Why did I begin writing books about a dog named Saturday?

Some years ago, a sore, worn out, tattered, mostly white with just a few patches of red, beagle wandered down our lane to the house.

He instantly stole our hearts. He had the sweetest, most loving way about him that beamed right through his sad condition. From the start his tail never stopped wagging. Since that day was a Saturday, Miss Robbie named him Saturday.

We doctored and cleaned him up, and Saturday bounced right back. With buckets of love and ceaseless affection, companionship and kindness – For everyone.

For years Saturday did everything I did. He was by my side for every adventure. He loved Miss Robbie, our horse, Miss Kessy; our kitties, Fluffernutter and Danielle (and the other kitties and dogs here too). And he loved all the chickens. Saturday was a bundle of nothing but love. And he gave it and happiness freely.

Since I’m a writer, I do what writers do. I write. And I write a lot on my Facebook page. I write about things here at home, our adventures, and our critters. Over the years I had posted a great many stories and pictures of Saturday. Our trail rides, and many other adventures.

Saturday absolutely loved hitting the trail with Kessy and me, and together we logged hundreds of hours and miles. We’ve seen bear, coyotes, snakes, turtles, birds of every kind, beautiful flowers, mushrooms and blackberry bushes on the trail in the big forest. We followed animal tracks in the snow, we got caught in the rain. We got lost. We discovered tadpoles in giant mud puddles. Oh, we had fine adventures together.

There came a time when Saturday had grown old, and could no longer manage the trail rides. So for a while it was just Kessy and me.

When Lady, our bouncing Doberman, adopted us she was more of a city girl and didn’t understand the trail riding world. Even though she loved Miss Kessy right away she wasn’t sure what she was to do with a horse.

Saturday understood that. And one day while I was getting Kessy ready to ride, Saturday came, slowly walking, to the barn. And, he had more bounce in his step than he’d had for months. He wanted to teach Lady the duties of a trail buddy. And that day, his last ride, he showed Lady how it was done. We kept the ride short, and Saturday taught Lady how to follow, and explore without exploring too far from Kessy and me. Saturday even taught Lady how to splash in a stream.They had a sweet and wonderful adventure.

Lady and Saturday had some time together, for a little while. And Saturday taught Lady all the things a good farm dog should know. Lady loved Saturday. And Saturday loved Lady.

When Saturday passed away, as is my habit, I wrote about it on Facebook. Friends there said, “You must write a book about Saturday!” And, “It should be a children’s book!” And one FB friend even gave us the title, “You should call it, A Dog Named Saturday.”

So, that day, in tribute to the very best, loving and smart dog I’ve ever known, I wrote Saturday’s first story, “Tails and Hearts.” For his book, A Dog Named Saturday. I put that first story on my Facebook page, where Troy Locker Palmer noticed it.

Troy and I knew each other from one of the magazines I wrote for – But I never knew she was an artist. An illustrator. Troy offered to illustrate A Dog Named Saturday, and sent the first illustration of him. The one that is now the cover picture. And together we set out to create a lasting tribute to dear Saturday.

At that time we thought it would be just that one book. Then Miss Robbie and I traveled to Chincoteague Virginia to see the wild ponies. Of course, I wrote about it on Facebook. Friends said, “You must write a book about it!” They said, “Make it a Saturday book!” So, I did, Saturday Goes To Chincoteague, and that began Saturday’s “Travel Series.” And again, Troy’s magic illustrates the adventure.

Since then, Saturday, Kessy, Fluffernutter and Danielle too, have gone to The Ark Encounter, and that book is the second in his “Travel Series.” Saturday Encounters The Ark, which includes the Biblical message of Noah.

Being illustrated now by Troy is, “Saturday and the Ten Commandments,” and “Adventures Not Far From Home.”

More Saturday books, and travel adventures are coming. As Saturday says, “Friends help you be who you are better.” And we are all happy to call you friend.