Welcome to my site!So glad you stopped by! I write bookclub-worthy women's fiction, but my next book is jumping genres to memoir so I can share the tale of the first fifty rescue dogs we saved. You can find links (above) to all my books and blogs, plus my other writing and LOTS of dog pictures. I love to hear from readers and writers, so feel free to send me an email - carasueachterberg@gmail.com.
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People Magazine chose
Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs as a People's Pick! You can learn all about the book, the dogs, tour schedule, and fostering at www.anothergooddog.org 
"A warm and entertaining memoir about what happens when you foster fifty dogs in less than two years―and how the dogs save you as much as you save them.
When asked how she can possibly say goodbye to that many loveable pups, Cara says, “If I don’t give this one away, I can’t possibly save another.” Filled with humanity and hope, Another Good Dog will take the reader on an journey of smiles, laughs, and tears―and lead us to wonder how many other good dogs are out there and what we can do to help." Here's what NYT Bestselling author, Peter Zhuetlin, had to say about Another Good Dog: “A big hearted, inspiring and passionate look at a critical piece of the rescue puzzle. Lucky are the dogs who pass through Cara Sue Achterberg’s arms on their way to the lives they so richly deserve.” 
Practicing Normal
A socially awkward genius child, an adolescent cat burglar, a philandering husband and a doormat wife in desperate need of a backbone, a neighborhood where only the houses are similar.....The Turners are practicing normal and facing down a history that is anything but. Praise for Practicing Normal:
Does facing the truth beat living a lie? In Practicing Normal, Cara Sue Achterberg has given us a smart story that is both a window and a mirror, about the extraordinary pain - and the occasional gifts - of an ordinary life. - Jacquelyn Mitchard, NYT bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean Practicing Normal takes a deep dive into the dysfunctional dynamics of a 'picture perfect' family. A compelling story about the beautiful humaity in the most ordinary of lives; from first love to a marriage on the downward slide ot an unexpected family tragedy. Achterberg handles each thread with tender care and can't help but root for every member of the Turner family. - Kate Moretti, NYT bestselling author of The Vanishing Year What does it really mean to have a normal life? Achterberg's stunning new novel explores how a family can fractcure just trying to survive, and how what makes us different is also what can make us most divine. - Caroline Leavitt, author of NYT bestsellers, Pictures of You and Is This Tomorrow Girls' Weekend
itunes named Girls' Weekend to their New & Notable List!
Plus, it spent eight days on the topselling ibooks list - not too shabby. It's still gathering five star reviews on Amazon and goodreads, which makes a girl smile. I'd love to hear what you think and am grateful for every review - no matter how many stars you toss at it! I'm Not Her
After being chosen as a Daily Find on Barnes & Noble's Nook, I'm Not Her climbed to #2 on the Nook Bestsellers list! Plus, I'm Not Her was named to Kobo's Page Turners list! It was recently featured as a "fresh new read" in their subscriber newsletter! I’m Not Her was also chosen as a best new fiction pick by ibooks and made their top 100 ibooks bestseller list for fiction and literature!
Live Intentionally
We foster dogs with Operation Paws for Homes, a non-profit network of foster homes in Maryland, Virginia, and south-central Pennsylvania. They transport dogs from high-kill shelters in the south to foster homes so they can be adopted into families who will care for them. Every new dog we welcome to our home is a new adventure and I blog about all of them. If you'd like to get involved as a foster home, volunteer, or donor, contact OPHRescue.org! My blog, Another Good Dog, shares stories of our family's experiences fostering.
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Who am I, you ask?
I am an irrepressible writer, a tired mom, a lazy gardener, a resentful chauffeur, a loyal friend, a daily dreamer, a terrible dog trainer, and an occasional cowgirl. I'm also a compulsive blogger, an almost famous novelist, and a huge fan of teenagers writing. I will talk your ear off about processed food, growing tomatoes, training horses, Virginia wine, or the dog I'm currently fostering. If you ask about my kids, prepare to be bombarded with how FANTASTIC and AMAZING they are. If you follow me on Facebook or twitter or instagram you'll be treated to near daily doses of my thoughts, adventures, and animal photos. Links to all my social media ramblings are above. I'd be honored if you followed me anywhere....
Here's a recent interview with a top-rate book blogger - she even features some of my foster pups! Current Foster Dog:
Flannery O'Connor is a quirky little pup with lots of small dog energy. She weighs 27 pounds (but is a bit of a chunk-a-munk as I call her). She loves people, has a happy spirit, is crate-trained and we're working on house-training. Flannery is approximately 2-years-old and your guess as to her breed is as good as mine!
Dixieland has a belly full of puppies and is due mid-September. She is a soft-souled hound mix of some kind, approximately 2-years-old, whose owner surrendered her because she was pregnant (that same owner failed to get her medical attention when she broke her leg at some point in her life, so she has a permanently bent hind leg from a break that fused her joint together). Dixie's life only gets better from here.
Where Can You Find Me?
One of my favorite things to do is visit book clubs. If you're club would like me to stop by in person (or by skype or Facetime), give me a shout and I'd be happy to get it on my calendar!
Wednesday September 19 I'll be at Yappy Hour from 6-8pm at Spanky's Shennanigans in Leesburg, VA for a signing and adoption event On Saturday September 22, I hope you'll come out for a big dog Party - Bark, Wag & Wine at Hiddencroft Winery in VA where I'll be signing books alongside some of my former foster dogs! Get your tickets soon and join us for this dog-friendly event for wine tasting, silent auction, and entertainment! Sunday September 23 I'll be at Chateau Morissette Winery for the Floyd County Humane Society Fundraiser. I've always wanted to visit this winery - I might even take Frankie along! Thursday September 27 I'll be appearing at a very special event called, Remember Me Thursday at the Tyson's Biergarten in Virginia. OPH Rescue will be hosting a candle lighting ceremony from 6-8pm in remembrance of all the dogs who never make it out of the shelters. I'll be speaking about all I saw and learned while touring shelters in the rural south. Another Good Dog's cover girl and I will be signing books at Greetings and Readings in Hunt Valley, MD on Saturday September 29. Also on Saturday September 29 I'll be signing books along with adoptable dogs and a few of the dogs from the book at Carroll St Paws for a Cause in downtown Frederick, MD from 3-5pm Sunday September 30 you can visit with me in Alexandria to Nectar Del Ray, a lovely little winebar for a signing from 4-6pm. Wednesday October 3 you can join me at Dillsburg Public Library at 6:30pm in Dillsburg, PA Saturday October 6 I'll be busy in my own hometown at the Shrewsbury Family Pet Shop for an adoption event and book signing from 10am-12pm. Saturday October 13 you can meet up with me (and some of the stars of the book) at the Barnes & Noble in White Marsh, MD, 1-3:30pm. Saturday October 20, I'll travel to Vienna, VA to stop in for a signing at Bard's Alley Bookshop from 10:30-11:30am. If you'd like me to stop in to see your book group or set up a signing event (dogs welcome!) at a bookstore, brewery, winery, local animal shelter, or just about anywhere, give me a holler at carasueachterberg@gmail.com. Another Good Dog Blog
Love dogs? Then you're my favorite kind of person. I hope you'll check out my blog,
Another Good Dog, where I write about our family's adventures in dog rescue. We've fostered over 80 dogs now and counting! The blog has over 3600 subscribers now - hope you'll be one, too! My Life in Paragraphs
You can read weekly excerpts of my writing journey (with occasional writing advice) on my blog, My Life in Paragraphs. Be sure to subscribe by email for the latest posts.
How'd you like to be one of my cronies?I'm always looking for people who'd like to be on my street team to help me promote my books. You get some great rewards and I promise it'll be fun! If you're interested, shoot me an e-mail at carasueachterberg @ gmail.com!
My blue-eyed pitpup, Frankie
(You'll note he's an Eagles fan!)
Frankie & his big sister, Gracie
Yes, I know I have dogs accidentally named after a TV show my mother-in-law loves!
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Here's a video of my clever horse, True, squirting me and then himself with a hose.