Valerie Constantine & Zorba

Who is in the photo at right?

This is Valerie Constantine, half of the writing team of Liv Constantine, author of The Last Mrs. Parrish, sitting with the amazing Zorba, probably the greatest dog in the world. He is a seven-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and he loves to read––mostly history and mostly about England, since his breed hails from there. And actually he prefers tea to coffee.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We have our morning coffee together and I bounce ideas off him before I begin writing. Here we are sitting at a friend’s lake house and enjoying the scenery.

What's brewing?

I have a big cup of Fancy Santos from Baltimore Coffee and Tea Company.

Any treats for you or Zorba on this occasion?

Zorba will eat anything I put in front of him, but his favorite treat is a petite Greenie. Today, though, he is having a Trader Joe’s Organic Chicken Brown Rice Recipe Stick. He loves those as well.

How were you and Zorba united?

My husband spotted a Cavalier sitting in a car at a grocery store parking lot and waited for the owner to return. When she got to the car, he asked where she had gotten the dog. It turned out she was a breeder, so he gave her our information and asked her to call us when the next litter came along. We forgot about it, but a year and a half later, she called to tell us that she had a new litter of two. The girl was already taken, but the boy was available, and that’s how we wound up with our favorite dog of all time.

How did your dog get his name? Any aliases?

My husband and Zorba are both British. I am Greek. I guess I needed to be represented, thus the name Zorba, as in Zorba the Greek. Now he seems half and half to me. I like that. I occasionally call him Z for short.

Does Zorba do more to help or hinder your writing?

Zorba definitely helps my writing. He sits quietly near me when I write. He also gets me outside to walk, which often is a time that I’m hit with great inspiration.

Has Zorba inspired the creation of any dogs in your fiction?

Not so far, but my husband, who is also a writer, keeps talking about collaborating on a Zorba diary. Zorba has quite a mind of his own and isn’t bashful about letting us know. He also has a great sense of humor.

Cat, postman, rabbit...?

Squirrel, with a capital S. They drive him crazy, and he’s never caught one in his life. We have a fox and some deer that cross our lawn occasionally, and he goes mad with them as well. Loves the postman and UPS lady, because they give him treats. He’s not very fond of anyone walking past our house…

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

None of the above. Zorba won’t play with a toy unless someone plays with him. Tug of war is his favorite. He won’t fetch. He sort of looks at you like “You threw it, you go fetch it!”

Who is Zorba’s best pet-pal?

I am. He’s my best bud. The breeder told me that “a female dog will love you, but a male dog will fall in love with you.” That has worked both ways with Zorba and me.

What is Zorba’s best quality?

Without question it is his sweetness. He’s the most lovable dog ever!

If Zorba could change one thing about Marylanders, what would it be?

He would make them better drivers. They would also not do 50 miles an hour in the fast lane, but would instead move over so that I could pass them.

If Zorba could answer only one question in English, what would you ask him?

How much of what we say to you do you understand?

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

Colin Firth. Posh and British.

What advice would Zorba give if asked?

Take long walks, stop and smell the roses along the way, get enough rest and spread lots of love.

Visit Valerie Constantine's website. Learn more about The Last Mrs. Parrish: A Novel by Liv Constantine (the pen name of sisters Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine).

--Marshal Zeringue