It's Platypus Monday (Plus a chance to win 1 of 4 books!)

1. I admit it. Before the whole Hey Why Don't You Make A Were-Platypus Cupcake! movement on this blog (inspired by Shannon Messenger and Kerry Allen, may they rest in peace), I hadn't given the platypus more than a passing thought.

2. Now? They're everywhere.

3. Example A: I was watching tv with my kids the other day when a commercial for Littlest Pet Shop came on. Imagine my surprise when the pet being offered was a platypus.

4. Not that the item pictured inside that box looks even remotely like a platypus, but whatever.

5. I decided to investigate this strange occurrence (Because, really? Who expects to buy toy platypi for their kids? Not me.) and discovered the platypus is taking over the internet.

6. Most notably on a site that is a gift shop entirely focused on the platypus.

7. Some of my favorite platypus-inspired items?



Platypus Christmas ornaments. Nothing says Happy Holidays like a semi-aquatic mammal on a string!



A platypus wine stopper! (I love that the site describes this as an "elegant" gift. Because nothing says elegant, posh wine-lover like an animal that sweats milk.)

And my personal favorite:



Canned platypus. It's what's for dinner.

8. But all of those items combined can't possibly match the utter What Were They Thinking?! reaction I had to this gem.

9. You have to click on it and read the description to really get the full impact.

10. The platypus has EGGS. That SQUEAK. And that your dog PULLS from the platypus's sacred egg-carrying orifice.

11. And then YOU get the joy of STUFFING the eggs back IN said orifice.

12. Good times all around!

13. In an abrupt, non platypus-related subject change, I overheard a woman last week say she'd played Farm Town so much on Facebook, she'd decided she really wanted to buy a real farm and live the video game in real life.

14. ...

15. I certainly hope she doesn't decide to start playing Street Fighter IV.

16. In this week's poll (see sidebar), I've listed the titles of the books I'll be giving away in the coming weeks. Of course, the Wednesday interviews will have their own special giveaways!

17. To enter this week's giveaway (and to pick from one of those four books!), leave a comment on this post with three words you'd like to see me work into a piece of writing for this week's Friday Fiction.

18. Just three words.

19. If you have other, platypus-inspired comments to make, feel free, but only those comments including 3 words for my Friday Fiction challenge will go into the drawing.

20. Of course you can nab extra entries as well (but only those who also comment on this post will be in the drawing):

Leave comment w/3 words for Friday Fiction: 1 entry

Tweet a link to this post (include @cjredwine so I see it): 2 entries

Tweet a link to my query or plotting workshops (@cjredwine, http://queryworkshop.blogspot.com) : 3 entries

Be a blog follower: 2 entries

Please tally up your entries and include the total in your comment (to make sure I don't miss any) I'll do the drawing on Friday morning. Then, I'll use the winner's 3 words in a writing prompt, and the winner can choose from one of the four titles I'm currently offering as prizes!