Paw
Prints in My Heart Was a
Labor of Love
Greetings
from Portland, Oregon –
MAC, the dog of my life and the four-legged love of my life,
passed away last June 14th.
At the time I had just written and posted his 14th Birthday
Post to my blog, and was only a few chapters into the newest installment of my
Cups Drayton crime thriller Series. Mac inspired the character of ‘Weller’, an
old black Lab that first appeared in The
Old Dog’s New Trick, then became a recurring character in Imperfect Resolution, and was returning
for the third time in my new book.
When he died, a day after turning fourteen, we were
devastated but hardly surprised. In a
way we’d been preparing for it since he was a puppy. There had been a time when we had real doubts
he’d make it to two, the medical challenges were that daunting. But with plenty
of love and dollars he lived an improbably long and wonderful life, and we were
lucky for it.
His love and friendship, his joy and trust of life, found a
way to trump five leg surgeries before he was three – all his joints were bad;
a bout with mast cell skin cancer, a frightening intestinal blockage, and no
shortage of other assorted lesser ailments over the years.
He was the Labrador retriever that couldn’t retrieve; it was too painful and he knew
better.
Despite a lifetime medical tab that we’ve come to refer to
as his Freshman and Sophomore years at U
of O, we were grateful, thankful,
to share our lives with a great guy that wanted nothing more than to be with us
and shower us with affection, and appreciation,
too. On some level I think he
understood that he’d landed with the right family.
I put the new novel aside to write his story, Paw Prints in My Heart. It was my
attempt to capture precious memories and the story of his unlucky-but-oh-so-lucky-life.
My goal was to finish the book and have it available by the
first anniversary of his death.
As I wrote it, some remarkable happened. It was more than Mac’s story, and mine, it
was how an old dog that never said a word had taught me so much. About love and friendship, acceptance,
forgiveness, and making the most of every day.
In calling Paw Prints ‘Life
lessons learned from the dog of my life’ know that the words are heartfelt.
If you’re a dog lover you’ll enjoy this book and I hope you
see some of your dog in Mac.
If you’re not a dog lover, I hope you’ll give a try. Plenty
of laughs and a few tears.
I’ve had dogs all my life.
Loved ‘em all and cried over each of them but Mac was different.
My best friend, the dog of my life, and my writing
partner.
Soon I’ll return to the new novel, and to the character Mac
inspired, and the truth is I can’t wait to be together again.
I hope you’ll read Paw
Prints in My Heart and thank you in advance.
May the pages turn and deprive you of sleep.
andrew
