Photos / Meet the Authors and Books from the Bowie Book Expo!

I participated in the  Bowie Book Expo in Bowie, Maryland today speaking briefly about my book "Pets and the Afterlife." Here are some pictures from the event.

Pets and the Afterlife by Rob Gutro

Beth Kaufman's great book!

    I was joined by my good friend, author and cancer survivor, Beth Kaufman who wrote a book about her journey through cancer and safely past it in "Make Mine a Double... Mastectomy That is." Her book takes the reader through Beth's discovery, treatment, hospitalizations, chemotherapy and recoveries - all the while Beth retains her great sense of humor as the stand up comedienne that she is. Her book is a must read for cancer patients, doctors, nurses, families or friends that know anyone dealing with cancer. Check out her book on Amazon.com at Amazon: E-book or Paperback *both under $10!*

Rob talking about his book

Beth relaxing at her vendor table

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Penny Clover Petersen at her table

I met local author Penny Clover Petersen again (we've both been at all three Bowie Book Expos) and her first mystery novel was published in paperback in 2013. She did a reading from the book and I had to have it!  It's called  Roses and Daisies and Death, Oh My!  
  I'm looking forward to reading it. Here's a summary from Amazon.com: Nothing ruins a peaceful morning walk like finding a blood-spattered body. And Daisy Greene and Rose Forrest, sisters and co-owners of Champagne Taste, really need a peaceful morning walk. They have enough on their minds already. Christmas is right around the corner, business is brisk, and their little antiques district of Old Towne is being plagued with petty thievery and vandalism. Murder is just not in the game plan.  And if finding bodies lying around walking trails isn't enough to destroy a perfectly good day, Daisy's ex-husband, state trooper Bill Greene, shows up to investigate the murder. Nosy by nature anyway, Daisy takes Bill’s presence as a challenge to find the murderer. 
  Check it out on Amazon:   http://tinyurl.com/klfsdju
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OTHER AUTHORS 

    -  Another author I was impressed with was William Edward Alli. He's a veteran from Korea and didn't tell us about his book but his quest to help erect a glass wall with the names of Korean Vets on the Washington Mall around the current Korean memorial- That sounds like a very worthy idea to me- and a great way to respect the soldiers who died in that war.  

 Beth (far left) & William (2nd from left) wait to speak

Beth gives a motivational speech!

   William's book is called "Too Young for a Forgettable War: Second Edition."   SUMMARY:  Too Young for a Forgettable War (Second Edition) is a coming-of-age story, in the most dangerous of environments. The author takes readers on a vivid journey to a war–and back. You will follow admittedly naive and immature 18-year-old Bill Alli, as he is forced out of his peaceful civilian life in Michigan, in 1950. Eventually he is taken westward, across the Pacific Ocean, to a war-stricken country known as “Land of the Morning Calm.  This Second Edition of Too Young for a Forgettable War is appearing during the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Cease-Fire. The U.S. and North Korea have not yet reached a peace agreement. Readers may wonder whether Bill Alli has reached a peace agreement with his war experiences. Or is he really writing about an “unforgettable war?”    Check Out William's Book on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/os6koue

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Author Dana King talked about how he grew up in Pennsylvania and created a crime novel

Dana King talks about "Grind Joint"

based in his home state. It really sounds interesting - so check it out. It's called "Grind Joint" 
 BOOK SUMMARY: Penns River hopes for a Lazarus-like economic resurrection when the Allegheny Casino is built in an abandoned strip mall. What the town gets more closely resembles Frankenstein’s monster. The casino owner wants a cash cow, his partner is laundering money, and Russian mobsters connected to the silent partner want to push what’s left of the Pittsburgh mob out of the picture altogether. This is more than the town is equipped to handle, though it is not without resources of its own, notably two native sons—police detective Ben “Doc” Dougherty, and his cousin, Chicago private investigator Nick Forte—who refuse to allow Penns River to become collateral damage. On Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/phbfb5u

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Children's author dresses up!

In case you're wondering - here's the summary for my new book: PETS AND THE AFTERLIFE by Rob Gutro: The loss of a pet is like the loss of a child to pet owners. The love we share with our pets never dies, and in a new book called "Pets and the Afterlife" by Rob Gutro, the author provides proof that our pets do communicate with us from the other side.    Available in paperback and E-book, on Amazon.com and other outlets at: To order paperback of Kindle- http://tinyurl.com/mqgamq2%20

TODAY!! Meet me at 2 events in the Washington, D.C. Area

Come out and meet me at TWO events TODAY June 7th in the Washington, D.C. Area!
BOTH EVENTS ARE FREE
1) The Bowie Book Expo in Bowie, Maryland 9 a.m. to 12 p.m  (speaking briefly and book signing)  Bowie Senior Center, 14900 Health Center Drive, Bowie, Md.  Info: 301- 809-2300

***Come hear my friend Beth Kaufman talk about her book "Make Mine a Double... Mastectomy That Is" - her true story about her ordeal with breast cancer told with humor. Beth is a stand-up comedienne, too! 

2) The Greenbelt Pet Expo, in Greenbelt, Maryland  12 p.m. to 2 p.m. (signing books at the Dachshund Rescue of North America booth and donating a portion of the proceeds to the rescue)
Greenbelt Dog Park, 7201 Hanover Drive,Greenbelt, Md.
http://md-greenbelt.civicplus.com/index.aspx?NID=586

Summary: PETS AND THE AFTERLIFE by Rob Gutro: The loss of a pet is like the loss of a child to pet owners. The love we share with our pets never dies, and in a new book called "Pets and the Afterlife" by Rob Gutro, the author provides proof that our pets do communicate with us from the other side.    Available in paperback and E-book, on Amazon.com and other outlets at: To order paperback of Kindle- http://tinyurl.com/mqgamq2%20
Summary: Make Mine a Double... A Mastectomy That Is by Beth Kaufman (Aug 27, 2013) 
Beth Kaufman's Stand-up Guide to Surviving Breast Cancer
This book can help people keep a sense of humor through cancer treatment even on the worst days. This is a great book for newly diagnosed patients, caregivers and survivors alike.
This is Beth's personal story of her bout with breast cancer. It is told with humor, yet is poignant. It takes you on a year-long ride from start to finish. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will certainly get your yearly mammograms after reading her story.
It is unique in the way it is told from a comedienne's point of view, a stand up guide to getting through 525,600 minutes of a cancer patient's life. Use this book as your "stand up" guide to surviving breast cancer.  CLICK Here for Paperback or Kindle

Part 2: A Cat Named Tiki and Jobs on the Other Side

Last week, Victoria wrote me about the amazing floral signs in sight and scent that her late cat Tiki used to communicate that he was fine on the other side, and that he was still around. Victoria asked some good questions about what happens with pets on the other side, and agreed to let me share them with you. 

Tiki the Cat

VICTORIA WROTE: 

   My husband does not believe in spirit -  I would say he’s agnostic. Since this has happened (Tiki's signs and scents of flowers) he’s been asking me about the other side and what I think happens to people/animals after they die. I’ve always been a spiritual person and have read many books by people like Sylvia Browne  and James Van Praagh. I’ve also been to many mediums and would say I’ve had “psychic” visions in the past (they scared me when I was younger, so I tried my best to turn away from it, but recently have opened myself up more). It warms my heart that this experience, although sad and devastating, has begun to open my husband’s mind to the possibility there’s life after death.

   He has asked me a question that I don’t really know, and I was hoping you could help with.  

When animals die and go to the spirit world, what is it that they do there?

I’ve read that people often times have jobs that they do on the other side, but what about animals?

 I understand that “time” as we know it doesn’t exist, but what do animals do on the other side once they’ve passed over? 

MY RESPONSE:
   Your husband does not need to believe in a god to know believe there's life after death. As I mentioned in my book(s), it's all about energy. The energy that is within our bodies has to go somewhere after our physical bodies die, so it couples with our personalities and memories and joins all of the energies that run through the cosmos. Existence in general is energy, and energy cannot be destroyed only transformed. Religions call it "heaven" or "valhalla" or many things. I consider it joining the energies of the cosmos- and that collective consciousness is basically what "god" is.

WHAT ABOUT JOBS ON THE OTHER SIDE? -   We actually don't need "jobs" on the other side, but we and our pet children's spirits take on tasks, and the usual task is to help and guide our relatives still in the physical plane. So, Tiki's spirit is thriving with all of your relatives on the other side, doing what he did here- show unconditional love.

  Tiki will also very likely influence you which pet to choose whenever you're ready to give another homeless pet a loving home. They do that, and that's one of their "jobs" if you will. They want other pets to experience the love they did when they were here.

Meet me at 2 events this coming Saturday, June 7th in the Washington, D.C. Area

Come out and meet me at TWO events this coming Saturday, June 7th in the Washington, D.C. Area!
BOTH EVENTS ARE FREE
1) The Bowie Book Expo in Bowie, Maryland 9 a.m. to 12 p.m  (speaking briefly and book signing)
 Bowie Senior Center, 14900 Health Center Drive, Bowie, Md.  Info: 301- 809-2300

***Come hear my friend Beth Kaufman talk about her book "Make Mine a Double... Mastectomy That Is" - her true story about her ordeal with breast cancer told with humor. Beth is a stand-up comedienne, too!  

2) The Greenbelt Pet Expo, in Greenbelt, Maryland  12 p.m. to 2 p.m. (signing books at the Dachshund Rescue of North America booth and donating a portion of the proceeds to the rescue)
Greenbelt Dog Park, 7201 Hanover Drive,Greenbelt, Md.
http://md-greenbelt.civicplus.com/index.aspx?NID=586

Summary: PETS AND THE AFTERLIFE by Rob Gutro: The loss of a pet is like the loss of a child to pet owners. The love we share with our pets never dies, and in a new book called "Pets and the Afterlife" by Rob Gutro, the author provides proof that our pets do communicate with us from the other side.    Available in paperback and E-book, on Amazon.com and other outlets at: To order paperback of Kindle- http://tinyurl.com/mqgamq2%20
Summary: Make Mine a Double... A Mastectomy That Is by Beth Kaufman (Aug 27, 2013) 
Beth Kaufman's Stand-up Guide to Surviving Breast Cancer
This book can help people keep a sense of humor through cancer treatment even on the worst days. This is a great book for newly diagnosed patients, caregivers and survivors alike.
This is Beth's personal story of her bout with breast cancer. It is told with humor, yet is poignant. It takes you on a year-long ride from start to finish. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will certainly get your yearly mammograms after reading her story.
It is unique in the way it is told from a comedienne's point of view, a stand up guide to getting through 525,600 minutes of a cancer patient's life. Use this book as your "stand up" guide to surviving breast cancer.  CLICK Here for Paperback or Kindle

Part 1: A Sign of Flowers from a Cat Named Tiki

As I wrote about in my book "Pets and the Afterlife" cats and dogs have the ability to convey signs to us to tell us they're still around. I received the following email from Victoria and Greg about their cat Tiki who passed in April, and who was very active in communicating. Victoria wrote:

I just finished your book, Pets and the Afterlife and I wanted to share a story with you about o

Tiki the communicator!

ur cat Tiki. He passed away this past Wednesday and I read your book in trying to deal with my grief. My husband rescued him as a kitten 13 years ago, and they’ve been inseparable ever since.  I’ve volunteered at a cat rescue shelter for many years and I’ve never seen a cat so attached to their human before. Tiki was a member of our family, but his world revolved around my husband, Greg.

   A few days before he passed away he was not acting himself and we took him to the vet. After evaluating him she told us he most likely had cancer, probably lymphoma. We were devastated and took him home to make him as comfortable as possible. Tuesday night he was in and out of consciousness, so Greg and I took turns holding him all night. At one point while he was laying in my arms I had a vision of Tiki playing in a flowerbed full of yellow flowers. He put his nose in one and smelled. When his nose came out, it was covered in pollen. It was a brief, but calming vision.

    The next day we made the difficult decision to take Tiki to the vet to be put to sleep. He was no longer eating, drinking, using the litter box or able to walk. We were beyond devastated, but knew it was the right thing to do. Our vet gave him a sedative/tranquilizer before the medicine to stop his heart. We had 10 minutes with him before she gave the final dose. It was during that time a strong smell of flowers filled the room. Both Greg and I smelled it. I told him about the vision I had the night before. I knew at that point Tiki was gone.

  I noticed on the drive home so many yards had beds of yellow flowers. Once we got home we both sat on the bed feeling upset. Once again we smelled a strong scent of flowers. Greg got up and frantically searched the bedroom to try to find the source of the smell. He of course found nothing in our room that smelled good, let alone like flowers. I finally told him to sit down and enjoy his first obvious communication with the other side.

MY RESPONSE: My deepest sympathies in the passing of Tiki. I commend you on your courage in knowing that it was the right time- that's the hardest act of unconditional love for anyone. Your email was very moving to me and reminded me of the passing of our dog Sprite.
 - The yellow flowers and scent was a perfect sign that it was Tiki's time and message. Sometimes our human relatives who pass will help provide those signs to us while our pet is still physically with us. It was likely one of yours or Greg's grandmothers who was sharing that vision with you - I get the sense it was a grandmother on your side.
 Once your grandma welcomed Tiki to the other side, he was able to make the scent of flowers appear in the vet's office and your bedroom while he walked around. I sense that your grandmother was in the room at the vet's office taking Tiki in her arms just as you and Greg held him the night before. Then she walked into the light with him, keeping him safe.
   BTW, Don't be surprised if you feel Tiki on the bed one night soon because he will come back to visit and check on you both from time to time. :) 

NEXT: PART 2: TIKI AND A QUESTION ABOUT "JOBS ON THE OTHER SIDE" 

Lessons Learned, Ghosts and Spirits

For Rob Gutro's books: "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead," "Pets and the Afterlife" and the new book "Pets and the Afterlife 2" -  visit Amazon.com   (or click this link) 

Pets and the Afterlife 2, Pets and the Afterlife