Tracy Beckerman - Barking At the Moon: A Story of Life, Love, and Kibble

PRAISE FOR

BARKING AT THE MOON

sweet and heartwarming!

JENNY LAWSON, aka The Bloggess, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Lets Pretend This Never Happened and the recently released Broken (in the best possible way)

Tracy Beckermans adventures with Riley in Barking at the Moon give John Grogans Marley a run for his chew toys. If youve ever been blessed with the best dog ever, wrapped in the slobbering fur bomb body of the most accident-prone pooch ever, youll fall in love with this book. Barking at the Moon reminds us how lucky we are to be a dogs best friend.

REBECCA REGNIER, columnist, speaker, and author of the Widows Bay series and The Snow Wife

Several years ago, while working at a major publishing house, I turned down a book that I told colleagues was about a very bad dog who dies, adding, who wants to read that? So, Marley and Me went to another publisher and had some success. I tell you this to warn you I am not a good judge of what will interest others. But Tracy Beckermans Barking at the Moon had me chuckling from the first sentence and her Erma Bombeckesque style of writing had me shaking my head in solidarity as only a mother who has had her own menagerie of misbehaving animals can do.

CINDY RATZLAFF, author of Queen of Your Own Life

As a dog lover, I laughed and cried and related throughout. With the assembled menagerie at the Beckerman house, there is rarely a dull moment, and we get to enjoy it all from a safe distance.

JOEL MADISON, Peabody award-winning TV writer and screenwriter of Roseanne, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Crashing

Youre either a dog person or youre not, and if youre not, please go away. Tracy Beckerman is clearly a dog person and has the brilliance and bravery to admit that puppies are superior to children, and not just because they dont need a college fund. This warm and witty dog-oir (yes, I just made that up) is for everyone who ever had a family or loved a dog. You will love it!

CATHRYN MICHON, screenwriter of A Dogs Purpose

Barking at the Moon is a funny, heartwarming book for everyone who believes that pets have a special place in the family and enrich our lives. Tracy Beckerman shares her big-hearted familys journey with wit and insight.

MATT BOMBECK, award-winning TV writer

Tracy Beckermans Barking at the Moon is a hysterical read that will make you want to run out and immediately get a dog of your own. Thank you, Riley, for confirming why thousands of people love your owners unmistakable wit and words.

SUSAN SPARKS, preacher, standup comedian, and author of Laugh Your Way to Grace and Love, a Tiara, and a Cupcake

Hilarious and moving, Beckerman shows us just how dogs hijack our lives and our hearts. All animal lovers will recognize the completely true-to-life depiction Beckerman captures of the way animals destroy our homes, complicate our days, and cost us a fortune, and, yet, how we wouldnt have it any other way. Youll fall for sweet, goofy Riley, and laugh (and cry) at how he completes this funny family.

KATRINA KITTLE, author of The Blessings of the Animals

Tracy Beckerman is at her absolute finest in Barking at the Moon, a witty, side-splitting, and heartwarming look at the ultimate role a beloved pooch plays in family dynamics. A great read for anyone whos loved a dog, wanted a dog, or even admired one from a distance.

SUSAN REINHARDT, author of Chimes from a Cracked Southern Belle, and Not Tonight, Honey: Wait Til Im a Size 6

Anyone who has ever owned a dog will relate to Tracys hilarious tales of these strange, hairy creatures who delight, annoy, and love us without question, even as they steadfastly and cheerfully destroy all of our furniture.

DAWN WEBER, author Black Dog, White Couch, and the Rest of My Really Bad Ideas

Tracy Beckermans Barking at the Moon is both heartwarming and hilarious. As the owner of three furbabies, this book was utterly relatable and had me laughing from start to finish.

MARCIA KESTER DOYLE, author of Who Stole My Spandex?: Life in the Hot Flash Lane

Tracy Beckerman makes you feel like youre right there in her kitchen as the mayhem unfolds. And at the center of the madness is her dog, Riley, who warms your heart as he steals the show. Its impossible to resist Beckermans hilarious tale of life lived out loud.

V. C. CHICKERING, author of the novels, Twisted Family Values and Nookietown

Undeterred by their inability to keep a houseplant alive, the Beckermans decide their family just isnt complete without a dog. But when Riley comes into their lives, insanity ensues. He slobbers his way into this familys heart and becomes its anchor in a riotous tale that is so funny, youll have to pee!

SUSAN KONIG, author of Why Animals Sleep So Close to the Road (and Other Lies I Tell My Children)

Tracy Beckerman will have you alternately howling with laughter and dabbing your eyes with a tissue at the escapades and travails of her broods beloved Type A four-legged family member.

JENNY GARDINER, author of Bite Me: A Parrot, a Family, and a Whole Lot of Flesh Wounds

Sometimes, you just want to curl up in your crate with your favorite chew toy and a funny, warmhearted, relatable book. This is that book.

ANNA LEFLER, author of PRESCHOOLED and The Chicktionary

ALSO BY
TRACY BECKERMAN

Rebel without a Minivan:
Observations on Life in the Burbs

Lost in Suburbia: A Momoir:
How I Got Pregnant, Lost Myself,
and Got My Cool Back in the New Jersey Suburbs

This book is a memoir reflecting the authors present recollections of experiences over time. Its story and its words are the authors alone. Some details and characteristics may be changed, some events may be compressed, and some dialogue may be recreated.

Published by River Grove Books

Austin, TX

www.rivergrovebooks.com

Copyright 2021 Tracy Beckerman

All rights reserved.

Thank you for purchasing an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright law. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder.

Distributed by River Grove Books

Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group

Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group

Cover Images: iStockphoto/s-cphoto, iStockphoto/CentralITAlliance,

iStockphoto/bmcent1

Interior Images: iStockphoto/Vect0r0vich

Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.

Print ISBN: 978-1-63299-393-9

eBook ISBN: 978-1-63299-394-6

First Edition

For Riley
The Best Dog Ever

I have tried to recreate events, locales, and conversations accurately from my memories of them. In some instances I have changed the names of individuals and places in order to maintain their anonymity. I may have also altered any identifying characteristics and details such as physical properties, occupations, and places of occupation.

However, the events described in Barking at the Moon did happen because if you have a dog, you know you cant make this stuff up.