I was once asked why do I have such old dogs. That question got me to thinking. I suppose, looking back, I have had old dogs in my life. But they usually started out as puppies and ended up as dear old friends at the end.
There was Ruffian, the big blue merle collie I bought as a puppy, who only shared 12 years as my guardian and friend. There was Tasha, the Lhaso Apso. who I bought as a four year old dog. She was fourteen when aggressive cancer forced me to put her to sleep. I could never forget Kip, the stray sable and white collie who adopted me. He was around 6 or 7 at the time. We shared 7 more wonderful years as friends until the day came he said he was ready to leave. Riley James, a lovely tri-color collie, was my sweet angel from birth until kidney disease took him away far too soon at 11 years old.
My precious baby Scrapper, whom my ex-husband bought as a six-week-old for himself, was always my little girl for seventeen years. She was a Papillion. It broke my heart when I had to put her to sleep just a few months shy of her 18th birthday.
This past March, I adopted another collie, a blue merle called Ty. He is around six years old, and came from a very horrible previous life. Our time together so far has been working past his PTSD issues and creating a bond between us. However fragile it is now, I already regret the day when it arrives that I will have to let this sweet, forgiving and trusting soul go to his final rest. So I suppose the answer to the question asked of me is simple: I have old dogs because I love the journey I get to take with them.
My latest book 'Chasing the Painted Skies', releasing November 11 with Soul Mate Publishing also features a dog. He is a black and tan German shepherd called Salzburg. He shows up at a mysterious stray and becomes a fierce protector for one of the main characters, Raven Koynes.
Here is a short excerpt:
* * *
“What's that?” Arthur demanded as Raven and Salzburg went inside.
“This is my dog, and you better be nice to him.” She rested her hand on his head, level with her thigh, and breathed a breath of relief as the dog lifted his lips to Arthur, showing a hint of his white teeth and growling softly. She could have dropped to the floor and hugged him again.
“Keep that mutt away from me,” Arthur warned.
“This dog goes where he wants to go,” Raven countered, her eyes sweeping the room. There was no sign of Sebastian. The chair he had been bound to before was empty, still with the ropes where he maneuvered out of them. The house, as she figured, was trashed. Huffing, she glared at Arthur, hands on her hips.
“Did you have to make such a mess? Well maybe now you can believe your stupid treasure isn't here. And what have you done with Sebastian?”
“I haven't done anything with him. Last I saw of him, he and Helen were headed outside.” He took a step toward her, raising a hand. “And mark my words that treasure is here.”
Salzburg flattened his ears, showing all his teeth, his growl deep and throaty. Barking once, he advanced, meeting Arthur's step. Arthur stepped back, lowering his hand.
“Keep that mutt away from me,” he warned. “Or else you'll be missing a dog as well as a boyfriend.”
Suddenly anxious to put distance between them, Arthur left the room. Raven swept Salzburg into her arms. “Oh, thank you, dog! A hundred thank you’s. I can't tell you how much he creeps me out and to know he is scared of you, well, that's more priceless to me than all the Endeavor's supposed treasure. Come on, let's find you a soup bone.”
* * *
Raven Koynes is a woman in hiding. Years ago she escaped to remote Gull Island Light Station, nestled far away in Lake Superior. She has carved out a life of peace and solitude for herself. Until famed nature photographer Sebastian Knight arrives--in the height of a nor'easter storm--to document the beauty of Gull Island. Unsavory treasure hunters also blow in with the storm, determined to find missing cargo from a sunken ship. And they're sure Raven knows where it's stashed. A power outage is a final threat, trapping everyone at her lightkeeper cottage.
Help arrives in the form of a stray German Shepherd Dog, who takes an immediate protective interest in Raven. He becomes her constant shadow and listening ear as she sorts out her growing--and conflicting--feelings for Sebastian.
Meanwhile, Sebastian came to the island looking for treasure as well, in the form of photographs, While he isn't so sure about a sunken boat and missing cargo, he only needs one look at Raven Koynes to know he's found his own valuable treasure. One he hopes he can hang on to once she learns about his mysterious secret.
Now that Madeline the resident ghost has found out, it's probably just a matter of time until Raven does too. And with the storm and power outage, no one is going anywhere any time soon.
WEBSITE: www.ryanjosummers.com
BLOG: http:summersrye.wordpress.com
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