Animals are near and dear to my heart. In 2007, I had the privilege of working at our local animal shelter. From this experience I got an idea to write a book for my Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls series—a young adult teen psychic series—now in the hands of a few reputable traditional publishers via my agents at Walden House (Books & Stuff). It was through my love of animals that I met fellow author and kindred spirit, Jan Flores, who I found loves our furry friends just as much as me. Jan has had some wonderful experiences, especially with shelter dogs, and I asked her if she’d be so kind as to share them with you. Take it away, Jan…
Five years ago, I walked into our local animal shelter and changed my life forever. It wasn’t easy. In fact, volunteering to walk shelter dogs was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I know that will probably sound silly to a lot of people: after all, what’s the big deal about walking dogs? Put a leash on and go.
For me, it wasn’t that simple. Blessed (or cursed) with a writer’s super-active imagination, I didn’t know what would be waiting behind the reception desk, locked away out of sight of the public. I pictured rows of dogs in wire kennels, unloved, unwanted, dropped off by owners who abdicated responsibility because the dog was sick, or old, or injured, or ill-mannered, or just something to be thrown away because it was, after all, only a dog.
I’ll admit it: I was anxious—scared that I’d make a fool of myself by bursting into tears as soon as I saw the dogs; sure that I wouldn’t be able to turn away from all those sad faces, begging for rescue. I was positive I’d have nightmares about frightened and confused dogs, who didn’t understand what had happened to them, or why.
Then I saw a poster that made me feel like a coward, writing checks to assuage my conscience, donating money instead of time so I wouldn’t have to see what I didn’t want to know. The poster showed a dirty, skinny little dog with a huge chain hanging from a studded collar around a neck that looked too frail to hold it up. I couldn’t look away from the depth of pain and hopelessness I saw in that dog’s eyes. The caption under the picture read:
You might not be able to help all the lost dogs in the world, but you can help the one in front of you.
That day I walked into the shelter and volunteered to walk the dogs.
SWEETER THAN WINE, published by Musapublishing.com, is her first ebook.
The award-winning TOUCHED BY FIRE has now been reissued in ebook form.
Both titles can be found at:
SWEETER THAN WINE:
Musapublishing: http://tinyurl.com/ebookSweeterThanWine
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/JF-STW
TOUCHED BY FIRE:
Musapublishing: http://tinyurl.com/musa-Touched-by-Fire
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/JFlores-TBF
You can find Jan on her website: www.janisflores.com
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/janfloresauthor
On Twitter: @JanisOFlores
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