A Dog's Tale is a fantasy novel about the adventures and misadventures of a dog, one whom both adults and young readers will identify with-think of it as a timely "Dickensian" story that provides hope and happiness amidst darkness and difficulty. Unlike most stories featuring animals that are cliched "hero" plots with clever animals doing fantastical things, this story is realistic and relatable. The protagonist is like most young people-and many adults-in that he's not yet the architect of his life. Life happens to him. That is, until he makes a decision that dramatically alters his worldview, fate, and future.
After the pup is born, he's given away, and tragic circumstances-the owner's death and a fire that destroys his house and leads the owner's wife to abandon him-force the dog out into a hostile world to fend for himself. It's the start of an ultimately uplifting tale with a colorful cast of characters: an old wolf who deceives him into believing he's harmless; an ornery boar; an owl and raven who leave him with more questions than answers; a hedgehog who becomes both prey and predator; a dancing bear who's the star of a local circus; and, of course, other dogs, including a fearless scoundrel who exposes him to the glories of raiding chicken coops, and a female who becomes his intimate companion.
A Dog's Tale will challenge readers to question what matters most-whether they're at the beginning of their life journey, near the end, or somewhere in the middle. More specifically, the book will appeal to fans of classics such as The Little Prince, Wind in the Willows, Watership Down, Sheep-Pig, Charlotte's Web, and The Incredible Journey, books that view the world through the eyes of animals and are narrated by them. My story is dark, but I've interspersed humor and optimism with the hope that even the most tenderhearted readers won't feel disappointed or betrayed if they read the book.
