Unit 4: Lesson 18

I began my writing career at the age of ten when I wrote and sold the Dog Newspaper.

This weekly publication, which cost five cents a copy, reported on the local dogs.

Although his life at that time was as uneventful as the lives of the other neighborhood dogs, B.J. had a unique background.

I was nine years old and delighted by the addition of this wire-haired schnauzer (at least, we thought he might be a schnauzer) to our household.

I must write something that they find interesting. I need exciting plots, unique information, and fresh insights.

Even though my lead story required little research, this sixty cents was not easy money.

Although his life at that time was as uneventful as the lives of the other neighborhood dogs, B.J. had a unique background.

B.J. had lived with us for a year when I launched the Dog Newspaper. He was a fascinating front-page subject, and the first edition of the Dog Newspaper sold twelve copies.

The neighborhood dogs were still every bit as boring as they had been a week earlier, so I decided to repeat my winning formula and use B.J. as the main article again.

The soldiers, who had seen far too much of death and destruction, carefully lifted that little brown dog from his littermates.