Cedric - Footprints in the Sand is an epoch dog tale. Inspired by the true story of a shipwrecked Newfoundland dog who wandered into a small coastal village. Finding his way to the end of a pier, he would spend the remainder of his years rescuing twenty-three people from other shipwrecks. During the Victorian Era, the great English painter, Sir Edwin Landseer, did a portrayal of the dog with the sea and gulls behind him. However, it was painted thirty years after the dog had died and there is little known about this remarkable creature. With a spark of creative industry, Barry Stebbing began filling in many of the blanks in this masterful tale of historical fiction believing it is a true classic in the making. Cedric is a delightful read for all ages. Written with a touch of prose, it allows the reader's imagination to wander into a wonderful era. Along with following Cedric as he fights his way through tumultuous seas to rescue shipwrecked souls, the reader follows the life of a young aspiring artist and that of many other intriguing Dickens-like characters, traveling through various chapters with a soft flow of faith and romance. Animal stories invariably have a way of touching one's heart and the author's purpose is to bring the reader to a sublime place above the mundane cares of the world; to ponder upon things that are good, and pure, and uplifting, long after the final page is read.