About Peggy Race:
Peggy Race, is a Wisconsin-based children’s book author, literary memoir writer, and avid dog lover with a vision to create a better world for our canine companions.
To date, she has completed various dog handling workshops, was an intern in Dog Town at Best Friends Animal Society and has spent her time volunteering for numerous other esteemed organizations. Peggy has dabbled in dog sports, competing in agility and taking nosework classes. Currently, Peggy serves as a volunteer for Bailing Out Benji, an organization which raises awareness of and educates about puppy mills and their connection to pet stores.
Peggy shares her home with three fun-loving dogs. Desiree, a rescue from Hurricane Katrina, Faith, a ball herding border collie and Deputy, a cocker spaniel mix; the inspiration behind “Deputy Paws and the Puppy Mill Cause.”
What inspires you to write?
I have shared a fascinating journey with a Hurricane Katrina rescue dog who set me on the path to writing a memoir. As part of that journey, I became an advocate for dogs and began educating others about puppy mills and their connection to pet stores. After adopting Deputy, a surrender from a Kansas puppy mill, I felt it was important to share his message with children. I believe they are the future to bringing about a more humane world.
Tell us about your writing process.
The Deputy Paws book was written on a whim. I was finishing the first draft of my memoir when the idea for this children's book started swirling around.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Since my books character was inspired by my rescue dog and each paragraph is written as a rhyme, I often found myself sharing the verses over and over with him.
What advice would you give other writers?
Follow your heart. If you believe you have a story to tell, then put pen to paper. We all have unique gifts and sharing that with others is a great opportunity to make a difference in this world. I have found that participating in a writing group in which your work is critiqued is very valuable.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I opted to self-publish the Deputy Paws book as I wanted full control over the illustrations and the way the book is marketed. Since I volunteer with an organization which educates about puppy mills, I believed I would have the support of my niche industry to help sell the book. I am planning to submit my memoir to a publisher. I look forward to experiencing both forms of publication and the pros/cons of both.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I believe that the various genre's will fair differently in this age where digital books are becoming the norm. The cost to create and publish a fully illustrated children's book comes with a greater cost than a book without illustrations. As we turn from paperback to ebooks, it will take more ebook sales to bring in the royalties to make a fair wage. I think we may see the day in which paperback/hardcover books are published for libraries and perhaps schools but ebooks will become the staple in the home environment.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?: Children, Literary Memoir
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Peggy Race Home Page Link
Link To Peggy Race Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
