Self-Publish Your Own Dog #Books For Dummies by @JFBookman

self publishers ultimate source guide joel friedlander betty kelly sargentIf you’ve ever been interested in writing your own dog book — or any book, for that matter — then you might want to sign up for The Self-Publisher’s Ultimate Resource Guide by Joel Friedlander and Betty Kelly Sargent. This bare bones book is less a ‘how-to guide’ and more like a directory — as it contains very little text — but is filled with hundreds of valuable links to editors, book cover designers, marketing/publicity gurus, and various publishing pros who can help your story stand out from the pack. Let’s face it, there are millions of books out there competing for eyeballs — and this one could help save you a lot of time and effort!

That said, this book is definitely tailored to scribes who have some knowledge about the publishing process and/or have already finished their manuscript — and just need some additional help during the post-writing stage. Please make sure to do your own research and stick with a budget when it comes to hiring any so-called ‘publishing experts’ — because nobody is going to care more about your book than YOU!

@BuzzFeed Scores with #DearKitten #SuperBowl Spot!

BuzzFeed has teamed up with Friskies to do a “Dear Kitten” Super Bowl ad called “Regarding the Big Game” to get crazy cat loving-football fans purring for the big matchup — however, it will only play regionally in select cities, such as Pawnee City, Kitty Hawk, and Los Gatos. Seriously, no joke! (Business Insider)

Here’s the full 3-minute spot released online…

#DrPepper Goes Long With #Dogs Commercial!

With the Super Bowl’s war of commercials coming up soon, Dr. Pepper has taken the first shot with this cute/funny dog spot, featuring a Puli (aka “The Bob Marley Dog”), along with a touching message about dog rescue. Whether they were inspired by Budweiser’s Clydesdales or puppy bowl promos, who knows — but this is just what the doctor ordered!

Let’s hope this jingle is as catchy as the original 1970’s “I’m A Pepper” hit…

Oh yeah, and if you’re feeling nostalgic about the Budweiser animals, check ’em out below…


#DoggiesForAnthony Breaks the Internet!

635561492232649872-ANthony-LyonsIf a picture is worth a thousand words, then 500,000 doggie photos is priceless! In what has to be the feel good story of the year (okay, I know it’s only been a week so far, but I have a feeling this one will be remembered for a long time) — Anthony Lyons, a young teenager with cancer, isn’t allowed see his dogs while he’s undergoing chemotherapy treatments at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, so a family friend came up with the idea to create a “Photo Doggies For Anthony” Facebook page for well-wishers to send in funny dog pictures to brighten his day.

Well, it didn’t take long for the doggie photos to come pouring in from all over the world, as the FB page went viral, and now over 500k doggie pics have been submitted for Anthony and all of us to enjoy! (USA Today)

doggie photo doggies for anthony

Last Minute Dog Book Stocking Stuffers?

never have your dog stuffed alan aldacrap taxidermy 22299612If you’re trying to jam in some extra treats for your dog lover friends for the holidays, you could take it literal and pick up the new animal humor book, Crap Taxidermy, which showcases some of the world’s worst taxidermic projects ever created out of our former furry friends (sounds like one of those bad plastic surgery TV shows on E!), or you could possibly pick up Alan Alda’s not very dog-friendly sounding memoir, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, which is on sale right now for $1.99 on Kindle. Of course, it might be better just to play it safe with a cute, cuddly puppy story — since everybody loves puppies! — so there’s always The Dogs of Christmas by W. Bruce Cameron.

Regardless of whatever goodies you go with to celebrate, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

dogs_of_christmas_book_w bruce cameron

Rescue #Dogs Fight Off Bad Publicity!

Rescued-DogsTwo recent online stories — The Wrong Dog: When A Dog Adoption Goes Bad by Erica-Lynn Huberty (The New York Times) and the much lighter, but still thought-provoking Woman Saves Two Dogs From Being Killed, Then Posts This On Craigslist by Nicole Gabriel (BarkPost) — discuss some unhappy endings in the world of dog rescue.

However, whether you’ve gotten your dog from a rescue or a breeder (which also have their own horror stories), I would hope most wannabe dog owners understand that these types of disturbing adoption tales are atypical, and it doesn’t negatively impact their decision to get a rescue pooch in the future. That said, unfortunately, there are no guarantees in life — even a dog’s life. (photo credits: TheDogWizard and FreeAllImages)

rescue-dog-quotes-1

‘All #Dogs #Cats #Animals Go To Heaven’ – Pope Francis

Pope-FrancisDoveI usually don’t discuss politics or religion — but I’ve been a fan of Pope Francis ever since he took over the Vatican. And now that he’s recently come out saying that there is such a thing as an ‘Animal Heaven’, well, that pretty much seals the deal! (Business Insider)

Adventure #Dogs!

As most folks take off on long journeys to see family on this Thanksgiving holiday, check out this heartwarming story about a stray dog in Ecuador named Arthur who met a group of Swedish athletes and fell in love — and hiked, biked, kayaked, and travelled hundreds of miles to stick with his new pack! (NPR)

arthur dog follows swedish athletes

#DogsofTwitter meet the #Dogs of Photo Books!

dogface barbara o'brienthe life and love of dogs lewis blackwellIf you’re a serious dog lover, then you probably enjoy cuddling up with a good dog book — especially ones with just pictures! Well, there’s a new litter of doggie photo books out there just in time for the holidays — Dogface (Barbara O’Brien), Dogs In Cars (Lara Jo Regan), and The Life and Love of Dogs (by master animal/nature photographer, Lewis Blackwell). Say woof!

dogs in cars lara jo regan

Celebrities and Their #Dogs Book Sale!

no better friend celebrities and the dogs they love elke gazzaraThe old joke in Washington D.C. is, “If you want a friend, get a dog.” Well, that adage could be applied to Hollywood as well — as Elke Gazzara (widow of actor, Ben Gazzara) explores in her new tome, No Better Friend: Celebrities and The Dogs They Love. Filled with heartwarming stories from Frank Gehry to Tommy Tune, the Kindle version is on sale for $0.99 through November 5. (Amazon)