The Day the Dog Danced

The end of the world is nigh. Can a dancing dalmatian (in reality an Alien agent) and an ansty young woman save us?
Narcissists beware! Minnie is after you! You thought she was just a timid girl, Hah! With humour, whimsy and classical allusions, this novel explores the destructiveness of narcissism and its eradication from Earth.

Fantastic creatures romp through this novel. Some are mentors; others are evil.

How bad can a Corpse Flower be? He is the ultimate evil.

Short Synopsis (read a longer synopsis at the end of this page)
Stylistically, this novel is satirical magic realism.

It borrows from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, kidnaps Alice from Wonderland and cross-pollinates from The Little Shop of Horrors.

It is humorous; brain chuckles—not belly laughs.

The novel is socially satirical and revolves around the sometimes humorous but often destructive nature of narcissism.

Minnie’s ambition is to finish her PhD, but a quirky inter-galactic squad has other plans for her.

She must overcome her anxieties and slay the Corpse Flower, a manifestation of festering narcissism.

The intergalactic squad fears a spore from the Corpse Flower will hitch a ride on a spaceship and infect the universe.

If Minnie fails, the intergalactic squad will pulverise the Earth into quarks.

Food ecstasy is pivotal to the enjoyment of this book. There are twenty delicious recipes in the back. Sexy Nigella Lawson is my diva.

Corinne Lendon is the artist who has illustrated this book. She's brilliant. If you would like to contact her, her email address is cllendon@gmail.com

Agents and Publishers, please read this report from professional Beta Reader and journalist from Ireland, Lucy Damasceno. https://www.lucydamasceno.com/

Service: Beta Reading

Book: The Day the Dog Danced

Author: Heather Matthews

BETA-READING

First Chapter

Gripping, packed with action and worldbuilding, as expected in this genre. It presented the characters clearly and enticed me to continue reading. The LARP game is an interesting touch, which made things more exciting.

Characters

The characters are compelling, have distinct voices, and add to the story. They all seem relevant.

The large number of characters didn’t interfere with my understanding of the story. They were all introduced nicely. The few “who is who” reminders were helpful and didn’t slow down the story.

Clarissa, the mother, is a strong side character. She sounds as annoying and self-absorbent as she should be. It was nice to see her redeem herself at the end of the story, even though it wasn’t through her own efforts.

Brad sounds creepy as soon as he opens his mouth for the first time. Nicely done!

The aliens are fun to read. But I can’t say any of them stood out to me particularly. Their importance was well-balanced, and they seemed to exist more to serve the story.

Minnie is a great main character. She is believable, relatable. I was rooting for her and hoping she would overcome her fears.

Plot

The plot is clear and straightforward as it usually is in this genre.

The conflict is believable and plausible. There is plenty of tension between the main characters (Minnie x Mother, Minnie x Stellar, Minnie x Brad) and also among side characters.

The story is fast-paced, and the ending of each chapter makes you curious about the next one. It’s definitely a page-turner.

Setting

I loved the worldbuilding. The descriptions are fantastic; I could visualise the house, the arboretum, etc., very well. This is great because worldbuilding is an essential part of the story, kind of another character.

Even though I don’t remember reading the time and place where the story happens, I didn’t miss knowing it.

Ending

I found the ending consistent and satisfying. The plot was resolved.

The born of a baby Macha sealing the alliance was a nice touch.

Other notes

I enjoy stories with plenty of dialogue, and this one meets the criteria.

I loved the humour! Despite the possible imminent end of Earth, it was an enjoyable and fun reading.

The Day the Dog Danced
Long Synopsis

LORD DARDAN is a special agent—an alien. He is also a dancing dog—an aristocratic and sensitive dalmatian. That is his cover story. Dardan is a crucial member of an intergalactic team, sent to Earth to either exterminate narcissism or exterminate the Earth. The Universe can not risk that the scourge of narcissism hitchhiking a ride on a spaceship and infecting the uncontaminated universe. The dynamic team is composed of the brilliant General AGNES whose cover story is invisible butler with OCD issues, a diminutive but forceful empress STELLAR. WOEFUL is a lachrymose weeping willow and HAMISH a surly Glaswegian bat flower. The beautiful but treacherous PRIMROSE and ROGER whose cover story is nuclear physicist but who in reality is a mushroom.

The protagonist is the vulnerable anxious MINNIE. You will be willing her to succeed. Poor Minnie, crushed by the alternating narcissism and smothering love of her mother, wants to finish her PhD on The Rise of Narcissism. Her new supervisor is the revered but lascivious scientist BRAD HANCOCK. Brad sets up a meeting with Minnie late on Sunday evening, poor Minnie.

CORPSE FLOWER, the source of all narcissism, is ripening in the dank and dismal arboretum. If CARRION BEETLES and CORPSE FLIES, tended by stable master HAIRY MARY, feed on Corpse Flower’s spawn, another generation of humans will be infected with narcissism. The universe trembles in terror. The intergalactic squad has determined that only Minnie can destroy Corpse Flower. Minnie’s special skills include: a deep understanding of narcissism, gymnastic skills, a rudimentary ability to talk to plants and a unique dress sense. Poor anxious Minnie does not know she is the chosen one.

The intergalactic squad watch in trepidation as anxious Minnie fails to grow her courage. A white rabbit—BAD BUNNY almost kills her. The inter-galactic squad fears she does not have the courage to defeat Corpse Flower. They fear that in her desire to win her mother’s love and gain her PhD, she will submit to Brad Hancock’s lust.

Time to call in the Big Gun for some intensive courage training. Special agent, ALBERRR CAMOO (ALBERT CAMUS) shows Minnie the meaning of courage. Alberrr is Minnie’s love interest and, after she discovers he is actually dead, wonders what that means for their life plans.

Minnie does not submit to Brad. She attends a meeting of the inter-galactic force where Darden et al. inform her she must destroy Corpse Flower, or the Earth will be reduced to quarks. POOR MINNIE!

With only one day of rigorous training Minnie learns dangerous dancing, piercing whistling, and destructive insulting. She leads the army of chimerical characters into the arboretum to defeat Corpse Flower and his menagerie of wicked vegetation.

At the goodbye party, her magic friends leave on a spaceship. Alberrr, in her arms, vanishes in a puff of smoke. Minnie asks the Moon what is to become of her. Alone in the crystal stillness of night, she receives an inter-galactic job offer.