About

I am a fiction writer trying to learn how to write memoir, in small manageable bites. My dog, Cricket, is small and she bites, so I thought she could help.

Cricket is a fourteen pound Cockapoo (cocker spaniel/poodle mix), born on July 13th 2007. She has a strong grasp of the english language, when she wants to. But, most important, she is my social bridge. In the real world, she drags me outside to meet my neighbors, and random strangers with dogs who smell interesting. I’m hoping she can act as my social bridge online, as well, despite the lack of obvious smell.

update: We added Butterfly to the family on November 20th 2012. She was rescued from a puppy mill at eight years old and has added years to the life of this blog.

Butterfly before her bath

Butterfly before her bath

update: Miss Butterfly died at age 12 and 3/4, after almost five years of wonderfulness. It took us a year to find a new dog to keep Cricket company, but I’m pretty sure Butterfly found Ellie for us. Ellie came to us in July of 2018, a five year old Havanese, recently retired from a breeder.

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I recently self published my first novel, Yeshiva Girl, with Amazon. Please check it out!

You can reach me at: cricketpages@earthlink.net

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  1. Piglove's avatar PigLove | April 29, 2013 at 1:24 pm

    Good Monday Morning – check out my blog for today when you get a chance. I left you something there 🙂 XOXO – Bacon

    Reply
  2. KJ Ivany's avatar rogueblogger46 | May 1, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    Thanks for visiting me and Maggie at my blog! Best wishes!

    Reply
  3. ..........'s avatar jackiewriting | May 2, 2013 at 3:13 pm

    Thanks for the likes on my posts!

    Reply
  4. nwolitzer's avatar nwolitzer | May 3, 2013 at 4:35 am

    Thanks for coming back to my blog and liking my post/drawing “Laurie and Mia.” It is nice to see what you are up to with your girls.

    Reply
  5. Sherri Matthews's avatar sherrimatt | May 3, 2013 at 7:43 pm

    Hi Rachel. I have nominated you for The Sunshine Award for your delightful blog. I hope you will accept! The link with the simple rules is: http://sherrimatthewsblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/part-two-the-sunshine-award/ Congratulations!

    Reply
  6. ariannaeliselevy's avatar ariannaeliselevy | May 3, 2013 at 11:19 pm

    This is a fun blog! I laughed when I read, “small and she bites,” mostly because my family has three mini dachshunds who are SO cute, but not friendly to strangers and sure can bite! (All the dachshunds are black and brown, so it’s funny seeing the three of them together, they all blend in with each other!)

    Reply
    • rachelmankowitz's avatar rachelmankowitz | May 3, 2013 at 11:33 pm

      Thank you! One of Cricket’s early nicknames was “the tiny assassin” because she really does have skills. The answer seems to be a constant stream of chicken treats, to change strangers into beloved new friends to be stalked constantly.

      Reply
  7. readingwithrhythm's avatar readingwithrhythm | May 5, 2013 at 3:02 pm

    Thanks for visiting my blog. It’s nice to meet you and Cricket and Butterfly. I wish you JOY in your move and inspiration in your memoir writing. Come by and visit anytime!

    Reply
  8. simonesfascinators's avatar simonesfascinators | May 5, 2013 at 3:36 pm

    thanks for stopping by my blog Living and learning with dogs. I just read yours and it made me smile, any animals can be very healing for humans but especially dogs, they give so much for so little

    Reply
    • rachelmankowitz's avatar rachelmankowitz | May 5, 2013 at 5:06 pm

      Cricket would argue that she should be getting much more out of this arrangement than I do. She’s not interested in selfless giving. But she’s too busy napping – after her trip to Petco, and chicken treats, and cuddles – to speak for herself.

      Reply
  9. stevebottrell's avatar stevebottrell | May 5, 2013 at 5:07 pm

    Thank you for visiting my blog and liking Shadow Boxing. We had a great time.

    Reply
  10. derrycats's avatar derrycats | May 6, 2013 at 12:24 pm

    Rachel, I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger’s Award because I really enjoy reading your blog! You can find your nomination on my blog today. Thanks for what you create in blog land.

    Reply
  11. Jo Danehy @ The Sundog Drift's avatar Jo Danehy | May 8, 2013 at 1:04 am

    Hi Rachel and Cricket. Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

    Reply
  12. nikolel's avatar nikolel | May 12, 2013 at 7:46 pm

    Thank you for visiting and liking my blog! You have lovely photos! Makes me sad that we cannot have pets due to allergies 😦

    Reply
  13. snowieners's avatar snowieners | May 13, 2013 at 6:08 am

    Hi Rachel,
    The Snowieners have nominated your blog for the Versatile Blog Award. You can find all the details here:
    http://pmexblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/versatile-blog…-why-thank-you/
    Happy Dog Mom’s day!

    Reply
  14. literarylew's avatar literary lew | May 15, 2013 at 12:22 am

    Hey, I’ll be over in half an hour if you’ll marry me! My wife said it is okay since you love dogs.. Seriously, we have two mini dachshunds and we’re just crazy about them. Doggies are gifts from the gods and I’m glad you love them. Thanks for dropping by.

    Reply
  15. Mal Firth's avatar Mal Firth | May 18, 2013 at 1:25 pm

    Hi Rachel, thanks for visiting my blog at The Wrinkly Rambler. Hope you liked what you saw there. It’s nice to find a blog like yours, funny and heart warming. Keep on keeping on. 😉

    Reply
  16. Anelemc's avatar Anelemc | May 20, 2013 at 9:50 pm

    Hello Rachel,
    I enjoy following your blog and the antics of Crickets and Butterfly. Our dogs are emotional and healing companions and I appreciate the honesty in your writing therefore.. I’ve nominated you for a HUGS award!
    Please refer to this site: http://ahopefortoday.com/2012/01/14/hope-unites-globally-hug-award-guidelines

    Reply
  17. haywardhelen's avatar haywardhelen | May 22, 2013 at 8:34 am

    Thanks for having a peek at my Dogs Home post, Rachel. Perhaps I’ll be able to get some tips from you as Pipi gets a bit older. A nice looking site, too.

    Reply
  18. KG Visions's avatar KG Visions | May 25, 2013 at 6:46 am

    Thank you for stopping by 🙂 Love your blog!

    Reply
  19. celestedimilla's avatar celestedimilla | May 27, 2013 at 2:17 pm

    Hey there Rachel! Your dog is adorable!! I must admit that I’m partial to cocapoos since my dog, Mambo, is one as well. And my husband and I use Mambo as a social bridge too. We didn’t know any of our neighbors before we got Mambo, and now we know most of them. Dogs are so wonderful! What kind of fiction do you write? Have you published any books? Celeste 🙂

    Reply
    • rachelmankowitz's avatar rachelmankowitz | May 28, 2013 at 1:36 am

      Thank you! I’ve written a young adult novel, but it’s still swimming in rejection letters. There’s dog in almost everything I write, it’s an addiction.

      Reply
      • celestedimilla's avatar celestedimilla | May 28, 2013 at 8:54 pm

        I love that there’s a dog in everything you write! Everyone (well almost everyone) loves dogs. I’ve heard that it’s really, really hard to get a book published. I think it’s awesome that you’ve actually finished a book. It’s something I’ve wanted to do most of my life, but all I have to show for it are several unfinished manuscripts. Anyway, I hope you’ll keep submitting your book, you never know which publisher is going to snatch it up! Celeste 🙂

      • rachelmankowitz's avatar rachelmankowitz | May 28, 2013 at 9:55 pm

        Persistence is everything, and meds.It is always worth it to finish a novel, short story, non-fiction book. Getting published is secondary. good luck!

  20. Moira's avatar Moira | May 28, 2013 at 3:51 am

    Thanks for visiting my blog and liking my recent posting on Kid-Approved Turkey Meatballs. Your “About” doesn’t mention anything about “kids,” so I’m left wondering if the recipe sounded appealing to you or Cricket. 😉

    Reply
  21. charlotte's avatar charlotte | May 31, 2013 at 11:15 am

    Thank you for liking my blog!

    Reply
  22. Lady Liz's avatar Lady Liz | May 31, 2013 at 3:13 pm

    Hi, thanks for visiting my blog! You have a great blog and adorable dogs!

    Reply
  23. charlotte's avatar charlotte | May 31, 2013 at 8:01 pm

    Butterfly is SO cute!

    Reply
  24. Kimberly Townsend Palmer's avatar kimberly townsend palmer | June 2, 2013 at 12:53 pm

    i also have a pug boy, 2 kitties, a small parrot, an aquatic turtle, and her assoociated fishpond. i have to wash my hands a large number of times each day, needless to say!!! i’m a sucker for animals, always have been.

    Reply
  26. Wife After Death's avatar Wife After Death | June 6, 2013 at 8:47 am

    Hey there thanks for the like on my blog! Funnily enough, my hound is a cockerpoo too, a black one! Great blog. X

    Reply
  27. Lindsey's avatar Lindsey | June 6, 2013 at 5:23 pm

    Cute dog!! I have a giant idiot monster of a rottweiler and a neurotic border collie; I get jealous of tiny dog owners 🙂

    Reply
    • rachelmankowitz's avatar rachelmankowitz | June 7, 2013 at 1:18 am

      Thank you! I wonder what you’d have to do to prevent a border collie from becoming neurotic. Maybe bring sheep into the house? Give the dog a stack of crossword puzzles? Those guys make me feel so inferior.

      Reply
  28. Scott Johnson's avatar Scott Johnson | June 6, 2013 at 11:16 pm

    Thanks for checking out my blog! Good luck with your memoir.

    Reply
  29. THE NEW BARKER's avatar Anna Cooke | June 11, 2013 at 2:19 pm

    Hi Rachel, thanks for checking out The New Barker blog. I am now a fan of yours.

    Reply
  30. Sadie Jane's avatar Sadie Jane | June 13, 2013 at 12:30 am

    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog…I’ve enjoyed reading your experiences with your dogs. They are wonderful teachers, aren’t they?

    Reply
  31. Bugburrypond's avatar Bugburrypond | June 16, 2013 at 3:14 am

    Hi Rachel, thanks for the like! I’m an author & obsessed with my dog as well, so I’m looking forward to your posts 🙂

    Reply
  32. soireadthisbooktoday's avatar soireadthisbooktoday | June 16, 2013 at 4:02 pm

    That photo of Cricket before the bath is darling. The light coloured ones always, always love the mud!

    Reply
  33. kayuk's avatar kayuk | June 19, 2013 at 2:53 pm

    Thanks for visiting and leaving a few ‘likes’ on our blog. Hope you don’t mind if I hang out for a little while.

    Reply
  34. kayuk's avatar kayuk | June 20, 2013 at 2:09 am

    Hi Rachel, Thanks for checking out my blog! 🙂

    Reply
  35. Crazy Beautiful Weddings (CBW)'s avatar taniaknowsbest | June 20, 2013 at 4:02 am

    Thanks for visiting my blog and liking my post “Will You Be My Puppy of Honor?” I also enjoyed reading your page, you’re dogs are so cute! 😊👍

    Reply
  36. kiwidutch's avatar kiwidutch | June 20, 2013 at 5:44 pm

    Rachel, I have a question please: What is a “puppy mill” please?
    Excellent that you take a dog that has been rescued from somewhere…wonderful!

    Reply
    • rachelmankowitz's avatar rachelmankowitz | June 21, 2013 at 2:00 am

      Puppy mill is a general term for places that raise dogs in bulk, in cages, with little socialization or health care. Puppies from these places are often ill and have all sorts of genetic disorders. And the breeding mamas and papas are there for years, never touching grass, or getting cleaned or cared for. Butterfly was eight years old when We adopted her, and she had just recently had another litter. It’s heart breaking.

      Reply
  37. freespirit424's avatar freespirit424 | June 21, 2013 at 3:01 pm

    Hi Rachel, love your blog and thanks for checking mine out.

    Reply
  38. jlpiallat's avatar jlpiallat | June 22, 2013 at 9:09 pm

    I love your blogs, your photos are very beautiful. I’ll be back… I also have a second blog on old pictures.
    piallat.wordpress.com
    SENSUALITE | La beauté à l’état pure

    Reply
  39. Sabrina's avatar Sabrina | June 23, 2013 at 5:58 am

    Hi Rachel. Thanks for dropping by my blog. Your pets are very adorable and their names unusual 😉

    Reply
    • rachelmankowitz's avatar rachelmankowitz | June 23, 2013 at 12:15 pm

      Thanks for coming by! Cricket chose her own name, buy hopping and crying like a Cricket when she came home as a puppy. Then when Butterfly came, she needed to fit in with her new sister, and the name fits her perfectly.

      Reply
  40. Eileen Thompson's avatar Eileen Thompson | June 23, 2013 at 8:47 am

    Thanks for visiting and liking my blog. Love your little Doggie …

    Reply
  41. jayhawkinvacy's avatar jayhawkinvacy | June 23, 2013 at 4:38 pm

    Thank you for visiting my blog!

    Reply
  42. comfortpetsits's avatar Comfort Family Pet Care | June 26, 2013 at 3:19 am

    Thank you for liking my video. I enjoyed reading your about me page. I can totally relate with a few of the things you said. Your doggies are so cute 🙂

    Reply
  43. Shari Kelley's avatar Shari Kelley | June 26, 2013 at 3:50 am

    You have a lovely blog here. The way you write really keeps my interest and makes me see what you are talking about. Your dogs sound so sweet. Thanks for stopping by my blog. It is nice to meet you!

    Reply
  44. hereisandrea's avatar hereisandrea | June 27, 2013 at 7:05 pm

    Thanks for liking my post. Your blog looks very interesting and I’m definitely going to have a look around! Your doggies are adorable! 🙂

    Reply
  45. Pit's avatar Pit | June 30, 2013 at 2:23 pm

    Cure little doggies.
    Thanks for liking my post about Buster. 🙂
    Best regards from southern Texas, and have a great Sunday,
    Pit

    Reply
  46. Christen Mattix's avatar Christen Mattix | July 1, 2013 at 11:20 pm

    Thanks for visiting my blog recently! Happy day to you, Cricket and Butterfly!

    Reply
  47. Cate B's avatar cate b | July 4, 2013 at 1:26 pm

    Hello. Thank you for the visit. 😀

    Reply
  48. Don Segal's avatar Don Segal | July 7, 2013 at 7:08 pm

    I enjoyed your listing of dog disorders, very funny…

    Reply
  49. melimel's avatar melimel | July 11, 2013 at 5:38 am

    Thanks for visiting my blog! I love the perspective/point of view that you write in. Also, I love your dogs! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  50. K. Wolf's avatar wolfx265 | July 11, 2013 at 5:05 pm

    Thanks for visiting my blog and liking my post. Cricket and Butterfly are very cute! I like their names. 🙂

    Reply
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