Day: September 19, 2011

The book tour has erupted with a vengeance. A week to go, but interviews start tomorrow at 8 a.m. Here goes.I am very happy to see the return of the Daily Egg. Meg churned another one out today, much clucking from Winston. The trick to photographing the egg, I think, it is to treat this simple, symmetrical jewel as a treasure, as a diamond and give it some respect. So I took the very old inkwell we found out in the woods and put the egg in it. Waiting for the sun to hit the big barn in the afternoon. I like it. You can see Bedlam Farm egg notecards at the Redux Gallery and buy them online. Marilyn Brook’s reading of an excerpt from “Going Home” has been re-sked for 9 am. Wed. Have to go re-record it tomorrow, as the noise was too great.

Reminder: For signed and personalized copies of “Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die,” call Connie Brooks at the Battenkill Bookstore, 518 677 2515 or e-mail her at [email protected]. This is my local bookstore and a very good one. Connie is also selling signed copies of the “Going Home” video for $5 plus tax and shipping.

Winston is a great photographic subject for me. I love the way the light catches him, and he is all about vigilance, posture and attention. He is growing on me, and Maria seems to have intimidated him for the moment. She can do that.

A famous photographer liked my early photos and e-mailed me this message. “When you take a photo of an animal, go for the eyes. That’s where all the emotion is.” Donkeys are hard to photograph, but I got this shot of Simon with a 180 mm lens while lying beneath him on the ground. When you have chickens, always look where you sit on the ground before you sit on the ground. But I got the shot I wanted.

“Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die” will be published a week from tomorrow, September 27, and I awoke this morning to see this wonderful and gratifying review of the book. The reviews so far have been lovely, and I appreciate them. Great reviews are certainly sweeter than bad ones, and it’s a great way to start the week.  I wanted to share this one with you, as many of you have been on this journey with me for a long time, and you know as well as I do that this book is about many things, and shares the experience of grieving for many things.

“Leave it to prolific author Katz to write this beautiful, heartrending book about saying goodbye to a loved pet. Katz draws from personal experience to discuss the difficulties of deciding to put a pet down, dealing with the guilt, and  honoring that pet’s legacy. He offers special prayers and rituals for helping children grieve the loss of a pet. Best, he speaks of the one-of-a-kind relationship people have with their pets and sees animals as free of the conflict, drama and disappointment that seem to taint human relationships. Katz addresses a need, and he does it beautifully. Bring tissues.”

— Library Journal

“Going Home” is for sale everywhere books are sold, online and in stores. To pre-order a signed, personalized copy and support a very worthy independent bookstore, call Connie Brooks at Battenkill Books  518 677-2515. She is also offering the “Going Home” video for $5 plus tax and shipping, with or without a purchase of the book. You can call her or e-mail the bookstore at [email protected]