We were four dogs into our fostering experience when I heard for the first time, “I could never do what you do. I could never give them up.” I immediately launched into why I fostered and why she should, too. With a politely nodding head and a face that gave no indication of having been persuaded, my coworker dismissed herself, and me. After that interaction, I vowed to create a more convincing pitch to help save dogs.
My voice grew hoarse from pleading. Still I found few takers. I was frustrated and defeated until I heard an author on a different mission discussing her new book. She was letting her words on the page and the media surrounding it speak on her behalf. “Cast a wider net,” she said. Point taken.
I put fingers to keyboard and began to write a “how to foster” book, imagining my words and stories so influential people would line up to welcome dogs in need into their homes. I put a red circle on the calendar one year into the future, challenging myself to an endeavor I’d never attempted nor had the training to do. After dogs were walked and fed, I’d write, revise and imagine before turning my attention to my kids, my house, my work, my husband. (I listed him last. I’m sure that’s how he felt!)
On the red circle day, I printed the 220 pages of double-spaced, 12-point font just to feel the weight of accomplishment. It was the motivation I needed to open the door to vulnerability and share my story with others.
One eager reader, a former high school creative writing instructor, red-lined with abandon, diving thick into the editing weeds. Strikethroughs, arrows, and heavy circles decorated the pages. I would have embraced her effort to proofread like it was the final version had the other readers pasted gold stars on the cover. Reality was sobering.
Two astute readers had drawn the same conclusion, providing feedback I sought but hated to see. I learned my stories were engaging but the focus too niche. To persuade the masses, I would need to write a book with broader appeal. Caution – rough road ahead
It took another three years of journaling, reading old journals, attending classes, devouring books, and storyboarding with multi-colored sticky notes to find my way forward.
Did I mention the counseling sessions, the slammed doors, and the I hate yous that occurred during those divining years? To write a story with broader appeal meant sharing the family drama that unfolded while saving dogs. Behind the façade of our neatly painted home and curated successes was a family unraveling.
I initially wrote a how-to-foster-dogs book because the topic was safe. Our family story was unpolished, emotional, and not mine alone to tell.
I circled another day on the calendar and shared my intent. I would write about what it was like to foster dogs and raise teens with mental health challenges—and how, as parents, we had to let go of old ways of parenting if we wanted to reconnect our family.
My kids read the new version, debated, and edited, then gave a green light to launch the book into the world.
There’s no doubt their approval came with trepidation. Cute and cuddly dogs were no longer the focus. Our stories were tightly woven into the fabric. The sags, the snags, the inconsistent weaving and holes would be on display for all to see.
So why put us in a place of vulnerability? Growing up is hard. Many teens are suffering. Families are unraveling. We hope our story will be a lifeline to others so they may feel less alone.
Do I still want people to step up to foster? You bet! Especially in the current shelter crisis plaguing this country. But my reasoning is richer. Telling our family’s story revealed something I couldn’t have seen otherwise: the dogs we welcomed weren’t just rescues—they were teachers.
Each foster dog brought with it lessons we didn’t know we needed: patience, resilience, the value of play, and the power of unconditional love. Those lessons stitched our family back together in ways therapy alone could not.
So yes, I still hope people will foster. But more than that, I hope our story shows how second chances—for pets and for people—are always possible.
We all do better when we all do better. – Paul Wellstone
JOIN MY LAUNCH TEAM
Big news! After years of writing, revising, and (yes) cuddling with foster dogs for inspiration… my memoir Mom Loves the Dogs More: A Memoir of Family Rescue is officially launching on September 18, 2025.
I’m building a book launch team—and I’d love for you to join.
✨ Free advance digital copy
✨ Behind-the-scenes updates
✨ Giveaways + launch party invite
✨ Signed book once print copies arrive
All I ask is that you help spread the word—with a post, a share, or a quick Amazon review.
Ready to join the team? 🐾 Click here.
I’m on Ch. 6 of my advanced reader copy (ARC), and love it. You are an excellent writer and your story draws the reader in! If others are considering helping you launch, I encourage them to do so!
I was genuinely moved by the simple sentence "My kids read the new version, debated, and edited, then gave a green light to launch the book into the world." Your writing is always so touching. I'm happy to support your book as part of the launch team.