Synopsis
Stanhope Ellis finds himself absorbing the stories of quirky characters who have one thing in common: closeness to death. As he struggles with whether he’s Death Man or a cosmic witness, he meets a wise nurse, Gayathri Das, who helps him navigate the emotional minefield. But will she die, like the others? The unforgettable characters, including several dogs, will captivate you from the first page.
Amazon * B&N * Bookshop
Guest Post
When I was learning animal communication around 2017, a young man asked for help with Sherloc, his old prize-winning hunting dog. The kid was new to the area, looking for work, and didn’t have time to properly care for the animal. Sherloc was 14 — a total sweetheart. But his hips were shot, and he really couldn’t walk anymore. He scooted here and there, happy and slobbery as a dog could be.
Finally, a neighborhood acquaintance modified an old thrift-shop baby buggy, and this transformed Sherloc’s life. We covered lots of territory around the neighborhood, sometimes at high rates of speed. The old guy loved it, even when dropping off to sleep. It occurred to me that this activity might make a good meet cute, as the act of helping an animal reveals character and attracts those who are similarly inclined. So Sherloc inspired Juniper, an old sighthound in MORTAL WEATHER who sports around similarly, facilitating the love and eventual marriage of Gemma and her Tom.
Juniper loved to go fast, her feathers flying. She had beautiful feathers. And things picked up for Tom and me, too. We talked about everything on those walks. Tom told me that Juniper never liked other women coming around. She’d always pretend to be sick when a woman talked to him. But she liked me right away. We were girlfriends.
I guess it all works because we live for moments like that — zooming along, even when we can’t do it entirely on our own anymore, taking everything in, bringing others together. The caring elevates all:
Tom was never once embarrassed about nursing that dog out in public. Everything Tom and I did had to do with Juniper. She was the everyday something we shared.
About the Author
Among other things, Kevin Patrick McCarthy has been a geothermal geologist, a technical writer, a critic, and a screenwriter. His humor, essays, poetry, and fiction have been widely recognized. “Enough Sky,” the epigraph for Mortal Weather, was Commended by The Poetry Society (UK) in 2014. He is a fourth-generation Coloradoan who now lives in the Pacific with his wife Tricia, and their dog, Nani.
Website ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads
Giveaway
Win signed hard-copy of K.P. McCarthy’s MORTAL WEATHER, plus a MORTAL WEATHER mug!
One winner, USA only, ends Oct 23
Giselle Nevada has owned several mastiffs, acquired both from reputable breeders and via rescue. Fostering rescued mastiffs and helping them work through their issues led to a keen interest in socialization as a means of preventing future issues. She loves working with her dogs and has dabbled in carting, conformation, agility, rally, trick dog, nose work, and many other canine sports. Her puppy Porter is a testament to early socialization – he has achieved many performance dog titles and has done commercial work. He also has a role in a movie called Match Me If You Can directed by Marian Yeager.
Jennie Chen is a homesick Austinite who founded Keep Austin Dog Friendly. Over the last 20 years, Jennie has owned Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs and Lowchen. She has earned numerous titles in conformation, competitive obedience, rally, herding, animal assisted therapy, and more. She is passionate about the relationship people build with their beloved canines, and she has been an advocate for people living with disabilities who need a service dog to live independently. She is active in various dog clubs and can be seen on AKC.TV from time to time.
Carmen Leal is a storyteller and the author of multiple books, articles, devotionals, and human-interest stories. Carmen relocated from Hawaii to Oshkosh, yes, there is a story behind the move, and has become an awesome dog mom. Carmen and her husband have become reluctant gardeners and know a crazy amount about Wisconsin weeds. She is the mother of two sons, two incredible grandsons, and Coconut, the best imperfectly perfect rescue dog in the world.
Apart from animals and writing, Steve’s passion is travel. He’s visited 60 countries and enjoyed some amazing experiences, including cage-diving with great white sharks, sparring with a monk at a Shaolin temple, and watching a turtle lay eggs on a moonlit beach. He’s explored Machu Picchu, Pompeii, and the Great Wall of China, yet for all that, he’s a man of simple tastes — give him an egg sandwich and the TV remote control, and he’ll be happy for hours!
About the Author
A lifetime love of fairytales led Karen S. Bennett to a course of fiction. With an eye for irony, a keen understanding of human emotion, and a lifetime of observations from art school, marriage, parenthood, divorce, welfare, nursing school, and international travel, Karen sat down to write. Her first novel won first place in fiction in the Maryland Writers Association in 2006, with other novels placing in national competitions. She lives in Maryland.
About the Author
