JULY DELIGHTS WITH DOGGIES
  By Catherine Lanigan with help from FRENCHIE & FRIENDS

            The older I get, the more I write and read, the more I realize how much fuller life and my stories are made with the antics and love of animals.  I’m a dog person, a cat person, a horse person, a bird person and show me any one of those moving UTube videos about animals being rescued from tangled barbed wire or those giraffes being moved in Africa to a safer location, I’m a tearful wreck.
         This July my Heartwarming Book Birthday fellow authors have all gotten together to delight you with our inspiration for our stories about and which include dogs.
            WHEN I FOUND YOU is Kate James’s third book of her K-9 Trilogy. It goes without saying that Boomer is about the coolest Alpha male this side of Robert Downey Jr. Boomer is not only a bomb sniffing expert, but he is a sensitive soul who realizes instantly that Ariana Atkins is terrified of dogs. Frankly, I think Boomer falls for Ariana even before Logan does. Just saying.   So this is Boomer. Look at that face!

Kate is very lucky, because she has inspiration right at her toes every day she writes with her Logan and Harley.


Here’s a great review of Kate’s book, but after reading it, I’m chiming in with all the reviewers, this one is the best of the series.  http://findingthewritewords.blogspot.ca/2016/06/at-cottage-with-kate-james.html .  Shhh!  But Kate’s working on another one in the K-9 series. Yes. Now it’s a series not a trilogy. Thank God.

FROM Harlequin Junkie:  “This stand-along story in Ms. James k-9 Trilogy was captivating, fast-paced and-for me- a book where the pages flew by…[it] combined heartwarming romance, edge-of-your-seat suspense and well-written dialogue that kept me entertained from start to finish. The way this story ended was perfect.”
Kate has a Prism book tour coming up as well. http://prismbooktours.blogspot.ca/2016/06/announcing-book-tour-for-when-i-found.html  So, check this out.

But this review and post is the best, because it’s from the dog’s point of view as is my upcoming Prism Book Tour with Frenchie, of course.
To follow that theme, here’s an excerpt from Carrie.http://readingismysuperpower.org/2016/06/29/book-review-found-kate-james/


Zuzu and I love the K-9 Trilogy series by Kate James! So when she (Zuzu) heard that I was reviewing the final book When I Found You, she asked insisted on contributing to writing the review herself.  So it is with slight hesitation that I turn the blog over (temporarily… keep that in mind, pooch) to Her Royal Cuteness, the softest and quirkiest dog ever, my official blog mascot and sidekick – Zuzu.

Thanks, Mom! Why don’t you just go … read … or something … for a while? I’ve got everything under control here.
<looks as adorable as possible while Mom picks up a book>
I don’t know why she looks so suspicious. I mean, really. What’s the worst I could do?
<swishes tail thoughtfully>
Probably best not to think on that for too long.
Anyway. Back to When I Found You by Kate James. I’ve read all three books in the trilogy now, and I think this one is my favorite. Action! Tension! Premium “page-time” for Boomer, the main character.  (Mom says Boomer’s human Logan and the airport security chief Ariana are the main characters. She’s so clueless sometimes.)
Speaking of Boomer, he’s right at the center of the action! Because of course, he’s the main character and DOGS RULE. He shows off some highly-skilled training in explosives detection, but he’s gentle enough to help Ariana get over her fear of dogs and win her over.  Being a K-9 officer like Boomer takes dedication and concentration, and Boomer excels in both. But even when you’re doing all the right things, danger can get the upper hand in a split second. At one point, I handed the book to Mom, buried my head in Mom’s my blanket, and asked her to read it for me until a certain harrowing scene was over. Whew.
One more thing before I turn it back over to Mom.
Kate. About Sabrina. Really? I thought this was a K-9 trilogy. As in, canine. D-O-G. No cats allowed. However, since Boomer was ok with her … I guess I can be too. This time 
My Rating: 4 paws and a tail wag (that’s the highest!)


Karen Rock’s  UNDER AN ADIRONDACK SKY is already gathering five star reviews. Every Karen Rock novel is award winning and haunting, as far as I'm concerned! But I'll let the critics confirm my humble opinion.

Lynn Brooks rated it it was amazing5
In this heartfelt story, Karen Rock wraps a group of troubled teens deeply around our hearts! She makes us see them as more than just problems and shows the deep respect and appreciation that can come from being shown kindness, respect and love. A true gem of a book!  5 STARS !!!!





Karen’s getting a string of  5 star reviews already as well!  Here was Karen’s Facebook post the other day. 

Thank you, Cynthia Keagy for giving UNDER AN ADIRONDACK SKY Five stars! "One of the most touching, emotional, wonderful reads you will find."- Cyns Reviews


So, yes, Karen has adorable Zoey who keeps her on her toes all the time. Inspiration would be easy from this little girl. So, this is a typical morning…Karen starts her workout and Zoey brings her ball to join in. I’m melting over that face. How about you?





Amy’s July release, THE GIRL HE USED TO LOVE features a chocolate Lab.
His name is Scout. Now I ask you, what’s not to love in that face. And those eyes!!



Amy was the first of us to get a review and hers was 5 Stars!  The story of Dean and Faith is heart wrenching enough that it brought tears to my eyes. I can’t say I was boo hooing and sup sobbing, but yes, tears down the cheeks, mascara on the bed sheets, moved. You gotta read this one!
This was the review posted by Darlene at Still Moments Magazine. 





The Girl He Used To Love 
Amy Vastine
July 2016

The past will always be between them. 

He swore he'd never return home. Then a flat tire lands Dean Presley back in Grass Lake, Tennessee, and he's forced to confront the woman he left behind. Faith Stratton was once the love of his life. Now her gifted brother could be the rising Nashville star Dean needs for his struggling music label. But it means taking Sawyer away from the horse therapy farm that Faith's so proud of. That won't be easy, especially since those old feelings that started all the trouble… Well, let's just say he can't go back there, because he doesn't want to relive the memories of the terrible accident that drove them apart. 


Between The Pages 
A heartwarming romance that holds your attention from start to finished. A beautifully written story of emotion and captivating characters. Dean and Faith are superb leading characters, and the author weaves in a cast from the town that are equally enjoyable. The character development between family and friends is written so well, you’ll want to read more about them. Faith’s brother, Sawyer, was adorable and a favourite, and I hope he gets a story of his own. The plot is engaging and has you not wanting to put this book down. An impressive novel for a first introduction to the town of Grass Lake, Tennessee, and the Grace Note Records series. I can’t brag enough about this story that brought a tear to my eye...twice! This is my first read by Ms. Vastine and won’t be my last. I’m anxiously awaiting the second book in this series.

Rating 
5 Stars

Finally, we come to the star of my show/blog/book from SOPHIE’S PATH-- Tah Dah!  Frenchie!
Frenchie is a six and a half pound Yorkie Poo. She’s on a diet now  and hates it as much as I do. 



Frenchie is just her actor/stage name. Her real name is Piper McDonald. She lives next door to me although, she actually thinks she lives in two houses. Whenever she is missing, her mommy knows she’s next door with me. I puppysit her a lot. She has her own set of stairs to climb up onto my big French bed.

She loves being on Twitter and Facebook and meeting new friends. So, to further enjoy Frenchie you all must visit her postings on the Prism Book Tour starts July 18th.  http://prismbooktours.blogspot.com/2016/07/were-launching-book-tour-for-sophies.html .


And here’s my 4.5 Star  review by Darlene! Check it out! http://stillmomentsezine.blogspot.ca/2016/06/sophies-path.html .

And Reader’s Favorites Review 5 Stars. https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/sophies-path.
“Catherine Lanigan welcomes you back to Indian Lake with yet another deserving addition to the Shores of Indian Lake series in Sophie’s Path. The book takes you back to the familiar cozy town with an all-access pass into the intricate lives of its close-knit community.  Once again, she delivers a worthy read with a vivid setting, a captivating plot, and engaging pivotal characters. The story also brings back some of the series’ favorites, and I especially liked how Catherine Lanigan give the reader a chance to see how their lives have progressed since the last story, and how she manages to do this without taking away from the current main story. Also embedded in this story of loss, guilt and love is an important message on drug addiction.”  Faridah Nassozi.
5 STARS.

All of us will be on tour with TLC Book Tours and we start on none other than the 4th of July!


Come join Frenchie, Boomer, Zoey and Scout along with their humans (Kate, Karen, Amy and me) for a delight-filled summer lovin’ time! 








Comments

  1. Of course, anything that involves animals I also love, so naturally, I love your post, Catherine. Thank you for including Scout, and Harley and Logan.

    I'm thrilled to be sharing release month with you, Karen and Amy . . . and Frenchie, Zoey and Scout!

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    1. Opps . . . the first reference to "Scout" above should have been Boomer! (The first book in my K-9 Series featured Scout as a search and rescue dog, and of course Amy now has her Scout!)

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  2. Okay, you are up entirely too early for me! Ha! I loved writing this post and having fun with all the doggies. This is such an exciting month for us all. Happy Book Birthday to you, Amy and Karen! See you at RWA. Wahoo!

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  3. What a fun post!!!! I am honored to be included - I will share with Zuzu when she returns from her walk... though this may just reinforce her recent notion that she should take over the blog permanently. ;)

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    1. Guest posting is one thing, but you might want to remind Zuzu that having her own blog would cut dramatically into her sleep/play time! :-)

      Thanks again to both of you for the wonderful review!

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    2. Thank you, Carrie for stopping by and for including ZuZu in your review and post. Please watch for my Prism Book Tour where the entire tour is hosted by my FRENCHIE!!! Dogs rule!

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  4. These adorable dog pictures are melting my heart! These books all look terrific. Congratulations!

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    1. Thanks, Amie! Aren't they cute? And then this morning, I'm having a tree taken down in my yard and the owner of the tree service brought the most magnificent German Shepherd with him. There are 8 guys out there and Maisie. She's so fun. Wants to run away too much, but fun.

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  5. Good morning! Love all your faces - writers, heroines, dogs! Congratulations all on those wonderful reviews and the great books that inspired them.

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    1. You are too sweet, Muriel. Aren't the dogs just the greatest? I have to tell you, we are having some summer fun, here!

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  6. Ladies, I can't wait to read all of your books. I don't currently have a dog, but until the last few years I have had, and they appear prominently in almost all of my books. I love cats, too, and should write more about them. Your stories are awesome.

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    1. Consider yourself honorary Godmother to Harley and Logan!

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    2. I love that, Kate, honorary Godmother. That means more birthday goodies and treats at Christmas from Godmothers, right? So, count me in!

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  7. Congratulations on those great reviews! I love animals, too. They add so much to a family. <3

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  8. Catherine, what a fun post! I'm a goner for pet characters, too. (In books and real life.) Thanks for sharing these cuties. Happy book birthday to you, Amy, Kate, and Karen! These all sound like fantastic stories - the perfect summer reads!

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    1. Thanks so much, Carol! I can't wait for YOUR next book!

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  9. A fun post and a great month for Heartwarming!

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  10. Congratulations on all of the great reviews ladies!! I can't wait to read all of these. And the dogs?....well, they're just the icing on the cake. Thank you Catherine Lanigan for this fun, informative and cute post. (I'm a sucker for German Shepherds so I can't stop staring at Boomer.)

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    1. Laurie, you have to know this. So, today, this massive Red King Maple in my backyard that my parents planted in 1965 was struck by lighting last summer when my husband was in the hospital. So, I HAD to take it down as it was dry as a bone and the limbs falling off could kill someone. Probably me. This morning the crew arrived with the most gorgeous and fun GERMAN SHEPHERD! The dog has been here all day. Just having a blast. It's a lot of activity for my quiet neighborhood. I'll post some photos on Facebook, too. Thanks for sharing with us. Happy 4th of July!!

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  11. I'm late to the game but had to say this is an excellent post! All the dogs are so sweet and the stories fabulous :). July is sporting an awesome group of HW authors! And so sorry to hear about your tree. We had to have one take down a couple of years ago for the same reason.

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