WhatFinger


Shep: Loyalty Beyond All Bounds

Shep still waiting for the train


Judi McLeod image

By —— Bio and Archives October 20, 2007

Comments | Print This | Subscribe | Email Us

image No matter how icy the winds that will howl into your hometown come winter, there's a lasting warmth to be found in a new book called Shep: Loyalty Beyond All Bounds by Kevin Davis. The Shep story was 65 years in coming and worth every second of waiting. Sixty-five years ago in Ft. Benton, Montana a sheepdog named Shep died. But Shep who had wandered into the human heart was never to be forgotten, not even generations later. In any kind of weather Shep went up to every passenger train that stopped in his hometown--for five and one-half years, where he waited patiently for his beloved master's return. When Shep died in 1942, the story hit the A.P. It was picked up by the London Daily and the New York Times. At that time, it took on meaning for those who would grieve the departure of their loves ones (those who were bravely departing for WW2) and would wait while hoping and praying for the joyous day of their return.
All 217 pages of the new novel Shep: Loyalty Beyond All Bounds, resonate with the tail-wagging, soulful eyes of man's best friend. Published by Holy Fire the new Shep novel, selling for $14.99 is currently available through [url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com]http://www.barnesandnoble.com[/url] and www.Amazon.com. This heartwarming story of the incredible devotion between man and his best friend makes you sorry when the book comes to an end. When the book is returned to the shelf or given to a friend, it seems that Shep still follows you room to room. With so many families waiting for the safe return of their sons and daughters from the War on Terror overseas, Shep: Loyalty Beyond All Bounds is as relevant today as it was in 1942. Its opening chapters begin with the protagonist, a WWI veteran haunted by his war experience, who loses his job on Black Tuesday. This story is an antidote for those who are in the same situation today. But it gives people everywhere inspiration and hope. Shep's about a stray shepherd's dog who meets with a discouraged man without hope. After they meet, John's bad luck takes a complete turn. He learns all about herding sheep, falls in love and builds a house. Just when his life is complete, tragedy strikes. It's a story of God's love and forgiveness, This saga weaves in a family of Irish immigrants, the Fitzpatricks and their life's passion of working sheep. It takes place before the Taylor Act, when there was a free range war going on between the cowboys and the sheepherders--both under the skin the little people of their day. Shep: Loyalty Beyond All Bounds presents the textbook classic human pursuit of pulling for the literal underdog who's on the right side of defeating the over dog, who's on the wrong side, which is a strong all-American mythology. This is the type of story where true legends are made. It's an outright tearjerker, with a redemptive ending that reaffirms one's belief in human nature. It's the classic Irish account, where life's tragic struggle brings meaning. Shep's a winter's tale where you can smell the blossoms of spring even as the snow flies, a tale bound to hold the test of time, because of its universal themes of good triumphing over evil. From the struggle of the Irish people, it's a new understanding of where the beautiful axiom: "May you be in heaven an hour before the devil knows you're dead" originated. Shep's ending has staying power! Author Kevin Davis has had people come up to tell him, "I cried". Davis had a 22-year-old journalism student, Vickie read the script. "I asked her, 'Did you cry?' "She said, 'No, but my chin was down to my chest!'" Says Shep's author, "Some historians think that it was our relationship with dogs that permitted us to leave the hunter gatherer state, because of the work they took off our lives. This story tells why Border Collies are worth their weight in gold. The Border Collie is considered the genetic Archetype of working dogs. They're considered the most intelligent dogs in the world." Davis started writing after he went to Hollywood where he won a National Television Show Animal Pet Contest with his Border Collie, Kena, "The Soccer Dog". (For Kena's tricks go to You Tube and search: Kena "The Soccer Dog".) Her master says, be sure to check out her smiling face! During Kena's performance, the host Mario Lopez compared her soccer ability to David Beckham's. After the show his breeder, Don Marshall told Kevin that he knew someone in Hollywood. Kevin sent his material to David Brokaw, "The Brokaw Company". His father is Norman Brokaw, ex CEO of William Morris. David called Kevin and told him, "You know this stuff! You're a producer. Just get me a story!" Kevin started writing screenplays and decided to turn his work into a novel format. Meanwhile, when nostalgic train whistles blow in hundreds of lonely towns, readers of Shep: Loyalty Beyond All Bounds, are going to see a loyal sheepdog still waiting for his long ago master.



Judi McLeod -- Bio and Archives | Comments

Copyright © Canada Free Press

RSS Feed for Judi McLeod
Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years’ experience in the print media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared on Rush Limbaugh, Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com.

Older articles by Judi McLeod


Sponsored