"My First SWOON" by Amanda Marrone

Thank you, Gayle Forman, for causing so many readers to sniffle and awww! over the sweetness of your first swoon! And thanks to everyone who sent first swoon tales, too. I’ve been loving them—one particularly hilarious story sticks in my memory, but then I’m a sucker for bathroom humor! Remember to comment back with the details of your first swoon by 30 June for a chance to win a signed copy of SWOON. Also, I've been getting some nudges about divulging the awful tale of my own you-know-what — but I'm not convinced. If you must read it, let me know!

Now, on to our next guest blogger and Swoonie…

Like the heroines of her novels Uninvited, Devoured and the upcoming (in September) Revealers, Amanda Marrone does what she wants to do. So although her “assignment” was to write about her first swoon, Amanda decided to go her own way. Got to respect that! Thanks, Amanda, for swooning…

First swoon? The guy who asked me out during a cross-country ski trip—despite my extreme hat head, and questionable hygiene from staying in a cabin with no electricity or running water, and an outhouse that didn’t even come equipped with a mirror. Who wouldn’t fall for a guy who wanted to kiss you after that?

And don’t get me wrong, I felt my first so-this-is-what-everyone-is-talking-about electricity as we snuck kisses on the trails and rode home with our fingers intertwined. But recently I experienced a deeper kind of never ending love—and no, I’m not writing about my husband either (sorry, Honey).

I’ve fallen in love with a dog. For years I was a cat person—a lover of independent creatures who didn’t jump, bark, sniff embarrassing places or roll in things that had died. I married a cat person and life was good.

Then my daughter, Merry, defied her genetic make-up and became obsessed with all things canine. She had the posters in the room, the stuffed animals, and the books with lovable mutts gracing each cover. I can’t tell you how sick I was of hearing “Do you want to read the Encyclopedia of Dogs with me again?” No, I really didn’t, but I’d begrudgingly read the characteristics of sporting dogs anyway.

But Merry has a disability that affects her mobility, and I began to wonder if I could tolerate a dog if it let her have a nonjudgmental friend who would always be there for her. Because of her balance issues it would have to be a small dog—but could you even call a small, yappy, ankle-biting thing a real dog?

Then a writer in my critique group got a havanese puppy—a brown silky mop. He flopped like a rag doll in my arms, and I was overwhelmed with the feeling that I had to have one too. We researched the breed—small, non-shedding, smart, family oriented, and best of all—they’re not yappers.

When the breeder put our new pup, Griffin, in my arms I cried; and while there was the puppy craziness, dead thing dragged out of the bushes for consumption and yes, even ankle biting, I’d never felt so unconditionally loved by another creature. I finally understood what all the fuss was about, and I look at other dogs with new fondness, respect and love, because I know how devoted they are to their people. I’ve talked to neighbors I never knew, and strangers on the street all because of the white fluff ball at the end of the leash with a wide, doggy smile.

If I hadn’t already fallen head over heels for Griffin, it was a visit to my grandmother that would’ve done the trick. Griffin was still a puppy, very nippy and jumpy so we figured we’d be in and out of the nursing home in no time. We brought him through the front door and a change came over him. He sat quietly while people petted him. He didn’t jump or bite, and we had to stop every few feet to let him snuggle in someone’s lap or show off his tricks. Everywhere we went faces lit up and people told us about the dogs they’d had—and missed dearly. I’m not sure how Griffin knew that puppy behavior wasn’t going to cut it at the nursing home, but I knew I would always have a dog in my life. You can find a link to Griffin doing his tricks, saying “hello” and “I love you” at www.amandamarrone.com.

Amanda Marrone is the author of Uninvited, Revealers and Devoured. Check her out at amandamarrone.com.