Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Simon Spotlight Entertainment (October 6, 2009)
ISBN-10: 1416595031
ISBN-13: 978-1416595038

The day Monica learns that her lovable, brilliant threeyear- old son, Wills, has autism spectrum disorder, she takes him to buy an aquarium. It’s the first in a string of impulsive trips to the pet store to buy animals as a distraction from the uncontrollable, crushing reality of Wills’s diagnosis. But while Wills diligently tends to the growing menagerie, what he really wants is a puppy. And one Christmas, when Wills is six, Cowboy Carol Lawrence joins their family.

Cowboy And Wills the MemoirLike all dynamic duos, Cowboy and Wills complement each other perfectly. Wills is cautious, fastidious, and irresistibly tenderhearted. Cowboy, a rambunctious golden retriever, is overeager, affectionate, and impulsive. And from the moment Cowboy enters their lives, Monica sees her son step a little farther into the world.

Soon, the boy who could barely say hello to his classmates in kindergarten is sharing stories of his new “sister” Cowboy during morning circle. Children crowd around them at the park, and instead of running away, Wills, holding Cowboy’s leash in his sweaty fist, proudly answers all of their questions. With Cowboy, he finds the courage to invite kids over for playdates, overcomes his debilitating fear of water to swim along beside her in the family pool, and, after years of gentle coaxing, Wills finally sleeps in his own bed with Cowboy’s paws draped across his small chest. Through it all, Cowboy is there, dragging him toward other children, giving him the confidence to try new things and the courage to face his worst fears. And when Cowboy turns out to need her new family as much as they need her, they discover just how much she has taught them—about devotion, about loyalty, and about never giving up.

Sometimes it’s what you don’t know to hope for that saves you. For Monica, her husband, Michael, and their son, Wills, salvation came in the form of a puppy with pale blonde fur, chocolate brown eyes, a fondness for chewing the crotch out of underpants, and a limitless capacity for love.

“Cowboy & Wills is the very best kind of memoir: a quietly profound story that reminds everyone of the power of simple acts of love. Holloway and her remarkable son are bound to inspire and transform many lives.” ~ Hope Edelman, New York Times bestselling author of The Possibility of Everything and Motherless Daughters

This powerful, true-to-the-heart read will move you through a variety and depths of emotions. Will, who is diagnosed with Autism at 3 years of age, and his mother, Monica have many on-going hurdles to overcome. Between the trial and error attempts to bring some normalcy to their lives, and a dog named Cowboy that joins them when Will turns six, there is a lot of vast dimensions that keep you turning the pages. You will feel the triumphs and the letdowns right along with them. Pets play such an important role in all our lives, and this is one more terrific example of the love and miracles they can bring to a family.

Cowboy & Wills is a deep read, but you will be glad you picked it up!

About the Author.. Click on Monica’s Photo to learn more…

Monica Holloway is the critically acclaimed author of the memoir Driving With Dead People, described by Newsweek as “unforgettable,” Glamour christened “a classic,” and the Washington Post deemed “irresistible.” She contributed to the anthology Mommy Wars, from which her essay “Red Boots and Cole Haans” was described by Newsday as “brilliant, grimly hilarious.” Holloway lives with her family in Los Angeles.

A Special Thanks goes out to Marni with Sneak Attack Media for the opportunity to read this heart-tugging memoir.

Marni has generously offered 2 Lucky Frugal Plus Readers the Chance to Win a Signed Copy for yourself :bounce

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