By Indigo, Barnes + Noble and Amazon Best-selling Author: Stephanie Chinn
Why I made this book and why it feels so important.
On March 4, 2024, my beloved Nom Noms, my soul-dog, left this earth.
She loved me during a time in my life when I didn’t fully let others know or love me. Through her, I learned how deserving of love I truly was. One day, I will share our full story, because it is one of my favorite love stories, but this book isn’t just about my story, it’s about all of ours.
When Nom Noms’ health began to decline, I searched for resources to support myself through the grief I knew was coming. What I found didn’t reflect the depth of our bond. None of it. She wasn’t a “pet.” She was my family. My girl. My love for her was no different than the love I experience with humans, and neither was the loss, and I needed something that held space for that.
Our relationships with animals have evolved. For many of us, they are central, life-shaping loves. We include them as family, and when they die, the grief is real, profound, and deserving of deep care. We need time, space, and resources that honor this truth. Because like all grief, it lives in our bodies and needs a safe space to be held.
After Nom Noms passed, I began offering pet-grief therapeutic arts workshops, because I noticed it was significantly helping me. I shared exercises that were helping -- journaling and therapeutic arts exercises. They became the MOST attended workshops I had ever hosted. In these spaces, people shared stories, memories, and laughter through tears, and then we made art. I watched people who didn’t consider themselves artists draw the details of the noses they missed, scribble out their grief, color what they miss, write letters to their beloved who passed and feel the relief of being able to honor their grief creatively. Again and again, people told me it was deeply cathartic, and one of the most healing experiences of their lives. That’s when I knew I needed to make this book. To create what I had needed, what truly helped me move through grief, and with all the practices we did in the workshops, too.
Art has always been a way to process what words cannot hold. Therapeutic art allows us to witness the depths of ourselves, our grief and our becoming. It invites us to care for ourselves in a new way. This book is an invitation to do just that, to honor your loved one and to gently hold yourself, too.
Your big, beautiful, tender heart is one of the most beautiful things about you. I don’t have to know you personally to know that. It’s what made you capable of loving an animal as deeply as you did, and why this loss hurts so much, but it’s also what makes you beautiful. It’s what gives your life meaning and depth, and in this book, we will hold that big, beautiful, healing heart of yours, tenderly.
This book is dedicated to all the furry, feathery and scaly babies who have woven their way into our hearts.
Book Details
This book is printed at 8.5 x 11 inches on thick, archival-quality paper, designed for markers, colored pencils etc...so you can use whatever supplies you'd like!
Inside are healing journaling prompts, coloring pages, reflections, and creative exercises, accessible for all ages, meant to support you through your grief and to help you honor the love you shared with your beloved soul-pet. This is a book to move through at your own pace, and to return to as often as you need.
Pub date: April 24, 2026
Available for preorder now!
Preorders truly matter because I am self-publishing this book. They directly help me fund the printing process and make it possible to get this resource into the hands of the people who need it most.
My hope is to place this book in veterinary offices, grief support spaces, and with individuals navigating the loss of a beloved animal—often during moments when support is hardest to find. When you preorder, you’re not just reserving a copy for yourself; you’re helping bring this book into the world. You can also choose to sponsor this book and have your name—and/or your pet’s name—included in the book, allowing it to be shared with someone in need. Every preorder is an act of care, generosity, and love, and I’m deeply grateful for your support.
Note: if you would like to pre-order more than 5 copies, email me stephanie@stephaniechinn.com for bulk discount.
Thank you for supporting my work.
Meet the author:
Stephanie Chinn is the best-selling author of her debut book: Here Sister, Let Me Help You Up and The Art of Women Taking Up Space. She is a Therapeutic Arts Practitioner who founded Good Girls Making Bad Art. A gathering of women unlearning people pleasing and perfectionism through art. She is a proud dog mom.