Matthew told me an amusing story he read on the skunkchat community. Apparently a neighbor of the president of the ADSA (American Domestic Skunk Association) was sitting on his porch when a skunk meandered up and started rubbing against his leg. Knowing that his neighbor kept skunks, he reached down and pet it for a while, and then called her up, letting her know that one of her black and white babies had gotten loose and was on his porch.
Her reply: All of her skunks were accounted for, and besides, she didn’t have any black and whites.
Turns out he’d been petting a wild, fully-loaded skunk for the last ten minutes or so. Hee!
All skunks are lap skunks:
Writing Stuff:
Opened up my email this morning to a wonderful note from Andy Cox, editor of The Third Alternative (as well as Interzone). He thought my novelette “Running on Two Legs” was “superb,” and wants it for TTA!
I’m so very, very pleased. I love “Running on Two Legs.” I think it’s one of my best stories, and I’m emotionally attached to it. I was getting a bit disheartened for a while there, despite Ann Crispin, Victoria Strauss, and Kathleen O’Malley giving it wonderful comments when I sent it through Ann’s Advanced Workshop at Dragon*Con in ’02. It also won an Honorable Mention in the WotF contest, but still no buyers, although I was racking up some very nice editorial comments.
Then I found out that Andy Cox had taken over Interzone and was reading all subs for both IZ and TTA. I’d already sent “Running” to TTA via their American first reader (cheaper postage) a year or so ago, but had been shot down. Since then, the American reader has been let go. I really thought it was a TTA story and not an IZ one, but since I couldn’t re-sub to TTA (even though I highly suspected Andy had never seen it), I sent it to IZ. And voila, serendipity!
I’m tickled! TTA is a beautiful publication with a fabulous reputation. And Andy said I could send subsequent submissions to him via email, which is extremely considerate of him. Also, it ensures I’ll be sending a lot more subs his way, as I’ve been holding off on overseas submissions of late because of that whole expensive postage thing.
Delighted squeeing to commence.
Scents and smiles
Re: skunks.
There are skunks that are not black and white?
Re: Running.
Cheers joining your squeels. Congrats! Happy dance sent your way.
waywriter.blogspot.com
Re: Scents and smiles
“There are skunks that are not black and white?“
Oh, yes! Normally not in the wild, but domesticated skunks come in a veritable rainbow of colors. Hobkin, for example, is a “chocolate chip” which means he’s brown and white. Click here to see pix of skunks of different colors at the skunk show we went to last year.
Re: Scents and smiles
Oh, WOW. I never knew about there was so much about skunks, especially the fact they’ve been domesticated. Thanks!
By the by, the collection of pics of the skunks from the show were CUTE!!!
waywriter.blogspot.com.
The skunk story could have gone the other way and still be amusing. “Honest, I thought it wasn’t loaded.” After watching Hobbkin I would guess the key is not to frighten a skunk and you should be ok.
Happy to hear about “Running on Two Legs.” Looks like a freash pair of eyes made the difference.
Yah, skunks don’t want to shoot anymore than animals like being shot. They give plenty of warning before going off. Now if only more people with handguns followed that philosophy . . .
“Fully-loaded skunk” LOL
I figured that’s where the story was going, but wow anyway! Maybe skunks have a sense about who is and isn’t skunk-friendly, like cats do. I never would’ve thought that a wild skunk would be so affectionate though!
Hee! I didn’t know skunks would be affectionate at all until we started exploring the world of pet skunks! Hobkin just loves being cuddled and having his tummy rubbed. I guess wild skunks do too . . .
Love the Lap Skunkie….sure could use one of those each night too 🙂
Nothing beats an armful of cuddle-skunk in the wee hours of the night!
Hobkin is the cutest thing, ever.
EVER! Tell him hi for me. 🙂
Thank you! I certainly will. I’ll give him a squeeze for you too!
I’ve always wanted a skunk, so I love reading about Hobkin’s antics. When I was younger skunks were offered for sale at most petstores, but then they banned them. I didn’t realize you could still get them in some states.
They’re illegal in a lot of places. Even black and white ones are illegal in Georgia. Stupid laws.
Alas, we here in the
convict colonygreat land of oz cannot have skunks as pets.Which is a pity, as Hobkin is truly a beautiful looking skunk.
Now to update my list of pets I’ll never have (Damn laws against owning leopards).
I bet an apricot skunk would be beautiful! (Checked out your skunk page with the color explanations on it.)
Hobkin has the cutest, most kissable looking nose ever.
“Hobkin has the cutest, most kissable looking nose ever.“
Hobkin thanks you!
