Linda Davis-Kyle is a nonfiction writer whose work focuses on natural health and fitness of body, mind, and spirit, as well as fostering critical thinking. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous journals and periodicals in over a dozen countries on five continents. She has also authored eight books that include Real Food for Real People: Just Say “No” to GMOs and two series: Your Writing Matters and Writing About Animals. Her newest release, Writing about Your Pets #1: Questions & Prompts for ’Tweens, Teens & Beyond (July 2024), “offers loads of imagination-stretching and heart-warming prompts that reward young and mature wordsmiths, alike, with a more caring view of their pets and a more loving image of themselves.” Look for Linda on her website WritingNow.com, on LinkedIn and her Amazon author page.

Why did you write the book, and who did you write it for?
I envisioned that Writing about Your Pets #1 would be of value to ’tweens and teens who long to write but need a topic that naturally grabs their attention and won’t let go. Indeed, young and mature writers alike may find their pets to be such a topic. Approaches to writing about pets are infinite. Think about the almost unbelievable unconditional love from precious pets, their amazing antics, their great feats, their resemblances to their “pet” moms and dads, and even how pets, while being treasured and looked after, actually boost the health of those who love and care for them, as well.

Writing about Your Pets #1 also is especially useful for parents, grandparents, single parents, foster parents, and homeschoolers. In this upside-down world, sometimes pre-teens and teens often are shuffled and misplaced in the whirlwind schedules of their overworked and over-stressed families. Some families simply have no clue how to engage with their seemingly irrepressible ’tweens and teens, even though they may have had spectacularly positive ways of relating when those same children were toddlers. Even the meager five minutes, every now and then, that parents manage to muster to try to give time to older children may go awry again and again.

That’s where Pets #1 can come to the rescue either to help heal earlier upsets or to prevent future problems. Truly, if a parent and ’tween or teen mutually share the unconditional love from their family pet, for example, then they can use this phenomenal bond to anchor their own relationship. Here’s how. The ebook is abundant with useful power-packed, thought-provoking topics. If together they choose just one prompt or question from Pets #1 each evening or each week, for as many times as they like, and together entertain fun ways to write about their selected target topic, then these happy head-to-head chats can boost not only the progress and productivity of that young wordsmith but also can reinstate the precious bond that formerly had tied the two. Each young writer-in-the-making will feel heard and appreciated, and each new “fan” will feel included in the everyday life of their young writer. Here is an example prompt:

Pets, in a way, are our greatest teachers. Write about how your pets are happy just to be with you. To sit with you in silence, to ride along with you, to walk or run with you with no regrets about yesterday and no frets about tomorrow—that’s your happy pet modeling the beautiful concept of living in the moment.

Why not try this little sample with your own cherished young writer? Feel the difference that having communicated happily, as often as reasonably possible, yields an uplifting, strengthening, and empowering, undreamed of victory for both of you time after time. Oh. Be sure to invite your young writer to read aloud each masterpiece the evening after they compose it while you listen intently to hear their heartfelt message loud and clear. This meeting of the minds can manifest miracles.

What unique challenges did this work pose for you?
Statistics from sources such as the U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook and the American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey typically reveal dogs winning the hearts of the greatest number of households, cats capturing the second highest group, freshwater fish ranking third, and birds attracting the fourth largest number.

In general, dogs and cats consistently draw the largest number of adoring families. Beyond those treasured pets, fishes, birds, reptiles, other types of small pets, and horses, all in the millions, also are given happy living spaces with caring families of all shapes and sizes.

While researching and studying the numerous favorites, it seemed logical to group together these domesticated mammals—dogs, cats, rabbits, ponies, and horses—to include in Writing about Your Pets #1. Wanting to make sure also to write about other family favorites such as fishes of many species, birds, and reptiles as pets, plus amphibians, that many owner-survey type publications seem to overlook, I saved those, also favored by many, for Writing about Your Pets #2, in progress.

I wanted to recognize the animals in each book in an even-handed presentation to keep the different groups who appreciate them happy. Asking similar questions and prompts for young and mature writers to pursue about different mammal species made it practical in Pets #1. I had to deal with another challenge, though. Some sources focus on animals and pets as a menace. I barely noted the negative side. I deliberately chose to concentrate on the positive side. My goal is to encourage young and mature alike who may use Pets #1 to write about what animals can teach us, how their pets demonstrate unconditional love and living in the moment, how their pets see them, what pets contribute to their families, and other unique approaches that keep their writing on a positive note. Check out this sample:

The words “Man’s best friend” attest to the unconditional love from dogs. Animals of many other species also honor us with their devotion and unconditional love. Our pets truly do add joy to our lives. Perhaps they even add years to that joy.

How about talking heart-to-heart about this brief sample with your precious writer in your family—young or mature—and let the sharing elevate their confidence to write another gem knowing that you care about them and have a true interest in what they write.

How is the book structured and why did you choose to put it together that way?
Pets #1 opens with words of encouragement, writing tips, and a secret to beginners but a proven path to success that some longtime writers may hold dear. I suggest that polishing writing skills through practicing writing warmups, writing from many angles, and proceeding incrementally could speed writers along their way. I introduce statistics that rank pets to hope that writers might choose to write to speak up for their favorite pals even if their pet does not hold an envious popular position. Because canines typically rank highest followed by felines, I devote the next two chapters to dogs and cats, respectively.

Following the chapter on cats, I focus on well-being and include the concept of nature versus nurture, the value placed on pets, the importance of staying healthy, the significance of good pet nutrition, choosing houseplants that are safe for your pets, the importance of sleep, and, among other topics, the benefits animals and humans contribute to each other.

After this little break that shares ideas common to both groups, I introduce other mammals—sweet bunnies, magnificent horses, and precious ponies—to create a fresh, new start for readers and writers. In each of the pet-focused chapters, I tried to write even-handedly using similar questions and similar writing prompts for each pet while admiring all of them as those who have only one favorite pet type might feel to keep the readers and writers happy.

In “Chapter Eight. Urging You Onward,” the final chapter, I offer some suggestions to help writers to write more fully and to power up their writing. Consider the following thought:

Now that you are viewing the conclusion of Writing about Your Pets #1, enjoy reflecting on how much better you feel about your wonderful writing skills having been led in practices with these precious animals and others introduced. Write about how thinking about the awesome role that animals play in our lives when it seems that only our animals understand us and love us unconditionally.

If you have used this ebook to encourage a young or mature writer friend, then encourage them to write about the changes they feel from having had an adoring person by their side to cheer them along their writing journey.

Do you have a favorite quote from Writing about Your Pets #1 that you’d like to share?
“Writing helps you with self-discovery. Having a trusted animal friend who never will judge you, mock your heartfelt words, or disclose your secrets will help you to see through a lens unlike any others you may have experienced before. Writing from such a unique viewpoint can help you come upon answers. Through your writing, you may begin to resolve unspoken issues that have gnawed at you for years.”

Any “Oh, wow!” moments while doing research for this book?
Pets #1 introduced Lizette Borreli’s article “Man’s Best Friend May Boost Immune System: 6 Health Benefits of Owning a Dog” that appeared in Medical Daily and documented it in the sources for readers. Those who are adoring pet parents to dogs already know well most of the six benefits and have little need of the article. The first three benefits are that (1) dogs demand daily fun walks; so, you benefit from the pleasant exercise. (2) Dogs also reduce your stress level, and (3) they keep you from being depressed. A peek at the article reveals three other pluses, as well.

If you are enchanted with kind and gentle cats, then you will be happy to learn that the cat purr vibrations are believed by some to be medically therapeutic. Pets #1 has enumerated seven almost magical modes that may have gone unknown to most people.

What was your favorite part of putting this project together?
I liked logically choosing four popular mammals—dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and ponies — to build Pets #1. It was fun thinking through questions and prompts to share. Wishing so very heartily that I can be blessed someday to write fictional stories that readers might relish, I loved tinkering with fictional startups for beginners to tackle and to complete with their best story writing skills; and, I do so wish them well with their efforts, if my little setups may help them to get rolling on writing great stories to share with others.

It also was fun finding photos to illustrate the ebook. In the Acknowledgments, I gratefully noted each contributor and named their pets. Following the Contributors section, I listed and identified the photographers, attributed their work with their copyright, even though their fine photos were offered without copyright. Only one was able to respond to my effort to remit a sum by PayPal for their coffee funds. I remain grateful and hope that readers and writers will like their photos.

Of the eight books you’ve published, which one was the most challenging?
My Real Food for Real People: Just Say “No” to GMOs definitely has been the most difficult. My goal with the various versions has been to help families of all shapes and sizes with nourishing and nurturing their tots to teens and beyond. It offers “adventure foods” to make serving the most nutrient-dense foods — that some children simply hate—a pleasure. To make learning delightful for precious youngsters, it gives tips for turning sunlit home kitchens filled with the aroma of cinnamon or another delightful scent into useful “laboratories for learning.” Wholesome organic and regeneratively produced foods kept free from harmful pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides protect tots, teens, and adults and fortify good emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Such careful nutrition makes learning and teaching easier. The book offers much-needed kitchen safety tips, too. It also encourages saving the honeybees.

Real Food for Real People fully celebrates and vehemently supports the organic and regenerative local farmers around the world and maintains that they absolutely must be honored with their rights to own their own lands, to own and save their own natural seeds from season to season, and to grow their crops in the logical way that creates rich, healthy, living soil. Yes. “Living soil.” Their work with Mother Nature must be rewarded, never thwarted by those who seek to end their noble use of logic and common sense.

In Part Two of the book, Jaz Brown of Nourished by Nature even adds a stunning revelation about Sequestering 197 Tons of CO2 that everyone needs to know.

If you want to help our noble food growers, then here’s how. This ebook brings to your fingertips more than 100 websites of small organic and regenerative food producers and marketers around the world. Good food growers from your own local area may be included.

You can honor hard-working food growers who treasure the “living,” life-giving soil by buying from them locally or ordering foods from them and by turning your back on non-nutritive, synthetic, and chemical-laden factory foods bereft of nutrition. This ebook shares 35+ books of interest to parents, lists 30+ must-see movies and documentaries, and it is equivalent to about 340 pages as a print book.

Real Food for Real People also includes family bonding times of reading, playing wholesome family games, worshiping, and traveling together to make every day — sunrise to sunset — a celebration of life for you and all those you love. Think of it this way, the diligent stewards of the land help to make happy, healthy families. Without our honest, life-honoring farmers, ranchers, fishers, and dairies, there will be no food. Director Roman Balmakov said it best with his documentary, No Farmers No Food: Will You Eat the Bugs?

Which of your books was the most enjoyable to write?
I loved Teaching English to Children because it contains many fundamentals in the form of fun Mind Maps® based on the method of the late Tony Buzan to fortify learning and to boost memory. The ebook can serve as a welcome supplement for educators and homeschoolers when they need a little break from lesson planning or a quick bit of help in a time pinch.

It includes Mind Maps of Defining the Parts of Speech with Words and Images, Reviewing the Fun Roles of the Parts of Speech, Conquering Some Troublesome Words, Composing Sentences, Composing Paragraphs, Tips to Help Organize Your Writing, Writing a Play, and Focusing on Fitness.

In addition, grammatical rules often are built quietly into the questions, comments, writing exercises, and other activities to work fully together. Teaching English to Children brings robust additional fun elements to foster critical thinking and to encourage pleasant musings about the world.

KL Wagoner loves creating worlds of fantasy and science fiction. Her current work in progress is The Last Bonekeeper fantasy trilogy and short stories in the same universe. A member of SouthWest Writers since 2006, Kat has worked as the organization’s secretary, newsletter editor, website manager, and author interview coordinator. Kat is also a veteran, a martial art student, and a grandmother. Visit her at klwagoner.com.