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About Me
- Anita Burgh
- I am a writer - late developer since I wasn't published until I was 50. I have now written 23 novels, numerous short stories and articles.
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Saturday 5 January 2013
One of the nicest things about being a writer is
that if someone has been unkind or rude to you, or who simply annoys you then
the fury, anger or mild irritation with them can be helped by a simple dose of revenge - you can put them
in a book. Of course, if not careful,
you can be sued so it’s best to take the precaution of renaming them and making
it so there mother’s don’t recognise them.
Doesn’t this negate the revenge?
No, it doesn’t since THEY know who you are writing about.
However, these are minor peccadilloes compared to
something important which upsets you and which you cannot get out of your
mind. One day, reading a Sunday Times
colour supplement I was swamped with horror as I read about the puppy farms. I had
not known such places existed, and perhaps there were others who didn’t know
either. I had to do something, but
what? Write a book about it, dummy!
As I researched the subject - not a happy task - I
then learnt about dog fighting, another thing to raise my anger again. I learnt about the showing of dogs, the
rivalries, the ambition, the nastiness.
But it was not all gloom, I met people
who lived for their dogs and devoted their lives to them, another type
of breeder. I met those who rescued them
too. There was a whole new world out
there where dogs reigned supreme.
And so I began to write Breeders. Happy that I might, with luck, help those
dogs who needed us and show my appreciation to all those who dedicate their
lives to them. Thankfully, for me, a
dodgy hip prevented me from doing the very necessary research, and it was my
daughter Rebecca who went to the RSPCA headquarters, the Kennel Club, good breeders
of all manner of dogs and asked the long
list of questions that I needed the answers to.
I wrote the novel quite quickly for it is a long
one. But then my publishers, decided not to publish it. One junior editor saying it was like my
Sarson Magna stories but with dogs. I
was so angry, this novel which meant so much to me being rejected so
dismissively. But, then I made a
discovery, the people who turned it down were all admirers of cats! Fortunately it was picked up quickly was almost made into a film -
which is nearly always what happens with film and TV options - almost! It is one of my top three for receiving nice
letters from readers saying how much they enjoyed it. And guess what? Loads of them are from people who start their
letters with “I am normally a cat person but . . .”
I love dogs I cannot remember a time when I didn’t
have these amazing creatures about me.
Now I have Daisy, a dear, sweet Shih Tzu, she was rescued from her
incarceration on a puppy farm by a charity called Many Tears.
This novel however is not all sadness and woe, I
hope I have conveyed the joy and love that dogs bring, for the novel is about
love - that of men and women for each other; the love of men and women for their dogs, and, of course,
that wonderful bond of love and devotion that we who are fortunate enough to live
with dogs know each day we are together.
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