Fresh Chat | Candis Terry Sweetens Life For Animals By Donating Novella Profits

The latest addition to the Sweet, Texas series—a novella entitled HOME SWEET HOME—features more of Candis Terry’s trademark animal sidekicks. But featuring rescue dogs in her small town romances isn’t the only way Candis is raising animal rights awareness through her books.

Candis is donating all of the proceeds from sales of HOME SWEET HOME to charities benefiting animal rescue, and she is here to discuss the details with Features Editor Pasha Carlisle in today’s Fresh Chat.

Pasha: Thanks for joining us today, Candis! Can you tell us what first prompted you to use HOME SWEET HOME to raise funds for animal charities?

Candis: Thank you for inviting me! Anyone who has read my books knows that there’s always a furry critter character that plays a huge part in the stories. Most–though not all–are rescue animals. The idea for Rennie, the dog in HOME SWEET HOME, came from an article I read on soldiers taking in animals when they’re deployed and the comfort the pet gives them. That led me to discover an organization that rescues strays or abandoned animals in Afghanistan. Since I’d based my story on animal rescue, I thought it might give me an opportunity to help animals right here at home. There are so many ways the donations can help–food, shelter, medical care–and I’d love to be able to set up some kind of fund for free spays and neuters for those who struggle financially because unwanted puppies and kittens are the first step to cutting down on the need for rescue centers.

Pasha: Have you always been an animal lover? If so, were there any special pets you had while growing up that helped grow that love for little critters?

Candis: I have to honestly say I’m a crazy animal lover and I have never lived my life without a fur friend. Many of them have been rescues. Though I’ve loved them all, probably the most special to me was my cat Tyson. I never told him he was a cat and he never acted like one. He’d talk to me like we were having a complete conversation. And when I was sad or upset, he’d crawl up beside me and put his head and paw on me for comfort. I was blessed to have him in my life for 14 years. And though I lost him over 28 years ago I still miss him every day. He was very, very special.

Pasha: He definitely sounds like a special friend. We hear you live on a farm in Idaho and often take in animals in need. Have you had any recent additions to your farm family?

Candis: I do live on a farm and we’ve had everything from horses, cows, sheep, chickens, rabbits, guinea hens, ring-necked pheasants, and hamsters. The guinea hens just showed up one day. We have no idea where they came from but we figured someone just dropped them off knowing we’d take good care of them. They lived here for 5 years. One night a piglet showed up and we took her in until we could find who she belonged to. I named her Houdini but her real name was Juanita and she belonged to the neighbor across the street. Though they’d originally bought her for a luau (shudder) Juanita lived to be a ripe old age of 17. I’m one of those who stops and picks up strays and brings them home until I find their owner. I’ve had 100% success so far. We have no new additions to our farm family lately. One of our dogs is quite elderly and we’re kind of focusing on babying her right now. But if anyone shows up, we’ll take them in.

Pasha: Since you are known for including animal sidekicks in your Sweet, Texas novels, could you tell us a bit about the rescue dogs and other animals we will meet in HOME SWEET HOME?

Candis: In HOME SWEET HOME you will meet Renegade (Rennie). He’s a dog that hero Aiden Marshall rescues as a pup in Afghanistan and is forced to leave behind when he returns to the U.S. A dog’s love and loyalty is unconditional and it breaks my heart when they are just abandoned and left wondering what they did wrong. The knowledge of this tears Aiden apart. Lucky for him, he has a woman who understands and does something about it. This story is not only about the love between the hero and heroine; it’s about the love between man and dog. The heroine also has a very sweet pup named Cricket who was inspired by my daughter’s energetic Australian Shepherd who was a rescue dog.

Pasha: Thank you for being our guest, and we have one more question for you. Of all the animal sidekicks and companions you have written, do you have a favorite?

Candis: Oh gosh, that’s like trying to pick your favorite child. I’ve loved them all because they really have brought a lot to my stories and have been fun to include. But the one I’ve spent the most time with might be high on that list. Miss Giddy, the fashionista goat, is in almost all the Sweet, Texas books. She has a very big personality and there were times she really made me laugh. Miss Giddy arrived in my imagination when one day I was driving into town and there was a goat standing in the middle of the road wearing a blue bandana around her neck. I laughed and thought that was something you’d only see in my neck of the woods. So of course I had to bring her to life. And BTW, Miss Giddy gets her happily ever after, too.

Thank you so much for having me here today. I do hope everyone will grab a copy of HOME SWEET HOME. The proceeds will be going to two rescue organizations here in my area. But I’d love to have enough to spread the love a little further because there are a lot of little fur guys out there who really need our help.

About HOME SWEET HOME

Before Candis Terry's wild Wilder brothers met their matches, a soldier gets a homecoming in Sweet, Texas

He's given up …

Army Ranger Lieutenant Aiden Marshall fought in some of the most hellish corners on earth and survived. Those closest to him, did not. When he returns home to Sweet, Texas, he believes he's broken and has lost everything—including his soul. The only fair thing he can do to the woman who's patiently waited for him to come home is tell her to move on with her life—without him.

… but she never will

Sassy waitress Paige Walker has no intention of walking away from the man of her dreams. He gave his all for his country and served with honor. Now it's time to pull him from the darkness and give him hope. With a heap of love, the help of the entire town, and a tail-wagging companion, Paige makes sure her hero knows there's no place like home sweet home.

Purchase HOME SWEET HOME and help animals today!