Publication date for “Talking To Animals” is May 2, Tuesday, and at Battenkill Books, we are streaking towards the 1,000 pre-order mark. Wendy and the gang at the Post Office here are bracing for a lot of work on Monday when Connie takes all the books there for shipment out to the world.

We don’t have an exact count – orders are coming in all the time – but Connie Brooks thinks we passed the 700 pre-order mark. All week, Maria and I have been sitting in the bookstore every afternoon with Red signing books so Connie can keep up with the orders, the biggest pre-order of any book in the store’s history.

There are still hundreds of classy custom-ordered tote-bags that celebrate dogs and reading, and I will sign and personalize every book ordered or pre-ordered from Connie. She will, of course be taking orders past the pub date. She ships anywhere in the world and takes Paypal and major credit cards.

This new way to promote my books seems to benefit everyone. It helps a wonderful independent bookstore survive in a small rural community, it helps an old and eager writer sell books when it is becoming difficult to sell books, and it keeps the culture of books and reading alive.

I am a devoted Amazon customer, but it will not be good for any of us if they become the only bookstore on the earth. Thanks to people like Connie, and to people like you, who order books from her, that is not happening. I sell more books on Connie’s website and on her phone (518 677-2515) than I used to do on a month-long book tour around the country.

We are important to one another and you are important to both of us.

And the book, I believe, is important to animals. The World Wildlife Federation reports that half of the animal species on the earth have vanished in the past generation, and I do not believe the animal rights movement has even begun to consider or address the need for finding ways to keep the horses and the elephants with us, rather than sending them off to slaughter and oblivion and extinction.

We need a new and wiser understanding of animals than this. The book also details my life-long work communicating with animals and learning how to listen to them.  The best stories of my life with animals.

I hope you will consider ordering or pre-ordering the book through Battenkill Books, you will do a lot of good. I notice many people are thinking ahead, and buying the book as a Christmas gift.

Nice idea. The book is also, of course, offered as an e-book and an audio book, and is available everywhere books are sold.

You can pre-order the book here and help us get to 1,000. That will make a big noise in my publisher’s offices. This is the future, this is the way we sell books and save books. We’re very close. Thanks.