Book About Service Dogs Needs Your Stories

Greetings. I've received the following note in my email inbox several times and thought it worht posting here. If you have a story and would like to contribute, either submit your story or get in touch with the person below and she can help put your story into words. I usually don't endorse spreading something far and wide over the vast WWW, but this is one thing that I can endorse. It looks like a good project and like it will be a good book when it comes out. Enjoy, and please excuse any formatting errors.

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Book About Service Dogs Needs Your Stories

Let your voice be heard! Kathy Nimmer, a blind high school English teacher
and writer from Indiana, has launched an international effort to gather true
stories of people with disabilities and their service dogs, to be included
in an anthology that Nimmer will seek to publish in the mass market
commercial publishing industry. The project, entitled "Two Plus Four Equals
One," will celebrate what happens when two hands plus four paws combine for
one magical union. The web site,
http://www.servicedogstories.com
has been set up to promote the project,
receive prospective submissions, gather contact info from individuals who
have worked with service dogs in any capacity, and field inquiries about the
book.

Nimmer, now working with her third guide dog, wants to hear from you. Start
thinking of incidents involving you and your dogs, things that were funny,
scary, surprising, disappointing, empowering, sad, or simply memorable. The
book will include nonfiction stories, anecdotes, tributes, and poetry.
Explanations and samples of the four genres can be found on the web site.
And, you don't have to be a seasoned writer to take part! There is an
interview option where Nimmer will talk with you and write something for you
about your dog experiences. Submissions will be accepted for consideration
through September 30, 2009.

For purposes of this project, "service dogs" are any canines trained to
assist people with disabilities, including those who are blind, deaf, or in
wheelchairs, as well as those with other medical conditions including (but
not limited to) autism, epilepsy, and muscular or balance impairments.
Nimmer is hoping to hear from people with disabilities, as well as those who
have raised or trained service dogs, or simply witnessed service dogs in
action. If you fit into any of these categories, it is time to let your
voice be heard!

As members of the disability community, you are the best resources for the
dissemination of information about this book that Nimmer is hoping will
change public perceptions of the disabled and their working dogs, so spread
the word! Go to

http://www.servicedogstories.com

or contact Kathy Nimmer with questions or suggestions at

kathy@servicedogstories.com

Kathy Nimmer: Teacher, Author, Motivational Speaker
http://guidedogjourney.livejournal.com/