The Adventures of Zelda: The Four Seasons

Laugh your way through four seasons with Zelda Pug and Peach! 

Zelda the pug is back for her fourth book of adventures with her Boston terrier sister, Peach. Together, Zelda and Peach face the evil vacuum cleaner. Zelda discovers fireflies, and Peach learns to ice skate. But one question remains. Will Peach finally catch a duck?

The Adventures of Zelda: The Four Seasons is now available for sale. Pick up your copy at  Amazon, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Google Play.

For those new to the Zelda series, read the first chapter below! Or you can watch Zelda and Peach pick winners for my pawtographed Zelda book giveaways. Watch Zelda's video here and Peach's here to see how they picked a winner! (The videos are ridiculous, I know. I apologize for my craziness.) The winners were selected from my email list. I give away signed books and gift cards every month, so join my list!

Chapter 1: Vacuum's Return

My sister, Peach, and I stay indoors during the bright hours of the hot summer days. When the light fades in the evening, we play in the backyard or take long walks with our family. But after many dark sleeps of this pattern, I begin to long for days with adventure and nights filled with mysteries to solve. The calm and quiet are not for a pug like me. 

One day I search the house for new toys. In the backyard, I sniff the entire fence looking for traces of squirrels. On our walks, I inspect the light posts, and Peach searches the mailboxes. We find nothing. 

With no adventures in sight, I slip into a pug depression. I wake up only to eat. I can’t help it. I can’t get excited about the same old routine. Peach, on the other hand, is her normal, spunky self. She jumps on my head when I’m sleeping under the blankets, and she tries to play with me. If that doesn’t work, she barks in my ear until I give in. We run laps around the living room or play keep away with a toy or a ball. Usually, Peach riles me enough that I pug sprint through the whole house with her chasing. When I break into pug sprints, I feel joy again. I’m glad Peach forces me off the couch. 

After today’s round of chase, I daydream on the couch about past adventures. I think about the snowman, Squeaks, the skate park, and Vacuum. 

Vacuum!

I haven’t seen Vacuum in a long time. What happened to her? Finally, I have a mystery to solve. 

Peach is sleeping next to me on the couch. I nudge her with my paw. She blinks a few times and then closes her eyes. I push her a little harder. She groans at me. She is a pain to wake up! I bark twice, and with another loud groan, Peach opens her eyes. 

I jump to the floor. After three more groans, Peach hops to the ground. I lead Peach around the house, sniffing each door for signs of Vacuum. Peach follows me, but she is confused. I don’t think she has met Vacuum yet. 

Where could Vacuum be? 

When we hear Ben and Lucy walk through the front door, we sprint down the stairs to greet them. With my tail dancing, I jump in circles around them, licking their hands. 

“Hi, Zelda!” Lucy says. Peach jumps in the air, and her long tongue licks Lucy’s face. 

“Hi, Peach!” She laughs. Ben pets both of us on our head. 

“How was school?” Hannah asks, walking into the living room. Ben and Lucy drop their bags on the floor. Lucy hops on the couch. Peach joins her, giving her more kisses. Ben stoops to pick up a ball. He throws it, and I scurry after it, knowing Peach isn’t far behind. 

The Vacuum mystery is pushed to the back of my mind over the next few days. With the sun no longer burning our backs during the day, Peach and I spend more time outside. Peach chases the birds that fly through the backyard. I watch the leaves swirl in the air, knowing the leaf piles will appear soon. I can’t wait to run and jump in them. 
After a walk with Nate, Ben, and Lucy, Peach and I step into the house. A well-known scent fills my nose. 

She’s back!

I dash through the house. I smell her everywhere, but I don’t see her. I run up the stairs with Peach on my tail. The smell of Vacuum is stronger upstairs. I follow my nose to a door in Hannah and Nate’s room. The door is closed, but she is behind the door. I know it. I scratch at the door, trying to pry it open. Peach barks behind me. She doesn’t know what I am doing or why, but I can’t explain Vacuum without showing her. I bark back. 

“Zelda, Peach, leave it,” Hannah says. She stands in the doorway of her bedroom. I scratch again at the door. 

“Fine,” she says. Hannah walks over to us, opens the door, and then walks away.

Vacuum stands before us. She doesn’t make a sound, but I feel her glare. I lunge for her and bark. Peach sits next to me staring at Vacuum without a trace of fear in her eyes. If Peach only knew …

Over the next few days, I check on Vacuum in the closet. After my walks or any time outside, I sprint up the stairs to the closet. I bark at Vacuum and then run away. Some days, I bark more, hoping to get a reaction, but nothing happens. Peach follows me to Vacuum, but she stops after a few days of the same pattern. I know she thinks I am crazy. 

Several more dark sleeps pass by, and the whole family is home on this day. It’s a warm day, and I notice the breeze flowing through the windows into the house. Hannah lets us outside in the backyard. We run to the back fence and sprint through the yard. While we sprint and tackle each other, I hear a strange noise. I stop and listen. 

Vacuum! 

I bolt for the back door. On my hind legs, I scratch at the door. Peach joins me. I can’t see Vacuum, but the noise is present. I scratch and bark, hoping someone will hear us. 

Finally, Lucy wanders into the kitchen. She sees us at the door and lets us in the house. I scamper in the door and sprint up the stairs. I find Vacuum and Hannah together in Lucy’s room. 

Not Lucy’s room!

I charge at Vacuum. Vacuum backs up, but Hannah is right behind her. I bark and take a nip toward her tube. Hannah and Vacuum move away from me to the other side of the bed. I run after them. 

“ARFFF! ARFFF!” 

Peach is next to me, with her high-pitched bark. She lunges at Vacuum, and I know she gets it. We bark and lunge in unison at Vacuum again and again. 

The noise stops. Peach turns to me. I look up at Vacuum. Hannah stands behind her, shaking her head. 

“Fine. I will put the vacuum away,” she says. She pushes Vacuum back into the closet. Peach and I prance out of the room together. Vacuum is back, but now it’s two against one! 

Sneak Peek Snippet: The Adventures of Zelda: The Four Seasons

I am excited to announce that I sent the fourth Zelda book: The Adventures of Zelda: The Four Seasons to the editor this week. I'm aiming for a summer release, but I haven't nailed down a date yet. 

To celebrate the upcoming release, I'm sharing the first sneak peek into the fourth Zelda book. Here is a good portion of Chapter 2: The Hike. Enjoy!!

Ben shoos me away. Fine. If they don’t want me here, I will find something else to do. I walk away from my family to search the clearing for something fun to do. My nose leads me on a trail to the base of a fallen tree. I know the smell is squirrel. I love squirrels! 

I look at my family talking and eating. Peach sits on the ground beside them, hoping for food. Nobody is paying attention to me, so I leap on the log. I walk on the log further in the air. It leads to a tree. The smell continues up the tree to the branch above me. This tree is huge–the tree reaches high into the sky and its branches are almost as wide as the trunk.

I look up to the next branch. The gap is small. I make it to the branch with a long step. I cross the gap and follow the branch away from the trunk. The scent leaps to the branch above. I step up to that branch and walk across it to the other end. The scent is getting stronger. I leap across a small gap to another branch. 

“Mom I’m tired,” Lucy says. I look to my family. They are way below me. I didn’t realize how high I climbed.

“I know. We are heading back soon,” Hannah says. 

I don’t have much time. 

The next jump is a big one. The branch on the other side is much smaller than this one. I’m sure it can hold a squirrel, but can it support a muscular pug like me? 

“Where’s Zelda?” Ben asks. 

Uh oh. 

Peach’s tail wags, her nose twitches, and she gazes into the air at me. She doesn’t hesitate. 

Arrfff. Arrfff. 

I scramble back toward the tree, but as I move, I hear cracking noises. I freeze. The branch is breaking! I need to get out of this tree. 

“She’s in the tree Nate,” Hannah says. 

“How did she get there?” Nate says. 

“I don’t know.” 

“Can you reach her?” 

I look at the next branch below me. It looks way too far of a jump to be safe. Is this the way I came? 

Nate walks over to me. He stands underneath me. 

“I can’t reach her. She needs to jump into my arms,” he says. I look down at him. It’s a long way down to him. 

Crack. The branch isn’t going to last much longer.

“Here, take these treats,” Hannah says. 

“Zelda, come here girl,” Nate says softly. I look into his eyes. “It’s okay. I’ll catch you.” 

Peach barks and whines. She’s worried. 

“Come Zelda,” he says again. Nate will catch me. He will catch me. 

My pug courage returns. I take a deep breath, and then I leap off the branch. The free fall is terrifying until Nate catches me in his arms. My heart is pounding, but I am okay.  

“Good girl Zelda,” Nate says. He gives me a bacon treat. 

“Hannah, can you hand me her leash?” Nate says. He leashes me and places me on the ground. Peach sprints to me and licks my face seven times. 

“How did she get in the tree dad?” Lucy asks. 

“I have no idea Lucy,” Nate replies. 

“Maybe she was hunting a squirrel,” Ben says. 

“Or maybe she thought she was a squirrel again,” Hannah says. Nate chuckles. 

“I don’t think we will ever know,” Nate says. “It’s another pug mystery.” 

The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale

Today is the day! You can now purchase the Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale! I am really excited about this project. Every step of the way, I've enjoyed this project and I'm so happy with the final product.

Earlier this year, I posted rough drafts of six of the 13 chapters of The Adventures of Zelda. But, since those rough drafts, the story has undergone revision and I think you will like the changes. You can read the first chapter below.

Finally, I'd love for your help to spread the word about this book. The best way for people to buy this book is through your recommendation. Share the book and please post reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, or your favorite book seller. Reviews are so important for indie authors!

You can buy ebook versions on every platform for $2.99. Paperback copies can be purchased from Amazon or from me. I always have copies on hand to sell for $8.

BUY NOW:

Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Nook, iBooks

Once again, thanks for your support!

The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale

Chapter 1: Beginnings

I spent my first two years in a small, crowded house with a woman, her four children, her boyfriend, and three other pugs. I struggled to eat enough each day because I was the smallest of the pugs. While the other pugs slept, I had to sneak my way to the food bowl. Eating was the only reason I left my cage. The man of the house wasn’t happy; he took his anger out on us, and I didn’t want to get in trouble with him. Everyday I woke up and survived one more day, dreaming of a better life someday down the road.

One day I awakened to the woman entering the house. She walked straight to my cage and lifted me into her arms. She never held me. Only the kids did. She carried me outside and placed me in the arms of a stranger–a woman I had never seen. This woman was standing with a man who had a big smile.

I was so scared. I didn’t know how to react, so I went limp in her arms. She carried me into a car, and the man drove us away, never to return.

I don't know how Hannah and Nate found me that day, but I am glad they did. Hannah, Nate, Lucy, and Ben are my new family. Hannah and Nate are the woman and man who rescued me from my old home. Ben and Lucy are their kids. Ben is loud, energetic, and roughly half the size of Nate. I play many games with Ben. Lucy is much smaller than Ben, but she is super cute, and I love snuggling with her at night.

“Why is she so wrinkly, Dad?” Lucy asked, the first day I came home.

“Because she’s a pug,” Nate said.

“Do all pugs have wrinkles?” she asked.

“Yes, they do. That’s what makes them special. That and the smashed face,” Nate said.

“I think her wrinkles are cute,” Lucy said. When Lucy said those words, I knew she was going to be a great friend.

My new family calls me Zelda. I spend my days roaming the house, sleeping, eating, sleeping some more, playing, sneezing and snorting, barking at other dogs, and going for walks. Food is always in my bowl, and I can eat whenever I am hungry. I can't remember the last time I was locked up in my crate. Instead, my family and I play with my angry bird, my owl, tennis balls, and any other toy I can find. When I get really excited, I run full speed laps through the house. My family calls the laps pug sprints.

Walks are a brand new adventure for me. When Hannah or Nate tie their shoes, I know it's time for a walk. I run in circles around Hannah or Nate trying to avoid the harness, but they always catch me. Honestly, I don't mind the harness. I run in circles because I am so excited to go for a walk.

When the front door opens, I bolt down the porch steps, pulling Nate or Hannah with me. I hit the grass and sneeze five or six times, but I love the fresh air and the never-ending scents. During our walks, I run from one edge of the sidewalk to the other. On a good day, the squirrels are running across the grass and up the trees. If I wasn’t leashed, I am sure I could catch one.

My favorite part of the day is when the darkness comes. I snuggle with Lucy or Ben and fall asleep with my best friends.

I am a lucky pug. When I wished for a better life, I never imagined my dream would come true. But my new life comes with challenges. I am not sure how to be a good pug in this new environment. I want to make my family proud, but sometimes my territorial, stubborn instincts take control. Some days I want more freedom, or more treats, or more friends. Is that too much to ask?