I cannot imagine my life without dogs in it. They have been my protectors, my uncomplaining companions, and my much under-rewarded therapists. In my youth, I was the kid who gained the trust of the neighborhood strays, much to my parents’ dismay. Through patient observation, I knew when to bend down, when to offer a treat, when to extend my hand, and when not to. Dogs give us their trust when we earn it, when we have proven we mean no harm, that we truly want to be friends. Dogs also know things about us that we do not. They sense our fears, our pains, our contentment, and our joys.
They do all this without ever saying a word. They watch. They listen. They perceive what is never spoken aloud. They are always there for us, asking so little in return. We should all have more true friends like that.
When you’re lucky enough to find your ‘heart dog’, the one whose soul is connected to your own, you realize you don’t ever want to be without them. The sad fact is, however, that dogs don’t live as long as we do. And so when we must say goodbye, we do so with profound sadness, knowing we’re laying a piece of our hearts in the grave alongside them. Then, because we find it so hard to live without the fierce loyalty of a dog, their selflessness, and their unbridled joy for everyday things, we bring another into our lives and the cycle is repeated yet again.
The story is often told of a place called the Rainbow Bridge, where all our beloved pets wait for us until we pass over to the Other Side to join them. Whether or not such a place exists, I don’t know. Nobody has ever produced proof of it. But knowing and believing are two different matters.
There are some things I do believe, however. Dogs have souls, I’m sure of it. I can see it when I look in their eyes.
acknowledgments
Heartfelt thanks go out to the members of Team Say No More, who helped bring this story to its final stages: Sarah Woodbury, Rebecca Lochlann, and Julie Conner. Special thanks to Linda Mahoney for lending her stock dog training expertise on this novel. Your wisdom, honesty and encouragement have been invaluable.
about the author
N. Gemini Sasson is a serial remodeler, intrepid gardener, runner, and dog lover. She lives in rural Ohio with her husband, two nearly grown children and an ever-changing number of animals.
Long after writing about Robert the Bruce and Queen Isabella, Sasson learned she is a descendant of both.
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books by N. Gemini Sasson
The Faderville Novels:
Say No More
Say That Again
Sam McNamee Mysteries:
Memories and Matchsticks
The Bruce Trilogy:
The Crown in the Heather: Book I
Worth Dying For: Book II
The Honor Due a King: Book III
The Isabella Books:
Isabeau: A Novel of Queen Isabella and Sir Roger Mortimer
The King Must Die: A Novel of Edward III
Uneasy Lies the Crown: A Novel of Owain Glyndwr
In the Time of Kings (A Time Travel Adventure)
Did you love Say No More? Then you should read Say That Again by N. Gemini Sasson!
A little girl's love. A dog's courage.
Echo’s life hasn’t been easy so far. Mistreated by one owner after another, he’d rather just learn to get by on his own. Still, he longs for his ‘forever home’, where he can be loved and cared for. Not until he meets young Hannah McHugh does he learn to trust again. Hannah not only understands him ― she hears him.
Before the accident, Hannah already felt like she was different from other kids. Now, animals are speaking to her ― and no one believes her. Her sister calls her a liar. The kids at school make fun of her. Her teacher labels her as imaginative. And the psychologist hints that she’s troubled. Even her own father, Hunter, tells her she should keep it to herself. Only with her dog Echo, an Australian Shepherd, at her side does she feel truly safe and accepted.
Then, the reclusive Heck Menendez moves in next door. The last thing he wants is a little kid and her dog hanging around. Yet Heck is the only person outside the family that Hannah trusts — and sometimes the only one her family can rely on to keep an eye on her.
When Hannah and Echo disappear, rumors run wild about old Heck. Hunter wants to trust his gut, but time is ticking away.
Also by N. Gemini Sasson
A Faderville Novel
Say No More
Say That Again
A Sam McNamee Mystery
Memories and Matchsticks
The Bruce Trilogy
The Crown in the Heather
Worth Dying For
The Honor Due a King
The Isabella Books
Isabeau, A Novel of Queen Isabella and Sir Roger Mortimer
The King Must Die
Standalone
Uneasy Lies the Crown, A Novel of Owain Glyndwr
In the Time of Kings
Say No More Page 28
