We are one month away from my next book, “Saving Simon: How A Rescue Donkey Taught Me The Meaning Of Compassion.” As always, the book will be offered for sale by Battenkill Books, my local bookstore. I will do a reading there, on publication date, October 7. Tomorrow, we are ordering 2,000 signed postcards with a photo of Simon and a signature by me to go to the first 2,000 people who pre-order or order a copy of the book through Battenkill Books, my local bookstore.  You can also call the store at 518 677-2515 or e-mail your order to [email protected].

You can support my work, of course, and also support a wonderful independent bookstore with a dedicated, professional and wonderful staff. People love dealing with them, they are incredibly nice and efficient. In addition to the postcards we will be giving away some potholders, free bags of dog food and some of my notecards. We have a limited number of these things to offer, every person who buys a book will not get a potholder or a notecard or bag of dog food, but they will get a signed postcards. These give-a-ways are now an essential part of marketing books, they work. I am happy to offer them.

The postcards – each showing a photo of Simon taken by me –  will be sent to buyers along with a signed and personalized book. “Saving Simon” recounts Simon’s rescue from a farm where he lay grievously ill, was nursed back to health and shared and shaped our adventures at Bedlam Farm, including the awful period where refused to accept Rocky, our blind pony, into his pack.

I will sign and personalize all copies of books purchased through Battenkill, they ship anywhere in the world and they take Paypal. This year, I am seeking to sell 2,000 books at Battenkill by Christmas, I am certain we will do it. Simon will be with me as I sign books at the farm and at Battenkill on Columbus Day Weekend, the weekend of the Second Bedlam Farm Open House (details on Maria’s website events page.)