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This site is designed as a fundraiser for a series of books designed to promote education, history, and the arts. Names and contact information will be collected for the purpose of distributing product and for continued communications. 

One might ask, why am I writing a series of books about historical events, using a dog as the main character. The answer is, he’s special!

If someone had told me years ago that I would be a dog lover, I wouldn’t have believed them. I grew up on a dairy farm. Animals dwelled in the barn, hay mows, sheds, and other shelters—not inside the house. However, when it’s at the top of your husband’s bucket list, you get a dog.

Rick later told me, “I wanted Willie for you, not me. I won’t be here much longer and when I’m gone, I want you to feel my unconditional love through him.”

Rick knew. When I open my eyes in the morning, Willie is inches away from my face, looking at me with total adoration. His wagging tail exudes pure joy that my opened eyes signal a start of our day together.

Willie is Rick’s namesake—Richard William—and sometimes I see traits in him that remind me of my late husband. His love of people, his curiosity, and always being at the center of attention. If Rick and I were ever separated in a crowd, I would listen for the laughter because I knew I would find him there. Laughter was a huge part of our life together.

Like Rick, Willie makes me laugh. He also knows when I am hurting or if I am sad. When our Hospice chaplain paid her weekly visit, Willie would jump on Rick’s lap whenever he saw tears and would shower him with doggie kisses until tears turned into a smile. If I started crying, I would hear Willie wimper. Then he’d jump from Rick’s lap to race over to me with the same comfort-giving attention. It amazed me that even as a little puppy, he could identify our emotions and feel duty-bound to offer comfort. 

In addition to responding to emotions, Willie also understood sacred moments. Not possible— you’re thinking! I wouldn’t have believed it either. However, at the close of our weekly visits from the chaplain, we would join hands in a prayer circle, and Willie always insisted that he be included. We often sat outside on the patio while Willie explored the flower beds and chased butterflies and squirrels. Yet when the moment arrived for our farewell ritual, Willie suddenly appeared at my feet, begging to be picked up and be included in our prayer circle. In his little doggie brain, he sensed it was a special moment and seemed to savor every word of that prayer.

One day, I asked Rick, “You’ve had house pets before. You’ve had dogs. Were they all like Willie?” He said, “No, Willie’s special. It’s almost like there’s a real person inside there.”

Willie is like a real person, which makes it easy to designate him as my hero in this new book series.

He is smart—so smart we often resort to spelling certain words if we don’t want him to know. Even still, he figures it out. It's like he has a sixth sense—whatever that is!

He also likes to watch television and prefers doing it as a family. If I am working in the office, he lets me know when it’s time to stop and join the family for an evening of relaxation. At the same time, when I say it’s time to go to work after my morning coffee, he immediately goes to his office chair and waits for me to get there.

I remember hearing that in certain languages, there are different words for our English word—Love. For instance, loving pizza and loving your spouse would not be the same word. I feel that way about the word—dog. Willie is a dog, but not in the same way that I’ve thought about dogs in the past.

Like Rick said, he’s special—special enough to be the hero of my book series.

Why Willie?

Check out the PLEDGE REWARDS 

LAUNCH DATE APRIL 2024

This product is under development with a planned launch date in late April. If you would like to become a FRIEND of WILLIE and pick up products at bargain, fundraising prices, watch this video.

Prices start at 2 dollars for a selection of eight product offerings. You can have fun learning how to spell your name in hieroglyphics, or you may select product options, have your name added on the dedication page, or even be immortalized with your own customized flipbook.

Click the button below if you would like to participate in Willie's great adventures.

The cut-off date is March 18, 2024. 

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To select your rewards:

• Click on the Rewards button below to be redirected to an order page.
• Pick the rewards of your choice.
• Enter your contact information.
• Make note of the order total
• Click on the SUBMIT button.
• When you are re-directed to the GoFundMe site, enter your name and the order total.

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We will send you a confirmation of your order and will keep you informed about deliery dates. If you would like to discuss a different product mix or quantities, please add that to your order form or contact me directly from this website link.

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Watch the video above for a more thorough preview of the storybook.

The video below provides a brief introduction to the author, the book series, and this first edition of the storybook:

Willie and the Time-Traveling Locket: Discover King Tut's Tomb