Interview Alert: Sherry Roberts

Please welcome multi-published children’s book author Sherry Roberts to Frog on a Blog. Today is All American Pet Photo Day, so it seems like a great day to feature Sherry and her brand new picture book Amica Helps Zoe, which is about a loveable rescue dog and the little girl who loves her.

I love dogs, and I love picture books about dogs. My little rescue dog recently passed away, so this story really tugged at my heartstrings. Let’s hear more from Sherry about this special picture book and some of her other books, which include nonfiction picture books, a middle grade series, and a new chapter book series.

Congratulations on the publication of your new picture book Amica Helps Zoe! Please share a little about the story and what inspired it.

SR: Attention, all dog lovers! Prepare to embark on a heartwarming journey with Amica and her rescue dog, Zoe. Set in a cozy neighborhood filled with leafy trees and friendly neighbors, Amica’s biggest challenge is convincing Zoe to enjoy walks. Despite Amica’s love for Zoe, she can’t help but feel frustrated and worried that Zoe will never overcome her fear of being abandoned. But with determination and love, Amica shows Zoe that a walk is just a fun adventure and not a scary separation.

This story was inspired by one of my nieces. When she was 5 years old, her family got their first dog. My niece wanted to walk her dog in the neighborhood, but her dog would not walk. Halfway through the walk, the dog would sit down and not move. My niece would have to carry the dog home. As the dog got bigger, it got harder for her to do. For Christmas, she asked Santa for a red wagon so she could ride the dog around the neighborhood. This solved her problem, and she was so happy.

As I was developing the story, I decided to make the dog a rescue dog. The dog I had at the time, Gizzie, would not take a walk, or a ride in the car. This was because he had been driven away from his home and thrown out in a field, abandoned. I thought about how rescue dogs often have problems with abandonment. This led to the story focusing on working with a rescue dog who had a fear of a walk leading to abandonment. I had tried to help Gizzie with walks and learned that so long as he could see the house, he was ok.

What path did you take to publish your book—traditional, self-publishing, or hybrid—and why?

SR: I have traditionally published a couple of books with very small publishers but found that to not be the path I wanted to take. I am now indie published through Solander Press. I find this to be an easier and more enjoyable path to publishing for me. I like the freedom to choose projects, illustrators, editors I work with, and basically a say in all the steps to publishing this allows me.

What do you hope young readers will take away from reading your book?

SR: With Amica Helps Zoe, I hope young readers learn that it is best to understand others before making a judgement and then to look for ways to help. For Amica, she became frustrated with Zoe because she wouldn’t walk. As Amica learned Zoe’s story, she better understands the reason Zoe doesn’t like to walk. Then Amica looked for a way to help Zoe learn to trust again.

It’s also important that young readers take away an understanding that old does not always mean it cannot become something useful again. As Amica says, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Amica figures out a way to reuse something her neighbor, Mr. Brown, is throwing out. She works to fix it up to use with Zoe to help with walking in the neighborhood. Young readers will learn about the importance of patience, understanding, and a theme that occurs in many books, friendship.

You also write chapter books and middle grade novels. Tell us about your The Galaxy According to CeCe series.

SR: Like many of my books, this is based on a time in my life. I’m the one who moved from North Carolina to Missouri right before the school year. I’m the one who moved into a house connected to an observatory. The feelings are very similar to ones I had but, from there, the story changes from my life to the story of Cece. This middle grade series is about change (book 1), friendships (book 2), and closure (book 3).

Book blurb for Book 1, The Galaxy According to Cece:

CeCe is having a ‘badventure’. What if her new school doesn’t have band tryouts? Or a soccer team? What if CeCe can’t make new friends? Moving across the country was hard enough, but the new house is an unusual house, and there definitely is something haunted about it.

Excited about her first year of middle school, CeCe and her friends anticipated all the fun they would have transitioning from elementary school to middle school. That was until the BIG announcement. Her family was moving across the country for her father’s job as an astronomer.

Starting the new school doesn’t go well, the class popular girl sets her sights on CeCe as she attends tryouts for the school soccer team and band. Making friends is difficult when the rumors swirl that the observatory is haunted. There are only so many “what ifs” for one eleven-year-old girl to think about. As CeCe balances her anxiety and comes to terms with her new situation, she starts to make forward strides in her new life embracing what the galaxy has given her.

Book 2, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Mysterious Dr. Pruitt:

Cece thought she had finally begun to settle into her new home, school, and town. Until the unexpected happened. The ghost of Dr. Pruitt, the scientist who built the observatory, appears and turns her life upside down. Is he a friendly ghost or a vengeful one? And why can only she see him?

Book 3, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Stars Align:

Cece never expected her friendship with Dr. Pruitt to take a sudden turn, but when she and her friends discover a secret room in his domain, tensions rise. With their curiosity piqued and Dr. Pruitt’s disapproval looming, the friends must decide whether to push forward or back away. Will he allow them to use what they know, or will he continue to hide from them and create even more problems?

You’ve also written nonfiction picture books, which you photo-illustrated yourself. How do you decide which topics to write about?

SR: My two non-fiction were fun to do. The first, Sonnet, Sonnet, What’s in Your Bonnet?, features a variety of flowers that I photographed from my own garden and public gardens around town. The story tells fun facts about each flower that readers, young and old, may not have known. For example, do you know what flower is the international flower of love? If you say the rose, that would not be correct. It is actually a red tulip. Why is the blanket flower called the blanket flower? Ever seen a leopard lily? Answers to all the questions and so many more may be found in this book.

The second book, A Visit Through the Wetlands, takes the reader through a local wetlands to see the foliage, water fowl, amphibians, animals, and so much more that may be found when wandering through wetlands. This book was written to encourage families to not only visit this local wetlands but to find designated wetland areas when on vacation and take a tour to see all that may be found of nature in these beautiful reserves.

Where can people learn more about you and your books or connect with you online?

SR: My website features all my books, and talks more about me, and a blog that features many of my author friends, and educational resources for many of my books (more to be added). The address is www.sjrobertscreative.net.

People may also connect with me on the following social media channels:

Instagram: Instagram

Threads: @sjrobertscreative

Facebook: Facebook or Facebook

My email address is sjroberts@sjrobertscreative.net.

I look forward to hearing from you and others to talk about my books or just visiting. Look for a new chapter book series coming August 1, 2025, for readers ages 6-8.

Sherry Roberts is an award-winning children’s book author. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Louisville. She has written multiple award-winning picture books such as Hello, Can I Bug You?, Gabriel and the Special Memorial Day, What’s Wrong with Barnaby, and The Best Reading Buddy. Her newest, Amica Helps Zoe, was featured in Kirkus’ e-newsletter, June 2025, and received a Get It: Recommend review.

As a former middle school teacher, Dr. Roberts decided to write her first middle-grade novel. Her debut novel, The Galaxy According to CeCe, is the first book in a three-book series. It was officially released on February 24, 2024. Book two, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Mysterious Dr. Pruitt, was released August 2024. Book three, The Galaxy According to Cece: The Stars Align, released February 2025.

Three “Pawsitively” Perfect Picture Books For National Foster A Pet Month (My View Book Review)

Title: Bless Our Pets: Poems of Gratitude for Our Animal Friends

Author: Fourteen authors, including Lee Bennett Hopkins

Illustrator: Lita Judge

Publisher/Year: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers/2024

Topic/Theme: Pets, human/animal companionship, poetry anthology, expression of gratitude

Favorite Line: If I could pick a pet to pet, the pet I’d pick is you. (from “A Letter to My Guinea Pig” by Darren Sardelli)

Title: The Writer

Author: Davide Cali

Illustrator: Monica Barengo

Publisher/Year: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers/2022

Topic/Theme: Dogs, human/animal companionship, writer’s life

Of Note: New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books Award (2022)

Title: No Cats in the Library

Author: Lauren Emmons

Illustrator: Lauren Emmons

Publisher/Year: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books/2024

Topic/Theme: Cats, human/animal companionship, libraries and librarians, books, reading

Of Note: School Library Journal starred review

Happy National Foster A Pet Month! Kids love pets of all kinds! Growing up with a pet or two helps kids learn compassion and how to care for others. Taking care of pets helps kids learn to be responsible too. And the great joy and love both the kids and the pets feel is so special. If you have room in your home and your heart to foster (or better yet, adopt) a pet from a shelter or rescue organization, please consider it. Here’s the ASPCA’s list of Top 5 Reasons to Foster an Animal in Need and the Best Friends Animal Society’s list of Top 10 Reasons to Foster a Pet. Take a look when you get a moment. In the meantime, enjoy three great picture books all about–you guessed it–pets!

Bless Our Pets is a lovely celebration of pets, all kinds, from the majestic horse to the tiny mouse. Fourteen authors have contributed a poem to this collection. Some rhyme. Some do not. But all convey a child’s love (or at least their wonder, as in the case of the snake) for an animal who has touched their lives, including a parakeet, a hamster, a kitten, and more. Charming and expressive watercolor and colored pencil illustrations by Lita Judge accompany each poem. Kids will enjoy the text and pictures together and will likely experience a range of emotions as some of the poems are joyful, such as “Goldfish” by Linda Trott Dickman, and others perhaps a bit sad, such as “My Old Dog” by Lee Bennett Hopkins. The other 12 contributors are Ann Whitford Paul, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Eric Ode, Ralph Fletcher, Sarah Grace Tuttle, Kristine O’Connell George, Darren Sardelli, B.J. Lee, Charles Ghigna, Lois Lowry, Prince Redcloud, and Joan Bransfield Graham.

Image from *Bless Our Pets*/copyright © 2024 by Lita Judge

From the jacket flap: One of the last books edited by beloved poet Lee Bennett Hopkins, this endearing anthology expresses children’s gratitude for creatures big and small. [It’s] the perfect tribute to the animal friends who bring so much joy into our everyday lives.

Originally published in Italy, The Writer, by Davide Cali, is the kind of picture book that would appeal to both kids and adults. It stars an adorable French bulldog who watches his human companion type, type, type all day long on his laptop. The clever dog feels it’s his responsibility to make sure his human takes breaks to eat and go for walks. But he needs help. So he plays matchmaker. But things don’t go as planned. The engaging and unusual illustrations by artist Monica Barengo, which were rendered using graphite pencil and digital media, nicely capture the varied expressions of the dog, from who’s point of view the story is told. The story flows at a pleasing pace. Text is sparse, leaving plenty of room for the art. Adults, especially dog-owning writers, will likely relate strongly to the writer’s somewhat solitary life depicted in the book. And kids will love the dog’s many amusing poses and antics. And they may just learn a little something about what it’s like to be a writer.

Image from *The Writer*/copyright © 2022 by Davide Cali and Monica Barengo

From the back cover: A dog has an important job to do, especially if his human is a writer. But even the world’s best French bulldog can’t do everything. Maybe this perfect pair needs someone new in their lives.

Written and illustrated by Lauren Emmons, No Cats in the Library is a heartwarming story about a sweet stray cat named Clarisse who loves books, especially the kind with pictures. When she discovers the library and tries to get inside, she’s thwarted by the ever-vigilant librarian. She finally sneaks in through the book drop and makes her way to the children’s section where a little girl reads to her, and they both benefit from the experience. Clarisse got to hear a story, and the girl gained confidence in her reading abilities. Hopefully, now, the librarian will let Clarisse stay. The colorful and adorable digitally created illustrations depict a diverse group of kids and adults. This book is overflowing with library and literacy love, and as a former library assistant, I highly recommend it. Studies show that reading to animals helps kids improve their reading skills and build confidence. Wouldn’t it be fun if this was the book a child picked to read to a cat or dog?

Image from *No Cats in the Library*/copyright © 2024 by Lauren Emmons

From the jacket flap: Meet Clarisse! She’s a clever cat who loves books. She may not understand the dark, squiggly lines, but she can’t get enough of the pictures. One day she stumbles upon a magical building where people walk in empty-handed and come out with an armload of books. She has to find a way inside!

Adult male parakeets have a blue cere (the area above the beak containing the nostrils), while an adult female parakeet’s cere is brown.

Author/Illustrator Gabe Jensen Talks Art Process (+ win a pb manuscript critique!)

Please welcome children’s book author/illustrator Gabe Jensen to Frog on a Blog! Gabe stopped by to talk a bit about the art process he used when he created his book Neverwoof, which was just published this past September by Familius. This rollicking read-aloud has already garnered several positive reviews. I don’t know about you, but I love hearing about how artists create their art and why they choose the style that they do. Let’s hear from Gabe!

For NEVERWOOF, I wanted to return to a simpler time in kids’ books when you could only print in two colors. And often those colors were clashing. I don’t remember as a kid ever thinking, “Great story, but the color theory was off” 🙂 . It also gave me a ready activity to do with classes: kids color with their two favorite crayons. I love the resulting images.

Normal 4-color printing has limits on certain colors — especially orange. So we printed this book with spot color where they can mix up any Pantone. It’s more expensive, but it means the book has an orange you won’t see in most titles. I don’t know if people pick up on that, but maybe subconsciously.

When I was writing the book, my dad — the science fiction writer Terry Bisson — helped me with the text. My mom is a quilter with a wonderful sense of color, and we sat together to choose the exact orange and green.

**Gabe says, “I really, really like green and orange.”** 🙂

Working with the people at Familius was really great. They gave me a lot of creative latitude, and my editor/book designer Brooke Jorden contributed the debossing of the cover, which gives it that great tactile feel.

Thank you, Gabe! That was truly fascinating.

Giveaway Time!

Gabe has generously offered-to one lucky winner-a picture book manuscript critique! Just leave a comment on this blog post by April 15th for your chance to win. I’ll choose a winner at random and contact you with information on how to connect with Gabe. Share this blog post on any social media site and earn one extra entry per site, just let me know where you shared. Good luck!

Gabe first tried to publish a kids book at age 19 (Nightbringers is still looking for a home — anyone? 🙂 ). Since then, he’s worked on kid’s digital projects, like Jeff Kinney’s (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) site Poptropica, as a puzzle designer (Castlemouse, Lumosity), and an ad creative for clients like Coca-Cola. He has three kids, and lives in Berkeley, CA with a two-eyed Cyclops (false) and a one-eyed cat (true).

He’s currently working on his second book NOCTURNAL NICO, about a kid who tries to convince his parents he’s nocturnal so he can stay up late. Hmmm, how about purple and yellow?

Gabe says, “I love pics of pups reading Neverwoof! Send them to me at gabe@gabejensenbooks.com and I’ll post on social media.”

Find Gabe here:

https://gabejensenbooks.com/

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5 Terrific Dogs In Children’s Books by Rob Biddulph

I love picture books about dogs (I think I’ve mentioned that a time or two), so I’m super pleased to welcome author/illustrator Rob Biddulph to Frog on a Blog! Rob’s new picture book Odd Dog Out was just released December 3 by HarperCollins. Odd Dog Out features an adorable little dog who doesn’t feel like she belongs, so she sets off on a journey to find her place in the world. Rob’s stopped by today to share five literary dogs who have made an impact on his life.

Before we get to that, allow me to share three of my favorite dogs, one real, one literary, and one loved since childhood: my precious dog Java, Happy (from my book The Peddler’s Bed, illustrated by Bong Redila), and Sunshine (my stuffed dog in overalls, whom I received for Christmas when I was 7, and still have).

Now, let’s hear from Rob Biddulph, author and illustrator of Odd Dog Out!

5 Terrific Dogs In Children’s Books

by Rob Biddulph

Dingo Dog – Richard Scarry

Growing up, I loved reading anything and everything by Richard Scarry. His work has directly influenced me many times, particularly when I was working on Odd Dog Out. I tried really hard to cram as much detail into my artwork as he did in his. I love the idea that readers might spot something on the ninth or tenth read that they hadn’t noticed before. I would love trying to spot Dingo Dog, my favourite of his characters, as he zoomed through the pages of Storybook Dictionary or What Do People Do All Day?. He would always wear his white cowboy hat and drive his smart red sports car with sharks teeth painted on the front. I thought he was the coolest!

Snoopy – Charles M Schultz

One of my all-time favourites. He was, in turn, funny, selfish, wise, crazy and reckless. But, in my eyes, he was always loveable. I particularly liked his British World War I flying ace persona. I had a plush version of Snoopy that would sleep in my bed with me every night. In fact, I think I need to go up into my attic and see if I can find him. He must be lonely…

Odie – Jim Davis

I spent a large proportion of my childhood copying Jim Davis’s drawings of Garfield, Odie and Jon. I can still draw them perfectly now. When I speak to children on my book tours, I always advise them to have a go at copying their favourite cartoon characters from comic books or newspapers. Then I usually have to explain what a ‘newspaper’ is (!) but they eventually get the idea. I think that by working out how someone else draws a cat or a dog, it can really help when it comes to inventing your own characters. I always particularly enjoyed drawing Odie. That tongue! He’s just so loveable.

Image result for dogger by shirley hughes — Dogger

Dogger – Shirley Hughes

Dogger, the story of a little boy who loses his beloved toy dog at the school fair, is the first book I ever remember reading. In many ways, it has defined the art of storytelling for me ever since. I know from experience how difficult it is to squeeze a complete story arc into just twenty-eight pages, but Shirley Hughes somehow manages to take us on a journey through a huge range of emotions: happiness, excitement, worry, sadness and, ultimately, exhilaration. Rarely has the end of a story felt so satisfying. She also manages to throw in an element of mis-direction (we’re really not overly thrilled when Bella wins the bear) and hide a few visual clues as to what is going to happen within her wonderfully evocative illustrations. This makes the second read a very different experience to the first – something that is essential in a picture book that will, in all probability, be read night after night.

Related image — Fang from Harry Potter (movie)

Fang – J K Rowling

Has there ever been a dog less appropriately named than this gentle giant? Well, actually, yes there has. Fluffy, the three-headed chap guarding the trapdoor leading to the underground chamber where the Philosopher’s (Sorcerer’s) Stone was hidden. I would have liked to have rehomed Fluffy. I think he just needed some love and affection.

After taking the world by storm with his first two picture books (Blown Away and The Grizzly Bear Who Lost His GRRRRR!), Rob Biddulph decided to blaze his own trail and is now a full-time author and illustrator. Rob Biddulph was the award-winning art director of Observer magazine.

When not working doggedly on creating his characters, he makes up stories for his three daughters and draws pictures to go with them. He lives and works in London, and his very first book, Blown Away, won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.

Thank you so much, Rob!

Happy Holidays everyone! And remember, picture books, such as Odd Dog Out, would make great Christmas gifts for the little ones on your list this year, especially dog lovers!

Interview Alert: Leah Gilbert

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I fell in love with this book as soon as I saw the cover. I mean, just look at that llama perched precariously, yet comfortably, on the arm of that sofa. Love!!!

I flipped through the pages and was treated to more gorgeous illustrations featuring that lovable llama. After I read the text, I knew I wanted to learn more about Leah Gilbert the author/illustrator of A COUCH FOR LLAMA, a wonderfully sweet and majorly funny picture book about a caring family, a curious llama, and a brand new couch.

I’m excited to share Leah Gilbert’s interview with you today!

Q. What inspired you to create your hilarious debut picture book A COUCH FOR LLAMA?

L.G. I got the idea for A COUCH FOR LLAMA driving to work one day! I would sometimes see a few llamas grazing in a field that I used to drive by on my way to work. I thought they were fun (and I really like cute, fluffy animals) so I usually looked to see if I could see them out there, and was always excited when I did. One day, the llamas weren’t out, but there was a couch sitting on the side of the road near where I would see the llamas, and the story idea was born!

Q. What came first, the words or the pictures?

L.G. Both! I almost always think of words and images together. The first thumbnail sketches I did for this book have the words written on the pages in my sketchbook.

Q. Llama is so full of personality! As a dog lover, I can’t help but notice a few canine traits in him. Am I right?

L.G. Ha, yes! Good eye! I did take some inspiration for Llama’s silly poses from the silly ways my Cavapoo, Camden, sits around the house sometimes… mostly in the illustrations on the endpapers. Inspiration can come from many places, including pups!

Q. Have you always been an artistic person? Besides writing and illustrating children’s books, in what ways have you used your creative skills?

L.G. It has always been my dream since I was a kid to write and especially illustrate children’s books. I have always LOVED drawing, and was always doodling and creating things throughout my entire childhood. In high school, I spent as much time as I could in the art room and taking art classes, and majored in Illustration and Graphic Design in college. For the past 10 years, I have worked at a greeting card company as an artist and designer illustrating and designing cards, calendars, bookmarks, and other gift products.

Q. Who are your favorite picture book authors or illustrators?

L.G. Wow, so many… it’s hard to choose favorites! I have too many current favorites to list, but some lifelong favorites of mine are Peter Spier, Jack Kent, Frank Muir, David Wiesner, and Beatrix Potter. I think these have probably had the most influence on me and my style as an author and illustrator, especially Peter Spier—I have always just loved his illustrations and the way he told so much of the story through the art—and Beatrix Potter’s personal story of being a female author and illustrator has always been an inspiration to me.

Q. Why do you believe picture books are important?

L.G. Lots of reasons! Reading to kids at an early age is so important, and picture books are some of the first exposure kids have to books—either being read to by an adult or paging through by themselves, “reading” the story through pictures before they can read words. I also think picture books can be so important for kids even after they’re reading chapter books. You don’t need to outgrow picture books at a certain age just because your reading level goes up—they are a powerful storytelling medium for all ages! The combination of the words and illustrations in picture books is such a unique and great way to bring joy as well as communicate things that words alone can’t do as well, and picture books do that in a way that no other medium does quite the same.

Q. Where can fans go to connect with you?

L.G. I’m on Twitter (@lalaleeeah), Instagram (@leahgilbertbooks), and my website is www.leah-gilbert.com!

Leah’s Studio

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to share?

L.G. My husband and I recently replaced our well-loved couch with a new one, and writing this book made me look at that experience in a whole new way! I felt like I should go find a llama who would like our old one 😉

Thank you so much, Leah, it was a pleasure getting to know you! I’ll be keeping an eye out for more books from you in the near future.

Leah Gilbert Leah grew up just blocks from Lake Michigan in a small Wisconsin town, with a deep love of art, books, and The Lake. After earning her bachelor’s degree in illustration and graphic design, she moved to Colorado where she has worked as an illustrator and designer at a greeting card company for the past nine years. She currently lives in the Denver area with her husband and a fluffy puppy, and still has a deep love of art, books, and The Lake… and the mountains, too.

Picture and bio from Leah Gilbert’s website: http://www.leah-gilbert.com/

My View Book Review: The Adventures of a Girl & Her Dog in the Mountains

Title: The Adventures of a Girl & Her Dog in the Mountains

Author: Dagny McKinley

Illustrator: Ostap Stetsiv

Publisher/Year: Undiscovered Earth Publications/2012

Favorite Line: The girl’s soul lived in the mountains where trees grow into the clouds.

A barefooted young girl and her dog explore the wonders of nature that surround their home in the mountains. They spend all day outside playing, inspecting, observing, relaxing, and enjoying their natural world. They pick flowers, drink from streams, listen to the quiet sounds, get dirty, and breathe in the fresh air. They feel content. They feel happy. They feel at home.

The Adventures of a Girl & Her Dog in the Mountains is a super sweet ode to nature. The text is lyrical, almost like a song. It’s quiet, like the country life it portrays. Yet, author Dagny McKinley’s affinity for the outdoors, her love of nature, comes through strong and clear. Ostap Stetsiv’s illustrations are vibrant and lovely, conveying a world in which, if you were to step into the book, you could hear the crickets chirping and the birds singing. Maybe you would even feel the breeze on your skin.

I was immediately drawn to this book because I can’t resist picture books about dogs. (I’ve mentioned before that my own dog inspires much of my writing.) But after reading the story, I find myself drawn more to the girl, who, even though we get to know her through her interactions with her dog and with nature, still feels like a bit of a mystery to me. Who is this girl? Why does she live in the mountains? Who are her parents? I want to know more about her and I think kids will be curious too. Perhaps we’ll discover more in McKinley and Stetsiv’s next book The Adventures of a Girl & Her Dog in the Snow.

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WOW Blog Tour: A Dog Dreams of Paris

This is Java. Since he’s part Lhasa Apso, I think he may be dreaming of Tibet. What do you think?

I love my dog, Java. He brings so much joy into my life. My husband and I adopted him from a local animal shelter about five years ago and I can’t even imagine my life without him now. He’s inspired several of my stories including one that is currently being considered by a publisher.

As a dog lover, when I heard about the blog tour for Barbara Barth’s A Dog Dreams of Paris, I was curious to learn more about the book. It’s all about a real rescue dog named April, the sixth dog to be adopted by Barbara! And when I discovered that a portion of all book sales will be donated to animal rescue, I signed up for the tour without hesitation.

Barbara’s had some success with raising funds for charities through book sales, a topic I’m very interested in, and has written an article for Frog on a Blog about three positive experiences she’s had doing exactly that–Earmarking a Portion of Your Book Profits for Charity. Before we get to the article, let me share Barbara’s sweet book A Dog Dreams of Paris with you.

Title: A Dog Dreams of Paris: From Rescue Dog to Diva

Author: Barbara Barth

Genre: Gift Book/Children

Publisher: Gilbert Street Press

Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Paperback: 52 pages (also available as ebook)

Synopsis: Meet April, a rescue dog turned Diva, in this charming picture book for dreamers of all ages. This fantasy dog memoir is April’s travel diary on places she would visit in Paris. April was the sixth dog adopted by author Barbara Barth. She had trouble finding her place in the pack and sat quietly watching the other dogs. During a photo shoot for an Easter blog post, a vintage pink hat, complete with a large silk rose, was placed on April’s head. She wore the hat with style and transformed from April to Miss April in Paris. For a few months she had a blog of her own, where she dreamed of visiting the city of lights. April has completed her Paris diary and is sharing it with you here.

Earmarking a Portion of Your Book Profits for Charity

by Barbara Barth

I love the idea that a book will bring pleasure to the person reading it and help a great cause with its sales. The two together are a win-win situation. I am not a professional fundraiser, but like to feel my sales can help my favorite charities. In my case, mostly animal rescue groups, since I live with six dogs from my local shelters. To be honest, I confuse myself with some of my ideas, because I wing it many times. There are no set guidelines; I just do what pops into my head at any given moment. I will share the three experiences I’ve had and the great outcomes from all three.

The book that started it all for me (my calling myself a writer) was my memoir on my first year as a widow. The Unfaithful Widow, published in 2010, was a series of essays over a year on finding a life of my own again. Dogs played a huge role in my healing process. I adopted five dogs in nine months, giving me six dogs at home, with my old dog Foxy. My book launch was at a friend’s huge Victorian bed and breakfast, complete with a silent auction to benefit the agency that brought me most of my dogs, Animal Action Rescue. The evening was a gala for me and for the rescue group. I planned on keeping the wholesale cost of each book I sold and then donating the profit to the group. The first person who bought my book wanted to write a check. “Who should I make the check out to?” A simple question, but it kick started a thought in my mind. I didn’t want to figure out the profit at the end of the evening. Right there I decided to donate the entire price of my book to my rescue group. I gave the woman the animal rescue groups name for her check (which also allowed her to claim a charitable deduction) and to my surprise, she wrote a check for twenty dollars for my $15.95 book. The rest of the evening went like that. As soon as I told a customer all the money went to the rescue group, they paid more for my book, both in cash and check. One woman, who was a huge dog lover, wrote a check for $100. I was amazed at the generosity of people when it came to donating to a cause, rather than just buying a book. The evening was magical.

In December 2014, I published a Christmas anthology that include stories from thirty authors. Originally, it was going to be a free e-book on Kindle. The perk for the authors, they had their bio and web links at the end of their piece. Again, things did not go as planned. The book had to have a price to be uploaded to Kindle, and then I could put it in KDP select for a short free promotion. I didn’t want to profit from the work of my fellow authors, and if we had sales, the money needed to go to a charity. A quick e-mail to everyone took care of that. We would donate any sales to a children’s literacy group. I chose First Book, a group that provides access to new books for children in need. I contacted their home office; wanting to be sure it was okay for me to link back to them in the e-book. The bottom line, I explained to them, we may not have many sales, but with thirty authors involved, First Book would receive additional press and let others know of their work. First Book is a huge charity, but you can never have too much great PR. The sales for our e-book were not great, but the response from the authors who were in the book was awesome. Some donated directly to First Book, and I donated the sales and a contribution of my own. Disney matched all donations made by December 31^st by tripling the number of books donated to children. We met that deadline, so our small amount of sales plus personal donations escalated thanks to Disney’s generosity and that of our group.

A Dog Dreams of Paris is my dream of the perfect book to help raise money for animal groups. I am still working on a plan for it. The book had a quiet launch with all profits in May going to Friends of DeKalb Animals, again a group close to my heart. Immediately after the book was available for sale I went into the hospital for hip replacement surgery. I have not had a chance to get the book out for book signings or to local shops. That is next month’s goal after my physical therapy is completed and I am mobile again. The picture book is based on Miss April in Paris, the last rescue dog to come to me at the beginning of 2011. It is her story on finding her way in the pack. I donated books to the group that brought me April, Atlanta Canine Adoption Project as a thank you for my lovely dog. In addition, it states in the book and in my promotional material, rescue groups can buy the book at my wholesale costs for fundraising.

I am sure there are professional guidelines on how to donate part of your book sales to charity, and you can Google them. I just wanted to share my experiences in this post. I have never figured out how to make money for myself with my books, but I write for the love of writing, pulling a project together, helping other authors with publicity, and finding a way to give to the folks who give to others of their time and energy. It isn’t about the money; it is about doing what feels right.

Barbara Barth with a few of her dogs.

About Barbara Barth:

Barbara Barth likes a lot of things: turquoise jewelry, surfing the ‘net, and margaritas, to name a few. Then there are the dogs. As many as her house can hold! After her husband died she recorded the year that followed in a series of essays that became her memoir The Unfaithful Widow. When she isn’t writing you can find her at the local thrift shops or pounding another nail into the wall to hang the paintings she can’t resist. She published a romance novel Danger in her Words before one of her dogs, Miss April in Paris, insisted it was HER turn to write a memoir. Miss April in Paris now refers to Barbara as “my secretary”.

Barbara Barth’s website:

http://www.barbarabarthwriter.com/

Barbara Barth’s blog:

http://theunfaithfulwidow.blogspot.com/

http://barbarabarthsparkle.blogspot.com

http://theunfaithfulwidow.blogspot.com/

Barbara on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Barth-Author/338160482648

https://www.facebook.com/booktalkwithbarbarabarth

Barbara on Twitter: @writerwithdogs

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Organizations referred to in the article: