The Beast Keepers continues to earn industry recognition!
We’re delighted to announce that The Beast Keepers received the Literary Titan Gold Book Award in 2025. You can watch the author interview here, and read the book review here. Also in 2025 The Beast Keepers received an Honorable Mention in the Digital Book Today Literary Awards, and was a finalist in the American Writing Awards, Fiction Fantasy category.
In 2024, The Beast Keepers was named a finalist in The Wishing Shelf Book awards in the UK, and our cover earned a Gold Medal for Best Cover! The Beast Keepers was nominated for an Eric Hoffer Award, an Ohioana Award, an IPPY award, and a Rubery Book Award.
The Beast Keepers first recognition was as a finalist in the 2023 SPR Book Awards.
The Beast Keepers remains available from BarnesandNoble.com in paperback and ebook, and from Amazon.com in paperback, Kindle and Audio formats. Plus, you can read the first 14 pages (as well as the acknowledgements) which I hope will inspire you to read more!.
For those of you who do not have Audible, use this link to get a free trial and download my book as your first selection, free! And who doesn’t love free?
Thank you for your support, I hope you enjoy The Beast Keepers in whatever format suits you best.
Where did I get the idea for The Beast Keepers?
Several years ago while my flat-coated retriever, Mr. Bingley, and I waited at the holistic vet for a chiropractic adjustment, I studied the poster showing the acupuncture points for dogs. I wondered if animals such as turtles, frogs, snakes, porcupines, etc., had acupuncture points as well.
While the vet worked on Bingley, I asked him whether he learned acupuncture for animals besides dogs, cats, horses, etc. He replied that there were classes for “other” animals. Though I think he probably meant animals such as goats or sheep, there was something about the way he said “other” that caused me to think:
“You meant Gryphons? Centaurs? Fauns?” Showing a modicum of restraint, I did not ask that aloud. I did, however, spend the remainder of the day contemplating how you would treat medical issues in mythological animals. If a Gryphon had a lung infection, would you be treating bird lungs or mammalian lungs? Can centaurs get gout, and if so, how would it manifest? Can unicorns get laminitis?
Thus, was born the idea of The Beast Keepers, an adult literary novel with a twist. It is the story of Jonathan F. St. Roche, a young veterinarian who takes a job in the rural Ohio town of Carrollton, which he soon discovers is a safe haven for a menagerie of mythical creatures who rely on him for their medical care and shelter from the outside world. When a deadly basilisk threatens the town, Jonathan, along with his new friends wrestle with balancing the dangerous creature’s needs against the risk to the community.
What is The Beast Keepers about?
Good question! The Beast Keepers is the story of Jonathan F. St. Roche, a young veterinarian who takes a job in the rural Ohio town of Carrollton. He soon discovers it is a safe haven for a menagerie of mythical creatures who rely on him for their medical care and shelter from the outside world. When a deadly basilisk threatens the town, Jonathan, along with his new friends wrestle with balancing the dangerous creature’s needs against the risk to the community.
The Beast Keepers has been released as an audio book now as well!
We’re delighted to announce that The Beast Keepers has been officially released as an audio book. Benjamin Fife, who has narrated over 100 audio books, brings delightful whimsy to the characters and sensitivity to the narration. It is available at Audible here and Amazon here. We hope you enjoy it.
For those of you who do not have Audible, use this link to get a free trial and download my book as your first selection, free! And who doesn’t love free?
Paperback and ebook versions of The Beast Keepers remain available from Barnes and Noble here and from Amazon here. On Amazon you can read the first 14 pages (as well as the acknowledgements) that I hope will inspire you to buy the book!
Thank you for your support, I hope you enjoy The Beast Keepers in whatever format suits you best.
Here is the first chapter of The Beast Keepers for you to enjoy.
Hopefully it will entice you to explore the book further, either in written or audio form. Happy reading!
BeastKeepers_Ch1
