.jpg "The Rescue (Carolyn Reardon-Neuman)")
The Rescue is a 55,000 word memoir that chronicles, with a dose of humor, the experience of rescuing a dog who was close to death. This particular dog returned the favor and was pivotal in rescuing the Author, a year later, from the very same condition after a diagnosis of breast cancer. The Rescue was written for dog lovers, cancer patients and the suffering parents of teenagers.
The Book has been self-published via Amazon KDP and is available as eBook. (123 pages - released in June 2013)
About the Book
The Rescue is the true story of the bond that developed between a woman and the dog her family rescued. The act of rescuing this particular dog provided the author with a profound and unexpected gift... her rescue turned out to be her rescuer. Recounted with lots of humor, The Rescue takes a close look at the seemingly ordinary events that take on extraordinary meaning in times of crisis.
The Rescue gives a glimpse of the daily lives of an ordinary, if bickering, family dealing with what is becoming the increasingly ordinary disease of breast cancer. The Author knew the doctors, the hospitals and poisonous treatments would most likely cure her physical illness, but she was left floundering for ways to cure her tortured state of mind. This book relates the instances when joy was unexpectedly present, where carefully hidden humor could be found, and where the Author found the unlikeliest hero.
.jpg "The Rescue (Carolyn Reardon-Neuman)") |
| Click to Read an Excerpt |
Reviews (Excerpts)
- "This life-affirming book is a must read for anyone who has ever loved a dog, raised a child, or been affected by cancer.
You will laugh, and you will cry. You will fall in love with a rescue dog, and be inspired by his grateful owner who with honesty, humor, and incredible wisdom triumphs in her battle with breast cancer.
This book will leave you with a renewed appreciation for your family, your friends, the simple pleasures in life...and of course, your dog." - Robin C. McGrath
- "The Rescue is a wonderful story of a rescue dog and his owner...and how their presence in each other's lives "saved" the other. Without giving away too much of the story...Poe (the rescued border collie/sheltie mix) is a dog very much in need of rescuing from the shelter, where he is unhealthy, scared and near death. The Neuman family take Poe home, where he ultimately "rescues" them in many ways. This true story is told with humor, honesty and is completely heart-warming. You will fall in love with both a rescue dog and his amazing owner, who, ultimately, triumphs in her battle with breast cancer. I laughed out loud and cried as well. This book is a must read for all dog lovers!" - Nancy L.
- "I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I found myself comparing some of her experiences with my own. Her humor was a nice addition and when writing about her dog, I felt that she has seen a glimpse of my own." - Dee
- "What a wonderful and inspiring story. Dogs are the most intelligent and loving companions. They bring so much joy to our lives. Thank you for sharing your struggle and triumph over cancer." - David
About the Author
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| Carolyn Reardon-Neuman |
Although she has been writing for her entire professional life, The Rescue is Reardon-Neuman's debut as an author. Her first concept of this book was to simply share funny anecdotes about her pets. After receiving life changing news, the story's focus shifted to the prominent role a beloved pet can play in our lives.
The Author: "I was living a life of middle class bliss on Cape Cod. I was happily married, had a daughter, who at that preteen time was an absolute joy, ran a successful graphic design business from my home, had 3 entertaining cats – all we needed to complete this picture of a typical American family was a dog. You would have thought it would be easy to choose a dog, but we are a family of bickerers, and by necessity, negotiators. It took us over a year to “negotiate” the dog that would join our family, but when my family chose to rescue Poe, Border Collie/Shellie shelter dog, we changed the course of our lives, mine in particular. The Poe we rescued was sick, starving, frightened and a just a wee bit weird, soothed only by Gospel music. Months of regular walking and jogging, healthy food, affection and love eventually brought him around to a breathtakingly handsome canine specimen who was still a bit weird and now, very intense about his dog responsibilities, which included; herding the cats around the coffee table; taking our daughter down by the seat of her pants when it looked like she may stray from the pack of her father and me; and protecting me from any real (creepy guy at the dog park) or imagined (UPS guy trying to deliver a package) threat. Poe became an integral part of our family, and my new best friend. We walked, we jogged, we made friends with other dogs and their walkers– it was all good. I was living a dream. I was also raised Catholic. I should have known better.
In the middle of all this joy and happiness (marred only by my teenage daughter’s fascination with people, places and activities that would make any mother cringe and that we hoped sending her, kicking and screaming, to a Catholic school would cure), I discovered a lump on my breast. Unable to convince myself that I had pulled a breast muscle while jogging, a trip to the doctor confirmed my worst fears of breast cancer and began what the cancer professionals refer to as a “challenging journey.” Dealing with the “booby prize’ of breast cancer was indeed challenging, but my new best friend, Poe, and the people he brought into our lives proved to be literal life savers for me. As my treatment progressed, and my condition worsened, the routines I had developed to bring a sick and frightened Poe to good health were now used to bring a sick and frightened me back to good health. A daily walk now that jogging was out of the question, or time spent with our doggie friends and their keepers, or a gentle gesture of affection like sharing a breakfast, these were the tricks that my rescue dog Poe used to rescue me."
Links to the Author and the Book
Connect with the Author via eMail: reardonneuman@gmail.com
Connect with the Author on Twitter: @CRNeuman
Link to the eBook The Rescue with Excerpt on Amazon
