12 Comments
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Sara K. Orr's avatar

This is such exciting news and I can't wait to pre-order!! I also appreciate your vulnerability about all the feels we have as writers / humans. Sometimes staring at flowerbeds is all we can do to get back to our centers and KEEP GOING. Congratulations!!

Haley Young's avatar

Thank you thank you Sara!! I am so glad you relate to the flowerbed staring, as well. It really is a constant ebb and flow of feelings and trust!

Carl Camembert Henn's avatar

Congratulations on finishing your first book! If you are too busy the next time an IP Project comes up, let me know. I may be able to help out. LOL. What an amazing experience you had.

Haley Young's avatar

Ha! I'd definitely do another if the opportunity arose. I was very happy with how it went overall!

KL's avatar

Exciting! I cannot wait to read it!

Haley Young's avatar

Ahhh I can’t wait for it to be in actual bookstores and real people’s hands!!

Zanna's avatar

So proud of you!

Haley Young's avatar

Thank you thank you thank you my friend!!

Alix's avatar

Congratulations, that's a huge deal that publisher reached directly out to you! This looks like such a fun and cute book (I'm, of course, partial to the sample page obviously). I love the combination of an educational book and journal! Like you, I've also dreamed of always writing some sort of dog book myself. I've only recently had the a-ha moment of my the ideas taking a final shape into something that makes sense that feels exciting to work on , but I still also struggle with realizing that I also can offer written value to the world. But then I try to remember that even published authors feel this way, so I can either go forth and try, or not. It's still hard though. Best of luck to you, especially with life always throwing curve balls!

Haley Young's avatar

Thank you so, so much, Alix! I've definitely felt all sorts of imposter-y feelings since I left my full-time job to pursue writing—especially pet-specific writing, because although it's such an important topic to me I do understand it can often feel... frivolous? privileged? in the larger scheme of our current world—and having a publisher find my work and want to hire me because of it really did mean the world. It came at a time where I was particularly down about the ebbs and flow of freelance stuff.

I would be SO excited to read absolutely anything you write. I loved your last post about Buster especially and related to it deeply. He is so lucky to have you—and the rest of us are, truly, lucky for the chance to read your words! Cheering hard for you here.

Alix's avatar

This is so nice and thoughtful and motivational, thank you so much! 🥹

Jackie's avatar

Is it ready for pre-order? Some reason I can find your book on Walmart as a preorder already. I am excited to begin this adventure with Shadow!