True Friendship Takes Many Shapes And Some Of The Strongest Bonds Never Need Words

July 27, 2009 - PRLog -- “The Big Black Dog and the Big Blue Sea,” written by first-time author Craig Lindeman, illustrated by Johanna Shoop and published by Dog Ear Publishing was inspired by the unexpected death of Zeta, the beloved family dog of the author’s brother.

“Zeta was such a huge part of all of our lives, but my brother and his wife were especially devastated by her passing, not only because they lost such a beautiful soul, but because their future children would never get a chance to know her,” said Lindeman. “When my niece was born I just wanted to do something that would ensure that she would get to know Zeta and love her as we all did.”

The story told in “The Big Black Dog and the Big Blue Sea” revolves around a real-life trip the author’s brother, sister-in-law and Zeta took on their sailboat in 2004. In the story, the three friends take to the sea on a voyage of discovery, encountering a new way of life and uncovering a world Zeta never knew existed. Ultimately the journey leads the crew to a remote desert island where they disembark to enjoy a day playing on the island’s beaches, meeting its unusual inhabitants and discovering the bonds of true friendship.

“While it’s an educational story in the very traditional sense, I hope the real lesson contained within the book is that true friendship can take many shapes and some of the strongest bonds one can ever experience never need to be expressed in words,” said Lindeman.

"The Big Black Dog and the Big Blue Sea" is a soothing, rhyming story, brought to life with illustrations that give the reader a sense of feeling the sand between their toes. Parents, adventurers and dog lovers of all ages will enjoy reading this story about a perfect day in the life of a dog.

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About the Author, Craig Lindeman
A dog lover for 30+ years and a writer for over 20 years, it was only a matter of time before Craig put his two passions together to create his first children’s book. Inspired by the sudden passing of his brother’s Labrador retriever Zeta, The Big Black Dog and the Big Blue Sea is Craig’s attempt to ensure that his niece Hagen would grow up knowing Zeta’s independent and adventurous spirit while passing on his love of dogs to future generations.

About the Illustrator, Johanna Shoop
An artist since the day she was born, Johanna can turn virtually any project into a timeless treasure. Her experience as a professional caricaturist gives her work a fun, endearing quality while her education at Iowa State University (which included a stint in Italy) produces a style that’s deeply rooted in fine art. Away from work, Johanna is all about family and particularly loves spending time with her nephew Owen.

For more information visit the author's website at http://www.BlackDogBlueSea.com.

$15.95, full-color paperback
40 pages
Written by Craig Lindeman, illustrated by Johanna Shoop

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Dog Ear Publishing is an author services company located in Indianapolis, IN and specializes in helping indie authors bring their books to market. The link for self publishing services is http://www.dogearpublishing.net