UPDATE: The book is now available on Amazon. You can see a preview here and purchase on Kindle or in paperback.
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A year in the writing, Don Diehl’s conversational book with his hound dog “Sadie” is due off the press this week and will be available on Amazon and soon at several area book-signing events. Stay tuned, meanwhile here is an overview:
“If you have a dog, cat or other pet — say a beagle (a class of their own), and ever think about heaven and life after death this book is for you. It is about “hounds, heaven and the hereafter.” Even if you do not accept all of the author’s dogma (pardon the pun), if you are an animal lover and ever wonder what your pet is thinking (or imagine what they would say to you if they could talk back in a human voice) you will identify with this book.
The author takes plenty of liberty in presenting his beagle’s persona — extra fanciful at times — but stays with proof verses on matters of scriptural claims regarding subjects of beginnings, the fall of man, salvation and redemption . . . and eschatology [the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind . . . and in this case, animal kind or the animal kingdom.]
But besides presenting the case for an on-going human-animal relationship beyond this life, the book which may come across for some as a Bible study, looks at real life issues albeit sometimes from the viewpoint of a dog with human like perception.
This is a book about a lot of things — but more than anything else it is a book about a Pilgrim, a “born again” believer in Christ who happens to be a dog lover, believing that he and his dog (a beagle or beagle-mix named “Sadie”) will spend eternity together in a place called Heaven.
In the mean time — waiting and watching — Sadie Sue Dog and Loving Master Don are nearly inseparable. When there is necessary parting, both are accused of suffering “separation anxiety disorder” (SAD). They don’t know if they like that word “disorder” but there is admission that the two are “happiest” spending time together — playing, riding, fishing, hunting, boating — and talking about the issues of life and life hereafter.
There is seldom disagreement over such things as politics, religion or food choices.
Most of the time Sadie Dog is chasing rabbits and treeing squirrels, digging up moles or just digging. There is some disharmony over the digging and Sadie’s inner clock. There are holes all over the yard, and an hour before the sun comes up Sadie is sure that’s when Master Don is supposed to be up. At that time [and at least one other time during the night] Sadie comes barking. Count on it, at about 2:30 a.m. she wants out — to check the yard and take care of business, making sure some varmint hasn’t taken over her territory. The day begins about 5:30.
Beyond that, the routine is ever-changing.
Here is the sharing of life’s challenges . . . and conversations between the author and his dog about them. Sadie provides some comic relief when the topic gets too serious.”
