Meet Hope, our beautiful, occasionally mischievous, show-type English Cocker Spaniel and the inspiration behind Hope’s Books.
The story of Hope began on New Year’s Eve 2024.
That evening, I made myself a promise. I was going to stop talking about writing a book and actually get one published on Amazon.
What I didn’t know was that, somewhere else, on that very same New Year’s Eve, a little Cocker Spaniel puppy was being born.
That puppy was Hope.
I love the coincidence of those two beginnings. One was a promise to myself, the other was a tiny bundle of fur who would eventually become the inspiration for something much bigger than either of us could have imagined.
And somehow, here we are.
The real Hope
Hope is a proper Cocker Spaniel. She’s affectionate, inquisitive, enthusiastic about almost everything and blessed with an extraordinary ability to look completely innocent when the evidence suggests otherwise.
She has a particular fondness for clean, fluffy winter socks. Not dirty socks, you understand. She has standards. She carefully selects them, carries them into the garden and buries them in shallow little holes. She doesn’t chew them just keeps them safe. When questioned, she knows absolutely nothing about it.
Then there’s Lambie.
Lambie is her treasured stuffed lamb, although we’ve had to acquire replacements over the years because Hope’s enthusiasm occasionally exceeds Lambie’s structural capabilities. She cuddles Lambie, rests her head on her and sometimes abandons her on a garden sunbed for hours before remembering where she left her. Hope loves lambie’s tummy to be filled with doggy biscuits.
Hope also takes her responsibilities as a hostess very seriously. Visitors are greeted with great enthusiasm, usually accompanied by a toy and the expectation of considerable attention.
Hope loves being groomed. While some dogs might object to all that brushing, Hope seems to regard it as a perfectly reasonable part of her beauty regime.
Somewhere along the way, Hope stopped being simply our family dog and became a book character. Her curiosity, her enthusiasm, her funny little expressions and her adventures give me endless ideas. I began imagining all the places she could go, the creatures she might meet and the things children could discover along the way.
And so Hope’s adventures began.
In her books, she explores mysterious mists, visits farms, causes a little chaos at the zoo and discovers the importance of kindness, friendship, courage and understanding.
The stories are fictional, of course, but the personality behind them is very real.
Hope has also taken on the role of official representative at my book stalls. She has her own chair, naturally, and seems perfectly happy to supervise proceedings while I do the actual work.
I suspect she’s rather better at attracting customers than I am.
A little Hope goes a long way
What I love most about Hope is the uncomplicated happiness she brings into ordinary days. She doesn’t worry about tomorrow, whether something is fashionable or whether she’s achieved enough. She’s simply delighted by a familiar face, a favourite toy, a comfortable place to sleep or the possibility of an adventure, a bit like me really.
Hope’s Books has grown into a collection of stories, artwork and little things designed to make people smile, think, remember or simply feel a little happier.
And although Hope doesn’t personally write the books, paint the pictures, manage the website or pack the orders, I think it’s fair to say that none of this would be quite the same without her.
She’s the inspiration, the mascot, the occasional distraction and, naturally, the boss.
Her salary is paid in cuddles, treats and the occasional stolen sock.
As we always say here at Hope’s Books:
Everyone needs a little Hope in their lives.
