Emotional Support Animals

Handling Nerves with Mercy’s Help

I have my hands on Mercy a lot these days, while she leans in as I work on my laptop or when she rolls over inviting a rub on her soft belly. Doesn’t matter the occasion, touching her helps when I’m this nervous.

I haven’t talked to any groups, MC’ed an event, or officiated a wedding or memorial in two years. There has been so much stress in my life since February of 2023 when Bill started feeling ill and then after his death that my hands began shaking, and they often still do. In my upcoming readings, I know Bill’s face won’t be in the audience, nor will I get those encouraging hugs from him before and after that always helped me calm down. (Even Mercy is missing those hugs.) I remind myself what my former writing teacher and comedienne Ann Randolph teaches: “Say yes, even when afraid.”

Bill and Mercy, me and Mercy

Just knowing that I’ll have to leave Mercy for my book event trips gets me rattled.

I also feel strange about the timing of my book release. Putting out a book about dogs at this time in our country and our world when there is so much instability, fear, and sadness somehow doesn’t feel right. As my Celebrant colleague Ben described, “Things are a bit wonky and caustic out there and it can wear a sensitive heart out.” Indeed. Or as I heard someone comment recently, these times are like “drinking from a fire hose." Then I remind myself that when my rough manuscript was accepted in 2023 with a pub date in early 2025, the current events of then weren’t anything like what we’re experiencing now.

I read recently that the word animal comes from the Latin word for soul. Can you feel that? How, through deepening our understanding of our animals, we deepen our understanding of ourselves? Maybe keeping our hands on our beloved four-leggeds will indeed help calm and ground us.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m excited about Dog Love Stories and delighted that although I’m just now at my publication date (3/18!), my book is already into its second print run. I love sharing how my animals have made and continue to make me a better human (I hope), and how willing people are to share their own dog/cat/horse/alpaca stories of love and support.

Friend Kristine with her beloved Bianca. Mercy giving me some encouragement. Mercy (Little Miss Cross-Her-Legs) demonstrating how to relax.

So, with some deep breaths, I prepare for my Friday, March 21, 6PM book launch at the Narrow Gauge Book Co-op. I may not see Bill’s loving face in the audience, but I’ll see friends and community members I care deeply for, and, of course, Mercy will be there helping me to calm down and hopefully not shake.

HEADS UP! The audiobook for Dog Love Stories will be released on 4/29, read by the very talented Tavia Gilbert of Talkbox Productions, a Grammy-nominated voice actor. Learn more here.

I continue to be grateful for your preorders of my book. My first print run sold out long before the release date, and another has already been ordered. Preorders help authors by letting bookstores know that they need to stock the title, help generate attention for the author’s readings and book events, and provide confidence and security for ordering more books and/or larger print runs. Your support means the world to me.

In the News:

Look for (and listen) for stories about Dog Loves Stories and myself in the local news.

• There’s a great piece in the Valley Courier by Priscilla Waggoner from March 6th. You can find it in the print edition of the paper, or online, here.

• I enjoyed being on the Creative Citizen podcast, with host Madeleine Ahlborn and producer Owen Woods. You can listen to the episode here.

• I was interviewed by Gerald Rodriguez at KRZA on Friday, March 14th. The interview aired on Monday, March 17th at 8am and 7:30pm. You can listen to it here in the newsletter.

Readings:

• Friday, March 21, 6:00PM: BOOK LAUNCH!!
  Narrow Gauge Book Cooperative, 602 Main Street Alamosa, CO

• Friday, April 4, 6:30PM
  Bookwoman Bookstore, 5501 N Lamar, Austin, TX

• Thursday, April 10, 6:30PM
  Brazos Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX

• Friday, April 11, 7:00PM
  Home Reading. RSVP for location, Houston TX

• Thursday, April 24, 5:30PM
  Home Reading. RSVP for location, Palm Springs, CA

• Sunday, May 25, 10:00AM
  Unity Church of Taos, 69 Blueberry Hill Road El Prado, NM

• Tuesday, June 10, 6:30 PM
  Boulder Bookstore, 1107 Pearl St, Boulder, CO

• Wednesday, June 11, time TBD
  Tattered Cover Colfax with MaxFund Shelter, Denver, CO

• Date TBD, Durango and/or Mancos bookstores

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