1. I hear you have dogs in your books. Tell us about them.

Paws, Purpose, and Possibilities: How Therapy Dogs and Faith Healed My Heart is a memoir dedicated to my sister, Karen. After losing her to cancer, my grief was transformed into a ministry of hope through therapy dogs. For nearly thirty years, I have carried on this work in her memory.

The book shares the story of founding the Karing Partners therapy dog program and the many lives touched through visits to hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other community settings. More than anything, it’s a story of how unexpected doors were opened, which brought purpose out of profound loss.

Over the years, while training and evaluating therapy dog teams, I kept notes about meaningful experiences and some of the sweet stories their handlers shared with me. Having been an avid reader of All God’s Creatures magazine from Guideposts, I was inspired to turn those accounts into devotional readings.

   

The result was two 30-day devotionals: Gratitude and Reflection and 5 Minutes of Gratitude: Paws and Purpose for Every Day. Each devotion opens with Scripture, shares an inspiring story, and concludes with questions that encourage readers to reflect on gratitude and the deeper lessons these touching tales offer.

My next project was a children’s coloring book. I had never intended to write anything beyond my memoir, but once the writing bug took hold, I found myself exploring new ways to share messages of faith and gratitude.

After learning how popular coloring books were with young children, I created Color with Sadie, a companion book for toddlers and early readers based on the devotions in Gratitude and Reflection. It has been especially rewarding to see families purchase both books together, allowing parents and grandparents to share the lessons of gratitude with the young children in their lives.

My most recent publication, Puma: A Shelter Dog Becomes a Hero, is a middle-grade novel inspired by a real rescue dog, an animal control officer named Humane Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2025, and people who are making a positive difference in their community. It was a joy to write because it allowed me to blend a true story, a few real-life experiences I’ve had during a lifetime of living with dogs, together with a touch of imagination and whimsy.

In the story, readers watch Puma search for what so many of us long for—a place to be loved, accepted, and to belong. She knows what it feels like to be overlooked, misunderstood, and uncertain of where she fits. As she learns to trust others and discovers that helping those around her gives her life purpose, Puma becomes a true hero!

Links to Amazon for information about these books, as well as links to purchase them, are available on my website: https://pawspurpose.net/

 

2. Why did you write about dogs?

I have been a dog-lover all my life. At times during my childhood, we had up to four dogs at a time. When it came time to write my first book, the story that was on my heart was to tell about my sister and how I’ve done therapy dog work in her memory. After that first book, it just seemed my heart was for telling the world about dogs!

I also write a monthly newsletter that is all about animals. Topics range from the best food for our pets to traveling with pets to mourning the death of our furry friends.

 

3. Tell us about your pets.

As a child, my family always had small dogs. As an adult, however, I found myself drawn to larger breeds. Our first was Jasper, a Labrador mix rescued from the Humane Society, followed by our first Golden Retriever, Tucker, a gift from my parents. We later welcomed two more rescued Goldens into our family: Max from the Humane Society and Sadie from a family who could no longer care for her.

We invested a great deal of time in obedience training with each of our dogs. When it came time to consider therapy dog work, my background as a nurse, being comfortable in a hospital or hospice, and having compassion for people who were hurting, fit well with our well-trained dog, and it opened the door to therapy dog work. Each of our three Golden Retrievers became a therapy dog, allowing us to share comfort, encouragement, and countless smiles with people in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other places in need of a little extra hope.

Meet my special furry best friends:

Tucker, Therapy Dog #1. She started me on my Therapy Dog journey.

Max, Therapy Dog #2. We called him Mellow-Max. So calm!

Sadie, Therapy Dog #3. A bit wild at first, but loved the attention! Received a certificate for her 13 years of work from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs.

 

4. Your website offers resources about therapy dogs.

There are many therapy dog organizations. I am biased towards national organizations, as over the years I’ve seen numerous local organizations not able to maintain the oversight, have the broad input from across the country, or offer the insurance coverage that a larger organization provides.

I have been a member of the Alliance of Therapy Dogs for nearly twenty years, including being a Tester/Observer to help teams get started. They offer an immense amount of assistance for becoming a therapy dog team, as well as offering facilities the opportunity to request therapy dog visits. While I have my personal preference, I provide the reader with options that might best fit their personal needs.

 

5. Every month, you donate to charities, including pro-dog charities. How did you get started doing that? 

I’ll admit my original motivation was practical. I had read that supporting charities could be a meaningful way to market a book. Over time, however, my perspective changed. Today, my monthly donations are an essential part of being an author.

The organizations I support primarily focus on animal welfare and Christian outreach because they reflect the two passions that have shaped both my life and my writing. It’s one of the ways I express my gratitude for the parties that are making a difference in the lives of people and animals.

 

6. Tell us about your kudos or reviews.

Receiving awards for each of my books has been one of the most unexpected parts of my writing journey. When I first became an author, entering book contests wasn’t even on my radar. But over time, I realized that awards not only add credibility to a book but also help introduce it to new readers. I am grateful for every honor my books have received.

Some of those recognitions include:

• Paws, Purpose, and Possibilities: How Therapy Dogs and Faith Healed My Heart received four awards, including the Grand Prize from The Christian Author Awards in 2022.
• 5 Minutes of Gratitude: Paws and Purpose for Every Day earned a first-place award from the Christian Indie Awards in 2024.
• Puma: A Shelter Dog Becomes a Hero received two first-place Living Water Awards in 2026, one for Fiction and one for Young Adult.

One of the most exciting moments came when my books briefly reached #1 Best Seller status on Amazon. I’ll never forget seeing Paws, Purpose, and Possibilities sitting alongside a book by Cesar Millan in Amazon’s Top Ten Dog Training books. It remained there for nearly eight hours—and for this first-time author, that was an unforgettable experience!

 

7. How do you promote your books?

Promoting my books has been the most challenging part of my author journey. When I first became an author, I had no idea that marketing would be such an important part of the process. Over time, however, I’ve learned to embrace new opportunities and actively look for ways to connect with readers.

I participate in bookstore signings, community events, presentations for older adult organizations, and animal rescue fundraisers. I also enjoy sharing my books through blogs like this one (thank you!), podcasts, and other interviews. I’ve discovered that the more willing I am to reach out and make connections, the more doors seem to open.

 

8. Where can readers learn more about your books and connect with you online?

Readers can find out more about me and all of my books on my Amazon Central Author page https://author.amazon.com/home or my website https://pawspurpose.net/

On my website, readers can also check out tips for healthy animals, as well as numerous resources for therapy dog organizations, which will provide excellent information about how to become a therapy dog team. Numerous photos of therapy dog events are also posted. And a link on my website will provide readers with information from my past newsletters.

I’m also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gail.scoates/

 

MARCIA: Thank you, Gail, for being my July interviewee! I admire all of the work you’ve done for therapy dogs and those who benefit from their visits.

MONTHLY BLOG EBOOK CONTEST! Would you like to win a Marcia James’ ebook? Visitors to this pro-pet blog can join in the fun, comment, and/or share photos of their pets for a chance to win one of my ebooks!

 

Each month, I’ll randomly pick one blog commenter to win. To leave a comment and/or a photo, click on the word “Reply,” which is just below the social media icons for THIS interview. (Don’t scroll past this interview to the next interview.) Go Pets!