Thank you to those who are called to serve!

"Called to Serve," the fourth and final story in the "Patrick the Wayward Setter" series, is about 18 year old Jake's decision to join the USMC, the Marines, and the impact that decision had on his family. I dedicated that book to the Marines, and to all who are called to serve. Today I received a special bronze medallion from the Red Bulls 1134th infantry division as a thank you from General Nash himself for my support of the work they did this past year in Iraq. I was flabbergasted! and touched...and there I cried for the recognition I received.
When I began writing, it was with the intent to not make millions of dollars, but to help others. The Patrick series is about working with a feisty English setter, as opposed to giving up and sending him to the humane society, as so many owners do in real life. "Hope Survives" deals with the pain of childhood abuse. "Walking in God's Shadow" is about addiction recovery through the use of horses on a real ranch named Changing Gaits, located in northern Minnesota.
I encourage one and all to check out my website: www.dianeganzer.com. My books are available through amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com
I thank you for your support of my work!!!

a year almost over...

As the year winds down...and where did the time go?? I have two more book appearances yet this year, both in November. Check out my website for details: www.dianeganzer.com. There is also one coming up in 2010, you will see it here as well.
Despite the economy, many have found comfort in books. I do believe this is a constant that will never change! Do yourselves a favor, contact me or check out www.amazon.com and get yourself lost in a good dog story- "Patrick the Wayward Setter," or a llama story, "Llama Tails: Ricky's Adventure," or a cat story in "The Adventures of Raspberry." You won't be disappointed! I still have the many books I loved as a child....start your own collection today!!! Special thanks goes to my manager -Robbie Baum...who set up appointments and accompanied me to most of them. Without his help, I would have been totally unprepared for the surprises this year held for me! Thanks, kiddo, you mean the world and more to me!

upcoming work...

summer is almost over, time now to prepare for autumn!
I will be at the IGH arts and craft fair Sat. Oct 10th from 10 am thru 2 pm. come see me there.
Also, Changing Gaits, the horse ranch I wrote about in "Walking in God's Shadow," is having a pig roast Sept. 19th from noon thru 8 pm. Horseback rides, good food, good music and MORE! I will be there signing copies of my book, so stop in and say hi! It is in Brook Park, MN just an hour north of the Twin Cities. Go to www.changinggaitsinc.com for info and directions!

thanks and come again!

Thanks to the many people who turned out for the Called to Serve appearance at Caribou Coffee!!!! It was nice to see and hear from each of you as you spoke of your experiences with a veteran, or being a vet!!! you are much appreciated!!!
Next Appearance will be at Caribou Sat. July 18th, from 11 A.M. until 1 P.M. the book, "Walking in God's Shadow" will be profiled. The founder of Changing Gaits, Guy Kaufman, who is the subject of that book, will be present as well. Visit his website at www.changinggaitsinc.com. Hope to see you there!

Summer Reading

School will be out this week, and for three months your children will be living the easy life--no homework and NO reading, right?
WRONG! say teachers, who say kids come back to school in September with a handicap from too much TV, video games and not enough reading.
I say this, not as an author, who only "thinks of book sales," but as a mom and as a former teacher myself, get those kids reading. It doesn't matter if it is a cereal box, the Sunday funnies or a really good book, just keep them reading!
The library is great, have them go and check out what they like, or better yet, go with them!
If they want to fidget on the computer, have them go to kid friendly sites and do reading interactive games, like scrabble, to keep their young minds sharp.
I will be at book signings all summer. My books are for readers beginning at age seven on up. The "Patrick" series has been narrated to audio CD as well. This is a great learning tool, to help kids stay on the path to honing their reading skills. They can follow along as they listen to the story.
Sounds pretty win-win, right?
My books are all available at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com. Check out my website to see my appearance dates and times...www.dianeganzer.com.
I hope to see you there...or between the covers of my books!

Caribou Coffee......

proudly sponsors "Patrick the Wayward Setter!"

Thanks to the many who showed up on a chilly day to greet Patrick and chat about the books!!
I fully intend, with the help of Laura Rockney,manager as well as the military recruiters, to return for yet another signing with "Called to Serve," the last in the "Patrick" series about an 18 year old's decision to join the US Marine Corps.
Stay tuned here for more info. in the meantime......
...get a latte, meet Patrick and purchase a signed copy or three! Of Diane's books!!!

special thanks goes to district manager Tami for her support of Diane's work!!!!

NEW book!!!

The book, "The Adventures of a Kitten Named Raspberry and Other Tales" will be published by the end of April 2009!
I would like to thank Sammy St. Croix for the input that he gave to the "other Tales," part. These are stories that he and I wrote wayyy back in 2005 and then narrated to our audio Cd, "tales for Tots." So many people have mentioned how they'd also like to see those stories in print, and now seemed like a very good time to do so!
Sammy's input means so much to me, his creativity and his sense of love for animals is so evident in these wonderful short stories.
This book, as all my other ones, will be available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

update:

I need to clarify a few things...
number one: I have mentored many authors, many of them have been extremely grateful for becoming published or are on the road to becoming published for the first time. I have witnessed the joy they feel when they hold that book in their hands for the first time.
I also have been on the reverse side and have been publicly slammed...HUMILIATED to the point of it becoming a serious disruption. Someone I helped to mentor has insisted upon smearing me on a blog that can still be found on the internet. Be assured, this IS the one and only writeinyourearproductions.blogspot.com site run by myself, Diane Ganzer. I stand firm in that the crimes that I have been accused of are all in fact LIES perpetrated by one Christopher Swanson and his friends, Dan Kanan and Lita. If you check out the Google pages, you will see many many testimonies about me from people and reviews that are all positive. Chris is angry because he was using my name to obtain money and fame for himself, which didn't occur overnight. For that, he is punishing me to the fullest extent. he swore he would bring me and my business down and is trying to do just that...
I implore you, believe what you will, but please also look at both sides and do not judge falsely.
Thank you.

Patrick the wayward Setter now on CD

After many months of hard work, I am pleased to announce that "Patrick the Wayward Setter" is now available on audio CD. At a mere 9.99, it is sure to be a hit with children everywhere, as well as a respite for parents who have the option of popping it into the CD player for an hour of peace!
For information, please contact the author at dianeganzer@yahoo.com

The Right Dog For You

When choosing a dog, it is important to ask yourself why you want the dog in the first place. Then decide if you have the room for it where you live as well as the funds to care for it. It is more than just food and an occassional walk. It is a commitment that will last for 15 years or more for most breeds. Research the breeds also: do you want a dog with short hair? long hair? size matters also. How much time do you have for it? A big dog needs room to grow compared to a little lap dog! Also, do research on breed dispositions. Does this dog breed as a whole enjoy people, or is it a one owner/one family dog?
Are there allergies in the family that need to be considered?
Once this is decided, visit area humane societies as well as breeders and ask questions. Read all you can and acquire knowledge on the various breeds available. Don't just settle for the first cute puppy that you see.
You have many years of happiness ahead of you. Make it worthwhile with a dog you will enjoy coming home to!

quality time with you family

The family that plays together stays together. This is true also if you have both children and pets. Develop a healthy relationship with both by teaching your kids how to care for an animal. Select books that teach as well as tell a story. "Patrick the Wayward Setter" is a good one, because it teaches that even with a hard- to- train puppy, a family must persevere to maintain a quality relationship with the addition to the family. Read to your children and help them along. This way, you will have set a precedent that will be lifelong and bring many happy rewards!

the gift of dogs

the best friend a man can ever have, who won't turn on him or bring him down, who won't cause him to regret the relationship, who won't curse him or cheat on him, who will wait forever for a kind word, is his/her dog. Friend of the ages, beginning and end!

responsible pet ownership

whether it be a dog, a bird a hamster or a fish, I would love to see more repsonsible pet ownership. Too many people get caught up in the novelty of having a pet, falling in love at the pet store or humane society, then after a few weeks, decide it is too much work. It is not fair to the pets, who usually end up back at the humane society or worse, on the streets or dead from neglect.
You owe it to your pet to properly care for it. Do research, find out everything you can about this animal, ask why you want this animal, prepare a place for it and then, enjoy it. Know that pets cost money and have some set aside for emergencies. Ask a respected veterinarian for help if you need assitance.
Remember, to have a friend is to be one! To be a friend is to have one...for life!
Good luck!

Patrick the wayward Setter

summer is over and Patrick has been very busy, going to book signings and generally being very humble about his celebrity status. He will shake paws with just about everyone, provided he gets a hug in return!!
Hope you have bought and read his books, because book #3 is at the publisher's now, awaiting approval for publishing! I am anticipating a very busy season ahead as Christmas approaches and kids are looking for that special book under the tree! Till then, see you on the book store shelf, or go online to barnesandnoble.com and get it!

web site for more info

if anyone is interested, I have a website. It can be accessed at www.publishedauthors.net/dianeganzer. I update it regularily. thanks for your interest.

Patrick the wayward Setter

here is a website for everyone interested in the books. I update it frequently: www.publishedauthors.net/dianeganzer. Check it out!

why I wrote this book

I was searching the Web for info on English setters and found there to be a lot of rescue groups trying to find homes for setters. Most of these dogs were young, leading me to believe that people buy a high energy dog, then have no idea how to handle it as they grow. I had a setter of my own and determined that I would stick it out. I wanted to take the idea of responsible pet ownership further and wrote these two "Patrick" books to help others stick it out also. You don't have to own a setter, any breed will do. The first book goes into detail about things like the first night home, neutering, training, housebreaking, etc. Hopefully this book and it's sequel will help all those who own a dog or are thinking about it!

Isn't he cute?

Patrick

If you are looking for a good dog story, then "Patrick the Wayward Setter" and it's sequel, "A Christmas Miracle" is for you! Filled with humor and some tears, it's about a family who adopts an English setter puppu and must deal with all the problems and troubles of raising a dog. The family head doesn't care much for the dog and must resolve his differences concerning him. Patrick is basically a coward until one day when a big dog moves in next door, then attacks a little boy. Can Patrick save the boy before it is too late? What is the price a dog is willing to pay for the ones he loves? In the sequel, Patrick again is called on to save a 17 year old boy before he freezes to death in a Christmas eve storm. Will the boy trust this dog when he never wanted a pet in the first place?
These books were written for children ages 8-12, but anyone who loves a good dog story will adore Patrick!
Plan on looking for these books at www.amazon.com, or www.barnesandnoble.com. They are written by Diane Ganzer, who knows a lot about the ways of a puppy.