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Interview with author
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| Deborah Turner |
My favorite author in my teen years was Thomas Wolfe. His book, LOOK HOMEWARD ANGEL, drew strong parallels to my own life, and my loss of my beloved brother in those years. Wolfe wrote vividly about family, and overcoming obstacles. His poetry-in-prose style was dramatic, fascinating, and a total emotional experience. Other favorites were:
Alan Ginsberg’s, HOWL, about my generation fed by the Vietnam experience.
Sylvia Plath, whose struggle with mental illness taught us a lot about bi-polar depression, which so many people acknowledge living with today. Anais Nin, for her dramatic creativity. Irving Stone’s, LUST FOR LIFE, an unforgettable memoir of my favorite artists, Vincent Van Gogh. And Stefan Zweig’s, MARIE ANTOINETTE, which taught me that all things are not what they appear to be.
Were you pursuing a writing career in college?
No, I grew up in Miami, Florida, the middle child in a large family of five brothers and sisters, and a menagerie of once homeless, injured, and abandoned animals. After I graduated from Florida State University with a BA Degree, my intense love for animals led me to pursue a career where they would be a part of my life on a daily basis. I opened a store in Long Beach, California called “Doggie in the Window”, a successful dog and cat retail outlet with grooming and an outpatient veterinary clinic, which I sold after 18 ½ years. The most rewarding part of my time with the store was my strong involvement with pet rescue. In the pet industry, I taught seminars and contributed articles to pet publications.
When did you start writing and what inspired you to write? Have your books earned any special recognition?
The event that led to my first published piece, was the sad abandonment of a tiny, helpless Chihuahua who was paralyzed with his vocal cords severed. In 1998, I co-authored, with Diana Mohler, HOW WILLY GOT HIS WHEELS, which describes his plight. The book was the 1998 winner of the Maxwell Medallion Award from Dog Writers of America. The sequel, HOW WILLY GOT HIS WINGS, followed. It was runner-up for the same award in 2001. WHEELY WILLY changed the course of my life bringing me awareness and in turn, involvement into the lives of people with special needs. I was influenced and encourage to the story…a story of hope and courage that I have repeated many times, because of the question endlessly asked by people when they meet the little dog in public. “What happened to Willy?” they ask.
What do you want the students to get out of your school visits?
My presentations are “I can” motivators that help children learn about disabilities, and the internal ability to conquer challenges. Students relate to tales of the tiny disabled dog, use him as an example for their own lives, and cheer him on because he is a true underdog that has defeated the odds.
The books present life lessons in a fun and entertaining way. Has anyone ever written you a fan letter that you’d like to share?
Here are two letters from kids who love dogs.
“Dear Willy,
Your books have inspired me so much. I love the fact
that no matter what life threw at you that you just kept on going,
never looking back at the bad and always looking forward to the
good times. I’m 11 years old and an aspiring veterinarian, hoping
to go to Tufts Veterinary School and study veterinary medicine.
But I always have had trouble finding friends so now my best friends
are my two dogs and my three horses. I just love animals so much.
Recently this summer I started to really get down on my self and
became a little bit depressed. But having the animals really helped
through it and now I have learned to be more outgoing and I have lots
of friends. It was so great learning about you and realizing that if a
little dog could beat all the odds so could I.
Love Aways,
Kate”
Willy
By Richie Gann
10 years old
Willy is a dog
He can’t walk, he can’t bark
He’s all alone, waiting for someone to take him home.
Willy is a dog
He’s found in a box, he’s takento a vet
He’s all alone, waiting for someone to take him home.
Willy is a dog
His friend’s a pit bull, his angel is Deborah Turner
Now he’s not all alone, he has someone to take him home.
Willy is a dog
He gets his wheels, he gets some clothes
He’s not all alone, he has a home.
Willy is a dog
He’s going to run and play, he’s going to have happy days
Now he’s not all alone…he has a home.