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Dec 16

ABANDONED Featured: AARP The Magazine

The December 2024/January 2025 issue of AARP The Magazine featured my short article entitled, “Why Dogs Rock,” shown below along with photographs from ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs!

AARP was kind enough to send me a copy of The AARP Magazine, featuring ABANDONED, shown below!

Additionally, 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.

And, if you have not ordered your copy of ABANDONED, I hope you will consider ordering ABANDONED today! Additionally, ABANDONED will also make a great Holiday gift for friends and family, especially those who love dogs—especially shelter and rescue dogs! Many thanks for your support!

Dec 12

ABANDONED Featured: Unleashed – on Pet Life Radio

This fall, I had the opportunity to speak with Cheryl Kaye, the host of the show, Unleashed on Pet Life Radio, where she asked thoughtful and insightful questions about my new book: ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs. You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcast.

Additionally, 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.

And, if you have not ordered your copy of ABANDONED, I hope you will consider ordering ABANDONED today! Additionally, ABANDONED will also make a great Holiday gift for friends and family, especially those who love dogs—especially shelter and rescue dogs! Many thanks for your support!

Dec 9

ABANDONED Featured: Holiday Gift Guides

My recently released book, ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs, has been included in the following Holiday gift guides! Additionally, ABANDONED will also make a great Holiday gift for friends and family, especially those who love dogs! Many thanks for your support!

First, Dogs Save the People Podcast featured ABANDONED in its 2024 Holiday Book List!

Patricia McConnell also included ABANDONED in her recent Holiday Books for Dog & Animal Lovers!

Additionally, Patricia McConnell, mentioned ABANDONED in her recent interview on Wisconsin Public Radio, as one of the top books to give to animal lovers. You can listen to the interview here, and go to the 4 minute mark.

The SPCA International included, my recently released book, ABANDONED, in their gift guide!

And, if you have not ordered your copy of ABANDONED, I hope you will consider ordering ABANDONED today! It will make a wonderful Holiday gift!

Dec 5

ABANDONED Featured: PRINT Magazine

I had the wonderful pleasure of speaking with Debbie Milliman, host of the Design Matters podcast and editor of PRINT Magazine, who posed thoughtful and insightful questions about what matters to me along with featuring ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs, in PRINT Magazine! You can read the interview here.

Additionally, 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.

And, if you have not ordered your copy of ABANDONED, I hope you will consider ordering ABANDONED today! Additionally, ABANDONED will also make a great Holiday gift for friends and family, especially those who love dogs—especially shelter and rescue dogs! Many thanks for your support!

Dec 3

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ANBANDONED Featured: CBS Mornings Plus

As I mentioned, prior to Thanksgiving, Victory and I were on CBS Mornings Plus on Friday, November 29, 2024, and it was so much fun! Victory did an excellent job, and she was so calm and at ease, despite all of the cameras and lights! We are so proud of her, and I am beyond thankful we could do the segment together, as Victory has been by my side, for the bulk of this project, while creating this body of work, even though Biscuit was the inspiration for ABANDONED. (I believe Biscuit has an awareness of everything associated with ABANDONED.) I will never forget this experience at CBS, and what made it even more special, is that our entire family was welcome at the CBS studio! The producer, Erin Rosenblum, was wonderful to work with, and she even gave Alex a tour of the studio, while I got my hair and makeup done—Alex was in heaven! Alex also loved the greenroom! It was a wonderful experience for all, and I am enormously grateful that CBS Mornings, particularly to Jackie Puskas, for featuring my new book, ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs! 

You can watch our segment here.

Screenshot

You can watch the entire hour here.

Below are a few snapshots from our time at the CBS studio!

Below are a few photos from our New York City visit! Victory made it to Central Park, and she absolutely loved it! Victory was such a champ walking all around Central Park with a big smile on her face! Then she came back to the hotel and took a long nap! Alex had an amazing time, and she now wants to live in New York City! We are so grateful for this special time together!

Additionally, 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.

And, if you have not ordered your copy of ABANDONED, I hope you will consider ordering ABANDONED today! Additionally, ABANDONED will also make a great Holiday gift for friends and family, especially those who love dogs—especially shelter and rescue dogs! Many thanks for your

Nov 26

Happy Thanksgiving + CBS Mornings Appearance!

We wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! This is going to be a very special Thanksgiving for us! We are all going to New York City on Thanksgiving! On Friday, November 29, Victory and I will be on CBS Mornings at 9:00 a.m. EST, featuring my new book, ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs! We are over the moon excited!

“Be present in all things and thankful for all.” —Maya Angelou

Additionally, 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.

And, if you have not ordered your copy of ABANDONED, I hope you will consider ordering ABANDONED today! Additionally, ABANDONED will also make a great Holiday gift for friends and family, especially those who love dogs—especially shelter and rescue dogs! Many thanks for your support!

Nov 21

ABANDONED Featured: Dog Talk on NPR

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Tracie Hotchner, the host of the show, Dog Talk (and Kitties Too) on NPR, where she asked very thoughtful and insightful questions about my new book: ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs. You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcast or Spotify!

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.

And, if you have not ordered your copy of ABANDONED, I hope you will consider ordering ABANDONED today! Many thanks for your support!

Nov 19

ABANDONED: Gift Guide

The SPCA International included, my recently released book, ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs, in their gift guide!

And, if you have not ordered your copy of ABANDONED, I hope you will consider ordering ABANDONED today, which will help support dogs in need around the globe! Many thanks for your support!

Nov 12

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Victory: A Birthday Celebration — 13 years

October 12, marked eleven years since we adopted our sweet dear little Victory!  The time is going by much too quickly!  We decided to make October 12 Victory’s birthday — the day we went to Michigan and adopted our sweet fur girl. (This post is a month late due to the release my new book, ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs.)

As such, we recently celebrated Victory’s birthday marking her eleventh year with us since her adoption!  This also marks seven years celebrating as a ‘big sister’ to Alex!  This year, for Victory’s birthday, we did a personalized pink and coral themed birthday! (As shown below, last year, we did a personalized pastel theme; two years ago, we did a personalized fall theme and pastel theme; three years ago personalized theme and a pastel theme; four years ago pink theme with gold accent; five years we did a pastel rainbow theme with a silver accent; six years ago we did pastel theme with a gold and silver accent; seven years ago we did a gold and champagne theme; eight years ago we did a light pink and gold themed birthday; nine years ago we did a pink themed birthday; and ten years ago, we did rainbow themed birthday for Victory!)  For this double-digit birthday, we had another cake made with Victory’s likeness — Victory reading my newly released book, Abandoned: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs! It turned out beautifully! We also purchased some fun decorations and balloons, along with a coral sweater for Victory, a tradition, in honor of her birthday!  Victory also enjoyed a steak prepared by Doug, along with her very own cupcake (with no icing, of course!) Victory looked absolutely adorable and beautiful on her birthday, as always, shown below!  This is the seventh birthday that Victory celebrated with her sidekick, Alex! It is wonderful to witness their relationship beautiful relationship; Alex adores her fur sister, and I think the feeling is mutual! Alex loves giving Victory treats and hugs! Victory had a fun birthday and she truly enjoyed being over fed and the center of attention! I sincerely believe Victory knows her birthdays are all about her!

We are truly the lucky ones to share our lives with this wonderful, loyal, and loving being. Victory has been such a source of comfort to us all. Victory has also fully embraced her ‘big sister’ role!  Victory is very attuned to her little sister and loves to greet Alex in the mornings and evenings!  It melts our hearts!  Victory continues to join us evening for play time and story time, in addition to all meals!  We also do our best to keep Victory fully integrated in our trips and outings as well, and we had a fun fall together with many outings together!  We are so very grateful and thankful for our Victory.  She means the world to us and we love her very much.

For Victory’s birthday, we gave her: a blanket; an assortment of toys that Alex picked out; assorted treats; and a new coral sweater! And, my parents gifted their grand puppy, Victory, an Orvis gift card! Additionally, Alex also made some art for Victory, along with a special card!

(All birthday decorations are via Sweet Lulu and Meri Meri.)

Here is a video of Victory enjoying her steak!

A look back at Victory’s birthday celebrations over the years…

Here is a look back at Victory on her birthdays!

If you are considering getting a dog, I hope that you consider adopting a rescue or shelter dog.  There are so many dogs in need of a good, loving home, especially now, with the dog overpopulation crisis. As shown below, Victory, a rescue, has changed so much physically and emotionally over the years since we adopted her, pictured on the left (image from Victory’s foster mom via the Michigan Sheltie Rescue).  You really can save a dog’s life, while simultaneously enriching your own life/lives, which is a win-win for everyone. We cannot imagine not having a rescue dog in our lives!

My book, ABANDONED: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs, was recently released!

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.

And, if you have not ordered your copy of ABANDONED, I hope you will consider ordering ABANDONED today! Many thanks for your support!

Nov 4

When You Feel Despair

Wendell Berry knew what to do,

and here he tells you,

in this exquisite poem:

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

I wish you a graceful day; it is a big week in our country. Sending you all the best.

(You can read more of Wendell Berry here.)

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