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I got my dog Josie when she was already 7 years old. We bonded from the moment we met. It was while I was on a working trip in Alaska. She was a smoke gray twelve-pound pooch with tons of attitude and fight. So much so that I sometimes think we’re cut from the same cloth. Josie was in a rough situation and her beloved owner asked if I would take her home with me. I agreed. Neither Josie nor I knew what to expect at the time. But she seemed to accept me. It was almost as if she knew I was the right person for her, as well.

Josie flew back with me and quickly adjusted to her new life in Connecticut. She became “top dog�� in my home while befriending my two other dogs. Then she slowly worked her way into my husband’s heart one nip at a time. She’d formerly had problems with a man and it was a while before she learned to trust him.

My house is covered with windows and Josie loved to sit and bark at anyone that passed by. She’d go from one window to another gazing in all directions. When she wasn’t looking out a window she’d be sleeping in front of it basking in the sunlight. She’d jump at every opportunity to run outside. Josie was curious, agile and smart and never backed down from a challenge whether it be squaring off with the UPS guy or standing up to a buck ten times her size. That is, until she became stricken with SARDS three years ago.

Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome is a rare disease that causes sudden blindness and can lead to a numerous other problems. I dove into research mode and learned as much as I could about the disease. I had Josie put on a cutting edge protocol and began to home cook for her. It was hard work and took a few months, but I managed to get Josie on an even keel. We both adjusted to her new condition over the next few years as she became more dependent on me and I grew even closer to her. Her strict schedule of meds and foods has never been a bother to me. But I won’t trust a dog sitter to administer the care and attention that Josie needs. That means there are no vacations or weekend trips unless Josie can come along.

At the age of fourteen, she needed to have a number of teeth pulled. We worried about anesthesia at her age but I found a dental specialist in Manhattan. Josie pulled through like a champ after the first frightening post op night and a few more recovery days. That was in May of last year.

This November she developed a growth on her hind foot that became infected. My vet put her on an antibiotic but the infection has persisted. Surgery is the only option. Josie recently turned 15 years old and the thought of her undergoing anesthesia again is nerve-wracking. Even so, I took her to the Cornell University Veterinary Specialist Group where she has been evaluated. Her heart is in great condition, her blood work is perfectly normal and she’s been deemed to be a good candidate. She may be blind, but Josie is one healthy girl.

Then I received an estimate of what the bill will be. The cost for surgery is mindboggling. And while I bitch about it, to my mind there is really no choice. I have to see Josie through this event, whatever it takes.

The interesting �� and upsetting �� thing to me is the reaction of some of my friends when I tell them what the cost of surgery is going to be.

Why don’t you just put her down and get a new one?

It’s as if she’s no more valuable than an old pair of shoes and just as easily replaced.

Josie is precious to me. She’s become an integral part of my life these past 8 years. There are things I can do without. I don’t need lattes or special dinners and, for now, I can even do without the occasional haircut. What I can’t do without is Josie.

So, how much is a dog’s life worth?

A lot once they’re part of your family.

Tricia Tierney has been kind enough to ask me to participate in what has become known as a “blog tour�� or “blog hop.”�� Authors answer ten questions about a book they’re working on or one they’ve already written.  Then they tag another author to answer questions about their book.  Hopefully, the chain continues.  Anyway, you get the idea.

As for Tricia, she’s not only a talented writer.  She’s one heck of a fascinating woman.  Her life has been like one of those romantic adventure films that we all love to watch.  The difference is that Tricia has actually lived it.  Fittingly, she’s at work on what is sure to be a terrific memoir and I can�� wait to read it!

Below are my answers to the ten questions.  I’ve tagged to keep the chain going!

What is the working title of your book? Winged Obsession: The Pursuit of the World’s Most Notorious Butterfly Smuggler

Where did the idea come from for the book? The idea actually came from a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who called one day and said, “You’re not going to believe the crazy case we just worked on.”�� It turns out he was right.  It was so outrageous that no one would have believed the story if it had been written as fiction.

What genre does your book fall under? The book is narrative nonfiction.

Which actors would you choose to play you in a movie rendition? Jessica Chastain.  She’s not only a redhead but tall and slim.  In addition, she has much better taste in fashion.  What’s not to like?

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? A real-life thriller that takes a look into the seedy underbelly of illegal butterfly trading, the downfall of the “Indiana Jones�� of the butterfly world, and the rookie Fish & Wildlife agent who put his life on the line to stop him.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? My book was published by William Morrow.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? The first draft took nine months.  Hmm…I hadn’t thought about that.  Then I polished like mad.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? It has been compared to The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean.  Needless to say, I stand in awe of her.

Who or What inspired you to write this book? Writing is my way of trying to bring attention to the enormity of the illegal wildlife trade.  The loss of a species even as small as a butterfly can have a tremendous impact on our environment.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? The book ultimately deals with obsession, lust and greed.  Obsession comes in many forms.  While working on this book, I became obsessed with meeting the butterfly smuggler Yoshi Kojima.  I traveled undercover to Japan where I managed to track him down.  Yoshi Kojima is certainly the king of butterfly smugglers.  However, he’s also a fascinating man.

Now let me introduce you to Pamela Beason.

lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she writes novels and screenplays and works as a private investigator. When she’s not lurking behind a computer or in the shadows, she explores the natural world on foot, in cross-country skis, in her kayak, or underwater scuba diving. She’s the author of the Summer Westin eco-mystery series (Endangered, Bear Bait, and Undercurrents so far), as well as The Only Witness, the first mystery in a new Neema the Gorilla series, and romantic suspense novels Shaken and Call of the Jaguar. Pamela’s writing has earned her multiple prizes, including the Daphne du Maurier Award, recommendations from Suspense Magazine, and First Place and Grand Prize in the 2012 Chanticleer Book Contest.

There's a free download today & tomorrow (Sept 19th & 20th) of the wildlife mystery BIRD BRAINED - the third book in my Rachel Porter series.

I've been hard at work this summer converting more Rachel Porter stories into ebooks. I now have 5 more to add to the growing list.

1. TORTOISE SOUP can be found at:

2. BIRDBRAINED:

3. BORDER PREY:

4. BLACK DELTA NIGHT:

5. A KILLING SEASON:

Six down. Four more to go!

Yay!! I just managed to upload the first of ten books in my Rachel Porter Mystery Series. Gator Aide is finally an ebook!

I just finished a proposal for another narrative nonfiction book.  What does a writer do while waiting to learn its fate?  If you're driven and crazy, you start writing another book.

Yep, that's what I'm doing now.  I'm jumping headlong into a new work of fiction.  It's not Rachel Porter this time but a story I've been thinking about for years.  Still, it's one thing to brood over a plot and quite another to actually sit down and start working on the book.  It's exciting, frustrating, and the most terrifying feeling in the world.

What if people think that what I'm writing about is silly?  What if no one likes the tale?  There's always the chance that readers will find the prose to be filled with cliches and the characters too wooden and one-dimensional.  Writers put themselves on the chopping block every time they begin to create.  Yet, that never stops us from taking a leap of faith.  Then why are we so fearful of criticism?  The answer is simple.

We're publicly revealing the most personal things about ourselves in each of our characters and stories �� our innermost fears, our secret loves, our dreams, hurtful humiliations and betrayals.

I recently caught a George Clooney interview on "Inside the Actors Studio."  He made the comment that celebrities are so highly acclaimed and well paid because they have the courage to do what few others will �� strip away the curtain and bare their souls for all to see.

Okay, I love George Clooney but we're about to have our first public spat.  Excuse me, George, but exactly who do you think creates the dialogue, the emotions, and the complex characters that actors portray?  Actors may be the public face but writers power the engine.

I love actors.  Heck, I used to be one.  But let's give writers their due.  We risk publicly humiliating ourselves with every single one of our books.

By the way, I'm hoping George Clooney sees this and takes the time to drop me a line.  I can't tell you how much I'd love to meet a movie star.

I swore I'd never buy a dog from a pet store but that's exactly what I did seventeen-and-a-half years ago. I learned of a young female Bichon that had been at a pet store for too long. Nobody wanted her. She wasn't a "pretty" dog. Her head was way too big for a pedigreed Bichon and she didn't have a dainty face. She was clearly the product of a puppy mill. She was a canine combo of Vanna White and Bette Midler. As I later found out, she had a heart of gold.

I drove to Long Island, bought her and she promptly threw up in the car on the way home. That's the way our relationship began and that's the way it went for the next several months. I wanted to bond quickly. However, my puppy wasn't sure how to handle her newfound freedom after having spent way too much time in a peg store cage. She ran around the house in a constant state of frenzy, her eyes never made contact with mine and she was wracked with kennel cough. Tallulah slowly adjusted to life in her new home and finally acknowledged my presence. We both experienced a learning curve and grew all the closer for it. She provided the warmth and love that I'd been looking for.

One spring season she realized there was a groundhog in the front yard and I learned that obsession grips dogs just as it does people. Finding that groundhog became her sole mission in life. She'd dart outside every morning, stick her nose down its hole and stand guard. She was as patient and dogged as any wildlife photographer.

She was also devoted. My husband would trudge off to work for the week at five a.m. every Monday. It was Tallulah who somehow knew when he was prepared to walk out the front door and ran down to see him off while I remained in bed. The she'd return upstairs and cuddle with me.

Tallulah slowly began to grow old. Her eyesight started to fade along with her hearing. Four years ago,  she developed Cushing's disease. This is where human vanity and obsession kicks in. I felt sure that if I worked hard enough I could keep her alive for an infinite amount of time. I've always cooked for my dogs. Now the daily medications began. Soon, I was not only carrying Tallulah in and out of the house but also around it since she could no longer find her own way. Finally, she refused to lie down to rest or sleep unless she was on my bed. That meant someone always had to be home with her. Still, I felt that I could magically keep her going.

Reality hit hard when she could no longer be coaxed to eat by tempting her with baby food, broiled turkey burgers or home-cooked chicken with broth. Then her back legs began to give way. I held her the last night and finally realized that I was no magician. Tallulah had become a very old lady. I'd been hoping for an easy passing. My wish was that she'd slip away in her sleep and I'd never have to make a hard decision. It didn't happen that way.

So, what does this have to do with the 18 rare Bengal tigers, 2 wolves, 6 black bears, 2 grizzlies, 9 male lions, 8 lionesses, 1 baboon and 3 mountain lions that were released from a farm by their owner who then shot himself? People buy wild animals for their own vanity sake. They want what's rare. It feeds their ego. Many truly believe they have some sort of magical bond with a wild animal. It helps to make them feel special.

I don't believe any wild animal should be owned. It's a crazy idea that can only lead to heartbreak. Certainly the animal isn't happy and, many time, the owner becomes overwhelmed. I've never understood why state and federal regulations haven't yet been put in place to stop this. Perhaps it's because it is a business and there is money to be made. However, the sight of the resulting carnage in Zanesville, Ohio should be more than enough to prompt states to immediately pass a law against the buying and trading of "exotics."

Even so, once you do own an animal there is the responsibility to care for that living creature for the rest of its days. That goes for zoos, sanctuaries and pet owners. There is also the responsibility to provide that animal with a dignified death. The wild animals in Zanesville not only had a sad life but a horrific end due to the selfishness of their owner.

I wanted to believe that I could somehow make my dog live forever. If she was ill, then I just wasn't working hard enough to keep death at bay. Tallulah had to teach me that sometimes we have to let go. I did my best to give her a good life. She taught me a valuable lesson at the end �� to respect a dignified death as much as I do a dignified life.

I swore I’d never buy a dog from a pet store but that’s exactly what I did seventeen-and-a-half years ago. I learned of a young female Bichon that had been at a pet store for too long. Nobody wanted her. She wasn’t a “pretty�� dog. Her head was way too big for a pedigreed Bichon and she didn’t have a dainty face. She was clearly the product of a puppy mill. She was a canine combo of Vanna White and Bette Midler. As I later found out, she had a heart of gold.

I drove to Long Island, bought her and she promptly threw up in the car on the way home. That’s the way our relationship began and that’s the way it went for the next several months. I wanted to bond quickly. However, my puppy wasn’t sure how to handle her newfound freedom after having spent way too much time in a peg store cage. She ran around the house in a constant state of frenzy, her eyes never made contact with mine and she was wracked with kennel cough. Tallulah slowly adjusted to life in her new home and finally acknowledged my presence. We both experienced a learning curve and grew all the closer for it. She provided the warmth and love that I’d been looking for.

One spring season she realized there was a groundhog in the front yard and I learned that obsession grips dogs just as it does people. Finding that groundhog became her sole mission in life. She’d dart outside every morning, stick her nose down its hole and stand guard. She was as patient and dogged as any wildlife photographer.

She was also devoted. My husband would trudge off to work for the week at five a.m. every Monday. It was Tallulah who somehow knew when he was prepared to walk out the front door and ran down to see him off while I remained in bed. The she’d return upstairs and cuddle with me.

Tallulah slowly began to grow old. Her eyesight started to fade along with her hearing. Four years ago, she developed Cushing’s disease. This is where human vanity and obsession kicks in. I felt sure that if I worked hard enough I could keep her alive for an infinite amount of time. I’ve always cooked for my dogs. Now the daily medications began. Soon, I was not only carrying Tallulah in and out of the house but also around it since she could no longer find her own way. Finally, she refused to lie down to rest or sleep unless she was on my bed. That meant someone always had to be home with her. Still, I felt that I could magically keep her going.

Reality hit hard when she could no longer be coaxed to eat by tempting her with baby food, broiled turkey burgers or home-cooked chicken with broth. Then her back legs began to give way. I held her the last night and finally realized that I was no magician. Tallulah had become a very old lady. I’d been hoping for an easy passing. My wish was that she’d slip away in her sleep and I’d never have to make a hard decision. It didn’t happen that way.

So, what does this have to do with the 18 rare Bengal tigers, 2 wolves, 6 black bears, 2 grizzlies, 9 male lions, 8 lionesses, 1 baboon and 3 mountain lions that were released from a farm by their owner who then shot himself? People buy wild animals for their own vanity sake. They want what’s rare. It feeds their ego. Many truly believe they have some sort of magical bond with a wild animal. It helps to make them feel special.

I don’t believe any wild animal should be owned. It’s a crazy idea that can only lead to heartbreak. Certainly the animal isn’t happy and, many time, the owner becomes overwhelmed. I’ve never understood why state and federal regulations haven’t yet been put in place to stop this. Perhaps it’s because it is a business and there is money to be made. However, the sight of the resulting carnage in Zanesville, Ohio should be more than enough to prompt states to immediately pass a law against the buying and trading of “exotics.��

Even so, once you do own an animal there is the responsibility to care for that living creature for the rest of its days. That goes for zoos, sanctuaries and pet owners. There is also the responsibility to provide that animal with a dignified death. The wild animals in Zanesville not only had a sad life but a horrific end due to the selfishness of their owner.

I wanted to believe that I could somehow make my dog live forever. If she was ill, then I just wasn’t working hard enough to keep death at bay. Tallulah had to teach me that sometimes we have to let go. I did my best to give her a good life. She taught me a valuable lesson at the end—to respect a dignified death as much as I do a dignified life.

This book reads like a novel.  It must have been fictionalized.  You made up the dialogue, right?

I've been hearing that a lot lately in regard to WINGED OBSESSION.  The answer is no: the events as told are absolutely true.  And no: Kojima said things that even I couldn't have imagined.

WINGED OBSESSION is what is called narrative, or creative, nonfiction.  That doesn't mean I made up the story.  The book is factually accurate, but purposely written to read like fiction.  Basically, narrative nonfiction is fact-based storytelling.  The writer works to create a compelling narrative that will, hopefully, keep the reader turning the page.  This is done by applying some of the same skills that are used in fiction �� setting each scene, presenting fascinating characters and creating a strong narrative persona.

Still, you must have taken some creative license with the events.  How else could you know what the characters in your story are thinking?

That's easy.  It just requires exhaustive research and that's something I truly enjoy.  I love digging into actual events.  What's more fun than trying to figure out what compels people to do what they do?  The great thing about narrative nonfiction is that it doesn't have to be told as purely objective journalism.  You're allowed to bring emotion to your characters and create a sense of drama while following a story arc.

I know I'm reading good narrative nonfiction when my attention is riveted and I can't put the book down.

Here are some of my all-time favorites:

"In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote.  Talk about chilling!  This book still haunts me.  And it was the first of its kind.

"Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer.  Not only did this guy climb Mt. Everest, he then wrote a bestseller about it.

"The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean.  Need I say more?

"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt.  Thus began my love affair with Savannah.

"Praying for Sheet Rock" by Melissa Fay Greene.  Okay, I admit it.  I'm fascinated with the South.

"The Perfect Storm" by Sebastian Junger.  A great book.  The author's not bad looking, either.

The fact that such outrageous, fascinating and shocking events actually happened makes them all the more compelling.  There's no escaping the old adage: the truth is stranger than fiction.

Narrative nonfiction provides the best of both worlds.

"This book reads like a novel. It must have been fictionalized. You made up the dialogue, right?"

I’ve been hearing that a lot lately in regard to WINGED OBSESSION. The answer is no: the events as told are absolutely true. And no: Kojima said things that even I couldn’t have imagined.

WINGED OBSESSION is what is called narrative, or creative, nonfiction. That doesn’t mean I made up the story. The book is factually accurate, but purposely written to read like fiction. Basically, narrative nonfiction is fact-based storytelling. The writer works to create a compelling narrative that will, hopefully, keep the reader turning each page. This is done by applying some of the same skills that are used in fiction �� setting each scene, presenting fascinating characters and creating a strong narrative persona.

"Still, you must have taken some creative license with the events. How else could you know what the characters in your story are thinking?"

That’s easy. It just requires exhaustive research and that’s something I truly enjoy. I love digging into actual events. What’s more fun than trying to figure out what compels people to do what they do? The great thing about narrative nonfiction is that it doesn’t have to be told as purely objective journalism. You’re allowed to bring emotion to your characters and create a sense of drama while following a story arc.

I know I’m reading good narrative nonfiction when my attention is riveted and I can’t put the book down.

Here are some of my all-time favorites:

“In Cold Blood�� by Truman Capote. Talk about chilling! This book still haunts me. And it was the first of its kind.

“Into Thin Air�� by Jon Krakauer. Not only did this guy climb Mt. Everest, he then wrote a bestseller about it.

“The Orchid Thief�� by Susan Orlean. Need I say more?

“Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil�� by John Berendt. Thus began my love affair with Savannah.

“Praying for Sheet Rock,�� by Melissa Fay Greene. Okay, I admit it. I’m fascinated with the South.

“The Perfect Storm�� by Sebastian Junger. A great book. The author’s not bad looking, either.

The fact that such outrageous, fascinating and shocking events actually happened makes them all the more compelling. There’s no escaping the old adage: the truth is stranger than fiction.

Narrative nonfiction provides the best of both worlds.
Winged Obsession: The Pursuit of the World's Most Notorious Butterfly Smuggler