A WEST Wiltshire author and Guide Dogs for the Blind puppy raiser has just published her fourth book to raise funds for the national charity.

Jane Panos, 63, who writes under the pen name Jane Merrill Forrest, says all profits from her book 'Born to be a Life Changer: A Guide Dog Puppy's First Year' will be donated.

Mrs Panos, of Edington, wrote the book during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown last year, saying it presented the ideal opportunity to put down in words her experiences of raising guide dog puppies.

The 100-page book is written in the form of diary extracts and focuses on one of her puppies, a Labrador/Golden Retriever cross who has since moved away to become a guide dog in Hampshire.

Mrs Panos said: "The book is in the form of diary extracts written by a working guide dog, which I've given the pen name 'Buddy' for privacy reasons as his real name is unusual.

"The diary looks back at his first year with me, his puppy raiser. We have illustrated it with more than 100 colour photographs as it's a humorous as well as informative book for anyone interested in how Guide Dogs begin their training.

"There is always huge interest in guide dogs and guide dog puppies, the general public are always fascinated when they see puppy raisers out training puppies and have lots of questions when they meet us and our puppies at fundraising events.

"It's a book for the whole family, as very young children love to look at the photographs while a parent reads the diary.

"I've had messages from people saying they laughed at loud at Buddy's antics and his take on life as a guide dog puppy."

The book has been self-published and is available on Amazon at £9.99 for the paperback version and £5.99 for the Kindle version.