Saturday, December 3, 2011

2011 Goal...Met

When I initially decided to write and publish my first book, I sat down with Buddy Senior, looked into his beautiful eyes and said "Yours is a story worth telling." 

Who would have thought that a "simple" adoption that cost us nothing would have changed our life in so many ways?  Who would have thought that a golden retriever would have such an incredible personality—one that was actually capable of teaching us a thing or two about life. We had no idea what we were in for or what a profound difference that stunning dog was going to make.
After writing "Finally Home," I showed Buddy the first proof that I received and no doubt, in his mind, he said "Cool, a toy for me."  The standard dog toys were a mere distraction for him, nothing more than something to occupy his time for a short while.

The "real" toys were paper towel rolls, shoes and, of course books —things he could tear easily and initiate  entertaining games of chase and keep away.

Before "Finally Home" was even published, I had made up  my mind that if any copies had sold, a portion of the proceeds would be donated to animal rescue.  I had no idea about publishing a book, how to market it or if any copies would even be sold!  I suppose I was utterly clueless about the entire process.
Upon my first sale, you can imagine how happy I was when I realized I could now officially donate something from the sale of my book.  True, it was only one dollar, but hey, it was a start.

Little did I know that the first year I was able to donate about one thousand dollars to animal rescue.
So, when 2011 rolled around, I raised the bar.  My goal became $2000.00.

As I wrote those promising words on Facebook and Twitter, I have to admit, a blanket of doubt covered my thoughts.  Two thousand dollars?  How was I going to do that?
Well, some months were better than others and I even thought about how I was going to break the news that it just wasn't possible.

Those are the months I tried even harder.  I had more ideas so I wrote more books.  Now, almost two  years later and I have seven books on the shelves of Amazon.  I am donating from the sales of each of those books.
Almost two years later and I'm happy to say that I was able to reach my goal of $2000.00.



I can't take the credit though. I have to thank my readers for their support.
Most of all, I have to thank Buddy Senior.  Though I never in a million years expected him to have to leave us when he did, he is the main reason that any of this came to fruition.  The only reason I am able to do ANY of this is because he gave me the initial material to write a book, simply because he was who he was.

The rest just followed.
I haven't set a goal yet for 2012, but will do so shortly.  It's a great feeling to play even a small role in helping the homeless, neglected and abused animals.  They are not disposable and deserve all the love in the world.

After all, Buddy Senior was the dog that no one wanted.  I can never imagine my life without knowing him. 

Thanks again for reading and thanks for your support.  It's greatly appreciated.


Happy Holidays and wishing you health and happiness for the year 2012.
Elizabeth Parker
Author of Finally Home, Final Journey, My Dog Does That!, Bark Out Loud!, Unwanted Dreams, Phobia, Evil's Door and coming soon...Faces of Deception.
www.twitter.com/golden_books
www.facebook.com/goldenbooks1

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The Holidays are Coming!

It's that time of year again.  The stores are streaming holiday music throughout, posting sales that can't be beat and the spirit of Christmas is swirling around us.

It's a wonderful time of the year to get together with friends and family, sit down to exquisite meals, and exchange thoughtful and fun gifts.

One thing that often happens during this time of year is impulse buying.  While this may not be great for bank account, it's often considered harmless.

There is one particular instance where impulse buying IS a life and death situation: Adoption of animals.

Without fail, during this time of year, the pet stores are full of adorable cats, dogs, bunnies—and other adorable animals— that are simply irresistible. That is not by accident.  During the holidays, people seem to be immune to bringing out the old pro and con list.  Instead they look at these adorable balls of fur and sign their names on the dotted line.

What you may not realize is that it is not all fun and games.  While opening your home to a pet is a wonderful idea, it HAS to be right for you.  Remember, that cute little puppy with the big paws may grow to be bigger than you and may want to voice his opinion more often than you'd like to hear.  That little kitten’s litter box is going to need to be cleaned daily. 

Not to mention, the holidays, while fun, are a very busy and stressful time of year.

In my book, “Finally Home,” I made this list as some general points to think about while adopting a dog, but it can really be used with regard to any animal.  Similar rules apply.  Please take a moment to think about these things before adopting a pet.  There will always be pets to adopt, so don’t feel like you need to rush into it now if the timing and situation is NOT right for you. 

The new year can prove to be one of the saddest times of year for these animals as after the holidays are over, pets often get returned and some may never get the chance to be adopted again.

Please think it through before adopting a pet.

1.       Puppies get big. Make sure you have the adequate space to handle your dog’s expected size.
2.      Dogs bark.
3.       Dogs drool.
4.       Dogs sometimes do not have manners.
5.       They may have an accident on your rug. They may also have one if they get excited.
6.       They may jump on the furniture.
7.       They shed.
8.       They do have waste that needs to be disposed of—by you.
9.        They may have behavioral issues that you have to deal with.
10.    Vet bills may get very high.
11.    Some dogs need very expensive food as their stomachs can’t handle regular food.
12.   They may live to be eighteen!!
13.   Dogs chew things. Sometimes it is things that they should not chew.
14.   Dogs steal.
15.   Dogs need to be groomed.
16.   They may get sick at inopportune moments.
17.   They may counter surf. This means they may steal things of importance off of your counter.
18.   Taking care of a dog is a lot of work.
19.   Some do need to be exercised constantly, depending on the breed.
20.   There are many other surprises that are too numerous to list.

Wishing you the very best healthy and happy Holiday Season for you and yours. 

Copyright 2011 Elizabeth Parker
Elizabeth Parker, Author of Finally Home, Final Journey, My Dog Does That!, Bark Out Loud, Unwanted Dreams, Phobia, Evil's Door and coming soon, Faces of Deception

Friday, November 4, 2011

Toffee's Rant


Aren't there doggy labor laws? Mom takes me to work much too often.  I've gotta get my rest so I can wake her up at the crack of dawn!

Also, I know there are cookies in that drawer.  She thinks I can't smell them, but I can.  Think she'll give me one? Nope.  She just stands there and takes my picture.  I might flip over my water bowl in a minute...just to show her who is boss.

Elizabeth Parker
Author of Finally Home, Final Journey, My Dog Does That! Bark Out Loud!, Unwanted Dreams, Phobia, Evil's Door and Faces of Deception

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Brandi and Toffee model in their tutu by Tutu Cute Tutus and More by Jenn...

I just wanted to share some pictures of the dogs modeling their Halloween costume this year.

There's a new business in town called Tutu Cute Tutus and More by Jenn. All tutus are hand-made and customized. I ordered one of these for my dogs and they look absolutely fabulous in them!

The designer of these gorgeous tutus creates them using any colors specified. If you want to take a glimpse of what they have to offer, visit http://www.tutucutebyjenn.webs.com/ or their facebook http://www.facebook.com/tutucutebyjenn

For now, here's some pics of the proud puppies wearing theirs! Now if I can only get them to learn ballet!



Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Hallo-wiener 2011


This weekend I had the opportunity to attend Las Vegas Hot Diggity Dachshund Club and Rescue's event "Hallo-wiener!"

What a blast.  It was a gorgeous day and I don't think I have ever seen so many wiener dogs in one place!  They all looked like they were having a great time and enjoying the festivities.

I was happy to be one of the three judges to choose the winner of the costume contest, kissing contest and belly rub contest.  What dog can resist belly rubs?

Here's some of the proud pups sporting their very creative costumes.  After all, who says Halloween is just for kids?















Copyright 2011 Elizabeth Parker
Author of Finally Home, Final Journey, My Dog Does That!, Bark Out Loud
Unwanted Dreams, Phobia and Evil's Door

Friday, September 2, 2011

Which Ones Are Mine?

I’ve received some emails lately asking the titles and descriptions of all of my books since there is another author by the same name.  I’ve answered those emails, but just in case anyone else was wondering, I thought I would list them here.
You’ll notice that I write two different types of genres (so far).  Someone asked me how I can switch from one to another, “Shouldn’t an author only write one type of genre?” To me, that’s like saying an individual should only have one type of interest in their lives. 
There are times when I want to write about dogs, when other times, I want to write about something scary.  Yet there are instances when I want to incorporate dogs into my books about something scary!  I have yet to pick another genre, but I’ve thought about it and just might ‘drama’ to the list as well.  Who knows what the future holds?
So, for inquiring minds –here’s my list.  There are three dog-related books and three thrillers.  Oh, and good news! For the month of September, Evil's Door is only .99 and My Dog Does That! is only $1.49!
*A portion of the proceeds from the sale of all of my books are donated to an animal rescue group.*
All available on Amazon !
All books are also available on Nook!

Finally Home: Lessons on Life from a Free-Spirited Dog

The heartwarming, true story with a happy ending. Buddy, the golden retriever who touched the lives of everybody he met, was an excessively mischievous dog that had been shuffled from owner to owner since no one could control his crazy behavior. He was on his way to meet his fate at the local shelter when a mere coincidence connected him with his current owners. While he no longer had to switch homes, the hilarious acts he committed, from ingesting bottle caps to barging into a stranger's house, caused his current owners to almost reconsider their decision.
Buddy was a dog that no one wanted, yet he became one of the quirkiest, friendliest, smartest and most cherished of dogs. The reader is not only drawn into the book, but learns from the unfortunate mistakes of others and how to think outside of the proverbial box. It gives the reader hope that if they are going through a similar ordeal, they can also successfully overcome any related obstacle.

Final Journey: Buddys’ Book

After the publication of "Finally Home," Buddy was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Once the unthinkable happened and Buddy's precious life was cut short, his family was left heartbroken and devastated.
At the same time, in another state, poor economic conditions forced another family to give up their golden retriever.
As fate would have it, his name...was Buddy.
While they were mourning the loss of their beloved dog, another dog was mourning the loss of his treasured family.
Brought together by misfortune, they entered each other's lives to help put back together the pieces of their broken hearts.
This story is for both Buddys, producing the subtitle "Buddys' Book."

My Dog Does That!

An uplifting book about dogs and all of the reasons that we love them. Do you ever feel a bit awkward due to the stunts that your dog has pulled? Do you ever feel as if you are the only one whose lovable dog embarrasses them at not-so-convenient times? How about those tender and wonderfully sweet moments that you so badly want to brag about, but are afraid others may not understand? If so, you're not alone! All of us dog-lovers can easily relate to the everyday occurrences when it comes to our furry friends because our dog does that too!
How did "My Dog Does That!" originate? 

When I wrote "Finally Home," it was a great experience for me, as I got to wander down memory lane with Buddy, Sr. by my side, laughing at the crazy things that he did throughout the years and marveling at the fact that we survived it all!  I was excited to write a book that did not have a sad ending and was able to look into his eyes when I wrote the last page, give him a high-five and say "We finished, Bud.  A humorous book all about you." 

As if he needed any more of an ego boost!

For any of the dog-related events or book signings that were going to take place, I had planned to bring Buddy with me.  I was lucky enough to have him sign a few of the first printed copies and still have his little smudge of a footprint that I will treasure forever.

Unfortunately, shortly after I had published it, Buddy, sr. had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, which eventually led me to write my next dog-related book titled, "Final Journey."  Though definitely not a funny book, I felt it needed to be written if, for nothing else but to make people aware of the severity of both canine cancer and canine grief.  Many times those grieving the loss of a pet feel helplessly alone and I wanted to express exactly how I felt about that loss.

Once that was published, I stuck to mainly writing thrillers for a while, but still had many ideas for dog-related stories.  Like so many individuals, I love reading stories about dogs...or any animals really.  Being a die-hard dog lover, I find myself engrossed in conversations about dogs all of the time and each person always is more than enthusiastic about sharing their experiences, and blurting out "My Dog Does That!...hence evolving the premise for "My Dog Does That!"
I had a lot of fun writing this one, as it does not focus on life or death, but purely the funny, ironic, weird, nutty, bizarre, embarrassing, frustrating, eerie, adorable, lovable  (and many other) behaviors that all dogs exhibit every once in a while.

If you've ever felt that your dog stories may seem a little outrageous, you're not alone.  Look no further.  Don't be surprised if you even blurt out a few times, "My Dog Does That!"

Unwanted Dreams

Alexandra had married the man of her dreams and they had their whole life ahead of them. They had a wonderful marriage, a beautiful house and essentially they could not be happier. Things were falling into place as intended, until one beautiful evening turned devastatingly tragic. The catastrophic events that transpired ensured that none of their lives would ever be the same.

Faced with an impossible moral decision, Alex had to make a choice that would come back to haunt her in years to come, once again forcing her to tempt the hands of fate.

How does a random murder shatter the many lives of those within the killer's path?

How do you pick up the pieces of your life when unforeseen circumstances alter your future forever?

Unwanted Dreams provides just the right amount of twists and turns, leaving the reader in suspense, pondering the following question: How strong is the bond that exists between family and how far would you be willing to go to save your own?

Phobia

Due to a sibling practical joke gone bad caused by his older brother, Matt Brewer grew up with intense phobias that have haunted him for the better part of his adulthood and was tired of living in fear.
His lifelong dreams were starting to come true in every possible aspect and his relationship was starting to flourish, but without help he had the potential to lead his life to ruins and self-destruction. Simple day-to-day activities caused him to become overwhelmed with extreme panic attacks without any warning.
After contemplating the benefits for hours on end and gathering the courage to do so, he finally made a conscious decision to go to group counseling, seeking help once and for all. It would only be a matter of time before his life got back on track.
He entrusted his heartfelt emotions and embarrassing cowardice in the hands of complete strangers and depended on them to help conquer his indomitable and irrational fears.
What he did not count on was having group therapy work against him and his worst fears become a distinct reality, leaving him fighting for his life and the precious lives of those around him, including his wonderful girlfriend whom he intended to marry.
Unbeknownst to him, his every move was being recorded and his darkest secrets revealed to a homicidal psychopath. Helplessly tortured and bound, he comes face to face with pure evil with no one to hear his desperate screams. Odds are against him and his futile attempts of escaping send waves of despair as he is the sole person with the ability to save his loved ones and others who may not live to see tomorrow.
Time is of the essence and it is a literal race against the clock in order to make it out alive.

Evil’s Door


Childhood rumors are often prevalent in a family-oriented community. Some may boast that they have seen a UFO flying overhead while others claim to have witnessed a ghost soaring through the trees. Regardless of how outrageous they are, these stories are so believable that they trickle down from sibling to sibling, friend to friend; creating a neighborhood buzz that lingers for years. Ryan Sheffield's neighborhood was no different. Though no one would admit it, adults and children alike were freaked out by the eccentric woman who lived in the ghastly corner house, but aside from that, his world as he knew it was an ordinary one. Bizarre situations did not surface until Ryan began working at his very first job. To his peers and superiors, it was just a traditional office. To Ryan, it was much more than that after a series of inexplicable occurrences haunted his every conscious moment. Through a bit of intense research, he uncovered the building's gruesome history and was led down its horrifying path. He opened the door to a hell he did not want to live in and tried his best to avoid the evil that surrounded him. The truth revealed itself to him in more ways than one; a truth he was better off not knowing and one that could essentially end his life.

Collection!

Offered together for a lower price, Two Complete Novels Unwanted Dreams and Phobia- A Collection.
 Enjoy and have a safe and happy Holiday weekend!