Enter to win The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace!

Enter to win The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace! To enter the contest, fill out the form below between Tuesday, September 24, and Tuesday, October 15.

New Memoir Sheds Light on the Caregiving Crisis in America with a Unique Canine Twist

With more than 53 million unpaid family caregivers in the U.S. providing an estimated 34 billion hours of care annually, the burden on individuals and families has never been greaterand it continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. Through her new book, The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace, author Susan Hartzler offers readers an intimate look at the emotional, physical, and financial toll of caregiving while highlighting an unexpected source of solacea rescue dog named Baldwin.

Hartzler's memoir chronicles her personal experience as she navigates the challenges of overseeing her father's care in his final years. Through the often overwhelming responsibilities of caregiving, Baldwin, her loyal rescue dog, provided much-needed emotional support, offering moments of comfort, laughter, and unconditional love.

Hartzler masterfully tells her story with heartfelt emotion, wit, and raw honesty, making The Peace Puppy not just touching, but a deeply moving exploration of love, loss, and resilience. Her humor shines through in the most unexpected moments, as readers discover the author's greatest source of strength, Baldwin, whose presence serves as a lifeline, helping her endure the toughest days and reminding us all of the extraordinary bond between humans and their pets.

"Caregiving can be an incredibly isolating experience for so many," Hartzler explains, "but Baldwin was my lifeline. His presence gave me the strength to keep going, even when the burden felt too heavy."

As the U.S. faces a looming crisis with an aging population and an underfunded long-term care system, The Peace Puppy offers a timely and deeply personal perspective on the complexities of caregiving. This perspective aligns with a growing national conversation on the topic. Actor and producer Bradley Cooper's documentary, Caregiving, set to premiere in 2025, will feature stories from actual caregivers like Hartzler and provide expert commentary. Additionally, the project includes a national engagement campaign highlighting the emotional, physical, and financial struggles that caregivers endurean experience Hartzler poignantly captures in her book.

The Peace Puppy: a Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace is available at McFarland, Amazon, and other leading bookshops. The author's debut memoir, I'm Not Single, I Have a Dog: Dating Tales From The Bark Side, also published by McFarland, is available at McFarland or Amazon. Hartzler is working with the same publisher on her next title, exploring the world of therapy dogs.

About the Author

Before becoming a published author, two of Susan's short stories about dogs were published in other books, namely New World Library's Dogs and the Women Who Love Them and Atria's The Divinity of Dogs. One of her short stories was awarded the Angel on a Leash Award from the Dog Writer's Association of America and another won the coveted Pawlitzer Prize from America's most dog-friendly city, Carmel, CA,

Besides being a life long dog lover, the award-winning writer is also a seasoned blogger, and savvy Public Relations Consultant. Alongside her current pack of Australian Shepherds, Seven and Paige Turner, she embarks on adventures exploring dog-friendly destinations and sharing their escapades with the world through a variety of publications, ranging from the digital realm of GetAventura.com to glossy spreads inside Fido Friendly Magazine and California 101 Traveler's Guide, among others.

But it's not all about work for Susan. She's deeply connected to her pack, volunteering as a certified Therapy Dog team, bringing smiles to high school students, including those with special needs. Seven and Paige Turner also shine as professional actors and models, appearing on the cover of the 2025 Australian Shepherd Calendar by Brown Trout. Together, they're on a mission to bring joy and enrichment to all they encounter. For more information, visit www.susanhartzler.com.

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