Robert D. Calkins's Blog, page 6

It’s not just about the noise!

It’s been 21 years since I hung up my tape recorder and ended my career as a broadcast journalist. I’ve been to a couple of war zones, covered a serial killer or two and responded to countless disasters both large and small. Most stories have faded from my memory.

But there is one that comes back to me every Independence day. It’s about a call I received early one  July 5th from the saddest woman I’ve ever talked to. Through her tears she was imploring me to tell her son’s story so that others wouldn’t make the same mistake.

Her son had gotten some admittedly illegal fireworks and was planning to spend the evening setting them off. It was fine, as his beloved German Shepherd wasn’t the least bit skittish about loud noises. The son had set off a few, taken a break, and then went back to it.

But this time, he changed his M.O. He lit the big M-80, and then threw it across the yard. The Shepherd thought they were playing fetch, and tried to retrieve the explosive. The results were horrifying and resulted in euthanasia of the beloved dog.

This was not some irresponsible dog owner who left his dog in a hot car, or chained to a tree. This young man loved and cared for that dog every day of its life. The fellow simply didn’t realize his little buddy couldn’t know the difference between a tennis ball and an M-80.

So…as you think about your K9 friend this holiday weekend, please remember that it’s not just about the noise. Never, ever throw fireworks in the presence of a dog. Bottle rockets blow up high in the air, safe from doggie jaws. But throwing a firework or other explosive that will blow up on the ground looks way too much like playing fetch.

I still hear the mother’s voice.

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Mommy Blogs?

As (sadly) traditional media are diluted by their own numbers, syndicated programming, and various sources on the internet, I’m getting out of my comfort zone. I know how to pitch a radio news director for a story or interview that would incidentally promote my book. But I’m still feeling my way with bloggers. Unlike broadcasters, some bloggers don’t have the strict firewall between sales and news. The ethical ones at least identify sponsored posts but it’s been interesting. One blog wanted $600 to post a story that would benefit them, and incidentally promote my book. Um, no.

Others have been incredibly gracious. Such was the case with Nikki at http://www.PrettyOpinionated.com. She told me what fit her genre, I produced it, and she published it. I’m looking forward to hearing that it worked for her as well as for me. I provided (I hope) good information, and in return she let me publicize my book. That works for both of us.

It’s a nice blog all around, and especially for Moms with kids. I’d encourage a visit.

Live Find Dog? Or Cadaver Dog?

The decision of when to call off a search is difficult, but has to be made when Incident Commanders have exhausted all their resources and options. IC’s tell the families first, then make the appropriate public announcements explaining their reasons. They usually spend several sleepless nights after, second guessing their own decision.

An equally difficult but behind-the-scenes decision comes in deciding what kind of dogs to deploy during a search. As SAR members start to field “cadaver only” dogs that don’t search for live people, Incident Commanders are faced with an overt decision to switch from dogs that find live people to dogs that find human remains.

And then, along comes a search in Japan, where a little boy is found alive more than a week after he was reported missing.

LINK: CNN Reports Japanese Boy Found Alive a Week After Disappearing.

Human beings are resilient and can survive much longer than common sense and previous experience would indicate. This wonderful trait only complicates things for the already-complicated job of being an Incident commander.

About the only thing you can say is Never Give Up.

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News Release – Rookie Author Releases Books for Children and Adults Simultaneously

   News Release – Callout Press  PO Box 250, Olalla, WA 98359 (844) 344-4374

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 2, 2016

Contact: Robert D. Calkins, Author, (844) 344-4374

ROOKIE AUTHOR BUCKS TREND, RELEASES BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS SIMULTANEOUSLY

(Olalla, WA) – Rookie author Robert D. Calkins (www.robertdcalkins.com) has released the first trio of books for children and adults inspired by his work as a search-and-rescue dog handler in Western Washington.

The Spring 2016 release of Sierra Becomes a Search Dog, Sierra the Search Dog Finds Fred and Digger—Sierra and the Case of the Chimera Killer gives parents a chance to read the kids to sleep, dim the lights, and then curl up with a darker mystery novel involving the very same characters.

Calkins knew he was taking on a big task to write for all age levels simultaneously.

“My goal was to create a spectrum of entertaining and age-appropriate books that people could grow up with,” Calkins said. “They can start out with a parent or grandparent reading to them about Sierra as a puppy training to be a search dog. When they learn to read for themselves, we’ll have chapter books that stress personal safety and respect for each other. When they’re ready, Digger is a full-on murder mystery in which a grown up Sierra helps police catch a serial killer.”

The title character Sierra takes the name of Calkins’ first working dog, who searched for both live subjects and human remains (cadaver).  Sierra Becomes a Search Dog is a fictionalized account of how little Sierra excels at the game of hide and seek, and puts that skill to good use when a little neighbor girl goes missing. Illustrations by artist Taillefer Long bring Sierra to life in a way that both children and adults will enjoy.

Digger, for grownups, is inspired by Sierra’s work as a cadaver dog. In the story Sierra is paired with 17-year old Bryce Finn, the youngest search dog handler in Washington State. The two of them end up one step behind whoever is dumping bodies in rural Kitsap County, and one step ahead of police trying to unravel the mystery.

Calkins said books in the Sierra the Search Dog Series are deliberately interconnected. “Parents who read Digger will learn about SAR and be better equipped to answer questions their child might have about Sierra Becomes a Search Dog.”

In real life, Calkins has been a volunteer search dog handler in Western Washington for more than a dozen years. He and his dogs have worked everything from routine missing person cases, to homicides, to the 2014 mudslide in Oso, Washington. In 2015 he retired from his position as spokesman for the Washington State Patrol to write full-time. 

Editors: Bob is available for interviews at (844) 344-4374.

Possible interview topics include:

Five Things to keep your children safe from strangers, without scaring the daylights out of them.
Five Ways to stay safe on day hikes.
The Ten Essentials– How to keep these critical safety items small, light and inexpensive.
K9 Search and Rescue– the story of how humans and K9s work together to get missing subjects back to their worried families.
One man’s journey to becoming an author and the challenge of writing for multiple reading levels simultaneously.

Bob is an experienced interview subject and is available nights, weekends and on short notice.

The Sierra the Search Dog spectrum of books.

Read to Me Books (Pre-school age)

Sierra Becomes a Search Dog – The story of a little Golden Retriever puppy who excels at neighborhood games of hide-and-seek. Sierra turns that skill into a life-saving act when a little neighbor girl goes missing.
Sierra the Search Dog Finds Fred – Ted’s friend Fred goes to the store to buy some bread, but doesn’t return. Is he under the bed? In the shed? Sierra uses Fred’s stinky shoe to follow his scent, and her discovery has everyone dancing.
Sierra the Search Dog Saves Sally (Coming soon) – Sarah and Sally are sweet sisters who do everything together. But while Sarah is sewing, Sally slips off to the shore to look for sea shells. When Sally falls and hurts herself on a trail, Sierra is called to locate the little lady.

Chapter Books (Elementary School Age)

Bryce Bumps His Head (Coming Soon) – Dana is a Girl Scout who gets separated from the rest of her troop while hiking in bad weather. The search is a dangerous one, and Sierra ends up rescuing two people that day. Bryce Bumps His Head is a fun book that also explores the topics of safety in the woods, respect for others and leadership.
I Need a Search Cat (In Development) – A little developmentally-disabled girl goes missing, and Bryce and Sierra think they know exactly where to look. It turns out they set their sights a little too low. I Need a Search Cat shows Bryce’s skill at working with his dog, sensitivity toward those who are differently-abled, and how to manage conflict with important partners.

Mystery Novels (Teens and Up)

Digger, Sierra and Case of the Chimera Killer – Bodies are continuing to turn up in the woods around Kitsap County, Washington. Sierra, in her role as a cadaver dog, works many of the scenes and her nose reveals important clues. Bryce and Sierra remain one step behind the killer, and one step ahead of police in trying to unravel the mystery. Along the way, Bryce meets and nearly loses his first love and learns the manly art of saying “yes, dear” at all the right times.

Media Fact Sheet

The “Sierra the Search Dog” spectrum of books is available on Amazon.com and is coming soon to local book stores.

For a review copy of any title call 1-844-344-4374 or e-mail Robert@calloutpress.com.

Title:                Digger—Sierra and the Case of the Chimera Killer

Author:            Robert D. Calkins

Publisher:         Callout Press

Pub. Date:        May, 2015

Price:                $15.95 Softcover

ISBN:               978-0-997191127

Pages:               346

Title:                Sierra Becomes a Search Dog

Author:            Robert D. Calkins

Illustrator:        Taillefer Long

Publisher:         Callout Press

Pub. Date:        May, 2015

Price:                $10.95

ISBN:               978-0-997191103

Pages:               32

Title:                Sierra the Search Dog Finds Fred

Author:             Robert D. Calkins

Illustrator:        Taillefer Long

Publisher:         Callout Press

Pub. Date:        May, 2015

Price:                $10.95

ISBN:               978-0-997191141

Pages:               32

 

Coming Soon:

Sierra the Search Dog Saves Sally (Childrens)

Bryce Bumps His Head (Elementary Readers)

I Need a Search Cat (Elementary Readers)

Card Carrying Geek – WA7NUU

There’s lots of geeks out there who can blog, FB, Instagram all on their smartphone while rebuilding their desktop with the other hand. But I have the original geek card: a ham radio license dating back to 1969. My original call sign as a “Novice” was WN7NUU. When I upgraded to “Advanced” there was a slight change to WA7NUU. I’ve declined the opportunity to pay for a special vanity call sign, as I’ve grown comfortable with my “Nothing Un Usual” signature.

I don’t use ham radio much anymore, though the hobby appears to be thriving. Despite the availability of the internet, talking to the other side of the world on “shortwave” frequencies still provides a thrill. And hams were the first to spew completely meaningless information world-wide.

You think Twitter is full of drivel? Here’s how a shortwave “roundtable net” might go on a Sunday morning.

“Good morning all on the net from WA7NUU here in Olalla, Washington. The weather here is good but things are a little tough around the house today. We’re out of whole milk and I had to use two-percent on my cornflakes. Well, that’s the report from here, now over to Fred in Anchorage. WA7NUU.”

Top that, Twitter.

73!

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On the Best Seller List!

Amazon gives you lots of metrics about sales, and I’m excited. Digger – Sierra and the Case of the Chimera Killer is already on Amazon’s list of best selling books.

OK, we’re not exactly in first place. Or second. Actually, we’re ranked at 82,021 but hey…we’re on the list!

Hard copies will ship on Monday, May 23, and e-reader versions will be available for downloads at that time.

This whole journey as an author is exciting. I was reasonably experienced at my former career. It’s kinda fun being a rookie again and learning lots. Now I just need to figure out how to move the needle and maybe end up in the top 50,000 or so of the country’s best authors.

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How you can help!

I am grateful to all my friends who’ve expressed an interest in buying my books. We’re very (very) close to having a product for sale, but I’ve been very (very) cautious about offering “vaporware.”

You’re my friend either way, so there’s no pressure to buy. The books will be sold through Amazon, and available in both hard copy and e-reader versions. If you’re going to buy, here’s some things that will help.

Please submit your order during the pre-sales period or on the first day the books go on sale. (That will be announced soon.) We’re looking to create a spike in sales to get attention, just as “trends” on Facebook or Twitter cause posts to reach more people. Spikes can cause Amazon to offer my books to others who’ve never heard me. That’s how sales really take off.
Please submit an honest review to Amazon, and don’t mention our relationship. It’s OK to say “I’ve met the author at conferences,” or something general, but Amazon patrols the reviews. If they detect that friends and family are stacking the deck, those reviews get deleted.
Go to my web site at www.robertdcalkins.com and sign up for the free gift. That will get you on my mailing list for notices when future books come out.
Tell your friends. Word of mouth is still the most effective advertising.
Enjoy the danged books. Whether you’re reading “Sierra Becomes a Search Dog” to the kids, or “Digger” in a dark room by yourself, my goal is to entertain you. No matter how many books I sell, I will measure success by knowing that I gave a friend a few hours of reading pleasure.

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Batteries Really Do Go Dead

The Animal Planet program North Woods Law is a great show about great people. I’m going to take a risk here and hope the Maine Warden Service won’t mind my using their misfortune do do some critical public education.

For years SAR personnel have been telling audiences not to rely on electronics to get them out of the woods. I just watched an episode of #northwoodslaw which bore out that advice in dramatic fashion.

A warden and his dog had just done an outstanding job of finding a missing girl in the woods. The weather was horrible and getting worse, and the girl was hypothermic. She needed to be in the warm and dry ASAP. At that point, the warden’s flashlight batteries went dead, his cell phone failed (battery & signal issue) and the GPS he was depending on for the return trip also stopped working. Two other rangers had to head into the woods, and locate him by shouting.

When leaving any trailhead, there is just no substitute for a real compass. Good ones have glow-in-the-dark features, and none of them require batteries. I talk to people all the time about how their cell phone has “map apps” and a compass….and a GPS…and a flashlight. Well, that phone also has a battery that will fail when you need it most.

I’m not sure if the producers “drama’d up” the story for the sake of reality TV. The narrator did mention that they eventually got out of the woods using a compass. Whether the first warden actually had one and was using it appropriately, or if the others brought one, is immaterial. The lesson here is that all electronic devices fail, usually when you need them most.

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Dogs Panting in Cars

I’m going to yield this blog post to someone named Stephanie Perrier.  I don’t know Stephanie but her treatise on how to react if you think you see a dog in a hot car is the best I’ve seen.

Link: If you see what you think is an overheated dog in a car.

The only thing I could add is for dog owners themselves. My SAR group has found the ProSelect Solar Shade Crate Canopies can provide as much as 20 degrees temperature difference inside a car. They’re sold in sizes that will cover everything from a single crate to an entire pickup truck.

They’re not cheap but they work as advertised (and this is NOT a paid endorsement). They’re surprisingly durable given their mesh construction, and they compress down to go right back in the storage bag that comes with them. I highly recommend them.

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Shelter Water Food

If you do find yourself lost, with weather moving in, what are the things you should think about? The best description I’ve ever heard described them as “Shelter, Water, Food.” As in:

Shelter
Water
Food.

I’ve used different fonts deliberately. Those are your three priorities, and the size of the font represents their importance to your safety.

Sierra’s brother Magnum found HIS shelter!

Find or make shelter. You’ll freeze to death long before you’ll die of dehydration or hunger. A simple tarp rigged over a rope between two trees is adequate. Just something to get the sun, rain or wind off of you.

Find Water. Or take a swig of the water you brought. You’ll die of dehydration long before you’ll starve to death. If you’re truly lost, don’t worry about drinking stream water. It takes a couple weeks for stomach illnesses to appear, and they’re treatable. Dying of dehydration is irreversible.

Find Food. Your lowest priority. Honestly- who among us couldn’t stand to miss a meal or two? We stress eat, and getting lost is stressful, so there will be great temptation to snack on those emergency rations in your pack. But save that potential energy for when you’ll need it. Lay up, rest in your shelter, get hydrated and if possible get some sleep.

In the cool of the next morning you might hear a road, or a helicopter making passes, or another clue to guide you in a direction. If you decide to go for it, as opposed to staying put, that’s the time to get some food on board so you’ll have energy for the trek.

Up next, we debunk some advice from Elmer Fudd. You do NOT want to be “vewwy vewwy qwiet.”

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