Pre-Sale Opens for Life with Duggee, a joyful children's story about a boy overcoming his fear of dogs with the help of a Golden Retriever puppy
Funds raised through this pre-sale campaign will go towards printing and shipping to bring the first edition to market in the US and Italy
Illustrations provided by Brazilian artist Victor Tavares
Author has pledged to donate a portion of the proceeds to the Golden Retriever Foundation.
(16 July 2024) – The story of how a little boy in Italy overcomes his fear of dogs through the love, simple pleasures and silliness of their Golden Retriever, Life with Duggee is nearing publication. Ahead of the January 2025 release, Author and independent Publisher Kathryn Hellwig is launching a limited-time pre-sale campaign on Indiegogo.com to allow readers to reserve their copy of Life with Duggee at a 15-20% discounted price. This pre-sale funding will support the high-quality printing and shipping for the first edition launch. Additionally, a portion of the pre-sale proceeds will be donated to the Golden Retriever Foundation, a non-profit that supports research, rescue and education for the breed.
“The idea for Life with Duggee popped into my head one morning as I was taking my son to summer camp,” says Kathryn Hellwig. “With Duggee in our lives, everyday becomes special. He inspires smiles and love everywhere we go.” Kathryn also loved the idea of addressing a common issue many children face: cynophobia, which is the fear of dogs. “I hope that Life with Duggee can be both entertaining and an educational resource for young families.”
The first-time author joyfully chronicles her son's experience of being raised with a Golden Retriever. Her narrative connects with the shared feelings of millions of passionate Golden Retriever enthusiasts and families who embrace living with and loving a domesticated animal. When Duggee was a puppy, Kathryn needed support to learn how to train him and manage his headstrong and mischievous personality. As a result, she provides helpful reminders on how to treat animals with kindness and respect.
To bring her text to life, Kathryn collaborated with best-selling Brazilian Illustrator Victor Tavares. Victor is a prolific illustrator and artist having created hundreds of books for authors and leading publishing houses around the world. For Life with Duggee, he applied his unique talent for drawing the magic out of everyday life through his creation of intriguing settings and characters. The result is a beautiful picture book rich with emotion, realism and vibrant color. He says creating the illustrations for Life with Duggee taught him valuable lessons about the human-dog relationship.
“While humans share certain instincts and behaviors with animals, dogs demand a special kind of care and education to ensure proper socialization,” Victor explains. “This relationship must maintain harmony between the family and society.”
The artist found great joy in depicting this delicate balance through the vibrant, full-color illustrations featured in the 33-page, 8x10” hardback children's book, which is targeted at readers aged 4–8 and scheduled for release later this year in the US and Italy. The retail price of the book is $19.99 in the United States and 15.90€ for the translated, Italian edition called La mia vita con Duggee.
About the Author
Kathryn Hellwig, a California native now residing in Northern Italy, is pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming a published author. With a Bachelor of Science degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Kathryn built a successful decade-long career in public relations and marketing communications in Los Angeles and New York. Seeking a change of pace, she embraced the European lifestyle and relocated to Italy to raise her family. As a mother to both her son and a Golden Retriever, Kathryn found inspiration for her debut book, Life with Duggee. This work reflects her passion for creative expression and her desire to share the everyday magic she experiences with her child and dog. Through her children’s book writing, Kathryn is inspired to support the next generation of young readers and responsible and compassionate pet owners, drawing on her unique blend of professional expertise and personal experiences.
About the Illustrator
Victor Tavares is a professional illustrator and artist from Brazil who has created illustrations for hundreds of books throughout his career in addition to original fine artwork. Victor has also worked for Disney, helping create the animations for “Aladdin”, the television series. In 2015, his artwork was commissioned and presented to former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of a special presentation for the annual Arnold Classic Brazil sports competition. As he continues to illustrate year after year, Victor has also been developing a personal collection of fine art for a solo exhibition.
About Duggee Books
Duggee Books is the independent publishing company responsible for Life with Duggee. Its mission is to support children’s literacy, happy kids and responsible animal parenting through enchanting and heartfelt literature for the next generation. Duggee Books is owned by NOSA International Corp. and is based in California, USA. www.DuggeeBooks.com.