

by Lisa Duffy-Korpics - Lyons Press -Globe Pequot - trade division of Rowman & Littlefield. -Twitter @ldkdogcatcher
"This is a wonderful book. I had a hard time putting it down. I was laughing and tearing up, sometimes at the same time! I didn't want it to end..."-Nina Killham, Bestselling Author of Believe Me, How to Cook a Tart, and Mounting Desire
"Having good writing skills isn't a prerequisite for getting a job as a dog catcher, but the two certainly make a good combination for the author of Tales from a Dog Catcher...Some stories are funny - some may move you to tears. I may be barking up the wrong tree, but I think they will appeal to animal lover's and even those who don't care for pets will enjoy reading about the eccentric people involved in these tales from a dog catcher." ...Phyliss Davidson - INFO Metropolitan Library System Magazine. Oklahoma
"Summer reading! Enjoy tales about hero hounds, crazy cats. Great dog books just made for Summer Reading! ... Here's a list of some of our favorite books ... Tales from a Dog Catcher by Lisa Duffy-Korpics is a collection of real stories about people and the animals they encounter...this book is in the tradition of "All Creatures Great and Small" by James Herriot. The stories are funny, sad, uplifting and even silly." ...Laurie Denger - Dayton Daily News. Ohio
"...In Tales from a Dog Catcher," author Lisa Duffy-Korpics recounts her years as an animal control officer in a series of fascinating and engaging stories...the stories can be funny and heartbreaking, often simultaneously...However, there is no shortage of entertaining encounters. Animal lovers will appreciate the candid tales, and enjoy a new perspective on an often unexamined profession."...Dog Channel.com
"Lisa's numerous on-the-job adventures are compiled in this collection of sad, charming, delightful and humorous short stories. ...Animal lovers of all ages will appreciate Lisa’s recollections of her memorable encounters with domestic animals and injured wildlife in the beautiful Hudson Valley." ...Rachelle Nones - Tri County WOMAN magazine. New York
A graduate of the London School of Journalism, Shannon has lived most of her adult life in Manhattan where she earned a Certificate of Journalism from New York University and attended Columbia University.
Had so much fun chatting with Shannon - she's such a professional that she made me feel right at ease. I almost forgot I was on live! (ouch - maybe I shouldn't have reminded myself of that). Here is what she posted on her blog shannonscorner.com.
Thank you Shannon and to WTBQ for the opportunity to speak with your listeners.
- Lisa Duffy-Korpics is a local Orange County author and high school teacher who has written a delightful and compassionate book, Tales from a Dog Catcher (Lyons Press). Animal lovers and just those who love a good book will be entertained and charmed while reading this and learning about her days as a dog catcher and the surprising antics that she came upon. Lisa also wrote some of her delightful stories inChicken Soup for the Cat and Dog Lovers Soul. Listen in today to hear Lisa talk about her book and tell some of her lively tales and you will be glad you make good choices ~
Kansas K-9 Rescue is an organization based in Wichita, Kansas that provides and seeks foster homes for rescued dogs. They are an all volunteer organization and all donations are tax deductible. You can also adopt a dog from Kansas K-9 Rescue if you meet the necessary requirements. Below is a a review of Tales from a Dog Catcher from their August Newsletter. Thank you to Ruth Thompson and all of the people at Kansas K-9 Rescue, for a lovely review, but more importantly, for the incredible job you do everyday for the animals in your care. Click here for ways to get involved in helping today!
Book Review: Tales from a Dog Catcher
Author: Lisa Duffy-Korpics
Two recommendations: Check this little book out at your local library (my copy was softbound), and keep your Kleenex handy when you read it! - Ruth Thompson - Kansas K-9 Rescue
Title: "Tales From a Dog Catcher"
Author: Lisa Duffy-Korpics of Walden
Author background: Duffy-Korpics is married to Jason Korpics and they have a son, Charles, 15, and daughter, Emily, 12. Formerly a dogcatcher for the City of Peekskill while attending college for four years, she is now a government and psychology teacher at Valley Central High School in Montgomery and a writer. Her stories have appeared in eight "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books.
Publisher: The Lyons Press of Guilford, Conn., an imprint of the Globe Pequot Press
Genre: Narrative nonfiction; some bookstores and Web sites place the book under "Memoirs."
Summary: The book is about Duffy-Korpics' adventures as a dogcatcher in Annesville (which is the original name of Peekskill, hence the Annesville [traffic] Circle). Unlike today where animal control falls under the town and/or village, Duffy-Korpics worked with the Police Department as a peace officer. She was in charge of a four-square-mile area, which actually gave her lots of material to write about. The names of the humans have been changed as well as some of the animals'. Duffy-Korpics said oddly enough she remembered all the names of the animals she tried to help. The humans were tougher to recall. "I think it was less about the animals and more about dealing with the people."
Best chapter and quote from the book: Duffy-Korpics is a softie when it comes to animals. In the chapter "Odd Blessings," she writes about frequently listing the animal's age as younger than they actually were so that they would be more adoptable. Also, if the adopters were poor, she didn't ask them for the $10 rescue fee. She would list the animal as a "stray" on all paperwork. As she says in the book, "too often I had found that this fee — or inability to pay it — got in the way of doing the right thing."
Maureen was a receptionist at the local shelter, processing all of the animals' paperwork and fees. Duffy-Korpics describes Maureen as "about 5 feet, 90 pounds of pure steel." Maureen always gave the author a hard time, saying things such as "ah, of course another 3- to 5-year-old terrier mix, who — at such a young age, mind you — already has cataracts and gray hair. It must be that rare accelerated aging disease again. Your city should really test its water ..."
However, Maureen never changed the paperwork and Duffy-Korpics observes, "Inside her tiny body was a great big heart; it may have been surrounded by several layers of igneous rock, but I knew it was there nonetheless."
First-time literary advice: "I think the mistake people make is they just send out the manuscript without sending it to a specific person and getting the spelling of that name right. The Writer's Market will tell you everything you need to know. It's a lot of work, but I try to enjoy that side of it. If you want to do it the traditional way, you have to have a (tough) skin and know that it's not personal (when they reject you)."
Availability: This book is available globally in English. Online at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com and target.com. It's also available in major bookstores, department stores and libraries.
Price: $16.95
Upcoming work: Duffy-Korpics is finishing more chapters for a sequel about her dogcatcher days. She would also like to write a young-adult book.
Upcoming events: Duffy-Korpics will be a guest on WTBQ's "Shannon's Corner" at 12:05 p.m. Aug. 20.
Visit her blog at www.talesfromadogcatcher.blogspot.com.