Prolific author sets signingfor animal rescue group

Lisa Trumbauer will be at PetCo

to benefit Rawhide Rescue
By:Sally Goldenberg
   Laurel Drive resident Lisa Trumbauer, in her latest literary work, reminds readers that a pet’s love is unconditional, overlooking even bad hair days and flunked exams.
   "50 Ways to Love Your Pet" went on sale through her publisher, Troll, in December. To mark its debut, the writer of more than 200 books will sign copies at Somerville’s PetCo on March 1 and donate the proceeds and leftover books to an animal rescue operation, Rawhide Rescue.
   Rawhide Rescue is a nonprofit organization that provides shelter for homeless cats and dogs. Though Ms. Trumbauer did not use Rawhide, she did adopt her pets through an animal shelter on the Internet, www.petfinder.org.
   "I feel good that I can do it," she said of making donations. "I don’t like doing book signings. I’m uncomfortable doing this but it’s for a good cause."
   Ms. Trumbauer, a 39-year-old Maryland native who moved to the township two years ago, writes primarily children’s books for educational publishers. When Troll, one of the companies employing the publishing veteran and author, asked her to write about pets, she set out to complete the illustrated book on how to show a pet that same unconditional love.
   A pet lover herself, Ms. Trumbauer said her three pets – Blue, a dog, and Cosmo and Cleo, felines – provided inspiration for the book.
   "Dogs and cats from shelters make such wonderful pets," she said.
   Contrasting her latest book to other animal books that she authored, she said "50 Ways to Love Your Pet" is less information-based and a more enjoyable read.
   "This is the first one kids might actually want to read on their own," she said.
   Ms. Trumbauer writes a variety of books, from schoolbooks for children with factual information to workbooks teachers can use in the classroom. Most of her titles are the result of requests from publishers, similar to the request from Troll. More than 100 books written by Ms. Trumbauer are available through Amazon.com.