Summary: “He was not old. It was not his time, I will spare you the drama, except to say: I lived in the pupil of his eye.” -Dead Dog by Lisa Underwood. That poem is one of 52 stories from people around the world in author Jim Mitchem’s book “Gone Dogs” – a tribute to the dogs that have left us, written by the people who loved them. But this crowd-sourced book only came to be after Jim wrote a blog post about his dog’s passing. This simple tribute generated so much love and support, Jim realized something profound: All dog owners have something important in common — eventually, we must all say goodbye. In this this episode, Jim tells the story behind the many heart-warming tributes in the book, but also how writing “Gone Dogs” changed his life. About Gone Dogs Gone Dogs is a crowd-sourced book about the dogs of our lifetimes. Dogs who are gone, but who will never be forgotten. Written by Jim Mitchem and his partner, designer and artist Laurie Smithwick, this anthology contains 52 stories by people from around the world sharing the dogs of their lives. In Jim’s own words: “I'm reminded of why this book is important every time someone tells me how much they love it, or how it's helped them overcome the grief of their own gone dogs. That was the idea--to put something beautiful into the world that anyone who has ever loved a dog can identify with. Deeply.” About Jim Mitchem Jim Mitchem is a writer based in Charlotte. He's married and is the father of two daughters who are both in college. He has a few human friends but prefers the company of dogs. As a copywriter, he makes a living coming up with ways to get people to think differently about things. He’s written a novel, Minor King, a novella, Mongoose, and has a thousand files containing a thousand other stories and poems that really need his attention. Episode Links Jim Mitchem: https://www.QuickLikeMongoose.com Gone Dogs: https://gonedogs.com/ Gone Dogs Facebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/152597186732544 Other Links Puppies are A$$holes: https://www.puppiesareassholes.com/ About The Long Leash Thank you for joining us. If you have enjoyed listening, please SUBSCRIBE so you’ll never miss out! Check out Dog Podcast Network for other dog-adjacent shows. Follow us in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
