Pages & Paws

Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie


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10 Warm & Wonderful Dog Books For Wet Weather (Or Anytime)

I don’t know about your neck of the dog run, but here in the Northwest it’s been pouring rain for so long, I may be sprouting gills.

Not that I mind, mind you. Mom says this is great reading weather. Something about curling up by the fire with a good book. I don’t really get it. I just like sitting in her lap while she turns pages. And tells me what a “good dog” I am.

As if I didn’t know that already.

Anyway, here are 10+ top picks fur wet weather. (That’s not a typo.) These books are brisk and engaging. With good solid story lines. Lots of adventure. As much “flavor” and “texture” as those beef broth and steak treat thingies Mom makes. And of course sparkling canine personalities. Like mine. You’ll enjoy these even if you’re a feline fan. (Yech! Can’t believe I just said that.):

  1. The Black Dogs Project: Extraordinary Black Dogs and Why We Can’t Forget Them. Photography by Fred Levy.  Poignant personal narratives combined with stunning photography of some of the most beautiful canines on the planet! (You might detect a slight bias here. See photo, above.)

2. Dog On It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery– Spencer Quinn. (Told from the dog’s point of view) A good ‘ole fashioned “whodunit” mystery with a dog who’s way smarter than Bernie, his crime-solving human. Laugh out loud funny in places.

3. Where the Red Fern Grows – Wilson Rawls. Old Dan. Li’l Ann. A young boy growing up in the Ozarks and sacrificial love. Bring tissue.

4. Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod – Gary Paulsen. Told in the first person. You can almost smell the cold and feel the snow crunch!

5. The Empty City (Survivors #1) – Erin Hunter. Lucky is a golden-haired mutt with a nose for survival. He’s always been a loner, relying on his instincts to get by. Then the Big Growl strikes. Suddenly the ground is split wide open. The Trap House is destroyed. And all the longpaws have disappeared. Is it time to find a Pack?

6. The Journey Back – Priscilla Cummings. #2 in the Red Kayak series. Not strictly a dog book. But Digger’s daring escape from a juvenile detention facility includes hijacking a tractor trailer, “borrowing” a bicycle, stealing a canoe, and befriending a stray mutt who becomes Digger’s best friend.

7. Puppies, Dogs, and Blue Northers – Gary Paulsen. Minnesota author and dog musher Gary Paulsen reflects on the growth of his sled dogs as he and his animals discover the world around them.

8. Izzy & Lenore: Two Dogs, An Unexpected Journey, and Me (Jon Katz)

A story of faithful love, unswerving devotion, and understanding without words, Izzy & Lenore: Two Dogs, An Unexpected Journey, and Me effervesces like a bottle of Cristal Brut Methusalah.

An abandoned, half-feral border collie reluctantly taken in by author Jon Katz, Izzy becomes a hospice dog. Somehow Izzy learns what can’t be taught: how to help the dying leave this world with dignity – “Oh! A dog! Where on earth did you come from, you handsome thing?” – and how to best comfort those left behind.

Lenore – from the Edgar Allen Poe poem – is a “portable happiness generator.” “The UPS driver threatened to steal her,” says Katz. Big hearted and good natured, Lenore can pierce the armor of the hardest heart. As Katz battles a deep depression and phantoms from his past, the rambunctious Lab pup gently reminds him why he wanted to work with animals in the first place.

9.  The Dog Who Was There (Ron Morasco).

Set in first century Jerusalem,  The Dog Who Was There is a heart-warming, surprising story about a little dog, Barley (that’s not a typo), and a Teacher from Galilee. This wonderful story is soaked in loss, loyalty, sadness, promise, and Great Joy. I’ve never read anything quite like it. You won’t want to miss this one.

And of course:

10. Forever, Eve: The True Story of a “Cast-Off” Dog Who Never Stopped Loving

Wait. Is that a patch of blue overhead?


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‘More Than Conquerors’ Shows Promise

More Than Conquerors: On the Run

By D’Janee (Dreams and Vision Publishing, 2025)

Genre: Fiction – YA, Dystopian, Christan Speculative Fiction

Pages (print): 253

Via: Author Request

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book for honest review.

Three young adults have magical-ish gifts. There’s a mysterious Prophecy. Some really, really bad fiery dudes in serious need of chill pills. And some other equally nasty types with red skin, black clothes and murderous intent.

Blurb:

Sophie and her friends have been captured and held prisoner for the purpose of obtaining intelligence they do not have. They have been burned, tortured, and abused for days right after having everything that they have ever known destroyed and taken away from them. They discover from a prophecy that mysteriously appeared to them in the night that they are destined to escape. Motivated with determination and purpose, they must develop a plan for freedom. What they don’t know is that past all the dangerous guards and the unsurpassable escape route is a surprise that will change their lives forever.

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Which is Better: Book or Movie?

“Kimber, what do you think is better? Book or movie?”

Depends, says I, Kimber the Magnificent. Usually on whether we’re reading or watching before or after dinner. Lemme backtrack for a min and explain-ish.

Book Memories

Her Momness has been skipping down Memory Lane via books for much of the summer.  She’s re-visited a ton and a half of old favorites. See: The Dog Days and Children’s Classics.

Poppins?

The other day Mom re-read Mary Poppins, by P.L. Travers. Just a few days after watching the Disney movie with Julie Andres and Dick Van Dyke. Having read and watched both versions within a few days of each other, Her Momness was somewhat astonished. At how far apart they are.

Granted, there are things you can and can’t do on the silver screen that you can do in a book. Some book scenes just don’t translate well onto film. But in the case of Mary Poppins The Book vs. Mary Poppins the Movie, the two are almost oceans apart. (We loved Saving Mr. Banks, thank you very much.)

Here are some select examples from Mom:

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‘King of Montreal’ A Breath Of Fresh Air

The King of Montreal: A Novel

By Daniela I. Norris

Genre: Young Adult (YA), Historical Fiction

Pages (print): 157

Via: Author Request

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Whaddya do when it’s 1800, your dad is King Louis XVI, bloodthirsty Parisian mobs are hot on your trail, and it’s a really, really bad time to be the dauphin of France?

Author Daniela I. Norris tackles that question and more in this charming historical fiction novel about 15 year-old Louis-Charles and his adventures in worlds both Old and New.

Part historical fiction, part coming-of-age tale, and part young love, The King of Montréal spins a sail-able story that may have you packing for Montréal to find out more. Or maybe catching the next flight to Paris.

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Julie Andrews’ ‘Home Work’: A Drop of Golden Sun

Home Work

A Memoir of My Hollywood Years

By Julie Andrews

Non-Fiction/Memoir/Autobiography

Julie Andrews’ second memoir, Home Work is a substantial tome, clocking in at over five hundred pages. Is Home Work worth the time? Mom will let you know – if ever stops prancing around the house singing about female deer and a drop of golden sun. Oh, wait:

Short answer: Yes.

Longer answer:

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Why Visiting a Library is Like Coming Home

Kimber here. With a question: Where do your best friends live?

The Book Place

Some of our BFFs live at The Book Place. Where they have row after row of books! All lined up on shelves, just waiting to be checked out and read Also…. Oh. Wait. Mom is butting in again. So I’ll let her tell you more and give you some additional background:

Mom: There’s something inspirational about a library.  Being in the massed presence of so many authors is like snuggling under a cozy quilt on a snowy day.  It’s like Christmas, Independence Day and the First Day of Summer all rolled into one.

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‘The Lightshy Crow’ a Heavy Lift

The Lightshy Crow

By John R. Raymond (The Darklight Group, 2025)

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Pages: 628 (print); 444 (Kindle)

Via: Author Request

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Blurb:

The Lightshy Crow is the first novel in The Scarab Cycle, a mythic fantasy set in a crumbling empire where prophecy has soured and the gods no longer speak.

At its center is Tomrin Watersipper, a marked boy hiding cursed scales beneath his shirt that brand him for death. Trapped in a backwater glassworks, Tomrin dreams only of obscurity. But when the wrong eyes take notice, he must choose between exposure and annihilation.

Tomrin’s not the only one with secrets. In the Empire of Corundum, monsters wear the masks of men—and the line between divine and demonic is written in blood, silence, and fire.

Though set in a fictional realm, The Lightshy Crow explores real-world questions of faith, identity, and moral power without preaching or pandering. Just good writing and a world that hums with buried truth.

While it has its moments, The Lightshy Crow wasn’t our cuppa. For one thing, it’s way too long. Clocking in at over 600 print pages and 440+ pages on Kindle, this dark literary fantasy is a heavy lift. We just don’t have that kind of lift. Especially since our limit for Kindle submissions is 300 pages. We also found the plot hard to follow and slow. Think dark as a light-less coal mine at midnight during a tornado. Or a snail stuck in a molasses factory.

It just didn’t grab us. Not long enough to hang around till the 12th of Never. One of us doesn’t have that kind of patience. (Hi, Mom.) Bailed out at about 100 pages. So we won’t be rating this book.

However, if you enjoy dark fantasy with lots of magic and impressive world-building skills coupled with a complicated plot that could give Middle Earth a run for its money, you might enjoy The Lightshy Crow.


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13 Ways to Finish Summer Reading Strong

Can you believe September is just around the corner? Summer reading is winding down. Mom is swamped. Or chowing down on cookies ‘n cream ice cream. (Nobody’s perfect.) But hey! You know me, right? Kimber the Wonder Dog is always up for a new book!

So. Here at no extra charge are 13 ways to rock your home stretch reading. From inspirational/personal development to award winners, adventure stories, cookbooks or books set in places you’ve always wanted to visit, there’s something here for everyone. (I’m partial to #2. But let’s not get picky here, okay?)

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TRIFECTA: Two Winners & A Loser

Ahoy summer readers and other lovelies! Today we’re clearing the decks to feature three recently read books. We’ll give you the lowdown so you know what’s hot and what’s not and can steer accordingly.

Sound good?

Cool. Here we go. We’re starting with a stinker so we get it out of the way first. Then we’ll move on to The Good Stuff:

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Works Every Time

Okay. We admit it. One of us is totally blown away by the blog meisters who crank out four or five posts a week (Hi, Mom). Even worse: those who post on a daily basis.

We’ll admit it again: One of us is a teensy-weensy bit envious. (Hi again Mom.)

How do these folks manage it? And manage to churn out interesting, informative, engaging and otherwise superlative posts day after day, week after week?

Where do they find the time? Where do they get ideas? When do they sleep? Do they own a cat? (We also admit to some serious canine bias here, but that’s another story.)

We admire these folks. Their dedication. Their discipline. Their lack of a life outside the blogosphere?

It’s amazing.

A decision

We made a decision awhile back. In case you haven’t already noticed, we decided not to be one of them. Unless it comes naturally. Flows like clear water over a precipice. Warm honey out of a jar. Common sense out of political candidates. Well, you know what we mean.

And something amazing happened. The less we stressed about blogging, the easier it became. (Okay, so one of us is easily amazed :)

Not that we don’t plow into writer’s block now and then. That little curmudgeon seems to be the bane of all writers at least now and then. But we don’t stress about it.

When the words don’t come – and sometimes they don’t – we bail. Go for a walk. Eat pizza. Pick daisies. Watch Lucy and Ethel. Count stars. Call Mom’s sister 14 states away. Listen to Puccini arias. (Yes, really.)

Instead of forcing it, we disconnect. Switch gears. Do something different. If Mom’s really desperate, she bakes.

Give yourself a breather

Know what? The muse returns. She may be “MIA” for a day, for weeks or for longer, but given time, the creative little sprite comes back. (When she does, we usually can’t get her to shut up.)

Taking a breather from writing can be like swapping out a dead battery for a fresh one. There’s no sense trying to work off a battery with no juice. Call that horse dead and find a new one. Give yourself a break. A chance to “power down” and recharge. It may seem counter-productive. But the renewed energy and vitality are worth it.

So if the writing muse has skipped town on you, be patient. Disconnect. Switch gears. Do something different. Take time to recharge. (We wouldn’t necessarily recommend baking, but whatever works.) If you’re a writer, the muse will return.

Works every time

One last thing. When writer’s block hits, read. Really. Put down your pen. Lock up your keyboard. Pick up a book and dive in.

There’s nothing like nestling behind a good book with a great story – or even a mediocre one – to tempt the muse into returning. We can’t explain it. We just know it works. Every time. Kinda like dessert.

What do you do to overcome writer’s block?

***

If you’re struggling with writer’s block, here are some great reads to recharge the ‘ole batteries. These aren’t how-tos. They’re just fun and engaging.

Inkheart – Cornelia Funke

The Book of Story Beginnings – Kristin Kladstrup

The Road to Grace – Richard Paul Evans

What books can you recommend?