Shelly Laurenston/G.A. Aiken Newsletter (1-15-2025)

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Hello, everyone.

Hope everyone had a good New Years. I spent it at home with just me, G, and my non-alcoholic champagne. I’m glad I did because last week I had to let my sweet Gaius go.

It broke my heart and was a very hard decision to make, but after three different discussions with three different vets in the same practice over a two-week period…

One of them warned me that G may not be that dog that ever stops eating. Normally, loss of appetite is a very clear signal that it’s “time.” But G never lost his appetite. So, he got tons of treats those last few days. He got ice cream and bacon and steak; even a delightful, triple-cream brie. He got to say goodbye to all his favorite friends and I was with him until the last, holding him tight.

Do I miss him? Every day. Do I wish he had another twenty years of life but as he was at 5 or 6? Yup! Do I wish he could have shared these years with my Maxie…? Probably not. I worry what Max would have done to my good-natured boy. Max got me because I was NOT looking for a friendly dog that loved everyone. At the time, the two of us were meant to be together, bound by our mutual rage and distrust. Gaius, however, was sent from my mother from Elysian Fields. She was worried I would never be social if I got another paranoid dog with rage issues. And, as always, the woman was right.

As it is, I have sort of gone back into my protective cocoon. I’m not in the mood to speak to anyone and I have work to do, which gives me enough of an excuse to not go outside unless I have to.

I am planning on getting another dog sooner rather than later so that I don’t get too used to being a recluse. I might have already had one by now except I abruptly remembered that I have to call in for jury duty for a week at the end of January. I don’t want to bring a rescue dog home, only to abandon him for a few days at a kennel. I worry he or she will think they’ve been abandoned again and I don’t want them thinking that. So once jury duty is done, I can focus on next steps. Because, quite honestly, the silence in the house is deafening. I keep looking at my couch, expecting to see G there sleeping or glaring at me (since there was no in between). To find it always empty is awful.

Of course, I’m not looking for another G. He is and will be, one in a billion and it’s too much for me to expect any dog to fill the space his giant head has left behind. Instead, I think of it as helping another dog who needs another home. Hopefully they’ll be a little laid back and dog friendly enough so I can take them to the open kennel that Gaius loved and that I could never take Maxie to. Heh.

For those who are interested, here’s what I wrote on FB the day G passed.

Everyone in the comments has been so sweet. But one person wrote what can only be described as an Epic Poem in honor of my boy. She was fine with me re-posting it here and I think it gets across exactly how I feel about my boy in a way I think my baby would truly love. Big thanks to Jo Williams.

Jo Williams

Ode to Gaius Germanicus Tiberius Drusis Nero Augustus Caesar

In fields of Elysian where the great ones rest,

A legend now walks amongst the best.

G, the steadfast, with a heart so grand,

Leaves pawprints of gold upon the land.

Held tight ’til the final breath he drew,

Surrounded by love, through and through.

A warrior’s soul in gentle guise,

With a blue eye reflecting Odin’s skies.

The fire within him matched the sun’s own glow,

As he bid farewell, and the embers did grow.

In a land far from here where memories persist,

He joins family, in a heavenly tryst.

All hail to G, the noble and the brave,

Whose love and loyalty we’ll always crave.

A toast to the spirit that led the way,

In our hearts, dear G, forever you’ll stay.

**Skål!** to the one who now roams free,

In realms where he’ll eternally be.

Rest easy, G, under Valhalla’s bright beam,

May your adventures be as grand as they seem.

—

Yep. My handsome boy would have loved that.

As for the fires that have hit Southern Cal…they are terrifying. I have never been so close to fire before. The first night I could actually see a glow in the distance that I realized was the flames from the Pacific Palisades. At the moment, I am OK. But I have a go bag and I’m ready to bolt whenever necessary.

I received edits for TO KILL A BADGER, and a note saying the copy editor enjoyed it, which was great. I’ll be focusing on that and book 4 in the Scarred Earth series while I wait for jury duty, a new dog, and praying that the winds stop blowing at more than 60 MPH.

One last note. On Friday, I came out of my house to head out to a physical therapy appointment and a package was on my doorstep. It was from G’s vet.

With these flowers:

And this note:

These beautiful flowers and the note meant so much. But I also remember that my Maxie only got a card. This is why I would never want those two to meet. Who knows what my Maxie would do to G in a fit of jealousy? Heh.

One last thing. Here’s G’s last video the night before we went to the vet. Don’t worry. It’s not sad. It’s just G being G, which I will miss dearly.

Anyway, everyone stay safe in this insane weather and during all the natural disasters. And this month’s excerpt is from THE BEAST IN HIM. I haven’t read my book in YEARS, but I still laughed. Hopefully you guys will, too. Enjoy!

A purple cover with a tiger head and text

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