Loveland writer teaches life lessons through the real life of her dog

by Catherine Trumbo - Loveland Connection
Published with the permission of Loveland Connection.
Photos by Bradley Wakoff.

   Search as hard as you can, but you won’t find any Murry Murray books in bookstores, including Barnes & Noble.

That’s because author Barbara Murray sells her books only to nonprofit organizations.

“The books are used to help nonprofits raise money to get books to children who need them,” Murray said. “Barnes and Noble contacted me, and I said, ‘We’re on a different mission with these books.’”

Murray said the books are based on the life lessons her own dog Murry, a border collie-golden retriever mix, has learned during his time.

“I realized the same things Murry has learned could be helpful to children” she said. “The stories can help children learn life lessons and develop positive behavior. Each book has parenting tips in the back of it.”

This holiday season, several children in Loveland and the surrounding communities will receive Murry Murray books as a gift from nonprofits.

The Windsor Kiwanis Club gave a Murry Murray book to every kindergarten student in the city.

The Kiwanis Club will donate money earned from book sales to the Windsor Parks Department for new playground equipment.

Murray and book illustrator Sam Salas will be at Loodles Coffee, Books and Art, 1180 Main St., Suite 1, from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 15 for a book signing.

The Loveland Kiwanis Club also is giving books to Head Start children in Loveland.
Murray said the books have become very popular and can even be found in Germany.

“We would like Murry to be a household friend,” she said. “The concept of a dog teaching children is less threatening and intimidating to children.”

A unique aspect of the books is that all the characters and situations are true.
Murray says there are no TVs or computers in the pictures because “it’s about parent/family time and bonding.”

The series will have two books added in 2008: “Sometimes We Get In Trouble,” about a purse-snatching dog who likes leather, and “Sometimes My Friends are Different,” in which Murry’s friends are all cats.

Murry may be a star now, but at the beginning of his life he was in a less enviable spot as an abused animal.

Murray said she rescued Murry about 11 or 12 years ago from a shelter after he was thrown from a truck on a back road in Weld County.

“He had several skull fractures and had seizures for a year and half after we got him,” she said. “He also had trouble walking for a while.”

After more than 30 years working in education and 10 years as president of the McKee Foundation, Murray’s husband, Garvin, finally persuaded her to follow her dream of being a children’s book author.

“I got the idea when I was 6. And then I was 60, and I thought I should get going on my dream,” she said.

Throughout the years, Murray wrote outlines for 32 books and has several more ideas after talking with children at book signings.

“This is by far the most fun thing I’ve ever done. Sam makes everything heaven because it’s all about the art work,” she said.

Salas, who has been an actor, director and comic book publisher in other careers, says the project itself is fun.

“I draw the books, and I still laugh at them,” he said. “To draw the expressions, I just put myself in Murray’s place. Then, I look up at myself in the mirror and draw that expression. All the kids really like that Murry is a real dog.”