Over the past few weeks I’ve started working on the second edition of Fiji’s book, Paws for Thought: Seeing the World Through the Eyes of a Guide Dog “. I knew I wanted to update the book following Fiji’s passing, to close the circle, so to speak. But I had no idea when I’d feel able to do so.
My fear was that I was still too wrapped in the grief of losing my gorgeous baby girl, and that working on the update would be too sad for me. However, when I began, I found what actually happened took me by surprise.
Yes, revisiting the book did cause a degree of sadness. But by far the dominant feeling was joy. Because revisiting those memories brought to mind so many wonderful reminders of our time together.
If you’ve never read Paws for Thought, and would like to get a feel for it, you can download the first chapter free at https://www.loisstrachan.com/paws-for-thought/
So far, I’ve added the remaining Paws for Thought posts to the manuscript and made a few changes to the original text, based on feedback from readers. I am so grateful for the reviews I got from GoodReads and Amazon – they truly did help!
Updating Paws for Thought has also given me the opportunity to add new stories about Fiji and information about the training of guide dogs. The second edition will include interviews with a South African guide dog trainer and two of our amazing puppy-raisers. And of course there will also be plenty of Fiji’s characteristic sense of humour bounding out of every page.
Finally, it will allow me to create descriptions of the photographs in the book for those of us who are unable to physically see them.
I’m hoping to publish the second edition in the first half of this year…. But please don’t hold me to that as who knows what will happen between now and then.
I’ll give you a better idea of the timeline once I know, I promise.
Here’s the link for the free chapter again: https://www.loisstrachan.com/paws-for-thought/
