Meet Jeff Schettler, author of the newly released book Red Dog Rising
Jeff and Ronin
Our first contact with Jeff Schettler was a query letter that began, “I want to tell you a story….” Not the usual bland query, it quickly caught our attention. In just a few weeks, we had negotiated terms and Red Dog Rising was under contract. Jeff’s proposal had impressed us so much that I used it as an example of how to catch an editor’s attention when I spoke at a seminar for authors shortly thereafter.
What I didn’t know was whether Jeff would deliver on time, and whether, as a first author, his manuscript would come in clean or needing a lot of work. About that same time at least six other titles under contract to Alpine had not come in on time. Some were months, even a year or more, beyond their scheduled completion date.
Red Dog Rising, though, arrived on schedule and with all material prepared per our specifications. When the copy was edited, Jeff reviewed it and returned it practically overnight. Red Dog became one of the few books we’ve published to go through production without a hitch—no changes, no delays. Delivery was right on schedule. It was a memorable experience — totally exceptional for a first-time- author.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t exactly “on time” for Jeff. He became ill and was hospitalized on the very day his books were delivered. He has since been undergoing treatment, so promotion for Red Dog Rising, as well as the writing of his next book, has been delayed. We wish him the best.
Once in a blue moon there is a book that tugs at your heart, while also making it race faster. Red Dog Rising is that memoir—a love story between a man and his dog who dedicated their lives to catching the bad guys. But this book is deeper than just another dog story. Throughout, there are glimpses of Jeff’s life—both fascinating and inspirational. A K-9 officer lives and works 24/7 with his dog. Jeff explores how that affected his family life, and he discusses his theories on tracking versus trailing. Ultimately, he emerges as a survivor, an over comer determined to make something of his life and achieving it through the relationship with his hound.
Homeless at the age of 14, Schettler spent his teen years sleeping in the back of a pizza parlor or on the street. A high school dropout, he managed to withstand the influence of peers involved in drugs, gangs and crime. His passion for training dogs began with a stray that he picked up on the street. Eventually, Jeff summoned the resolve to break away from street life. He enlisted, hoping to be accepted into the Army’s canine unit. It never happened. Instead, he was directed to a career in police work, and after the service he graduated from police academy. He never lost the desire to work with dogs, and soon developed a passion for tracking and trailing. In particular, he hoped to use a trailing dog in his police work to save the lives of missing children.
On the trail...
The police unit where Jeff was employed didn’t have a canine unit, so the establishment of one became his personal mission. Jeff and Ronin were required to prove themselves every step of the way, finally earning their own canine unit and a K9 police car set up to accommodate Ronin. For the next eleven years they shared a passion for one thing—finding the trail of criminals.
In 2004, a serious injury brought Jeff’s police work to a halt, forcing him into a long and painful rehabilitation and a career change. He began training dogs for police work and teaching clinics around the U.S. He is also an expert witness in the field of trailing dogs. He has done pioneering work in the fields of trailing, tracking, drug detection and training service dogs for children with special needs. (Aah, the desire to help children surfaces once again. I wonder if perhaps it stems from his own childhood experience.) Working with families who have children with autism, Jeff and his partner, Kelli Collins, have trained dogs to assist, and if necessary, to trail, children with autism. They founded the Georgia K9 Assistance Dog Foundation, Inc., with the goal of providing service dogs for children whose parents are financially burdened. He tells us this has become his all-consuming passion. More information is available at www.gak9.com. He is also a big supporter of Autism Speaks.
Ronin relaxing with his Basenji buddies.
To make a long story short, Jeff has overcome much and has many accomplishments to his credit. However, what most amazes me as an editor/publisher is that he was able to write such a captivating first book. A friend encouraged Jeff to put down Ronin’s story while it was fresh in his memory as a way of handling his grief after the dog’s death. So, says Jeff, “I just started writing. The first words I wrote were, ‘I want to tell you a story….’” Red Dog Rising has been called “riveting,” “a thrill ride filled with suspense, action, and excitement,” “hard to put down.” It is heartily recommended to anyone who loves to read about dogs, the human-canine bond, true crime, law enforcement, or just likes a good read. (It’s available at www.reddogrising.net and at bookstores.) I guarantee you’ll be looking forward to the next release from this talented author.
Betty McKinney
