A Little Background on ‘Corpse’

I was never a Junior Handler.  So, why am I so enthusiastic about the sport that I’d write an entire series of mystery stories surrounding it?

Many years ago, two friends, with whom I was moderating another internet e-mail dog list, wanted to start one just for Juniors.  They asked me if I wanted to help.  Being a mom as well as a dog owner, I was glad to join them.  I love to see young people learning about animals.  I love to see kids who love animals doing things to strengthen their bond with them.  I love to think that our world will become a kinder place because youngsters are working and playing peacefully along side their fellow beings, human and non-human.

I think of getting to know an animal, in many ways, as learning a new language, a new culture.  As a person deeply respects an animal for who that animal truly is, they broaden their own view of the world, and begin to enjoy a new, more expansive, perspective. To me, Junior Showmanship is one way for young people to do just that.  In order to be a good dog handler, you must learn to live in the dog’s head.  You have to learn to read his body language, be observant of stress levels, and develop a means of communicating with your dog that is subtle and complete.  By starting out young, junior handlers literally grow up “bilingual”, and enter adulthood with a skilled and deep knowledge of what it is like to be a true friend and partner with another species.

To me, that’s pretty darned cool.

So, I said “yes”, and within a few months found myself the primary list owner of JrShow-L.  The list was very active initially, and I was inspired daily by the enthusiasm and love these kids had for their dogs and for the sport of dog shows.  That inspiration, to a writer, will inevitably find its way out in the form of words, and I began jotting down the first draft of The Corpse That Wasn’t There way back then.  It must have been the late 1990s.  Though I finished the draft, and brought it back out for various revisions, I didn’t seriously market it until years later.

My dream with the Junior Handlers Mystery Series is to continue to explore and encourage the bond between young people and animals.  I’ll be doing so in many forms, as I mingle that exploration into the threads of mystery.  The second book, which we hope to have ready for readers in 2011, weaves the theme of wildlife rehabilitation into the story.  While dog shows and Junior Showmanship are Ree, Jake and Stacy’s primary love in the animal world, we’ll be joining them as they learn about animals from many angles, and help to solve a variety of puzzles with the ever-puzzled Detective Aaron.

And through it all, of course, we’ll have good old Merlin — our psychic Saluki friend!

Related posts:

1. “Corpse” Author’s Copies are Here!
2. The Corpse That Wasn’t There — E-Book Available Now!
3. The Corpse That Wasn’t There: Paperback Is Available!