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Book Clubs
 "If you're an animal lover, you'll love the critter tales as much as the special-needs storyline...really lifted my spirits." --About .com
Anything But a Dog! is a mother's harrowing search for one pet to suit two daughters--one a tomboy, the other disabled by congenital CMV.
Excerpt (followed by reviews, book club discussion questions, author interview/bio and purchasing info):
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“No, you can't have a dog.”
“Mom, can I have a dog?” my six-year-old daughter Jackie asked, standing next to me while I washed the breakfast dishes.
I cringed. The dreaded day was here—all kids inevitably ask for one. And why wouldn’t they? Movie dogs like Lassie drag you from burning buildings and keep you warm when you’re lost in a blizzard. But by the time we're adults, we've learned the truth about them: they urinate on your new wall-to-wall carpets, dig holes in your leather recliners to hide their rawhide bones, and bite your neighbor's kid.
“No, you can't have a dog,” I said, bracing myself for the age-old argument.
“Why not?” she demanded.
My mind raced for good excuses. Might as well start with the standard one: “A dog is too much work. And I know I'll end up being the one who walks it in the pouring rain.”
“I promise I'll take care of it. I will, I really will!" Jackie exclaimed.
“Sure,” I thought, “that’s what they all say.” Avoiding her pleading eyes, I picked up a plate sticky with leftover syrup. “The truth is,” I said, “we just can't risk a dog around your sister.” I hated admitting that. I didn't want her to blame her little sister, three years younger, for being so fragile. But taking care of Elizabeth, who was quadriplegic from cerebral palsy, was already enough work without adding a dog that might playfully nip at her.
I know! I’ll give Jackie the “lip-severing story.” That’ll convince her we can’t have a dog around her sister.
“When I was 13,” I began, “I talked Grandma and Grandpa into letting me have a Weimaraner. His name was Bogie—short for Humphrey Bogart—and he was a nipper. One day, my two-year-old cousin Suzannah wa s playing on the floor underneath the table with a Popsicle stick in her mouth. Bogie snapped at the stick and bit her lip off! My grandmother got the lip off the carpet and wrapped it in a paper napkin to take to the hospital. But it couldn’t be sewn back on. A surgeon fixed Suzannah’s face, but when we got home, my mother loaded Bogie into the back seat of the car and took him to the vet’s. I never saw him again. He took the ‘long walk’ as they say in the Lady and the Tramp movie.”
I paused so Jackie could let the horror of the incident sink in.
But all she wanted to know was, “Where’s Suzannah’s lip now?”
Anything But a Dog! also includes tips on how to prevent the #1 viral cause of birth defects--congenital CMV (more common than Down syndrome), which was the cause of Elizabeth's disabilities. Most OB/GYNs still do not warn their patients the necessary precautions to take.
"Saunders takes readers on a road trip as harrowing as any Dog Whisperer training challenge. She encounters killer ants, a "man-dog," and a rabbit that would make a skunk smell sweet! ...Beyond the laughs about a dizzying pet search, Saunders' dog tale is about a mother who candidly reveals her family's burden, love, and acceptance of a daughter born with severe disabilities-and the people, and pets, forever touched by her life." — Rockland Magazine
"If you're an animal lover, you'll love the critter tales as much as the special-needs storyline...really lifted my spirits."--Terri Mauro, About.com
"I read this straight through in one sitting and loved it! It was moving—and funny! The appendages about congenital CMV contain such valuable information. This book is an incredible contribution." --Mary Goodin, M.A., Educator
“When we published Lisa's story in the Times Herald-Record, it drew so much response that we knew a fuller version would make an important, funny and touching book. She has proved us right!” Genie Abrams, copy editor and author of Louey Levy's Greatest Catch
“A hilarious set of pet tales! This mini-classic shines with the assurance that every child is beloved and valuable."-- Dr. Elisabeth Schafer, author of Vegetable Desserts: Beyond Carrot Cake and Pumpkin Pie
“Very touching, moving, personal; a joy to read. I laughed out loud and I cried. I congratulate Lisa on producing a very good piece of work.” Gail J Demmler-Harrison MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Director of the Congenital CMV Disease Registry and Research Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
"The book is so well written and so endearing that you won't forget it once you've read it. Believe me." David Sisson, retired English professor
Book Discussion Questions
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What do you think motivated the author, Lisa Saunders, to share her story about her daughters and their pets in Anything But a Dog!?
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Does Lisa convey her story with comedy, self-pity, or a little of both? Which events were the funniest? Could you relate to any of them?
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How does this book compare to other memoirs you have read? Is it more honest or less honest? Did some of the Lisa’s honesty shock you? Why?
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How has this book changed or enhanced your view of people with disabilities?
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Are there benefits to adopting an older, calmer dog?
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How did you respond to Lisa’s "voice" or writing style (use of dialogue, punctuation, etc.)? How does she “show” the story rather then “tell” it?
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What did you know about congenital CMV (cytomegalovirus) prior to reading this book?
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What impact, if any, will the life of Lisa’s daughter, Elizabeth, have on the future of unborn children? What steps should a pregnant woman take to reduce her chances of contracting congenital CMV?
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Has reading Anything But a Dog! given you hope for handling the challenges in your own life? If so, how?
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Will you remember this book a year from now? Would you recommend this book to a friend? If so, why? Do you want to read more works by Lisa Saunders? If so, visit her Web site at www.authorlisasaunders.com
About Lisa Saunders: "I am a full-time writer at the State University of New York at Rockland and the author of RIDE A HORSE, NOT AN ELEVATOR, and EVER TRUE: A Union Private and His Wife. I live with my husband and a beagle/basset hound mix in the lower Hudson Valley. As a member of a Speakers Bureau, I talk about writing and publishing family history and memoirs. For more information about me or my work, visit me at: www.authorlisasaunders.com If you would like me to call in to your book club on the day of your meeting, just let me know!" Lisa Saunders, Suffern, NY, saundersbooks@aol.com
Author Questionnaire
What inspired you to write this book?
I wrote Anything But a Dog! not only to give the true account of a homeless, old canine's devotion to my disabled daughter, but also to tell the world how they can avoid the virus I caught when I was pregnant with her. OB/GYNs still do not routinely warn pregnant women about congenital CMV (cytomegalovirus), so it falls on parents like me to raise awareness.
Give us an idea of the plot/subject without giving too much away.
I say “no” to my daughter Jackie’s pleas for a dog, fearing it will be too rambunctious around my younger daughter Elizabeth, who was disabled. But I do make Jackie a promise I think I will never have to keep: “If God brings a dog to our door, then you can have it.” In the meantime, our family wrestles with a series of dysfunctional pets: a flesh-eating hamster, an attack cat, killer ants and a very stinky rabbit. Then one day, the unexpected happens: a shivering, dirty puppy shows up at our door. But was that dog really Heaven-sent?
At the conclusion of the story, I include the latest news on how to prevent the far-reaching but under-reported effects of congenital CMV, the #1 viral cause of birth defects--more common than Down syndrome.
What is the primary message you’d like your readers to take away from this book?
That you can survive tragedy and move on to find a lot to laugh about. That every member of the household is valuable—no matter how “different.”
What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?
A fairy tale I include about my disabled daughter and her dog. Escaping into a fantasy can make reality seem a lot more fun!
Have you ever had a nickname? Tell us about it.
“Fatso”—because I was a fat kid. People don’t call me fat now because they’re getting fat too. The only person that has called me fat lately was the lady who sewed a seam at the shoulder of my fuzzy, brown blazer. She pointed her bony finger at me and said in her broken English, “You need to lose pounds. I feel bad saying that, but that why your seam ripped.”
Can you offer a glimpse into your “real life” and share with us a bit of your personal life—Outside of writing, what’s important to you (i.e., hobbies, passions, causes, family)?
I don’t garden, I don’t sew, I don’t clean. When I’m not writing, I walk my beagle/basset hound, say “Hi” to my neighbors (the ones that still like me in spite of my barking dog), borrow other people’s kids to do stuff with and go out to eat with my husband Jim. Jim and I also enjoy going to the movies to see science fiction, non-fiction or action stories. My passion is to warn women how to prevent the viral and bacterial causes of birth defects--so I do a lot of talking!
Who are your favorite authors?
Hans Christian Anderson. His tragic fairy tales based on his real life speak of longing, love and cruelty in a way that move the soul. I also enjoy Beverly Cleary’s Romona books because they accurately reflect my thought processes as a child.
Tell us more about about your daughter's life with congenital CMV
You can see a WUSA 9 news clip plus articles about my life with Elizabeth at:
Lisa Saunders will attend your book club at no charge if in Rockland County (and possibly in Bergen and Orange counties). Otherwise, she is willing to call in to your book club during your meeting time. She will discuss any of her books, Anything But a Dog!; Ride a Horse, Not an Elevator or Ever True: A Union Private and His Wife or writing and publishing family histories or memoirs. Contact Lisa at saundersbooks@aol.com If you would like to receive Lisa's updates, sign her guest book at: http://www.authorlisasaunders.com/pageemail.htm
How can we purchase your book?
Amazon.com: Amazon
Author: For an autographed copy, write to me at saundersbooks@aol.com for check writing/PayPal directions.
U.S. Congenital CMV Disease Registry: www.unlimitedpublishing.com/cmv
U.K Congenital CMV Association: http://www.unlimitedpublishing.com/dog/
Publisher: www.unlimitedpublishing.com/saunders
PetGuy Central (downtown Suffern, NY), 845-918-1107, www.petguycentral.com
Pickwick Bookshop (downtown Nyack, NY), 845-358-9126, 8 S Broadway
Snow Mountain Petcare Centre (Hillburn, NY), (845) 357-1929
Rockland Community College Foundation: Lisa will donate 25% of the proceeds to scholarships for students with disabilities if purchased (by check) through the Rockland Community College Foundation. Contact Don Cairns, Executive Director of the Foundation, at 845-574-4576, dcairns@sunyrockland.edu
Anything But a Dog! cover design by Mary Kramer (MilkweedGraphics.com), Copyright (c) 2008 by Unlimited Publishing LLC, used by permission.
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