Hogan's Hope Receives Benjamin Franklin Silver

IBPA Announces Finalists in the

31st Annual IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award™ Program

2019 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards #uPub2019

(Manhattan Beach, CA – April 6, 2019) -- The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) – www.ibpa-online.org – officially announced finalists in its prestigious IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards™ program, recognizing excellence and innovation in independent publishing.

Connie Bombaci, Killingworth author of Hogan’s Hope: A Deaf Dog, A Courageous Journey, and A Christian’s Faith received the Silver in the category of Inspiration. All finalists were recognized during an awards ceremony on April 5, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois where silver and gold recipients received their award in each of fifty-four categories.

Connie Bombaci was also the recipient of a full scholarship to this year’s IBPA Publishing University. Additionally, for two years in a row, different editions of her book both won the Benjamin Franklin Silver Award, which is quite a distinction.

The full list of finalists in all fifty-four categories is available at the IBPA WEBSITE. Over 1500 entrants were judged in this year's award program.

Hogan’s Hope is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and local bookstores.

"The mission of the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards™ is simple: to recognize excellence and innovation in independent publishing," said IBPA CEO Angela Bole. "Unlike many other award programs, the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards™ demand both editorial and design excellence and entrants are judged independently on both."

This year, over 160 librarians, booksellers, and design and editorial experts – most of whom have decades of book industry experience – judged the books submitted to the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award™ program. The judging process took seven months, beginning in September 2018 and continuing into March 2019. At the end of the process, over 1,500 unique entrants will receive a written critique from each of the three judges who reviewed their book. The critiques include constructive feedback to help each publisher understand how their book is being perceived by industry professionals, upholding part of IBPA’s mission to serve the independent publishing community through education.

This level of detail has helped the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award™ program remain one of the highest national honors for independent publishers for over 30 years. "When our awards program started,” said IBPA COO Terry Nathan, "we were one of the only ones around. Since then, many other programs have come and gone, but we are proud that our awards continue to do what they did when IBPA started, and that is to help our members improve their publishing programs."

IBPA members and friends were invited to help celebrate the finalists during the April 5, 2019 awards ceremony, a gala dinner programmed at the end of the first day of IBPA Publishing University. Both the ceremony and the conference took place at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois.

"I am truly honored to receive this outstanding award. Hogan’s legacy provided the inspiration to hope no matter what the challenge. IBPA’s recognition and spirit help support the mission of spreading his message that all God’s creatures are worthy of love and acceptance.”

Tips for Beginning with Deaf Dogs

Hogan and Georgia 1997

In response to the request for help, I am re-blogging my beginning letter that I send folks seeking advice. Living with a deaf animal is actually quite easy if you have an open heart and mind. It doesn’t take the volumes of information that some fear that it might take. I am not saying that living with a deaf dog doesn’t need special adaptations, but making adjustments like we would with a deaf person is straightforward and intuitive.

I have been blessed to have been working with deaf dogs since 1993. Hogan was our first with Georgia joining our family shortly after his adoption. Judea is our wonderful girl who currently graces our lives with her wonderful love and presence.

Enjoy your deaf dog! Living successfully with our deaf dogs is very possible!

Beginning Letter

 Responding to folks who inquire, “How do I get started?”

Hello!

I am so very glad to hear from you.  There is so much to say about loving and living with a deaf pup that I can only begin here.  What I know for absolute certainty is that I would not trade my life with my deaf pups for anything in the world!

        The best advice I can give anyone with a deaf pup, child, friend, or relative is to establish a solid method of communication.  Communication is the key to success.  I didn’t know American Sign Language (ASL) prior to adopting my Hogan so my husband purchased a pocket-sized book for me to use.  I decided to use ASL because I know many folks who know at least a bit of sign.  I didn’t have to “reinvent the wheel” so to speak.  Additionally, when I had to leave my pups with a sitter or the vet, I merely had to give them the handbook or copies of the most important signs that I use.  This made it possible for many other people to “talk” with my pups without a great deal of instruction which could be vital in sudden situations!  Most importantly, my pups were never left in a totally "silent" environment; someone could always talk to them. 

I also adopted a deaf female Dalmatian named Georgia; and both Hogan, Georgia, and my hearing black lab, India, understood many signs and short sentences. They understood over 70 signs, and I used many more with them.  It was wonderful.  They loved my signing to them, and folks could actually see them watching my hands and face for messages.  They became very intent.

I started through simple repetition. "Sit" is great to start along with "cookie."  Once your pup puts together cookie and the reward, you will be off and running!  Keep it simple and always use a sign for what you want.

Deaf pups are smart and they are very capable of learning.  Because dogs are physical in nature, they naturally watch for signals and body language.

I even taught them the sign for "car" since they loved to ride in the car.  When I told them that we were embarking on a road trip,  they ran for the door.  "Kiss" was fun and going for a "walk" met with joy-filled approval.  "Potty" (I used the sign for toilet which is simply the letter "T") is great.  I signed it every time I took them out to go potty, and they knew I meant business, especially if it was late and I wanted to go to "bed."

Repetition was how I trained my pups to understand any of the signs.  Instead of using the spoken word, I simply used the sign for the word and followed it with having them do what I wanted or needed them to do.       

Always be gentle, patient, and very positive.        

Reward, never punish.  The more you reward, the more the pup will respond.  I did all my training with positive reward and reinforcement.         

Socialization is also extremely important and must never stop.  It must be continuous.   Let others give treats which will make meeting other people a wonderful experience for your pup.       

Desensitization to scary situations, such as being startled or awakened suddenly, is also critical and needs to be done slowly, carefully, and patiently.        

Praise is crucial; touch is essential; and massage works wonders.        

AND . . . remember that a tired dog is a good dog!

Our deaf animals can be wonderful and loving members of our families if we remember they have some special needs.

Judea