A Dog’s Journey (34 page)

When it came to understanding eating disorders, I was able to turn to friends of mine who have done battle with such demons and, to respect their privacy, I will not name them here. They know I’m grateful for their insights. I also can recommend
Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from Her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too
by Jenni Schaefer and Thom Rutledge (McGraw-Hill, 2003),
Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationship with Food Through Myths, Metaphors, and Storytelling
by Anita A. Johnston, Ph.D. (Gurze Books, 2000), and
Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain
by Portia de Rossi (Atria, 2010).

My friend Dina Zaphiris, the “Behavior Savior,” has been training dogs to detect cancer, much the way that Andi does during the life of Molly. Thank you, Dina, for your advice, your help, and for being such a good second mother to Tucker.

Of course, that’s not it, meaning that a book doesn’t come together just because of some research, a great team, and a public willing to read the finished product—my personal support group starts with my parents, Bill and Monsie Cameron, who never told me anything other than if I wanted to be a novelist, I could be a novelist. My sister Julie has turned her medical practice into a bookstore and literally cheers for me with every success, whether minor or major. I am so blessed to have her in my life. My sister Amy, the schoolteacher, and her friend Judy Robben did an amazing job writing the study guide for
A Dog’s Purpose,
and for my other novel,
Emory’s Gift
. I’ll probably talk them into doing the same for
A Dog’s Journey,
as well. She could have been Miss America, but instead decided to just help plain old Bruce.

As could be expected from such a wonderful father as myself, I’ve got great children and children-in-law. My daughter Georgia’s animal rescue wouldn’t be possible without Christopher, her husband, who tirelessly and without complaint works at her side. Daughter Chelsea and her husband, James, flew out to be with me on the day
Emory’s Gift
was released and even went to Hawaii to celebrate the event. My son, Chase, recruited Charlie Salem and, between the two of them, have done a wonderful job supporting my writing.

Thanks to my Nobel Prize–winning sister-in-law, Maria Hjelm, for running the Northern California campaign, and for giving the world Ethan, Maya, and Jakob. Thanks, Ted, for doing your part in that.

By the time anyone reads this, my newspaper column, which ran for thirteen glorious years, will have folded. It was my decision: after winning (in 2010) the Newspaper Columnist of the Year Award, I decided that my weekly musings, which started with a column called “The Family Meeting” and focused mainly on raising children, had run its course. I’m going out on top of my game and before it becomes possible to write about grandchildren. Bob Bridges has been my copyeditor for nearly every single one of my columns, all of it on a volunteer basis. Thank you, Bob. And thanks to my column editor, Anthony Zurcher, and to Jack Newcombe, and everyone else at Creators, for syndicating my column.

Thanks to Gavin Palone, for his belief and support of my writing and for staking his professional reputation on it.

Thanks, Geoff Jennings, for being tirelessly supportive in word and deed, and to all the independent bookstores that got behind
A Dog’s Purpose
and pushed.

Thank you, Deb Mangelsdorf, for your wise advice about dogs and veterinary medicine.

Thanks, Claire LaZebnik, a wonderful writer and great friend, who helps keep me mentally steady when I’m about to fall, or throw myself, off the high wire that is being an author in today’s world. (Not that I’m complaining—I
wanted
to be on the high wire!) Thanks to all the LaZebniks, for sharing Claire and everything else with me.

Julie, Norma, Marcia—the Coven. Thank you, I’m still under your spell.

Maxine Lapiduss is a genius.

Toni Marteney, thank you for starting the Bruce Cameron fan club in Hawaii. When are you going to fly me out for a meeting?

Tucker, you’re a good dog.

Ted and Evie Michon created one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen: Cathryn Michon.

Cathryn, you know how much of you is in everything I write. Your love gives me purpose, it is a gift, it makes me treasure the journey.

BY W. BRUCE CAMERON

A Dog’s Purpose

Emory’s Gift

8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter

How to Remodel a Man

8 Simple Rules for Marrying My Daughter

A
BOUT
THE
A
UTHOR

W. BRUCE CAMERON is the
New York Times
bestselling author of
A Dog’s Purpose
and
8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter,
which was turned into the hit ABC television series. He has twice received the National Society of Newspaper Columnist’s Award for Best Humor Columnist. He lives in California. Visit him on the Web at
www.brucecameron.com
.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

A DOG’S JOURNEY

Copyright © 2012 by W. Bruce Cameron

All rights reserved.

A Forge Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

www.tor-forge.com

Forge
®
is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

e-ISBN 9781429992855

First Edition: May 2012