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The Odd Dog Shop

Created by Leia Barrett

The Odd Dog celebrates those quirky rescue dogs who capture our hearts from the moment we see them. This 32-page illustrated, full color children's book is the story of a dog adjusting to living with a family for the first time.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

The Odd Dog has arrived! Here's what happens next.
4 days ago – Wed, Mar 19, 2025 at 03:33:10 PM

Greetings gentle readers!

This has been a tremendously long time coming, but I'm so pleased to report that I received the early copies of The Odd Dog yesterday! Here's a pic of Layla literally standing guard over them while we brought them inside for your viewing pleasure.


So what happens now?

I'm aiming to send deliveries by end of next week. I am reaching out to local backers to see if I can arrange pickup or drop-off, so look for my email.

If all goes according to plan, I'm hoping to have all packages traveling to you before April 1st (no fooling!). 

If you're willing, I would love to have you share your thoughts and feedback when you receive the book. I'm still getting it into circulation channels, so I may ask you to consider leaving a review on Goodreads and/or Amazon. 

Thank you for joining me on this journey. It has taken a little longer than I had hoped, but I believe this book is worth the wait and hope you do too!

Have a wonderful day, and I cannot wait to share the book we built together!

Sincerely,

Leia


The books are almost here, and Pintopia is almost gone!
about 1 month ago – Wed, Feb 12, 2025 at 05:21:24 PM

Greetings from snowy KC!

I wanted to give you a few quick updates with The Odd Dog. The books will arrive stateside any day now and (I hope) in my hands in a week or two. I will be sending them out as quickly as I possibly can and would love your help spreading the word!

After a lot of consideration, I will not be selling the book on Amazon initially. Instead, I'm focusing my efforts on trying to get the book into independent bookstores and doing mini-fundraisers for shelters and rescues.

Here's a quick video where I'm showing off one of the advanced copies:


Your copies will be signed and personalized if you requested it.

This book has truly been a labor of love. Our follow-up book, The Odd Dog's Guide to Making Friends, is a little behind because of it, but I think a book this special deserves its time to shine.

Thank you to everyone who has graciously given to this book.

If you love these characters, please consider supporting the Odd Dog Enamel Pin campaign in its final day, available here:
https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/mea-publications/odd-dog-pins-quirky-pins-for-silly-rescue-dogs

I appreciate you all and cannot wait to hear your thoughts on the book!

Sincerely,

Leia

The weather is oh, so frightful, but these updates are quite delightful!
3 months ago – Sun, Jan 05, 2025 at 01:48:59 PM

Hi everyone,

If you're in KC like me, I hope you're off the road and staying safe and warm! If you're anywhere else, well.. be glad you're not in KC right now. :)

Since the weather is largely keeping us indoors (unless Layla can cajole us outside)...



I thought I'd take the time to offer a few updates. So-- here's what has been happening with The Odd Dog.

The books are officially printed!! Right now, The Odd Dog is nestled safe in the printing house, getting ready for their epic journey around the world. While this doesn't give me a definitive timeline on when books will be in your hands, it does mean that we've entered the final stage of fulfillment.

Based on the proofs I've received, the book is going to be so worth the wait. We've decided to add a few special elements, including debossing on the cover, that will really make it pop.


Since we're nearing the end of this project, I'm going to be locking orders and collecting payments, so PLEASE complete your surveys if you haven't done so already. I'll be reaching out personally if I haven't heard from you, but it's really important I get everyone's accurate info.

After I've locked the orders, you can still order Odd Dog products through one of my other campaigns.

Speaking of other campaigns...

I decided to run a small enamel pin campaign because, well, I love pins. We're starting with three initial designs plus a bonus design if you back my campaign and my collab partner's ADORABLE Pomeranian campaign. Here's a sneak peek of the initial pins (our bonus 'Odd Pom', Ghost, is on the left).


If you (or a dog lover you know) loves enamel pins, please consider  following the project. I'm offering a fun bonus for both early and returning backers, so you'll get both if you help me out during launch!

PLUS, we've got lots of stretch goals planned that include free swag and new pins to unlock, so the more support the better the haul!

Here's the link if you're interested or willing to share with someone who loves cute dogs and pins. https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/a1b4726e-e18d-4eaf-80b6-fe2b9ce6b92c/landing

I think that's enough for now, but please reply below if you're excited to get your new book!

Have a wonderful day, and stay safe and dry if you're in the eye of the storm!

Leia B
[email protected]
http://storiesbyleia.com

LAST CALL for the Pawlidays, Black Friday Special, and some PAWsome Projects!
4 months ago – Mon, Nov 25, 2024 at 10:34:20 AM

Greetings everyone!

After some final tweaks and changes, The Odd Dog is now in the hands of the printer! Once printed, the book has to sit for 30 days while the glue dries, after which it will begin its journey to me! The timeline gets a little murky once it sets off, but I promise you will be the FIRST to know when the book is in hand.

I wanted to give you a few quick updates and reminders before the tryptophan sets in (if you're based in the US, of course!)

Last Call for Pawliday Bundles- I'm giving all my loyal backers the opportunity to get a FREE pawliday bundle that is personalized and announces that the Odd Dog will be coming soon. 

This unique pack includes:
  • holiday letter from Odd
  • $10 Gift Certificate to The Odd Dog Shop
  • Limited Edition stickers, and
  • Bookmark with a link to the eBook version of The Odd Dog. 

To get the pawliday bundle, make sure to fill out this form BEFORE December 1st. https://form.jotform.com/243162590929160 



Black Friday Special: Here's $10 to spend at The Odd Dog Shop for stickers, stationary, whatever you'd like! Use this link to get your coupon: https://odd-dogs-guide-to-making-friends.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders?coupon_code=BLACK+FRIDAY
Be sure to hit APPLY to activate the coupon!



First Peek: Enamel Pin Campaign Coming Up in January! 

I'm excited to announce that I'll be participating in Backerkit's Pintopia, happening January 23-February 13. We're starting with the three pins below PLUS a bonus Pomeranian pin we'll be creating exclusively for the campaign. The more support we get, the more pins we'll unlock!

If you love enamel pins or know someone who does, please consider following the project for more info!




A Final Note of Gratitude

If you know me in the real world, you know that, until recently, I had a very different career path. Your support helps me build my business and pursue my dream of educating, advocating, and fundraising, and for that, I am so grateful to you.

Wishing you a wonderful week full of gratitude!

Leia B
StoriesbyLeia.com
[email protected]

VIP (Very Important Pawliday) Announcement- PLEASE READ
4 months ago – Tue, Nov 12, 2024 at 10:07:02 AM

Greetings everyone!

I hope you're all having a wonderful week! I'll do my best to keep this brief. :)

Announcement #1- We're happy with the proof!
Melinda Martin (the Publishing Consultant/Art Editor/Mama Bear for The Odd Dog) and I have both held copies of The Odd Dog in our hands, and after many tiny revisions, we're moving forward with the printing! Here's a quick video Melinda did showing off her proof and talking about some of our design decisions. Enjoy!


Announcement #2- Here's the bad news. The books won't be available by the holidays. 

BUT...

Announcement #3- Here's the good news. I've decided to give ALL backers who have ordered a physical book a special Pawliday bundle. This is no charge to you, and I think it's pretty awesome.

Here's what the Pawliday bundle includes:
  • A holiday letter from Odd the Dog announcing the book is coming (Personalized if reserved by December 1st; see below to learn how)
  • A gift certificate for $10 at The Odd Dog Shop
  • A limited edition sticker sheet (plus a glitter sticker)
  • A bookmark with a QR for the eBook version
The book will be shipped along with any add-ons as promised when ready.

To get the Pawliday Bundle, simple register for it here: https://form.jotform.com/243162590929160

Here are a few FAQs I anticipate:
1) Can I list multiple people on the same letter? YES! If you're planning to give the book to your three grandchildren and want to address the letter to them, simply list the names with a comma between each one.

2) How many letters do I get for my pledge? You get one pawliday packet PER BOOK. So-- if you have two books in your pledge, you can get two pawliday letters; I recommend filling the form out twice if you want two separate packages.

3) This is so awesome-- can I order more?  Definitely! If you'd like to order additional sets, use this form: https://form.jotform.com/243126927176158

4) When should I order? If you want it personalized, the sooner the better. I'm planning to mail these out after December 1st to make sure they're received well ahead of the holidays.

As always, reply in the comments if you have any questions.

Thank you, as always, for your incredible support and understanding!

Sincerely

Leia B
Storiesbyleia.com