I read each of the above novels, and as I finished each book, I had to pinch myself. They are Five Star books. Yes, I believe in my novel, Tiger Drive, but being compared to these authors and their works was an award in itself. So I packed my bags and headed to Chicago for the Benjamin Franklin Award Ceremony, knowing that one of them would win the Gold, and I wanted to be there when they did.
My Review of Fellow Finalist Cathy Zane’s Better Than This
A few weeks ago, IBPA announced the finalists for the Benjamin Franklin Award, and Tiger Drive is a nominee for the Popular Fiction category along with three other finalists’ novels. Here is my first post, sharing more details.
I immediately purchased the other three authors’ novels. First, I read and reviewed Rob Hiaasen’s Float Plan (here is the review). Next, I read Dave Edlund’s Guarding Savage: A Peter Savage Novel (here is the review).
And I was beginning to see a common theme across our novels, but there was still one more book to read before I could be sure.
Yesterday, I read Cathy Zane’s Better Than This. Before I share my review, here is the description from Amazon.
My Review of Fellow Finalist Dave Edlund’s Guarding Savage
A few weeks ago, I shared the still-unbelievable-to-me news that Tiger Drive has been nominated for IBPA’s Benjamin Franklin Award. There are three other finalists, and I keep pinching myself when I see Tiger Drive listed with their books. Naturally, I’m reading all three.
Last week I shared my review of Rob Hiaasen’s Float Plan. Spoiler Alert: I loved it. You can read the review here. Some pretty incredible things happened as a result of this review, but I’ll share the details in next week’s newsletter when I have more time and after I return from the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award ceremony on April 5th.
The other two stellar books are Guarding Savage: A Peter Savage Novel by Dave Edlund and Better Than This by Cathy Zane.
I finished Guarding Savage yesterday. Before I share my review, here is the description of Guarding Savage as shared on Amazon.
One of the hardest parts about being a writer is learning how to not only finish a book but how to market it and support yourself. Author, teacher, and word nerd Amanda Zieba shares “10 Ways to Blog About Your Book Without Being Too Pushy and Annoying” and she includes the book trailer for my novel, In the Doghouse: A Couple’s Breakup from Their Dog’s Point of View as one way! Thank you for the shout out, Amanda, and thanks for being you and for all that you do for writers.
I found out that my debut novel, Tiger Drive, has been nominated for the Benjamin Franklin Award:
“The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards™, which include over fifty categories recognizing excellence in book editorial and design, are regarded as one of the highest national honors for independent publishers…Gold winners will be announced April 5, 2019, during a gala dinner ceremony held in conjunction with IBPA Publishing University in Chicago, Illinois.”
Why is this recognition so important to me when it’s already been so rewarding and gratifying to see how readers have responded to–even related to–the Sloan Family’s determination to change after generations of family secrets, addiction, and trauma? Why am I thrilled at this ‘shout out’ and pleased with the silver Benjamin, or still possible, gold Benjamin?
7-year-old Emma is fighting a very rare and inoperable brain tumor called DIPG. Last weekend she was having a normal weekend playing with friends, playing in the snow, and wrestling with her brothers. On Sunday though, she got a headache and started having flu-like symptoms. By Wednesday, she was rushed into surgery to reduce swelling on the brain. She has had a second surgery now and is preparing for 6 weeks of daily radiation therapy. She is a fighter and she and her family along with everyone on Team Emma are here to fight for her. (copied from, and donate here: gofundme)
Emma loves dogs and has asked for people to contact her with their dog’s photos. Many of my readers, forwarded this to me. When Skip heard about it, he had a lot to say to Emma:
Dear Emma,
My name is Skip. I’m a Wolador. I’m part Timber Wolf and part Labrador. My mom was a Timber Wolf, and my dad was a Labrador. I live in San Francisco, California, and guess what? I’m seven years old. Just like you!
During the day when my owner, Lucy, is at work, I sit by the window and guard my neighborhood because I’m an official member of my neighborhood watch. But during summer vacation when school is out, my neighbor boy, Thomas, reads HARRY POTTER to me. I have a lot in common with Harry Potter. I’m not a wizard, but I’m excellent at building a pack and gaining friends, just like Harry finds Hermione and Ron.
So this is the first time I’ve ever emailed a human, and I’ve never had a pen pal before. I bet you didn’t now that dogs could email, right? But I’m special, as in bow-wow special. In fact, I just wrote my first book. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m an honest dog. It’s true. I really wrote a book. My friend, Teri Case, speaks Canine, so I asked her to translate my story to English.
It’s called IN THE DOGHOUSE: A COUPLE’S BREAKUP FROM THEIR DOG’S POINT OF VIEW. It’s a book for grown-ups, but who knows, maybe your mom or dad can read it to you and keep out the parts they think aren’t appropriate for your young—but wise, I’m sure—mind. I got this idea from my owner, Lucy. When Lucy was little, her Aunt Eve used to read aloud love stories but had to skip over the bits that weren’t meant for kids. Anyway, if your parents want a copy, let me know. I can’t mail one myself because I’m a dog, but I can walk to the post office with Lucy to mail it to you. Cool, huh?
My favorite things to do are take walks, chase tennis balls (sometimes I can’t stop, and my legs get wiggly like Jell-O), and cuddle. Cuddling is the doggone best activity in the entire world. I may look like my Timber Wolf mama and accidentally scare people with my size sometimes, but I’m a cuddler at heart.
You already know I like to read. Oh, and I love DOGTV. I watch it all the time. It’s a channel where other dogs do a lot of things I like to do too.
Do you like to read? What’s your favorite book? What’s your favorite show or movie? Do you like Jell-O?
There’s one last thing you should know about me. I’m also a service dog. I get to visit hospitals, nursing homes, and schools in my area. Have you met a service dog before?
I can’t take selfies yet to send you my picture, so instead, I’m giving you a picture of my book cover. The dog model on the cover is not me, but I look a lot like him. In my opinion, I’m more handsome. This dog actor is a Berger Blanc Suisse. A Berger Blanc Suisse is, you guessed it, a breed of dog from Switzerland.
Thanks for being you, Emma. I’m barking and cheering for you.
Writing a book is hard, but I swear, marketing one is even harder! Push too hard, you lose people. Push enough, you gain a reader. They (you know, the Big They) say that a new customer needs to see a product (my book cover) an average of seven times before he or she will purchase it. However, they also say that people can become desensitized if they see something too much. It’s a fine line, and as it is with everything, too much of anything is rarely a good thing.
Brilliant book! From the first to the last page, In the Doghouse oozed the emotion that we all know our dogs have, not to mention their commonsense. Filtered with friendship, furship and the turmoils of relationships and the promise of things to come, I highly recommend IN THE DOGHOUSE to everyone and anyone.
~ Net Galley Review
Click here for more details on In the Doghouse, arriving at a dog park near you on April 16, 2019. Pre-orders for the hardback, paperback, and ebooks are now accepted at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo. And to place the order with your local bookstore, click here and give them this form.
In the Doghouse: A Couple’s Breakup from Their Dog’s Point of View is now available for pre-orders. Click here for details and how to order.
Skip is a rescued dog who wants to matter. He loves living in a blissful pack with his human couple, John and Lucy, and he has bow-vowed to never lose them. But when John walks out after seven happy years, Skip and Lucy’s world is turned upside down. Skip is determined to guide Lucy through her identity crisis, but he’s guarding a secret: he’s to blame for the breakup and her broken heart.
Now, with the help of a hoarder neighbor, a stray cat, and a boy with autism, Skip must build a new pack for himself and Lucy before she discovers his canine treason and kicks him to the curb.
