LocalLit book preview: ‘Dog Church’ by Gail Gilmore

In late April, I took my first writers retreat, a weekend retreat that met on Zoom.

The retreat attracted people from the U.S. and Canada and I met quite a few talented writers over those couple of days.

One of those writers was Gail Gilmore, whose second book was nearing its release. Gilmore mentioned her previous book, “Dog Church,” and the title sounded so intriguing that I looked it up on the spot.

I recently ordered the book and have actually flipped through the book and read portions. The writing is tight and poignant and I’m already intrigued. I’ll be reviewing “Dog Church” in Tuesday’s free LocalLit newsletter. If you’re not already receiving this free newsletter, sign up at shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/newsletter/#//.

Here is the description on Amazon: “Does saving a life always mean preserving it, or does it sometimes mean letting go? When Gail Gilmore’s beloved dog Chispa is diagnosed with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, her first instinct is to do everything possible to bring the symptoms of this neurologically debilitating condition under control. But treatments fail, and Chispa’s symptoms worsen.

“Faced with emotionally complicated questions and difficult ethical decisions, Gail repeatedly visits the one place where she believes she might find the spiritual guidance and wisdom needed to make the best choice for Chispaa tiny, extraordinary church in St. Johnsbury, Vermont called the Dog Chapel. Within the chapel, its walls deeply layered with overlapping photographs and notes from thousands of previous visitors to dogs loved and lost, Gail finds both answers and peace in the wise words of the unknown people she comes to consider her tribe.”

“A story of unconditional love and devotion, ‘Dog Church’ is also a story of finding comfort in faith and the ways in which the emotional threads of love and grief can bind complete strangers together for brief moments in time in ways that are ultimately life-changing.”

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Each week LocalLit will deliver an original short and family-friendly story (or a book review) by a local author to the newsletter’s subscribers.

Authors with a connection to our readership area may submit. Submission does not guarantee acceptance.

Contact Denise M. Baran-Unland at 815-280-4122 or dunland@shawmedia.com.