A book penned by Jim Thorpe author Susan Bulanda took home a first place award in the 2023 Dog Writers Association of America contest.

The book, “Military Dogs of World War II,” won in the Human/Animal Dog category.

In it, Bulanda writes about the dogs who stood by soldiers’ sides, delivered messages when other ways of communication failed, and brought supplies when no one else could get through.

She published the book in April.

“Whenever I have a new book I always enter. It is good publicity and helps me get publishers for my other manuscripts,” Bulanda explained.

Bulanda has written and published quite a few books, and the recent win wasn’t her first.

“A number of my books have won over the years which makes a good track record,” she explained.

Bulanda also served as a judge in previous Dog Writers Association of America contests, and knows that many entries are received for each category.

“I am always humbled that something I wrote was good enough to win. There are many very good writers who enter the contest,” she noted.

Bulanda didn’t attend the awards ceremony, but will receive a certificate and medal.

She is a member of the Black Diamond Writers Network, which meets once a month in Tamaqua.

“Military Dogs of World War II” and Bulanda’s other titles are available for purchase on her website, sbulanda.com.

Other books that have recently won national contests include: “K-9 Search and Rescue Troubleshooting: Practical Solutions to Common Search - Dog Training Problems” winner of the 2020 Certificate of Excellence from the Dog Writers Association of America; and “Soldiers in Fur and Feathers: The Animals That Served in WWI - Allied Forces” and “Faithful Friends: Holocaust Survivors Stories of the Pets Who Gave Them Comfort, Suffered Alongside Them and Waited for Their Return” first and third places respectively in 2013 in the National League of American Pen Women.