ABANDONED: Sally Mann

In addition to Dr. Jane Goodall, it is also surreal that the words of Sally Mann, one of America’s most renowned photographers, who I have always admired greatly for her wonderful work, adorns the back cover of my book, ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs. It is unbelievable to me that our paths crossed, and I am so grateful and beyond ecstatic they did. I was first introduced to her work during high school, and I have followed her prolifically ever since, and I have been fortunate enough to see a few of her exhibitions in person. I especially love her landscapes and family pictures. Sally also created her work while raising a family, which is not an easy feat and it is very admirable. In addition to being a photographer, Sally is also an acclaimed writer, and I thoroughly loved her memoir, Hold Still: A Memoir with Photographs.

“Abandoned is a testament to the nobility of dogs, their willingness to forgive, and the great love they offer their humans. Carver has caught all this and more in her moving portraits of these long-suffering animals whose faces will remain in your mind long after you finish this book. The stories are heartbreaking as well as affirming—and a tribute to the hard-working and dedicated people who protect and care for our best friends.”—Sally Mann, photographer and New York Times bestselling author of Sally Mann: A Thousand Crossings and Hold Sill: A Memoir with Photographs

Here is one of my favorite quotes from Sally Mann, “To be able to take my pictures, I have to look, all the time, at the people and places I care about. And I must do so with both ardor and cool appraisal, with the passions of eye and heart, but in that ardent heart there must also be a splinter of ice.”  —Sally Mann

I love this interview with Sally Mann, and I hope that you enjoy it as well.

I have learned, through this great journey of creating ABANDONED, a journey that has been over a decade in the making, there is nothing more gratifying than seeing your vision come to fruition, and I sincerely hope that this body of work helps many dogs in need, as there is a current dog overpopulation crisis in our country, and it is my hope that this body of work raises awareness about the benefits of dog rescue and adoption, for both humans and dogs alike. If it were not for our beloved, Biscuit, the inspiration for ABANDONED, this project and book would not exist.

And, if you have not pre-ordered your copy of ABANDONED, I hope you will consider ordering ABANDONED today, as pre-orders are vital for authors and to the book’s success! Many thanks for your support!

I am donating a portion of my royalties, earned from the sales of this book, to the SPCA International, helping dogs in need around the globe. You can read more here and here.