I love writing and sharing that experience with other people. And I love creating and receiving secret tributes from fellow writers when they publish. Unlike dedications, only the writer and the person being mentioned know about these gifts of gratitude.
So what am I talking about?
In my book, Not Guilty, I had a lot of favorite characters, but there was one named Buddy that was special. He was special because not only was he a fabulous dog, but a real one. Buddy had his own website with tales about his adventures with his favorite human, Mike. Mike posted from Buddy’s point of view a lot of the time, and his take on the world was heartwarming and funny.
I was so sad when Buddy died. I felt as if he and Mike were good friends of mine. I asked Mike if he would mind if I paid my own tribute to his beloved Canine Couch Potato, and he not only didn’t mind, he loved the idea.
Here’s a scene about Buddy from Not Guilty.
By nature, Buddy was a people-loving retriever-mix who had come to him by some unknown chain of dog owners. He had a long history of being in and out of the pound. On their first day at the beach together, Devon found out why. Buddy hated water. He even hated wet sand under his paws. It took a lot of convincing to get Buddy on the sand that first day. Then they’d no sooner settled on the blanket when Buddy let out a yelp and hightailed it back to the asphalt. His leash whipped behind. People jumped out of the frantic dog’s way. Devon didn’t catch him until they’d run the length of Sugar Cove. Over the next few years, Buddy finally agreed to walk on the dry sand, but he never became the beach buddy Devon had imagined. And Frisbees could sail overhead all day without a single blink. He was a failed retriever, but he wasn’t a failed friend.
As every writer knows, books come into the world in different ways, but one thing is for sure, they need early readers with keen editorial talent to help get through those drafts. I’ve been so lucky to have great critique partners over the years. A few have been with me since before publication. They’ve suffered through a lot of my bad writing. They’ve pushed me to do better each time I’ve crafted something, and they’ve always been there for me when I finally launched a book. They’ve also said “Thank You” by tucking me into their stories.
In Black Flowers White Lies, by Yvonne Ventresca, I’m Lee, the flower seller. I loved this walk-on role, and I loved the secrecy–kind of a Members Only exclusivity. Yvonne and I have been writing friends for years. I’ve always valued her help with my manuscripts.
Weekly Quote: “I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.” Jon Katz, Author
Secret tributes are a delightful way of showing gratitude – or admiration. In retrospect, I guess I do it a lot 😉 I don’t make it obvious, but it’s never really a secret. Well, there was that one character who didn’t quite make it to the end of the story 😉
There were two occasions last year (during my reading-roll) that I could’ve sworn I had been in the back of the writer’s mind. Not sure how to feel about that.
“Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother,” ~ Khalil Gibran
That’s a special way to pay tribute to someone and aww Buddy.
I like the quote you shared about friendships it’s true. Enjoy your week!
How fun! And what lovely tributes you shared. I’m one of those readers who at least skims the acknowledgements at the end of a book because I like to see what authors have to say to their friends and colleagues. This is the kind of detail I enjoy!
Thank you for stopping in, Jen! I love these tidbits, too.
I have yet to do a secret tribute but I do secret shoutouts in my stories often. It’s usually when I need a name for a once off character so I use family and friends. Then they get a nice surprise when they see their name in a book.
It is a nice surprise, and you feel special. Glad you do that.
Hi Lee – well it all makes perfect sense … secret tributes and so good to read about – an uplifting post: thank you! Buddy was obviously special … and it’s good to see Mike’s comment. Then Jeff’s comment about one of Louis L’Amour’s book – he made such an impression on me through his travel books. It looks like you’ve inspired a few authors here to enrich their stories with secret friends … and yes I do love stories like this … cheers Hilary
I’m so glad you saw those other comments. I loved seeing them, and Jeff’s was so interesting. Like you, I love stories like this.
What a lovely tribute to dog and friendship. I definitely do this. Every story or book that gets published has a specific saying that honors my mother. There are others I have honored, too. But my mom is the big one.
That is such a special way to honor someone you love so dearly.
Sweet tribute to Buddy.
I love the idea of a walk on role in a book. I remember awhile back someone had a contest and the winner would get to name a side character in a book (or something like that).
I remember that! And I’m surprised that I do because I usually can’t remember what I ate for breakfast.
Sweet story about Buddy. Pets enrich our lives. I remember King, my dog when I was a kid and Cinnamon, our daughter’s dog. When they crossed the Rainbow Bridge, I grieved for them. I’m glad they were in my life. Loved Not Guilty and appreciate knowing Buddy was a real dog.
Some pets stay with you forever, don’t they? I should have put something at the front of Not Guilty to tell readers Buddy was a real canine friend to Mike.
Hi,
I must admit I was too tired yesterday to think straight. I saw your post come in my mailbox, but I had just finished enduring eight hours of hammering and drilling as the repairmen removed my Kachelofen so that I can get an updated one. Enough of that.
I so enjoyed reading Not Guilty because it mirrored real life incidents that can happen in life. Not only to teens or young adults, but to anybody. I also like the definition of friendship. Friendship is like sisterhood to me. Some of my deepest and closes friends, I don’t hear from often, but when I need them, they pop back into an active role in my life until I weather the storm. They’re there. I don’t have to call them. They always have those canny feelings about me, and I experienced canny feelings about them also, when they need help.
Wishing you all the best for your writing career and also for your personal life in 2022, Lee.
Take care.
Shalom aleichem
When people are closely connected, I do believe there’s something beyond the physical communication that exists. I often know when I should get in touch with someone–that they need me to talk to. Here’s to Sisterhood!
How lovely to have those ‘cameo’ roles and be honoured by your fellow writers in that way.
I must admit that it always gives me a frisson of excitement when an author I have reviewed for gets in touch to ask if I mind them using an acknowledged quote from my review in the next book of a series.
It makes it all worth while!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
How wonderful that authors want to acknowledge your part in their book success, Yvonne. I appreciate reviewers because they are essential for authors.
Hi, Cheryl-Lee!
I enjoyed learning about secret tributes, dear friend, and reading this example found in one of your own books. I was touched by the background story of Mike’s dog Buddy, the scenario you created for Not Guilty and details about the beloved pooch shared by Buddy’s Old Man, Mike, in his comment here on your site. Buddy reminds me a lot of our Toto, a Cocker Spaniel that stubbornly refused to be trained to do anything she didn’t want to do. Like Buddy, Toto claimed, on day one, a favorite piece of furniture, namely the family room love seat. Mrs. Shady gave me strict instructions to keep Toto off the furniture, but when I tried to lift the weeks old puppy to the floor, she snapped, snarled, scratched and bit, letting me know that she was the boss. It was our little dance, Toto’s and mine, a game we lovingly played with each other throughout her 14+ year life.
It’s very cool that you gained immortality in the cameo role of Lee, a flower seller, in Yvonne’s book. I couldn’t agree more with Jon Katz’s quote. Busy or not, tired or not, friends make time for friends. Friends go to the mat for friends. They are indeed essential ingredients in the glue that holds this crazy mixed-up puzzle together.
Thanks for coming to see me at Shady’s Place today, dear friend Cheryl-Lee. Be happy and keep well until we meet again!
That is quite a story about Toto. You met your match, Shady.
I’m not sure immortatlity was bestowed on me, but I know it was great fun seeing that bit tucked into Yvonne’s story. It pleased me that she chose to make me a flower seller, too! If I had to choose another occupation, it would have something to do with flowers.
I always love your posts. The only time I get to sing and dance anymore is when I’m at your place!
How cool you included Buddy as a character in your book. He looks a lot like my own sweet dog.
Those labs are special, aren’t they?
Those are nice walk on roles. It’s also fun to use walk on roles for a bit of mental revenge 😉
Oh, you mean making someone you want to get back at into a vile character? Hmm. I’d love find an example of that!
Secret tributes are pretty awesome! I’m going to have to think about including that – my fictional world is completely separate from my real world in my brain, but I may have to look for crossover spaces! 🙂
(BTW – the link to this post from your email didn’t work – brought me to the website, but not to the page)
You’ll have fun if you do tuck a few of these in your stories, Jemi.
And thanks for the heads up about the link. I’m not sure why that happened, but thanks for persisting and doing that extra click.
That was nice of Yvonne to include you as a character and for you to include Buddy. Shame the fictional one never caught a Frizbee.
Alas, the Frizbee wasn’t his toy of choice. 🙂
What a wonderful post. It is something this reader has wondered about, and how nice to have confirmation that yes indeed there ARE tributes hidden in books.
In the book I’m writing with another person, we’ve tucked several of these into the story. It has been fun.
I am very glad to hear it. Writers should have fun – to go with the hard work.
Wow! I didn’t know about these secret tributes, and I think they are exceptionally wonderful!
Very cool.
They’re a nice way to thank people you love or admire or have had something to do with book. Glad you found this interesting.
I loved that Buddy scene. My Lab also hates water, hates getting his paws wet. Odd, they are! But I love my Casey to pieces.
Dogs, like people, come in different styles and flavors. Labs are particularly adorable.
That’s wonderful about Buddy and your own secret tribute! Those secrets are of a very special kind. Thank you for sharing.
They’re kind of fun. I’d like to dig up more about the famous writers who paid secret tribute.
Lee – Thank you so much for posting Buddy’s story today. I took that picture of him on his first day in our house, after seven weeks of coaxing him to leave “his life on the run.” When he walked into our living room, he found the couch in a heartbeat and laid claim to it. For nearly seven years he brought us untold joy. Buddy’s been gone now for five years and nine days, but I still carry some of his “blog” cards in my pocket–and I expect I always will. Thanks again for this beautiful tribute.
He was a perfect dog, Mike, and a lucky one to have found a home with you and your family. Some dogs are just special and always in our hearts.
I learned this was a thing many decades ago when I was a student pastor in Virginia City, Nevada. I was reading Louis L’Amour. This came up in a conversation with the late Don McBride, who owned the Bucket of Blood Saloon. He told me that he was in the book and to look at page so-in-so. Sure enough, L’Amour wrote him into the story in a scene set in the bar! Undoubtedly, he had spent a fair amount of time in the saloon when he was “researching” for his story.
Doing research in a saloon, especially one as infamous as The Bucket of Blood, is a perfect way to gain fame! Don’t you love stories like this?