All it takes is one simple deed… and you could win a PET PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION with CHRISTIE of CountryCreek or A DOZEN CUPCAKES – hand made by the incredible, CUPCAKES by HOPE !

If that doesn’t convince you, I’m not above leaning into good, ol’fashioned, guilt.

Through the year, outside of work hours, my phone dings—weekends, evenings, in movies, while I’m sleeping—messages creep in from social media or I get pulled aside in the grocery store.

Full transparency, I love pets, and I adore people who love their pets, so I don’t mind–honestly. I know my general advice can bring peace and comfort and this is why I do what I do. Heck, I’m a veterinarian, but when asked how to repay me for the tips and time, I’m quick to share…

“When my marathon comes round, sponsor me!” 

So, if I’ve answered your phone call, text message, or MSM to discuss what to do because you just ran over your dog or I looked at photos of your dog’s stool, or the possible tick attached to their leg… if we discussed the medical condition of your uncle’s dog, or your friend’s horse after hours, then your name is on my list and it’s time to sponsor me in the Muskoka Novel Marathon to raise money for ADULT LITERACY.

If you’re convinced… PLEASE DONATE HERE!

This isn’t your typical marathon. I’ve been training, but not as you expect. I’m not carbohydrate loading or running 5 miles each morning. I’ve been practicing sitting in one spot without my buttocks falling asleep and plotting the twist in my current novel.

On July 10^th 2025, I’ll be in the Muskoka’s, with an amazing group of people, to write for 3-days-straight to raise money for ADULT LITERACY.  

The links between adult literacy and overall wellness are concrete. Those of us empowered to read acquire jobs, leading to financial security, benefiting the reader and their families. People who can read are handed a map to their own happiness.

All funds raised in the marathon go directly to support ADULT LITERACY programs.

If this is what you needed to hear… PLEASE DONATE HERE!

And again, a bonus… 

Everyone who donates will be entered into a draw to win a PET PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION with CHRISTIE of CountryCreek or A DOZEN CUPCAKES – hand made by the incredible, CUPCAKES by HOPE!

So please, DONATE HERE!

Thank you kindly for your support!

Donna

The post Win a Prize… with One Simple Deed! appeared first on Donna Curtin.

I’M A WINNER and I’m announcing THE WINNERS to my contest, so read on.

Thank you for sponsoring my participation in the 2022 Muskoka Novel Marathon. Your overwhelming support helped me to raise much needed funds for adult literacy programs. Thanks to you, I was honoured with the Remington Award (for the writer who raises the most funds) by raising raising $1,270 from 27 donors.

I’m also thrilled to announce my novel writing creation won an Honourable Mention in the Best Novel-Adult Category. If you would like to know more about my novel writing experience, head over to my Ascribe blog. Here’s a small taste of what my latest manuscript is all about…

Further to raising funds to support important work in adult literacy, I’m pleased to announce that I wrote over 70 pages (that’s about 17,000 words) over the marathon and I can’t wait to get back at it!

Okay. Now for the fun part… my contest winners!

For every $10 donation to support adult literacy, your name was added to TWO separate draws. You should have seen me with all these snippets of paper, with doodled names, stuffed into jars! What a great procrastination project!

There are THREE WINNERS from the first draw. I’ll provide the winner with a character sketch and they will pick the name of a major character for my new novel.

• BERNICE MARSH
• CHRISTINE COGLAN
• SEANA MOORHEAD

And for the final draw, and the winner of a dozen Cupcakes By Hope…. the winner is…

• LAUREN MADER!

Thank you once again for your support.

I will be reaching out to the winners shortly to finalize the details.

The post Announcing the WINNERS! appeared first on Donna Curtin.

              It means I’m going in another marathon! Full transparency, I’m going to use puppies to draw you in, and cupcakes to seal your donation! I have 3 things to tell you.

1. I’m going in a marathon to raise money.
2. You can win prizes if you donate.
3. I’m asking for your donation in return for sharing my veterinary knowledge.

  #1) THE MARATHON I’ve been training hard.   (plotting, dreaming up character motivations, and imagining the most vivid setting) I’ll be sweating and pushing myself to the distance.    (staying up late, cramping my hands, and focusing for hours on end) All to raise money for a great cause!       ADULT LITERACY

  Catch something odd here? You’re right, this isn’t a classic marathon. I’m not going to run thirty kilometres or skip jump-rope for hours on end. I’m going to write! I’m entered in the Muskoka Novel Marathon to raise money for adult literacy. I’ll be writing for 3 days straight, in a writing marathon in support of adult literacy. If you are ready to support now, please go to my donation page. Still reading? How about a random kitten picture??? Will that do the trick? Photo credit to Hope Elphick.   #2. PRIZES As a further incentive, I’m offering PRIZES!

If you donate, you will be entered into TWO randomized draws!

For every $10 donation, you will have a ballot entered to NAME A CHARACTER in my new novel, and one lucky individual will win a dozen cupcakes – hand made by the incredible, CUPCAKES by HOPE.

I’m currently plotting, brainstorming, molding characters and motivations to write a new novel over an extended weekend. Of course, I won’t finish, and it will be in very rough, first draft form! But it will be the spark of a great story. Ready to donate now?

    #3) A TRADE FOR YOUR QUESTION Full transparency–for the final push–I’m going to lay on the guilt! Thick! I spend a great deal of time graciously sharing my veterinary skills and knowledge outside of work hours. So, if I’ve answered your phone call to discuss your dog’s vomit or looked at photos of your cat’s broken tooth… then it’s time to pay up! If you hear from me personally, I’m strongly hinting for donations to support this great cause.

I see you!

I keep a list of everyone who I discuss, email or text with about their veterinary dilemmas… especially in the evening or over weekends. Unless you were in my office, as a registered patient, during work hours… you are on my list!  If we discussed the medical condition of your pet, or your uncle’s dog, or your friend’s horse after hours, then your name is on my list and it’s time to pay up!

Your invoice is coming in the form of a plea to support a good cause.

PLEASE DONATE!   I’ll admit it, I’m looking forward to the writing portion of this marathon. I have a killer concept and as the setting is colouring into my imagination, I’m beginning to hear the voices of my characters squabbling and I can’t wait to begin!

Thank you kindly for your support!

Donna

The post Puppies and Cupcakes! Please donate. appeared first on Donna Curtin.

Yes, that’s right. A Snowy Owl rescue.

As I’m folding laundry–questioning if even half the clothing was actually worn or only scraped off my kid’s floor–my phone rings.

“Hello?” I answer.

and then the cringe worthy words, “Hey, Donna, I’m sorry to bother you on a Saturday…”

I’m not even half way into my first cup of coffee, but some calls I don’t mind answering, even on a Saturday.

Friends of ours, while out biking and running together in Grey-Bruce, came across an injured Snowy Owl and wondering what to do, they called. As a rural veterinarian, I’m not ashamed to admit we do our best to discourage calls to treat wild and exotic animals. We don’t see enough iguana’s or parrots to get good at treating them and frankly, we’re not licensed to treat wild animals. For wildlife, I keep emergency numbers on speed dial; the Ministry of Natural Resources, Rabies Response contacts, and Authorized Wildlife Custodians.

At the Hanover Veterinary Hospital, I work with amazing, energetic and dedicated veterinarians who have a passion for wildlife and zoo animals and as a team, we were able to set into action, Mission: Rescue Hedwig.

Our good Samaritan’s who found the Snowy Owl, were kind enough to abandon their long distance run/bike, to keep our feathered friend in their sites. They presumed the bird had a broken wing, or similar injury, as the owl was unable to fly.

I contacted Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge and our vet clinic agreed to take custody of the Snowy Owl and transport the bird to them for care, as long as the injuries could be treated so they could return the bird to the wild. If a wild bird sustains a catastrophic fracture, one that is complicated or too close to the joint, or if a fracture is open to infection, or if trying to help, even with the best of intentions, is inhumane, then other options would need to be discussed.

Armed with a large locking lid Tupperware, a thick towel and a blanket, my daughter and I followed the detailed directions of our friends to find them parked along the road near a stream and scrub bush bordering a cover-cropped field. They pointed to where a large white owl sat on the ground… watching our activity.

The bird could hop and run along, quite well. It took some persistent and steady herding to get close. It was obvious by the fact the bird had yet to fly away, and the way it’s ineffectual wing couldn’t capture the wind, that there must be an injury.

“Mom,” my daughter whispered from the other side of the bird, “do you remember what I had on my Christmas wish list two years ago?”

“No.” I tried to lower my heart rate, as the owl’s head swiveled and round, yellow eyes took my measure.

“A snowy owl. Can I keep it?”

I chuckled. This must have been during her Harry Potter phase. If only this bird were carrying an invitation to Hogwarts and I could wave my magic wand to make everything better.

With a towel and a blanket, we were able to surround and cover the owl. The Refuge had been very helpful in providing clear directions. Thankfully, Snowy Owls have little contact with humans, so normally, our presence is enough to confuse them. They have two main weapons, the beak and the talons (long, dagger toe nails). My job was to immobilize the bird, keeping her wings tucked in, and avoiding the beak and talons, to place her into the box. Easy, right?

Although my hands were trembling, it was pretty easy.

Moments after being placed into the box, our feathered friend wiggled up from under the blankets.

I couldn’t help snapping a picture and sending it with a quick text to our Harry Potter fanatic veterinarian, who has a keen interest in zoo medicine.

‘Transporting Hedwig to you now.’

On the trip to the veterinary hospital, my daughter kept saying, “Wow, so cool, he can practically turn his head right around!”

I’m not sure how my daughter didn’t pick up this well-known-fact from childhood cartoons and books, but granted, it is much cooler to watch an Owl turn their head almost fully around in real life. Thankfully, the bird did not escape the box on the way to the practice.

At the veterinary clinic, I texted an update with a photo to the Refuge. Their response made me smile. ‘Gorgeous girl!‘

Hmmmm. A girl. Who knew? Could this actually be Hedwig? In J.K. Rowling’s novel, Harry Potter, Harry’s Owl, Hedwig, is a girl. Although, in the movies, Hedwig was mostly played by boy owls. Random fact there for you.

By the time we got our Snowy Owl back to the veterinary hospital, she appeared oddly dirtier. (see the new speckles on her previously white feathers?) But it wasn’t dirt.

A quick inquiry to the refuge brought this response, ‘Oh, ya, lice. Very common in all birds of prey.‘

Alright, two concerns here; #1, I was going to need to get close and personal with this lice ridden bird in order to examine her wing and #2, BIRD OF PREY! I’d almost forgotten, this is a bird who could quite reasonably scratch out my eye. Great.

With the help of two skilled and savvy veterinarians from our practice, we devised a plan to safely immobilize the Owl’s weapons in order to examine the injured wing. I’m a chicken farmer, so thankfully, I’m pretty good at holding chicken legs. This couldn’t be much different, right?

We got Hedwig, as she was now called in my head, with her legs and long talons, held between the fingers of my one hand, while I kept control of her head in my other hand.

Her toes stretched, so at times her talons wrapped fully around my finger, but on the whole she was as gentle with us, as we were careful to be with her. With a towel over her head to keep her quiet, my associate stretched out and examined each wing carefully. Thankfully there were no open wounds, no decaying flesh and our owl was alert and appeared otherwise healthy.

We took an x-ray of each wing, so we could compare the injured wing to the normal, as we frankly have very little experience assessing for fractures in birds and then we sent the radio-graphs off to the refuge.

We gave the owl an injection of pain medication, added additional breathing holes to the box and covered her up in a dark room to relax after what must have been a stressful experience. One of our veterinarians volunteered to transport Hedwig to the Wildlife Custodian for treatment and I went home to put my clothing through the laundry.

I had phantom itching all the way home… sure bird lice were crawling everywhere.

As I was leaving our veterinary hospital, located in a residential part of a busy town, right beside the local high school, I was met at the end our lane by a raccoon. Granted, it was a warm thawing day, the temperature atypically well above freezing, so I assume this critter awoke from his winter slumber, but I swear he smirked and waved as we drove past.

Then, stopped at a light as we were leaving town, and I KID YOU NOT, there was this car.

Alright, enough was enough. I shook my head and read the license plate again… I guess I will take this as Mother Natures way of saying, ‘Thank you’.

This adventure has been great fun, but we are still not licensed to practice veterinary medicine on wild animals, and although I’m a firm believer of ‘let nature be’, I’m glad we were able to help this special owl.

I have many things to thankful for;

• to have friends who are great enough to stop, to call, and to care for our wildlife.
• to have amazing associates, willing to give of their time and energy to help an animal in distress.
• to have organizations like Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge to accept and care for these magnificent creatures.
• and to Hedwig, for not impaling me with her incredible talons.

Please see the Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge website for continued updates on this Snowy Owl. I understand she is doing very well and they hope for a full recovery.

NOTE: If there is an eleven year old girl or boy out there, practicing magic in hiding, waiting for their invitation to Hoggwarts, I hope your letter will be delivered shortly, as soon as Hedwig is released to the wild once again (as my daughter will not be keeping a Snowy Owl for Christmas).

Please donate to help animals like this Snowy Owl and support Hobbitstee with their amazing work.

This image is credited to a local Grey-Bruce photographer, Connie Miller.

The post Hedwig’s Rescue appeared first on Donna Curtin.

My 5th Marathon.

Every July, for the last 5 years, I have driven up to Huntsville to spend the weekend with the most dedicated and inspired writers. Certainly one of my best opportunities to put words down, to share in my love of writing and to raise money for adult literacy.

Literature is the dew to my soul.

I cannot imagine not being able to enjoy reading and writing and yet according to the YMCA, 1 in 6 people in Ontario can barely read at a basic level.

I hope that in sharing my adventure, I can shine a light on this statistic and raise money for programs to help teach others to read and write.

Over the weekend, I will be updating this post, sharing my thoughts, challenges, successes and page count.

If you feel so inclined, please feel free to make a donation. No pressure though.

Although, I will honour my 2018 offer and… if you make a donation, I will name a character after you.

To make a donation… visit my 2019 author page on the Muskoka Novel Marathon website. Thank you!

FRIDAY NIGHT

10 pages in… yes, that is correct, since the bell at 8pm, I have written over 2000 words.

As much as these words are enough to celebrate on their own, the most glorious part of returning has been seeing these amazing people.

I body-check-hugged Column and have been reunited with other fivers (kindred spirit 5 year marathoners). Lenore, the ‘queen of many words’ shared how glad she was to see me back and this has spread cheerful warmth to my toes.

In essence. I’m glad I came.

Back to writing!

SATURDAY NIGHT

It’s nearly midnight. My neck is screaming, my forearms are cramping and my butt cheeks are numb from sitting in the same position for FAR too long. I’ve written another 14,000 words to bring me up to a whopping 70 pages.

I’ve also discovered that, although I love to brainstorm ideas. I’m a ‘pantster’, meaning I like to write free style and I need to own it. I spent innumerable hours plotting the second half of my novel and have found in the process that I was completely…

stuck

and didn’t want to move forward. It was no longer fun to write as I already knew what was going to happen.

Therefore, I let go,

and oddly enough, I’m still following the general guide of my original plot, but not in the exact same way.

Somehow this feels new and fresh and fun.

I’m exhausted and it’s time for bed. Good night.

SUNDAY NIGHT

100 PAGES BABY, EAT THAT!

Getting stuck in the middle.

Bogged down by an outline and it’s lack of creativity.

Switching from project to project.

Finally…finally finding my characters motivation and we’re off!

I’ve tossed the formal, neatly typed outline and have since regressed to ill-eligible scribbles on disorganized post it notes and things are moving along nicely.

Although, I do miss my family, my bed (man I miss my bed) and I miss my work buddy, Jasper.

The post Back to the Marathon… appeared first on Donna Curtin.

Grab your coffee and cuddle up to the radio!

From time to time, I will be joining Dr. Clayton Greenway live on the radio to help answer all your pet related questions.

The show is called ANIMAL HOUSE and you can find it by tuning in to http://www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010/shows/animal-house-1.1813128 !

NewsTalk 1010 radio, recorded and aired live in Toronto, broadcasts east to Belleville, north to Barrie, West to Guelph and South to Niagara and simulcasts live in London with rebroadcasts in St. John’s NL and Victoria BC. This show has the potential to reach over 300,000 listeners weekly.

Feel free to call in! I promise not to hide from your tough questions.

If you go to this website http://www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010 and click on the PLAY symbol, the live radio should stream in for you.

I will post my next guest show date under the News & Events tab.

Donna

The post It’s going to be an ANIMAL HOUSE! appeared first on Donna Curtin.

And you – my family, friends and animal lovers, came through with incredible support…

and I reached my fundraising goal and beyond.

On Friday, July 13^th of this past summer, I started writing at 8pm and wrote through to 8pm on Monday night. I slept a little, ate very well (thanks to the amazing marathon kitchen crew) and dreamed up a new character to star in my contemporary fantasy novel.

On September 28^th, I will be travelling back up to Huntsville with my daughter to attend the Muskoka Novel Marathon Wrap up.

In a blink, two months have flown by and I have failed to post this formal thank you.

That’s right. Thank you.

Your support of adult literacy and my writing aspirations is, well… come a little closer so I can lay a big ol’ wet one on you!

Firstly, I couldn’t be who I am today, an animal doctor, without my ability to read the text books at school and further, without my ability to read fiction, I don’t think I would have made it through University.

Throughout my schooling, it was my ability to get lost in other worlds, to live in the stories told by creative authors that helped me to relax, escape and persevere through the challenges.

Next, thank you for your support of adult literacy. Your donation has gone towards programming to help others learn to read and write—something many of us take completely for granted.

Furthermore, my ability to write, to squirrel away time for myself, to share in the craft of writing with other like-minded individuals, has helped to offer much needed stress relief and balance in my life.

Thank you for your donation.

Do you remember what I promised?

If you sponsored, I would find a way to work your name into my writing.

Well, I started writing a new novel and you’re in it!

I look forward to sharing my story with you and hope you have fun finding your name…

someday…

but first I have to finish it.   Love Donna

The post Let Me Smack One On You! appeared first on Donna Curtin.

Well, now is your chance!

If you make a donation – to support adult literacy – I will name a character in my next novel after YOU.

That’s right… go to my donor page… make a donation and I will name a character in an actual book, after YOU!

https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=4129292&langPref=en-CA

PLEASE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS…

• Have you ever stopped me during a meeting, a lunch or while I was shopping in the grocery store to ask about your dog’s lump?
• Have you sent me pictures of your kitten’s butt… trying to decide his or her sex?
• Have you given my contact information to your friend/sister/mother/cousin-twice removed knowing full well they were going to call me on a Sunday night to ask me about their itching dog?
• Have you called and played me a recording of your cat hacking up a fur ball?
• Have you sent me a picture of your pet bleeding in some way?
• Have you dropped by on a Saturday night to ask for help removing a tick from your dog?
• Have you asked me to bring home medication or food or your pet from my office?
• Have you Facebooked? Emailed? Carrier Pigeon-ed with some question about your pet during non-business hours???

Well, now is your time to say, ‘THANK YOU, VET DONNA’ and support a cause that I am passionate about.

(Please note… this is ALL IN FUN. I love you and your pets… but I’m not below using guilt to encourage you to make a donation.)

Remember… I will name a character after YOU!

https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=4129292&langPref=en-CA

BUT WAIT!

Before you panic, I will not roast you and most likely the character you are named after will have very litter resemblance to you… unless you have been terrible to me, then, you might find yourself in literature as a dung-beetle.

In July, I shall once again be participating in the Muskoka Novel Marathon to raise money for the YMCA Adult Literacy program.

For 72 intense hours, I will be torturing my characters, tossing them into trauma and discord… to see how they cope. I will sit on my bum till it tingles with sleep, overdosing on coffee and writing till my fingers cramp.

I’m researching and plotting conflict and humour…. now all I need are NAMES.

So PLEASE… sponsor me… so I can finally name my characters!

Thank you for your support.

You can contact me directly or support through this website.

https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=4129292&langPref=en-CA

Donna  (again… I love your pets and all your questions!)

The post Sponsor to Become a Character! appeared first on Donna Curtin.

I came upon a Twitter thread where a frustrated author was venting. This author, who I might add, is already at least a decade ahead of my writing success because she has a published book that in my imagination has a stunning hard cover hugging her words, was annoyed after being asked, “So, how many books have you sold?”

My first thought was, ‘what an honour—to have a book to sell’ but the author was quite upset by the question and expressed how she felt the person had blatantly asked, “So, how much do you make?”, as if the curious person had requested to see her undergarments and T4.

To read more, please visit the ASCRIBE website where this post lives.  Thank you.

The post HOW TO SUPPORT AN AUTHOR… other than buying their book appeared first on Donna Curtin.

Get them a book.

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