Multi-Award-Winning Author & Animal Advocate

I'm thrilled to share some exciting news with you! Dog at the Tinsel Tree: Susie's Story has won its first book award: Finalist in the 2024 Feathered Quill Book Awards: Animal-Adult category! 

Rabbit at the Sliding Door: Chloe's Story also placed as a finalist in the same category last year. Even though I didn't place first, second or third, I am grateful and even more motivated to climb higher. (I am a Capricorn, after all. Once us goats climb one mountain, we're ready to climb the next!)

There's a quote in Henry Winkler's new memoir Being Henry that will always push me to keep going when it seems hopeless. He shares his actor's journey in a way that will inspire anyone chasing their dreams. He says, "If you stay at the table long enough..." whatever is meant for you will happen if you keep the faith.

You know how I keep trying to inspire you to take that first step? To pursue your dreams no matter how impossible you think they might be to achieve?

Believe me, if you only knew how many balls I have in the air at this time in my life, you'd realize that you CAN accomplish anything, as long as you keep making even the smallest of moves forward.

Another Book Award? Yes, #14. I can't believe it either! Rabbit at the Sliding Door: Chloe's Story won bronze in the memoir category of the Northern California Publishers and Authors Book Awards (NCPA) contest. This book awards contest was the last one that I was eagerly awaiting results. You see, NCPA is where it all began.

Book award #12 for Rabbit at the Sliding Door: Chloe’s Story from Next Generation Indie Book Awards! I am continually both amazed and deeply grateful when another book award announcement arrives in my in-box.

Thank you for allowing me to share this honor with you. Reach for the stars, my friend. Rewards, like this, can happen for you!

Trotting by to wish every human and animal mom, or combination of the two (referring to my fellow pet parents), a special day of celebration and remembrance.

Where would we be without our mothers? I owe my love of books to my mom. Every afternoon when I was a little girl, my mom asked me to choose a book from my collection of children’s books and she’d read it to me. I wonder how many of my favorites she had to read more than once!

Book award #11! First Place in the 2023 Christian Indie Awards (Gift Book Category.) I haven’t entirely figured out why God keeps blessing me with these awards, other than to say I believe He’s showing me that I’m right on track. Keep going! Keep improving. No matter how hard life can get at times, this is your purpose. You are destined to do great things.

Book award #10! Winner in the 2023 Book Excellence Awards Contest – Gift Book Category. Are you as shocked as I am? I can’t believe it, and yet I feel validated. During the big gap (twelve years) between book number one and book number two, I worked hard at honing my craft. I attended countless writing and publishing conferences, meetings, and webinars. I read books on the subject, and I wrote…and wrote.

I have some exciting news to share with you since my last newsletter. I’ve joined the PNP team and was interviewed by a fellow author about writing animal stories!

PNP is the acronym for Pilots N Paws, a 501 (c)(3) charity that provides free flights to rescue and service animals, as well as injured wildlife. Pilots provide emergency response in natural disasters, flying animals out of harm’s way. All flights are done by volunteer pilots who donate their planes and flight costs to rescues. Many animals saved are flown out of high-kill shelters across the country for a second chance at finding a loving home.

Rabbit at the Sliding Door: Chloe’s Story has won Finalist in the 2023 Feathered Quill Book Awards: Animal-Adult category!

I am overjoyed to receive this eighth book award in Chloe’s honor and to share it with you. I want you to be inspired by each book award, because I hope it proves anything is possible when you take that first hop. 

Thanks again for joining me on this journey and supporting my passion to help animals in need.

When a rabbit is very happy or excited, it will jump in the air while slightly twisting its body and head. That’s called a “binky”. I can still see Chloe jumping, twisting, and kicking her feet high in the air when she was super happy. She made me smile with glee and even chuckle at her exuberance. Her joy was contagious!

Rabbit at the Sliding Door: Chloe’s Story has won its seventh award! Judges in the 2022 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards Contest presented me with awards from three categories: Second Place in Coffee Table & Gift Books and Honorable Mention in Animals/Pets & Holiday! I share my awards with you, because I want to show you that with hard work, perseverance, and faith, anything is possible.

I can’t let a year pass without sharing this photo of Freedom in his Santa hat. It warms my heart every time. Not only does it make me smile (because he really didn’t want that floppy red cone with a white pompom on his head), it makes me wish I could hug the thick, winter-hair around his neck and thank him.

If it weren’t for you, Freedom, I wouldn’t have found the courage to write your story. If it weren’t for you, Freedom, I wouldn’t have been given this amazing writing gig that allows me to help animals all over the world. If it weren’t for you, Freedom, I wouldn’t have found my purpose.