When Kirsty Cochrane welcomed Stevie the sausage dog into her home, she had no idea what was in store. Behind those big and beautiful eyes was a bundle of wagging mischief just waiting to be let out.
Within weeks, Kirsty had a wonderful collection of tales to tell, all about her troublesome pup. So, she put pen to paper. In just a single afternoon she drafted her first novel, Stevie the Sausage Dog.
Intending for the book to become nothing more than a memento for family and friends, she set about looking for an illustrator to bring the copy to life. That’s when she took the advice of a friend, who suggested that she send the story to a publisher and get the illustrations as part of the process.
From packaging to published author
Never expecting to become a published author, Kirsty was pleasantly surprised to receive not one but two offers to publish her book.
Kirsty comments: “Stevie was a nightmare from the moment he came home! He’s a real character and gets up to all kinds of mischief, but we wouldn’t change him for the world. His spirited nature is what encouraged me to write the book. I simply couldn’t keep the story of this ‘bad’ pup all to myself.
“When I wrote the book, I thought it would be lovely to have it illustrated. That’s when a friend suggested getting it published. I didn’t really believe it would happen, but to get two offers was wonderful.
“Finally, Stevie is famous!”
Support from colleagues
Despite the book, which was published by Austin Macauley, being available in paperback and also ebook from Amazon, Waterstones, Blackwell’s, Hive, Bookshop and other reputable online retailers, Kirsty says that she isn’t ready to give up the day job.
She comments: “I work as the Operations Manager at McLaren Packaging and really enjoy what I do. When I mentioned to the team that I had received an offer to publish the book, they thought I was joking. It took me ages to convince them otherwise!
“They are all over the moon for me now and really supportive. Some people have even bought a copy, which is lovely. Although people keep asking if I’m giving up my day job, I simply couldn’t leave the world of cardboard behind, it’s just too thrilling.”
Move over Stevie, there’s a new pup in town
When asked what’s next and if Stevie the Sausage Dog will turn into a series of adventures, Kirsty makes it clear that she won’t let the attention go to her pup’s head.
She concludes: “Due to his playfulness, Stevie gets a lot of attention. While I adore him, I also have another dog, Cassie. She is a Shih Tzu crossed with a Bichon Frise, and although slightly better behaved than Stevie, I can’t help but think she might have her own story to share.”
Watch this space for updates.
For more details about Stevie the Sausage Dog and for links to purchase, please visit: https://www.austinmacauley.co.uk/book/stevie-the-sausage-dog
