We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Barbara Poole a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Barbara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

I retired from Mesa Superior Court at the age of 66. I had recently brought home a small Pug, six months of age from a pet store. The little pugs eyes were weeping and infected within days of bringing her home. We found out that she had been born in a puppy mill, inbreeding had caused her to have ingrown eyelashes. Ingrown eyelashes are very common, very painful and a health issue from inbreeding. I named my puppy Liberty, she was a very sick little girl. We took her for surgery to have the eyelashes removed. The surgery was $10,000. Liberty survived, but unfortunately, her eyesight could not be saved and Liberty was blind for 14 1/2 years.. Due to this experience, I made up my mind to write Liberty’s story to help others understand the devastation of inbreeding with all animals. Liberty suffered with health issues from inbreeding all of her life.
We brought two more pugs home to help Liberty with her blindness. Their names are Ebony Rose who is my old soul, and Pippa, the diva.
Liberty had a wonderful forever home surrounded by love. I watched her grow day by day and learned so much from her. I have always been a dog lover. Now retired I had all the time in the world to observe, enjoy, take notes, on how my three little girls, interacted, needed attention, had wants and needs just like any other regular child in the family.
I have written 10 beautifully illustrated children’s Books. True stories starring three pugs, family, friends, with many adventures.
100+ short stories for children. Each short story has a message from true life to help them learn love and caring for animals. Each short story presents a question for the children to look into their hearts and ask themselves, did I hug my pet today? did I fill the water bowl up for my pet today? etc.
Liberty is forevermore the mighty voice for the voiceless worldwide.
The problems over many years of learning to become an author, and get my books published has been without a doubt one of the most difficult, but rewarding achievements in my life.
My first publishers made my first five hardback books, the books were beautiful. The cost to me was huge, but I sucked it up with the understanding I would be selling many books. I was required to buy many books off of my publisher. Realizing suddenly that I had no experience in selling or advertisement or getting these books sold. My publisher was not any help to me selling my books. I moved on to my second publisher who promised they would help me. I paid them a lot of money. Within a year I was told they had gone bankrupt the day before they were going to publish my books. Now, seven years into writing I was at a loss.
I was contacted by my last and final publishers who published five more books for me. I now have 10 books on Amazon. My publishers asked me to write a screenplay. The screenplay has taken me two years. My publishers assured me, they would make a trailer for my screenplay to be sent to agents to hopefully reach producers for an animated movie.
I am talking about a company that I thought. I had a good relationship with. I paid them $8000 to make the trailer.
Yep, I was scammed again. I never heard from them after they received the money. Be careful my friends tread very carefully. Becoming an author, getting books published, writing a screenplay is rewarding. But comes with many pitfalls.
Today I am getting a storyboard made. Hoping in the future, Yes still believing one day Liberty’s story will be on the big screen. One day Liberty will be heard, one day the children in this world will learn and grow up to be kind and loving to all animals. With the eventuality of no more puppy mills.
Liberty: We named our special little girl.
Liberty: Freedom or release from slavery, imprisonment, captivity, or any other form of arbitrary control the rights of all.
“ The Diaries of Liberty the Pug” Amazon worldwide. www.thediariesoflibertythepug.com Barb A. Poole

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Since I started writing and putting my books on Facebook, tick-tock, YouTube, Twitter, I have made many many wonderful close friends. I spend a few hours every day talking to many. And posting pictures of my pugs daily activity and their books. I have helped many who have pugs and other breeds with their pets health problems. My little Liberty had so many health problems. I learned a great deal about arthritis, blindness, allergies, ear infections, and much more. I share every day with what I learned taken care of my own three pugs. I also have a tortoise, birds, and an adopted feral cat.
I am very proud of the time that I spend helping others. I feel finding Liberty was God telling me to share her story. “ The Diaries of Liberty the Pug” touch, many hearts. I hear from adults telling me they look at their own pets differently today because of my children’s stories written from the heart of my small pug.
Please if you know a child buy them one book any one of my books. They will learn caring for animals and hold Liberty in their heart forever.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I have always loved people. Becoming a Published Author has taught me not to trust.
I was a fool to be so trusting when I started my journey writing.
The Diaries of Liberty the Pug books are stories teaching love, trust, caring, kindness to children.
Unfortunately, in the Publishing business, I have found very little of what I teach.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of my my writing children’s stories is knowing that when I am no longer of this world, my children and great grandchildren will be reading my stories to their children and will get to know Liberty and all of the characters in her stories. My hope is that with children reading Liberty’s stories today the world will be a far kinder a place for all animals in the future.
I have a letter from First Lady Michelle Obama congratulating me.
I have a letter from Buckingham Palace from Queen Elizabeth II. Also congratulating me on Liberty’s books.
The Diaries of Liberty the Pug book series are in the White House library and Buckingham Palace.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thediariesoflibertythepug.com
• Instagram: barb_a_poole
• Facebook: Barb A. Poole
• Linkedin: Barbara Poole
• Twitter: @threepugmum
• Youtube: @barbarapoole8027
• TikTok: @barbapoole