Dancing With Bear: A Love Story E-Book

This is the cover I wanted to use for the print book, but it wasn't usable at that size. I did get to use it for the e-book that came out today.

I'm so excited to be able to offer Dancing With Bear: A Love Story in pdf format for only $5.00. If you would like to purchase a pdf copy, please go to my website Dancing With Bear and click on the "web store" tab, and you can order the e-book there.

Finally - The Final, Final Cover Art!

You know that saying about good intentions? Well, it certainly applies in this case. I loved the cover art for Dancing With Bear, but when I sent it to my good friend, and rockin' cover artist, C.H. Scarlett, I was told it wouldn't work. Because Dancing With Bear is a print book, the art has to be able to stand up to the size of the book cover without losing it's integrity. Since most of the photos in the collage were snapshots taken years ago, when they were sized for the book, they pixilated and that cover couldn't be used.

So, what's a Lady Bear to do?

Bear and I lived a simple life, although things sometimes got complicated just because that's how life is sometimes. Bear always told me to just be who I am and go with it. So, I have. In 1986, Bear's friend and cell mate, Alex Mezhbein sketched Bear in pencil and Bear sent me the sketch. He wrote at the top, "Sweetness", and below, "Love, licks, & more, Bear." What better way to sum up my relationship with him? So I've used this sketch as the cover, although the sketch was blown up, and the message Bear had written was deleted in the process. I still think this cover really portrays the man I married. The pic on the back cover is a heart pendant that I wear. It has a pic of Bear & I together, with his name and DOB-DOD beneath, and on the back, it says, "Forever & ever, Amen!" Bear had that tattooed on his chest, along with my name.

Cover Art

After some discussion with my editor and good friend, Jeff, we decided to go with a black & white cover instead of the color one. Bear was an old hippie from the 60's and he embraced that part of himself. He was a laid back and enjoyed the quiet life we lived together. I think the B&W cover is more "Bear," so here it is!

Nick Nack Paddy Wack!

Nicole

In 1994 we lived on the Scott River in California and found a baby deer in the road. She was newborn and still had her umbilical cord attached. We moved her off the road beneath bushes so her mother could find her and she would also be safe from any traffic. I didn't even get back to our car before she came running after me, bleating and head-butted my leg. We took her home and raised her. Our dog, Bill looked after her, cleaned up after her, and protected her. She was a blast to have around and very smart. One day I went into our bedroom and Nicole was on the bed throwing my stuffed animals up in the air. She was house trained and went to the door when she needed to potty. At about 4 months of age there wasn't a leaf or flower in the yard as high as Nicole could reach. We had to take her to a preserve so she could be with her own kind but that was like leaving one of my children. Especially after she chased us down. We took her back and the man who lived at the preserve had to take her inside until we left, and I could hear her bleating as we drove away. I cried all the way home.