Monday, June 4, 2012

True Confessions






               Listen, I’ve got a confession to make.   If you’re going to be reading this blog, it’s important for me to let you in on  this, up front.  I’d rather you’d hear it from me than from somebody else. 

                I – am not -- perfect.

                Now, my family and friends have known  this for years, and I have it on very good authority that it’s something they talk about among themselves.  Once in a while, they also counsel me about it – usually in the gentlest of tones, prefaced by  a brief mention of the fact that they love me anyway

                Their constructive comments are many and varied, but there is one recurring theme:  the fact that I’m a Sucker For Animals.  I’ve got that on my profile (not capitalized, of course)  as a kind of light-hearted description of myself, but let me tell you:  there is nothing light-hearted about being a Sucker of any sort.  It’s serious business, and it can make a mess of best-laid plans.  My best-laid plans have included such things as getting organized,  organizing my life better, and becoming a more organized person – none of which can be readily accomplished while remaining a Sucker – especially for animals!

                See, Suckers  just can’t say no.  Well, they can say it, but they can’t make it stick.  They can be on their way to a fancy dinner party, dressed in all manner of finery (not that I’m much on finery), and they can see a starving dog (or cat or whatever) beside the road, and they will forget that they only have fifteen minutes to make a twenty-five minute drive (which wouldn’t be the case, if only they were, you know – organized), and they’ll stop the car and leap out into the mud (there’s usually mud, it’s like a Universal Law), and they’ll spend the next hour trying to coax the Hapless Creature into trusting them and coming along peaceably.  It goes without saying that they generally turn out having to pick the H. C. up in their arms (there goes the finery) and carry it to the car (there goes the upholstery) and drive it home or to an emergency veterinary clinic (there goes the budget and the dinner party).

Then said Sucker will call the hosts (who  aren’t in any real mood for explanations; after all, they have dinner guests who actually bothered to show up), and he/she (the Sucker) will  apologize profusely.  Usually doesn’t work, but Suckers do try.  It’s terribly important to them for other people to understand that they didn’t let them down on purpose.  They couldn’t help themselves.

                Of course, the destruction of best-laid plans is only beginning at this point.   New rescue dogs tend to chase Resident Cats.  Cats (both Newbies and Lifers) hide in cabinets  (which any self-reliant cat can open with the flick of a velvet paw).    O’Possums (in case you’re ever foolhardy enough to bring one home)  try to bite the hand that’s trying to feed it.  And any live thing you bring into the house will amaze you with the situations it can bring about  that you never anticipated and really didn’t want to happen.  

                And, yet – if you are a True Sucker – you ‘ll do it all again at the next opportunity, and all the constructive comments in the world won’t keep you from it, because you – are not – perfect.

                Now,  the above admission is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a full confession, but I have a kind of washed clean feeling for having offered  it up.    I have many  other flaws, none of which I feel compelled to talk about at the moment – except this one: 

I am not the best book promoter in the world.    I  have  a book  out, and  I’m sure my editor, publicist, agent and manager (all of whom encouraged me to do this blog) would appreciate it I would at least mention the sucker.

                So here goes. 

                The name of my book is The Homecoming of Samuel Lake.  It’s out in hardcover, and on July 10, it will also come out in paperback.   The story is set in rural Southwest Arkansas, in the 1950’s, which I happen to believe was a magical time in our country.  It’s about good and evil and strength of family and the unusual, even miraculous ways that love can overcome its opposite.  I hope you read it.  I hope it makes you laugh and cry. 

And I hope you come back here soon for another  visit.


12 comments:

  1. Great post, Jenny. Blessed are the rescuers. Looking forward to the paperback release of your new book!

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    1. Thanks, Karen! And blessed are the rescuers of writers who don't quite have the hang of all the techie stuff. You do know who I'm talking about, right?

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  2. Ah, what a GIANT heart you have. I loved this story; who could fault a sucker of this nature? You really have an opossom in your house? Wow. I want to rescue every living thing in need. Oddly, my blog post today talks about that very thing (with birds, though). Keep writing, and keep promoting.

    As you know, I'm reading Samuel Lake right now and am LOVING it. That magic of which you speak for the time period comes through clearly on the inked pages like a breath of fresh air.

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    1. We don't have a 'possum, but we had one several years ago. We never tamed it. We just fed it until it was well and strong, and then it went its own way.

      Thanks for all the kind words about Samuel Lake! I'm so glad you're loving it!

      Now I'm going to go read your blog and find out about the birds.

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  3. People who rescue dogs have a very special place in my heart :) I have two rescue dogs--our Boston terrier Maggie, whose previous owner (for reasons I'll never understand, she's so precious!) left her with her trainer one day and told him to keep her and find her a home. We also have an Italian greyhound mix named Pita, who we got from the Austin animal shelter. Pita culd not have possibly been more timid the first time we saw her through the glass (poor thing had been throughs so much), but there was just something special in those little eyes! She's stolen our hearts, and many times, my spot in my bed!

    It's so great to read that you're blogging, Jenny! I hopped over after hearing about it from Melissa Crytzer Fry and Julia Munroe Martin, two wonderful bloggers and friends. I also saw you speak at the Texas Book Festival in October, and your book is the very next on my pile! So funny about the TBR pile--I always want to get through it as quickly as possible because there are so many amazing books I want to read, but at the same time, I want to savor each and every one :)

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    1. Natalia, thanks for dropping by and telling me about Maggie and Pita. I have a deep respect and love for people who take in creatures that can't help themselves and desperately need care. Thank you for being one of those!

      I know what you mean about the TBR pile. Mine seems to keep growing, but when I'm writing I only read bits and pieces of other books. Otherwise, I'd spend all my time reading and would never get a story told!

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. You've rescued opossums?? Yes, I agree with Karen, blessed are the rescuers! We've had to draw the line at dogs.. too many cat allergies in the family. Love the paperback cover of The Homecoming of Samuel Lake!

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    1. Just one 'possum so far, and that one was a few years back. It had been side-swiped by a car, and needed a place to recuperate, so we provided that. I never thought the little thing appreciated us much, but he did get plenty to eat, and he was soon well enough to go out and carouse for his own food.

      By the way, here on the farm, skunks come into the barn at night and eat the barn cats' food. They're great little thieves, but we don't mind. The dogs do. They are constantly investigating and getting sprayed!

      Thanks for the compliment about the book. I am so ready for it to come out!

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  5. I'm a Sucker, too, Jenny. There are a lot of us out there. Congrats on the spiffy new blog! Very cool.

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    1. Thanks, Kathryn! I really didn't intend to make this blog so much about animals, but they seem to be always on my mind when I sit down to write.

      Tell me about your critters!

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  6. Hi, Jenny....I just finished your book and I just cannot begin to tell you how the joy of it stayed with me the whole time I was going through it, and now will continue to everytime I think of 'being there' as I was when I was reading. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

    Sue Aldridge

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  7. I LOVED your book. Just finished it yesterday and can't stop thinking about the characters and the themes. I'm suggesting it for our book club after the first of the year. If you are ever in Nashville, we'd love to hear you speak. Any signs of another book?

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