Oh No, My Books Are Going to the Dogs!

with guest Kate James.

Now that I (hopefully) have your attention, I would like to say that I’m honored to be visiting Seekerville today. The ladies behind this blog are fantastic, and I’d like to give a special shout-out to Tina Radcliffe for inviting me.

To clear up any misconception, let’s agree on what “go to the dogs” really means. According to The Free Dictionary, it means “to become worse in quality or character” or whatever is being referred to “is becoming less successful than it was in the past.” An example provided by The Free Dictionary is: “It is sad to report that this once first-class hotel has gone to the dogs.”

Hopefully, this is NOT the case with my books or my writing, so let me offer a different perspective. I have yet to write a book that doesn’t include a dog in at least a supporting role. In many of my books, dogs are central to the story. Why do I consistently include furry, four-legged characters? If you know me personally or have connected with me on social media, the obvious answer might be because I love dogs (all critters actually, but dogs hold a special place in my heart). You wouldn’t be wrong and, admittedly, most of our dogs have made their way into my stories. But that’s not the only reason and not even the main reason. So why do I do it?

Let me answer another question first. Why do I write? I love to write and I get enjoyment and satisfaction from writing, but what motivates me is to write stories that readers find both emotionally and intellectually satisfying, with characters that are relatable and likable. If that’s the case, how do dogs factor into it? In a nutshell, I believe that four-legged characters can enrich my stories. Note that I italicized the word “can,” because if an animal is going to become a character in a story, there has to be a purpose beyond the “sweet factor.”

If done effectively, animals can draw readers in, enhance stories and help define two-legged characters. Irrespective of whether you are an animal lover or not, don’t you draw inferences about a person’s character from the way they treat animals? How do you feel when you see a firefighter rappel down a steep cliff to rescue a stranded cat? Or a woman who stops her vehicle in the middle of the road to allow safe passage for a goose and her babies? Or the man who raises a stick to strike a cowering puppy?

I might be at the extreme end of the spectrum, but if I see a severely injured person, my first-aid training kicks in and I’m able to assist with calm determination. But if I see an injured animal? I become a sniveling mess. This concerned me to a degree. Surely, I have as much or more compassion for another human being than I do for animals. If not, what’s wrong with me? I put the question to a psychologist friend. His response was that my reactions are more common than one would suspect. Many of us make an immediate emotional connection with animals. 

How do I believe this connection can be used to enrich stories? Here are a few points for consideration:

• animals can be used to influence reader perception of the human characters, evoke emotion, add dimension, and help create conflict or resolution;
• animals can be characters in their own right: central or supportive, heroes or villains;
• animals can have a point of view (as examples, consider wildly successful books such as The Art of Racing in the Rain and A Dog’s Purpose); and
• where animals are used, how they are introduced and characterized can make them endearing, comedic or emotionally charged.

Another reason I include animal characters in my books is that I receive consistent and favorable feedback from readers about my animal characters and the stories that they inhabit. Here is one more reason. Publishing is a business, after all, and are people prepared to put their money where their heart is? Are readers more likely to purchase books that feature animals? I don’t have empirical data to answer this, but I can illustrate anecdotally. 

In 2014, I submitted a proposal to Harlequin for a trilogy featuring three San Diego K-9 Unit officers, their dogs and, naturally, their love interests. The books did well, were recognized with a variety of awards (thank you very much readers/judges!) and reader response was terrific. Here is a bookplate for the trilogy . . .

When I sent back the manuscript for When I Found You, the final book in the trilogy, I have to admit to a degree of sadness. It felt as if I was saying goodbye to a number of close friends, of both the two- and four-legged variety.

When I submitted my next proposal, my editor—the incomparable Paula Eykelhof—and I had a chat about how terrific it would have been for me to write the story of rookie K-9 cop, Shannon Clemens, and her police service dog, Darwin, both introduced as supporting characters in When I Found You. Imagine my surprise and elation when the contract came back with the addition of a book I did not include in my proposal: Shannon’s story!

To repeat, publishing is a business. My publisher would not have added an extra book to my contract (how often does that happen?!), turning my K-9 trilogy into a series, if the books weren’t performing well from a commercial perspective. Readers were buying the books!

Here is an image of my new bookplate . . .

And because I couldn’t decide which dog looked cuter (yes, an example of my emotional reaction to dogs), I had to have two different styles printed!

Now it’s your turn! Do you feel animal characters enrich a story? Can you recall an animal who stole the show in a book?

To celebrate the July 1st (Happy 150th birthday Canada!) release of Home to Stay, book four in the San Diego K-9 Unit series, I will give away to one person selected randomly from everyone leaving a comment in response to this post, a K-9 Trilogy tote bag (now a collector’s item! 😉), a signed copy of the first book in the series, When the Right One Comes Along, signed copies of The Truth About Hope and Sanctuary Cove (also featuring canine characters), and an assortment of bookmarks and bookplates. 

In addition, if anyone would like signed San Diego K-9 Unit series bookplates, please register for my newsletter here: http://www.kate-james.com/contact/, or just e-mail me at readers@kate–james.com with your mailing address and I will send one of each to you. 

Let me leave you with a picture of the canine characters from some of my books. 

The pictures of “Einstein” and “Sniff” are actually our beloved labs Logan and (sadly departed) Buster. As a final giveaway, I would love to have you post a picture on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/katejamesbooks) of your favorite furry, four-legged pal who you think should be in a book. Post by end of day, Friday, July 7th. I will give away a signed copy of the second book in the San Diego K-9 Unit series, When Love Matters Most to one person selected randomly. Seekerville has generously offered to match my giveaway with a copy of Home to Stay to a second Villager who posts an animal picture on my Facebook page. You never know, your pal might make it into a book, too. A reader generously let me use her pup, Einstein, in The Truth About Hope! 😊 

All three winners will be announced in the Weekend Edition of Seekerville.

Thank you for joining me today at Seekerville. 

You can connect with me by e-mail (readers@kate-james.com), through my website (www.kate-james.com), my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/katejamesbooks), Twitter (@katejamesbooks) or regular mail at PO Box 446, Schomberg, ON, L0G 1T0, Canada. 

I would love to hear from you. Happy reading and writing, as the case might be!

Kate

Kate spent much of her childhood abroad before attending university in Canada. She built a successful business career, but her passion has always been literature. As a result, Kate turned her energy to her love of the written word. Kate's goal is to entertain her readers with engaging stories featuring strong, likable characters. Kate has been honored with numerous awards for her writing. 

She and her husband, Ken, enjoy traveling and the outdoors, with their beloved Labrador Retrievers, Harley and Logan.

Home to Stay (book four in the San Diego K-9 Unit series) – releasing July 1, 2017

She's bringing his son home 

A missing little boy triggers San Diego K-9 officer Shannon Clemens and her canine search-and-rescue partner into instant action. For the rookie cop haunted by a childhood tragedy, bringing Sawyer Evans's son safely home is more than a job. It's a mission she can't fail… But forging a friendship with the father is a tactical error that could compromise her first solo assignment. Yet the deepening bond between them is almost impossible to resist.

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