They were both so happy to be doing Tiny Piece of Cheese that they laughed. Lucas lowered it slowly and I carefully removed it from between his fingers. The explosion of taste on my tongue lasted only a moment, but it was what I had craved—a treat, hand-fed to me by my person.
I thought back to my hungry days on the trail, when all I could think about was my Tiny Piece of Cheese. It was as wonderful as I recalled.
It really wasn’t very comfortable in the small bed, a little like sleeping with Gavin and Taylor and Dutch, but I did not jump down. I lay there and remembered how hungry I had been, how much that empty ache in my stomach made me miss Lucas. I remembered Big Kitten, how she sat and watched me from the rocks when I last saw her. I had taken care of Big Kitten when she needed me. And I had taken care of poor, sad Axel, gave him comfort the way I had just given Mack comfort. Axel loved me. And Gavin and Taylor loved me. Without the love and care from those and others, I would not have been able to find my way.
It had all been so that I could do Go Home. And now, lying in bed between Lucas and Olivia, I was back with my people, and would never leave again. I was a good dog.
I finally, finally was Go Home.
Acknowledgments
Here’s something I know about myself: I do not like to fail at writing assignments. It has always been something of a point of pride for me that I could turn in a paper on, say, War and Peace, and get a passing grade on it—particularly since I didn’t actually read War and Peace. As most of my teachers eventually learned, I was bluffing my way through school, distracting their attention with good grammar. (It didn’t work all that well in math class.)
This current assignment, however—thanking everyone who helped me in the creation of this novel—seems a nearly impossible task. I am not sure where to start, and I don’t know where to end. Nothing seems too trivial to include when you think about the fact that if, for example, my mother hadn’t given birth to me, I probably would not have become a writer. And what if no one had invented paper? What about the eggs I had for breakfast—without them, I’d be too hungry to write these words. Shouldn’t I thank the chicken?
Yet I suppose it is up to me to try to capture on these pages the people who were most important to A Dog’s Way Home. I am pretty sure I’ll fail and forget somebody. If your name is not mentioned here it is not because I did not think you did something to help, it is because my memory is on vacation. In fact, often I will start writing a sentence and then, in the middle of it … okay, now I can’t remember the point I was trying to make, but I think it was a good one.
First, I want to thank Kristin Sevick, and Linda, Tom, Karen, Kathleen, and everyone else at Tom Doherty/Tor/Forge, who helped birth this book. Initially, I had made a pitch for an entirely different novel and everyone was willing to listen when I confessed that my idea was not that great. I won’t go into the details; it just was unworkable once I began doing research, which is why I try to avoid doing research or, for that matter, anything resembling real work. So, very graciously, they agreed to discuss other ideas and eventually this one, the story of Bella finding her way back to her people, turned out to be a real winner for all of us.
Thank you, Scott Miller of Trident Media, for explaining to everyone that if they stopped publishing my novels it would really hurt my feelings. Scott, you are a true friend and a real champion of my work.
I also want to thank Sheri Kelton, my new manager, for adjusting my focus so that instead of being distracted I’m now just lazy. Thanks, Steve Younger, for defending me against the forces of evil.
Thank you, Gavin Polone, for believing in my work and for wanting to see me succeed in this very dangerous business, and for promising not to quit. You always keep your word, which makes people in this town very nervous.
Thank you, Lauren Potter, for showing up in my life and my office and organizing both. Because of you, I actually have time to do all the writing that Scott Miller is promising people I will do and that Sheri Kelton tells me I should be focused on.
Thank you, Elliot Crowe, for letting me keep the title of “independent film producer” while you do all the work. The movie Muffin Top: A Love Story, directed by Cathryn Michon, was our first successful venture, but we have another one in the pipeline—Cook Off!—that should be in theaters in 2017. Simply would not be happening without Elliott.
Thanks to Connection House Incorporated, for all of its marketing and research work that continues to make my life easier. I’m constantly impressed with how everyone working there is so in tune with each other.
Thanks, Fly HC and Hillary Carlip, for maintaining and building my websites: wbrucecameron.com and adogspurpose.com.
Thank you, Carolina and Annie, for letting me be part of your lives.
Thank you, Andy and Jody Sherwood. You continue to be among the most supportive people in my life, in just about every way possible.
Thank you, Diane and Tom Runstrom. You are simply wonderful people.
Thank you to my sister, Amy Cameron, who nearly became Miss America and then went on to become one of the world’s greatest teachers. Emily would be proud.
Thank you, Julie Cameron M.D., for being the person who I can call and say, “I need a disease where someone wakes up in the morning with red hair and no memory of words that rhyme with ‘kismet.’” She’ll name the disease, describe the treatment, and recommend I see a psychiatrist.
Thank you, Georgia and Chelsea, for being so reproductive in 2016, and to James and Chris for doing their part of the process. Thank you, Chase, for being the man you have become, and thank you, Alyssa, for influencing him to stay that way.
Gordon, Eloise, Ewan, Garrett, and Sadie: welcome home.
I do not have a marketing department. I do not need one. I have my mom. Thank you, Mom, for selling everyone in Michigan my books and, when they refuse to buy a copy, giving them one.
Thank you, Mindy and Lindy, for keeping me social and making sure that anyone who goes online for any reason finds out about A Dog’s Purpose.
I owe Jim Lambert a great debt for introducing me to the Denver VA hospital and for explaining the military culture there. Jim, you were so generous with your time, and you are doing such important work.
Rather Hosch went undercover for me and lived in Gunnison, Colorado, for many years just so she could give me a detailed explanation of how cold it gets there. Thank you, Rather.
Finally, the person who is my biggest supporter, the one who kept promising me this novel was worth writing, who read early drafts and gave me such great notes, who is my business partner, my life partner, and my best friend. Cathryn, you are everything to me and this story would never have found its way home without you.