Book Launch – Saving You, Saving Me
I am delighted to announce the launch of my newest book, Saving You, Saving Me, in Cheltenham, in the Cotswolds, on Saturday 14th November.
Very kindly, the award-winning dog shop, Be More Bob is hosting the event, and everyone is warmly invited.
The book has taken me several years to write, for many reasons. Not least, the difficulties of coming to terms with my family embroiling itself in an unpleasant few years. Through it all, I discovered a compassion for, and strength of commitment to dogs, which I didn’t know was possible.
During the most difficult decade I have experienced, as one family disintegrated, another came over the horizon. Dogs became my life. They helped me to create a community of wonderful, dog loving people. Today, this is the charity, Schnauzerfest, which last year marked the milestone of raising £1million for dog rescues.
As I sat writing the book, I often asked myself “Why. Why share the personal story behind the charity?” There were occasions when I hesitated enough to stop writing for months. The book has been through several iterations. During the years of writing it, I’ve taken part in various workshops, memoir and creative writing courses, including a few with renowned, experienced writers. I worked closely with my patient, supportive writing mentor. I’ve gathered advice, suggestions, taken feedback on board, scrapped acres of words, rewritten chunks of text and finally, at long, long last, I reached the point where I was going to be happy with sharing what I do in Saving You, Saving Me.
Now I know why I kept going, why the book will be out there this autumn.
I know from reader’s feedback over the years that my writing helps people see the joy in living with dogs. To understand why some dogs may respond to life in the way they do. Readers tell me that they have taken the decision to adopt dogs because of my books. Because I have shared the ups and downs of living with traumatised dogs, it encourages others to feel they can adopt, or that they are not alone if their dogs are not conventionally ‘normal’.
Writing also helps me to make sense of my emotions. Writing this book in particular led me to understand my own life, my daily motivations and commitment more clearly. Everyone’s life and story are important, we all have stories to tell. And stories connect us as humans. And dogs need us to be connected, to them, and to others.
I’d love to connect with you at the launch on November 14th, do come along if you can. But even if you can’t, I hope you will enjoy reading the book.
As with all my books, sales of the book go to supporting the work of Schnauzerfest.
