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WORK TITLE: A New Leash on Love
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.authordebbieburns.com/
CITY: St. Louis
STATE: MO
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Female.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and romance novelist.
AVOCATIONS:Hiking and gardening.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Debbie Burns is the author of contemporary romances. She made her debut with A New Leash on Love, the first book in the “Rescue Me” series. The series is set in St. Louis, Missouri, where Burns lives, and in a local animal shelter. In an interview with Happy Ever After website contributor Joyce Lamb, Burns noted that she gets her story ideas from “everyday life.” She added: “I often find myself inundated with story and character ideas from trips to stores, restaurants and conversations with friends. Just the other day I heard about a county outside Saint Louis that at one time wasn’t able to afford emergency medical services, so the services were contracted out to the owner of the town’s largest funeral home. Not only did that seem to be a conflict of interest, it also sounded like a rich setting for a story.”
A New Leash on Love finds Craig Williams, a wealthy businessman, going to the animal shelter after the holidays to take back the new puppy his daughter, Sophie, got. Craig wants to focus on getting his life back together after a contentious divorce and is unable to deal with a puppy. When he brings the chocolate lab into the shelter, the shelter’s head, Megan Anderson, judges that Craig as just another jerk man who does not want to take the time to train a dog. In fairness to her quick judgment, Megan has just taken over the shelter from its founder, who is in bad health. Megan is now the one who has to worry about finding funding for the shelter and making room for the endless stream of dogs and cats in need of a home until someone adopts them.
On his part, Craig thinks Megan is an overly zealous do-gooder who is casting judgment on him without knowing all the facts, such as the fact that he has lost a child and the loss also ended his marriage. Furthermore, Craig did not want to bring the puppy back to the shelter. His wife had bought the dog for Sophie but then called him saying that the puppy was too hard to handle, peeing on the carpet and chewing everything to pieces. Both Craig and his ex-wife decided it was for the best after the realities of their divorce became apparent. As a result of their initial mutual disdain, Megan and Craig soon are having a heated exchange. “The friction serves to heat up a relationship that neither is ready to handle,” wrote a Publishers Weekly contributor.
Nevertheless, Craig feels guilty and returns with Sophie the next day to get the dog back, only to discover that it has been adopted. Sophie, however, loves animals and ends up being a junior volunteer at the shelter. Furthermore, Craig makes a generous donation to help the shelter with its finances. Over time, the feelings between Megan and Craig alter drastically as they get to know each other and Megan bonds with Sophie and her surviving brother, Reese.
“Megan and Craig navigate the children, the ex-wife, his recovery from trauma, and her reluctance to open her heart,” wrote a Kirkus Reviews contributor. C.L. Quillen, critiquing the novel in Booklist, noted: “Pet lovers will adore all the animals introduced in Burns’ sweet romance.” Becky Condit, writing at the Happy Every After website, felt the animals were the true love interest, noting: “This is a book more about falling in love with shelter animals than people falling in love. That’s not a complaint.” The next book in the “Rescue Me” series is titled Sit, Stay, Love and features an animal shelter worker, a dog-fighting ring, and a handsome ex-military dog handler.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, June, 2017, C.L. Quillen, review of A New Leash on Love, p. 67.
Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2017, review of A New Leash on Love.
Publishers Weekly, May 8, 2017, review of A New Leash on Love, p. 44.
ONLINE
Debbie Burns Website, http://www.authordebbieburns.com (January 6, 2018).
Happy Ever After, http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/ (July 4, 2017), Joyce Lamb, “Interview: Debbie Burns, Author of A New Leash on Love”; (July 7, 2017), Becky Condit, review of A New Leash on Love.
Meet Debbie
Picture
Debbie lives in Saint Louis with her family, two phenomenal rescue dogs, and a somewhat tetchy Maine Coon cat who everyone loves anyway. Her hobbies include hiking, gardening and daydreaming, which of course always leads to new story ideas.
A New Leash on Love, Debbie’s first contemporary romance, has finaled in multiple contests. Her writing commendations include first-place awards for short stories, flash fiction, and longer selections from the Missouri RWA and the Missouri Writers Guild.
Meet Hazel and Nala
Hazel as a puppy
Hazel as a puppy
I find daily inspiration from my family’s two rescue dogs, Hazel and Nala. As a puppy, Hazel was found in a plastic trash bag along with eight of her siblings on the side of a road. Luckily, a concerned man noticed the wiggling bag and took immediate action. Not only did he get the litter to a caring rescue organization where the puppies were treated for neglect, he adopted one of the litter as soon as it was cleared. We adopted Hazel days later.
Nala
Nala
Our newest addition, Nala, was initially surrendered to a high-kill animal control shelter at just four weeks of age. Thankfully, she was picked up by a caring rescue agency and rehabbed for adoption. It’s hard to believe now, but when we adopted her at eight weeks of age, she was the scrawniest and most timid little thing, and getting her to eat wasn’t easy. Now, she’s a bit of a doggie vacuum and has the most eternally playful nature. My family loves that she’s a constant reminder not to take life too seriously and to always find some time for fun.
Debbie lives in Saint Louis with her family, two phenomenal rescue dogs, and a somewhat tetchy Maine Coon cat who everyone loves anyway. Her hobbies include hiking, gardening, and daydreaming, which of course always leads to new story ideas. Debbie has won and finaled in writing contests for short stories, flash fiction, and novels from the Missouri RWA and the Missouri Writers' Guild. You can find her on Twitter @_debbieburns and at authordebbieburns.com.
Joyce: Welcome to HEA, Debbie! Please tell us a bit about your new release, A New Leash on Love.
Debbie: A New Leash on Love is the first book in the Rescue Me series, a contemporary romance set in a lively animal shelter in Saint Louis, Missouri. In this first book, Craig Williams draws the short straw and has to take his daughter’s adorable new puppy to a shelter after the holidays. It’s just another painful episode in the fallout of a miserable divorce. He needs to pick up the pieces of his life, and after a fiery confrontation with Megan Anderson, the young woman running the shelter, he wants to put the whole episode behind him. However, when he keeps finding new ways to reconnect with her, he realizes Megan’s compassionate and caring nature just might be the perfect salve for his broken heart.
Joyce: What inspires your book ideas?
Debbie: Everyday life! I often find myself inundated with story and character ideas from trips to stores, restaurants and conversations with friends. Just the other day I heard about a county outside Saint Louis that at one time wasn’t able to afford emergency medical services, so the services were contracted out to the owner of the town’s largest funeral home. Not only did that seem to be a conflict of interest, it also sounded like a rich setting for a story.
Joyce: What do you do when you get stuck?
Debbie: I try not to sweat it when the words don’t flow. When it comes to writing, some days are simply more productive than others. Sometimes scenes seem to write themselves and other times every typed word requires some effort. Rather than forcing myself to sit at the computer when my progress feels akin to trudging through wet concrete, I take my dogs for a walk or tackle a bit of housework. Usually this does the trick and the next time I take a seat at my desk, my increased productivity more than makes up for any lost writing time.
Joyce: Do you write by the seat of your pants, or do you carefully plot your stories?
Debbie: I’m definitely a pantster at heart. All the plotting I do for a book is in my head. Before I begin writing, I have a strong idea of who the characters are, as well as how the book will begin and end. To me, having a detailed plot outline of a manuscript feels like a contract to write it the way I first envision it. As I write a manuscript, I get a better sense of my characters and their story arcs. Often, scenes I think I’ll be excited to write don’t make it in the finished draft and ones I hadn’t conceived when I started writing the story do. So far, no matter how much a story veers from the way I originally perceive it, the endings tend to be pretty close to what I had in mind before I began the first chapter.
Joyce: Do you have a pet that hangs out with you while you’re working?
Debbie Burns and Nala
Debbie: I have three of them. And while they get along great with one another, they still vie for my attention, especially when I sit down at the computer. The best behaved of the bunch is my 7-year-old Border collie mix. She loves to curl around my feet and doze under my desk. She’s a great writing companion. Our other dog is pretty young (just over 1) and is still a bit of an attention hound. She tends to stare me down when I’m trying to write. When I ignore her for too long, she starts chewing on the base of my chair. Our family cat is the most invasive. He likes to lie on my lap or snuggle up beside the keyboard, frequently stretching and pressing keys on the keyboard.
Joyce: What’s your ideal scenery while you’re writing?
Debbie: My ideal scenery would either be the mountains of Colorado or the rugged beaches of the Oregon coast, both of which are a considerable distance from my home in Saint Louis. Fortunately, there are plenty of scenic views in the parks around here, too. I’m a nature lover and I’m energized by green space. At home, I have my desk positioned so that I can look out the window into the backyard. When the weather’s nice, I love to take my laptop out on my deck and listen to bird song as I write. There are a few local coffee shops I frequent that have an amazing writing ambience, too.
Joyce: Do you listen to music while you write? What are some tunes on your playlist?
Debbie: I know many writers have a tune-specific playlist for each manuscript, and I do something similar when I’m plotting out a book. I’ll come up with a playlist that fits the characters and story, then I’ll listen to it while I’m driving, cooking or cleaning. When I write, though, I’ve found that lyrics can be distracting. I do like background noise as I work, so I often play classical music playlists. Recently I’ve been fascinated with Novo Amor and I’ve found I can write while listening to his playlists, too.
Joyce: What would be your dream vacation?
Debbie: I have SO many places I’d love to visit. I’ve been to Europe three times and feel like it’s only been a drop in the bucket. My next overseas trip will hopefully be to Scotland and Wales in 2018 for the hiking and scenery. Also high on my list of travel destinations are India and Australia. My BIG dream is to rent a quiet little cottage in Ireland for six months and once there, write a manuscript from start to finish.
Joyce: What are you working on now?
Debbie: Currently I’m working on Sit, Stay, Love, the second book in the series, due out in May 2018. In this story, after a massive dog-fighting ring is exposed, shelter worker Kelsey Sutton volunteers to care for a large number of the mistreated dogs. The endeavor means staying at a secluded old mansion that’s in need of as much TLC as the dogs. It also means working alongside a drool-worthy ex-military dog handler who has mysterious dark eyes and an inability to relax.
After eight years of military service, Kurt Crawford is committed to keeping his heart locked away. He only takes off his emotional armor for the four-legged creatures who always have his back. But as Kurt gets to know the wears-her-heart-on-her-sleeve shelter worker he’s been assigned to work with, he can’t help but let down his guard.
As the two struggle to rehab the dogs and the extraordinary old house, they find something special in their work and in one another. But Kurt’s job is only temporary, and he’s never been one to stick around for long. Can he take off his armor once and for all, or do his old wounds still run too deep?
Joyce: Thanks, Debbie!
About A New Leash on Love:
First in a fresh contemporary romance series from award-winning debut author Debbie Burns.
Every heart has a forever home.
Megan Anderson loves the animals at her no-kill shelter. She’ll do anything for them—even go toe-to-toe with a handsome man who’s in way over his head. She’ll help him sort out his troubles, but getting too close to an adorable puppy’s human counterpart? Been there, done that, got burned.
When Craig Williams arrived at the local shelter for help, he didn’t expect a fiery young woman to blaze into his life. But the more time they spend together, the more he realizes it’s not just animals Megan is adept at saving—she could be the one to rescue his heart.
Soon, Craig and Megan find that the magic of unconditional love can do anything…even lead to their forever home.
About Debbie
Debbie lives in Saint Louis with her family, two phenomenal rescue dogs, and a somewhat tetchy Maine Coon cat who everyone loves anyway. Her hobbies include hiking, gardening and daydreaming, which of course always leads to new story ideas. A New Leash on Love, Debbie’s first contemporary romance, has finaled in multiple RWA chapter contests. Her writing commendations include first-place awards for short stories, flash fiction, and longer selections from the Missouri RWA and the Missouri Writers Guild.
Find out more at authordebbieburns.com.
A New Leash on Love
C.L. Quillen
Booklist.
113.19-20 (June 2017): p67.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
A New Leash on Love. By Debbie Burns. July 2017. 352p. Sourcebooks/Casablanca, paper, $7.99
(9781492650836).
Businessman Craig Williams is in need of rescue himself when he turns up at a no-kill animal shelter to
surrender his daughter Sophie's new puppy. Acting director Megan Anderson is overwhelmed and sees
Craig as a typical jerk who gets rid of a puppy rather than trying to train him. When a chastened Craig
returns with Sophie the next day to reclaim the dog, the puppy has already been adopted. But Sophie
decides to become a junior volunteer, opening the door to future meet-ups between Meg and Craig. The
death of one of Craig's sons resulted in the end of his marriage a couple of years ago, and the whole family
is still grieving. Meg and Craig's relationship builds slowly, giving her a chance to develop strong
relationships with Sophie and her surviving brother, Reese. Pet lovers will adore all the animals introduced
in Burns' sweet romance, the opening title in her Rescue Me series.--C. L. Quillen
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Quillen, C.L. "A New Leash on Love." Booklist, June 2017, p. 67. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A498582758/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a73718f0.
Accessed 27 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A498582758
1/27/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1517088647235 2/3
A New Leash on Love: A Rescue Novel
Publishers Weekly.
264.19 (May 8, 2017): p44.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* A New Leash on Love: A Rescue Novel
Debbie Burns. Sourcebooks Casablanca, $7.99 mass market (352p) ISBN 978-1-49265083-6
Burns's auspicious debut contemporary is a warm cuddly tale full of dogs, cats, kids, and genuinely likable
adults. From the moment they lay eyes on one another, Megan Anderson and Craig Williams rub each other
the wrong way. She manages a St. Louis no-kill animal shelter and he's brought in his daughter's chocolate
Lab pup to surrender it for adoption. Putting instant attraction aside, Megan assumes he's a typical "dog
dumper," the type who buys a pet as a gift but is ready to get rid of the critter as soon as it pees on the
carpet. Craig sees her as a judgmental do-gooder unable to accept that sometimes there are extenuating
circumstances. The friction serves to heat up a relationship that neither is ready to handle. Yet his daughter,
the animals, and a well-constructed plot all contrive to push Craig and Megan together. This heartstringtugger
is certain to win fans who are yearning for a wholesome summertime read. Agent: Jessica Watterson,
Sandra Dijkstra Agency. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"A New Leash on Love: A Rescue Novel." Publishers Weekly, 8 May 2017, p. 44. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491949095/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c5cdd3be.
Accessed 27 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491949095
1/27/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1517088647235 3/3
Burns, Debbie: A NEW LEASH ON LOVE
Kirkus Reviews.
(May 1, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Burns, Debbie A NEW LEASH ON LOVE Sourcebooks Casablanca (Adult Fiction) $7.99 7, 4 ISBN: 978-
1-4926-5083-6
A no-kill animal shelter in St. Louis is the setting for a clash between its spunky, bighearted director and a
grieving businessman who needs rescue himself.In Burns' debut contemporary romance, Craig Williams is a
wealthy businessman father who has lost one of his young children and, subsequently, his marriage. He's
worried for the emotional well-being of his two remaining children but can't seem to escape his own
numbness and isolation. When he meets Megan Anderson, acting director of a St. Louis no-kill shelter,
sparks fly, but not necessarily in a good way. Craig is reluctantly surrendering a Christmas puppy which
was just too much to handle. Megan, a bit overwhelmed with the unexpected directorship and having a
judgmental streak she tries to contain, at first writes him off as an arrogant jerk. But when Craig makes a
donation to the underfunded shelter, they get to know one another, and their mutual attraction grows. Megan
and Craig navigate the children, the ex-wife, his recovery from trauma, and her reluctance to open her heart
to a guy who seems well out of her league. Burns doesn't demonize the ex-wife, although the genre
probably doesn't need yet another contrast between the down-to-earth, messy ponytailed young woman and
her cool, mature, and overly polished rival. Megan is passive and awkwardly insecure throughout. Craig is
defined too much by trauma, and his children are distractingly mature for their ages. While the couple's
sexual appeal to one another is emphasized, the intimate scenes are rote, and Craig seems interested mostly
in Megan's ability to mother his children. An appealing setup and plot can't overcome dull characterization
and lack of sizzle.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Burns, Debbie: A NEW LEASH ON LOVE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2017. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491002947/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=bb178779.
Accessed 27 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491002947
Becky Condit | July 7, 2017 12:00 am
A New Leash on Love by Debbie Burns
What it’s about (courtesy of Sourcebooks Casablanca):
When Craig Williams draws the short straw and has to take his daughter’s adorable new puppy to a shelter after the holidays, it’s just another painful episode in the fall-out of a miserable divorce. He needs to pick up the pieces of his life, and, after a fiery confrontation with Megan Anderson, the young woman running the shelter, he wants to put the whole episode behind him. However, when he keeps finding new ways to reconnect with her, he realizes Megan’s compassionate and caring nature just might be the perfect salve for his broken heart.
Why you should read it: This is a book more about falling in love with shelter animals than people falling in love. That’s not a complaint. My own dog was a shelter-rescued dog. It’s in the final quarter of the book that human romance takes center stage.
Megan has taken over running a no-kill shelter from the man who founded it and is no longer in good health. It’s a constant worry over money and fitting in all the dogs and cats that need at least a temporary home until they find their forever home. Megan has a heart big enough to stay the course, though. She has anger that sometimes wells up inside her when people surrender a perfectly healthy animal because they didn’t think about the full scope of the commitment an animal requires. When Craig brings in the puppy his wife acquired for their daughter before the realities of a divorce, it causes Megan to lash out at him.
Craig hates bringing in the puppy, and then when his daughter decides she wants it back, the finding a forever home has crossed the point of no return. The puppy has been adopted. Heartbreak all around, except for Megan. Then she gets to know Craig’s daughter and offers her a volunteer position at the shelter. This is the beginning of what could be a romance between Craig and Megan, but it’s touch and go for a while.
There is an unexpected twist near the end. The question is whether Craig and Megan are suited to each other. Another question is whether it’s too soon after his divorce for Craig to be moving on.
This is a carefully plotted book with characters who play to type, including all the children involved as well as the parents. I really enjoyed this book. It’s a good one to sink into for a beach read.
Becky Condit is a widow, mother of three and grandmother of 10 who reads all kinds of books, but her go-to comfort books are romances. She reads and reviews more than 250 books a year, so you won’t often find her without her iPad in hand, but when you do, she’ll probably be gardening or spending time with her family.