Typing With Wet Paws: So This Is July Edition

July 6, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Tails Up, Storm Troopers. I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. We have landed in July. So far, it’s shaping to be quite the month.

First of all, my human cousin was born! They were expected a little later than this, but everybody is happy and healthy and home. We have not met them, of course, but seen pictures. I am not sure how much I am allowed to say here, so we will call them Human Cousin, pronouns they/them. There is no cat at their house, but there is a dog. I am sure they will be besties.

I am very proud of myself, having managed this great feat (with my great feet) this early in the summer. I managed to get on Mama Anna’s office chair, while there was a towel on it (she says terrycloth is the best texture for both heat and anxiety) and turned it so that I was both directly in the sunbeam and directly in front of Koolio (our air conditioning unit, if you are new here. Also, for those who are new, Hi. I’m Storm. You love me. We’re friends now. What’s your name?)

Kitty fit check. If you were wondering if I would let Mama Anna put clothes on me, the answer is yes, but ONLY Mama Anna, and we have only done hats and scarves so far. We may try dresses later, but I am already gorgeous au naturel. Mama Anna did once see a video of a calico cat wearing a clear raincoat walking through rainy Tokyo, which cemented for her that if I ever need a raincoat, it will be clear. I probably won’t need a raincoat. I am an indoor cat.

Have I shown you this picture of me in a box before? Well, it’s worth a second look. I love boxes. They are pretty great. With the way Aunt Linda likes Amazon, I am not lacking in boxes. Right now, I have an orange Ulta bag that I love super super super much. The humans have agreed that this is a special bag and they will keep it until it’s beyond use. They are smart. Mama Anna had Papa take pictures of me on the bag because he takes the best photos, and the next step is to get him to send her the pictures so we can put them here. Did I mention I really love this bag?

That’s about it for this week. Mama Anna has some TV and movie stuff to watch while rubbing my belly, so we better get to it.

What’s going on with you?

Embracing the Summer Slump: Morning Pages Tips

June 3, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Can you believe it’s June? Summer is not my favorite time of year, but a) we have air conditioning this time, and b) I am reframing this as a precursor to fall. The season, not of society.

Storm is well aware that she owes blogs, and should be back to regular posting after this weekend’s events (I and Housemate are traveling; Storm is staying home with Real Life Romance Hero.) She has most certainly not authorized me leaving the house this much, and I must pay damages in belly rubs and catnip. Also Temptations.

Blue journal is just finished, ivory just started.

The picture is a lot less vibrant than the covers are in real life, but here are my old and new morning pages notebooks. These are both B6 size, with lined ivory paper in 120gsm. This seems to be my ideal morning setup. Pens vary, but usually Pilot G2 or zebra Sarasa Clip in various colors as the mood strikes.

Setup inside is easy. I like having a visual anchor, so washi at top and bottom (this from Cora Crea) and a lovely person sticker (this from Amazon) and use a Tim Holtz stencil to write the date in the lower left-hand corner. From there, it’s whatever is on my mind at the moment. Total brain dump, bullet points if needed because life is like that sometimes. I can add color with pastel highlighters, Mildliners preferred, or colored pencil. I could use watercolor, but that would make the paper crinkle and buckle and, for this purpose, that’s a no.

Sometimes, these pages don’t make a lot of sense, but that’s okay. That’s why they exist, to prime the pump and get me started on the day.

What do you like for morning pages, if you do them?

Typing With Wet Paws: Going to a Baby Shower Edition

May 17, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers. I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. Mama Anna thinks I don’t know she is going away overnight tomorrow because she is packing an overnight bag rather than a suitcase, but I know the signs. I should state that Mama Anna and Aunt Linda are the ones going to the baby shower. I am staying home with Papa. We will be getting the primary bedroom ready to install Koolio when Mama Anna gets back. Right now, we have fans going, but Mama Anna is firm. It’s humid. Try dealing with that when wearing a full time fur coat. I guess the humans are putting Koolio in for themselves, too.

This is what Mama Anna woke to this morning. It took her all night to finally fall asleep, so I wanted to keep a close eye on her and make sure she was okay. Spoiler alert, she was. She’s still sad from her friend going to Rainbow Bridge, but also excited to help the people kitten’s family get ready for them. When she gets back, she will be tired. Fortunately, I am great at helping with naps. I will also inspect her bags for any interesting things.

It’s been an interesting week over here. Mama Anna is happy she was able to blog, both her turn and helping me here. Hopefully next week will be more fiction-y. Once Koolio is up and running, she will be much better equipped to function during the summer, which it totally is right now.

Change of season also means change of Mama Anna’s nighttime journal. The big chonky journal is the old one she just finished, and the thin one, still in its shrink wrap, is the new one. They are about pocket size and last about three months. The old one is metallic gold and the new one is lavender. Mama Anna thought that was good for summer. The other options were black and navy blue. She is saving those for fall and winter and then needs to restock. The art store near Aunt Mary sells them, so she will probably get some when she visits there. The art store in our city has them sometimes.

Now that it is summer time, the layout of the home office is a little different. Mama Anna’s desk is next to the window. She can work there in the morning, but around noon, it is too bright, so she moves us (I work with her, obviously) to the soft office, aka the people bed. The whole room will be cool when Koolio is in use, but right now, there is a fan pointed at it. Two, actually, one on each side. It’s pretty comfy. I like the breeze in my fur.

Anyway, that’s about it for this week. How are you getting ready for summer?

Funeral for a Friend…and a Baby Shower

May 14, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

This is an odd week. Staring with a funeral, ending with a baby shower. In between is, well, interesting. When I get back, Real Life Romance Hero and I will retrieve Koolio from his winter home (Housemate’s closet) and thus the Age of Air Conditioning, AKA summer, will begin.

I am not the biggest proponent of summer. If I had the option to scarper off somewhere for a second winter instead of summer, I would take it. Yes, I am aware Australia exists. It’s also time to turn over ye ole wardrobe from winter to summer. See you in September, cuddly sweaters and fleecy leggings. Hello, floaty dresses and loose over shirts.

So, the title of this blog post– let’s get to that. seeing how many people loved Michele was lovely, and I am super glad I got to sit with Melva, as the three of us were a formidable trio of one amazing writing group for many years. I’d hoped to get a cyber-version together, but that didn’t pan out. Insert rumination of always thinking there will be more time here. I am feeling that very keenly at the moment, and likely will be for a while.

Whenever we were together, we encouraged each other to keep writing. I have her memorial card (above) in my EDC traveler’s notebook to remind me of that, especially on the hard days, of which this is one. I don’t believe we “get over” losing a loved one. Rather, we heal around it, and, as Therapy Dude suggested, find a place within ourselves where that relationship now lives. With Michele, the answer is easy: stories.

Besides her two published YA historical novels, some nonfiction work, and the fanfics through which she met, Michele also experimented with other works. I am salty about the dual P.O.V. historical fiction with romantic elements that she had been working on most recently. I’m going to miss the chance to hold that book in my hands. That’s not in my control. What I can control is my own writing. This week is a family week. Funeral at the start, and baby shower at the finish.

The baby shower is also out of state. It feels as though only yesterday, I was at my nephew’s wedding. Now he’s going to be a dad. It seems like only the day before that, I met him and his parents (his mom is that sister-friend who became instant family) at a historical reenactment, and the father-to-be was in preschool. His parents had to leave early so they could get him to bed because they had to get him to daycare in the morning. Now he’s a firefighter, married, and in the late summer or early fall, I will meet his first kiddo. Time does go quickly.

That’s about enough for one day over here, but I do need to mention that the person sitting behind me at the gathering on Monday saw eleven turtles the day before. I have no context but it seemed important. I would like to see some turtles.

How is your week going?

Typing With Wet Paws: Sads, Happies, and the Sweetest Spot Edition

May 10, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. We have some sad news first, and then will move on to happy stuff. I am sorry to say that Papa’s mama went to Rainbow Bridge right after Easter (I did not get to meet her, but Mama Anna and I are big fans of her work – Papa.) and then earlier this week, one of Mama Anna’s and Aunt Melva’s dearest writing friends, M.P. Barker, had also gone to Rainbow Bridge. Mama Anna and Aunt Linda will be going back to the Old Country to celebrate Aunt M.P.’s life on Monday. Mama Anna will probably be pretty soggy for a few days after that. Also needing naps.

At the end of that week, though, there is happy stuff. Aunt Mary’s son, Uncle Andy and his wife, Aunt Leah, are expecting their first person-kitten in July. This weekend, they are having a special getting ready for the new addition party, and Mama Anna and Aunt Linda will be going to that. Papa will be staying here with me, which I appreciate. They may also get to meet Cousin Skye (who is a dog, and different from Big Sister Skye, so I will be sure to say Cousin Skye or Big Sister Skye, to make sure you know who I mean.) but that may also wait until another visit because the getting ready for baby party is probably going to take the whole time.

Mama Anna does not do summer well, so that kind of visit is going to have to happen before the middle of June or after the end of August. In between there, Mama Anna will be home with Koolio (the correct spelling, as the label on the remote in Mama Anna’s desk drawer reminded me. I think the other spelling refers to an entertainer.)

The exciting thing about today is that today is Aunt Linda’s birthday. She wanted to stay at home and order in Mexican food. The humans seemed to like theirs, and from what I managed to get (only smells, unfortunately) from sticking my face in Mama Anna’s quesadilla. Apparently, that is not allowed. I was only trying to join the celebration.

This weekend is also the Tulip Festival here in Albany, NY, USA. We live very close to the park where it is, and the humans plan on going tomorrow, but I will be staying home. First, I am not allowed outside, and second, there are A LOT OF PEOPLE there. The humans will bring home any interesting smells or maybe stuff from vendors. Come on, locally grown catnip!

This is a picture Aunt Linda took of me, when she thought I looked especially long.

This spot on her bed is mine, mine, mine. Not hers, and not Mama Anna’s to sit on when she visits. If you are a cat, you will understand this is where all the good human-y smells are kept. The mattress is also super soft, and the pillows are nice. Aunt Linda has a few new pillows, which I always make sure to scent as soon as possible, by which I mean make them me-scented.

Anyway, that’s what’s going on around here. Mama Anna thinks that the best way to honor Aunt Michele is to keep writing. Aunt Michele was the first in-person writing friend Mama Anna had, and the one to introduce her to Aunt Melva. In turn, Mama Anna was introduced to Aunt Michele by another writer friend, because writers know writers and that is an awesome thing.

Yes, I May

May 1, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Welp, here we are at the start of another month. It’s the bridge between spring and summer, Since we have several colleges in our area, there is a definite shift in the community when the “kids” go home from the summer. The local small business ice cream stand is open (Haven’t gone yet, but will) and we will soon be summoning Coolio, our portable air conditioner, from his winter home (housemate’s closet.) Clothing-wise, we are on the cusp of dress season. I am loving the big screen on my desktop computer. Being able to see what I am doing is kind of a new thing.

Though I am an ambassador for the extremely talented Eryka Peskin, this is not a post she asked for, but one that I hope she likes. I am currently in her Celebration Circle group, which is, as Eryka would say, amazeballs. I like the challenge of finding things to celebrate, whether on a given topic, or freestyle, and I find that creeping over into other areas of life.

I am not going to lie: starting over as many times as I have (or perceive myself as having done) sucks because nobody wants things like serious illness, homelessness, injuries, deaths in the family, etc. At the same time, it’s awesome, because I am coming at t his, this time, with more experience, more wisdom, and, at times, more spite because that Bad Thing is not going to end me. Not only am I going to do the thing but do it twice and take pictures.

Didn’t mean to post sleeping Storm, but who doesn’t love a kitty picture?

Storm is pretty chill about coming into the new season, which is par for the course. She does have a few things to say about the new desk setup, as her usual sproing lands her on my keyboard. There is still some space for her on the desk, but at the moment, she seems best pleased to watch from the bed. She is getting used to the kitty sling. It’s one of her favorite beds at the moment. We haven’t tried putting her in it yet, but so far, so good.

One of the perks of this kind of experience (mine, not Storm’s) is that I have a wide experience on what doesn’t work for me. Lots of trial and error. Some successes. Some serendipitous discoveries. Some flying into the mist, as the late great Jo Beverley would say. Before I know it, I will be pulling the trigger on my first independent publication. (Though I did write for and publish fanzines beck in the day.) Then after that, Melva and I do the same thing with the second two Love By the Book books. I am writing my first planned historical romance series, on book two of four now, which is definitely a learning experience.

What I am getting at here is this: yes, I may. Yes, I may make mistakes. Yes, I may try something different. Yes, I may start something new. Yes, I may pick up where I left off involuntarily and make it through to the end. Yes, I may put a blog post up a couple of days late. The world will not end. We are all human here.

A Writer and Her Desks: A Love Story

April 22, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

From time to time, Facebook asks me if I would like to remember certain images. This past week, they suggested this one:

This one hit me hard. Not only because I am still, and ever will be, salty over what the powers that be did to the couple pictured above. I will put my fingers in my ears and loudly “la-la-la” until whoever is discussing the season three finale or anything after that. Nope, nope, didn’t happen. Abbie and Crane are happily ever after-ing and I will take no questions.

The other reason is the desk. This desk and I have a history. Literally. It’s older than I am. I have drooled over it since I was two. Before that, I drooled on it. This is a secretary desk, with a writing surface that doubles as a door I can close on the day’s work. while the screen is in the way of most of them, there are cubbyholes. Oh so many cubbyholes. Places for papers and stickers and sticky notes and all sorts of stationery related objects. There are drawers beneath the surface and a cabinet below that. At first, I used the top shelf as a bookshelf, and later moved the monitor up there so I could get at the cubbyholes.

This desk is now in our storage unit, where we put it during that first move. I still miss it. I will bust it out one day. At the same time, I love the desk I put together with my own two hands and a little help from my friends (cue Beatles.) I am grateful I have it now. Ideally, I would have both, in an office big enough for the two of them. The current desk would be for my desktop and the secretary would be for planning and journalling and all things longhand.

Some of the things on it, I have, and some that I also have in storage. The journal on the desktop is by Paperblanks, That particular book is in — you guessed it— storage, but I have other journals in that brand, and my EDC planner, in pocket size. I am not sure which mugs survived the moves, but I have different pen storage options now. My gargoyle pencil cup is once again in service, accompanied by new friends like a Plague Doctor plushie and an ever-growing calico plushie army. I also learned what Delfonics pouches are, and, I would hope, a lot more about writing.

The purpose of my desk is the same; to write books, to blog, and also make pixel art (okay, that’s new) but it feels different. It’s been a while since I felt like Writer Anna, or like Writer Anna had a proper place to do her/my thing. I do, though. It’s weird. I should know a better word for that, but I don’t. At least not right now, which is fine.

Back in the before-before-before times, when we still lived in the Old Country, I remember sitting in a Panera, trying not to cry in public because I had finished A Heart Most Errant, then called Ravenwood. I’d spent all that time with John and Aline, and there they were, happy. Home. Not quite “finished,’ as they will be happily-ever-after-in on page in the rest of the Ravenwood (series) books, my first planned historical series. Now, I am getting them ready to be my first independently published novella. Will I cry when Richard and Cecilia reach their HEA? Probably. Will I also be exited to pivot to Guy and Katherine’s story? Very much so, and the same when it is time for Juliana’s (Cecilia’s daughter) story, with a hero who will most likely be named Maximilian. How did I come up with that name? He told me, and it’s historically plausible. That’s how it works.

It’s also how my relationship with my desks works. We’ve grown together. There will likely be a desk tour in the near future. I have shelves and drawers and fairy lights. I also have a 3-D printed rose gold skull that was originally a yarn bowl (I don’t knit, but Housemate does; it was a gift from her) but is now home to a calico plushie.

What’s on your desk?

Typing With Wet Paws: Mistress of Her Domain Edition

April 5, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

Tails up, Storm Troopers! I’m Storm, you’re awesome, and this is Typing With Wet Paws. The eagle-eyed among you may notice something different about today’s blog, and that is that the address for this blog, and all things Mama Anna, is now annacbowling.com. That is a step forward, and new things will be showing up very soon, but that is the first one. Links should still work. Pretty exciting.

Also exciting is that there is a headboard downstairs, inside the front door. That is for Papa and Mama Anna’s bed, because they have Had It with all of their pillows falling down the gap between mattress and wall, and that might actually be part of Mama Anna’s insomnia. Trust me, you do not want to see her sleep tracker right now. They plan to put the thing together tomorrow, and then I will get to inspect it. It’s wood, so it should be scratchable. I am already practicing on my scratchy cardboard thing.

I should mention that there is a headboard in storage, the one they got from Grandma Marilyn’s house, which has a super fun cabinet thing built into it. I was hoping they would bring that home, but there is more furniture in front of it, and besides, this one fits their aesthetic better. The other one is white and Papa likes darker colors. So does Mama Anna, actually. When it comes to furniture, that is, because they love the white parts of me. Also the black and orange parts.

Today is a rainy and windy and chilly day. Not a day the humans want to go outside. It’s much better to stay home and cuddle with me. Mama Anna may mess around with the website a little, so pardon the sawdust if she tries out a couple of different things. I, of course, will be closely supervising and lending a helping paw when needed.

What’s up for your weekend?

Indie Publishing Insights: My Journey with _A Heart Most Errant_

March 26, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

We are having a blabbery blog today. My first real appointment with the therapist who will be known as Therapy Dude is tomorrow. Still a couple of hoops to jump through for the last leg of indie publishing A Heart Most Errant and looking into the extra bits involved in indie publishing for collaborators. Have to admit, these are not my tip-top favorite parts of the writing life. Even so, I am excited to get my stories out there again.

Right now, my focus is on creating a reference book for A Heart Most Ardent, because keeping all that stuff in my head is not reliable. As usual, I am wading in, splashing around in the shallows and seeing what works out. I did have some character sheets that I had looked at in the past, but instead of searching a couple of flash drives for them, I am making my own. I don’t see many resources especially for historical romance, so it may be fun to create a few. This will also be useful as part of a series bible for the wider story world, and I will definitely need a small section for the people, places and things from A Heart Most Errant, where it all began.

Part of what I want to include is a vision board, which I have never properly done, but I am a dab hand at what I call Idea Soup, which is basically the same thing, though not limited to images. Sounds, smells, tastes, other works that remind me of what I am creating, etc. Do I have a plan for this? Not at the moment. I’ll figure it out as I go and then try that as a template for the next bit.

In an only semi-related note, I purchased a mystery bundle from Archer and Olive. Some groovy 60s/70s themed washi in the small white box, and then the vegan leather field closure sketchbook with blank kraft pages. I love Archer and Olive. I love Kraft pages. The wrap closure, however, is most likely not for me. I may give it some time and see if we warm to each other. I am thinking about removing the flap and tie, and rounding the corners of the pages. It is mine now, so there are options. Selling and trading are also options, but we will see. I’ll know what I need to know when I need to know it. This is not the story notebook; that one is disc bound so I can move pages around as needed.

Normally, this is where I would be wrapping up the post, but my brain is soup. Instead, I’ll get nosy and ask what kinds of notebooks are your favorites, if you use them. Hopefully, I will have more brain by the next post. The bar is l ow. 😛

Madam Ambassador’s Dilemma

March 19, 2025March 24, 2025annabowling Leave a comment

This might sound like a title for a historical mystery or space opera, but it is not only not-that, but my very first official post as an ambassador for the lovely and talented Eryka Peskin, abundance coach, photographer, and so much more. She is also on FB as Eryka Lynn Peskin. I first met Eryka in a regional RWA meeting and we immediately hit it off. Now I get to partner with her so we can spread the awesomeness around. How this will work is that each month, I will share some of the fabulous things Eryka is doing, and in return, I may receive some benefit if you contract with Eryka as a result of my posts.

That’s the ambassador part, which we will get to in a moment. The dilemma part is me trying to talk myself out of purchasing a new small Delfonics pouch (this one) because the one I have for my everyday carry is black, and that’s not very spring-y.

I’m not a big yellow person, though I do have a medium size (as above) but in yellow that I could press into service, but it’s bigger than I want to carry every day (hence the small black I have carried for fall and winter.) This is totally a first world problem, and it’s a good one to have. I like the outer pockets, I like the inner pockets, and the small size is what works for me. I also like changing out the colors seasonally. Maybe I can stick with the small black pouch, with springier accessories. (Suggestions? Drop them in the comments.) Maybe I will grab the small yellow pouch (it’s on sale; other colors are pricier. Maybe I will take a third option. In any event, as long as I can keep the tools I need to do my stuff where I can get them, all will be well.

Having the right tools makes life a lot easier, and when it’s people rather than stationery, it’s all the more important. That’s why I’m delighted to share about Eryka’s Space for Spaceholders event:

A space for spaceholders

Thursday, March 20th

Are you a coach, healer, social worker, therapist, bodyworker, or someone who holds space for clients in some way? Amazing coach and trauma trainer Eryka Peskin is hosting free) space for YOU to get the community and support that you need and offer to others.

Details here: eepurl.com/didJSn

Next up is one of the reasons I want to make sure I’m organized and and put hands on what I need when I need it:

Revive Your Resilience and support your Window of Tolerance

Starts Monday, March 24th

I’m feeling pretty drained and UNresilient these days due to all the things, so I’m super pumpedl that my coach Eryka Peskin is offering this program!

Revive Your Resilience is a free 5 day program to learn about the Window of Tolerance and our resilience, and how to support these essential resources in order to regulate and take care of your nervous system and vastly improve your quality of life during These Times!

Investment: FREE!

Details here: eepurl.com/gdujLT

I love Eryka’s programs, and this is one of my favorites. I’m already registered, and very much looking forward to learning more about bouncing back from the urrrrrrrrggggh. World events, new therapy journey, becoming an independent author/publisher, and my third lap of new-author-dom definitely call for a dose of resilience.

I’m also looking forward to another of Eryka’s offerings, that of a Fierce Cheerleading session. Ever want someone to focus on telling you how awesome you are and what you’re doing right, an mean it? Then Fierce Cheerleading is for you. Stay tuned for some personal highlights in early April after Eryka shakes her pompoms in my general direction.

Shaking my own pompoms for a minute: I actually posted this blog on time. Good job, me. What’s something awesome you did today? Drop in the comments and get a compliment.

Typing With Wet Nails

for the love of romance

life