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About the Author
Doug Koktavy is an award-winning author, publisher and speaker. He will be presenting a workshop on “The Need for a Presence Plan: Communication Challenges Associated with a Pet’s Terminal Diagnosis” to veterinarians at the Sixth International Conference on Communication in Veterinary Medicine in October 2010.
He is a Certified Counselor, Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement. Doug also is a moderator of the K9 Kidney Diet Yahoo Group and the Pet Grief Yahoo Group, and he is a member of the Bone Cancer Dogs Yahoo Group. He is on the Board of Directors of Bone Cancer Dogs, Inc., a New Jersey nonprofit corporation. He also is a volunteer with Safe Harbor Labrador Retriever Rescue.
Currently an attorney in Denver, he enjoys biking, running and taking quiet walks with his new black Lab, Dory.
Media Links
Appearances
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CBS4 News, Denver, May 9, 2010
Learn to Deal with a Pet with a Terminal Illness |
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NBC15, Madison, Wisconsin,
April 22, 2010
Hot Trends:”The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer” |
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KUSA 9NEWS, Denver,
February 6, 2010
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KMGH 7 News, The Denver Channel,
January 26, 2010
Mars’ DogBlog: Listening with an Open Heart |
| Radio |
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WBMS 590AM Radio, July 14
Mike Krcil “Steeltown Mike” |
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Blog Talk Radio, January 4, 2010
Coach Rachelle Lee |
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Ask Martha’s Vet, Dr. Martin Goldstein, December 21, 2009 |
Conferences/Meetings
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Workshop presenter, October 31-November 3, 2010, Napa
Valley, CA, International Conference on Communication in Veterinary Medicine
(ICCVM). The Need for a Presence Plan: Communication Challenges Associated with
a Pet’s Terminal Diagnosis |
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Speaker, April 19, 2009
Pet Honoring Ceremony, Argus Institute, Colorado State Veterinary Teaching
Hospital |
Awards
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Award-Winning Finalist of the “Best Book 2010″ Awards, October 25, 2010
for Best New Non-Fiction, Animal/Pets: Health, Self-Help: General, sponsored by
USA Book News. |
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Writer’s Digest, Self-Published Book Awards, October 14, 2010
1st Place, Life Stories Category |
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National Indie Excellence Award, May 16, 2010
1st Place, Animal/Pets CategoryThe Indie Excellence is open to all English
language books that are available for sale online and off, both e-books and
books in print. The Indie Excellence Awards competition is judged by an
independent panel of experts from all aspects of the publishing industry. |
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The Next Generation Indie Book
Award,
May 9, 2010 1st Place, Memoir Category Finalist,
Animals/Pets
This award was established to recognize and honor the most exceptional
independently published books in 60 different categories, for the year, and is
open to authors and publishers worldwide. The awards are presented by
Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group in cooperation with Marilyn
Allen of Allen O’Shea Literary Agency. |
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2010 Eric Hoffer Book Awards Winner
May 9, 2010
Honorable Mention, Self-Help/SpiritualThis award was established at the
start of the 21st century as a means of opening a door to writing of significant merit. It honors the memory of the great American philosopher Eric Hoffer by highlighting salient writing, as well as the independent spirit of small
publishers. |
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2010 Living Now Silver Book Award, April 23, 2010
Living Now recognizes books written and designed to help shape our lives through creative ideas and time saving tips. |
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Nautilus Silver Book Award
April 19, 2010
Grieving/Death Dying Category
The Nautilus Awards recognize books that promote spiritual growth, conscious
living & positive social change, while at the same time they stimulate the
“imagination” and offer the reader “new possibilities; for a better life and a
better world. |
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Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA)
March 29, 2010
1st Place Gold EVVY in the Self-Help Category, Merit Awards for Memoir & Spirituality/Religion Categories.
The EVVYs are named for CIPA founder, Evelyn Kaye. Judges are selected for
their knowledge in a specific genre. EVVY Award nominees range from novices to
national best-selling authors/publishers. The awards feature multiple
categories, and received entries internationally. |
Articles
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How a Denver Attorney Learned Life Lessons from His Dying Dogs |
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Press Contacts:
Barbara Munson
(303) 526-9095
Praise for The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer
“I loved this book! Doug shared his story with so much care, love and an extra dose of humor. I laughed with him, cried with him and lived those experiences with him.”
–Lina Fedynyshyn, a Facebook Fan, January 2010
“This book has helped me better understand my own continued grieving over the loss of my dog, Tara, almost 3 years ago. As I read Doug’s book it was like reliving my own journey with her. I have kept myself in a grieving place because I did not know how to deal with the loss of my best friend. As I read through the chapters I sobbed and remembered and was reassured that I had done everything just right and that the love and care I had shown her was perfect. Thank you, Doug, for the most thoughtful and powerful book about the canine human bond I have ever read. Anyone who has lost or is losing a best friend would be well served by this book.”
–Lynn Fitch, a Facebook Fan, January 2010
IN THE NEWS
“The dogs (Budge and Boe) have a natural, uncanny way of reducing stress. It’s kind of magical. They will be great morale boosters as members of the team.”
–Staff Sergeant Mike Calaway, 85th Medical Detachment assigned to duty in Iraq
Budge and Boe are two black Labrador retrievers serving as therapy dogs from American’s VetDogs, a subsidiary of Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
Charities eye not-so-generous giving season in sour economy
By Sandra Block, USA TODAY, November 2, 2009
The fragile economy won’t rebound quickly enough to rescue some of the nation’s largest charities from a bleak holiday giving season.
The nation’s 400 largest charities expect giving to decline by a median of 9% this year, according to a survey by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, a trade publication. That means half the nation’s largest fundraisers expect donations to drop even more than 9%.
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