When I
read this title, I started crying (as I am now typing this). Having just lost
my fur baby, Traveler, I knew I won’t be able to read this touching story now
but that it was one you should know about.
Author
Dan Jackson was understanding and kind enough to agree to visit to talk about
why he wrote this book and what he hopes readers take away from reading it.
First, a brief synopsis of this moving story. While this story focuses on dogs,
I think it also relates to all furry friends.
Rainbow
Bridge: Our Best Friends Never Truly Leave... They Await Us At The Bridge
By Dan V.
Jackson
Paperback: 264
pages
Publisher: Mirador
Publishing (October 1, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10:
1913264718
ISBN-13:
978-1913264710
OUR BEST
FRIENDS NEVER TRULY LEAVE … THEY AWAIT US AT THE BRIDGE.
Our dogs are our friends and companions, guardians and defenders. Their love enriches our souls, and few things bring us greater joy than their loyalty and devotion.
Until that inevitable day arrives when we have to say goodbye.
But what if that is not the final farewell? What if there comes a time and a place where we can be reunited with the dogs we have loved and lost? For Nathan Wilkinson, this magical realm of which all grieving families dream will one day become a reality.
At each juncture of Nathan’s life, he experiences friendship, guidance and personal growth from his canine companions. First comes Shiloh, the wise German shepherd of his youth; followed by Lindsay, the miniature schnauzer whose misfortune changes his adult life. When called to battle, he befriends Georgie, the stout war dog, whose courage under fire inspires all who serve with him. Finally there are the Labradors, whose seemingly mindless antics mask an iron-willed devotion to protecting his growing young family.
Each of these remarkable dogs shares with Nathan countless adventures, love and companionship, and ultimately, the heartache of loss. And then one day, an unexpected tragedy provides him the chance for a brief but joyous reunion with those very same dogs at the place where all departed pets await their human companions…the Rainbow Bridge.
Our dogs are our friends and companions, guardians and defenders. Their love enriches our souls, and few things bring us greater joy than their loyalty and devotion.
Until that inevitable day arrives when we have to say goodbye.
But what if that is not the final farewell? What if there comes a time and a place where we can be reunited with the dogs we have loved and lost? For Nathan Wilkinson, this magical realm of which all grieving families dream will one day become a reality.
At each juncture of Nathan’s life, he experiences friendship, guidance and personal growth from his canine companions. First comes Shiloh, the wise German shepherd of his youth; followed by Lindsay, the miniature schnauzer whose misfortune changes his adult life. When called to battle, he befriends Georgie, the stout war dog, whose courage under fire inspires all who serve with him. Finally there are the Labradors, whose seemingly mindless antics mask an iron-willed devotion to protecting his growing young family.
Each of these remarkable dogs shares with Nathan countless adventures, love and companionship, and ultimately, the heartache of loss. And then one day, an unexpected tragedy provides him the chance for a brief but joyous reunion with those very same dogs at the place where all departed pets await their human companions…the Rainbow Bridge.
Please
join me now in giving a warm welcome to Dan. Welcome, Dan.
How could
you write a book that portrays dogs dying?
That was
one of the many questions I was confronted with as I pitched my new novel, Rainbow
Bridge, to my publisher. It’s a legitimate question, and the answer
captures the essence, and the beauty, of this story of hope and reunion with
our lost pets. Rainbow Bridge portrays our pets’ deaths not as a
final resolution but as a temporary separation, where they wait to be reunited
with us when our own time arrives.
In
addition to conveying what I hope to be a lively and entertaining story, I
wrote Rainbow Bridge to bestow upon those readers who have lost a
pet a sense of comfort and reassurance that they will be with them again. The
novel’s main canine characters --
Frisco, Shiloh, Lindsay, Georgie and the Labradors – represent to
readers all those dogs who await us at the Bridge, who will greet us when we
arrive, and with whom we will never be separated again.
More than
anything else, my inspiration for Rainbow Bridge blossomed from
my love for our canine companions. Throughout my life I have enjoyed the companionship,
loyalty and devotion of a succession of dogs, and I simply cannot believe that
our bond with these magnificent creatures ends on that inevitable day when we
say good-bye. My most recent loss was my beloved schnauzer Norman, and I take
comfort in the belief that he has joined my other dogs to wait for me on the
other side.
Writing
this book was pure joy for me, a true labor of love. Our world is comprised of
a glorious diversity of talents – from engineers, to caregivers, to
problem-solvers, teachers, politicians and so on. I firmly believe that you are
most happy, and most successful, when you do what you were born to do. It may be a cliché to say, “do what you love
and you will never work a day in your life”, but it also happens to be true. And I feel that I was born to be a writer.
I have
always found two aspects of being a writer that are most fulfilling. The first is the creative control I have over
my content – I chose the characters, the settings, and events, the conflicts,
the resolution, and the ultimate message of Rainbow Bridge. In
that sense my books become a reflection of my inner self, and the stories are
told the way I intend.
Second, I
am always overcome by a sense of pride and accomplishment when I finish a
manuscript. Even in this era of computer-based word processing, I love to print
out a hard copy of each completed manuscript, so I can keep it on my desk and leaf
through it at my leisure. And the feeling I get the first time I hold the
printed hardcopy in my hand – it makes all the effort, all the hours of effort
and sacrifice worthwhile.
But with Rainbow
Bridge, I hope to add a third – a feeling that I have helped people
deal with the grief they inevitably experience when they lose a pet. Those who do not foster a dog, cat or other
pet often can’t comprehend the depth of the bond that forms between us, and the
pain that arises when that bond is broken. If, in addition to telling the
moving, adventurous and sometimes humorous story of Nathan Wilkinson and his
dogs, I can bring aid and comfort to even a few grieving pet owners, then I
will consider that a mission accomplished.
It
doesn't pub until the beginning of October. Thanks so much!
Dan,
thanks so much for joining us today and sharing this insight into your book.
There is indeed a deep, deep bond between us and the animals who allow us to be
their caregivers.
RAINBOW
BRIDGE is available for pre-order HERE.
 |
| Author Dan V. Jackson |
For more
on Dan and his writing, you can visit his website at danvjackson.com and connect
with him on Instagram: #danvjacksonauthor and Twitter: @DanVJWrites
Thanks so
much for stopping by today. I know there are many of you who have just recently
lost a fur baby too and others who still feel the pain despite the time that
has passed since your loss. I think we all agree with Dan that there is a bond
that can’t be comprehended by anyone unless they too have been a caregiver for
a loving animal. What are your thoughts?
I am so sorry to read that you have lost Traveller. They wind their paws deep into our heart strings - and take a piece of us with them when they leave.
ReplyDeleteThank you for telling us about this book. I am not ready to read it yet, but hope to. Later.
Hi Mason and Dan - this sounds, yes, a 'tear-jerker' ... as animals seem to do to us when we lose them. Well done on writing ... doing what you love. Good luck with the run up to publication ... stay safe -
ReplyDeleteI bet that was a tough book to write and read.
ReplyDeleteI lost my best dog friend about the same time my grandfather died. Not long after I dreamed about walking with my dog and she ran up ahead to a bridge where my grandfather awaited her. It gave me a sense of peace.
I've always had cats but I'm sure that book would make me cry, too.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so sorry to hear about Traveler, Mason! My heart's breaking for you. I've been there, so I understand about the grief we feel when a beloved pet dies. It's a difficult topic for a book, but it sounds uplifting.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about Traveler--I will be thinking of you! The loss of a pet is a loss like no other--it is soul deep! You may lose a pet, and then get another pet, but there are no replacements. Each pet, just like each person in your life, is an individual loved one.
ReplyDelete