On the Writing Process and Overcoming Senioritis

 

My youngest is now a senior in high school, and I plan on enjoying every second of it! I confess, I experienced a sort of midlife crisis last year, as I realized my children soon will have all flown the nest. For a few months, I felt weighed down by an undefined sadness. I missed the days when my children needed me - even while remembering those moments when I had felt overwhelmed by the sense of always being needed.

I started to panic about the fact that I have yet to publish a novel – something I would like to do before she goes to college. A children’s fantasy novel I had been working on for seven years had been rejected shortly after my fiftieth birthday. I received positive feedback, but the nature of the changes the editor was asking for would require going back to the drawing board, something I just did not have the heart to do at the time. So, I decided to shelve it for a while and work on some short stories. Around the new year, a sudden sense of urgency welled up within me. I felt as if, if I failed to publish a book, I would literally die.

“I know God gave me a gift of writing, and I know I was called to write ‘Theresa and the Diamond Castle’ (inspired by St. Therese’s ‘Interior Castle’), I said to a friend. “So why would he have me work on it for seven years, if it wasn’t meant to go out into the world?”

She replied, “Maybe it’s all about the process.” Yes, I do believe the process is what life is all about, but I still feel that my light should be up on a hill, not covered by a bushel.

After a few children’s book manuscripts were rejected, I decided to try my hand at a romance novel. I found a specific ‘inspirational romance’ line that asked for Christian characters, preferably living in a small town, with a focus on the development of the couple’s relationship. This seemed like the perfect exercise following the rejection of Theresa. You see, I had written that book without an outline, following wherever my mind took me, so that once I had written 45,000 words, it became extremely cumbersome to weave together into one cohesive narrative.

Romance is written following a specific format of ‘beats’: boy meets girl, there are obstacles to their relationship, they overcome them, and the book ends with the promise of a happily-ever-after. I started to outline the book, then wrote the first few chapters. I soon found that my heroine came alive to me – like when I had been writing about Theresa, I thought of her day and night. Interestingly, as her sister’s character developed, I started to think about a future romance centered on her. I had calculated that by writing 500 words per day, I could have the book finished within three months. By February, I was indeed half done, but then life got in the way. Family visited. My son graduated college and moved to Texas. There were family illnesses. I had to let the book go until June.

In August, I was almost done, when I found two critique partners. Chapter by chapter, we helped each other to fine tune our manuscripts. But this process was too slow for me. I had set my birthday as my deadline, and I wanted to get onto the next book. I submitted the book and started on the next one.

As the publisher asked for a website, I gave them this blog address, then realized how long it had been since my last post. Adding some more content was another task to add onto my growing list.

Within a week of my submission, I received a rejection – with positive feedback. It is a plot problem, and it is something I can fix without fundamentally changing my characters. With my critique partners’ help, I am feeling optimistic that I will have a much-improved manuscript to submit by Christmas.

My days have been flying by. My daughter leaves for school, and I am busy writing, exercising, doing stuff around the house, then all of a sudden, she is home. Busy with my own endeavors, I can enjoy the time she wants to spend with me, without smothering her. I watch with pleasure as she enjoys her senior year. I look forward to what comes next for her – and for me and my husband. I truly do not know what comes next, but there are dreams, possibilities, options.

Echoing Ecclesiastes, my father used to say that we all experience different seasons throughout our lives. At the time, I was in the heart of motherhood, homeschooling three little ones with another on the way, and every moment was devoted to caring for them. Like summer cooling into fall, that season is drawing to its close. The leaves are falling off the trees, but the spring will bring new ones, with blossoms. In the meantime, I can enjoy the beautiful transformation as the leaves change color and drift away, some closer and some farther, as the wind may blow.

Ecclesiastes 3, selected verses (New American Standard Bible)

3 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven—

9 What benefit is there for the worker from that in which he labors? 10 I have seen the task which God has given the sons of mankind with which to occupy themselves.

11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without the possibility that mankind will find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; 13 moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the gift of God.

22 I have seen that nothing is better than when a person is happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?

The Divine Gift of Motherhood

"Maternity" by Fritz Zuber-Buhler

To my cherished readers,

I have not published on this blog in quite some time. The biggest reason for this is that I respect my children’s privacy. When I first started this blog many years ago, the children were very young. With my small following of Christian mothers, it was highly unlikely that one of their friends might see my stories, leading to embarrassment. Now three of them are adults, leading their own lives, and my youngest is a rising senior.

Yet the call to motherhood is not one that ever ends. I am forever changed since the moment I first found out I was going to be a mother. Motherhood is a Gift from God, one that keeps on giving as long as we live and breathe.

I will continue to challenge myself to write about womanhood, motherhood, and the treasures that we refer to as children, without giving personal anecdotes about my children. I will talk about the books I read, those I am writing, and what I think about while enjoying the great outdoors. If I get the call that one of my books has found a home with a publisher, you will hear about it here!

Yours truly,

Elizabeth

A Review of ‘Julia’s Gifts (Great War Great Love #1)’ by Ellen Gable

Ellen Gable, the award-winning Catholic author of eight books, has embarked on a new series that mothers will be happy to share with their daughters. In the first installment, Julia’s Gifts, we meet Julia just before Christmas 1917 in Philadelphia, during World War I. She is shopping for a Christmas present for her beloved, and praying for his safety. The reader soon finds that she has not yet met her ‘beloved’. She will be turning 21 soon, and she is hopeful that she will meet her future husband in the upcoming year. 

In March 1918, Julia’s friend encourages her to join the Red Cross, and they begin their service as nurses in France. Untrained, the innocent and naïve Julia is thrown into a world replete with the challenges of lice, flu, pain, sorrow, and blood. She not quite gotten her feet wet when she is told to prepare a German officer for interrogation by Major Peter Winslow, a Canadian who has become bitter and angry after receiving news of a personal tragedy. 

At this point, the reader may think the story will unfold in a predictable way. However, in the messy world of war, nothing happens in exactly the way we think – or hope – it will. The characters cope with their fears and anxieties while reshaping their perceptions of themselves, others, the world, and God. Where does love fit into the picture – if it all? Gable’s story explores that phase of young adulthood that is often defined by an initial disillusionment when confronted with reality. With faith and the grace of God, this stage can result in a blossoming and rediscovery of one’s true self and purpose.

Gable’s books are written in line with the Theology of the Body. She purposely wrote this book so that there are no sexual themes that might be deemed inappropriate for young adolescents. This book presents an opportunity for mothers and daughters to talk about how to prepare for future marriage. There are themes of war, including pestilence, severe injuries, illness, dying, and one suicide, but these are tempered by Gable’s gentle writing style.   

For more information see the author’s publication website Full Quiver Publishing. 

Or purchase the book at Amazon now: 

Paperback edition 

Kindle edition 

If you enjoyed this review you may enjoy my reviews of these books by Ellen Gable:

Emily’s Hope 

In Name Only 

A Subtle Grace 

Stealing Jenny 

Ally-Saurus and the First Day of School: an interview with Richard Torrey

The phone rang. “Hello,” said Richard Torrey, whom I only knew as the author-illustrator of the incredibly clever book I had just received and enjoyed with my eight-year-old daughter. I had no notes prepared for my telephone interview, and as it turned out, this seemed to suit Mr. Torrey’s style just fine.

“My daughter and I loved Ally-saurus,” I told Torrey, “We think it is just perfect for a child who is headed for their first day of school.”

“Well,” he replied, “these are trying times…” He explained that the first day of anything, whether it was the first day of school or the first day of camp, was tough for a kid. “You can equate it to that feeling of walking the plank…it’s like entering another universe.”

Ally-saurus is the preferred moniker of a little girl who is just waking up for her first day of school. She and her surroundings are illustrated in dark grey pencil, while her stuffed dinosaurs are lightly colored in pastel, and a dinosaur’s spikes and tail are drawn onto her head and back in pink crayon. Ally-saurus starts off appearing confident, although it soon becomes apparent that she is different from the other kids. By the middle of the book, the other students can be seen wearing their imagined armor of princesses, an astronaut, a lion, a pirate, a butterfly, and a dragon. Embracing their differences, by the end of the day the children are getting along splendidly, and the next day Ally jumps out of bed, excited for her next day’s adventures. 

The idea of Ally originated with his son, who was always the tiniest in his class or sports team. When he was four years old, he stated that he was a giant dog, “and he was very serious”, said Torrey.  That imagined appearance was “like armor…it helped him to get through being the smallest”. Torrey started to experiment with ways to draw a child’s imagination without using words. The character of Ally started as a penciled doodle in Torrey’s “idea book”, with a dinosaur’s tail drawn in crayon to demonstrate the notion that she thought she was a dinosaur. 

I asked Torrey about how he got started in his career as an author-illustrator. He describes his journey as a “series of happy accidents”.  Born in Los Angeles, he originally went to Alleghany College as a pre-med major, which he switched to psychology; he has lived on Long Island ever since he graduated. Richard’s father was the Hockey Hall-of-Famer, Bill Torrey, who managed the Islanders during the years they built the team that would win the Stanley Cup. “Those were very good times…Islander fans are special…it’s an era that is ending,” said Richard.  He is very sad to see the Islanders leaving Long Island. “Long Island kids won’t have a home team.”

Richard never took art classes, but he loved cartooning. For his fourth birthday, his great-grandparents gave him the book The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf. Robert Lawson’s ink drawings of Ferdinand were the early seeds of his career.  He always loved the Peanuts cartoon strip in particular, and part of his inspiration comes from Charles M. Schultz. When he was still in grade school, Richard met Schultz at an Oakland Seals hockey game. Richard decided to show his drawing of a horse to Schultz, who then drew Snoopy on the back of the picture – Richard still has it. 

Torrey worked for the Islanders after college, while constantly drawing in his spare time. When a syndicated cartoonist saw his work, he got what some might call a “lucky break”, although for many years he had to work harder to sell his ideas because of his lack of professional experience. He was learning to be an illustrator as well as a writer while creating Hartland and PETE AND CLETE. At one point he reached a cross-roads as newspapers started to evolve, and editors could not decide whether to put his strip in the comics or sports section. He went to work for Recycled Paper Greetings, where he still does work.  He also did freelance magazine illustrations, until he was discovered by an agent who was looking for drawings for a sample book.

After illustrating other authors’ books for a few years, he decided to write his own. His first dozen or so ideas failed to sell, and his agent advised him to “write what you know”. This naturally brought him to his own world, parenting young children who played sports, and his first books were born. When asked what he would advise young writers/illustrators, Torrey said, “Somebody’s gonna do it, so why not you”…”you have to have skin like a rhinoceros”, but if you love it and believe in your talent, there is no reason to believe that you cannot do what you want to do with that gift. He quoted Richard Bach, who once said, “A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit”.

Torrey lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. He has been teaching cartooning and manga art at the Art League of Long Island in Dix Hills for over twenty years. He is always looking to try his hand at new things. His latest project was putting together his new website, which he is very proud of. At www.richardtorrey.com (don’t forget the e in torrey or you will come across a fashion site) you can view Richard’s illustrations, idea sketches, and information about his published books an even dozen.  His 13^th book, My Dog, Bob, will be released in September 2015.

Ally-Saurus and the First Day of School

Written and illustrated by Richard Torrey

Published by Sterling Publishing

Published May 2015

Price $14.95

Ages 3-6

Hardcover/ISBN 978-1-4549-1179-1

*I have also posted this article at The Long Island Motherhood Examiner and Catholic Media Review.

On a side-note for my regular readers, I love Torrey's attitude toward life, family, and career. There is a terrific word for what he calls "happy accidents" - serendipitous events are blessings that come along when you are not looking for them. When we are open to embrace what life has for us, rather than meticulously planning our lives, we set ourselves up for the receipt of untold joys. Something about our conversation echoed to me the attitude of Odd Thomas, the main character in a series I am reading by the best-selling Catholic thriller writer Dean Koontz. Odd Thomas doesn't believe in over-preparing, because life throws the strangest things at him all the time. He has to trust that he will know what to do when the moment calls for it. In an interview with ETWN, Koontz says that by the end of the eighth book, Saint Odd, the character will have achieved a state of perfect humility.

A Subtle Grace by Ellen Gable

Award-winning author Ellen Gable has produced a stunning stand-alone sequel to In Name Only (Full Quiver Publishing, 2009).  A Subtle Grace is a historical romance, set at the turn of the 20^th century.  Gable spins a compelling story of the O’Donovan Family, a wealthy and morally upright, yet down-to-earth Catholic family.  The novel is engaging, with a moving plot, while also exploring sensitive issues of courtship, chastity, family secrets, healing, and forgiveness.

The O’Donovans encourage their 19-year-old daughter Kathleen to pursue a nursing career, while carefully guiding her through her first experience with courtship.  Kathleen feels drawn to Karl, the charming son of the local police chief, while also developing a working friendship with Luke, the new family physician.   Her older brother William feels called to become a priest, while her younger brother John struggles with maintaining his chastity.

Gable makes wonderful use of symbolism, through the artwork carefully selected for her cover, descriptive scenery, and mentions of classic literary works that give subtle hints at where the plot may be going.  Yet she escapes predictability, and the story kept me wanting to read more.  The end is both surprising and satisfying.

This book is appropriate for reading by older teens.  Content includes non-graphic descriptions of mild violence, birth, death, prostitution, and attempted rape, and vague hints at self-gratification.  These issues are explored honestly but gently, and open the doors for fruitful parent-child conversations on the Theology of the Body.

Author’s homepage:

Full Quiver Publishing 

Publication information:

Kindle Edition

Print Edition

Instilling the Virtue of Modesty in Children

I am writing a two-part column for Celebrate Life on instilling the virtue of modesty in children.  I have so much to say on the subject, I wish I was not limited to 500 words per column!  The first part, which appears in the Jan./Feb. issue, deals with matters of dress.  My article focuses on the principles of modesty in dress rather than on specific dress codes - which many Christians disagree widely on.  You can read it here.  The second part, scheduled for the March/April issue, will be a great deal of fun to write, although I could use 5,000 words rather than 500 - it deals with behavioral aspects of modesty. [update: Part II can be viewed here]

The picture above was taken after last January's snowstorm.  Pictured is my youngest daughter, then age 6, and our dog Honey.  That storm weighed down the branches of my trees so much that they broke and I had to have them trimmed.  My backyard pictures will never be as picturesque without those snow covered boughs.  We just had another ten-inch snowfall last night, but it looks nothing like this one.

Review of the Disney movie “Frozen”

[Disclaimer: Plot spoiler warning!]

This movie was a delight, with an original story set in beautiful Scandinavia, complete with some unexpected twists and elements not usually seen in a Disney movie.  Elsa is a princess born with the unusual ability to turn anything into ice, a skill she develops while playing with her little sister Anna.  However, she discovers that she loses control of her talent when she becomes overemotional.  This results in an accident in which Anna’s brain is frozen.  The magical gnomes are able to unfreeze her brain but must remove Anna’s memory of Elsa’s ability.  The overcautious King and Queen seclude the royal family and keep Elsa locked up, even keeping her away from Anna.

As Elsa attempts to keep her ability restrained, she becomes both physically and emotionally inaccessible.  Anna, deprived of her sister’s companionship, longs for love and human camaraderie.  She thinks she has found it the day that the palace gates are open for Elsa’s coming of age and crowning.  But this day teaches Elsa that by keeping her emotions and powers completely restrained for so long, she has completely lost control of both.   She escapes into the mountains, where she builds her own ice castle and feels free once again, unwittingly unleashing a powerful ice storm on her people.  When Anna follows her and tries to get her to stop the ice storm, Elsa once again loses control of her emotions and powers, sending ice through Anna’s heart.  Thus the movie teaches the seemingly contradictory concept that we must express our emotions while also controlling them.

The magical gnomes tell Anna that the damage can only be undone through an act of true love.  She assumes that this must be romantic love, but herein lies some of the movie’s surprises. First, she finds that what she thought was “love at first sight” was deceiving (a lesson not usually taught in animated movies).  Second, the love that Anna is looking for to save her does not come from a romantic admirer.  Rather, it comes from within, as she risks everything to save Elsa, and both their hearts are thawed.  In the end, the sisters save each other from the damage that was done by keeping secrets.

Whereas animated films tend to portray heroes as attractive and villains as ugly and scary looking, this film teaches children that people are not always what they seem.  Another very different element of this film is that the characters are neither purely evil nor purely good.  The complicated character of Elsa is her own enemy in this film, depicting the internal struggle that is part of the human condition*. The love of her sister is what helps her to use her unusual power for good in the end.  Thus the message of the film is a very Christian one, calling us to conquer evil by loving one another!

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good”, admonishes St. Paul (Romans 12:21).  And the First Letter of John encourages us: “If we love one another, God abides in us, and His Love has been perfected in us” (I John 4:12).  When Anna gives of herself freely she allows a pure love to operate through her, healing her wounds.  Then, when Elsa opens up her heart to allow Anna to reach her with this love, this unlocks the good in her to overcome the sinful part of her nature that is harming others.

Because of the romantic elements and the focus on love between sisters, this film will primarily attract a female audience.  However, the snow monster, talking snowman, and talking reindeer will appeal to young boys.  The unexpected turns in the plot will keep adult viewers interested as well.  Altogether this is a beautifully produced movie with an original story that is appropriate for families.

*The scriptural basis for the internal struggle of good and evil can be found in these words from the  apostle St. Paul:

“For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” - Romans 7:14-25

A review of The Christmas Cat by Maryann Macdonald

Just on time for the season of Advent comes a new picture book that Christian parents will not want to miss.  The Christmas Cat by Maryann Macdonald is an original story, beautifully illustrated by Amy Jane Bates, that the entire family will enjoy and want to pass on to the next generation.

The author was inspired by one of a series of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, who drew many illustrations of a young child Jesus holding and playing with a cat.  Dated between 1480 and 1481, this series is known as Madonna del Gatto, or the Madonna of the Cat.  There is also a legend about a cat who purred Jesus to sleep in the stable in Bethlehem the night he was born.  Macdonald wondered if this cat could have become Jesus’ special pet and, if so, what their relationship might have been like.

The book cover shows a kitten licking the hand of a contently smiling Baby Jesus, the evening light coming through the stable window and casting a golden glow on the hay.  On the first page is a panorama of shepherds on a twilight hill, overlooking the city of Bethlehem, which is bathed in a heavenly light.  The title page depicts the Holy Family holding Baby Jesus, with stable animals looking on.  Then we are introduced to a crying Baby Jesus.  His family and the animals are unable to soothe him.  Then a kitten enters the stable, nuzzles Baby Jesus, and gently purrs him to sleep.

Baby Jesus grows into a young child, and he and his Mother Mary are portrayed playing with the cat, who has now become his pet.  When the Holy Family flees from Herod, they fear they have left the cat behind.  Just as the Child Jesus becomes upset, the cat comes out from hiding and comforts him.  The book closes with a painting of Mary, an older Child Jesus, and the cat, cuddling contentedly.  Next to the author’s endnote is a print of da Vinci’s drawing, which is similarly composed.

The story is told in a beautiful narrative style, which adults will enjoy reading aloud.  It is clear, descriptive, and does not ‘talk down’ to children.  I read this book with my seven-year-old daughter, who was delighted by the pictures and story.  I asked my sixteen-year-old daughter, a fine arts student, to critique the artwork; she admired the “loose” style of the paintings.  The artwork is soft, playful, and appealing to children.  The skillful use of light illuminates the focus of each painting.   

I loved the story and have found myself thinking about its thesis.  Although the Bible does not mention “pets” per se, it does speak of dogs being under tables in houses, eating the scraps that fall.  We know that domesticated cats were around from the time of the Egyptians – so it is possible that a stray cat could have befriended the Child Jesus.  The book comes at a perfect time, with Pope Francis bringing worldwide attention to the humble Saint Francis of Assisi, who had such a special relationship with animals.  Pope John Paul II once said, "Also the animals possess a soul, and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren." 

We think of pets as being there to comfort us, and any family with children and a dog or cat knows how animals instinctively cuddle up to them whenever they are upset.  The simple but intriguing idea that Jesus could have had a pet makes him seem more human, and thus more relatable to children.  As his humanity was God the Father’s gift to us that we celebrate on Christmas, this book presents the perfect opportunity for children and their parents to think about what Jesus could have been like when he was a child.  He cried, he got hungry, and he played – just like them – thus he can understand them and be their special friend.

Maryanna Macdonald, who grew up with seven brothers and sisters, shows that she really understands children, and is able to write at a level appropriate for their stage.  I also reviewed her young adult novel Odette’s Secret, which presents a child’s view of the holocaust.  I believe I have discovered a great writer and look forward to seeing more from her.

Published by Dial Books for Young Readers October 2013 U.S. $16.99/Canada $18.00

For publishing information see the author’s website at www.maryannmacdonald.com

For my review of Odette’s Secret see: http://www.examiner.com/review/young-adult-historical-novel-brings-holocaust-to-life-through-the-eyes-of-a-chil

Honey Come Home!

The weekend of my daughter’s sixteenth birthday was as exciting as they come – although we had decided to forgo the traditional overblown “Sweet 16” that is popular on Long Island.  Sunday, her birthday, was to be a nice, quiet day spent at home – a welcome day of rest in the midst of preparations for varsity softball playoffs – topped with dinner out at a nice Italian restaurant.  Saturday afternoon changed that plan.

Audrey had softball practice followed by a car wash with the team.  My son Alex and I were putting together a pool ladder.  In doing so, we had removed something that was blocking a broken picket in the fence.  All of a sudden, we realized our dog Honey was gone.  My husband Kevin came in the backyard, where he had been mowing, and said she ran into the sump next door.  He tried to catch her but she ran into some humanly inaccessible brush.  The sump opens onto miles of protected woodlands in the back of our property.  Every few weeks she gets out like that, and comes back a little while later, wanting us to chase her down.  On her last romp, she had lost her identification tags.

Kevin kept mowing and my son was on the lookout for Honey, and I went to pick up Audrey.  When I got back, she still hadn’t shown up.  I drove around the neighborhood to no avail.  I had to take Alex to his travel baseball game.  It was raining, and I was sure it was going to be rained out, but it wasn’t.  When we got back from there, it was dark, and she still hadn’t come back.  Kevin said our six-year-old daughter had gone to bed crying, after standing at the back door saying, “Honey didn’t come home.”  We started to get really worried.  Honey is scared of the rain, and we were afraid she might have gotten stuck somewhere in the sump and possibly drowned.  We left food out on the front porch and hoped she would be there in the morning.

Sunday I woke up early but had to wait for one of the children to get up and go looking with me, since the overgrown and wooded sump isn’t a safe place to go by yourself.  Audrey got up and was the first to go with me.  Allison and Alex quickly followed.  We went through the sump into the wood, split up into pairs, and went through all the main paths.  We hope to at least leave our scent, since the rain might have washed away the scent for Honey to find her way home.  We walked all the miles through to the main roads to no avail.

I did a drive around all the main roads to make sure she hadn’t been hit by a car.  I called the town shelter, where dogs are brought dead or alive if hit on the road.  I was relieved no dogs had been brought in from our area.  We got dressed and went out for the birthday dinner, which got our minds off the dog for an hour or two.  When we got back, I started posting pictures of Honey on Craigslist, Twitter, and Facebook.  I told my kids we would pray that some puppy angels would guide Honey safely home to us.

On Monday, I started posting fliers.  On my way to teach religion, I got an email from Denise May, a local Rescue Coordinator for Ridgeback Rescue, a volunteer organization devoted to the Rhodesian Ridgeback breed ( www.ridgebackrescue.org ).  One of her volunteers had seen my ad on Craigslist and she wanted to help.  She asked if a humane trap might help.  I answered that I was not sure, but that I would call for her advice after my class.

When I got home, I called Denise.  I was surprised to hear her say that some people were already on their way out to my area to look for Honey!  They had already made up a flier with the information from my ad.  The volunteers working on Honey’s case were Val, Eddie, and Judi.  This is what they do with their spare time, to bring dogs safely back to their owners.  I thought maybe these were the “puppy angels” God had sent for Honey.

Valerie was the first at my house.  She had hot dogs in her car and squeaky toys (to attract the dog); she started by driving around calling Honey.  She also runs a Facebook group called Help Bring Hampton Bayz Home ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Bring-Hampton-Bayz-Home ) dedicated to finding a male golden retriever who has been missing from the Medford areas since February, but which also allows others to post lost and found dogs.  The group suggested that I set up a Facebook group just for Honey.  Honey actually does have her own page, set up by my kids, but it’s private.  A public group would allow for people to report “sightings”.

The group, accompanied by Judi’s friendly retriever Chloe, searched the sump and the woods that night.  They flooded the area with fliers, searched other adjoining roads and another wooded park.  I was really amazed at the goodness of these people.  They suggested that I set up feeding stations, so that I would know if Honey was in the area – in which case a humane trap might work.  I should hang unwashed shirts belonging to whichever family member she was closest to, where the wind would catch and carry the scent.  Another suggestion was barbecuing bacon, something that recently worked in the rescue of another dog that had been missing in the woods over the weekend.

I should call around to all the local animal hospitals, as well as my vet, and fax them my flier.  My vet at Wooded Acres told me that generally the vets and animals hospitals share this information in case a found dog with no identification is brought in.  I also should call the pounds in adjoining areas, fax them fliers, and visit my own town shelter on a regular basis.  I heard from the group, as well as several nice people I ran into while hanging fliers, that you really need to go into the shelter and look for the dog on a regular basis.  Many people have called the front desk and been told no dog matching that description has been brought in, and then found the dog there.

On Tuesday I went to the shelter.  That was such a heartbreaking experience.  When I got in through the front door I imagined I heard Honey’s voice among the many dogs howling.  My hopes were to be lifted and dashed repeatedly during this visit – there is a Proverb that says “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick”.  In each room I walked through kennels on the left and right.  I kept hoping the next dog might be her.  There were many dogs that had similar characteristics to her and I started to doubt myself, wondering if I would recognize my own dog.  One was her breed and although she sounded different and showed no sign of recognition, I looked at her for a minute and said, “This looks a little like her if she lost some weight.”  The guide laughed and said, “Except it’s a he.”  So that settled that.  That was the last dog.  It was everything I could do to hold my tears back until I could get outside.

When I got home there were a few pieces of steak missing from the bowl on the front porch, which got my hopes up a little, but anything could have taken it.  I put some sand around the bowl so I could see the paw prints next time.  That night Val was out again, and the rest of the group was hanging more fliers.  I made some bacon in the backyard and made a trail from the sump to the front porch. On Wednesday there was some bacon missing, but the prints left were the size of a raccoon’s.  Then I got a phone call.

“Good morning,” said a man with a gruff voice. 

“Good morning?” I said, hopefully. 

“I hope it’s a good morning for you,” he said, mysteriously. 

“Yes?” I prompted.

“Are you still missing your dog?” he asked.

I asked for a description – he was describing her as a “puppy”, but the size and collar description matched.  He lived on the road on the other side of the woods.  I went over there right away.  When I knocked I could see through the window her body being carried and I knew it was her. He answered the door carrying her.  She was so excited!  We got her into the car and he explained how she had shown up on his front doorstep either Sunday or Monday afternoon, wet and scared.  He had another older dog and “I don’t need another dog”, he said, but he kept her safe and fed her organic dog food.  He had gone to the food store, where people post lost and found pets.  I had given them my flier, but they swap them every other day, so it wasn’t up at that time.  When he woke up Wednesday and went outside, her flier was smack in front of his nose on a post in front of his house.  “She’s gonna need a bath.  She has some ticks on her.  I was gonna give her the works today,” he said.  He proceeded, “She is such a sweet dog and really needs loving.  You can’t ever yell at her.  She’ll do whatever you tell her to.”  I told her she had been a rescue dog and he said he figured as much.

When I brought her home, I texted the really essential people – my daughter at school and Denise and Val – first, and they had questions, but I really had to get her into the yard for her bath.  I did that, and felt bad I had to make her uncomfortable, but afterward she laid in the sun and looked so happy to be in her own yard.  She slept all afternoon.

“Never underestimate the power of a flier”, said Denise.  She and Val told me to give Honey a kiss and hug from them, a treat, and a set of shiny new tags.  I spent much of the afternoon calling around to all the places that had posted my flier so they could take them down.  I would spend the next week on a hunt for fliers throughout town to take them down. I kept the large, beautifully done posters in case she ever got on the loose again.

The reunions with the children continued for hours as they all finished up with school and sports.  Alex came home and knew something was different.  “Is Honey home?” he asked hopefully.  They had a little romp and she went back to sleep.  Allison came home from track.  She went up the stairs and I asked her to come to the windows.  “Look what’s under the trampoline,” I said, and she ran out to give her some petting.  I met the school bus with her on the leash – the bus driver was ecstatic for us – Honey jumped up and licked her on the face.  Audrey came home from softball and dove onto the couch with Honey.

Honey slept all the next day and ate quite a bit.  The following day she got microchipped.  Over the weekend she perked up a bit and by Monday was her energetic self again.  It was so nice to have my running partner back!

I asked Denise what someone should do if they find a lost dog.  This is what she had to say:

“A finder should take the dog to the local vet to have him/her scanned for a microchip. If no chip and the finder is willing to hold, they should hang flyers, list on Craig's list and/ or place a newspaper ad. The finder should put limited information. Like for Honey the sign or ad should merely say found large brown dog. This way the caller claiming the dog will have to fill in the pieces such as breed, gender, collar or no collar. What you are trying to prevent is people claiming the dog when it is not theirs, for nefarious purposes (such as dog fighting or breeding). I require a claimant to provide proof of ownership through vet records and/or photos.”

We are so happy to have our beloved Honey back!  To anyone who ever loses their dog, be persistent, and don’t give up hope!  I heard from people who lost their dog for days, weeks, even months, and their endings were happy.  I am so blessed to be able to share my happy ending with you.

Odette's Secrets by Maryann Macdonald

Every once in a while there comes along a book that I feel absolutely must be shared with as many young people as possible.  Odette’s Secrets, a young adult historical novel, lovingly and painstakingly crafted by Maryann Macdonald, is one of those rarities.  It tells the story of the Holocaust, a dark period that must never be forgotten, through the eyes of a child.

Told entirely in blank verse in the voice of a young Jewish girl, the book is filled with black and white photographs from the Meyers family album.   The story begins as Odette is beginning to realize that things for Jews are changing in Paris.  Life becomes defined by hiding, secrecy, and loss.  The Meyers family is not religious, so Odette struggles with understanding what it meant to be a Jew.  To keep her safe, Odette’s mother sends her to the French countryside to attend a convent school, with instructions to blend in as a Catholic orphan.  

Odette’s new life is much better, with room to play freely without food rationing and the fear of soldiers.  She is filled with confusion about her identity, as she is living out the lie that was designed to protect her.  She feels drawn to the Holy Family of Baby Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Joseph, and finds comfort in the nativity scene.  She misses her mother, but never wants to go back to Paris.

Odette’s mother joins her when Paris becomes too dangerous for her to continue her secret work.  She does not blend in as well as her daughter has, however, and when the children become suspicious Odette is chased down and beaten up.  Although a friend and protector is able to convince the country folk of the family’s story so they can continue living there in peace, Odette is never able to trust her friends again.

When the war ends, Odette and her mother return to Paris, where Odette must confront the reality of the suffering that the Jews have endured.  Only then can she finally come to terms with who she is as a girl and a Jew.  She is reunited with her father, now a prison camp survivor, who brings her the gift of a diary in which to write her story. 

Maryann Macdonald has written more than twenty-five books for children.  While living in Paris, she discovered Doors to Madam Marie, the autobiography of Odette Meyers, who grew up to be a poet and university professor.  She became fascinated by Meyers’ story and personally visited the places where she had lived and played as a child.  Meyers passed away in 2002, survived by her son Daniel, who provided Macdonald with additional materials and permission to write his mother’s story for children.

This is a story that will draw young readers in and keep them turning the pages.  It tells the sorrowful truth in a sensitive way that is age-appropriate, yet never condescending.  Young people and their parents can benefit from reading this book concurrently.

Odette’s Secrets by Maryanne Macdonald

Published Feb. 26, 2013

240 pages, Hardcover, $16.99

Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Ages 10 and up

Author’s website : http://www.maryannmacdonald.com/odettes-secrets.htm?projx=91.4

Publisher’s website: http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/odettes-secrets-9781599907505/

"Curse of the Thirteenth Fey: The True Tale of Sleeping Beauty" by Jane Yolen

Pre-teens are in for a treat from renowned storyteller Jane Yolen in this newest modernization of the traditional tale of Sleeping Beauty, and parents can rest assured that both traditional and modern family values will be promoted by the story.

Yolen weaves a tale about a thirteen-year-old named Gorse, who happens to be the thirteenth and youngest child in a family of fairies known as the Shouting Fey.  They are called this because the most gifted among them are able to produce a guttural sound that can literally move mountains.  Gorse has been kept innocent and ignorant of the family secret, which is that the fey have been kept captive by a promise made hundreds of years ago.  They are bound to do whatever they are summoned to do by royalty.  Fey cannot break their promises or they will burst into thousands of stars.  There are signs that Gorse may be the promised one that can release the fey from their bondage.

Just as the family is summoned to bless a new princess, Gorse becomes extremely ill.  If she does not arrive to give her blessing as promised, her entire family could burst into thousands of stars.  On her way to the castle, she falls into a deep cave, where she finds even deeper family secrets.  She must find her way out of the cave, at the same time helping other fey relatives to regain their freedom.

In the course of her journey, Gorse develops her ability to cast spells using her “shout”.  She finds a creative way to break down the magical door that holds her and others in the cave, and devises a clever spell with which to “bless” the princess and the other royalty with sleep for 100 years, so that her family’s promise is kept and they are able to regain their freedom.  This was an extremely creative story based on the timeless values of keeping promises and loyalty to family, combined with the modern values of the power of creativity and of the female mind, that pre-teens are bound to enjoy.

Published November 2012 by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Boks

For children ages 10 and up

256 pages * $16.99 hardcover * ISBN 978-0399256646

For more information on purchasing options visit http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399256646,00.html