Linda B. Myers & Dotty Biscotti

Who is in the photo at right?

Hi, I'm Linda B. Myers. I'm doing my best to hold Dotty Biscotti in one spot long enough for Sis to take our picture without me slopping that coffee. Dotty is a three-year-old Maltese but flits like a hummingbird here and there; a still photo is pretty hard to capture. I write general fiction and mysteries under the name of Linda B. Myers. All my novels are available on Kindle, and Fun House Chronicles is also available in print.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Most mornings, I stagger up the stairs to the kitchen before daylight, grab a cuppa seriously strong joe, tame it with 2% lactose free, then kick start my writing. Dotty is used to this routine but it is hard on her to sit quietly in her bed under my desk.

What's brewing?

I swill down coffee throughout the morning. It's drip in the early hours, then Verona in a Verismo pod (Starbucks version of Keurig) in the evening. I can't break the habit ... thank heaven I don't do shots of tequila or sniff glue.

Any treats?

Dotty's breakfast is a mix of wet and dry salmon-based dog food. I have yogurt but yearn for bacon and eggs. She probably yearns for bacon and eggs, too.

How were you and Dotty united?

I rescued Dotty from a real nut job in Oregon a couple years back. Dotty is rumored to be full Maltese, but if so, she is the Amazon of that breed, weighing in at 14 pounds.

How did Dotty get her name?

She's Dotty for the pink dot on the top of her snout. Dotty Biscotti when she's sweet. Snotty Dotty when she's sassy.

Does Dotty help or hinder your work?

Dotty hates my computer because it takes my attention away from her. She invents games that involve growling and barking and dashing room to room in order to interrupt my concentration. And she drops her Sumo toy on my foot when I have ignored her too long. Her spelling in lousy, she doesn't care about things like character arcs, etc. so I guess she isn't much help at the writing. But she does give kisses whenever I need them which does wonders for my mood.

Have any actual canines inspired fictional dogs in your writing?

I had a cocker/dachshund mix that I called my cockadock. Max appears as Folly in my PI Bear Jacobs series. As long as I write the series, Max in immortal. So I guess I can't ever quit.

Who is Dotty's best pet-pal?

She shares the house with Caesar, a pom/shih-tzu cross [photo right]. She's faster but he corners better. Let the games begin!

Ball, squeaky toy, stick?

Dotty eviscerates stuffed toys in a matter of seconds, spreading their innards room to room. Her favorite possession is a bright yellow Sumo which is an off-brand Kong. She's had it for ages. She bounces it off my foot when she's ready to play.

Cat, postman, squirrel?

Dotty thinks door-to-door solicitors should be growled at and shaken by the scruff of the neck. I agree with her.

What is Dotty's best quality?

She's a bottomless well of sweetness. That this dog was once abused is an unforgivable sin.

If Dotty could change one thing about the denizens of the Pacific Northwest, what would it be?

We have a street gang of six black-tail deer who munch our roses. She would like it if, just once, one of them was scared enough of her to actually run when she barks.

If Dotty could answer only one question in English, what would you ask her?

How can I assure her that she'll never be abandoned.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Dotty could speak, who should voice her?

Dotty Biscotti is a fluffy blonde to be sure, but smart as a whip. She's tough, and should never be underestimated. Her voice would be Christina Aguilera.

What advice would Dotty give if asked?

Life is full of surprises. Learn to roll with it.

Visit Linda B. Myers's website.

--Marshal Zeringue