Living where I do, I’ve always known it was a possibility a rattlesnake would take up residence in our yard. Considering our “yard” is six acres of scrub-brushy Texas hillside, it was a certainty that the critters were out there all along. But our unseasonably warm weather this week brought at least one of ’em out and into our fenced-in yard. Our dog’s yard. And my precious rescue-dog Tony (the dog we got from the Lockhart Women’s Prison — tell me, have any of your dogs done hard time? Mine has!) was bitten on the back leg.

He’ll live, but it’s a long hard recovery, involving lots of hands-on treatments for me, medicine for Tony, and enormous vet bills for the whole family to enjoy. Life is full of complications, isn’t it? I know a lot of folks would put the house on the market at the first sign of rattlesnakes, but I’m a native Texan and I love my home. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, snakes and all. It’s part of the, um, natural charm. (Now, I just have to buy some really tall boots for the kids…)

The whole incident got me to thinking: Are there enough snakes in my fictional back yard? It’s tempting, when I’m writing middle-grade fiction, to write in a fake — a plastic snake, a garden hose, even a non-poisonous garter snake — or to go too far and write in a forty-foot long Anaconda. But good, thoughtful writing requires the “snake” to be believable, and right for the story. Me? I tend to de-fang my snakes before introducing them to those characters I love so — but I’m determined not to do that in my current WIP. It makes me feel kind of sorry for my main characters, though.

On this week’s writing menu? Snake. (Cue evil laughter: Bwa ha ha ha hah!)

And now, for something completely different: It was my Grandma’s 90th birthday today. We had a family celebration, and she had a blast. Looks good, doesn’t she?

My Grandma enjoying mariachis and fajitas on her 90th birthday.

On the writing front, my lovely agent, Suzie Townsend, has signed some new clients! I wish them all much success. They’re going to love working with Suzie — I do! Click on the link to Suzie’s blog and you can find all of them on her blogroll.

I also received a very sweet blog award from the talented and soon-to-be-published Jenni James. (Love Jane Austen? You’ll love her books!) My next blog post will be 10 things that make me happy, in honor of Jenni’s award.

Who knows? Maybe by then I’ll have another happy thing to add to the list. Always hopin’…