Juggling Crocodiles

Atty General URGES Changes @ CT Humane Society

 Last week newly elected CHS Board Chairman Chris White confidently stated to The Hartford Courant that "We believe we will be completely vindicated by the attorney general." 

This week CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal released an INTERIM report that came closer to vilifying than vindicating Mr. White, the Board of Directors, CHS Management, ex-CHS President Richard Johnston and the entire way The CT Humane Society has been conducting itself as far as animal care, employee, volunteer, and donor relations, as well as financial management. Of special note in the report was Blumenthal's concerns about the conflict of interest of Board members profiting from work done for the charity, including the $30,000 worth of advertising that Mr. White's publications received from CHS.

To view the AG's Report click to George Gombossy's article, Blumenthal Blasts Conn Humane Society Board Practices, Says Hurt Animals and Staff at ctwatchdog.com

Also check out Debra Bogstie's follow up article to the two part series she did on NBC-30 News at AG Urges Changes at Connecticut Humane Society

Personally, I find the fact that the AG felt strongly enough about what was going on at CHS to issue an interim report speaks volumes. To me it says that Richard Blumenthal cares more about the animals, employees, volunteers and reputation of the CT Humane Society than either management or the Board of Directors.

The AG seems to understand that the only way that this charity will continue to be viable is if responsibility is taken for past bad acts AND wide-sweeping changes are made to the Board, management, administration, as well as animal care, volunteer and employee relations.

My question is why Chris White, who has been a board member for 15 years, DOESN’T get that? Does he think that telling the Hartford Courant that “many of the allegations made about the society were not true, or exaggerated”, and denying any financial malfeasance will make me start donating or volunteering again?

I’ve said it before and I will say it until White, the rest of the Board and the current management and administrators of CHS follow their friend and business partner Richard Johnston and resign. Not a dime of my money (or my friend’s and family’s money) to CHS until I see responsibility taken, apologies made and real, permanent change actually take place.

To read the entire group of articles that George Gombossy has written about this, please click over to his CT Humane Society Special Report. 

If you care about animals please reblog and retweet this. 

Successful Writers Follow Their Inner Zombie

I had an interesting and completely accidental revelation today as I was answering a question posed by NYT bestselling author, Lois Gresh at our HUNGRY FOR YOUR LOVE Zombie Love Fest that she so graciously hosted on her fabulous Paranormal & Speculative Fiction blog. 

The question was: What is it about zombies that turns you on as an author and a reader?

And this was my answer: As a writer, the traits I find most attractive about zombies are their focus, persistence and tenacity. They know what they want and they go after it. Fast or slow, they don’t take no for an answer and never stop unless you shoot em in the head. This makes zombies just about the perfect model for every writer who wants to be successful in today’s publishing climate. 

Until Lois asked, and made me really think about the answer, it never occurred to me that what I enjoyed as entertainment and what I do for both love and a living were so intertwined. 

How about you? I know not all of you are zombie or even horror fans, (and I love you anyway), but what it is about YOUR favorite genre of writing, either as a reader or a writer turns you on, and why? Any surprising connections, parallels or freakish coincidences? Leave a comment and let me know!

And don't forget to head over to shamble on over to our Zombie Love Fest! 

Stay HUNGRY!!!!

Stamford Advocate's CT Humane Society Investigation

 NBC Connecticut News 30 is not the only media source investigating allegations into wrongdoing at the CT Humane Society. On Thursday, The Stamford Advocate posted an article called Animal Agency Under Fire Again detailing problems that part of the state has been having with CHS and it's President and Chairman of the Board, Richard Johnston, going back to 1994.

In response to the addition of this information, George Gombossy at ctwatchdog.com has also posted an excellent article called Stamford Animal Lovers Still Have a Bone to Pick with Conn Humane Society . Don't forget to read the comments at the end of all of the articles, there's important information there as well. 

If stories about what's allegedly going on at the Newington shelter have made you angry, reading the Stamford story will kick you up to FURIOUS. Please pass these links along to all CT animal lovers, media connections, legislators, officials and representatives and let them know how you feel about all these reports. 

More CT In-Humane Society News

 A huge thank you to NBC Connecticut News and reporter Debra Bogstie for their two part investigation of the alleged wrongdoings and financial irregularities at the CT Humane Society. If you haven't read the articles or seen the video, here are the links: 

Calling for Change at The CT Humane Society-Part 1

Finances Under Scrutiny at CT Humane Society-Part 2

The link to the news video is at the bottom of the story. You GO, Ms. Cathy! 

And, for more information on the investigation, George Gombossy at CT Watchdog has posted another great article. Make sure to scroll all the way down and read the comments. Thanks George for working so hard to break this story and giving former employees and volunteers a voice. 

Whispering Pines Here We Come!

I'll be on my way in a few hours to my absolute favorite writer's retreat, NE SCBWI's Whispering Pines!

Held at URI's beautiful Alton Jones Campus in West Greenwich, RI, Whispering Pines is, IMHO, the perfect writer's retreat. And here are my five reasons why:

1) It's small-only about 25 weekend participants and another 20 or so day visitors.

2) The food, staff and accommodations are AMAZING! 

3) The atmosphere is relaxing, fun, inspiring and reenergizing.

4) The mentors are always top notch-this year we are lucky enough to have:

Cynthia Lord's debut novel, RULES (Scholastic, 2006), has received numerous awards, including a Newbery Honor and the Schneider Family Book Award. A former elementary and middle-school teacher, Cynthia even spent a year teaching in a one-room schoolhouse on a Maine island, which is the setting for her second novel (TOUCH BLUE, Scholastic 2010). She is also the author of HOT ROD HAMSTER, a picture book illustrated by Derek Anderson. Cindy lives with her husband and her two children fifteen minutes from the ocean in Brunswick, Maine.

Carlyn Beccia is author and illustrator of Who Put the B in the Ballyhoo, The Raucous Royals and I Feel Better (due out in 2010). In 2005, Beccia was the Grand Prize Portfolio Winner in the Society of Children's Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) portfolio exhibition. In 2008, Beccia's debut book, Who Put the B in the Ballyhoo? was the Golden Kite honor recipient for picture book illustration. In 2009, The Raucous Royals was the winner of the International Reading Association's 2009 Children's and Young Adult Book Award for Intermediate-Nonfiction.

Connie Hsu is an Assistant Editor at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, home of Stephenie Meyer, Jerry Spinelli, and Sherman Alexie. She has worked on a whole spectrum of books, from board books to Gossip Girl. She’s the editor of The Devouring (YA horror), The A-List: Hollywood Royalty (a spinoff of the bestselling The A-List series), and Moonshadow (middle grade ninja adventure).  Her own books include Happyface, a fully illustrated YA novel, and Nanny Piggins, a laugh-out-loud middle grade novel about a nanny pig. She loves new approaches to traditional ideas and would love to find a morbid picture book. 

Alexandra Penfold is an Associate Editor with Paula Wiseman Books at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers where she works on hardcover trade picture books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult novels. She works closely with Paula Wiseman editing the Amelia's Notebook series by Marissa Moss in addition to editing her own list of books including City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy, Reindeer Christmas by Mark Kimball Moulton, illustrated by Karen Hillard Good, Seabiscuit written/illustrated by Meghan McCarthy, and The Teashop Girls by Laura Schaefer among others. Prior to becoming an editor Alexandra was a children's book publicist.

Rebecca Sherman is a literary agent at Writers House, LLC where she began her career in children’s publishing eight years ago. She represents authors of middle grade and young adult novels, though her focus is on author/illustrators of graphic novels and picture books. Her client list includes Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Grace Lin, Matt Phelan, Dan Yaccarino, David Ezra Stein, and Andrea and Brian Pinkney. She is a graduate of Northwestern University. 

5) And best of all...the company is awe-inspiring! Here's just a partial list of friends who I will be blessed to be spending the next few days with:

Lynda Mullay Hunt

Barbara Johansen Newman

Liz Goulet Dubois

Laurie Murphy

Mary Pierce

Julia Boyce

Sometimes it is SO good to be me! <G> I've packed my camera and I hear there's WiFi, so look for updates!