Patti Sherlock's working relationship with her Border collie, Duncan, got her through the ups and downs of sixteen years on a sheep farm in Idaho. During that time, Duncan was an unwavering companion through the destruction of Patti's marriage, her children inevitably leaving home one by one, and eventually, her decision to stop raising sheep. A Dog for All Seasons, a reflection on beginning and endings and the cycle of seasons in all of our lives, will be published by St. Martin's Press in April 2010. Available for pre-order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. Here is an excerpt.

If you've forgotten how to see miracles in everyday moments, this book will remind you. It's a story about the real world, the world where human beings live in constant contact with nature, and where animals are more than best friends–they are Healers that take away paralyzing fear and replace it with enough bravery to last a lifetime. This is a story that will never leave you.

W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear

New York Times bestselling authors of People of the Thunder

I love this book. Beautifully written, it is a memoir sure to rivet the attention of those who have had the blessing of a dog woven into the fabric of life. More than a daytime TV drama, there is much here about life as it is really lived and affirmation for those who understand the wonder of dogs.

Mordecai Siegal

Bestselling author of I Just Got a Puppy, What Do I Do?

A moving memoir of a loving relationship with a dog and the trials and tribulations of living on a western sheep farm. All people who love dogs and yearn to return to the land will love this book.

Temple Grandin

Bestselling author of Animals in Translation and Animals Make us Human

From Booklist's summary: Mark's brother goes to Vietnam, and after Mark hears that dogs are being used to help protect the soldiers, he makes the uncomfortable decision to lend Wolfie to the Army.

Now available in paperback and on Kindle.

This wonderful novel tells the little-known heartbreaking story of the 4,000 dogs that provided protection and companionship to our soldiers in harm's way. This is a story that ranks right up there with Where the Red Fern Grows.

Roundup Magazine

In this top-notch novel, Sherlock weaves together numerous threads of emotion, information and plot so seamlessly that readers will be surprised by how much they've learned by the time they finish this deceptively simple story. Throughout the compelling narrative, youngsters not only watch Mark mature, but are also provided with a terrifying window into what is happening — politically, emotionally, and physically, to the soldiers.

School Library Journal

Taking Back Our Lives manages to look at a dark topic while at the same time incorporating an emphasis on the spiritual aspect of life. It recognizes the need for spirituality in a holistic approach to treatment, an aspect often avoided or ignored. As a therapist, I particularly appreciated how Sherlock treated the notion of forgiveness--patients need to experience a full range of emotions including anger, rage, sadness and grief. Taking Back Our Lives is a wonderful tool to assist those traveling what is often a long and lonely path. This book has the capacity to make travelers feel that they are not alone on their journey.

Kathie Cramer

Psychotherapist, faithAlivebooks.co

Terry Riley wants a dog, but his mother says no. She scarcely has enough money to keep food on the table, with the mines closed. But when Terry finds a highly intelligent stray border collie, his mother agrees to let him keep it on two conditions. Terry must earn enough money to feed the dog, Duffy, and he must continue to go to choir practice. Mom's dream is that Terry receive the music scholarship that will enable him to attend college and escape the economic uncertainty of life in an Idaho mining town. Soon, Terry's dream–to create a dog act he can take on the road–conflicts with his mother's. In a harrowing brush with death, Terry learns what's right for Duffy, his family, and himself.

“When I was about seven, Grandpa and I watched a contest where two mighty horses pulled a huge load. . . I made a promise to myself that day. Someday I'd drive a team like that and people would stand up and cheer for me.”

Andy has his heart set on training his neighbor's Percheron colts for the state fair. But Andy first must persuade his ill-tempered grandfather to buy the horses. Then he must find a job to repay Grandpa. And finally, the two colts need training. Grandpa's got a special way with horses, and Andy will need his help, but can he count on it? Andy faces many obstacles as he tries to achieve his dream in this triumphant story about the love that brings together “four of a kind.”

The sheepherders of the West who graze and tend their flocks have never inspired the kind of romance and legend that surround that archetypal American hero, the cowboy. But to Patti Sherlock, who has shared their solitude and their rugged hospitality high in the mountains of Idaho, they are an unforgettable lot. Crusty, hard-drinking men, they live in metal-covered wagons and tepees. Guarding their wooly, bleating charges, they face constant danger; coyotes, cougars and bears will savage the flock that is left unwatched. Structuring her inquisitive and observant book around the words of the Twenty-third Psalm, the author reflects on the sheepherder's unspoken closeness to God, on his serenity and deep respect for the earth and its seasons. The rhythms of the sheepherder's life are splendidly recreated in this warm and infectious book, illustrated with drawings by artist Earl Thollander.