Dear Reader,
Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...there are only eight more days for you to enter this year's Write a DearReader Contest. I'm looking forward to reading your entry.
Read last year's winning entries, deadlines, and cash prizes here.
Book club reader, Lee Rothberg, was an Honorable Mention winner in last year's Write a DearReader Contest. It's my pleasure to reprint her "Lessons from Sophie" column today...
...Of the countless lessons my husband and I learned from our Labrador Retriever, Sophie, the most lasting was to open our hearts to every dog we encounter. In this way, we sustain her legacy of joy and laughter.
It's been five years, but we still walk daily on the paths that meander through a county park where we strolled with her. This serves the dual purpose of spirited exercise and lively encounters with the dogs and their owners who frequent these trails.
Whenever we see any of our "regulars," they react as if we were meeting them for the first time. They greet us with their tails wagging, acutely aware that I carry a cache of treats, and they nose up to it in anticipation. If we see a new dog, we always ask if it is okay to offer a grain-free turkey biscuit, as we understand that many dogs are on special diets.
We remember the obedience classes that we attended with Sophie, where the trainers stressed that we should have her "work" for her treats. Sit. Stay. Come. She could do all that, but it was not in our nature to request a performance unless we were playing a game with her. We would just kid each other and say, "Look at how cute she is... That requires exceptional effort."
But some folks in the park subscribe to that "work" formula for treats. And we abide by their wishes. Some dogs sit, waiting politely, and others offer their paws to "shake" hands. Three rescued Basset hounds perform like a circus act. One runs with a stick, his elongated ears flopping in the wind, while the second howls his sweet song. The princess of the three rolls over to have a belly rub and then sits up expectantly to enjoy her reward.
We met one woman whose stunning chocolate lab, all 110 pounds of him, was straining at his leash to come say hi, as he recognized us immediately. It had been a while since we'd seen him, but once you've fed them, they never forget you. The woman said that she had told her friends about the time, months ago, when we first met in the park. They were tickled that I carried treats for all the dogs we saw.
Two sisters walking in the rain with three King Charles Spaniels, whose paws were positively caked in mud, were amazed that we absolutely did not mind that they were jumping on us. "They are expressing delight," I explained. "This is the reason why we have washing machines." One sister asked, "Do you have a dog?" "We did," I said solemnly. "We honor her memory by giving treats to all the dogs we see." She gave me a heartfelt and knowing hug. This random act of kindness could be delivered only by someone who has suffered that loss and understands the enormity of it.
We defined Sophie's tasks differently. Her fun-filled antics made us laugh every day and, in addition, taught us to keep chewables off the floors, lest she claim the remote controls and our sneakers as her toys. That was tutoring excellence.
She assisted us with recycling by shredding our magazines and newspapers, chased rabbits and squirrels out of the yard and fine-tuned our throwing arms with endless games of catch.
She coached us to keep the kitchen spotless, as she was expert at counter-surfing and had a sensitive stomach. In this way, we avoided anxious visits to the vet. What a brilliant medical strategy!
Sophie opened our hearts to an unconditional love for all dogs, who bring joy and laughter to our lives and deserve rewards for their tireless efforts. Perhaps, we can donate an occasional sneaker to their toy collection.
Lee Rothberg
Honorable Mention, 2020 Write a DearReader Contest
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win.
SLAYED BY DARKNESS (Fiction) by Alexandra Ivy
It's been fifteen years since I created the first book in the Guardians of Eternity. When I sat down to write this latest title, I knew it had to be special. What better way to get it started than by having Jayla, my vampire assassin, kill her destined mate? Talk about a complicated relationship. Especially when Azrael kidnaps her off the streets of Hong Kong, demanding that she use her unique powers to keep him out of the grave. I'm giving away five copies, to enter the drawing, click on the link to Authorbuzz and the book jacket or email: [email protected]
Go to: AUTHORBUZZ click on SLAYED BY DARKNESS to read more and to email author Alexandra Ivy, you'll get a reply.
This month's Penguin Classics book is THE TALE OF PRINCESS FATIMA, WARRIOR WOMAN: The Arabic Epic of Dhat al-Himma, translated and edited by Melanie Magidow. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading and enter for your chance to win.
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