A Christmas Tail
Animal and Holiday Fiction
Date Published: November 16, 2023
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
It’s Christmas Eve in western Kansas and a snowstorm is gaining strength as Bear Bailey, a devoted Great Pyrenees, tries to comfort his beloved owner Mary. She’s in hot water with the local business villain, and Bear’s earlier altercation with this miser only seemed to make things worse. When Mary blurts out that she wishes for a different life, Bear blames himself for her despair and runs away.
Meanwhile Jiff, a Labrador patiently waiting for his own human to meet him at the Rainbow Bridge, sees Bear shivering alone in the blizzard. Knowing Bear won’t survive the night without intervention, Jiff agrees to act as Bear’s guardian angel on Earth. He is determined to show the Great Pyrenees what the lives of the humans around him would have been like without his presence over the years.
A holiday “tail” for those who love the season but feel the deep loss of loved ones (both furry and human), It’s a Wonderful Dog shines a light on the power of love and community, and reminds us that miracles do exist.
Interview with Keri Salas,
author of It’s a Wonderful Dog –A Christmas Tail
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
Over the years, I have written five books with remnants of half a dozen still living in a couple of abandoned laptops. However, “It’s a Wonderful Dog – A Christmas Tail” is the first one I’ve published.
I love them all for different reasons. “It’s a Wonderful Dog” might edge the others out right now because of its homage to my grandmother who passed away recently and my beloved Great Pyrenees who followed later that year.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
Absolutely! There is a character within the book who was so supportive to the main character, Mary Bailey that my editor pointed out, and I agreed, she needed her own book. I’m almost done with her story. She’s really touching my heart because her background is trickier than Mary’s and she still has a helping spirit with others. She’s very noble even though she tries to hide it. There is a family in this book who will be the focus of the third book before the fourth finishes the series up.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
The cover to IAWD correctly reflects that the book’s elements are holiday and dog driven. However, there’s a third string within the story that shows the importance of community. I love that the characters all have their individual talents and lives but coming together, the tapestry of the characters are as strong together as they are individually. I see the series the same way - each book stands alone with its own storyline, but together they weave a bigger picture.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
I have always loved the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” which pays its own respects to Charles Dickens with “A Christmas Carol”. I’m a huge, huge Charles Dickens fan. When I lost my good boy, Enzo and couldn’t quite stop mourning his passing and how different my life would have been without him, I think the title just sailed into my head one day.
How long did it take you to write this book?
Much like the title, this book came to me quickly. I wrote the book in 50 days! And then my genius editor, Shelly, helped me to edit and polish the manuscript in a few month’s time. She was wildly generous with her time and attention.
What does the title mean?
It’s a nod to what we all know and love about each of our own dogs. They’re all wonderful in their own special and unique ways.
What did you learn when writing the book?
These are such great questions! I think first and foremost, the old writing advice to write what you need is really true. Creativity will mend your heart like nothing else.
What surprised you the most?
One of the best writing tips I ever read was to approach writing like improv acting – go with whatever pops into your head and onto the page – don’t edit it. Just leave it and you can come back to it later. That single tip surprised me how much I could get done when I wasn’t stopping to edit and delete.
Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?
Hmmm…one of the characters in IAWD passes on, which in my mind is different from killing off a character? But the death of the character is expressed more in a life’s journey sort of way, not tragically. Early readers loved the character but I never heard of anyone wanting it to be different.
What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?
I find that characters really speak to me before sunrise. When my home and the world is still and quiet and full of possibilities. I can “hear” them so well. And in that peaceful time I can see and get to know them in a way that lets me tell their story the best way.
Thank you so much for your interest in “It’s a Wonderful Dog – A Christmas Tail.” I appreciate the generosity and time you put into the above questions. If you need clarification or anything else, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Wishing you the most wonderful holiday season!
Kind regards,
Keri
About the Author
Keri Salas grew up a small town girl with a sense of grand adventure. After marrying her childhood sweetheart and starting their first business on a shoestring budget, she went on to spend the last two decades as a life coach helping others reach their dreams.
The greatest joys in her life are exploring London, snuggling with her dogs (past, present, and future), and spending time with her husband David. Though not necessarily in that order. She believes that people will knock your socks off with their kindness, and life is filled with miracles and serendipitous events to rival any great fictional book.
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