Astro’s answers to my quickie questions:
Ice Tea or Lemonade:
I’m not allowed to
drink ice tea or lemonade. I prefer to drink crisp clean water collected from
rippling, babbling brooks set in the highest mountains. But tap water’s fine
too.
Lake or Ocean:
As a dog I prefer the
ocean – it’s a wave thing. I know there are waves on some larger lakes but
let’s face it, nothing beats the running in and out, in and out, in and out
biting waves! That’s awesome!
Sandals or Flip
Flops:
I’m easy when it
comes to footwear. I like to chew them all. Some sandals offer a bit more of a
challenge – removing the straps and not choking on the buckles but then flip
flops are so, so chewy. I can’t decide!
Sit in the Shadow of
a Tree or on the porch:
As a very furry hound
I prefer to lounge about under the shadow of a tree. This also gives me every
opportunity to chase the cat whenever possible.
Ball cap or Floppy
hat:
See footwear – I like
to chew them all!
Here is the blurb to Astro’s first book (there are 7
altogether):
A secret
organisation exists without detection and operates right under our very noses.
Its sole purpose is to save dogs from neglect. It is manned by a tunnel digging
terrier who carries a diamond encrusted nail file. A large dog for which the
complexities of door handles are a complete mystery and who, instead, opens
everything with his head. As well as, a commando, khaki wearing Blue heeler who
is armed with a hunting bone and a smell grenade. And that’s just to name a
few!
In The Great Escape, we meet Astro,
possibly one of the most spoilt dogs in the world. He calls on this secret
organisation to save him from what he falsely assumes is imprisonment and
neglect.
When Commander
Rocky, head of The Organisation, finds out that Astro is not telling the truth
he decides to teach him a lesson. Rocky takes Astro to the one place all dogs
dread, The Check Out!
However, things
don’t go to plan and Commander Rocky learns that below the shallow exterior of
a grey shaggy dog is a brave, kind hearted hero.
A hero called
Astro.
500 word excerpt:
The Great Escape
Commander Rocky and Astro came out of the tunnel into the bright
sunlight. Commander Rocky pushed Astro towards the office but Astro didn’t want
to go.
“Look,” Astro whispered, “I think there’s been some sort of mistake. I’m
a house dog. I live in a warm house with my own bed and food bowl. My owner
wipes my feet when they’re wet and takes me for a walk every day. I mean I’m
not really cut out for this type of thing.…”
Commander Rocky put his paw over Astro’s mouth, “If you want to return
to your precious home, then I’d keep quiet if I were you and do as you’re
told.”
Astro was silenced. He was very frightened.
The warden came around the corner with an old brown dog. Commander Rocky
and Astro ducked behind a building and waited for them to pass.
“Where’s he taking that old dog?” whispered Astro.
“I’ll show you,” answered Commander Rocky and he trotted in the opposite
direction.
He led Astro around the corner of an old building and then slipped in
between a cyclone wire gate and a post. Astro followed but he was very scared.
It was very dark inside the cell block. This shocking place smelt of strong
disinfectant but there was another smell which was even more awful than Alfie:
The smell of fear and despair. It took several seconds before their eyes
adjusted to the dim light but when it did both dogs gasped at the horror of
what lay before them.
“What is this place?” choked Astro.
He stared into long cages where shadows lay on concrete floors. Some
trembled and others were as still as stone.
“Are they dead?” asked Astro.
“Not yet,” whispered Commander Rocky. “All the dogs in this building
will be gone soon.” He gritted his answer between clenched teeth; he was so
angry.
“All good dogs: some old and some young. This is how some humans deal
with the problems they have with their dogs. If the dog chews the furniture
because he’s bored; if he barks too much because he’s lonely; if he bites
because he’s tired or scared or hungry, he can end up in here. It’s not fair
and it makes my blood boil.”
Astro walked from cage to cage. He could see small dogs, white dogs,
black dogs and a young puppy who was chasing his tail around and around and
around but he wasn’t doing it for fun, he just couldn’t stop himself. All the
dogs were different but they all had one thing in common. Their eyes were
hollow and sad. They didn’t understand why they were in this dreadful place but
they knew that their lives were doomed forever.
Astro gulped and nodded. He leaned closer to Commander Rocky and
whispered, “But I’ve chewed up the furniture and I was so lonely once I chewed
through the plug on the washing machine. I even peed on the rug every night for
a week. My owner got angry but she wouldn’t send me here; she wouldn’t.”
Commander Rocky turned and looked at Astro. His eyes widened. He curled
his lip.
“No, she wouldn’t Astro and that’s why I brought you here. You are a
spoilt dog. Your owner gives you everything and looks after you better than
most dogs. Look at these faces, Astro; do you think these dogs would complain
if they had an owner like yours?”
Astro’s eyes began to well up with tears. He bit his lip.
Commander Rocky turned his head and wiped his eyes too. He cleared his
throat. “Come on,” he ordered, “Let’s go.”
Astro stood still and turned and watched Commander Rocky walking away.
“Wait! We can’t leave them here. It’s not fair!” he cried.
“There’s nothing we can do for them,” Commander Rocky sighed. “The
humans are too strong. They will catch us too, Astro, and then we won’t be able
to help other dogs. The other Operatives are waiting for us.”
“I’m not going!” yelled Astro and he ran to each of the cages. “Don’t
worry; I’ll get you out of here.”
He ran to the next cage, “Leave it to me.”
And the next cage, “I’ll help you.”
The dogs in the cages began to murmur and move forward. Commander Rocky
shook his head and barked, “Come on, Astro, there’s nothing we can do!”
Then he heard a terrible bang. Commander Rocky leaned forward in the dim
light to see what Astro was doing.
Astro was throwing himself at the cage doors and grabbing them in his
paws and shaking them. Commander Rocky went to stop him, but when the first
door flew off its hinges he realised that Astro might be on to something. He
yelled to the others, “Send in the troops, we’re staging a break out!!”
Buy links:
Smashwords
(ebooks): https://www.smashwords.com/books/byseries/4603
Print books: http://www.astrosadventures.com
Short bio:
Astro is a six
year old shaggy dog. He was purchased from a pet store and has been pretty much
spoilt rotten ever since. He knows that there are many unfortunate dogs in the
world that are not as lucky as he is and so the idea for The Great Escape
began. Astro likes to eat, run, carry a towel around the house and bark
incessantly at nothing in particular. In short, he is a normal dog.
Susan Day – who
does not own Astro but does many of the other dogs in the Astro Adventures
series - is passionate about children's literature and wants to inspire
children to follow their dreams. She created the Astro’s Adventures series and
is currently preparing for publication the seventh book, Neptune’s Trident.
Susan shares her home with dogs, in particular, Rocky, Stella, Alfie and
Digger, two rescue guinea pigs, two bossy cats and a very patient husband.
Social media links:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/astrosadventures
Thanks for sharing,
Tina
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