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.” 

Give the Gift of Zelda this Christmas!

With the holiday season around the corner, Zelda Claus and her friends wanted to remind that you The Adventures of Zelda series is a great gift for a child in your life. With the endorsements of these good looking pugs, you know it's worth checking out!

When Hamilton Pug isn't running the streets of NYC, he is inside curling up with The Adventures of Zelda.  The Adventures of Zelda: Pug and Peach is Chubbs the Wampug's favorite in the series.

Bodie and Spanky hope treats await at the end of the book.

Hogan and Freddie are confused by the appearance of Peach, a Boston Terrier, in the third book. Wasn't this only about pugs?

Even dogs that aren't pugs love Zelda. Thanks Spike!

Thor gives a one paw forward review. Zira hasn't made it past the title page because she is star struck that Zelda pawtographed her book.

The pug nation loves Zelda. I hope you do too. Head here for links to order your copy in paperback or ebook format.

The Adventures of Zelda: Zelda Meets Peach

I am gearing up for the release of The Adventures of Zelda: Pug and Peach at the end of August, and I thought you might need to get in the Zelda spirit. Here's the last chapter of the second Zelda book. More Zelda teasers and spotlights are coming to the blog over the next month. Get ready!

Zelda Meets Peach

After the incident with the fake pug, I am staying low key around the house. Honestly, I am a little embarrassed at my mistake. My family, on the other hand, is busy with activity. Hannah is covering boxes during the day and placing them under the tree. I notice Hannah and Nate talking in hushed voices about “presents.” Lucy is running around the house mumbling about “Santa Claus.” Even Ben is more talkative and playful than normal. He keeps telling me how much I am going to love my Christmas present.

I watch and listen from my perch on top of the couch. I can tell we are getting close to the big day, the day when everyone unwraps all the presents under the pine tree.

“Okay, Zelda, we will be back later,” Ben says. “Tomorrow is the big day.” The family leaves without me. I watch the white stuff fall on the grass from the window. I hope I will get a new owl. Or Milk-Bones. Or a Nylabone. Or all of them. Christmas is the best.

When my family returns home, the snow is illuminating the darkness outside. My family greets me. Hannah and Nate send Ben and Lucy to bed. I am warm and toasty in my blanket, so I stay downstairs with Hannah and Nate. After a few minutes of conversation, Nate gets up and leaves the house.

“Zelda, it’s bedtime,” Hannah says. We walk upstairs together. I jump onto Lucy’s bed while Hannah checks on Ben. When Hannah returns, she gives Lucy a kiss and pets me. She says goodnight to us and closes the door.

I wake up in the middle of the night to a scratching noise. I want to bark, but everyone is sleeping. I don’t want to get in trouble. I listen for a few more minutes to the scratching. I hear a few whispers and the scratching stops. I fall back asleep.

The next time I wake up, Lucy is moving out of bed. It must be early; only a few streams of light are peaking through the window. As we walk down the stairs, Lucy is mumbling about Christmas and Santa.

Hannah and Nate are waiting downstairs. The pine tree is lit, and the number of gifts under the tree has doubled.

“Merry Christmas,” Nate shouts to Lucy and me.

“Shhhh,” Hannah says. “You will wake up Ben.”

“It’s time for him to get up anyway. It’s Christmas morning—time for gifts!” he replies. Lucy wanders down the stairs and sits in front of the tree.

“Wow, look at all these presents Santa brought,” she says. I hear a few creaks from above, and a few minutes later, Ben appears on the stairs.

“Merry Christmas,” Nate shouts again.

“Merry Christmas,” Ben replies. He walks down the stairs and takes a seat on the couch.

The fun begins. Presents are passed around, and the family opens the gifts. I run around and investigate all the new toys and objects. So far, there isn’t much for me. Only a few gifts remain when I hear a whimper from upstairs. And then, the scratching noise returns.

What is upstairs?

I run up the stairs. The whimpering and scratching is originating from Hannah and Nate’s room, but the door is closed. Hannah and Nate appear next to me.

“You grab Zelda,” Nate says, “And I will get Peach.” Hannah bends over and picks me up. Nate opens the door, and a dog runs out.

What?

I squirm and break loose from Hannah’s arms and chase the dog down the stairs. When I arrive downstairs, the dog is licking Ben’s face. She is dark brown and white with tall ears. She is bigger than me, but not by much. She doesn’t have a long snout, but she also doesn’t have wrinkles.

“Merry Christmas, Lucy and Zelda—meet Peach, the Boston terrier, our new dog,” Nate says. Peach wanders over to Lucy and starts licking her face. I stand motionless, unsure what to do.

Did I hear Nate correctly? Is Peach here to stay?

I walk up to Peach and bark a few times. She doesn’t seem to mind. When I get close, she backs away from Lucy. I nip at her front leg, and she allows it. She reciprocates, and we start rolling on the floor together. I find my owl and she chases me, trying to get it from me. When she finally grabs hold, we play tug-of-war.

“Well, I think they will get along fine,” Hannah says.

“Lucy, do you like Peach?” Nate asks.

“Yes, she’s nice. And now Zelda has a friend.” Lucy says.

“Yes, she does,” Nate replies.

“She’s so friendly and sweet,” Ben says.

“We definitely got lucky with Peach,” Hannah replies. “And with Zelda. She’s turned out to be a pretty good dog.”

“Yes, she is,” Ben says. I take a break from tug-of-war and wander over to Hannah, who is sitting on the couch again. I jump in her lap and give her a kiss. Peach follows my lead, and we both are in Hannah’s lap and giving her kisses. I have a friend to play with all the time. Even better, I have a family who loves me enough to find me a friend. My pug life is awesome. It’s another merry Christmas!

Learn more about The Adventures of Zelda series.

An Interview with Peach

Zelda gets much of the attention in our house since she is the star of own book series. She has many #pugchat friends and her cute little wrinkly face has been plastered over the internet. I think all this pug attention is giving Peach a bit of complex. She asked if she could be on the blog today so the world can get to know her. I thought it was a great idea, especially since the third book of the Zelda series is The Adventures of Zelda and Peach. 

Can you tell us a little about your life before Brian and Kristen adopted you?

I don't really like talking about my life before Brian and Kristen. I was stuck in a cage. I had lots of puppies and they were taken away from me.

Okay. Let's switch gears then. What is your favorite toy?

I have a hard time picking which toy is my favorite. I like the owl, the duck, the skunk tail, the angry bird. Oooooh and I love my blue nylabone too. They are all great. Sometimes I gather all the toys together and lie on top of them!

What do you think is your best quality as a Boston Terrier?

The obvious answer is the ears. My ears are pointy and tall and they can forecast the weather. My ears signal if I am in a good mood or if I am on the prowl for squirrels. I also love my tongue because it gives kisses to people. I love giving kisses!

What is something you like to do with your sister Zelda?

I love chasing Zelda and stealing her toys. We have tons of fun in our new home running in circles. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlqVnAC_Yr4]

Can you give any hints or information about the storyline in The Adventures of Zelda and Peach?

All I can say is the book has a polar vortex, a squirrel chase, an Easter Bunny and lots of snoring.

Thanks so much to Peach aka PDoodle for taking the time to share with us today. Look for her in the upcoming book The Adventures of Zelda and Peach.

Launch Day for the Second Saga of Zelda Pug!

Zelda and I are super excited for the launch of  The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga. The second book of Zelda adventures centers on a big move and a search for a new friend. She has an encounter with a goose, meets Norman, steals some Thanksgiving turkey, and many  more adventures. If you like the first book, I know you will like the second!

If you are new to the series, read about the books here or read the first chapter of The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale for free. 

Much like the first book, Zelda's Second Saga is available on all major e-book platforms and in paperback. For the first weekend, the e-book is only $2.99 so pick it up now and save a couple bucks.

If you are planning to pick up the book, I'd love for you to buy it today or this weekend and maybe the critical mass can send a curly tailed pug up the best seller charts!

Finally, if you read the first Zelda book or the second, the best way to support me is to spread the word. Please leave an honest review at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, or Goodreads. Or simply recommend the book to a fellow parent or pug lover. Thanks Friends!

The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga

Have you ever wondered what your dog is thinking?

Zelda the pug is back for a second round of adventures including a big move, new friends, and another encounter with Vacuum. The Adventures of Zelda is an exciting chapter book for young readers, providing a glimpse into the mind of a curious canine. But no matter your age, pug fanatics and dog lovers will enjoy the adventures of this enchanting pug who grabs life like a bone and won't let go.

BUY NOW:

Amazon (Kindle & Paperback)

Barnes & Noble (Nook Book & Paperback)

Kobo

Apple iBooks

Smashwords

Merry Christmas from Zelda Pug

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WTmJ9fLlOI&w=480&h=360]  

Here's a quick holiday greeting! Thanks friends!

(By the way, Zelda was snoring when I said be quiet and listen, but it didn't come through on the video.)

The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Thanksgiving

Today's post is a chapter in The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga which will be released in late December or early January. Share this story with your friends and family to get a laugh or two!

A Pug Thanksgiving

When Hannah told me we were going to see Tucker and Whitney, I was super excited. I couldn't wait to play with them and chase Jack Jack the cat. Now that I have arrived, my excitement is waning. The house is filled to the brim with people of all sizes- from tiny children to giant men. Anywhere I go, someone wants to pet my head or pick me up. Ben and Lucy are running around with other children; Hannah and Nate are ignoring me. I can't escape the madness.

With all the commotion in the house, I follow the lead of Tucker and Whitney. I curl up on the couch next to Whitney in between two unfamiliar bodies. I try to fall asleep, but the noise in the house is deafening. It's no use. I get up and wander towards the kitchen, following my nose. The smell is overwhelming, but in the best possible way. I wonder what they are cooking.

The kitchen is busy with activity; I have to walk carefully to avoid being trampled. My nose leads me in front of the oven. Unfortunately, the oven is in the center of the kitchen, surrounded by moving feet. I take a step back and try to see in the oven, but I am too short to look in the window.

I see a foot coming towards me and I jump to the right. I can't stay in the kitchen any longer if I want to stay in one piece. I walk back to the couch and jump next to Tucker. From this spot, I have the perfect vantage point of the kitchen. I sit and wait, hoping to see what is giving off the delicious odor.

Not long after I sit down, the kitchen mysteriously clears. Most of the group vacates to the living room. I leave my spot on the couch, and someone claims my seat moments later. I don't mind. I'm willing to give it up to figure out what is cooking in the kitchen.

I walk straight to the oven and stand on my hind legs. The oven is warm to the touch on my paws. I look into the window. The window is dark, but I can make out the outline of something. It is big and sort of round with a pale color. I have never seen anything like it. Honestly, it looks disgusting. I jump off the oven, disappointed.

How could something so ugly smell so good?

I wander around the kitchen looking for scraps. I find a few bits of cheese and crackers under the table before returning to the living room. A spot is open next to Hannah, so I claim it and lie down.

I can’t sleep with the noise and activity. After what seems like an eternity of trying to fall asleep, Hannah carefully gets off the couch and heads to the kitchen. I follow her.

"Is the bird ready to take out?" she asks.

Bird? That's one big bird.

"I think so."

"Great! That means it's almost dinner time," she says. "Z, come here." She walks away from the oven to the other side of the kitchen.

We watch as Nate's dad opens the oven door and reaches inside. He pulls out something completely different than what I saw. It is golden brown, almost a pug color brown. It looks moist and tender. And, oh my, the smell. It reminds me of chicken, but tastier. I need to get a piece.

“The turkey looks and smells great," Hannah says as Nate's dad places it on the table.

Turkey? What kind of bird is a turkey?

I hop onto a chair in the kitchen and stare at the magnificent cooked turkey bird. While I fixate on it, the rest of the kitchen is a blur. People are moving everywhere and carrying food to the table, to the counter, and back again. They are shouting to one another and laughing, so I sit and wait. The turkey bird is unreachable at the moment, but at some point I know an opportunity will arise for me to take a sample bite. Or two. Or three.

I watch as Nate's dad cuts up the turkey bird. I am a little sad watching the giant bird being dismantled into bite-sized pieces. But, in the long run, I know it's better for me if it is sliced. It's a lot easier for me to get my paws on a slice, than on the whole big turkey bird.

All of the food, including slices of the bird, is resting on the counter in the middle of the kitchen. It's impossible for me to reach the counter unless someone lifts me up. Eventually the food will move to plates around the table and the opportunity will come.

The seats are filling up around me. Children and adults are staking their claim on chairs. I know it's only a matter of time before someone sits on me, so I hop to the ground. I look for the kids' section of the table, the gold mine for scavenging.

Lucy sits down on the far end of the long table. The table is the longest I have ever seen. You could have twenty pugs sitting on chairs! Sitting next to Lucy is a boy smaller than her. He is the lucky winner today; he will be my helper on the turkey quest.

In a few minutes, the room is quiet and the table is full with people and plates. I sit next to the small boy and wait. He eats for a few minutes and then stops. He backs his chair up.

"Christopher, you need to eat more before you get up," a woman says from across the room.

"But Mom, I'm not hungry," the boy says.

"You need to eat the rest of your turkey and potatoes." The boy looks at his plate. I take my opportunity. I walk over to the far side of him, hidden from his mom's view. I put my front paws on his lap.

"Hi Zelda," he whispers.

This is it. I know it.

I leap on to his lap. My head is at table height, but I can't reach the turkey. I put a paw on the table.

"Zelda, down," Hannah yells from the far end of the table.

It's now or never.

I put my other paw on the plate and reach for the slice of turkey. I grab for it with my mouth, but as I put my weight on my front paws, the plate flips toward me. The turkey flies to me and I catch it in my mouth. I leap off the table and on to the ground out of the way. With the turkey in my mouth, I look up.

Uh oh.

The plate is upside down on the boy's lap.

I'm in trouble.

I bolt for the living room, but I slow down when I hear laughter. I stop and turn, setting the turkey on the floor. The table is erupting with laughter; I am okay. I listen to the conversation as I take my first bite.

"I can't believe what just happened."

"Zelda must have really wanted some turkey."

"Christopher, let's get you cleaned up."

"This will be something to remember for years."

I savor the turkey. It does remind me of chicken, but juicier. After the first bite, I gobble the rest of it in seconds.

"Happy Thanksgiving Zelda," Nate shouts. The table laughs. I lick my lips and smile.