by Linda Coggin
Weightless.
Nothing.
Dark. Empty nothing.
Crashing. Crashing.
It is waves crashing around my head.
Turn around. Swim back to shore. Look around.
There he is.
Walking toward me. Along the beach.
Calling my name.
“Ray! Ray!”
Ears. Bark. Tail wag.
Run.
Stop.
Happy. Happy. Happy. My Pip.
Here.
The Dog, Ray brought my agent, Suzy Jenvey, and me together. All thanks to her for believing in it from the very beginning. Also Emma Matthewson, my lovely editor, and all at Hot Key who have helped Ray to finally wag her tail on the page. Huge thanks to Elinor Bagenal, who encouraged me so much with the writing of it and who put me in touch with Suzy. Also Serita Lewis, whose amazing photographs of people living on the streets were truly informative; her knowledge — and that of some Big Issue sellers — helped me with writing about Pip and Jack. Johnny Bull and Susie Alexander, for reading it before anyone else and helping me with ideas and improvements. And finally to our own dog, Beezle, who was the inspiration. He let me into the ways of dogs.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or, if real, are used fictitiously.
Copyright © 2015 by Linda Coggin
Cover photograph copyright © 2016 by Jill Ferry/Trevillion Images (background)
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.
First U.S. electronic edition 2016
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2016947247
Candlewick Press
99 Dover Street
Somerville, Massachusetts 02144
visit us at www.candlewick.com
