See more below.....

1- When did you start playing Choices? What's the first book you played?

I wanna say the early days like 2017-ish. The first book I played was The Freshman.

2- When, and why, did you join Choices fandom?

Again, the early days of Choices. I’m pretty sure it was in 2017, as Choices was pretty new at the time and there weren’t a lot of book options at the time. I joined because I had seen an ad for the game and I thought it looked like fun. Little did I know it would lead me down the rabbit hole.

3- How did you pick your URL name?

It’s a manipulation of my real name. It took far longer than I’m willing to admit to come to my final decision.

4- Go back to your archive and tell us about the first post on your Choices blog.

I’m not a Choices blog, exclusively, but according to my archive, my first Choices post was when I posted my fic The Aftermath on 4/29/21. I do suspect that’s off because I feel like I remember posting things related to OPH before then but I likely didn’t tag it which is why it’s not showing up.

5- How long have you been writing fanfiction?

Since 2013, I believe. I used to write a lot for the HP fandom; I used to write stories while sitting in my lecture classes (don’t follow my example, kids).

6- What is your favorite Choices book to write about?

I’ve only ever written for Open Heart. I’ve had a few ideas for some other books but nothing that ever developed past the brainstorming stage.

7- Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it or would you change anything about it?

The first fic I ever shared with CFWC was Part 3 of my Choices mini-series. That whole series has a special place in my heart because of how difficult it was to write and the emotional toll it took on me, but that particular chapter was one of my favorites. I wouldn’t change a single thing about it.

8- What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

That’s like asking me to pick a favorite child. This also contradicts my #1 fic for the Writer’s Top 3 event but I have to say I love A Dance in the Moonlight. It’s sweet and fluffy and gives me all the domestic vibes we were denied in canon. That one just makes me happy.

9- Do you have a fic that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to be, but it could use a little more love?

Hmm… my Bryce x Sienna fic The Start of Something New. That one took me months to write and when I finally posted it, I didn’t think anyone would like it but I was pleasantly surprised to find I was wrong.

In truth, I don’t think there’s one that could use more love. I feel like my fics are lucky enough to have the love they do get; I couldn’t really ask for more than that.

10- What is your specialty as a fanfic writer?

I have no idea. Fluff? Let’s go with fluff, that seems accurate.

11- If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why?

Fluff. I like a good angst but fluff makes my heart happy and it comes a lot more naturally to me.

12- Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MC’s or in your writing?

Nat is definitely me. Dani, as well, though I’ve based a lot of her mannerisms off of my real-life friends as well.

13- What element of writing do you struggle with most?

Worldbuilding, I think. I like developing characters and I feel that I’m pretty good with plot points, but worldbuilding always seems to get me at that ‘stuck’ point.

14- Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

Tons. My Book 3 rewrite to start. I, unfortunately, wrote myself into a corner with that one and I haven’t been able to get myself out of it. Someday I’ll figure out how to get that one back off the ground…

15- If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first?

Hmm… I’m not sure. I’m very protective of my writing and I try to keep it separate from my personal/real life. So I suppose it depends on how well I know that person. If I were to have them read a fic, I’d have them read With Every Heartbeat. It’s angst with a happy ending, and it’s a fic I’m proud of so that feels like the best choice.

16- Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing?

The Sisterhood, of course! As for published authors, there’s no one author who influenced me. I’ve been influenced by many authors, it’d be hard to narrow down just one person.

17- Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series?

Oh dang, what a question. I’d have to say either my Choices mini-series or my current WIP The Way I Loved You. They feel like they could be the most fun to turn into a movie or series.

18- Do you write original stories?

Yes and no. I have some WIPs that I’ve been working on for years but, again, I get stuck at worldbuilding. I’d like to tackle them again but it’s been so long, I’m going to have to start back at square one. Though, I suppose that’s not the worst thing.

19 - What other hobbies do you have?

Video games, reading, dancing, yoga, and Dungeons & Dragons (‘cause I’m a nerd)!

20 - What’s your favorite emoji?

The sheep emoji, of course! 🐑

[choicesficwriterscreations]

450 Followers: Meet The Writer

Hello there! We’re back with another Meet The Writer Q&A and it’s our pleasure to introduce a fellow Brazilian fanfic author for our ninth interview:

Blog: @julia-highstorms​ Name (or petname): Julia/Ju Birthday: July 9 Nationality: Brazilian 🇧🇷 Current residency: I'm one of the 12 million people living in São Paulo, Brazil Languages you speak: Brazilian Portuguese, English and a bit of Japanese Masterlist: Julia’s choices fanfiction masterlist

1. Is there a meaning behind your url name? Yes! For those who have been following me for a while, they already know that I used to change my URL according to the Choices character I was stanning at the time but it was a PAIN to fix all my fanfics links 😩 so I decided to finally create an unique URL that I wouldn't get tired of. So I mixed my two surnames together and it (basically) means Highstorms. I loved it 😌

2. When did you start playing Choices? What's the first book you played? 2017 I believe. TRR book 1 was about to debut. YEAH. It was the Freshman Book 1.

3. When did you decide to join Choices fandom? December 21 2017. ILITW was in its last chapters and I was obsessed with it. I wanted to talk about it with other people, but I didn't know anyone who also played Choices. So I found the fandom on Tumblr and decided to join. I miss all my friends I made back then and we all went nuts with ILITW finale together 😩 Good times

4. Go back to your archive and tell us what was your first post on your Choices blog was about. My first post was about how I loved ILITW and how everyone was fucked up sjddndossok also a lot of reblogs about MAKE NOAH AN LI 🗣️

5. How long have you been writing fanfiction? I started writing fanfictions in my senior year of high school, although I attempted to write my own stories when I was younger, around 12-13.

6. Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it or would you change anything about it? My first fanfic ever is about The Maine, it was my favorite band back then slfjdfodj but my first Choices fanfic is If Jane Was Here (ILITW told by Noah) Chapter 1. I AM SO PROUD OF IT. Of course, there are some things I would change. Like adding even more angst. Having finished writing it way sooner. But I'm super proud of it overall. My first (and so far only) Choices long series I've ever finished. Wow.

7. What are your favorite Choices books to write about? Definitely Open Heart just because of Bryce Lahela and Rei (my MC). OPH has become a mess, but I love Bryce too much. I loved the It Lives anthology too and enjoyed writing about. And I'm hyped for my upcoming Blades AU series!

8. What is your specialty as a fanfic writer? Oooh I guess it is rewriting certain scenes or events of the books or thinking about AUs. Since ILITW I have enjoyed doing this. Writing on another character's point of view of the events that have happened (the whole If Jane Was Here series, that is ILITW told by Noah's POV). Or adding some depth to a certain scene (did something like this with Julia, my ILB MC, and Tom's relationship. And with Rei and Bryce's). Or even rewriting the story to fit better with my MC's personality (Rei, OPH MC).

9. What aspect of your writing do you most enjoy to see praised? When people say they like my MC's, Rei (OPH MC) and Luxia (Blades MC). Before, whenever I played Choices, I didn't care much about the MCs because they're all generic (which makes sense because we're the ones playing it). They're always the happy go lucky friend that tries to fix everyone's problems and every LI is in love with them. Boooooring. Rei was my first MC that I created a whole non-canon personality to her, and that's why she's my baby 🥺 and when people commented that they felt represented by Rei, that she felt more realistic than PB's usual MC, well, that was my peak as a writer lol so they're basically OC's, with their own personalities and temperaments.

10. Do you participate in any writing events or challenges throughout the year? If so, what do you like about them? I do, but I wish I could participate more often! The prompts are what I like the most, because they give me ideas that I'd have never thought to write about before.

11. Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing? Meg Cabot was my favorite author growing up and I read some of Sophie Kinsella’s books too, so probably my love for adding a bit of comedy, silly little things in my fanfics came from them. I love Jane Austen too. And last but not least, my flair for angst definitely came from reading Fruits Basket, my favorite manga ever. There’s so much angst in Furuba dodksdishd Takaya Natsuki-sensei really enjoys it. I recommend reading her other manga series, Twinkle Stars, too.

12. What element of writing do you struggle with most? Actually writing lmao. You know, taking the plot out of my mind and typing it down on Google Docs. Writing is hard, takes too much time and I'm lazy 😩 I wish I could just transfer my ideas to a document and it's done. No need to write, no need to revise, etc. I love the final product, but I hate the process.

13. Do you have any abandoned WIPs? What made you abandon them? A BUNCH OAJDSKDKD 🤦 Either because my inspiration to write it has faded or because I don't want to spend my whole time writing.

14. You’re applying for the fanfic writer of the year award. What five fanfics do you put in your portfolio? Oooooh great question! I must put:

If Jane Was Here - Alternative ending (ILITW): this is the only finale I accept sorrynotsorry

Too Little Too Late - Jax x MC (Bloodbound): I wanted to feel hurt. People cried. I loved it sclkdsdjsops

The Loudest One - Bryce x F!MC (Open Heart): I wrote this one for CFWC Kinktober! And honestly, this is the best smut scene I have written. I’m quite proud about it.

Satisfied - Jax x Lily (Bloodbound): it was fun writing for my crack ship! My babies. And the first smut scene I have ever written. I’m glad it was with these two. I still can’t get over the fact that either one of them dies in BB’s finale. I cannot accept skfjdpd

Lullaby - Tyril x Elf!F!MC (Blades): don’t get me wrong, I love Tyril and his goth lordling mysterious elf boy personality and the first time he and MC made out was HOT but… I missed a bit of clousure before, you know? It felt a bit sudden to me, so I wrote a couple of fanfics showing their growing interest and attraction towards one another. This one is a light cute one and I really like it.

15. Do you create original content aside from fanfiction (original stories, art, etc)?  I sometimes draw some fanarts in which you can see by searching for #occasional drawings on my Tumblr.

Do you want to contribute with questions/ideas for the next Meet The Writer Q&A? Send us a message.

Thanks for reading! Reblog to share your appreciation for @julia-highstorms​ ❤️

[jamespotterthefirst]

just like fucking always, you never disappoint ✨ oh my god, you have no idea how much i loved your fic. i guess it always hurts a little when we think about ethan's decision to put an end to whatever was happening between him and MC but the longing and slow burn and everything else is just delicious 👀 and girl, i truly was hoping that Ethan was gonna do "the hand" AND HE DID IT AND IT'S AMAZING AND SHOWS THAT HE'S GOING CRAZY AND EE-THINKING HIS LIFE DECISIONS AND BECAUSE OF IT TE AMO DEMASIADO!!!!🛐 JAJAJAJA🖤🖤

sdjkaskdjlskld

Gracias, mi vida!

OKay so back when book 2 was releasing and we'd get a chapter a week... I was so butt hurt after chapter one when he said he wanted a reset. OMG. I imagined soooo many scenarios of mutual pining! (I just never wrote them because I hadn't started writing for OPH yet)

And a lot of it was making Ethan suffer in silent agony because this was HIS stupid ass choice. I wanted him to know que la cago

LMAO

tE QUIERO MUCHO AMIGA! Muchas gracias por leer mis tonterias jaja

[carasueachterberg]

This last week has been a tough one. Just like my beautiful tulips that were bright and healthy a few days ago and now droop and struggle in the below freezing temperatures, the puppies’ story changed drastically this week.

Below are the entries from our week in rescue. If you’d like to read them in real-time, you can follow the daily diary on my Facebook page, Cara Sue Achterberg, writer.

Diary of a Rescue Day 15:

I’m a little worried about Usnavi. He hasn’t been himself and has stopped gaining weight. No other symptoms yet- no fever, no cough, he’s eating.

Yesterday I decided to start supplementing his meals with puppy formula. He’s tiny and there aren’t enough seats at the milk bar so could be he’s just not getting his share.

I’m pretty sure that Mia (and consequently these pups) are full of worms. It’s still too soon for the big gun dewormers, so worms may also be the issue with Usnavi.

Paws crossed this little guy starts feeling better soon.

#puppyprayers

Diary of a Rescue Day 16:

Solid food! Well, mushy solid food. Almost all of the puppies loved it. Some of them preferred to eat it off the faces of their siblings. Usnavi and Pippin, who are both not gaining weight had an early seating so they had a head start. Now that they are getting solid food I’m hopeful that they will begin to gain again.

The additional food plus a new stronger dewormer this week will hopefully get them all looking healthier. They just aren’t roly-poly like I pups usually are. They have defined backbones and pot bellies so I’m guessing worms are the culprit.

We’ll get them right. Worms are a battle with all puppies.

I’m hoping to do a live stream puppy hour tomorrow- so watch for it! I’m going to pick a time when they are active.

Happy Easter to those that celebrate- this is by far the strangest Easter ever. I am planning an egg hunt for my big kids and we’ll be cooking seafood since we couldn’t find a ham!

Diary of a Rescue Day 18 (am):

I apologize for not posting a diary entry yesterday, but things in the puppy pen began to plummet in the afternoon. Even with the introduction of solid food, most of the puppies are not gaining weight anymore. Seven of ten have either stayed the same or lost weight, and two had become dangerously fragile.

I tried repeatedly to supplement the weaker puppies all afternoon and evening with formula, but they had little interest. Early this morning, Elphaba died. I found her with her mother in Mia’s dog bed this morning. I don’t know if Mia knew she was dying and carried her there or was trying to feed her.

Pippin’ does not look good and Usnavi seems okay but is still losing weight. I dewormed all the puppies right after I found Elphaba deciding that the risks outweighed the benefit of waiting any longer. The puppies who are struggling all have pronounced back and hip bones and round, hard bellies, which to me, combined with Mia’s lack of weight gain despite copious amounts of food, means worms.

We are headed to the vet this afternoon at 2:30. Taking a litter this young to the vet frightens me, but losing another puppy frightens me more. This has begun to feel like a battle against an invisible enemy.

Fostering pregnant dogs and litters who have not had quality prenatal care, really the reverse of that, means that we do lose puppies, but this time stings worse than others because they were all doing so well. They will be four weeks old on Tuesday and I would have thought we’d be out of the woods by now instead of just going into it.

#rescueisreal #praying for these puppies

Diary of a Rescue Day 18 (pm):

After three hours at the vet, we have our diagnosis and a plan. The puppies (and Mia) are infested with hookworms. If you know anything about hookworms, you know they are lethal.

Even though I dewormed them this morning, as long as they are nursing and Mia is cleaning them, the cycle can’t be broken and they will be reinfested again and again. As the hookworms advanced thru their stages, the pups have become more and more anemic, which explains how on Sunday they became like wind up toys winding down.

All of them have dangerously low red blood cell counts. In a bigger dog, a blood transfusion would be needed, but they are just too small. Pippin and Usnavi are so low that the next day or two will tell whether they will survive.

To save them all, we had to take them from their mama. So now the burden is on me (and whatever family I can enlist) to get them fed round the clock.

Some had begun eating solid food, which helps but all of them will have to get on board with puppy mush, plus drinking their formula. They got a B12 shot today and will start on iron supplements (super yuck!). We will aggressively deworm them through the next few weeks.

And we will hope.

The vet said, “You’ve done everything you can do for them, now we will just see.”

Rescue is never predictable. These puppies would have definitely died in a shelter, Mia too, if the hookworms were left untreated. This is hard but this is the best we can do. We can give them this chance.

We could use your prayers and good energy going forward. I’m hopeful and ready to do what we need to do.

#togetherwerescue #anothergooddog

Diary of a Rescue Day 19:

We made it through the night. In fact, I almost posted at 3am when Pippin finally drank formula from a bowl. Up until that point, the only thing I was getting in her was what I syringed into her mouth (well the tiny amounts she didn’t let fall right out). I’ve decided to interpret her stubborn resistance to being made to eat as strong will, which will bode well in the days to come.

Most of them have taken to the mush well. The weaker pups (Usnavi, Pippin, Millie, & Cinderella) are not yet interested in mush but are lapping up the formula fairly well. Sometimes they need a jump start with the syringe.

Mia is sad and sore. It’s hard to stop nursing abruptly, but her milk supply wasn’t very plentiful, likely to the fact that she was also fighting off the hookworms, so as of now she is full but no signs of mastitis. We are taking frequent slow walks around the pasture.

I’m not used to such a subdued version of Mia. It is hardest for her when she hears the pups playing it crying. If the temperatures would warm up I would move her crate to the garage but for now we are dealing with her whines (as is everyone on Nick’s conference calls).

I’m tired but hopeful.

#rescueishard #puppies are resilient.

Diary of a Rescue Day 20:

We’ve had a great day. Everyone is finally eating independently! They eat their main meals in shifts of three and I leave kibble and water out all the time.

Just checked weights and everyone gained weight except Evan, but he held his own. Usnavi made it to two pounds and Mr M and Dolly topped three pounds! Most importantly, Pippin gained two ounces. Big sigh of relief here.

They are sleeping a lot but getting more and more active and interactive which you’ll see in the video. Pippin tires easily but that’s to be expected as her numbers were so low. She is eating well and even playing with the others and tonight for the first time, she played with a toy.

The iron supplements perk them up each afternoon. Tomorrow right after breakfast they will get another deworming and hopefully that will get anything that was left from Monday’s deworming and the new ones just starting. We will win this, I am confident. And then they have a lot of catching up to do.

Thanks for all the support and messages – it makes me feel much less alone, even if I am.

Please be safe and take care of each other!

#togetherwerescue

Diary of a Rescue Day 21:

After a day of nonstop crying, Mia left for another foster home tonight. I’m so grateful to Katie for volunteering to take her.

The last three days have been incredibly hard on Mia- physically and emotionally. As the pups have gained strength and ‘come back to life’ they are getting noisier which has been torment for Mia. I am sad that I won’t get to see her through but so glad that she can now start truly healing.

The pups are active and growing plump. Even Pippin continues to gain although she still tires easily and sleeps most of the day. They are enjoying toys now and whenever they catch sight or sound of me the begin a chorus of whining for attention. I really wish I had nine arms!

#gettingbettereveryday

Pippin

Mr. Misto

Usnavi

Calamity Jane

Millie

Pippin

Kate

Dolly

Dolly winking

Cindy

Evan

Mia

Thanks for reading!

Cara

If you’d like regular updates of all my foster dogs past and present, plus occasional dog care/training tips from OPH training, be sure to join the Facebook group, Another Good Dog.

For information on me, my writing, and books, visit CaraWrites.com. I have a new book, One Hundred Dogs and Counting: One  Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues, coming out in July. If it sounds like something you’d like to read, I’d be beyond grateful if you’d consider preordering it. Preorders contribute to the success of the book, not only giving me and my publisher some peace of mind but hopefully attracting media attention.

And if you’d like to know where all these dogs come from and how you can help solve the crisis of too many unwanted dogs in our shelters, visit WhoWillLetTheDogsOut.org.

Our family fosters through the all-breed rescue, Operation Paws for Homes, a network of foster homes in Virginia, Maryland, D.C., and south-central PA.

If you can’t get enough foster dog stories, check out my book: Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs . It’s available anywhere books are sold.

I love to hear from readers and dog-hearted people! Email me at carasueachterberg@gmail.com.

Diary of a Rescue Week Three: A Tough Development #rescueisreal #hookworms #puppies This last week has been a tough one. Just like my beautiful tulips that were bright and healthy a few days ago and now droop and struggle in the below freezing temperatures, the puppies’ story changed drastically this week.

[carasueachterberg]

Every evening when I sit down to post in this diary, I think—nothing really happened. (except on Wednesday – that was a little too exciting) And yet, when I look through the day’s pictures and start to write, there’s always something to tell.

That’s probably true of all of our lives, not just one rescue dog. So much happens every day that we take for granted and should instead be awed by in gratefulness, but I suppose it’s human nature to think it has to be exciting/tragic/titillating for it to be worthy of writing or reading about. Daisy is teaching me to slow down and appreciate the moments.

This week was made up of a lot of little moments, but her world stretched and she gave me lots of clues to her history and maybe a few that will help to unlock her heart.

I appreciate any help you can give in sharing her story. I really believe it simply she needs to reach the right heart—someone who will recognize her as family and choose to adopt her. Daisy has so much love to give and every day I see more of her huge loving, funny personality.

If you’d like to read her story in real time, you can follow along on Facebook at Cara Sue Achterberg, writer.

Here are this week’s entries:

Diary of a Rescue Day 29:

This is gonna be super quick because I’m late for bookclub and I’ve had a crazy busy day involving a horse dentist, vet, and an unexpected drive to my oldest son’s college (and back).

So, obviously, I didn’t see Daisy much, but this morning I caught some pictures of her with her fork. For some reason, unknown to me, she loves this fork. I don’t even know how she got it in the first place, but she likes to keep it close by – in her crate or on the dog bed.

Every time I see her carrying it I am never quick enough with the camera, but this morning Ian was in the room and she carried and carried it as if she didn’t trust him not to take it if she put it down, so I got these pictures.

There really is a silly, mischievous dog hidden in there under all that fear.

#funnypup #anothergooddog

Diary of a Rescue Day 30:

Once again I didn’t see much of Daisy today. We had a little time this morning. She spent the better part of the day back in the puppy room since Nick and I were in New Jersey to see Addie perform in a show at Rowan.

The puppy room was the best place for her since my oldest, Brady, is home on spring break and there have been plenty of extra young adults at our house. I don’t know if all the extra activity is making her anxious but since her fork is still in the kitchen, she’s taken to carrying around a stuffed football. Guess it’s her security football.

#peoplearescary #footballshelp #togetherwerescue #anothergooddog

Diary of a Rescue Day 31:

It’s been an amazing Daisy day! She spent most of the morning walking laps in the kitchen with her football. She reminds me of the old polar bear at the Baltimore Zoo who used to walk/swim the same pattern over and over. You could stand there for hours (and we did because one of my kids was so amazed by it and was sure if watched long enough he would break his pattern); he followed the same route over and over for days, weeks, years.

Daisy’s pattern is in and out of the crate, then around the kitchen island, then in/out crate, around the island, ad nauseum all the while clutching the football in her mouth and emitting an occasional whine. I made applesauce and then banana bread to keep her company and then I couldn’t stand watching it anymore so I convinced Nick to bring Frankie and go for a walk with us.

Once we left the drive (a first for her), she lit up. Running and sniffing and even trying to reach Nick and Frankie. By the time we got home, they were walking side by side! I saw more tail wagging and happy energy than I’ve ever seen from her. I’m very encouraged. Clearly, she is happier outside and loves going on a real walk. We’ll do lots more of that this week if weather allows and this blasted snow finally goes away.

She’s back in kitchen pacing at the moment, but at least I know how to make her happy and I’m hopeful she and Frankie will eventually be friends. I think the new pacing is just anxiety over the addition of Brady (and his people).

#peoplearestillscary but #theoutsideworld is exciting!

Diary of a Rescue Day 32:

Confessing right up front that these pictures are a day old. I was busy/distracted today by all the activity at my house- new foster dog, college kid home (with friends), a lot of writing to do, needy horses, sick kid, so I never managed to take a single picture of Daisy. But! She had a good day.

Another OPH family member, Ronni, came by to drop off a donated bag of my favorite brand of dog food and stayed to take a walk with me. She walked Gracie and I walked Daisy. Once again, Daisy was happy and brave – walking beside Gracie (who miraculously ignored her!) and scampering playfully or walking happily. Not an ill word was spoken. (Which is saying something since Gracie is usually a bit of a bully).

The pictures are from Daisy’s walk yesterday with Frankie, plus a couple of her with her football which she has carried around most of today. But you can substitute Gracie for Frankie and it was exactly the same.

This pup will be such a fun, sweet, loving dog for a lucky adopter. Now we just need to find that adopter!

#choosetoadopt #anothergooddog

Diary of a Rescue Day 33:

Other than the fact that she carries the football everywhere with her now, Daisy is becoming more and more like a regular dog. Tanis came over and we walked Frankie and Daisy (who carried her football the entire 2 miles) up the road and back. Neither of us thought to grab a picture, that’s how ‘normal’ she’s becoming.

Daisy’s looking so much healthier and is really a good weight now. She remains petrified of the guys and we are just accepting that for what it is. With me, she is incredibly loving and affectionate and I have no doubt that she is ready to share that love with an adopter – it will need to be a female adopter. Maybe this thing with men will just take time. Her fears are firmly entrenched but hopefully not immovable. After all, she is always initially frightened of new women and it takes her time to warm up, but she does.

I’m very curious to see how she reacts to children, but haven’t had a chance to find out. I need some young kids who can move slowly to test her out on. I have a feeling that she might trust children.

We have a new foster dog in the house, but so far Daisy has ignored him when he walks by, as she does both Gracie and Frankie.

Happy to report it’s really been an uneventful day at this foster house.

#easydoesit #daybyday #togetherwerescue #anothergooddog

Diary of a Rescue Day 34:

A pretty big day for Daisy- she made a new friend! Molly patiently sat on the floor with me for a good hour and Daisy circled and circled with the football in her mouth getting closer and closer to Molly.

Finally, she got brave and reached out to take a treat from Molly. That was the beginning. After that, there were kisses and pets and more treats. She showed her playful and affectionate side, which is something only I ever witness. There is hope for this dog!

We had a bad moment shortly after which resulted in me ending up with a banged knee when I dove to separate Daisy and Frankie who got in a scuffle. The last time they tangled, it was my fault because I intentionally let Frankie in to meet Daisy, but this time it was Frankie’s fault because he barged past me at the gate in his hurry to greet my friend Gina, who had just arrived to help walk dogs. He didn’t even see Daisy who was saying her goodbyes to Molly.

Daisy is fiercely defensive when it comes to other dogs and I think that trait may be as entrenched as her fear of men.

Frankie is fine, just chastened, and I am pumped up on ibuprofen, hoping the pain and swelling are temporary. (I was able to walk dogs so I’m probably just being a baby.)

Never a dull moment here at this crazy dog house.

#dontbesopushy #newfriendsaregood  #togetherwerescue #anothergoodog

Diary of a Rescue Day 35:

Thankfully Nancy stopped by today and did a little photo shoot with Daisy so I’ll have some MUCH better pictures to post once I figure out how to see and download them without upgrading my Dropbox (I tried opening a new Dropbox with a different email but they were on to me…).

Daisy had a quiet day, but she needed one after the excitement of yesterday. My friend Linda is visiting and making slow steady progress in winning Daisy over, and hopefully we can get her out for a hike tomorrow.

Daisy did great at the photo shoot- racing around in a circle because she was happy to be outside with me, chasing a ball (slowly), gnawing on a stick, and startling at the chickens. Can’t wait to see the results!

My bad pictures do show you how much weight she’s gained. (And her messy room)

#justwait #modeldog #togetherwerescue #anothergooddog

Thanks for reading!

If you’d like to know more about my blogs and books, visit CaraWrites.com or subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter (which is rarely monthly, but I’m working at it…everybody needs a goal).

If you’d like to know more about the book, Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs, visit AnotherGoodDog.org, where you can find more pictures of the dogs from the book (and some of their happily-ever-after stories), information on fostering, the schedule of signings, and what you can do right now to help shelter animals! You can also purchase a signed copy or several other items whose profits benefit shelter dogs!

If you’d like to know how you can volunteer, foster, adopt or donate with OPH, click here. And if you’d like more pictures and videos of my foster dogs past and present, be sure to join the Another Good Dog Facebook group.

One last thing! I will be leading a group of eight volunteers on a week-long trip to volunteer in some of the shelters we work with in North and South Carolina. We will be posting stories, pictures and video of our adventure. You can see all of it by following our Facebook page, OPH Rescue Road Trip. We promise to share the dogs we meet, the heroes we help, and the reality of shelters in the rural south. It may not always be easy to see, but hopefully it will also inspire you to help the many, many dogs in need. And if you’re so inclined, you can support us with donations through our Road Trip Fundraiser.

I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to comment here on the blog, email carasueachterberg@gmail.com or connect with me on Facebook, twitter, or Instagram.

 Best,

Cara

Released August 2018 from Pegasus Books and available now

  Diary of a Rescue Week Five:  It’s a Big Wide World! Daisy's little world is getting bigger... #choosetoadopt #anothergooddog Every evening when I sit down to post in this diary, I think—nothing really happened. 1,985 more words

[carasueachterberg]

This past week taught me the truth of ‘Together We Rescue’.

Sometimes we forget the fact that none of us has to go through this life alone. It’s our choice.

Like most people, asking for help doesn’t always come naturally for me. I want to be that strong, independent, I-can-handle-it person, and more than that, I just don’t want to bother anyone. We’re all more than busy, right?

Thankfully, when a crisis rose up this week for Daisy, friends stepped in an offered help and for once, I was smart enough to take it. It was that help that got us through the week and helped Daisy to expand her own circle of trust, proving that she is more resilient than I thought.

Yes, she is still terrified of men and has yet to let my husband or son pet her or put on a leash, but as she watches Nick’s outstretched hand or creeps towards him and then scurries away, I know her mind is weighing it all. Risk versus reward. It likely took some time to inflict the emotional wounds she carries and it will take even longer to heal them, but this week proved that we are making progress.

If you’d like to follow this Diary of a Rescue in real time, you can do that on Facebook at Cara Sue Achterberg, writer. Here are this week’s entries:

Diary of a Rescue Day 15:

Daisy missed me while we were gone. She refused to follow Ian out of the puppy room, so it was a night of using puppy pads. She also barely ate.

This has me worried since I will be away three days next week to teach at a writers retreat. We’ll work this weekend to get her comfortable with Nick and Ian feeding and walking her, but we have our work cut out for us as I made another discovery….

Daisy is nervous about all people but much less nervous about women. My friend Allison stopped by and it only took a few minutes for Daisy to be comfortable enough to let Allison pet her.

This sweet pup. If only I could help her understand that she is safe now. Alas, I guess we will have to prove it.

Daisy Goals for the weekend- 1. Get her to go out on leash with the guys. 2. Take down the puppy box and see how comfortable she is in a crate. 3. Continue to keep her in kitchen during the day so she can get used to the bigger space and the activity level.

Diary of a Rescue Day 16:

Daisy’s devotion to me grows more every day. I’m concerned about this not only because she’s becoming so dependent but also because it will be tricky introducing her to the other dogs. She seems to think I belong to her and barks at the other dogs if she spots me with them on the other side of the gate. I’m hopeful that when I’m gone next week they can broker a little peace.

Nick has been working to woo her and gave her some bacon this morning. She is less skeptical of him but still careful. Bacon is powerful.

Nancy Slattery also met Daisy today when she dropped me off after our K9&Kds program. Daisy warmed up very quickly, especially after I slipped Nancy some bacon to share.

Daisy spent all day in the kitchen and has become pretty vocal- barking at the horses in the field, cars in the driveway, and the other dogs.

Tonight we’ll introduce the crate (I saved a bit of bacon for that project). Daisy seems less fragile now and it may be time to get her on a schedule and back (a little bit) off the spoiling.

My job as her foster is to prepare her for her eventual adopters, not just make her fat and happy. Daisy will need someone (probably female) who is committed to her and willing to be patient but my guess is she will have a devoted dog for life.

Diary of a rescue Day 17:

Daisy is embracing the free-run of the kitchen and managed to dump the laundry basket and the paper recycling.

Unbelievably and despite the bacon, she continues to stay as far away from Nick and Ian as possible and panics if they approach her. These man-fears run deep.

She did great in her crate last night. Yay- one easy thing!

We were gone most of the day today and Ian was left in charge. He was unable to get her to go outside but remarkably, she had no accidents. I took her out as soon as I got home but pointed out to her, “there’s no way you can hold it for three days, so you’re gonna have to let these boys help you.”

If only she could talk. Hopefully, having the guys give her all her meals and treats will have some impact and me leaving for three days will force her hand a little.

Diary of a Rescue Day 18:

Last night was pretty much the low point around here. Nick couldn’t catch Daisy in the kitchen without traumatizing her, and even when I put her on the leash for him, she was too terrified to follow him out.

He was frustrated. I was distraught. (Ian took to his room.)

I figured she was going to spend the next three days in the puppy room, not eating (since she also wouldn’t eat a bowl of food that he or Ian gave her unless I came in and stood near her).

But this morning, I awoke to a message from my friend Tanis, offering to come try to walk Daisy for me on the days I’m away. She came over this afternoon for a trial run – and miracles of miracles (and a little freshly cooked chicken), Daisy loved Tanis! She sauntered along on the leash happily with her and even gave Tanis kisses when they finished. Sigh. So grateful to this good dog-hearted friend who will come over to walk Daisy during the day (even though she works nights!) while I am gone.

But even more, it was so, so, so heartening to see Daisy warm up to someone besides me, not just take treats and tolerate petting, but lean into her and run alongside her on the leash.

Good day. Feeling as if we are over a hump of some kind. I know that the evenings will still be tough for Nick, but at least a little pressure is off and I did cook him a giant batch of chicken to try to woo Daisy with. Fingers crossed.

This second picture is Daisy watching me cook all day like a mad woman (it was guilt-cooking because I feel so bad leaving the guys alone with all the dogs and horses and chickens and stuff I usually do). I think she knows something is up, she’s been extra clingy, if that’s possible.

Don’t know what my next few days will be like, but I’ll try to update you on how it goes.

Diary of a Rescue Day 19:

Good news and bad news…. good news first….

I’m enjoying my time at a writer’s retreat – I taught for only a couple hours and then had the rest of the day to rest and write and hike. Meeting lots of great people and refilling my well. Right now there’s nothing left to do but read and sleep! No dogs to walk or chickens to close in!

Tanis visited and walked Daisy this afternoon. She said Daisy was a little more hesitant without me there but it went well.

Bad news….despite copious amounts of chicken and slow, quiet approach, Daisy will not come near Nick. He doesn’t want to force her so he’s putting down more puppy pads and hoping her aim is good.

She also won’t take chicken from him or touch her food while he is near. Won’t even look at him or sit down if he is in the room.

My husband is not a loud or large man and he’s been nothing but kind and gentle to her. I don’t want to imagine how she’s gotten these deep mental wounds.

Thankfully, Tanis is going to come back after she gets off work early in the morning. It may also be time to call in more help. Thankful I have help to call.

Diary of a Rescue Day 20:

Here’s the message I got from “Daisy” this morning after breakfast:

“Hi, Mom! I think it’s been a good morning. We took a walk outside. Took care of all my business! Ate some chicken and even a dry snack. I showed Tanis my bone and toys and even sat next to her for a little while. I miss you! And will be happy to see you! Love, Daisy”

Tanis went back to see her in the afternoon too, and reported that Daisy wagged her tail as soon as she saw her, snuggled with her, and seemed much more relaxed, even ate her dry dog food!

Chris, another OPH foster, will be stopping by tonight to see if she can charm Daisy into going outside with her. Otherwise, she’ll be holding it all night again (no accidents last night – bladder of steal that one).

[Note: Chris was able to walk Daisy and reported even getting a few tail wags!]

Nick has continued to offer chicken treats, which she won’t take from him, but will eat if he leaves for her or tosses close to her. Hopefully, he is building goodwill.

I’m still enjoying the writing retreat and would be happy if it continued for another month instead of one day. Today I hiked to a slave graveyard and spent a few hours editing my latest manuscript (and taught a class).

We have an OPH volunteer training coming up entitled, “It Takes a Village,” and boy does it ever this week!

Diary of a Rescue Day 21:

Daisy was pretty happy to see me but may change that tune since tonight we started a six-day course of worming. As you’ll see in her video, she seems to have regained her strength and energy so now seems like a good time to finally administer the wormer we use on all the dogs.

The wormer is a bit tough on the gastrointestinal system initially but should ultimately help her to start gaining weight.

I may be home, but Nick is still campaigning to win Daisy over. I need to get a picture of him lying on the floor with his arm stretched out offering her chicken with his head turned away to look less threatening. (Makes me love him even more.)

Can’t say thank you enough to Tanis and Chris for stepping in last minute and saving the day. Grateful hardly covers it.

Heading into the weekend with fresh snow and plans to introduce Daisy to the other dogs – wish us luck!

Thanks for reading!

If you’d like to know more about my blogs and books, visit CaraWrites.com or subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter (which is rarely monthly, but I’m working at it…everybody needs a goal).

If you’d like to know more about the book, Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs, visit AnotherGoodDog.org, where you can find more pictures of the dogs from the book (and some of their happily-ever-after stories), information on fostering, the schedule of signings, and what you can do right now to help shelter animals! You can also purchase a signed copy or several other items whose profits benefit shelter dogs!

If you’d like to know how you can volunteer, foster, adopt or donate with OPH, click here. And if you’d like more pictures and videos of my foster dogs past and present, be sure to join the Another Good Dog Facebook group.

I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to comment here on the blog, email carasueachterberg@gmail.com or connect with me on Facebook, twitter, or Instagram.

 Best,

 Cara

Released August 2018 from Pegasus Books and available now

Diary of a Rescue: Week Three Learning the truth of #togetherWeRescue Sometimes it's hard to trust This past week taught me the truth of ‘Together We Rescue’. Sometimes we forget the fact that none of us has to go through this life alone.

[carasueachterberg]

Frankie’s going to school!

After searching high and low, I finally settled on a dog-training school that seemed to offer the most options, a solid reputation, and a reasonable price.

Before we could sign up for classes, we first had to attend a free orientation. This seemed like a great idea because of 1) Free! And 2) a chance to see how Frankie would react to the other students and 3) an opportunity to meet the trainers before shelling out any bucks.

Everything was looking stellar until I attempted to sign up for orientation and discovered that the next available slot for orientation was a month away. To make matters worse, orientation is on Tuesday evenings– the same night I teach creative writing for our local school district (and the next session starts in two weeks). The training classes themselves (should we decide to take them) were held on different days so there wouldn’t be further conflict, but first, we had to figure out how we could attend the required orientation.

I emailed the school and explained my dilemma and the next day I received an email that we could come to the very next orientation only five days away!

On the day of orientation (much like when I prepared my oldest child for preschool), I fed Frankie a good breakfast, made sure he wasn’t smelly, and carefully packed his school bag. I filled his bag with treats and a towel and toys and, just in case, I packed his head collar.

We’ve been using the head collar on Frankie for hikes away from the house. When the leash was connected to his regular collar, he tended to pull and strain and eventually barf. The head collar worked like magic and made for much more pleasant walks. I tucked it in the bag just in case.

In my investigation into local trainers, I found that there are a plethora of opinions (strong opinions) about head collars or front harnesses or e-collars or any of the modern tricks available to control your dog. When I was packing up Frankie’s bag, I couldn’t remember exactly what My K9 Buddy’s position was on head collars. I was prepared to try whatever tools they recommended, but I decided to bring my life jacket, just in case.

I left the house an hour early for what google maps said was a 35-minute drive. I’d planned to stop at a park close to our destination to take Frankie for a quick walk so he’d be calm and focused for class.

This would have been a great plan—if I’d gone to the correct address.

Turns out that MyK9Buddy.com and MyK9Buddy.net are two entirely different places. I wandered up and down a rural road for a few minutes before pulling over to look up the address again and discovering my error. I was 37 minutes away and class started in 15 minutes.

I briefly considered bailing but decided to turn the car around and high-tail it to the correct address. I couldn’t expect the powers-that-be to make an exception again to allow me to jump the orientation line twice. Best to get there as quickly as possible and throw ourselves on their mercy.

I’m pretty sure the roads between Hanover, PA, and Westminster, MD have not been improved upon since we switched from horse and buggy to cars. The GPS took me down some crazy rural pathways – paved and unpaved. It was a very good thing that Frankie seems to have outgrown his carsickness habit.

We flew into the parking lot, exactly 16 minutes late and raced into the building. Our entrance was not at all subtle as the door opened upon the class in progress. The instructor paused in her presentation to ask, “Orientation?”

I nodded and she pointed to a spot next to the door. I hate being late for anything, so I appreciated her graciousness, but I’m sure she thought, “Oh great, first she needs a special exception to be here and then she arrives when the class is half over.” I’m confident Frankie can win her over for me, though, so we take a seat.

There were about eight other dogs separated by empty crates, many with solid dividers to hide the dog beside them from view. Each of the other dogs was accompanied by two parents, and some had brought entire families. I told Nick about that later and he said, “So you were the single dog mom.” Much like I was the single parent at so many back to school nights in the past thanks to his travel schedule.

Frankie was very excited to be there. So excited, in fact, that he strained at his collar, leaning with all his might in an effort to reach the other dogs, I tried to focus on the lesson, but Frankie’s whining and panting made that nearly impossible. He just could not understand why I was preventing him from greeting his classmates.

Another trainer came over and slipped a cardboard barrier against the crate that separated Frankie from the next dog, effectively blocking his view. But my pup is no dummy. He knew the other dogs were still there and continued his campaign, now making choking sounds and coughing. I knew what was coming next, but didn’t get my towel out soon enough and Frankie barfed at my feet.

Not wanting to disrupt class any more than we already had, I pulled out his head collar and put it on him. Then I used my towel to scoop up the barf, seeing no trashcan in the vicinity, I balled it up and put it back in my bag. I remember doing the same thing with dirty diapers and spit-up back in the day.

One of the other trainers noticed Frankie’s pulling and when the instructor was waylaid with a question, she walked over and handed me a paper. She was surprised to see that Frankie was now wearing a head collar.

“You’ve already desensitized him?” she asked.

I had no idea what she was talking about, but I just nodded and took the paper. When she stepped away, I glanced at what was on the paper. It explained the steps for desensitizing your dog to a head collar. Turns out we did it all wrong when we simply slapped it on Frankie a month ago with no introduction. It also turns out that My K9 Buddy recommends the use of head collars for dogs that pull!

A few moments later, Frankie began pacing and whining. I knew what this meant.

It was bad enough that we’d arrived late, Frankie had barfed, and we’d disrupted class, I didn’t want to add pooping in class to our list of crimes, so I stood and led him outside. The instructor glanced my way, paused in her presentation and said, “Looks like someone has to go.”

She was right, only when we got outside there were a dozen dogs lining up for the next class and Frankie’s need to poop was superseded by his need to meet ALL THESE DOGS.

I dragged him away up to a grassy knoll and then realized I’d forgotten to bring a poop bag. I was willing to bet that every person standing in that parking lot had a poop bag in his or her pocket. Did I dare ask? There was no need because, after several tours of the hillside, Frankie offered nothing but his great desire to get back where the other dogs were.

I hurried him back into the building and took my seat. The class was breaking up. The nice young trainer who had brought me the sheet on desensitizing head collars came over and began to tell me what we’d missed (pretty much everything). She demonstrated the different homework assignments and then said, “The other thing she went over is how to get something out of your dog’s mouth he shouldn’t have—it’s really easy, you just offer him something else.”

“Oh, I know that trick, I’ve done a lot of puppies,” I said.

She gave me a confused look, and I realized that if you’re not in the foster world ‘doing a lot of puppies’ might sound like ‘doing a lot of heroin.” I quickly explained that I foster for a rescue and a big smile lit up her face. I told her which rescue I was with and explained that Frankie was my 95th foster dog.

“I can see why you would fail on this one,” she said as she knelt down to properly greet Frankie.

Before I left, I signed us up for six weeks of classes. There are four sessions each week and you can attend up to two of them. I told the trainer I planned to be a twice-a-week student. I’m sure she was thrilled to hear that.

At home, later that night, I took out the homework assignment and tried out the exercises. Frankie’s favorite was called, ‘Doggie Zen.”

For Doggie Zen, you hold two fistfuls of treats or kibble. You spread your arms apart at waist height. Naturally, your dog is going to look at your hands full of treats, but you want him to look you in the eyes instead. You wait until the dog glances your direction and immediately use your ‘bridge word’ (mine was “Good!”) and give him a treat.

The trainer had said, “Even if you just get an accidental drive-by, reward that so he can figure it out.”

Frankie’s eye rolled past me on his way from one hand to the other and I quickly yelped, “Good!” and shoved a treat at him.

Two sessions later, as soon as I assumed the position for Doggie Zen, Frankie would sit directly in front of me and stare into my eyes, knowing that this led to a steady feeding of treats.

Smart pup. The other homework exercises were even easier for Frankie.

I may be biased, but I predict we’ll graduate from Level one before our six weeks are up.

First Day of School Pictures (we weren’t late!):

Modeling his new color-coordinated head collar

Waiting for the door to open for class (and watching the other dog who got there before us)

Thanks for reading! If you’d like to know more about my blogs and books, visit CaraWrites.com or subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter.

If you’d like to know how you can volunteer, foster, adopt or donate with OPH, click here. And if you’d like more regular updates of foster dogs past and present and news of our 100th dog’s arrival, be sure to join the Another Good Dog facebook group.

I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to comment here on the blog, email carasueachterberg@gmail.com or connect with me on Facebook, twitter, or Instagram.

Best,

Cara

COMING AUGUST 2018 from Pegasus Books:

Preorder available NOW on Amazon!

It was a rough start, but Frankie is now enrolled in doggie school. #myamazingpitbull #myk9buddy Frankie’s going to school! After searching high and low, I finally settled on a dog-training school that seemed to offer the most options, a solid reputation, and a reasonable price.