Q&A with Colin Campbell, author of "Free Days With George"

Hi everyone! Today I come to you with a special post - the first of its kind on this blog! - an author Q&A. I got a chance to ask Colin Campbell, author of "Free Days With George," a few questions about dogs, writing, and the exciting things that have come with writing this book.

Up to this point, what's been your favourite thing about writing and promoting "Free Days with George”?  

What a great question! There have been so many positive things that have happened since I started writing and promoting the book. I have met so many wonderful people at my publishers, I have learned a ton about the art of writing and the editorial process, and I have loved connecting the dots of my childhood memories of my Gandfather and how they still have a positive impact on my life today. The best thing however is that I will be able to leave a legacy for George, and his impact on my life, but also the way he has touched the lives of everyone he has met over the years. His story is worth telling and reading, and I am thrilled that George’s personality will live on through this book. 

What was the hardest thing about writing your memoir? What was the funnest?

The hardest thing about writing the book was having to articulate the feeling of depression I had carried with me in the early parts of the book, that was difficult to write and it took a long time. The funnest (great word!) was writing about how George started to heal emotionally and the early signs that this big neglected dog possessed a warm and vibrant personality that no one had seen or imagined. Writing those parts went quickly! 

Did you learn anything from writing this book? 

So much..!! I was fortunate to have one of the best editors in Canada in Nita Pronovost, who was the perfect mentor in keeping the story focused on the important details and how to give George, the dog, a “voice.”  I learned better mechanics of writing, I learned to "show, don’t tell” in my writing style and I also learned that it was ok to let some of my biggest fears and secrets be shared within the book. It was an eye opening and wonderful experience at many different levels.

Do you have any writing quirks? For example, I once read a Dan Brown interview where he said he liked to use gravity boots for inspiration.

Ha Ha..!! No, nothing like that.  The only thing that some people might think is quirky is that I discovered that I like to write on airplanes. I wrote a lot of the book while traveling for work. I had a busy job, with frequent travel, and had to squeeze writing time in where, and when, I could. For some reason, I felt a great deal of clarity and creativity on airplanes and wrote some of my best passages while flying. I love to write on airplanes and still open my laptop and write anytime I am on an airplane. 

Is there a particular message you hope your readers take from this book?

I hope people will take away two things; 1. I hope people will recognize that abandoned or homeless dogs found in thousands of shelters across North America can make wonderful pets. They are not “damaged goods” like so many people assume. These dogs are all capable of great love and have many hidden talents, like surfing, that adopters will be surprised to find if they share their home and love with a shelter dog. 2. I hope people will embrace the concept of “Free Days” and make an effort to seek them out and recognize them with their own families and friends (or dogs!) 

George is a very talented dog, having competed in multiple surfing competitions. Have you ever been surprised by other talented dogs? If so, what's one of your favourite talents?

I think all dogs, like people, have talent, or at least hidden talent. It’s just a matter of opportunity and encouragement. The internet is filled with videos of dogs doing crazy things like riding skateboards, skipping rope and even driving a car. (seriously) My favorite talent though are those dogs who go to Children’s hospitals or Seniors homes and share their love and gentleness with people who can really use it and cherish it. These dogs are selfless, something that not all of us people can do. That is my favorite talent of dogs. 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Colin, and best of luck with Free Days With George!

You can read my review of the book here, and check out my recap of the book launch here!

What's your favourite dog talent?

Colin Campbell's "Free Days With George" Book Launch at Ben McNally Books | Event Recap

Hi everyone! Today I want to share with you about the book launch for Colin Campbell's Free Days With George.

From the moment George walked into the store, he was so comfortable walking around and greeting everyone as he investigated his surroundings. Eventually, he settled on his favourite spot: the food table.

George hangin' around his favourite spot

Christine and I spent most of the night following George around because we're huge animal lovers and George is a beautiful, sweet, fluffy big dog.

Colin giving a moving speech 

At one point during the night, Colin gave a very heartfelt speech about what this book means to him. He also thanked a few people who mean a lot to him and have helped him throughout the creation of this book. I definitely teared up.

The beautiful cake

When we met Colin, he greeted us by saying "the bloggers!" and he seemed genuinely excited to meet us, which was definitely a really cool moment for me!

Colin cutting the cake

There was a moment during Colin's speech when he called George; George ran over and smothered Colin in kisses. It was so sweet, and was probably my favourite moment of the night because it's a testament to the bond they share. Seeing them interact, it's so clear that they've had a wonderful effect on each other.

I'm genuinely happy for Colin and George, and I wish both of them the best of luck with Free Days With George!

You can read my review of Free Days With George & enter the giveaway here, and read my Q&A with Colin Campbell here.

Book Review & Giveaway: "Free Days with George" by Colin Campbell

"Free Days With George" by Colin Campbell

When Colin Campbell returned home from a business trip one day, his wife, the love of his life, announced that she was leaving him. In order to help him get through the divorce, Colin's friend suggested he adopt a dog. After much deliberation, Colin decided to adopt George, a 140-pound Landseer Newfoundland. This is the true story of how their love helped and changed them both for the better.

Early on in the book, Colin explains the notion of a "free day." When he and his brother were younger, their grandfather would encourage them to spend days doing things they loved with the people they loved. On those days, they didn't age - it was a free day.

I think that's such a wonderful way of looking at life, because days when you can do that kind of thing are great days. I absolutely love the idea of a free day, and I intend to try and live as many of those as I can.

Colin and George found each other when they needed each other the most; Colin was going through a divorce and George had been abused and abandoned - a big dog who was so full of love, was left not fully trusting people.

It was so sad to read about the way George reacted to people at first - I'm always shocked when I hear that an animal has been abused, I just don't understand how anyone could hurt or even be mean to such loving, caring, sweet creatures.

But it was truly amazing to read about how much George changed and essentially regained his faith in humanity, all by having Colin love him. George is a different dog than when Colin first met him. George changed Colin as well, and it's so clear how much he cares about George and how lucky he feels to have him in his life.

It was a pleasure to read this memoir. Colin is great at writing and storytelling, and I felt like I was there, experiencing George and his big personality. There are so many funny stories about Colin and George's life together.

I found myself experiencing so many different things while reading this - sadness, laughter, appreciation, happiness...there's so much contained within the pages.

It made me think a lot about Rosie, our golden retriever, and how much I appreciate her love. Every time I walk through the front door, she sprints over, her whole behind wagging from side to side with excitement. I love my cats very much, but dogs have a different way of showing their love - they lay it all out in the open and it's an innocent, unconditional love. It's an amazing feeling to have someone always be so incredibly happy to see you - how could I not appreciate or return that love?

This story is the perfect example of how deep human-dog relationships go. By loving each other, Colin and George changed each other for the better. Their life gives you a real appreciation for how much meaning these relationships can have, and how much they can heal.

If you like stories about humans and their animal counterparts, you'll love Free Days With George. You don't even have to be a dog-lover, although it's hard not to fall in love with George after reading this.

Free Days with George is now available in hardcover (see Chapters/Indigo and Amazon) and as an eBook (see Kobo).

Check out my recap of the Free Days With George book launch here, and my Q&A with Colin Campbell here!
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And now for a giveaway! If you'd like to win a copy of this wonderful book, please enter below. This is a Canada-only giveaway, so I apologize to my international readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

2015 Reading Challenge | Progress Post

A book that made you cry - Free Days With George by Colin Campbell

You can read my review here!

Photo Credit: I added text to the original "book sale loot" by Ginny via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.

Book Haiku! | Bout of Books 13 Challenge

Today's challenge is hosted by Kristina Horner - we get to write a haiku about whatever book we're reading right now!

George. Gentle giant.

Landseer Newfoundland surfs.

Sweet AND talented.

Just in case you don't know, George is a dog! He's a Landseer Newfoundland and on a trip to the beach one day his owner, Colin, realized that George knew how to surf - George has even participated in surfing competitions! You can read all about their life together in Colin Campbell's Free Days with George.

What are you currently reading for Bout of Books? Did you do this challenge?