The end of one story, onto the next.

                     Incredible to think that this was 2.5 years ago.  Seems like yesterday. 

It's gone, # 2 novel (And Back Again) is now in the hands of my editor.  Late Friday afternoon with memories in my heart and tears in my eyes I pushed away from my computer and hollered.  The story has been written and now needs the talents of an editor.  Of course it still has a while to go before it is on paper and available but the bulk of the work is done.  It has been a great deal of work putting some of my experiences, thoughts and life into a story.  The first book (PBJ and me) which is available to read now, was quite different than this one.  #2 is about twice as long and has a great deal more twists and turns.

PBJ and  me also available on Amazon in paperback and KINDLE versions. 

I love writing but after having a book in front of me asking attention for over two years; it is a great feeling to send it off and pull up a new one to work on.  And Back Again begins two and half years ago in actuality; the story plays out over a three and a half month time span.  I still cannot believe how much happened in such a short amount of time and reliving it over and over again until completion of the book has been therapeutic. 

As the first story (PBJ and me) began to unfold before me; I had no idea that a novel was underway.  For those of you who have read the book; you know that our story did not end up how we had planned at all.  Life has a way of doing that to us doesn't it?  We may have a plan but life has it's own plan for us.  Sometimes life plays out happy and wonderful; sometimes it does not.  But life is life and life itself holds countless experiences from the very tiniest of moments to the monumental ones. 

As you all know dogs are my life.  I am a long time dog trainer, professional dog photographer and writer; all of this fits nicely into And Back Again.  Its all in the book, every box checked; training, photography and writing all come together. 

So it is onto the next project; perhaps there will be a #3 novel, I do love a good story.  There is a training book waiting to be completed and a third children's book that needs attention.  In between the books are more shoots, both canine and human and training.  It's a crazy dog life, but it's mine. 

2nd Anniversary, PBJ and me.

Wow, I cannot believe that it has been two years.  Two years since my son Brad and I headed out across the country with our four dogs.  Jessie, who was almost 16, Tilley at 15, Luke 11 and little Miss Elsa who was only 4.5 months old.  Honestly, what was I thinking?  Both Jessie and Tilley were incontinent; they had been for some time.  Jessie was suffering from dementia which had gotten so much worse in the months prior to our trip.  Tilley was still feeling the effects from her Vestibular but was doing pretty good.  Luke was fine, much younger than he is now and Elsa, well she was just amazing.  

The day we left started early and we were off on our big adventure.  Little did I know at the time that we would arrive at our destination with only three dogs.  Only a few weeks after that we would also lose Tilley from an inoperable mass on her spleen.  It was a time of great sadness and much turmoil in my life.  A time that I look back on and see only darkness; although like everything else in life it has contributed to who I am today.  In a matter of four short weeks; so many lessons were learned.  Life lessons that, if given a choice to experience; you would opt out of.  No thank you, no one wants these type of life experiences.  But we all must go through them, it is life itself. 

There was a light, a glimmer that was Elsa; our little ray of sunshine in all the darkness of that time.  To this day I believe that she could not have arrived at a more perfect point in our life; she helped us all through a lot at such a young age.  Life goes on and I had a very young pup that needed my attention; that in itself was a great help for me.  Luke needed her more than he would ever know and the rest of the family needed her crazy antics that only a puppy can deliver.  

Thinking back to the trip we made and the experiences that we dealt with, leaves me shaking my head.  I do think about it often; it was a monumental time in my life, very much a turning point.  In the beginning, as the trip started to form into a plan; it seemed like an adventure.  Surely it would be tough but we could do it; we would just do it, get'r done as they say.  I was not flying my dogs so it was the only option and Brad would be with me to live through it all, and that he did.  He was my pillar to lean on; solid and strong.  He gave me strength when I thought that it all might just beat me. 

Aside from the many things that I learned in the beginning, during and at the completion of the trip; I feel lucky to have done it in some way.  I would never choose to drive across the country with four dogs; two who were well beyond their golden years.  We were sort of forced to do it; so by the pure need, we experienced something that not too many people do.  A trip across the country; Mother and son with four dogs and a crazy amount of emotional crap along with it. 

We don't talk about the trip very often; but every once in a while I'll ask "remember when?"  We will share a moment of head shaking and then move on quickly to a better time.  Life is all about learning; if you don't learn from walking through it, there's not much point.   What started out as a necessity was going to be a photography book in the making.  Things changed and it turned into a novel (PBJ and me) with another on the way.  It was also the beginning idea for a Traveling with Your Dog book.   Life can suck, it can be glorious but without walking through it all; experiencing the good, the bad and the ugly, we'll never grow. 

Books

 I had Brad in my car last night which is a rare occasion.  Every time he sits in my passenger seat I cannot help but flash back to our trip across country.  Of course my book came to mind.  I decided to talk about my books this morning. It's sort of a walk down memory lane so bear with me a bit.

My very first book was Dogs in the OC.  After watching Housewives of the OC I decided that there should be a Dogs in the OC; offering a more realistic look at living in the OC.  The beauty and the places where people walk their dogs here in Orange County, CA

Before I even got started shooting I had decided to shoot real dogs in real places.  So I put out a call for dogs; any dog, big or small, furry or hairless.  The only stipulation was that they had to live in The OC.  Then I scoured the place for great dog walking sites and shot the dogs there.  It really opened my own eyes as to how many gorgeous places you can walk your dogs there are.  I loved meeting all the dogs and their owners.  Hearing all their individual stories.  So that was book one.

Dogs in the OC - on Blurb.

Book #2 was Greyhound Rescue.  I heard about Hemopet and Dr. Dodds years before.  She had done some very kind things for me and my dogs so I wanted to give back.  I couldn't rescue a Greyhound at the time so decided to do a book where 100% of the profits go to the dogs.  The whole thing, from start to finish was amazing.  Meeting each adopter, getting a glimpse into each individual dog's story to the whole rescue  procedure.  I fell in love with each shoot; rescued Greyhounds are amazing dogs and the people who rescue them are just as wonderful. 

Greyhound Rescue - on Blurb

Then came PBJ and me.  This book started out an idea of doing a photo journal across country.  My son and I were driving from CA to CT with our four dogs.  We had Jessie who was nearing 16, Tilley who was 14.5, Luke 11 and Elsa 4.5 months.  Crazy yep.  It very quickly turned into just a story about our travels.  It is all about lessons learned, things endured and what life is like in a car for 6 days.  There are a few very sad parts which are now memories stored on pages and my heart. 

PBJ and me - Two people and four dogs across the country. 

Next was the very unexpected When Luke Met Elsa.  I don't quite remember the moment when the idea struck me; but a children's book had not been in the plans.  But with so many images of Luke and Elsa while Elsa grew up it came together nicely.  She was such an important part of pack shift that the book illuminated her integral part in our life today.  Luke and Elsa are quite the pair.

When Luke Met Elsa

Then came The Standard Poodle.  I have lived with Standard Poodles for nearly 30 now; so this was the no brainer choice for a first breed photography book.  It was three years in the making and many, many hours of work.  Travelling, scheduling, shooting, working up the photos and putting the book together was a ton of work but I loved every second.  Again, meeting each and every Standard Poodle for the book was wonderful.  I love seeing the connection between a human and their dog; it is very interesting.  Each dog, although all Standard Poodles was very individual.  Work on a second Standard Poodle book is already underway but don't hold your breath, it'll be a few years.

The Standard Poodle - on Blurb

The last book to be completed was another Children's book.  Someday She'll Fly.  The book revolves around Elsa's desire to fly.  The idea came easily after seeing all of the "air" shots I got of her growing up.  She spends more time in the air than on the ground.  The story is about never giving up; when you want something bad enough you just keep trying.  I love it and it is the second book in the Luke and Elsa series.

Someday She'll Fly

That's it for my completed books to date.  I have several others in work as we speak.  I never work on one book at a time because I get bored; I like to jump back and forth.  So I have a third Children's book, a new puppy training book, a second novel and several photography books in front of me.  More to come.  :)