Desiree: The Music of My Soul

About the Book

Desiree: The Music of My Soul is a poetic and soul-stirring love story that captures one woman's journey of strength and self-discovery that transcends grief and loss. Filled with hope and inspiration, Desiree: The Music of My Soul symbolizes the resilience of the human soul.

Staunch and rooted to her childhood values, Peggy Race engages in a battle to overcome a failed marriage, the sudden heartrending loss of her second husband, and her own self-doubts. While sandwiched between each layer of uncertainty, Peggy fights her way forward through the love of her dogs.

Amid personal tragedy, Peggy's life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Desiree, a rescued Hurricane Katrina dog. Fueled by the serendipitous connection, Peggy deploys an unending passion for answers as she searches for purpose. As Peggy unravels Desiree's significance in her life, she looks beyond the confines of loss and discovers her true self.

Desiree: The Music of My Soul is available on Amazon.

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What Readers Are Saying

"Peggy Race’s debut memoir takes the reader on a journey of personal struggle, trial and beauty. After a failed marriage and a subsequent unspeakable tragedy, she learns that the one constant in her life is the love of her dogs. When a Katrina rescue dog named Desiree comes into her life, Race works through her grief using Desiree’s difficult past as a lens into her own battles and help reconcile her pain. Desiree is a story about the human need for the unconditional love that is sometimes best manifest in the face and wagging tale of a dog."

--Jim Landwehr, author of Dirty Shirt, The Portland House, and Cretin Boy.

"Ms. Race is an amazing storyteller. Her words so beautifully chosen and the story so relatable to me. As animal advocates we are born with the innate desire to help animals, but as humans we must find a way to intertwine that passion with the ups and downs of our everyday lives. Desiree: The Music of my Soul is such a genuine, heartfelt memoir that shows us the depths of our love for animals in need can be what carries us through life’s most challenging moments."

-- Becky Monroe, author of Bark Until Heard

"Got a tissue? Good. Got a box of tissues? Better. Got a case? There you go! Race’s memoir, Desiree: The Music Of My Soul, sings with raw emotion. Dog lovers will feel every word, but so will anyone who has loved any animal, or anyone, human or pet, at all. It’s not easy to make a reader feel wrung out and uplifted at the same time, but Race has accomplished it. Sit down and read, and keep the tissues handy!"

--Kathie Giorgio, author of The Home For Wayward Clocks and If You Tame Me

"Desiree: the Music of My Soul shows the deep-rooted, sometimes unexplainable bond between humans and dogs. After facing some of the hardest moments in her life, Peggy not only relied on her companionship with Desiree to get through it all but she was able to learn important life lessons from a canine who escaped tragedy herself. This memoir is a heartfelt, raw and honest look at life and love, as well as the hurt that follows."

--Mindi Callison, Executive Director of Bailing Out Benji.

"Desiree: The Music of My Soul, is so much more than a story of a dog that was rescued. It’s a love story, an inspirational love-at-first-sight story told through poetic language and vivid imagery. Peggy Race’s life leaps off the page, much as Desiree could leap over a six-foot fence. This story illustrates the depth to which friendship and love, be it human or canine, can transform a life. Not just for animal lovers, this book is engaging and universal, a reminder of the joy that comes from opening your heart."

--Carrie Newberry, author of Pick Your Teeth With My Bones

"Race’s writing is sumptuous, but most noteworthy is the resolve of this Author. A profound heartbreak ultimately leads to a partnership with a rescue dog that brings unexpected transformation and healing."

--Julie Beekman, author of Two Trees

The memoir

Desiree-The Music of My Soul is a memoir and a love story that will especially appeal to dog lovers. The memoir takes the reader on a journey of personal struggle, trial, and beauty.

It all begins with Race’s early farm experiences and a compassion for animals, which evolved from an early age to reach into adulthood.

After a failed marriage and a subsequent unspeakable tragedy, she learns that the one constant in her life is the love of her dogs.

Peggy's life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Desiree. As Peggy unravels Desiree’s significance in her life, she looks beyond the confines of loss and discovers her true self.

"I realized animals played a part in my life, long before I can Remember"

“Determined to earn a blue ribbon, I entered cattle, crop, and baking competitions at the Jefferson County Fair.”

“In those early months, the gray shadows of my word turned bright yellow as I found purpose in my new role of stepmother.”

“Partaking in swimming and bocce ball, Dan established an outlet for his special gifts.”

“Sharing the story of my first yellow lab, I reminisced about Shiloh.”

“…He explained their relationship. “She’s a foster dog.” …His lips loosened in a cautiously jubilant smile. “Jilly really is an affectionate girl.”

“Emerging from the murky water, acting triumphant with her catch, Dakota ran circles through the long marshy grass.”

“It was true. Beginnings were more fun.”

“Baptized into this new relationship by these quirky yet heartfelt poems, I felt blessed every day.”

“Bucking tradition our wedding would mirror the traits that brought us together: love, exercise, and dogs.”

“In my moment of weakness, I set the stage for Dakota’s new resting spot. Over the years, even though her curled up ball of fur became bigger, she always chose a spot on the sofa.”

“I imagined Jilly telling me it was okay to look back, but the path continued in front of us.”

“My heart wept; my mind swept always as I witnessed the love conveyed on one of the engraved stones.”

“Little did I know… As I descended upon octagons 7 and 8, better known as Conrad’s and Leopold’s, my life would change completely.”

“In a world of pageants, standing full of majestic tenderness, I imagined her crowned as ‘Miss Doggie USA 20211.’”

“Meandering through the sandy soil of the trail… I felt the dark clouds of my past opening to a bright blue hue for the future.”

“Desiree became a pro at hanging from the top panel board, peering into her neighbor’s yard while her head sat tucked beneath the wire.”

“Riding shotgun with her chin planted on the dashboard and eyes riveted on sights unseen, Desiree’s intense concentration catapulted her into another world.”

“Squatting next to her, a volunteer held a white card above Desiree’s back. Of all the animals Best Friends rescued, Desiree was number 1909.”

“In that spilt second of time, Desiree became the love song that got stuck in my head.”

“Scratching the surface of Desiree’s past, my thoughts turned to the two-month struggle she endured while nourishing the growing puppies inside of her.”

“I immediately recognized the red trim outlining the doors and the windows. On the front balcony, with glazed eyes and a pink tongue poking through the black wrought-iron railing, stood my Desiree.”

“As Christmas morning rolled around… unbeknownst to me, a special gift soon arrived.”

“Dear Desiree… As I break free from the haunting thoughts of my past, a new era of discovery awaits. Wandering into another world, I prepare to visit the area where your life began.”

“Suited up with trash grabbers and gloves, I asked the coordinator to commemorate the moment by taking our photo…. I felt like a little firecracker, barely able to contain my excitement.”

“Stationed near the cement patio steps, the same steps that Desiree stood planted on ten years earlier, I stepped forward with my black trash bag in hand.”

“My sense of insecurity, the worry I held internally, presented itself every time we stepped to the line.”

“Our moment of glory triumphed our insecurities… Team Desiree broke through the hard shell of self-doubt and rose to the challenge.”

“Faith strove to please as she worked on performing each task perfectly to earn a reward. Theoretically, agility became a tool that allowed each of us to look into the eyes of our problematic feelings, navigate each obstacle, then advance towards our goal.”

“Dear Desiree…Displaying your stereotypical behavior, you always guide me towards your favorite tree. I watch as you poke your nose inside, searching for that which we cannot see.”

“Artistically handicapped, my skills at creating beautiful artwork lay within the realm of paint by number kits.”

“I felt an internal tickle, mimicking that from years past… In the corner of his run sat a scraggly looking black and white dog.”

“Dear Desiree… The all too familiar serendipitous feeling merged the third morning of my volunteer experience at National Mill Dog Recue… His name is Deputy, and he is sweet, gentle, and very shy eight-month-old male puppy.”

“Desiree’s Puzzle took shape. After surviving Katrina and delivering her puppies, she battled the insecurities of loving and losing several families. Weathering each challenge, she never failed to open her heart… In my own epiphany-like moment, I understand Desiree’s meaning in my life.”

“As I spent my last morning volunteering at Angel’s Rest, I embraced the spiritual sign that appeared. Unexpected, the black and white cow that walked past your gravestone and looked into my eyes, symbolized a life of new beginnings for each of us.”

In Loving Memory....

A Better World Through Kindness to Animals

For All Those Who Were Taken During Hurricane Katrina

Desiree: The Music of My Soul

About the Book

What Readers Are Saying

The memoir

In Loving Memory....

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