In the midst of back-to-school season this summer (August is still summer in my book), I found that completing the smallest final details for Dear Puppy took quite a bit of time. I pressed forward thanks to the help of many supportive people.

Lizzie Nelson, my illustrator and neighbor, met with me often throughout the entire process. Our conversations and ideas flowed—with the help of coffee, scones, and tea—as we made final edits to the text and illustrations. Since I wanted to attend the Elmhurst Library’s Author Fair, having copies ready gave us both a clear deadline. I wanted something tangible. Fortunately, Lizzie had already been through the publishing process. She has two poetry books, Fair to Piddling and Doggy Biscuits. She embraced my idea for Dear Puppy without hesitation, building each page with her own creative vision. Most of all, her knowledge of self-publishing helped us through every hiccup and pothole in the road.

My husband, Kevin, also helped put things into motion by building my website. I want to thank him for keeping an open mind toward my stories and giving me his full attention when I’ve shared really rough drafts of my longer works. My mom and sister never scoffed at my ideas—no matter how bizarre or overly simple. When I finally read my finished book aloud to my kids, they truly listened (they didn’t even attempt to wrestle each other or run out of the room). A win for this mom, indeed. It has been so rewarding to receive support from my family and friends.

Now that we’re settled into the routine at the heart of the school year, I can’t help but plan for what’s next. I am eager to get Dear Puppy onto more platforms and into more stores. I recently sold several copies to Camp Ruff It, a local doggy care center right around the corner. I am also working on a novella (for the adult readers out there) and two additional children’s books. As I mentioned in my first blog, getting to the starting line has been pivotal—and I want to keep running around the track!