Drum Roll & Fanfare – Dognapped! is Launched
Say hello again to David Robertson, who would like to tell you about something special – it’s DOGNAPPED! publication day! I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy and have to say I was very impressed, both by the story and the beautiful illustrations. So if you know a child between 7 and 10 who loves to read, why not invest in a copy. You won’t be disappointed.
Hi, I’m David J Robertson a — year old, (sorry the number lock seems to be broken!), bloke from the Black Country. My children’s book – DOGNAPPED! is completed and published today! The second in the series, ‘IN THE DOGHOUSE!’, is written and the third book is already in the pipeline.
I have appeared on Pam’s page before but you may well be wondering, ‘Why on earth is a children’s writer appearing on the blog pages of a historical fiction author?’ Well, good people of this genre, it is my belief that you – being discerning readers – would like nothing better than to pass on your love of literature to your sons and daughters, to your grandchildren, to your nephews and nieces, indeed to any child who shows the slightest interest in taking their nose out of a mobile phone for even a second. [Hear, hear, says Pam]
Also, I have a book to promote and although slightly biased, I do happen to believe that it is quite good. In fact the illustrations by Ian R Ward are wonderful and I am very grateful for his input. Most people on picking it up do comment, ‘Oh this looks lovely!’ Sadly they’re all looking at the pictures and no one has read the story. I urge you to do so – you might like it!
So what are my writing credentials? I began writing seriously following a heart attack. Being cracked open like a lobster for a quadruple bypass seriously focuses the mind. Heed my advice – this is not the way to get into writing!
I’ve done quite a bit flash fiction and short stories. One day I’ll try to put them all together. You can see samples of these along with a blog on my website which is updated around once a week depending upon my inspiration, chagrin or whatever has plain got my goat during the past seven days.
And of course there’s the novel. Haven’t we all got one somewhere? It unfortunately needs attacking drastically with the red editing pen! A humorous (allegedly) science fiction/fantasy adventure. I only started it in 2006 so it must be nearly finished by now.
Below are a few links to my website and blog, Facebook page and my Twitter account. Please feel free to pop over and say, ‘Hi,’ it would be nice to see you. Just a word of warning, however – my dog, Misty, does administer the website, take whatever she tells you with a pinch of salt! Here is a link to my publisher, www.troubador.co.uk – it would be great if you fancied a copy of, ‘DOGNAPPED!’ You can read it yourself first before you donate it to your little darlings – I won’t tell, honest!
So – that’s taken care of me, what about the book? Well here’s a quick description:
DOGNAPPED! is an adventure book aimed at middle grade children (7-10) involving four canine friends. The quartet investigate strange sounds coming from the chimney of a canal boat which turns out to be feisty puppy, Ashley, stuck inside the narrow tube. They manage to release him but accidentally cast themselves adrift. On the boat’s radio they hear, ‘… news is coming in of a dognapping. Ashley has been taken along with a narrow boat. In a statement his people said, “whoever has taken our poor puppy is very naughty indeed!”’ The situation rapidly deteriorates until they eventually find themselves lost at sea.
Will they make it back to shore? Can any of them swim? How silly does Rascal look in welly boots?
The book has eight chapters, each with a single colour illustration beautifully drawn by artist, Ian R Ward, and is published today by Matador Books.
And an excerpt to whet your appetite:
One-Eyed Rose peered once more into the chimney. ‘Wow! It’s gone – whatever it was!’ she exclaimed, standing back. Now her one good eye had a black sooty ring around it.
I leant my paws against the window and put my nose to the glass. Inside were two black lumps. One was vaguely Bertie shaped. The other was a lot smaller.
The l
argest lump shook violently. Soot billowed through the air. It was Bertie! He blinked at me through the glass and pointed toward the back of the boat as he shouted, ‘The door was open all the time.’
I scurried along the bank and sprang onto the tiny deck. Clouds of black dust hung around the open door. Carefully, I made my way down three narrow steps and peered into the gloomy cabin. Bertie stroked his long black
whiskers which were slowly becoming grey again. In front of him the small black lump trembled. Two vivid white circles appeared.
The lump had eyes!
I took a step back. This was getting scarier. Even Bertie, who knows a lot of things about a lot of things looked worried.
Looking round I spotted a carving knife lying on a table. I picked it up in my jaws – just in case! ‘Ahh…!’ went the tiny black lump.
It trembled harder than before.
…AAh!’
And even harder.
‘Is everything all right?’ One-Eyed Rose yelled down the chimney.
‘…Tishoooo!’ sneezed the tiny black lump, showering more soot into the air.
‘Wow! What was that?’ boomed from the chimney. ‘Hold on I’m coming down.’
The tiny lump puffed out its cheeks. ‘Tshoo,’ it sniffed. It was now mostly white with brown patches and a brown tipped stubby tail.
Scamper!
Clatter!
Bang!
Thump!
One-Eyed Rose fell down the steps, ‘Wow! A puppy dog!’
The pup looked at Bertie with his bone-patterned scarf. He stared at me armed with a knife. Finally he gaped at One-Eyed Rose with the black ring around her one good eye like an eye- patch. ‘Arggh! Pirates!’
‘Wow! Where?’ shouted One-Eyed Rose, looking around anxiously.
I dropped the knife. ‘He means us, Rose,’ I told her, ‘we’ve frightened him.’
The pup bounced up and down
on all four paws. ‘I’m not frightened! Come on! I’ll fight you all. Yippity yap!’ he barked in a squeaky voice.
Bertie sighed. With a sharp clip of his paw he tapped the puppy across the tail making him somersault backwards.
‘Ow! I surrender!’
‘What sort of dog is that?’ One-Eyed Rose sniffed at the defeated baby.
‘I won’t tell you anything! We Jack Russells are very brave!’
I looked at the brown marks on his fur, ‘I bet his name is Patch.’
The little dog grinned at me defiantly, ‘You’ll get nothing out of me, you nasty pirate. From now on Ashley says nothing! Yappity yip!’
‘So, Ashley, what was a Jack Russell puppy doing up the chimney?’ Bertie asked.
Ashley pouted,‘I was exploring.’
‘It’s a good job I poked you out with that brush. If someone had lit the fire you might have singed your tail,’ One-Eyed Rose said helpfully.
Watch this space for news of the sequel – IN THE DOGHOUSE! due out at the end of October.
You can find our more about David and his work by following these links:
