Nonfiction Books

The veterinary field has been gaining popularity, which means more authors and screenwriters want to have veterinarian characters in their stories. However, not all writers understand the ins and outs of this unique field, and a poor representation of this will cause you to lose credibility with your readers or viewers. While human medicine has known aspects that most of us can understand, veterinary medicine encompasses all of that, plus the added aspect of unpredictable animals… and their owners!

In this lighthearted guide, the reader experiences firsthand the ups, downs and sideways events that happen daily if not weekly in this field. The author draws on her lifetime career in veterinary medicine to help writers capture the true essence of working in this field, whether their setting is a privately-owned hospital, part of a corporation, or even located inside an animal shelter. Each of these has their own unique culture, goal, and mindset, which will help writers solidify the day-to-day life of their characters. Delving feet first into this world will help writers create stronger, truer scenes that even the staunchest veterinary employee will relate to.

Readers interested in behind-the-scenes will gain a deeper understanding of what happens from the time of the first phone call to the appointment end, and writers looking for ways to immerse their readers in the world of veterinary medicine will have step-by-step scenes, terminology, and explanations to help them better portray their story.

From setting to seizures, conflicts to COVID, this guide has it all! 

An Excerpt: 

Something to consider for your setting is an emergency hospital, which is open 24/7/365. That means people are working there nights, weekends, and holidays. During the weekday, an average client would be referred to a specialist here. Nights and weekends are going to see more dire situations. Holidays have their own special issues, frequently chocolate ingestion on Christmas, Halloween, Easter, and Valentine’s Day. July 4th is renowned for hit-by-cars, when the booming fireworks send fearful pets running for their lives and unfortunately into traffic. 

Another setting to consider for your story is a specialized hospital. Just like human doctors, sometimes the patient needs something that a “regular” doctor doesn’t do. Root canal? There’s a dental care vet for that. Cataract surgery? Call the veterinary ophthalmologist. Want your dog to have physical therapy after a major knee surgery? Oh, look! A hospital with a water treadmill! Parrot broke a wing? Call the avian doctor. Turtle with shell rot? Call the herpetologist. Keep in mind that it takes a different kind of “animal person” to want to handle snakes, macaws, and iguanas on a daily basis. And standing over a surgical table for a four-hour dental is murder on the back. Conducting microsurgery through a magnifying glass? Bring on the headaches. Some things to consider for your character, whoever it may be. 

And last but not least, a clinic inside a humane society. These are few and far between, but I was fortunate to work for one, and it’s a different beast entirely. The bulk of the surgeries, all day long, day in and day out, will be spays and neuters, but consider that some people will relinquish an animal with medical needs, and your opportunity to have your characters jump to action is at hand. What if the pet was a cruelty case, tied out in the yard until the collar grew into the throat? (I’ve seen it.) Or the owner passed away, and the senior Poodle needs eight teeth extracted and no one in the family wanted the expense... or the dog? Add in the dog-fighting rings that get broken up (and the resultant wounded dogs), unaddressed medical needs (like ruptured tumors), emergency spays (a pus-filled uterus is called a pyometra spay), heat stroke victims pulled by Peace Officers and delivered to the shelter, and a plethora of other issues I can’t even begin to swing a stick at, and you’ve got great opportunities for setting and conflict.

Bubble wrap protects all your fragile and important valuables, so why can’t you wrap your kids in it, right? They’re the most precious thing you own!

Well, I’m guessing it would be terribly difficult to teach them to walk in it, not to mention, what if they roll away? How will you catch them if they’re bouncing out of reach?

This lighthearted approach to child-proofing your home will have you smiling, groaning, or maybe even chuckling as you tackle problem areas and safety issues in the wonderful castle your child calls “home.”

Whether you’re a first-time parent, grandparent, or babysitter, you’ll find valuable tips and tricks to keeping the tots in your life safe.

Included areas addressed are the living room, kitchen, nursery, bedrooms, bathrooms, stairways and the foyer. 

An Excerpt: 

Why write a childproofing guide? After all, people have been around for thousands of years, so humans must be good at survival, right?  

Well.... yes and no.

A mere two generations ago, the idea of childproofing was ludicrous. Motorized fans had huge gaps in them where fingers could poke through. A baby’s head could get lodged in the bars of its own crib. Children were given liquid mercury as toys. And many children’s toys were colored with lead paint. 

People had large families— assuming only a few children would survive to adulthood. 

We, however, are a more enlightened generation. 

I know it’s impossible to protect a child from every little bump and bruise. Really, if nothing ever happens to a person, then nothing will ever happen, and how boring a life would that be? What great stories could possibly be told? What purpose would Show and Tell serve? And as we all know, the tale behind every scar began with the infamous words, “Hey, watch this!”

However, there’s no need to invite disaster, and that’s where this book comes in.  

 Welcome back to child proofing your home with humor!

Hopefully, you did not attempt to wrap your child in bubble wrap after reading the first book. If you did, please stop. Bubble wrap is for popping and annoying everyone around you, not for wrapping children in it!

In this second installment of safety tips, we’ll tackle the backyard, the garage, guests, flora and fauna, and other areas of concern.

An Excerpt:
 

Thank you for exploring this book, and welcome back to NOT bubble-wrapping your children! I’m guessing by now you’ve devoured book one and are looking for more ways to keep your babies safe in the crazy world we live in. 

Remember, a mere two generations ago, the idea of childproofing was ludicrous. If you lost a finger or got scarred, the collective thought was, “He won’t do that again!” 

Yeah, let’s not do it that way again. 

You, my friend, are part of the enlightened generation, and I’d like you to stay that way. 

We can’t bubble-wrap kids to protect them from life. Hopefully, you didn’t try this stunt after reading the last book. It’s not recommended. Don’t do it. If you did, don’t do it again. Don’t be a weirdo!