About Mrs. Irwin and Her Books:
Gayle Mansfield Irwin is the author of three children's books and one adult non-fiction, all focusing on her adopted dogs. Her stories teach valuable life lessons on such subjects as courage, perseverance, friendship, trust, respect, and confidence. Gayle is also a contributing writer to four Chicken Soup for the Soul compilations. She has been a writer for more than 25 years, starting her career as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Montana. She has served as a public relations professional for various organizations, including animal rescue and conservation groups, and also has experience creating humane and conservation education programs. Gayle grew up on a small farm in southeastern Iowa, attended college in Wyoming and Idaho, and has lived in the Rocky Mountain West for more than 30 years.
Her first children's book idea sprouted from an experience observing wildlife in Yellowstone National Park when she was editor of the West Yellowstone News in Montana -- that idea remains tucked in her brain and slowly growing on her computer; she hopes to complete the manuscript about a buffalo growing up and facing the challenges and joys of living on the American plains and publish the work by 2014.
In the meantime, she writes about dogs, and the joys and challenges of being a pet and a pet parent. Her own dogs, as well as those she helps rescue, are the catalyst for her book endeavors. She is currently working on a story about a dog's rescue from the wildlands of Wyoming and eventually being adopted by a family. Gayle and her husband Greg recently adopted a springer spaniel/cocker spaniel mix named Mary, several months after the loss of their beloved blind Springer Spaniel Sage, who was the subject of Gayle's first books: Sage's Big Adventure (about Sage's adaptation of going blind) and Sage Learns to Share (about Sage coping with the addition of Cody, another adopted dog).
Cody also has his own book. Cody's Cabin: Life in a Pine Forest, reflects the adventures Cody has while spending time at the family cabin, located in a Rocky Mountain forest. Cody's encounters with squirrels, songbirds, turkeys, mule deer and even a black bear teach children about the wildlife of a high plains ecosystem and features a nature journal, vocabulary words, and nature tidbits, all complementing homeschool, nature center, and public school teaching about the environment and writing.
Gayle's new dog, Mary, will be featured in her future writing endeavors, including the rescue dog story. Mary's current role in the family is learning the layout of the home and neighborhood and preparing to be a therapy dog with anticipated visits to schools, nursing homes and libraries.
Her first children's book idea sprouted from an experience observing wildlife in Yellowstone National Park when she was editor of the West Yellowstone News in Montana -- that idea remains tucked in her brain and slowly growing on her computer; she hopes to complete the manuscript about a buffalo growing up and facing the challenges and joys of living on the American plains and publish the work by 2014.
In the meantime, she writes about dogs, and the joys and challenges of being a pet and a pet parent. Her own dogs, as well as those she helps rescue, are the catalyst for her book endeavors. She is currently working on a story about a dog's rescue from the wildlands of Wyoming and eventually being adopted by a family. Gayle and her husband Greg recently adopted a springer spaniel/cocker spaniel mix named Mary, several months after the loss of their beloved blind Springer Spaniel Sage, who was the subject of Gayle's first books: Sage's Big Adventure (about Sage's adaptation of going blind) and Sage Learns to Share (about Sage coping with the addition of Cody, another adopted dog).
Cody also has his own book. Cody's Cabin: Life in a Pine Forest, reflects the adventures Cody has while spending time at the family cabin, located in a Rocky Mountain forest. Cody's encounters with squirrels, songbirds, turkeys, mule deer and even a black bear teach children about the wildlife of a high plains ecosystem and features a nature journal, vocabulary words, and nature tidbits, all complementing homeschool, nature center, and public school teaching about the environment and writing.
Gayle's new dog, Mary, will be featured in her future writing endeavors, including the rescue dog story. Mary's current role in the family is learning the layout of the home and neighborhood and preparing to be a therapy dog with anticipated visits to schools, nursing homes and libraries.
