It’s time for “Dancing Dogs,” my first short story collection, now on the 100 best-selling short story collections two weeks before publication. I hope to get higher on that list.

It has become a tradition for me, and a nice one, to have my friend Marilyn Brooks, an artist and the mother of Connie Brooks, the owner of Battenkill Books, review my book the week before it is published. Marilyn is not an objective or detached reviewer, and I doubt she would be too critical of my work – she has read my books for years – yet she has a directness and simplicity about her reviews that is very important to me and very credible to her growing number of fans on the Internet. If she did not like a book, I cannot imagine her reviewing it. Her honesty and intelligence just shine through.

It is odd how this works, but I often feel that Marilyn sees things in my books that professional critics often do not.

People follow her reviews, and she sells a lot of books. So today, she is reviewing my newest paper book “Dancing Dogs: Stories,” out September 25 from Ballantine Books, a Random House imprint. The book is garnering some of the best reviews I have  gotten and it is off to a good start. “Dancing Dogs” is a collection of fictional short stories, and it is not about the farm, at least not directly. Most of the 16 short stories are about dogs, a few are about other animals, one about a barn cat, another about an old farmer, his old border collie and an old coyote (it is called “Old Dogs.”) The stories were inspired by the recession, by my life in upstate New York, by my own life with dogs, donkeys, barn cats and chickens.

In them, I worked to focus on the point of emotional connection between people and animals, a subject that has fascinated me for a long time. Short stories, like e-books, are a good form for me, and I hope to do more of both.

Although the cover shows an adorable puppy, a few of the early online reviewers seemed upset that not all of the stories were entirely happy. I know that some people use animal love to escape from the reality of the world, but I think it just helps us all survive it. Those of you who have read my books know not to expect “Boo, The Cutest Dog In The World,” yet I do see this a very upbeat collection of stories, celebrating the great love people have for their dogs and animals, even in hard times. I spent a lot of time with working women in lousy box store jobs to learn how much their pets meant to them.  I see that some people demand complete happiness, but I do not see life quite that simply. Still, this book is loaded with happy endings and happy animals doing their thing – helping people be loved.  As Marilyn grasped, the stories are at least as much about people who love animals as they are about the animals. That is sort of the point.

You can see some of the reviews for yourself here, and of course make up your own minds about whether or not you want to buy this book. If you do, it is available everywhere for pre-ordering or just plain ordering. I’d love for you to consider buying it through Battenkill Books, my local bookstore and a great independent bookstore.Connie and Marilyn do not spend a lot of time whining about Amazon and e-books (maybe just a little) but they run a wonderful bookstore that not only serves its own community but many people beyond. I will sign and personalize every copy of “Dancing Dogs” or any other of my books purchased through Battenkill Books, something online stores cannot do. Connie is also giving free signed Bedlam Farm notecards away with each book purchased. You can call the store at 518 677-2515 or purchase my books – “Lenore Finds A Friend” as well – through the store’s website, www.battenkillbooks.com. They accept Paypal.

We sold 1,100 copies of “Going Home” through Connie, and I’m shooting for 1,500 copies of “Dancing Dogs.” My book tour schedule will soon be published on the top of the website page under the “events” heading. Hope to see you around the country. I don’t hit the road until October l, although the tour kicks off at Battenkill September 25. Red will be there, Lenore too.

I’m happy to offer Marilyn Brooks review of “Dancing Dogs: Stories.” Come and see.