MEDIA
UPDATES
KTVU
TV, a Fox Affiliate, will be featuring the author on "Bay
Area People", taping on August 20.
KPFA
Radio, San Francisco, will be taping the author for
"Cover to Cover" in their studio on August 4.
The
Martha Stewart syndicated radio program on Sirius will
feature The Parrot Who Thought She Was a Dog on July 28.
Book
signing and speaker requests are coming in from across
the country; more details as these develop.
Nancy
Ellis-Bell is now sharing her parrot stories on The Parrot
Perch.com
Nancy
Ellis-Bell will be on an expansive radio satellite tour,
Tuesday, July 22 while she is in New York for her book
launch.
There
will be a book launch event and signing at Uptown Birds,
Amsterdam @ 85th, New York, New York on Wednesday, July
23 at 6:00. Refreshments will be served.
Nancy
Ellis-Bell is in discussion with CBS for a potential series
on People and Their Parrots directed toward either Animal
Planet or the Discovery Channel.
The
radio satellite tour is now up to 21 cities, with 2 national
shows in the mix.
The
Orlando Sentinel Review, posted July 18, 2008 –
link: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_lifestyle_animal/
Planned
reviews in the November/December issue of Best Friends
magazine.
Richmond
Times-Dispatch review is assigned for September 7.
Marion
Roach will be promoting the book on Martha Stewart Living
Radio’s Naturalist’s Datebook the week of
July 28.
San
Jose Mercury News review is assigned.
Northern
California media and TV also planned.
Shelf
Awareness review released July 16:.
The
Parrot Who Thought She Was a Dog by Nancy Ellis-Bell
"I
had adopted a raptor," Nancy Ellis-Bell admits
to herself in this charming journal of unexpected love
between a one-legged macaw and a literary agent good
with problematic animals. When she first met the caged
blue-and-gold bird, she was drawn to its gorgeous plumage
and its four-ft. wingspan. The vets and caretakers warned
her about the bird's viciousness. A single soulful gaze
into the macaw's wise eyes was all it took to hook Ellis-Bell
on the bird whom she named Sarah and on every last issue
her wildness might present.
Ellis-Bell
brought Sarah home in a cage that dominated a 10'-by-12'
converted trailer already crowded with two dogs, two
cats and a husband. When Ellis-Bell finally decided
to let Sarah out of her cage to roam around the house,
one thing became very clear: the bird ruled. Everything
from furniture to French lingerie became hers. Anyone
who has ever loved a "difficult" pet will
heartily enjoy the detailed inventory for raptor-proofing
a home. Each tale of another ingenious method that wild
things devise to get what they want recalls times when
all we can do is say, "That's cute."
Ellis-Bell,
the one who thought she was in control, learns many
lessons from Sarah. First of all, macaws choose one
mate, and Sarah chose Ellis-Bell as hers. Before you
say, "That's cute," meet harsh mistress Sarah:
jealous, possessive and loud enough when miffed to bring
in the police. Pats for the dogs and cats had to be
delivered out of Sarah's sight. As for sex between lawfully-wedded
husband and wife, the operative word was furtive. Pet-haters
will ask, "Why did she put up with this?"
Pet-lovers, though, will thrill to every minute of the
adventure.
Not
to spoil all the fun, I offer only one tidbit. One early
spring day, Ellis-Bell ventured out to her garden to
plant bulbs. By this time, Sarah had begun behaving
like her little dog, following her everywhere (the macaw
had also displaced the dogs, developed a taste for their
bones and perfected an imitation of their barks. All
together now, "That's cute!"). Sarah watched
intently as Ellis-Bell dug a hole and planted a bulb.
As it so happens, macaws love to dig in dirt. Sarah
then proceeded to dig her own hole and wait for a bulb
to be put in place so that she could cover it up, too.
At moments like that, and there are many, Ellis-Bell
persuades her readers to feel and see the unforgettable
passion she shared with Sarah.--John McFarland
