CARYL'S SPEECH & MAXDOG UPDATE

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

Hi there to all my friends across the globe!

I believe a number of bloggers have already received their copies of MAXDOG in the post already.  I am so happy that they are arriving and really hope that you enjoy my book.

There is so much happening here.  The first article about MAXDOG appeared in one of our Afrikaans nation-wide newspapers this morning.  If you would like to see the article,

please click HERE (It is in Afrikaans)

Tomorrow my family are leaving for our annual seaside holiday.  The bad news is that I have to remain at home with the doggies.  But the good news is the reason for me staying at home:

On Tuesday 13th December I am scheduled to appear on television: ETV's Sunrise show - interviewed by Sindy Mabe.  This really is a privilege and I am looking forward to it - although admittedly, I am a little daunted. (Yes, MAXDOG appeared on the BBC in 2010, but I've never been on live television before. That was pre-recorded footage)  If you are in South Africa on Tuesday... please tune to in to ETV at 07h30.

Well, today, I thought I'd give you the inside of my own speech at the book launch on Wednesday this past week.  I also have many pictures from the evening.  You can see them in one of the albums on

MAXDOG'S FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

Please come and visit to see all the pictures - it's difficult to paste them all up on this blog as well.

So, here's my own speech from the launch of

MAXDOG

Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome. I would like to extend a special welcome to our guest of honour this evening – Rudi – MAXDOG’s nephew. Rudi is a 7yr old Golden Retriever with a direct genetic link to MAXDOG.

He is a fully trained therapy dog and is accustomed to environments like this. Please feel free to interact with Rudi. I’m sure he’d love to say hello…

Thank you, Zena, for bringing Rudi along to share the evening with us.

MAXDOG INTRODUCED:

After two years of extremely hard and emotional work, it is a great pleasure for me to formally introduce my book to you this evening. Thank you so much for joining me in what is, essentially, a "MAXDOG FAMILY" celebration. In the past few days I have received many messages from across the globe from my various blogging-buddies who are also part of this world-wide

 "MAXDOG FAMILY."

MAXDOG DESCRIPTION:

MAXDOG is the 10year life-journey of a Golden Retriever who touched my heart and the hearts of hundreds of people across the world, through his blog: “The adventures of MAXDOG in South Africa”. This is a story about a remarkable dog, but it is also my personal story about my relationship with my ‘heart-dog’ and how Max assisted me on the path to healing.

WHY MAXDOG? WHAT GOT ME TO WRITE IT?

I remember a day sometime in March last year (2010) when, out of pure fatigue, I took a moment and sat down on a comfortable chair in our lounge. In his usual way, Max followed me, slumped to the floor and placed his head on my feet. It was a mystical moment: everything felt so unreal. There was no getting away from the fact that Max was dying, but it was all so confusing because he had already passed his two week life-expectancy and we had no idea of how long he was going to live. The blogging world had also risen up to deliver a Tsunami of support to us as a family as we faced the reality of having to say goodbye to our canine companion. In a few short months, Max had touched hearts across the world with ‘his’ blog and the cyber-world had mobilised into an unprecedented show of support.

So, as I stared at him that day, I was overwhelmed with love for this dog. I knew there and then that I had no option but to write his story – the full story of the dog behind the blog. I didn’t want his short life to disappear into obscurity. Max had done some amazing things during his ten years with us, not least of which was his devotion to my own healing. There was no debate – I wanted the world to understand how much he’d touched my life. I simply had to write the book.

MOTIVATION/SYMBOLISM OF MAX'S CANDLE

… So I got up off my chair, retrieved a CANDLE and lit it. I put it on my coffee table in my lounge. I promised myself that the candle wouldn’t go out until I had finished the book. Well, today we have the book and I am depleted of candles.
It was a long journey. It’s been many hours of painstaking and emotional work but the tribute to my dog is finally complete. MAXDOG is immortalised in print!

MY HOPE:

… is that this story will touch the hearts of my readers in the same way that Max touched my heart. My hope too is that it will give voice to the powerful relationships which form between companion animals and their owners. I have opened up my personal story about my battle with anxiety and depression – an affliction which is often shrouded in taboo. 121 million people around the world suffer from this debilitating illness and many do so in secret.
The time has come for the world to talk about this condition – openly - and to eradicate the stigma attached to it.
I hope my story will help with this cause.

THANK YOU…

To everyone who has had a hand in the book and to all the people who have come to support me tonight. I am so grateful to my husband and two incredible daughters who have allowed me to share our very personal story.

So now I am going to turn this speech over to one of my special daughters who will share her own point-of-view of the MAXDOG journey. 
(Yesterday's post, but here is a picture of Robyn giving her speech)

Sending lotsaluv to all my readers and the amazing friends I have made through blogging.

Enjoy your weekend.