Thinkingdog Publishing

The Day I Forgot the chairs, But Remembered the Wine  An “About the Author” misadventure with dogs, books, and Christmas in July magic. You know what makes for a perfect day? A vineyard. Dogs. A Christmas-themed event...in July. Oh, and did I mention wine ? This past weekend, we packed up our books, our branding, and our two furry sidekicks—Blueberry (the real-life inspiration behind Pixie the magical Papillon) and Kobe (our wise, old floof and Senior Advisor to All Things)—and headed off to the Hounds of Erie Winery for their fabulous Christmas in July celebration. Why? Because Book 4 in the Magical Papillon Mysteries just launched and it happens to be titled—wait for it— Christmas in July. Clearly, fate was sending a festive wine-soaked sleigh in our direction, and we were all in. We had a booth set up among the grapevines and wagging tails, and honestly? It was an absolute blast . The Hounds of Erie team were some of the kindest, most welcoming humans you could ever ...

If you ever see a kid in the corner at a party with their nose in a book, oblivious to the games, snacks, and mild chaos around them—yep, that was me . Always reading. Always scribbling something. Sports? Please. I was too short to make any team that didn’t require a step stool. Science? It was fun until they asked me to memorize the periodic table—pass. But reading? Writing? Oh, baby, that was my jam. I tried my hand at writing my first mystery novel at age 14. My protagonists were (shockingly) teenage kids who solved crimes. There were flashlights, a lot of sneaking around old buildings, and absolutely no understanding of how actual criminal investigations work. But hey—what I lacked in forensic accuracy, I made up for in enthusiasm and lots of dialogue tagged with “he said dramatically.” Then came the romance years. You know the ones. All fluttery hearts, brooding strangers, and small towns with improbably high numbers of single billionaires. I loved it. I still do. There’s noth...

Wow, Oakville! Did you step outside today and witness the magic in the sky?  We just experienced a total solar eclipse, and let me tell you, it was absolutely awe-inspiring! As the moon slowly crept across the sun, the world dimmed in an otherworldly way. Birdsong quieted, replaced by a hush that seemed to hold its breath.  Streetlights flickered on, confused by the sudden twilight settling in the middle of the afternoon. Then, for a glorious few minutes, the sun vanished completely.  A ring of fire, the corona, encircled the black hole in the sky, a sight both breathtaking and a little eerie.  Gasps and cheers erupted from rooftops and parks as everyone shared this incredible celestial moment. Here in Oakville, the total eclipse lasted for about ten minutes.  But even the partial phases, as the moon began to cover and then uncover the sun, were mesmerizing.  The whole experience was a powerful reminder of the vastness of space and the wonder of our univers...