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Dixie’s Year In Books

Dixie’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Dixie’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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2026 Reading Challenge

2026

READING

CHALLENGE

Dixie has read 156 of 200 books.

78%

Dixie Tenny

Goodreads Author

Born

in Omaha, Nebraska, The United States

May 25

Genre

Young Adult, Fantasy, Nonfiction

Influences

Eleanor Cameron

Member Since

August 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/dixietenny

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The first version of Call the Darkness Down was written because I ran out of books to read about King Arthur when I was a young teenager. Originally, it was a story about descendants of Arthurian characters in present day who have to battle ancient forces of evil. The manuscript of the book helped me win a National Council of Teachers of English award when I was a high school senior. After I sent the book to a local publisher the following year, I received a wonderful rejection letter; so encouraging and positive, but pointing out that the book shouldn't take place in the UK if I hadn't actually spent enough time there to create a real feeling of that location in my story. So I applied to Trinity College in Carmarthen, Wales, and spent an a The first version of Call the Darkness Down was written because I ran out of books to read about King Arthur when I was a young teenager. Originally, it was a story about descendants of Arthurian characters in present day who have to battle ancient forces of evil. The manuscript of the book helped me win a National Council of Teachers of English award when I was a high school senior. After I sent the book to a local publisher the following year, I received a wonderful rejection letter; so encouraging and positive, but pointing out that the book shouldn't take place in the UK if I hadn't actually spent enough time there to create a real feeling of that location in my story. So I applied to Trinity College in Carmarthen, Wales, and spent an amazing semester there learning all about Wales, working on my novel, and unfortunately, contracting mono and hepatitis. After I came home I spent six months convalescing and completely rewriting my book. I submitted it to Simon & Schuster, and it was accepted! I can't begin to describe the shock and thrill of that experience. But in the end, the Arthurian aspect was (almost) completely taken out of the story.

Many years later, and after 30 years of working with people and their dogs, I wrote another book. How to Find Your Dream Dog is a labor of love. So often, what appear to be canine "behavior problems" are the result of a mismatch between owner and the dog they chose. This little book is intended to help prevent that, by educating prospective puppy and dog owners about how to find the right dog for them in the first place.

I always wanted to write more novels, but somehow it has never happened (so far!). I raised three children, who are now young adults embarking on interesting lives. I lived in Seattle for 16 years, then moved back to the Midwest - St. Louis - in 2001. My life centered on dogs for many of those years; I founded Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue in 1987 and ran it for 13 years; then I became a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and a Certified Training Partner with the Karen Pryor Academy of Animal Training and Behavior after moving back to St. Louis. I taught classes and worked with clients and their dogs in their homes for many years. I am currently retired and enjoy volunteering as a zoo docent.

I share my days with a Papillon (dog) and two cats. ...more

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Combine Editions
Dixie Tenny’s books

Average rating: 4.42 · 57 ratings · 27 reviews · 2 distinct works

	How To Find Your Dream Dog 4.42 avg rating — 38 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Call the darkness down 4.42 avg rating — 19 ratings — published 1984 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

12 posts
Dixie Tenny's Blog: Born to Read

My Best Books Read in 2024

1. The Most Pleasant Surprise
The Pleasure of My Company
Comedian Steve Martin’s first-person narration by a neurodivergent person of this lovely piece of fiction was a revelation. I knew he could be funny but this went far beyond that.

2. Made Me Laugh Loudest (tie)
Rental Person Who Does Nothing and
My Life and Hard Times
Two completely different approaches to humor, but they both made me laugh out lo Read more of this blog post »

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Published on December 30, 2024 20:34

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Dixie’s Recent Updates

Dixie wants to read The Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky (Montague Siblings, #1.5) by Mackenzi Lee (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Dixie wants to read Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Dixie wants to read Sea of Charms (Spellshop, #3) by Sarah Beth Durst (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Dixie wants to read The Magical Cheese Emporium (Spellshop, #4) by Sarah Beth Durst (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Dixie wants to read The Curious Case of the Werewolf that Wasn't (Parasol Protectorate, #0.5) by Gail Carriger (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3 hours, 4 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Curious Case of the Werewolf that Wasn't by Gail Carriger. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Curious Case of the Werewolf that Wasn't by Gail Carriger <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Dixie rated a book it was amazing William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope (William Shakespeare's Star Wars, #4) by Ian Doescher (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
So funny and clever!
3 hours, 42 min ago · 2 likes · like · see review
Dixie rated a book really liked it Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
A very high 4. I got swept up in this swashbuckling adventure (if one can swashbuckle on land - I'm looking forward to this author's Captain Blood for some proper ocean-borne swashbuckling next). An unusual sort of hero, almost an antihero, goes on a ...more
14 hours, 33 min ago · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Dixie wants to read Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Dixie is currently reading Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Dixie rated a book really liked it Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist (Mrs. Pollifax, #13) by Dorothy Gilman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This series is such a pleasure to read.
Jul 16, 2026 06:11PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist by Dorothy Gilman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist by Dorothy Gilman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Dixie’s Quotes

“We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
― Anaïs Nin

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“I am neither Christian enough nor charitable enough to like anybody just because he is alive and breathing. I want people to interest or amuse me. I want them fascinating and witty or so dull as to be different. I want them either intellectually stimulating or wonderfully corny; perfectly charming or hundred percent stinker. I like my chosen companions to be distinguishable from the undulating masses and I don't care how.”
― Betty MacDonald, The Plague and I

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