Finally Home: Lessons on Life from a Free-Spirited Dog [Paperback]

Elizabeth Parker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2010

GET READY TO LAUGH...A LOT!

Not a training guide, but more of a comical glimpse into the adventures of a naughty golden retriever that didn't believe in following rules.The heartwarming, true story with a happy ending.
 
Buddy, the golden retriever who touched the lives of everybody he met, was an excessively mischievous dog that had been shuffled from owner to owner since no one could control his crazy behavior. He was on his way to meet his fate at the local shelter when a mere coincidence connected him with his current owners. While he no longer had to switch homes, the hilarious acts he committed, from ingesting bottle caps to barging into a stranger's house, caused his current owners to almost reconsider their decision.

Buddy was a dog that no one wanted, yet he became one of the quirkiest, friendliest, smartest and most cherished of dogs. The reader is not only drawn into the book, but learns from the unfortunate mistakes of others and how to think outside of the proverbial box. It gives the reader hope that if they are going through a similar ordeal, they can also successfully overcome any related obstacle.

If you are looking for a great gift for both dog lovers and even non-dog lovers, this book is perfect.

*A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to an animal rescue group.*

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Dear Readers,
I've had people tell me that they don't read dog stories, as they get too emotional at the end. I was happy to report that at the time when I wrote Finally Home, Buddy was sitting right next to me. I wanted Finally Home to be the first of its kind in that respect, and it was, as far as I know.
It didn't have a sad ending. Like so many readers, I don't like sad endings either. Buddy was there with me the moment I started typing away and there the moment I received my first proof in the mail, and published my book. I had his paw print to autograph my first copy.
My goal in writing that book was twofold, or perhaps, threefold. Primarily, he had so many quirks, I knew his story would make people smile-especially those who have owned a dog as rambunctious as Buddy. Secondly, I wanted to donate a portion of the profits to animal rescue. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, I wanted to correct the misconception that shelter dogs or rescue dogs are less adequate than dogs bought from a puppy store or breeder.
I think I accomplished that. Although Buddy was a handful when we adopted him, we learned from him, he learned from us, and together, we created a soulful bond that formed our family.
Life is all about learning lessons. The first time you try anything on your own, it's a blessing if you succeed. Training Buddy was no different. At first, we thought we'd get our answers out of a training manual, so we read several. If I could think back far enough, I'd bet that Buddy probably chewed through them anyway. No, it's safe to say our lessons were ones that couldn't be learned from a book. They couldn't be learned from any particular trainer. They had to be learned by looking directly at the source, seeing the gentle giant for who he was, realizing that Buddy was an individual with a big heart and his own agenda. Once we understood that, we understood Buddy.
As many dog owners will tell you, each dog has its own unique personality. Specific rules don't apply to all.
I feel that if just one dog gets saved, then all of the hard work was worth it. After all, you can't put a price tag on a life.
Like I said earlier, life is all about learning lessons. Why not learn them from a free-spirited dog?
Thanks for reading.

If you would like to sample a free preview, please visit elizabethparkerbooks.blogspot.com/

Thank you,

Elizabeth

About the Author

Visit me at chatterbutterfly.blogspot.com, elizabethparkerbooks.blogspot.com, facebook.com/goldenbooks1 and twitter.com/golden_books

Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2 edition (March 15, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1451523203
• ISBN-13: 978-1451523201
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (85 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I live in Las Vegas, NV with my husband and three retrievers. I started writing over fifteen years ago, mostly technical manuals with a little added pizzazz. I've also been writing my own novels since I was a teenager, however back then, they were either hand-written in penmanship that was barely legible or type-written. Penmanship and typewriters. Do those words still exist? Do you remember those typewriters? Didn't you just love it when the keys used to get tangled together? That was fun. Or how about the high tech white-out that was the stone-age version of our modern computer backspace key. Those were good times. Ah, but I digress!

I had written my first book, Finally Home in the early part of 2010. Throughout my years of living with Buddy, our golden retriever, I always wanted to get his stories down on paper. They were just too comical to keep to myself. If you're reading this, then you might as well know, I am a die-hard dog lover and they are my inspiration for writing. I volunteer with a few animal rescue groups throughout Las Vegas when time permits. Though not all of my books are for dog-lovers, most do have a dog making an appearance now and then. I enjoy writing about their antics and incorporate them in a few of my thrillers. In addition, I donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book to various animal rescue groups. Since 2010, I've written ten books consisting of five dog books, one inspirational book of quotes and four thrillers.

You might also want to know that I am an indie author. Yep, I self-publish all of my books, create my own covers and format my own books. It has been a learning experience and after two years, I've learned more and more about the world of publishing. Even through the trial and error stage, it has been a fascinating experience. I've met a wonderful group of creative indie authors, as well as dog-lovers and readers in general from all over the world. The support, advice and wisdom I have received has been phenomenal.

You may notice that I have a very dark mind and an equally off-beat and witty sense of humor. Sometimes you'll find it revealed in my books. Hope you enjoy them and many thanks for stopping by.

Please join me on facebook at www.facebook.com/goldenbooks1 and Twitter at www.twitter.com/golden_books. See you there!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Truly a dog lovers story. August 3, 2010

By Dennis Blanchard

Format:Paperback

What's not to like about golden retrievers? They're beautiful, friendly and obedient. Well, at least most of them are. Then there's Buddy. Buddy is, well, a little different. He's on his own schedule, his own march through life, and in his own world.

FINALLY HOME is the story of a rescued dog, or maybe more aptly, a rescued family. So often we see dogs as being "rescued" from being put down, but sometimes, the dog rescues the family and gives them strength and purpose and I had the feeling reading this book that Buddy did some amount of that.

This is the story of a dog that is no doubt a handful. I was very surprised by this. Every golden retriever I have ever met seemed to have a personal stash of Quaalude somewhere, so I was shocked when Buddy comes across the pages as a personal tornado. What appears to be madness however, may just be youthful enthusiasm for life and above average intelligence, only Buddy knows for certain.

This book is only about 140 pages and is a quick read and would really suit a long plane flight to take ones mind off of the flight. It is NOT a how-to book about dog training, and some of the situations that arise make one wonder what the owners were thinking?

Possible reading audiences for FINALLY HOME would be anyone considering a rescue animal, those considering a rambunctious animal and those that just love dogs regardless the dog's state of mind (or the prospective owner's).

Many of my dog-owner friends can't bear to read books about dogs because they can't bring themselves to read the part where the dog passes away at the end, such as MARLEY AND ME, for example. This is a bit of a book spoiler here, and don't read on if you don't want to know, but Buddy is still alive and kicking at the end of this book.

Get a copy of FINALLY HOME and enjoy the story. I did.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Truly a dog lovers story. March 8, 2011

By Dennis Blanchard

Format:Kindle Edition

What's not to like about golden retrievers? They're beautiful, friendly and obedient. Well, at least most of them are. Then there's Buddy. Buddy is, well, a little different. He's on his own schedule, his own march through life, and in his own world.

FINALLY HOME is the story of a rescued dog, or maybe more aptly, a rescued family. So often we see dogs as being "rescued" from being put down, but sometimes, the dog rescues the family and gives them strength and purpose and I had the feeling reading this book that Buddy did some amount of that.

This is the story of a dog that is no doubt a handful. I was very surprised by this. Every golden retriever I have ever met seemed to have a personal stash of Quaalude somewhere, so I was shocked when Buddy comes across the pages as a personal tornado. What appears to be madness however, may just be youthful enthusiasm for life and above average intelligence, only Buddy knows for certain.

This book is only about 140 pages and is a quick read and would really suit a long plane flight to take ones mind off of the flight. It is NOT a how-to book about dog training, and some of the situations that arise make one wonder what the owners were thinking?

Possible reading audiences for FINALLY HOME would be anyone considering a rescue animal, those considering a rambunctious animal and those that just love dogs regardless the dog's state of mind (or the prospective owner's).

Many of my dog-owner friends can't bear to read books about dogs because they can't bring themselves to read the part where the dog passes away at the end, such as MARLEY AND ME, for example. This is a bit of a book spoiler here, and don't read on if you don't want to know, but Buddy is still alive and kicking at the end of this book.

Get a copy of FINALLY HOME and enjoy the story. I did.

Dennis "K1" Blanchard

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED IT! January 24, 2012

By CL

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm so glad this book got such good reviews. I got it because it came up on my Recommended Books list and the description reminded me so much of one of my dogs, who is a true free spirit!

I am a major dog lover, and this book hit me right where I live! I laughed and I cried, sometimes at the same time. Buddy was such a fun dog, and it really hurt my heart that his previous owners didn't find the time that he needed for his exorbitant energy levels, but it was so wonderfully refreshing that he found just the family he needed in Michael and Elizabeth. It was obvious that they loved him so dearly and accepted his idiosyncrasies with absolute affection and grace.

I thought it was a beautifully told story, straight from the heart of someone who has truly known the love and blessing that a dog can bring to their life.