Former English teacher and guidance counselor Marjorie Yobe has published four books about her dogs and their antics in and around her Hubbard home.
In addition to the pleasure she gets from her pets, Yobe feels that writing about them has helped her cope with multiple sclerosis, an illness that has plagued her for more than 20 years.
''I had my first occurrence in 1982,'' Yobe said.
Article Photos
Hubbard Community News / Bob Coupland
Marjorie Yobe, of Hubbard, poses with one of her Yorkies at the recent Taste of Hubbard event held last month. Yobe has written four books about her dogs and visits elementary schools and nursing homes throughout the area talking about her dogs and their adventures.
It wasn't until the early 1990s, after magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, became available that Yobe finally got the diagnosis for her illness.
''I can spend a lot of time at the computer because I can sit,'' Yobe said.
Her first book, ''Adventures of Little Tykes,'' was published by Publish America and was in novel form with no photos.
Realizing she needed larger books with larger print and color photos to relate to children, Yobe scrapped her first attempt and revamped her work into books that are now 8-by-11-inch publications with color photos on every page.
''I guess you could say that first book was a way to get my feet wet,'' she said.
Yobe has since designed and written four more books geared toward children about her dogs. Each time she speaks at a book signing or fundraiser, Yobe takes at least one of her dogs with her.
At a recent book signing event sponsored by the Hubbard Friends of the Library, Yobe said she brought two of her Yorkies with her in a purse-type carrier.
''No one knew the dogs were there until after I finished talking and brought them out of their carrier,'' she said.
Yobe's books, titled ''Little Tykes Adventures,'' ''Abbey's Antics,'' and ''Basket Full of Love,'' all include original photos of her dogs. ''Basket Full of Love,'' her latest book, details the life of a puppy from before its birth to its second month.
Another book, ''Danger Comes from Everywhere,'' describes the dangers that wildlife who live near and depend on ponds and streams must deal with for their survival.
In spite of her illness, Yobe visits local schools and uses an electric cart when she goes out in public to talk about her books and her dogs.
Yobe and her husband, Ron, a retired teacher and woodworker, have been residents of Hubbard for the past 18 years, coming from the Warren area where they both taught school at Harding High School. After earning her master's degree, Yobe worked as a guidance counselor with Trumbull Career and Technical Center, where she worked another 20 years.
Yobe and her husband have two children, three grandchildren and 11 Yorkies. They all live in Hubbard.
She will be signing books Nov. 5 at the Hubbard Elementary School craft show and Nov. 12 at the First Baptist Church of Howland Relay for Life fundraiser.