Run, Dogs, Run!
Hal Higdon talks about Run, Dogs, Run! In the wake of Stephen King's success introducing his two latest books to the public via the Internet, I have chosen to do the same. Run, Dogs, Run! is a children's e-book. It is aimed at children just learning to read--or aimed at their running parents. It is in the tradition of the beginner books produced by Dr. Seuss. My wife Rose and I taught our children to read with books such as The Cat in the Hat, and those books still dominate the children's section of book stores.
But I wasn't sure if anyone had offered a children's book online, so I decided to write one. I thought it would be interesting to show a lot of dogs, some of them dressed in running gear, doing funny things. Dana Summers and I had been discussing doing something together for several years, so I asked him to collaborate with me on the drawings.
Dana is an editorial cartoonist for the Orlando Sentinel. He also draws two comic strips: Bound & Gagged and The Middletons. And he still finds time to train (with his wife Mary Jane) for marathons and draw a monthly cartoon (Side Stitch) for Runner's World. Dana is an incredibly talented cartoonist, and I am fortunate to be working with him.
Back in the Nineteenth Century, Charles Dickens
often released his books to the public as he wrote them. They appeared chapter
by chapter in serial form in newspapers. In the Twentieth Century, readers
usually don't see books until the authors have finished the last chapter.
And because the publishing industry moves infuriatingly slow, often this is
as much as a year or more after the author has finished that last chapter.
Stephen King is among the Twenty-First Century authors who has reverted to
the Dickensian approach and released some of his books chapter by chapter
on the Internet. One of the advantages for creators using cyberspace, what
might be called the "New Media," is almost instant access to your audience.
While Run, Dogs, Run! may seem complete in its current form, I'm still tinkering, creating funny words and situations, and Dana is still producing sketches of dogs. As the months continue, we may have some more running dogs to show you online. And eventually a print edition of the book.
So enjoy Run, Dogs, Run! You can begin by clicking on "Go" below. Have fun reading Run, Dogs, Run! to your children or grandchildren. At the end of this e-book, you will encounter a final screen asking for your feedback. Read, Runners, Read!
Copyright 2000 by Hal Higdon and Dana Summers. All rights reserved.