Monday, January 17, 2011

Please Welcome Romance Author & Animal Lover, Celia Yeary


I'm very happy to welcome romance author, Celia Yeary, a member of the wonderfully supportive egroup, Book Spa Friends. Celia is not only a talented author, but also goes out of her way to share her time and talent with others.

Celia Yeary


 Celia Yeary is a seventh-generation Texan, and her life revolves around  family, friends, and writing. San Marcos has been her home for thirty-five years. She has five published romance novels, five “coming soon” novels, short stories in anthologies, articles, and essays with a local magazine. The author is a former science teacher, graduate of Texas Tech University and Texas State University, mother of two, grandmother of three, and wife of a wonderful, supportive Texan. Celia and her husband enjoy traveling, and both are involved in their church, the community, and the university.


http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/

 Buy Link for Celia's Latest Release,
Texas Promise,
an historical, sensual e-book presented by
Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc.
Book One of The Cameron Sisters Series

What it's about:
After two years, Jo King’s life as a widow abruptly ends when her husband returns home to Austin. Unable to understand her angry and bitter husband, she accepts a call from the New Mexico Territory to meet her dying birth father whom she knows nothing about. Her plan to escape her husband goes awry when he demands to travel with her.

Dalton King, believing lies his Texas Ranger partner tells him about Jo, seethes with hatred toward his wife. Now he must protect Jo from his partner’s twisted mind, while sorting out the truth. Jo’s bravery and loyalty convince him she’s innocent. But can they regain the love and respect they once shared?

Since Celia is a fellow animal lover like I am, and the dog part of this blog has been neglected for a while, Celia has agreed to pitch in and share memories of her precious dog, Poco. You may want to grab a handkerchief before reading.

Poor, Pitiful, Puppy by Celia Yeary


Poco
 In the seventies, my husband took a temporary teaching position as a professor at New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Our daughter began fourth grade and our son entered first. The elementary school was only about ten blocks away, but my husband drove them to school in the mornings. Since he arrived home in the afternoons before I did, he left the car at home, walked to the school, collected the kids, and the three of them took a shortcut home through an alley.

One day, they came home with a very cold wet puppy.

"Look what we have, Mommy!" The kids were jumping around while my husband stood there, looking sheepish, with the puppy shivering in his arms.

A dog? Oh, no, I thought. We'd lost two back in Texas due to unfortunate circumstances, and I did not want to cope with that again. Plus, this puppy had…something odd about it.

"Wherever you got that puppy, take it back right now," I said. "She's filthy. And what's wrong with her left eye and her right ear? I don't want a dog. Most of the training would fall to me."

A chorus of pleas went up from the three.

"Look, Mommy," Daughter said, "she has pretty white fur, and when we give her a bath, she'll be white as snow. Isn't she cute.?"

Son joined in, "I like her. But she's shaking so hard she can't stop. I think she's cold."

I studied the puppy. "Or maybe she's frightened. Okay, honey," I said to my husband, "where did you get her?"

He said the puppy lived in an unkempt fenced yard. Every day when they walked down the alley past the house, the puppy toddled to the fence, jumped up on it, whining and crying just like a baby. There was no doghouse, no shelter for her, and part of the yard was muddy--cold, freezing mud, at that. Bottom line, the owner was guilty of neglect. Her right ear looked permanently bent backwards. Her right eye had no pigment around it, and it appeared infected, all red and oozing…something.

On this day, as they walked past, a man stood in the yard. My three heroes stopped and my husband called to him, asking what was wrong with the puppy's eye. The man said he had no idea, that the puppy belonged to his wife who had left, and he had no reason to keep a pet.

So they asked for her. The man gave her up in a flash.

We named her Poco, since we lived in New Mexico and we thought that meant "little" or something close. We rejected the name Princess, as well as Snowball, and Snowflake.

Two cats joined Poco in the near future, and now we had three pets when I wanted none. Even though all three were great pets, little Poco--she never grew very big--was the most precious dog in the world. We ended up back in Texas, and everyone's pets ran free--and so did ours. They came in and out of the house whenever they wanted. We took good care of them, because each one lived to the age of sixteen or seventeen. For years, our veterinarian costs were greater than our pediatrician's.

Everyone in the neighborhood loved Poco. She loved to be petted, adored attention, but never approached a human unless coaxed. Any little noise or sharp voice terrified her and she would shake her little self silly. During thunderstorms and fireworks, I'd get her quilt, wrap her up tightly, and hold her in my lap, because she could not stop trembling.

The veterinarian said she had cancer in her eye, but thought it would be best to leave it alone. I bathed it and tried to keep it dry, and it never seemed to bother her. The bent ear turned straight as she grew. She turned out to be a pretty little thing.

She died at age seventeen. Just laid down in the yard, closed her eyes, and stopped breathing. Bless her sweet heart, our little Poco.

Thank you, Morgan.

Celia Yeary - Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas

Please make Celia feel welcome by leaving a comment.

30 comments:

  1. Celia,
    Thanks so much for being my guest today at Double M. Your post was very moving.

    I hope you have a great time here today.

    Morgan Mandel

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  2. What a touching story. Thank you so much for sharing. I am a huge animal lover!

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  3. Celia, your story especially touched me since we have just said goodbye to Sabian, our daughter's precious Lhasa apso who was 16. Only people who have shared a pet's life can know how deep that love runs and how deep the sorrow when they are gone. Thank you for sharing Poco's story. Linda

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  4. Okay, you made me tear up. Such a sweet story.

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  5. What a softie! I'm guilty of the same response to my kids. Always had some stray underfoot. sigh. I miss those days.

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  6. What a lovely story! To have her 17 years, what a blessing!

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  7. Texas Promise looks wonderful! And Poco's story was very touching!

    Blessings
    Michelle V

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  8. Morgan and Celia, thanks for this post this morning -- I was very touched by it! Wishing you both a wonderful day ;).

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  9. Hi, Morgan and Celia,

    What a sweet story. It's very similiar to the way we adopted our dog Daisy.

    Thanks for sharing.

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  10. Hi Celia (& Morgan!),

    What a heart-felt story, Celia. That sweet doggie needed your family and brought out everyone's nurturing sides. I was moved by your words.

    Maggie

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  11. Hi Celia and Morgan,

    What a touching post.

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  12. We have rescued more than a dozen dogs and still have most of them here on our 10 acres. I love the story idea too and will be getting my copy.
    Thanks for sharing. I look forward to reading it.

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  13. Hello! I'm so pleased so see the dog lovers come out and say so. There is absolutely nothing more precious than a dog for a friend. No person would probably be as loyal.
    Thanks you Morgan, for having me.Celia

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  14. ELLEN-- I can see by your serene face that you would love a pet. Thanks for reading!

    AHHH, LINDA--I know what you and your daughter has gone through losing your beloved pet. I thought of you as I wrote about mine.You have my sympathy.Celia

    HELEN--my goal in life is to write stories who make the reader tear up. So, thank you for that. It shows me how deeply you care for a pet. Celia

    BARBARA--I know what you mean about missing "those days." That's why I make all these scrapbooks--to look and remember. Celia

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  15. THANK YOU, JERRI--yes, and we had the cats, too. We joked that we ran a nursing home for animals. Celia

    MICHELLE--I think you might like Texas Promise. And thank you for reading about my sweet little dog. Celia

    MARILYN--if there's anything that's needed in this world, it's for more people to be touched by something. It means a lot. Celia

    SUZANNE--I was sure there would be someone else who adopted a pet like we did. Write a story about it! Celia

    MAGGIE--you always say the sweetest things. Yes, it made all of us softies. Celia

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  16. DEBRA--thank you for reading it! Celia

    TERRI--you've rescued a dozen and still have them? You should definitely write a story about your experiences. You must have a heart of gold to care for and love that many stray animals. God bless you--Celia

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  17. Great Blog:)
    Following from a hop. Have a great day.
    Crystal
    http://inspirationinnovation.blogspot.com

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  18. Love the dog story. I have taken in a few strays but always find them homes.

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  19. CRICKET--Thanks for hopping by! Celia

    REBECCA--You have a star for your crown for taking in strays and finding them homes. I do admire you. Celia

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  20. What a sweet story about Poco. Thanks for sharing. Each time we go to the shelter I end up with more animals than I plan to. The first time we went to get a cat and came back with two. Last August we went to get a kitten and came home with two. I guess you could say they are double the fun. Our home wouldn't be the same without them.

    Best of luck with your book.

    Cheryl

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  21. Thank you, Cheryl--We had two cats at once, too, with the dog. They all got along very well, too. They didn't bother each other, but would nap together. Outside they went their separate ways, though.
    Celia

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  22. Touching post, thanks for sharing.

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  23. Glad to see so many animal lovers are out there. Our home wouldn't be the same without our dog, Rascal. I admire those of you who can handle more than one pet at a time. Rascal's enough for the DH and I. Right now she's running around with her bone trying to figure out where to hide it. Usually the spot makes me laugh because it's in plain sight.

    Morgan Mandel
    http://facebook.com/morgan.mandel

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  24. Celia, so that's what you look like! I did wonder. And I love your puppy story. We had our cat (Cat Kelly Kinnard, Aldercat of the 43rd Ward) for 14 years and I miss her still. I didn't even want a kitten. It's amazing how they become part of your life!

    Morgan -- what can I say but "Hi, hon!"

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  25. What a wonderful story, Celia. Sometimes the thing we want least turns out to be what we love most. I'm glad you were there to rescue Poco.

    I've had two dogs that I've "rescued" after someone turned them out and they wandered onto the farm. They were the best pets we ever had.

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  26. MAYRA--I love your photo with your dog. How pretty he is--and you. Celia

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  27. DEB--yep, this is what I look like. My hair is a little grayer but I'm going to have it highlighted--can't stand those gray hairs. Ewww. Some people have beautiful gray/white/silver hair, but not me--it's yucky.
    I understand--I didn't want cats, either, but we had two. (That's another animal story for later on Morgan's other blogs)Celia

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  28. KEENA--I think rescued pets are the best--don't they seem grateful and more pleasing and sweet? Celia

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  29. Every dog I've had so far is a rescue, and of course I've loved every one of them. Rascal is our fourth since we've been married over 38 years ago.

    Morgan Mandel

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  30. MORGAN--your dog's name is Rascal? Here's a story: a good friend has had three dogs and she named all of the Rascal. These came over a period of decades, one at a time, but when she lost one, she'd go get another one at the shelter--and his or her names would also be Rascal. Why, I asked? She said, when you find a good name you should just stick with it!

    I have a WIP which is going nowhere, but the man has a dog--I named him Rascal.
    Celia

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