My new book “Saving Simon” is out there kicking and screaming and fighting for life. This weekend, it was one of the favored picks of USA Today, the national newspaper, and the book shot up way high on the Amazon bestseller lists. I was quiet for awhile, but he Open House and the need to give Connie Brooks of Battenkill Books a rest led me to be quiet about the book for a minute. But the book seems to have a life of it’s own.

I am putting together a homegrown book tour – I switched publishers, my primary editor left,  and the book has been “orphaned,” as they say in publishing, which means my publisher is spending about $10 on promoting it. Inspired by one ass, the other is taking up the challenge and answering the call to life.  There is absolutely nothing pushing the book but my mighty blog – the engine that could. Connie has sold seven or eight hundred copies by now, we are shooting for at least 2,000 by Christmas, I think we have a good chance.

This weekend, I got a good look at Simon power, many people came from all over the country to touch him and see him. He is a powerful symbol to people – of the true nature of abuse, a term so overused it has lost all meaning – of the healing power of animals – them and us – and of the need for compassion in our world. I hope you will consider buying the book from Battenkill Books, my local bookstore. The first 2,000 people will get a free signed photo postcard and everyone will be eligible for free dog food coupons from Fromm Food, the food our dogs and cats eat, as well as potholders, notecards and signed photos.

You can order the book online from Battenkill, call the store at 518 677-2515, or e-mail them: [email protected]. They take Paypal, most major credit cards,  and ship anywhere in the world. I am scrambling to put together my own book tour and it is looking promising..I’m going to the Petersburgh, N.Y. library the first week of November (the 6th(, then the Wilton Library in Connecticut, I’m talking to bookstores in Massachusetts and other places and are going a swing through Iowa next May. I’m excited, I will keep fighting for this book, it is important to me, Simon has earned it.