Special Post Spotlighting G.A. Whitmore's A Place to Call Home: Toby's Tale

Let me introduce G.A. Whitmore and her new book A Place to Call Home: Toby’s Tale.
Please tell us everything about your latest book. The genre. Who are the main characters? How long did it take to write? Was there a period during the writing of the story where you sat and stared at the screen because what your characters just did surprised the heck out of you? How did you pick the title? Who designed your cover? And feel free to add anything else here.
A Place to Call Home was inspired by Toby, an abused dog I adopted from the Connecticut Humane Society. Toby was seven months old when I first saw him there.  He had been physically abused and was severely traumatized. His backstory, as told to me by the woman who rescued him, fascinated and horrified me at the same time. He was found in northern California in a box in a dumpster with a white female puppy, presumably his sister. They were discovered by a young couple travelling back to Los Angeles, who took the puppies home with them. When they took the dogs to the local animal clinic to be checked out, the vet who examined them thought they might be part wolf. Toby ultimately ended up in Connecticut after relatives of the couple, who had stopped by to visit while on a cross-country driving trip, decided to adopt the puppies.I couldn’t stop wondering how and why Toby and his sister ended up in a dumpster in a box, and were they really part wolf? And more importantly, what would drive someone to abuse a defenseless puppy? My musings turned into a story. The story turned into a book.
My original target market was middle school/young adult because I wanted to help raise awareness in our youth of the plight of rescue dogs, but I have had a very positive response from dog and animal lovers of all ages.
I wrote the book over a period of 10 years or so. I put it down several times, the longest being for four years after my first husband passed away. The impetus to finish writing the book came from my realization that Toby’s story could help raise awareness of the plight of abused and abandoned dogs. When A Place to Call Home was published earlier this year, I decided to donate part of the proceeds from the sale each book to a rescue organization in honor of Toby and all rescue dogs in need of a place to call home.
The title came to me out of the blue one day when I was driving to work. It was perfect. The cover was designed by my publisher, and the cover photo is a picture of my late dog Zeus, who looked a lot like Toby, and my photographer’s son.
Have you written other books? Their titles and genres.
A Place to Call Home is the first book in my series The Rescue Dog Tales. I am currently writing the second book in the series and hope to have it published by the spring of 2015.
Plotter or a pantster?  Why does this work best for you?
Since my book is about a dog, I would have to say pantster. (Dogs do pant a lot!) Though A Place to Call Home is fiction, it is based on a true story, so much of the “plot” was already established for me. Toby’s backstory is where my creative process really had a chance to take flight, since I had to fill in the blanks of the details I was given about his history prior to my adopting him.
Short question time.
Favourite TV show?
I don’t have much time to watch TV these days, but I really love the new Cosmos series. It will never replace the original with Carl Sagan, but it is the next best thing.
Most romantic place you've visited?
Isle au Haut, Maine. It’s a small, remote island off the coast of Maine. Miles of hiking and biking trails and a small romantic inn that sits on the water’s edge.
If Hollywood called, which actor should play the hero or heroine in your book?
Hmm. That’s a tough one. I consider Toby to be the hero in my book, but if I had to pick a human hero, it would probably be Lisa. In spite of all the personal pressures she was under, Lisa kept Toby’s best interests in mind when she had her friend Tracy remove him from the home so he wouldn’t be hurt again. I could see Sandra Bullock playing that role.
Three things you'd want on a deserted island.
My dog and two good, really long books.
Which would you choose – a knight in shining armour or a roman gladiator?
If my knight in shining armour could be a dog . . .
Favourite thing to do on a vacation?
Most of my vacation time from work I spend in San Diego visiting my son and my two beautiful grandchildren. It’s a wonderful city with so much to do and absolutely perfect weather.
If you could meet one famous person – past or present – who would it be? Why?Carl Sagan. I have always loved astronomy and used to watch the old Cosmos series with my dad when I was a kid. We never missed an episode, and we didn’t have DVR back then!


Every rescue dog has a tale to tell, a story uniquely their own.
A Place to Call Home is Toby’s tale.
Born on a small farm in northern California, Toby’s carefree days as a puppy are cut short when he narrowly escapes the death sentence imposed upon him by his breeder. Through a series of events driven by good intentions, he finds himself in a Connecticut suburb, where life with his new family soon collapses on him, and his newfound happiness is brutally destroyed.
On his quest to find a place to call home, Toby encounters and endures the best and worst of humanity, as he comes face to face with sorrow and joy, fear and courage, and ultimately, with the power of love.
Part of the proceeds of from the sale of each book will be donated to an organization of the author’s choice that promotes and advocates for the protection and welfare of dogs.
Amazon UK
Amazon UK
Goodreads


Here is an excerpt from my book. In this scene Toby is dreaming and meets his grandfather, a white wolf named Strider:Was this another dream? Who would visit him in this dream? As if in answer to his question, a large pack of wolves and dogs slowly materialized out of the enshrouding gray and one-by-one encircled him. The snow stopped falling. All was still and quiet.A long, wailing howl pierced the silence.Followed by another.Then another.After a few moments, a chorus of howls erupted from the group that now surrounded Toby. A primordial urge rose within him. He stood up and shook off the light layer of snow that had accumulated on his fur. The urge grew stronger, more compelling, until he realized his own voice had joined the others. The multitude of voices became one as they howled on and on, until the cry reached its crescendo and abruptly ended, leaving an echoing silence around them once again. A large, white figure approached Toby.“Welcome to our pack, Toby.” The figure turned, and with a nod of his head, indicated the others. He turned back to Toby. “How did you come to be here?”   Toby tried to find his voice, but the howl still reverberated in his throat. When he finally spoke, his reply was weak and raspy. “I don’t know. I don’t even know where here is.” He hesitated, and then asked, “How do you know my name?”“My name is Strider, Toby. I am your grandfather.”Strider! The memory of lying with Tara next to his mother as she told them the story of Sadie and Strider came flooding back to him and he felt a warmth of emotion flow through his body. “Where is this place? How did I get here?” Toby asked. Strider paused in thought for a moment, and then replied, “This land is a different place for different creatures, yet it is the same place for all creatures. For us,” Strider swept his large head around him, “this is the place we call home.”

Ms. Whitmore’s passion for writing and her love of dogs come together in her series The Rescue Dog Tales. The first book in the series, A Place to Call Home,was inspired by Toby, an abused dog she adopted from the Connecticut Humane Society. Ms. Whitmore currently lives in Connecticut with her two rescue dogs, Kadee and Zeus.

Website http://www.gawhitmore.com .Author/community Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/authorgawhitmore
  Giveaway -The giveaway is 3 x bracelets which have been uniquely designed by a graphic artist and link with the story.


a Rafflecopter giveaway







What's Coming up in July on Victoria's Pages of Romance28 – Excerpt from Dancing in Circles – Victoria Adams30 – Book Hook31 – Excerpt from Circles Divided – Victoria Adams
What's Coming up in Auguston Victoria's Pages of Romance 1 – Excerpt from Circles Divided – Victoria Adams2 - Weekend Writing Warriors4 – Excerpt from – Circles Interlocked – Victoria Adams7 – Anne B. Cole – Souls Entwined9 – My Sexy Saturday10 – Sneak Peek Sunday11 – Excerpt from – A Guy and A Girl – Victoria Adams13 – Flash Fiction - Sunrise (finally figured out how to proceed with my flash - so I'll be back posting - but vacation is in the way.)14 – Joyce and Jim Lavene - Bewitching Boots16 – Weekend Writing Warriors20 – Kim Boykin - Palmetto Moon23 – My Sexy Saturday24 – Sneak Peek Sunday27 – Book Hooks30 – Weekend Writing Warriors