Silver Dagger Book Tours
  • Welcome!
  • Current Tours
    • Book Tours
  • Book a Tour
  • Open Sign Ups
  • Contact
  • About
  • Welcome!
  • Current Tours
    • Book Tours
  • Book a Tour
  • Open Sign Ups
  • Contact
  • About
Silver Dagger Book Tours

Seven Days to Goodbye - Blog Tour and Giveaway

5/23/2017

32 Comments

 
Picture
Picture

Seven Days to Goodbye & Starting Over
by Sheri S Levy
GENRE:
Young Adult- coming of age


Picture
Thirteen year old, Trina has chosen to raise service dogs and have puppy after puppy. But during her seven day beach vacation, Trina struggles with having to return Sydney at the end of the week and worrying about her best friend changing into a stranger. To complicate the week, Sydney, meets a young boy with autism and the girls meet his two older brothers. Tension is raised over the guys, and Trina fears she’ll lose more than her service dog. Will Trina's lose her best friend, also?


Picture
​

Sydney climbed on my lap and licked the corners of my eyes. I buried my face in his soft fur and scratched under his chin. He leaned into my hand as I whispered, “We’ll have fun with or without Sarah. We just have to.”
Staring through the side window, a deep-blue summer sky flickered between pine trees covered in kudzu. Sarah’s car passed on the right. I turned the other way.
Off the freeway, we headed east and then south down a two lane road through sleepy little towns one after the other. Twenty minutes later, I leaned forward between the front seats, “Wow. Look.”
Branches from gigantic live oak trees slanted towards the middle of the street. The trees looked as though they were trying to touch each other and some did. They reminded me of my cozy canopy bed where Sarah and I had spent many nights, giggling and whispering. But this canopy was made of tree limbs in different shades of green, dripping with grayish, Spanish moss. The moss hung like ghostly long arms swinging in the wind.
“This is kind of spooky beautiful. It’s like being in a green tunnel.” I cracked my window.
A whiff of salty ocean filled the car. Sydney lifted his head as the trees whizzed by. His nose twitched. “We’re getting close, Syd.” He squeezed into the same space with me and gazed out the front window.
Suddenly, the trees disappeared. The cloudless sky stretched with no end in sight. Pelicans flew in an upside down, V formation. On both sides of the road, squiggly tidal creeks flowed through green marshlands. White birds with skinny legs stood statue-still in the shimmering water. This was a place I’d only seen in postcards.
Pelicans flew in an upside down, V formation. On both sides of the road, squiggly tidal creeks flowed through green marshlands. White birds with skinny legs stood statue-still in the shimmering water. This was a place I’d only seen in postcards.


Picture
Picture
Sheri, originally from California, moved to South Carolina with her husband, two children and a Siamese cat. Soon they adopted their first rescue dog who influenced their need to continue living with dogs. Sheri taught a multi-handicapped Special Ed class, and then a GED-parenting class, which included home visits. Because of her love of reading, Sheri found unusual ways to encourage children to read. After her rescue of a difficult dog, Sheri enrolled in dog classes to change his behavior. Her dream of writing, Seven Days to Goodbye, came from the culmination of her beach experiences, her understanding of behaviors, and from research with PAALS, a service dog organization.

Links:
ISBN: 978-1-935460-74-9 EBook- 978-1-935460-75-6
Facebook.com/Sherislevyauthor342003522553368
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Sheri-S.-Levy/e/B00NSGMS0S
Twitter: @SheriSLevy
Website: www.sherislevy.com

Picture
What is the most unique/ quirky thing about you?

After reading this question, I decided to share something funny. Part of my personality is to fix problems. I taught special ed. The fun part of my job was to discover ways to unlock the brains of children who were built differently. Once I found their learning style, it was a joy to see them progress. A big part of their learning came with changing their behavior.
I only used positive reinforcement. If a child needed to stand while he worked, I’d let him stand next to his desk. I only rewarded my students with positive comments and ignored their inattention or ways of trying to get negative attention. It is definitely harder to ignore bad behavior, but it is wonderful when the student watches others getting treats or pats on the shoulder for doing what they were asked to do. It didn’t take long for my students to want my attention and learn to control themselves.
This part of me carried over to other areas of my life.
One snowy day, a black Lab puppy roamed into our neighborhood with three puncture wounds on his torso. Ice prevented my husband and I from getting him to the vet’s office. He was very hungry and sweet. We kept him in the garage, until we knew if he was safe with our young Aussie.
The next week we took our adopted Lab, Jake, to the vet’s office. His wounds were treated over a few weeks, and we watched Jake grow. After our snow days, our daughter had begged to take Jake with her, back to college. He was around, six-months-old, and full of puppy mischief. Not a good idea for an apartment.
The first few weeks, if Jake was left alone outside, he ate the tongue out of my husband’s work boots, he up-rooted mature plants, leaving giant holes, and ate the electric wires on the boat trailer and the wires to the garage door opener.
Out of desperation, I remembered a suggestion from a dog trainer that would not be negative, but might detour destruction.
My husband blew up balloons outside on our driveway. When he popped them, I’d scream. This was to frighten Jake from the balloons. We taped the colored balloons inside every azalea bush, around electric wires on the boat trailer, the eyes for the garage door opener, and the work bench.
Friends came over and laughed at our colorful decorations.
These balloons detoured Jake for almost a week. I’d walk around the yard and tell Jake, “What a good boy! No plants.” He’d glance at the plant and blink. He was smart enough to understand.
But once the air seeped out, Jake ripped the balloons from the tape and ate them. We had to be quicker. We inspected the balloons daily and replaced them. He learned to change his behavior from our expectations and loving attention. He never was hit or abused.
Jake lived a long, wonderful life. We did not give up on him, and found ways to entertain him until he learned self-control.


Picture
a Rafflecopter giveaway
32 Comments
Victoria
5/23/2017 12:18:21 pm

Awesome excerpt and I love the covers! Thanks for sharing :)

Reply
Sheri Levy link
5/23/2017 12:33:19 pm

Thanks , Victoria for reading and following.

Reply
Goddess Fish Promotions link
5/23/2017 12:35:26 pm

Thank you for hosting today.

Reply
BERNIE WALLACE
5/23/2017 06:47:24 pm

What books are you looking forward to reading? Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win.

Reply
Sheri S Levy link
5/23/2017 07:39:11 pm

I have a stack of books waiting to be read. Some are Ebook and others print. Right now I am reading YA, The Girl who Flew Away, by Val Muller.

Reply
Dale Wilken
5/23/2017 07:50:31 pm

I loved the excerpt thank you.

Reply
Sheri S Levy link
5/23/2017 07:58:01 pm

Thank you for reading and commenting, Dale.

Reply
Lisa Brown
5/24/2017 04:02:07 am

Congrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win :)

Reply
Sheri Levy link
5/24/2017 09:12:32 am

Thanks, Lisa, for following. On Saturday, I will reveal the cover for Starting Over. Check out my webpage, www.sherislevy.com

Reply
Nikolina
5/25/2017 05:18:21 am

I really enjoyed reading the guest post, thank you!

Reply
Sheri Levy link
5/25/2017 09:08:57 pm

Thank you for reading another of my posts.

Reply
Nikolina
5/27/2017 09:41:06 am

Always a great pleasure! Also shared on G+ to help spread the word, have a great day! :)

Caroline Corder
5/25/2017 09:32:08 am

Sheri, I enjoyed reading the excerpt and will definitely read all books in this series. Hope you are settled in your new home by now. Maybe we'll see you sometime at the beach. Keep writing.

Reply
Sheri Levy link
5/25/2017 09:12:45 pm

So nice to hear from you- thanks for reading my posts. We are enjoying our new surroundings, but miss all of you! We'll be back for a visit. Or you need to come down here to see this environment.

Reply
Gwendolyn Jordan
5/25/2017 04:03:53 pm

Congrats

Reply
Sheri Levy link
5/25/2017 09:14:05 pm

Thanks for reading the post!

Reply
Ally Swanson
5/27/2017 12:26:15 am

Congrats on the new book and good luck on the book tour!

Reply
Sheri Levy link
5/27/2017 02:27:38 pm

June 3rd is my cover reveal for Starting Over. If you like puzzles check out this link and put the cover pieces together.
https://www.sherislevy.com/puzzle
Have fun- be sure and send me a note you tried -

Reply
Jodi Hunter
6/10/2017 10:19:06 am

This book looks amazing.

Reply
Elizabeth Sullivan
6/19/2017 11:12:48 am

Thanks for the chance.

Reply
Esperanza Gailliard
6/21/2017 10:30:20 pm

Sounds like a book I would love to get my eyes on this summer!

Reply
MAI T.
6/22/2017 06:59:14 am

What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?

Reply
Leslie Crosbie
7/1/2017 01:43:55 am

I love your book covers!!

Reply
Leslie C
7/7/2017 08:45:49 pm

Thank you!

Reply
Leslie C
7/8/2017 08:10:45 am

Cant be lonely if your puppy is by your side!!

Reply
Leslie C
7/14/2017 07:52:11 pm

Thank you for this giveaway!!

Reply
Bridgett Wilbur
7/16/2017 07:28:44 am

I would love to read your book.

Reply
Daryl
7/19/2017 01:14:05 am

I like the cover.

Reply
KateB
7/19/2017 11:11:01 am

Thanks for the great post. I love the cover as well.

Reply
Lyndsey R.
7/19/2017 01:26:09 pm

Sounds like a great story. Sometimes dogs aren't just man's best friend but they are everybody's best friend!

Reply
Sandra Preti
7/19/2017 07:35:38 pm

Congratulations on the new book! Love the excerpt and look forward to reading the entire book.

Reply
Jerry Marquardt
7/19/2017 10:01:52 pm

I would like to give thanks for all your really great writings, including
Seven Days to Goodbye. I wish the best in keeping up the good work in the future.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016

© 2021 Silver Dagger Book Tours