Local Author Spotlight: Arin Greenwood and "Your Robot Dog Will Die"

Local Author Spotlight: Arin Greenwood and Your Robot Dog Will Die

On Sammythedogtrainer.com, I love to feature local businesses and artists.  This time I am privileged to showcase a local St. Pete author's tail-wagging novel premiering on Amazon.com on the 17th of April, Your Robot Dog Will Die by Arin Greenwood.

We got a special preview of the novel, and can say paws down it is a must read.  It is categorized as YA, but as a thirty-something dog lady, I will tell you I could not put it down!  The novel is set on Dog Island, off the coast of Florida, where a global genetic experiment went haywire and rendered the world dog-less, except this small island haven.  In lieu of the real thing, Mechanical Tail Company provides robot dogs as companions, which must be surrendered each year for the newest model.  The novel's heroine, 17 year old Nano Miller is at the heart of this dog-centric and yet dog-apart world.  She lives in a world of robot dogs, "killed" each year and replaced, until a small miracle happens, and she sees a real dog wag its tail.

I will not divulge any more details about the book because we want you to buy it and support Arin's book sales and a most deserving local author:

In case you missed it, here is the link: Your Robot Dog Will Die
Did I mention it is for a good cause? Support Local...or if you are one of our out of town readers, Support Small Business...or Support Dog Business....go team! Go Tampa Bay!  Go Dog Lovers!

Not only did I get to read this fantastic book, but I was also enthused to be able to ask the author some interview questions!  You will get the scoop (but not of poop...I cannot resist a dog pun.  There are a ton of funny ones in the book as well!) in our follow up article talking all about the interview.


As a self proclaimed book worm, I read...probably to the point of it being a problem but at least my hoarding issues are isolated to books alone.  I do not have a gigantic rubber band collection or anything like that, I swear!  With the advent of the ability to self publish, it sometimes seems the digital market is flooded with material...and not all of it good.  Some of it is terrible.  Picking out good reading material can be difficult.  Right off the bat, Arin's book was picked up to be published by an internationally ranked publishing firm, Soho Teen, a subsidiary of the famous Soho Press in New York.  Not to knock self publishing, but that is a good indicator that the book is something worth reading, if a publisher of that caliber will pick it up.  And Your Robot Dog Will Die is not only worth reading because it is an enjoyable and emotional experience, but it has literary merit.  The juxtaposition of the subculture with the actual environment is classic irony, and a great teaching element for teen readers.  When I buy books as gifts for my YA readers (which you should totally buy Your Robot Dog Will Die) I look for books that have stylistic merit or elements that can be used to teach what it means to use literary conventions in writing.  Your Robot Dog Will Die provides this educational opportunity along with being an enjoyable read.  It poses hard questions about the nature of our relationship with companion animals and each other, about the ideas of what it means to be environmentally ethical, how causes can be warped, usurped, challenged, taken up, or fought for, and what humane really means.  I am not the only one eating up Arin's novel- New York Times best selling authors, Barnes and Nobles bloggers, and many more are raving.

It is a rainy day here in the Tampa Bay- so grab a cup of coffee and order this book!

Cheers,
Sammy the Dog Trainer