Trauma through the eyes of a dog: Jennifer Wilson's new book, THE DOG, sheds light on animal abuse

My daughter, Jennifer Wilson, recently wrote a story that really had an impact on me. I was so moved by her story that I definitely wanted to publish it for her. Her new book, THE DOG, is told from the point-of-view of a family pet treated cruelly by his owner's mother. It really hit home just what animal abuse and negligence can do to a furry friend. I hope this story will have that effect on other people who read it.

Below is my interview with Jennifer.

Congratulations on your new book, The Dog! It has been a while since your last book, The Missing Hat, came out. What have you been up to all this time?

Well not much really. Just working on my art, hanging with friends, going to school. The usual teenage stuff. :D

What can you tell me about The Dog?

The Dog was a story I had to rewrite many times! It was pretty annoying; the ending just never turned out right, it seemed.

Your story sounds like something that can happen in real life. Are your stories inspired by real life? How do you make them different than what really happens?

Usually, its realistic fiction. This one is based off a neglected dog I know of. That’s why the dog is a Husky with blue eyes, just like the dog I know of.

What kind of message do you hope that The Dog will send to readers?

I hope this will show people how important all animals, not just dogs, really are. And how horrible animal abuse and negligence is.

At the beginning of the book, you warn that it’s not a story meant for children to read. Did you feel nervous about writing a story that contained disturbing material?

Yes, VERY nervous. Mostly because of how my family, like aunts and uncles and cousins, would react when their supposed (lol, fail) little girl actually could come up with some pretty gory, horrific and traumatizing material. (Seriously, I have a weird mind.)

Why does the dog in your story not have a name? Were you trying to convey that he was not important enough to name?

I wanted to express how the family barely even cared about him, except for Abbey. But only Abbey ever called the dog by his name, while everyone else just called him The Dog. He was supposed to be confused of that, and just went with the one the authority called him, which would be “The Dog.”

Is there going to be a Part 2 of this story?

Yes. I have a few ideas for part two.

What can we expect to see from you next?

Well, I'm not sure. I'm currently working on Illustrations for a new book by Dawn Colclasure, so that would probably be the next you see of me.

Blurb: 
A Husky pup is rescued from the cages of an animal shelter, only to be brought into a home where he is cruelly treated by the woman of the house, Marian. But "The Dog" has won the heart of the young girl Abbey, and together they formulate a plan of freedom for both of them.

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