I just learned that one of my stories was accepted in The Ultimate Dog Lover book, published by HCI, and will appear on the bookstore shelves this November. I’m thrilled to be in a book among other amazing dog lovers!
Book description:
“Are You Crazy About Your Dog? From their life’s work as a veterinarian, a pet-care columnist, and an animal rescue volunteer respectively, Marty Becker, D.V.M., Gina Spadafori, and Carol Kline have been privy to some incredible stories about dogs and their humans—psychic dogs, heroic dogs, and therapy dogs who have healed their owners physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They’ve also fielded just about every question under the sun pertaining to our furry friends’ health, wellness, training, and behavior: ‘Why doesn’t my dog come when I call him?’, ‘Why is she being aggressive at the dog park?’, ‘Will my house ever be free of tumbleweed hairballs?’ These esteemed experts have compiled a winning mix of heart-tugging, tail-wagging stories about some of the world’s most endearing and amazing dogs with essential expert information in the areas of behavior and training, sports and leisure activities, and preventative care and health issues. With comprehensive facts, stunning four-color photography, and awe-inspiring true stories, this is the ‘ultimate’ book for ultimate dog lovers.”
My story is not about Kelly (sorry Kelly!) but about my childhood compani
on, Happy. Our neighbors had found Happy, skinny and mud-covered, abandoned in the woods. My mom describes him as the homeliest, scroungy bag of bones she ever saw but I took one look at him, threw my arms around his neck and said “He’s beautiful!”
We were unseparable from when I was in kindergarten all the way through high school. The story, Happy Together, tells of a time when my mother, borthers and I were staying at a summer camp, and my father wanted to take Happy back home with him for protection. I won’t give away the ending, but it seems the bond between girl and dog just couldn’t be broken.
Congratulations! It’s a wonderful story.
And you don’t have to wait until November. The book comes out in a special Petsmart edition at the end of August, and will be in all the stores shortly after that.
Thank you Gina. I will be running to Petsmart at the end of August for a copy. I can’t wait to see all those photos too, I submitted a few I thought were pretty good and they didn’t make it. The caliber of photos that are in the book must be fantastic. Did you participate in the selection of photographs, Gina? You must have been overwhelmed (and in your glory!) with so many beautiful dog shots! This is going to be a beautiful book all us dog lovers are going to want to look through again and again.
Congrats! How exciting. I’d love to score some gigs like that, but I’ve heard the contract and pay in such situations isn’t so hot … and a girl needs to pay her bills.
Some of these books actually pay better than many magazines. For me, it’s all about writing what I love. I write for Guideposts and other magazines (which I love, also!) to pay the bills. Then I fill in with for smaller markets and these great anthologies when I have an appropriate story. It helps build up the clips and the platform too.