Tuesday, December 23, 2014

FAMILY AND CHRISTMAS DOXIE LIGHTS

Alexa 9, Annika 10, Asher 4
Dear Blog,

Sorry I've neglected you of late.  There is just so much going on in November and December.  Why, in November alone our family has three birthdays!  And, then there's Thanksgiving . . .

And in December, we have one birthday and two anniversaries.  Before my mom died, there were two birthdays.  And then there's Christmas, along with special Christmas programs at church, Christmas parties, gift shopping, gift wrapping, decorating, cooking . . . and I love all of it.

The grandchildren and our daughter Holly and son-in-law are with his family in NC.  They'll be back Christmas Day.

Our daughter Bethany and hubby who live in AZ are flying in to Atlanta TONIGHT!  Oh, there will be great rejoicing in the Hinton household, let me tell you!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!  I'll have to neglect this blog again until after New Year's--but I'm sure you understand.  Many blessings and love from on high to each of you.

Philip and Holly

Kurt and Bethany


Look what we found!  Christmas doxies!!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

A DACHSHUND'S TRIBUTE

The e-book version of A DACHSHUND'S TRIBUTE, Book 4 of THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES series, was released on December 8, but the paperback version should be released sometime next week.  Whew!  I've been working hard on getting the manuscript properly formatted for publication.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!


Monday, December 15, 2014

PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR DOG LOVERS!


Have you ever wondered what your dachshund was really thinking? Then Sarge the doxie's warmhearted tales are for you! Enjoy Sarge's Christmas holidays with his human family and animals--each book includes a different Christmas tale in his life. (And feel free to share this post to reach more potential readers.) 

He tells all--beginning when he was adopted at eight weeks, through "helping" raise three human siblings in a busy pastor's family, sharing life from his "lowdown from the ground," and coping daily with zany human behavior!

The four books of THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES are the perfect Christmas gifts for dog lovers of all ages, available in e-book or paperback. Click on the link below for more information or visit www.MavisDukeHinton.com:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_17?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=mavis+duke+hinton&sprefix=mavis+duke+hinton%2Caps%2C188

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

DOXIES LIKE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS, TOO!



Here's a photo of Duke and Shadow on Christmas a few years ago.  Notice they are VERY interested in the presents?  That's because both of them absolutely love presents and enjoy opening theirs.  They also enjoy "helping" anyone else open their own gifts, too!

Does your dachshund like presents?

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.


Monday, December 8, 2014

SHADOW THE DOXIE-DEER

Granddawg Shadow, 13, seems to have gotten the hang of Christmas:  he somehow managed to get a berry stuck to his nose, so daughter Holly took his picture.

He is now known as Shadow the doxie-deer, LOL.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!



Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

DACHSHUND ROAST

They do this all winter when the fireplace is in use!  And in the summer, it's lying in the sun.  Doxies seem to love heat!


MERRY CHRISTMAS, doxie lovers!

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

THE REASON FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

Up front and personal, with the Christmas season upon us, I wish to say unequivocally that JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

As Christians, our family enjoys all the fun holiday traditions, of course, but always mindful that Christmas is the celebration of Christ's birth, who came as Savior to all who accept Him.  That is great cause for rejoicing!  I'll be posting lots of Christmas photos and decorations this month, because I enjoy it so much.

So . . . I want to wish each of you a blessed and spectacular Christmas season.  May the Lord grant you peace, joy, and love.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!







Tuesday, December 2, 2014

THANKSGIVING 2014

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, AND also celebrated my birthday with a trip to the Helen, GA, in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  It's a small Bavarian town on the Chattahoochee River, and it is very quaint and relaxing.  

We returned to enjoy Thanksgiving Day at our daughter Holly's and family.  Clark and I had a good time.

Here are some photos:


With the grands before leaving for Helen
Park beside the Chattahoochee River
Clark in the midst of it all

Thanksgiving table decor




Our delicious meal!
With the grands and Duke after the meal

Sunday, November 23, 2014

HOW TO HELP AN AUTHOR



I personally don't know why book reviews are so important these days, but they are.  Perhaps some readers won't purchase a particular book without reading the reviews associated with it, but then, it is a personal thing.  What I like might not be what you like.  And I usually look for genre, the synopsis, and the book cover rather than reading reviews myself.

With that said, my rule of thumb for leaving a book review on Amazon:  I try to stay as positive as possible.  It is fine to not like a particular book, genre, etc., but not fine to personally attack an author.  If I cannot leave a positive review, then I just don't leave a review at all.  Amazon will not remove negative reviews, so such can hound an author for many, many years--I know that my first edition of my first book was not as well written as my latest books, and a negative review of the first one might "poison the well" for others to even read the rest of the books in the series.

So, I ask that you think twice before leaving that negative review!


Saturday, November 22, 2014

SO MANY DOXIES--SO LITTLE TIME!



All of these doxies are beautiful, don't you agree?  I haven't ever seen some of them in person:  #1, #13, or #18.  What about you?

I'm partial to smooth coat black-and-tan doxies, of course,  But I love all of 'em!

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

HERE HE IS . . . TA DA! SHADOW . . . THE . . . DOXIE!


I'm kinda partial to Shadow, our granddawg, as far as dachshunds go.  He comes in at a very close second place for me behind our own doxie Duke.

Shadow is 13, is a black-and-tan mini, and you'll never meet a smarter doxie.  He's so smart that he "wrote" THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES series of books!  Sarge is based upon Shadow, and many of the incidents in these books really happened.

Here he is sporting his brand new hooded sweater that his "mama" got him (our daughter Holly).  Oh, he's compliant and will wear just about anything the family puts on him (a wig, a bridal veil, a grandma bonnet--you get the idea).  But that face says it all!

I can imagine what he's saying--after all, I've written five books from a dachshund's viewpoint, so I can't help myself, LOL:

"All right, Mama, I'm wearing it, but I don't have to like it!"

"Do you know how ridiculous I look in this getup?"

"It's not cold in the house, Mama--so tell me again why I have to wear a sweater??"

And so on.

Wanna caption the photo?  Then leave a comment below.

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

A DACHSHUND'S TRIBUTE NOW AVAILABLE!

A DACHSHUND'S TRIBUTE, Book 4 of THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES, is now available for 
pre-order in the Kindle Store on www.amazon.com!  It's just in time for Christmas!

Don't have a Kindle?  No problem:  get the free Kindle app on Amazon to read Kindle books on your tablet, smart phone, or computer.

What is this book about?
“Christmas just isn’t Christmas without family. When Papa got sick and ended up in the hospital, I was so worried that something would happen to him. I decided right then that I would never take my family for granted again.” 

Sarge the doxie is at it again: charming his readers with endearing stories about his zany family of humans and animals. Surprises as well as wistful moments also come to light in this fourth book of THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES. 

Delicious Southern food, described in precise detail, is practically a cherished family member! So prevalent in his stories, food is lovingly represented by Sarge throughout his tale. 

Sarge also relates another humorous fishing story involving Papa and Sellars, begging the question: do they actually catch fish this time? 

For the church Halloween/fall festival (or Howl-o-wiener, according to Sarge), he wears a costume, too—just like Mama, Daddy, and his human siblings. Readers will smile over the costume contest and its hilarious contestants. 

The Christmas holidays bring all his family together, including Papa and Sellars, human counterparts of “chow hounds.” Daddy reads the Christmas story from the Bible, the family shares a fabulous feast, and Papa tells more funny stories. The children’s joy, the giving of gifts, and togetherness—all bring Sarge to the realization that things don’t last forever, thus turning him into quite a perceptive doxie philosopher. 

A DACHSHUND'S TRIBUTE is, after all, Sarge’s heartfelt revelation to the world: that dachshunds truly love and appreciate the companionship of humans—however strangely they behave at times! 

Another heartwarming tale of family, joy, 
good food, and unconditional love, Sarge’s story 
will bring warmth and smiles to readers of all ages. 

Here's the link to the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Dachshunds-Tribute-Dachshund-Escapades-Book-ebook/dp/B00PTJNJZK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1416401866&sr=1-1&keywords=a+dachshund%27s+tribute&pebp=1416401866183

Monday, November 17, 2014

CAT AND DOG FRIENDS

Below are photos of our granddawg, Shadow, and his cat buddies.  The first photo shows Shadow, Aslan, and Piper.  

In the second photo, that's Shadow and Thor, the newest member of his family.  

In the third photo, Shadow is with Piper, one of the sweetest cats you'll ever meet.

They get along just fine, as long as they don't bother Shadow too much.  For some reason, each of the cats in his family (there are three) love to lie on the couch with Shadow.  They're all buddies.









Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em!

Friday, November 14, 2014

CHRISTMAS "COUNTDOWN DEAL" DISCOUNT 

WHAT IS IT? 
A three-day PRICE DISCOUNT for my latest dachshund book, DACHSHUNDS FOREVER (Kindle version)! 
**The perfect Christmas gift for dog lovers**

WHEN?
Mon., Nov. 17: $0.99 all day!
Tue., Nov. 18: $1.99 all day!
Wed., Nov. 19: $2.99 all day!
Thur., Nov. 20: $3.99 (will revert to regular price)

WHERE?
www.amazon.com - click on the link below for details about this book:


http://www.amazon.com/Dachshunds-Forever-Dachshund-Escapades-3/dp/1502739429/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415977437&sr=8-1&keywords=dachshunds+forever

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

THANKSGIVING IS ALMOST HERE!




I've been so busy finishing up A DACHSHUND'S TRIBUTE and promoting DACHSHUNDS FOREVER that I have somewhat neglected posting on my blogs.  Sorry, folks!

With Thanksgiving almost upon us, it is a great reminder to give thanks every day for the many blessings we have and often overlook:  health, family, food, a home, and friends.  And let's not forget our beloved pets.  I am very thankful for Duke; he makes me laugh every day :).

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.

Monday, November 10, 2014

DACHSHUNDS FOREVER EXCERPT

The excerpt is now available by clicking on the DACHSHUNDS FOREVER Excerpt at the top of this blog!  In it, Sarge the doxie mentors his doxie protege Duke on how a proud, full-blooded dachshund is supposed to act.  Gain insight into the mind of a dachshund!

If you are interested in getting a copy of this book for Christmas, here's the Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Dachshunds-Forever-Dachshund-Escapades-3/dp/1502739429/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415647571&sr=8-1&keywords=dachshunds+forever

Monday, November 3, 2014

VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4!



Hi there!

We are here to urge all American citizens to vote in the midterm elections tomorrow, November 4.

We hope you'll vote for candidates who have integrity and who love our country.  Not voting is the same as surrender--and we Americans don't do that, right?

We are too short to reach the voting machines, so we can't vote--we hope you will do so.

Yay, America!