Why I wrote The Dog Who Found Me — and why it became a trilogy

Some stories arrive fully formed. Others grow quietly, asking for time.

The Dog Who Found Me began as a simple idea:
a boy and a stray dog finding each other on a day when both needed hope.
I didn’t set out to write a trilogy. I set out to write one honest story about feeling lost, about struggling quietly, and about the kind of friendship that doesn’t demand explanations. The kind that simply stays.

As I wrote Ethan and Rusty’s first story, something became clear very quickly:
this wasn’t a moment that could be wrapped up in a single ending.
Because healing doesn’t work that way.
And growing up certainly doesn’t.

A Story for Kids Who Struggle Quietly
Some kids don’t act out when life feels hard.
They internalize it. They try to be “fine.” They feel unseen.
Ethan is one of those kids.
School feels overwhelming. Life feels confusing. Being yourself can feel like the hardest challenge of all. When Rusty enters Ethan’s life — loyal, scrappy, and quietly devoted — it isn’t magic that changes everything. It’s patience. Consistency. Presence.

Writing The Dog Who Found Me reminded me how small acts of kindness, courage, and loyalty can transform lives, sometimes in ways we least expect.
That message felt too important to rush.

Why One Book Wasn’t Enough
By the time I finished Book One, I knew Ethan’s journey wasn’t over.
Finding connection is powerful, but learning how to keep it is just as important.
That’s where Book Two, The Dog Who Stayed, begins.

What started as a story about being found becomes a story about staying —
through change, through fear, through the messy and beautiful moments that shape us.

Life doesn’t stand still. Friends grow. Families shift. Confidence wavers.
And sometimes the hardest part isn’t finding where we belong, it’s figuring out where we fit as everything keeps moving.

Rusty represents the kind of love that grounds us during those moments:
quiet, steady, loyal even when everything else feels uncertain.

The Heart of the Trilogy
Across this trilogy, Ethan doesn’t suddenly become fearless.
He grows slowly. Unevenly. Honestly.
And that’s intentional.

This series is for:

• sensitive readers who feel deeply
• kids navigating bullying or learning challenges
• teens who feel lost, new, or left behind
• parents and teachers looking for stories that open conversations gently

Connection, I believe, doesn’t always arrive in dramatic moments.
Sometimes it’s found by a lake, on a park bench, through a sketchbook, or curled up at your feet.

That’s the kind of storytelling I believe in.

Why I Believe in This Trilogy
I believe in this trilogy because I believe in the kids it was written for.
The ones finding their way in a sometimes challenging world.
The ones learning that kindness matters.
The ones discovering that love and loyalty can come from unexpected places.

If Ethan and Rusty’s story reminds even one reader that they are not alone — that they matter, that they are allowed to grow at their own pace, then it has done what it was meant to do.

Thank you for giving Ethan and Rusty a place in your heart.

The Dog Who Found Me is available at nextgenreads.online, Amazon, and other selected bookstores.

This trilogy is still unfolding — and I can’t wait to share what comes next.

-Christie Mathew