Dog Island

by Ann M. Andrashie

Growing up is hard in 1972, especially if you're 12-year-old Katherine Rose "Mosie" Bitmen. While praying her best friend's dead aunt out of purgatory and keeping that old witch, Mary Worth, from appearing in the bathroom mirror, Mosie is sentenced to yet another month of rosary, three times a day. The reason: fighting "The Perfects," St. Anne's all-girl gang. Then, just when she thinks life couldn't get any worse, it does. When her father moves the family to her Native American mother's hometown in the Wisconsin Northwoods, Mosie forges a friendship with a dog that's gone wild in the swamps. To save the dog's life and that of her soon to be born wolf-pups, Mosie has to make a decision of a lifetime. Will she embrace her quest and seek out the legendary Dog Island located next to the Apostle Islands, somewhere out in the cold deep waters of Lake Superior? Or will she come to her senses before it's too late?

392 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

About Ann M. Andrashie

Ann was born in the Chicago area. She and her family moved to the Wisconsin Northwoods when she was thirteen. Having lived in both locations has given Ann a useful insight as a writer to both city life and country.

As years passed, Ann's dream of becoming an actress was not to be. In its place she took the advice of instructors from long past, and set the characters dancing in her head loose on paper.

Her knack for writing, along with an active imagination, gained Ann employment consisting of writing newsletters and advertising for several businesses.

Forever writing unshared stories, it wasn't until her twins were raised and with children of their own, did Ann finally find time to get truly serious about her story writing. With the help of a very dear friend and a few family members, Ann found the courage to share her fictional writings which led to finishing her first novel, Dog Island.

Ann completed her second novel, Behind The Green Door-memoir of a time traveler, and is looking forward to writing its sequel.

Ann's own life, filled with happiness and joy, sorrow and hard times, blends the perfect combination used in her novels that readers carry with them long after the last page is turned.

Reviews

[A.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a "Twilight Zone" episode called "The Hunt" in which a man is not permitted to take his dog into a place that he is lead to believe is heaven; the man refuses to go without his dog and comments (and I'm paraphrasing) that heaven is no heaven without a dog.

Ms. Andrashie takes us on a similar journey in "Dog Island." She tells the story through the experience of one family--a young daughter--and her desire for a dog. The story is funny, touching, and insightful. I laughed just as hard as I cried at some points.

For anyone who has wondered about the soul-spirit of their four-legged family member, this is a must-read.

[James Tomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly a great/moving/and heartwarming story, and I highly recommend this book to all of my avid readers/reviewers/authors/ and friends.

[Deity World · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful adventure/rescue story I felt so emotional with scarlet Blue and her puppies

[David K Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a big challenge to take a reader back in time. The author has to capture the feelings, attitudes, hopes and fears, and the environment, of the time. In this case that was the early 1970s.
Ann M. Andrashie made more work for herself by putting herself in the head of a 12-year-old girl who’s a misfit. It gets more complicated because our young heroine has to cope with the supernatural, is whisked away to a new and strange home and then puts herself at risk for the sake of saving a dog.
Quite a mix but it all eases together and flows through a gripping sequence of events. It’s got a bit of fairy tale and a bit of witchiepoo. Lots of fun mixed with “how the hell is the writer going to wrap up all this?” She does – wonderfully.

[P.J. Roscoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't sure this was going to be my cup of tea reading about life from a young girls point of view, but I found myself reaching for the kindle thing to read another chapter here and there! It runs along smoothly and I liked the little 'supernatural element' to it. It was fairly easy to visualise the characters and I could sympathise against the 'nuns'!! A good read, perfect for teens I think.

[Ann Andrashie]

5.0 out of 5 stars a great story, a heartwarming tale!, May 7, 2013
By norm seckinger - See all my reviewsThis review is from: Dog Island (Paperback)

Dog island touched my heart! It's a great story about growing up in a time when things seemed simpler than they really were. The author brought her characters to life for me, and I felt like I knew them well, in the end. I highly recommend this heartwarming and great story about this little girl and her search, for Dog Island. There's a little bit of Dog Island, in all our lives.

5.0 out of 5 stars This was a very good book, September 2, 2013
By Mary KK - See all my reviewsAmazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Dog Island (Paperback)
I loved this book.I love stories of rescued dogs. I have vacationed in the Bayfield area a lot. So when I read this I just added a little imagination and I'm pretty sure I know where Mosie lived. So I have a question, When do we get to see it made into a movie?

5.0 out of 5 stars Still Reading, August 16, 2013
By D. Dizmang (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME) This review is from: Dog Island (Kindle Edition)
I have just started reading this story, but I have to say that feels real. I like the references to places that I have just recently visited and can not wait to keep reading. Well done!

5.0 out of 5 stars Dog Island a Novel, August 2, 2013
By mbt - See all my reviewsThis review is from: Dog Island (Paperback)
A wonderful and lovely book about growing up in a much simpler time. Ann has a way with words that bring you the reader back to the days when life was simpler and things were much easier. Although decisions still mattered they were not made with all the interference of todays world, just with your heart.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read, July 22, 2013
By Pinkie E Wood - See all my reviewsAmazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Dog Island (Kindle Edition)
This is an extremely well written book. I love to read and it makes me extremely happy to find a book that invokes these kind of feelings. Great job Ann.

5.0 out of 5 stars dog island, July 21, 2013
By mombear - See all my reviewsAmazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Dog Island (Kindle Edition)
Very entertaining and the author takes you to the place she is. I found wanting to read until it was done.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book., June 10, 2013
By Sue Parker - See all my reviewsAmazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Dog Island (Kindle Edition)
Ann was able to capture my attention just enough in the beginning of the book to make me want to continue to read, the middle had me captive and the ending brought tears to my eyes.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, June 1, 2013
By Chris L.K. - See all my reviewsThis review is from: Dog Island (Kindle Edition)
This book took me right back to my childhood. A time when kids had imaginations and weren't afraid to use them, when we were free and outside all day every day when we weren't in school. And then we started growing up and found out stuff that might have torn our world apart, but we survived and were stronger for it.

Do you know how much I loved this book? I was in Kenya when I started reading it, and I couldn't put it down. How many times have you kept your nose in a book when you were in a foreign country with a million other things to do? Seriously, I couldn't put this book down.

Not only did the plot and the characters keep me riveted, but the descriptions took me right to that place in the Northwoods.
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Ann, I cannot wait to read what you come up with next.

5.0 out of 5 stars Heart warming., May 14, 2013
By MaryWI - See all my reviewsThis review is from: Dog Island (Paperback)
This book touched my life in many ways. It took me back to a time I thought I had forgotten and opened my eyes to the challenges, not only for our animal friends but, what children in all eras may have to suffer through in life. Thank you Ann for writing such a book. Great read!