Blackout the Dog

Welcome to Blackout the Dog's blog!

Welcome to the blog for Blackout the Dog, a fictional character in the novel, "Water's Edge."

Blackout is a 3-year old female black mixed breed dog -- some lab, some shepherd, and who knows what else. She was adopted from a shelter by David Samuels, an environmental consultant from Boston, who named her Blackout after a blackout that occurred around the time he adopted her. David taught Blackout to sniff out chemicals and other substances.

Tragically, David's wife Lisa was killed in a car accident when he was still in Boston. This event prompts David, who has just turned 60, to make a dramatic life change. He decides to retire, taking Blackout with him and relocating to Asheville, NC.

But one day David gets a call from his former employer. Apparently, someone is polluting the French Broad River in Asheville with benzene. David reluctantly agrees to get involved, and with Blackout's help, uncovers a bizarre and sinister plot.

This story is told in Water's Edge featuring Blackout the Dog. It's available in paperback on Amazon.com and everywhere eBooks are sold, including the Amazon Kindle store, for the iPad and nook, and on Smashwords.

Blackout herself invites you to read her informative blog. Cheers!

Water's Edge Now Available in Paperback

Water's Edge, the first novel featuring Blackout the dog, is now available in paperback. Originally pupblished exclusively as an eBook, a paperback edition has been added because of popular demand.

Ekta Garg of BookPleasures.com reviewed Water's Edge and wrote, "overall this immensely enjoyable novel will have readers staying awake at night to find out what happened next. I highly recommend it for anyone liking a story that contains good, old-fashioned suspense with a modern twist."

Water's Edge is available in paperback for $11.99 at Amazon.com. Just click on this link.

October is Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month!

While every month is a great month to adopt a shelter dog (or cat), October is officially "Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month."

Here are the top five reasons to adopt a shelter dog, according to the Humane Society of the United States:

 

 

1. You'll save a life.
2. You'll get a healthy pet.
3. You'll save money.
4. You'll feel better.
5. You won't be supporting puppy mills and pet stores.

Read more about each of these reasons here. 

I was adopted from a rescue organization -- and my owner says I'm the best thing that ever happened to him!

So what are you waiting for?! Visit your local shelter or rescue organization and adopt a shelter dog today!

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Another Positive Review!

Blackout the dog here. I'm proud to say that Water's Edge (a novel about my owner and me) has gotten another positive review from book reviewer Shellyrae of Book'd Out.

Shellyrae calls the book a "well-plotted novel" and says "I found myself drawn in as the web of suspects and victims grew." She concludes, "I was quite impressed by this well edited self published title. Water's Edge is an intelligent mystery/thriller with plenty of interesting twists and turns and I look forward to the continued adventures of David Samuels and Blackout."

Did you know Water's Edge is available as an eBook for just 99 cents?! Buy it at the Kindle store or wherever eBooks are sold!

New Ad Campaign Celebrates Great Dogs

Blackout the dog here. This is something I wanted to share with you because it touches my doggie soul!

Purina has launched a new ad campaign for its Purina Pro Plan line of dog food. The theme: "Inside every good dog is a great dog."

Here is one of the TV commercials -- worth watching just to see the wonderful images of good dogs being great. Thanks, Purina, for celebrating all of us!

Have a look...

 

Another Great Review of "Water's Edge"!

I'm blushing -- if that's possible for a black dog!

Reviewer Paul J. writing for Readers Favorite had the following to say at the Barnes & Noble Nook store about Water's Edge:

"Water’s Edge is an environmental thriller with plenty of twists and turns. It is a very good, well-plotted mystery with great beginning, well-flowing middle, and a satisfying end. The characters are appealing and diverse. The readers will quickly find themselves pulling for the protagonist and his wonderful dog as he attempts to stop what appears to be a senseless attack on nature and puts some semblance of order back into his life. But, nothing ever comes easy, especially for our heroes. All that, with some interesting twists and surprises along the way, make this a good book. In short, a good easy flowing story, easy to read and enjoy."

Water's Edge is just 99 cents wherever eBooks are sold!

Dogs Win Super Bowl!

Blackout the dog here. I don't know about you, but I watched the Super Bowl yesterday from the comfort of my doggie bed. I didn't really care who won -- I was just watching for the dog commercials! As always, dogs rule when it comes to Super Bowl commercials. I liked two in particular, the Bud Light ad that featured a rescue dog, and this one from Volkswagen, featuring a dog getting fit. Loved it! The ending was a little weird though.

If you missed this one, here it is...

 

 

Important Announcement!

Here's some great news: Water's Edge, the eBook novel that features me, Blackout the dog, is now available for just 99 cents! This new low price is the publisher's way of kicking off 2012 with a big bang!

Get your hands on a copy of Water's Edge -- a great read for under a dollar.

You can find this exciting eBook at:

Amazon Kindle store

Smashwords.com (any eBook format).

The Shelter Pet Project Launches New Ads

Blackout the dog here.

During the holidays, I hope you'll be thinking about all the homeless dogs and cats in animal shelters. They deserve a little love at this time of year too!

That's why I want to acknowledge the Shelter Pet Project, a national public service awareness campaign designed to dispel myths about shelter pets in order to boost adoptions. The campaign just launched a series of new television ads with the tagline, "A person is the best thing to happen to a shelter pet. Be that person." I'll agree with that! The campaign is a collaborative effort by The Humane Society of the United States, Maddie's Fund, and the Ad Council.

Here's one of the brand new ads with a few of my fellow dogs sharing observations about their owners. Take a look...

 

Great Review of Water's Edge!

Hi, Blackout the dog here.

I'm excited to tell you that Water's Edge, a novel that features yours truly, has gotten a great review from reviewer Ekta Garg of Bookpleasures.com. She says "this immensely enjoyable novel will have readers staying awake at night to find out what happened next. This reviewer highly recommends it for anyone liking a good story that contains good, old-fashioned suspense with a modern twist."

Wow, I couldn't have said it any better myself! I know you'll be panting to read "Water's Edge," so read the complete review here.

 

 

Support Dogs in Afghanistan

Blackout the dog here. I thought you'd be interested in a hidden problem in Afghanistan -- dogs that are paying the price for being in a war zone.

American Dog Rescue is a nonprofit organization that works towards the goal of "no healthy dog without a home." The organization funds a number of projects and has recently teamed up with a British nonprofit called Nowzad Dogs to help raise money to rescue and rehabilitate the more than 500 abandoned dogs in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Nowzad Dogs is named after the war-torn town of Now Zad in Afghanistan. The organization was started by Pen Farthing, a former Royal Marine, to save support dogs of military personnel in Afghanistan. It is the first, and only, dog rescue organization now serving Afghanistan’s dogs. Through Nowzad’s work, neglected and undernourished dogs are relocated to western countries where they can find the love, care, and attention they deserve.

 

 For some of the many stray dogs in the Middle East they now have a guardian for the first time in their lives. Dogs that serve our troops as emotional support animals and become socialized in this effort deserve to earn their stripes in the form of new homes. They cannot be left behind to return to a homeless feral life because they will not survive.

 

Both American Dog Rescue and Nowzad Dogs are great organizations that are doing a lot on behalf of my fellow dogs. My nose goes out to them!

 

For more information or to make a donation to Nowzad through American Dog Rescue please visit http://www.americandogrescue.org/philanthropy/help-support-nowzad-dogs/