Hi, Everyone!
Welcome to Wanda Luthman’s Christian & Children’s Book Blog.
Today, I have an author who has shared one of her books with us before. I met her at a local Book Event and that’s how I came to know her and her first book, Buddy the Beagle on Blueberry Street.
She’s here today to tell you about her 3rd book in the series about Buddy the Beagle.
Meet Debbie Burton, author of Truckload of Trouble, book 3 of the Tails of Blueberry Street series.
Thank you, Wanda, for the opportunity to once again connect with your audience. My third children’s book, Truckload of Trouble, was released by Elk Lake Publishing in June of 2022.
This early reader chapter book entertains children and also teaches valuable lessons in friendship, trust, and forgiveness.
Truckload of Trouble begins with a birthday party for Buddy the Beagle. With all of his doggy friends around, Buddy’s life seems perfect. After the party, Buddy’s feelings of contentment wane when his owner, Henry, takes in a stray Australian cattle dog. Henry names the stray Jack and admires his blue-gray fur and athletic ability. During the next several days Henry gives Jack his full attention. Buddy becomes jealous of Jack and feels left out. After the two dogs argue, Jack runs away. Buddy feels guilty about the argument and joins Jack on an escapade beyond the safety of his backyard.
Like the other two books in the Tails of Blueberry Street series, Truckload of Trouble is told from Buddy the Beagle’s point of view. The first book, Buddy the Beagle on Blueberry Street, introduces the character of Buddy, and shares his struggle to recover from a back injury which affects his ability to walk. The second book, Return to Blueberry Street is a mystery. Buddy leads his canine companions on a mission to track down the bandit who stole their dog treats. All of my books feature Buddy’s rival, a Doberman named Blitz, who is twice Buddy’s size. Blitz bullies Buddy for his mobility issues and makes the little beagle doubt himself. Their relationship teaches children to empathize with people who are different. All of my books are perfect for classroom read-a-louds and include questions for discussion.
The Tails of Blueberry Street series was inspired by actual experiences with our special-needs beagle. My idea for Truckload of Trouble evolved during the Coronavirus pandemic. My husband and I stayed home so much, our beagle (who is named Buddy) became accustomed to always having us in the house. Later, Buddy developed separation anxiety. Our neighbors told us Buddy howled whenever we left him alone at home. Friends suggested maybe Buddy would improve if we adopted another dog. This idea stirred my imagination to wonder how life might be if we had two dogs. Caring for any pet, especially a special-needs pet like Buddy, is a big responsibility. So for the time being we remain a one-dog family.
I am a retired elementary teacher turned author. For the majority of my life I’ve worked with children, but never thought I would write for them. My husband encouraged me to write a children’s book in 2015. Since I love poetry, we both envisioned a rhyming picture book. After meeting with editors and agents at conferences, I discovered publishers were more interested in early reader chapter books. At first, I thought creating a chapter book would be impossible. What could I write about? Then I thought about Buddy, who really did experience most of the events I describe in the first book.
As a member of Word Weavers International, every month I met with members of the Orlando chapter. My critique group helped me draft my first manuscript. Eventually, I submitted Buddy the Beagle on Blueberry Street to Stewart Editing Services and together we polished the work. In 2018, I met Deb Haggerty, Editor in Chief of Elk Lake Publishing, at a Florida Christian Writers Conference. She loved my manuscript and offered me a contract. Since then, Elk Lake has published two more books in the series. I am represented by Michelle Lazurek of WordWise Media Services.
Here is a statement from one reviewer of Truckload of Trouble:
“Five Stars! An insightful, entertaining, and highly recommended read for all ages.”
—Melinda Facal, Reader’s Favorite
Links:
Amazon: Truckload of Trouble
Buddy the Beagle on Blueberry Street
Return to Blueberry Street
Barnes and Noble: Truckload of Trouble
Buddy the Beagle on Blueberry Street
Return to Blueberry Street
Website: https://debbieburton.blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buddyfanclub
Instagram: https://debbieburtonwrites
Twitter: https://twitter.com/debbie_j_burton
Elk Lake Publishing Inc. https://www.elklakepublishinginc.com/debbie-burton/
Email: debbieburton@ymail.com
Thank you, Debbie, for being here today and sharing with us about your newest book in your series! I love dogs and Buddy is one of my favorites!
Thank you, my loyal blog readers, for joining us today. Hopefully, you’ll pick up Debbie’s newest book and fall in love with Buddy as I have and purchase all of the books in the series.
As always, likes, comments, and shares are appreciate.
Stay safe, everyone
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