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Synopsis
Bestselling and award-winning author Allen Paul has created an endearing character in Honey, a swamp dog who gets rescued at the moment she's about to get shot. Taken to live at Banbury Cross Farm with other rescued Dixie Dingos, her quick cuts and darting turns soon draw notice; she's then trained for agility championships, the most popular of all canine sports. From the start, Honey forms a deep bond with Miss Jane, who saved her in the nick of time. Her trainer is Ace, a worldly wise black man who manages the farm's kennel. Honey forms another deep bond with Miss Jane's partner, Mr. Billy, a skilled horseman who delights Honey by quoting famous rhymes.
The story is told by Honey in a charming southern voice. She's just turned one (equal to a 10-year-old girl or boy) when the story begins. At its center is a haunting mystery: Why are swamp critters turning up dead with a wild look in the eye? Many believe a big coyote named Geronimo scares them to death. When two dead dingo pups are found, Honey becomes convinced that her pack, which is still in the swamp, could be next. Somehow she has to get them out. The plot thickens when several small pets get killed in the nearby town. Rewards are posted and a group led by the trapper Topper Guy, who nearly shot Honey, head for the swamp. Twelve innocent dingos mistaken for coyotes get shot. Miss Jane confronts Topper Guy and demands that the killings stop. The upshot is a high stakes bet: Topper Guy wagers his guns against Miss Jane's favorite horse that Honey won't win at the Sportsman's Championship. How Honey fares in that contest, and how the mystery killer gets caught, make for a thrilling read that kids at heart of all ages will love.
In the end, Honey learns an unforgettable lesson that her pack, which now includes humans, comes first. Based on a true story, this book will appeal to middle grade readers and adults. On
July 17, 2013 a front-page article in the New York Times cited new genetic evidence suggesting that the Dixie Dingo (registered as the Carolina Dog) is the oldest breed in North America, predating European settlement by many centuries. They were Native American camp dogs but are not related to the Australian dingos. Many Dixie Dingos still live in southern swamps. With their antenna-like ears and muscular build, their look is quite distinctive. Dixie Dingos are excellent pets who form deep bonds with humans.
10 Random Things about your College Years:
1. Started
off as a terrible student
2. Focused
initially on playing basketball
3. After
getting cut by the team I left school
4. Got
married during my last year of college
5. My
wife and I had a daughter at mid-semester of my senior year
6. Supported
the family with a newspaper route of 350 papers
7. Developed
a great love for English literature
8. Began
to think for the first time that I might have writing talent
9. Made
excellent grades by last two years of college
10. Lived
off campus my last two years
My Review
Honey the Dixie Dingo is an amazing story told by Honey's point of view. Based on a true story, ride this adventure in the mind of a breed of dog that knows deep down in her soul that she is more than a ditch dog.
Honey, with her pack, lives deep in the swamp. Survival instincts are a must, and with teamwork, the pack thrives. Until one day, Honey makes a mistake and gets captured by unruly men who don't have good intensions. Honey's life will change forever, but not as much as she changes the lives of those who walk into her life.
I am a dog lover, never thought I would be, but I am. So I instantly connected with Honey's story. I learned a TON about a breed of dog that was nearly extinct. Who would of thought? Not only do you learn about this incredible breed, it is a story of survival, loyalty, and determination. History, a mystery, and love...all thrown into the mix, creates an amazing story for all to enjoy. I just wish my children were young enough to sit down and read this story together!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Allen began his career as a reporter with the Associated Press in Raleigh, NC. Later, he wrote speeches in Washington for a congressional committee chairman, a member of the president’s cabinet and the chairman of one presidential campaign. He was in Poland gathering material for his first book when the Berlin Wall fell. That book – Katyn: Stalin’s Massacre and the Triumph of Truth – became a bestseller in Eastern Europe. It earned warm praised from the New York Times, the Washington Post, New York Review of Books and many other media outlets.
He was a Fulbright Fellow in Poland in 2010-11 and collected material there for a novel based on a daring mission of the Polish underground at the end of World War Two. It will be published in 2015.
His first book for younger readers (middle grade) was inspired by his own dog, Honey, whose breed – the Dixie Dingo – is probably the oldest in North America.
Allen holds a B.A. degree in English with a minor in History from Guilford College, and a Masters of International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University. He and his wife, Betsy, live in Raleigh and have two grown children.
--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
1 Winner will receive a Signed Copy of Honey the Dixie Dingo Dog: Champion of the Strays by Allen Paul.
1 Winner will receive a $20.00 Amazon Gift Card.
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