The story behind the story
Before There Was Dog, There Was Gracie
The true story behind the dog who helped inspire a little piece of Willowmere.
The day before Gracie came into my life, my dog Daisy was tragically hit by a car and died.
I was devastated.
Then something completely unexpected happened.
A former colleague arrived at my home and brought Gracie to my back door.
I couldn't have known it at the time, but at one of the hardest moments of my life, a true gift had quite literally shown up at my door.
That gift was Gracie.
Over the next twelve years, Gracie would show exactly who she was: extraordinarily kind, loving, loyal, affectionate, and always happy to receive attention from just about anyone willing to give it.
There is something especially memorable about Gracie's eyes. They are incredibly soulful. She doesn't need words to communicate very much. Sometimes one look seems to say everything.
Years later, as Tales of Willowmere began taking shape and Dog came alive on the page, I realized that some of the qualities I loved about Gracie had quietly found their way into him.
Before there was Dog, there was Gracie.
The day before Gracie came into my life, my dog Daisy was tragically hit by a car and died.
I was devastated.
Then something completely unexpected happened.
A former colleague arrived at my home and brought Gracie to my back door.
I couldn't have known it at the time, but at one of the hardest moments of my life, a true gift had quite literally shown up at my door.
That gift was Gracie.
Over the next twelve years, Gracie would show exactly who she was: extraordinarily kind, loving, loyal, affectionate, and always happy to receive attention from just about anyone willing to give it.
There is something especially memorable about Gracie's eyes. They are incredibly soulful. She doesn't need words to communicate very much. Sometimes one look seems to say everything.
Years later, as Tales of Willowmere began taking shape and Dog came alive on the page, I realized that some of the qualities I loved about Gracie had quietly found their way into him.
Before there was Dog, there was Gracie.
Gracie Lives for Her Frisbee
Some things never change.
Gracie absolutely lives for her Frisbee. The moment she sees it in my hands, her eyes light up and her ears perk up.
And once she has it, she carries it proudly wherever she goes.
At 12 years old, the Frisbee still brings out the puppy in Gracie.
And then there's honey roasted peanut butter.
You don't need to call her. You don't need to show her the jar. Just crack the lid.
Somehow, from wherever she happens to be in the house, Gracie can hear it — and she's in the kitchen in less than a split second.
That's Gracie.
Twelve years later, Gracie may have a little more white around her face, but the things that make her Gracie haven't changed.
She's still kind. Still loyal. Still ready for someone's attention. And those same soulful eyes are still there.
Older, a little grayer, and still unmistakably Gracie.
Gracie at the water's edge.
She has always loved being wherever life is happening — beside us, watching, exploring, and taking it all in.
Years later, when Dog began to take shape in Willowmere, a little bit of Gracie found its way onto the page.
Gracie's story became part of Dog. Dog became part of Willowmere. And Willowmere began with the simple idea that kindness, loyalty, friendship, and wonder still matter.
Sometimes the most wonderful stories begin with a gift you never expected to receive.