Dog Buddha's Thoughts Book Gets Bigger

Well, I've been further editing my next book, fiddling with this and that, and the book just keeps on getting bigger and bigger! I'm seeing the Illustrator (Ally Hean) next week, and hope to have more thoughts and insights about the project arriving with the coffee and possible cake that will be a part of our discussions.

Self-publishing books is an interesting thing to do, I feel, I just wish I was an absolute star at doing it, rather than just an ordinary person doing it ... But hey,. I'm doing something many people will never do in their lives, and next month will be launching my fourth, no fifth self-published book, and I'm proud of myself for that.

Yes, it would be nice if someone else did all of the tricksy marketing things, and book setting up things, and getting it in libraries things. I'm certainly not great at those things. I'm a writer, I write, that's who I am. But I'm a self-published writer too, which means I'm a writer, a publisher, a book marketer and whatever else goes with getting the book 'out there'.

But this book "Dog Buddha's Thoughts" has been lots of fun too, it isn't a drag to get it done. I had so much fun writing the bits of text, thinking up the thoughts, and then thinking up Buster the Dog's responses to those thoughts. Buster and I are a great team, and who knows how much fun we might have with the next book, whatever it ends up being. And who knows, maybe one day a real publisher might want to re-publish the three books Buster the Dog and I have already done?! Haha as if!

This is one of Ally's illustrations. It needs a little editing still, but I love it! There is a great image for the front cover, and I have two more illustrations as well. This book is close to my heart, and I'm glad to be working with my friend Ally again on one of Buster the Dog's books!

This book is (I hope) going to be finished and printed soon, and then launched at the Adelaide Plains Festival of Words. The Festival, is also a project that is close to my heart. That project is organised by  Adelaide Plains Poets Inc, and we're getting more and more excited about this event, our third Festival. We're a small group, but we're doing big things!

Exciting News About the Third Book!

I had a great time yesterday, having coffee, lunch a a chat with my friend who is the illustrator of the 'Buster the Dog' books. I gave Ally (Allyson Hean), a draft copy of the text of "Dog Buddha's Thoughts" and she will do the illustrations needed for the book.

Ally also gave me some great feedback, which is always a good thing when you want what you're doing together to be absolutely fantastic. It means I have more writing to do, but I love writing, so that's not a problem. Talking with Ally yesterday means that I now know what the front cover of my book will  look like, and that's super exciting!

We talked about which breed of dog would be the best choice for the Dog Buddha to be. My ideas before talking with Ally had been leaning toward a kelpie or border collie, but Ally was far wiser than I, she was thinking about Asian dogs, a tibetan spaniel or sharpei. Of course that is the obvious answer to the question - the dog buddha looks like a sharpei!

Anyway, the book is looking like being a nice sized book, with some fun text and great illustrations. I'm getting more and more excited about it all! I have a launch date, I have enough money to pay for getting the book printed I have someone writing a forward for me, and the illustrations will be done in plenty of time too, wonderful!

The book will be launched on 29 July, during the 2017 Adelaide Plains Festival of Words. I hope I can attract lots of people along for the book launch, and that everyone there loves my new book! It's been such a great time thinking about what 'Buster the Dog' thinks about these thoughts of the Dog Buddha, and writing it all down for the book. Coming up with the actual thoughts was fun too. My life has been such a lot of fun, it seems like a great dream that I'm living!

I love writing books, I love selling books! Sharing my thoughts with other people is a fun way to go in life!

Follow-up Book getting Bigger & Better!

"Dig It!" has been a fun book, and a learning experience for sure. Even though I will probably never see sales in the thousands with this book, I've enjoyed the process, and the friendships made and/or strengthened in the whole process. Every signed copy sold, every smile on the face of a new reader, these all bring a welcome warmth to my heart and me confidence as a writer!

This follow-up book, "Doggone It! Mindfulness from a Dog's Point of View" is another learning experience, and oh my, is the book looking like being something super special! The illustrations for the book arrived in the mail this morning, and I took them with me to Poetic Justice Cafe Gallery, to share around with my friends meeting there.

We had a wonderful time, and all agreed that my illustrator, Allyson Hean, has done an even better job with her pictures of 'Buster' my fellow 'writer' for this book. Ally seems to have got into Buster's head and seen the mindful things happening in his mind, with excellent results.

I also asked one of my friends whether she is interested in writing a foreword for "Doggone It!" and I am thrilled and humbled at her enthusiastic response! So, with pictures here, the foreword on its way and the rest of the text almost done, it was time to think about more details.

One of the things a new book needs is a book launch. And given my wonderful friends from Poetic Justice who have played a part in the making of this book, it was obviously the best place, where I have books on display for sale, to consider for the book launch. I have signed copies of "Dig It!" (and my two my other books here). I am the Writer-in-Residence here, and I feel so comfortable here!

So, I've given Cathy, who is working on the foreword, a deadline, and I am sure both Cathy and I will have this book ready well in time for a book launch some time in May! My next job is to speak to a possible printer about cost and a timeline for completion of the book copies, and get the final book finished off and ready to go.

Exciting times for sure, and I am finding it difficult to calm down about it. I will therefore sit still, look into the inner depths of my mind and see infinity, and see nothingness. Omm, omm, omm ...

Done!

Buster's Thoughts on Living a Good Life

Hi Friends,

Buster's been thinking about writing another book. His first book, "Dig It - Gardening Tips for Dogs", has gone down well with readers, and he can see there is a need for a book about finding better ways to live a good life. Boy does Buster know lots about that!

Buster's an expert at resting, eating well, and focusing on the positive things in his life. As a dog, Buster's main reason for living seems to be to have fun. Have a snack, Fun! Sit down and snooze, Fun! Go to bed, Fun! Go outside, Fun! Come back inside, Fun! Stay inside and do absolutely nothing, Fun!

I've been thinking a lot about Mindfulness lately, and will be learning about it in May, once a week, heading off to learn from someone who's made it her life's work. This program has been put on by the MS Society SA & NT, for people who have multiple sclerosis. Mindfulness and MS go together well, as far as I can see, and the other people there all seem committed to learning more about this. This is Fun!

I think the canine outlook on life, with it's Live Life in the Moment attitude fits in with the canine mind. I thing Buster's next book will be a look at Mindfulness and how he thinks about the whole thing, with pictures ... I'm not sure how these pictures might happen - my friend who did the illustrations for the last book has moved away, and she has an actual job, so may not be available...

We'll see what happens ... Some of the pictures from "Dig It" may be suitable for the new book, and there are always other opportunities. I may even learn how to be a wonderful illustrator, Ha ha - that would be fun!

Buster lives a good life, and always has fun! Fun is being with those you love, with others you're prepared to at least be friends with if not actually love. Fun is being involved in what's happening in your home, and fun is being involved in what's happening in the greater world out there over the fence and beyond!

This book is largely sitting inside my head (I am Buster's human and his alter ego, or he is my imaginary dog and my alter ego, not sure how that goes ...). I just looked it up on Wikipedia and it would work either way, I think.

Anyway, can't hang around, I'm off to a writing lock in, and I'll have a think about Buster's new book while I'm there, as well as working on putting together my new poetry collection. Life is Fun!