Kathryn Erskine & Fletcher

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm Kathy Erskine, an author of books aimed at middle grade and young adult readers but suitable for adults, too (with their children's permission). Fletcher is a male Labradoodle who's a year and a half, and often naughty.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Every day is an occasion for coffee with Fletcher -- here we're on the front porch. He's a social dog, though, and would rather hang out at cafes. He's still a little too exuberant, though.

What's brewing?

Today's drip coffee is "Bill's House Blend" from a restaurant on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. I'm a several-cups-a-day coffee drinker but it doesn't have to be fancy -- as long as it's strong, with milk, I'm happy. It can even (gasp!) be instant.

Any treats for you or Fletcher on this occasion?

I did give him some bacon bits so he'd sit still for the camera. It also works if I sing to him but I only do that indoors where no one will hear me.

How were you and Fletcher united?

At an airport. He was flown to us from a breeder. We tried to get a pound puppy, as usual, but it's hard to find Labradoodles at the pound and we needed a non allergenic dog.

How did Fletcher get his name? Any aliases?

We agreed on a two syllable name because there's something more satisfying about calling out a 2-syllable name. I suspect the name Fletcher was influenced by the Middle Ages novel I was working on since the main character is the son of a bowyer and fletcher, a bow and arrow maker. Some aliases: Fletch. Babe. Devil Dog. Off the counter!!

Does Fletcher do more to help or hinder your writing?

Hinder. He has perfected the laser stare, then barking, then flipping my arm off the keyboard, when he wants a walk.

Have any actual dogs inspired fictional dogs in your published work?

I'm working on something new right now and there is a dog in the story inspired by my former dog, Maxine. Hopefully, you'll be reading about her before long!

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

He loves them all. He even tries to play with stinkbugs. He doesn't realize why cats run away from him or why stinkbugs stop playing (usually, he has pawed them to death). I know, it's sad.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

If you throw a ball for him he will chase it until he drops or your arm gets tired. Squeaky toys are pretty awesome, too. He will pick up a stick on a walk, occasionally, but usually drops it once distracted (inside of 5 seconds).

Who is Fletcher's best pet-pal?

Scottie! He's a dog Fletcher plays with at dog sitting. When they see each other they freeze and stare something in their unspoken language and then they're off and running for the rest of the day.

What is Fletcher's best quality?

He likes everyone and everything.

If Fletcher could change one thing about Virginians, what would it be?

Dogs would be allowed on more trails and in more restaurants, especially in the kitchens of those restaurants.

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

Where did you put the can opener?

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

Benedict Cumberbatch. Everyone loves a dog with a British accent, right?

Visit Kathryn Erskine's website.

Check out Erskine's top 10 first person narratives.

My Book, The Movie: Seeing Red.

The Page 69 Test: Seeing Red.

--Marshal Zeringue

Gayle Rosengren & Fiona

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm Gayle Rosengren and I'm a children's author. My debut book, a middle grade historical fiction novel called What the Moon Said was just published by Putnam/Penguin on Feb 20th, so I need plenty of coffee to keep me hopping from one bookstore/school/online interview to the next and still have the energy to work on my next book.

My adorable companion is Fiona, my 3 year-old Bichon Frise. She is quite the darling little girl, don't you agree?

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

This is a mostly normal morning for Fiona and me. She is never far away from me (although not usually seated at the table; this was a special occasion for her online debut!). Whether I'm at my laptop with my first cup of coffee or heading up to bed at night, she's somewhere in a two-feet radius of me. She loved being invited onto the chair next to me to share this coffee moment but she especially loves hopping up on the couch to watch a movie with me at night.

What's brewing?

Our favorite home-ground beans topped off with Italian Sweet Cream. Mmmmm! The house smells wonderful for hours afterward.

Any treats for you or Fiona on this occasion?

Fiona always gets a few "accidentally" dropped Cheerios. I sometimes treat myself to chocolate biscotti. I'm also addicted to the scones from my favorite bakery and try to sneak one in at least once a week. My first choice always is their chocolate chip scone, which comes with the expected chips inside as well as a drizzle of dark chocolate and a drizzle of white chocolate frosting on top. Yum--they're to die for!

Are there any dogs in your fiction who are inspired by Fiona?

There is a dog in What the Moon Said who is more reminiscent of a German Shepherd I had many years ago and loved dearly. But the dog in my next novel (tentatively titled Joanna's Cold War) is definitely modeled after Fiona. She is small and white and cuddly and always gives excited welcomes to the main character when she comes home. Her name is Dixie.

Does Fiona do more to help or to hinder your writing?

I'd have to say a little of each. When she wants a walk and I'm in the middle of a writing streak, it can be a little frustrating to have to stop. But she also gets me out into the fresh air for a while, which gets my brain firing on all cylinders, and that’s a good thing.

How did Fiona get her name?

Fiona was named by the woman who rescued her from a Milwaukee humane society shelter. The woman runs a Bichon Rescue agency outside of Madison, Wisconsin, where I live. Most of the dogs she saves come from auctions of puppy mill victims. Fiona was one of the lucky ones. Somehow she ended up on the streets, but it seemed pretty clear she'd been well taken care of prior to that and she was very well-trained. She couldn't have been on the streets for long. Why no one claimed her is beyond me, but their loss turned out to be my great good fortune. She's a sweetheart. I could have changed her name to anything I wanted, but I loved it. She really is a Fiona.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

She'll bark at any critter and try to chase it if she's outside--whimper and yelp and bark if she's inside viewing them through the window. She barks at delivery people and friends who arrive, but she stops as soon as she sees they're being invited inside.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

She loves to play, and if I'm too busy to play when she's in the mood, she'll flip her stuffed bunny or owl into the air and then pounce on it and run around with it, then flip it up again and repeat. She does love the fact that the bunny squeaks and the owl hoots (although in kind of a spooky way!).

Does Fiona have a favorite place to go for outings?

She loves to go to go anywhere in the car, but her favorite place to stay for any length of time--especially without us, if we have to travel without her--is her former temporary home with the woman who rescued her. There are generally at least fourteen other Bichons there at any given time, awaiting adoption, so there is no lack of playmates and there are no cages. All the dogs are treated like house pets. Luckily, it's a good-sized home out in the country and there's a big deck and fenced in yard. We joke that we're taking her to doggie sleep-away camp. She's always happy to go, but she's even happier to be taken back home where she is not only Top Dog but Only Dog.

Who is Fiona's best pet-pal?

Her best pet-pal is Reggie, my daughter and son-in-law's beagle-mix. They live only a mile away and when they have to go away for a weekend they bring Reggie to our house, and if we're only going away for a night or two, we take Fiona to their house. The two of them get along well, except for always wanting to steal the other one's food! Talk about the grass always being greener on the other side of the fence!

What is Fiona's best quality?

Hmmm… She has lots, so it's hard to choose just one. Her Best quality, though, would have to be her very loving personality. She a cuddler and a snuggler and looks at me with such adoration it's embarrassing sometimes (but awfully nice!).

If Fiona could change one thing about Wisconsinites, what would it be?

She'd probably wish they weren't so darned devoted to exercise, so they wouldn't go jogging past her house so often. She wants to chase them in the worst way but can't, so it's very frustrating.

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

This is an easy one: Sweet little Fiona, how did you come to be separated from your first family and lost in the scary city?

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

Jennifer Lawrence! I can hear her now--so funny!

Visit Gayle Rosengren's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Michael Morse & Mr. Wilson

Who is in the photo at right?

This is Mr. Wilson and me, Michael Morse, sitting in my backyard on the day we picked him up at a highway rest stop. He’s a two-year-old Schnoodle according to him, a two-year-old mutt according to me. I am a retired Rescue Captain with the Providence, RI Fire Department and author of two books about that, Rescuing Providence, (2007, Paladin Press) and Responding, (2011, EPI) and the forthcoming Mr. Wilson Makes it Home, (Fall, 2014 Skyhorse Publishing) about life with Mr. Wilson.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

My coffee, and now Mr. Wilson are my constant companions every morning; my coffee cup is always close until it’s gone, and Mr. Wilson keeps an eye on me every waking minute.

What's brewing?

My wife and I brew Jim’s Organic Happy House Blend in a Faberware percolator. We order it in five-pound bags direct from Jim and keep it in the freezer. I put a little milk and two Stevias on the bottom of the cup and fill ‘er up three times or until I have to leave the house, whichever comes first.

Any treats for you or Mr. Wilson on this occasion?

My treat is the coffee, Mr. Wilson gets his cookies at bedtime, usually Wellness Well Bars with whitefish and sweet potatoes.

How were you and Mr. Wilson united?

Mrs. Morse thought I was a little lost without a dog in my life – we had been without for over three years - and decided to get me us a dog for my birthday. She Googled “little dogs that don’t shed for adoption in Rhode Island” and Wilson (the Mr. was added later) appeared. He was actually in Arkansas, and through the combined efforts of Friends of Homeless Animals, RI, Alpha Pet Transport, a lady named Cheri and a great network of volunteers a week after her first sighting on our monitor the little guy showed up in Connecticut with about twenty other dogs that had been adopted. It was truly a magical moment, I was so moved by the experience I wrote the book.

How did Mr. Wilson get his name? Any aliases?

He came to us simply as Wilson. We have no idea why we call him Mr. Wilson but we do know that he likes it better. He also likes “W” “Schmedly,” (only when we call him in from outside) and “Potato.”

Does Mr. Wilson do more to help or hinder your writing?

There’s something about this little guy, he just makes everything I do better, and my writing has become less forced and much more natural. I still have to dig into my forehead with a dull knife for the right word now and then, but it is a lot less painful.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

He learned right quick to not chase the cats, both female Maine Coons, and loves to bark at the postman but lives for chasing the squirrels that gather at the bottom of our birdfeeders. If the cats dressed up like squirrels and delivered the mail I think he would have a sensory overload and die a happy dog.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

He loves his squeaky toys and treats them like delicate little flowers, nibbles rather than chews and is especially fond of his purple monkey.

Who is Mr. Wilson's best pet-pal?

Why, me of course!

What is Mr. Wilson's best quality?

He’s just kind. Simple as that.

If Mr. Wilson could change one thing about you, what would it be?

He doesn’t like the way I drive.

If Mr. Wilson could answer only one question in English, what would you ask him?

What are you thinking?

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

Will Ferrell acting like Andy Griffith in a remake of Mayberry RFD.

Visit the Mr. Wilson Makes it Home blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Shannon Gusy & Bella

Who is in the photo at right?

I’m Shannon Gusy, a San Diego-based writer, animal advocate and eating disorder survivor. This is Bella, a three-year-old Miniature Poodle mix who I adopted at a local humane society. She is just six pounds, so she comes with me just about everywhere!

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We’re at the Goldfish Point Cafe in La Jolla, California, right on the ocean. I’m working on my memoir and Bella is tilting her head at the seals barking in the distance. She is chewing on a tasty milk-bone, but praying that I will drop some of my breakfast burrito (which she undoubtedly prefers over the milk-bone).

What's brewing?

I’m having a vanilla latte, steaming hot and delicious, as they always are here.

Any treats for you or Bella on this occasion?

Whenever I write, Bella is in my lap, sometimes resting her chin on my wrist as I’m typing. She’s the most affectionate dog I’ve ever met (and I’ve met a lot of dogs), and provides me with an indescribable amount of love, emotional support and comfort. For this reason, I can’t help but spoil her. I will admit that I have a fresh cookie in my bag right now from a doggie bakery down the street.

How were you and Bella united?

When I was working at the humane society, a litter of puppies came in that I fell in love with. For the first two years I worked at the humane society, I was perhaps the only employee without a pet. People would say, “Oh my God! What will-power you have! How do you not adopt them all!?” Well, the truth was that I wanted to. I desperately wanted to. But I had also made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t adopt until I had one solid year of recovery from bulimia. Adopting a dog is to become a parent, and I could barely take care of myself. When I adopted Bella [as a puppy, photo left], I felt like I’d been waiting for her all my life.

How did Bella get her name? Any nicknames?

Bella was a random choice. Her middle name is Boo because we adopted her around Halloween. This has lead to the nicknames Bella Boo and Boo Boo. When she gets out of the bath and her hair is all wet, we call her Pierra—it just feels right. We also call her Linguini because she’s built like a noodle.

You recently published a terrific essay in Salon titled "How dogs rescued me from an eating disorder." I take it that the essay is from your memoir-in-progress. Can you tell us more about the book?

Shelter dogs are my heroes, my vital inspiration, my truth. I’ve suffered for years from the disease of addiction. I’m not like the girl who has a bad breakup, eats a few pints of ice-cream, feels bad about it the next day, and goes back to eating normally. I use ice-cream like a knife to tear myself apart. There are people who eat too much or too little, feel the negative consequences of that, get some help, and move on. But then there are the hopeless ones: the ones who relapse the day they get out of rehab; the ones who Jenny Craig, Bob Green, Weight Watchers, and even Oprah can’t fix; the ones who get lap-bands only to burst them. There are hopeless addicts all over the world, and I’m one of them. Nothing worked for me—not therapy, not religion, not medication, not countless hours in the self-help section, not rehab. What I needed to heal me was something that moved beyond the physical and mental aspects of my disease. I needed a source of healing that touched me emotionally and spiritually, and for me, that was shelter dogs. My book is about those remarkable dogs and how they helped me.

Who are Bella's best pet-pals?

Oh boy, where to begin. After I adopted Bella and she was clear of all her puppy shots, I brought her to work with me every day at the humane society. She had a boyfriend named Skippy, and was a huge fan of a three-legged Pit Bull named Finely a few cubicles away. She loves big dogs, and adores a Rhodesian Ridgeback names Simba, a Weimaraner named Diesel, and a Shepherd named Pua.

Where is Bella's favorite outdoor destination?

Bella has three favorite dog beaches: Ocean Beach Dog Beach, Coronado Dog Beach, and Del Mar Dog Beach. She loves them all. She loves to dig in the sand and roll around in gross things and pick up seaweed and sticks and play chase with other dogs. I often go to these beaches to write, but I usually get distracted because there is just so much canine happiness all around me--I just sit there and soak it all up like the rays!

Squeaky toy, ball, stick...?

This is actually a tough question. Squeaky toy if she is at home with me. Ball if she has an audience (she only plays fetch with an audience). And stick or seaweed or anything she can pick up in her mouth at dog beach.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Cat. The accounting office at the humane society kept some of the adoptable cats who had trouble on the adoption floor. Daily, Bella visited them. She thought they were just amazing (I’m not sure the feeling was mutual).

What is Bella's best quality?

Her heart. She’s the most loving dog I’ve ever known.

If Bella could change one thing about Californians, what would it be?

More than once at dog beach, guys with giant surfboards balanced on their heads have come to say hello to her. Bella is scared of those surfboards, and wishes the surfer dudes would put them down before they come say hi.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Bella could speak, which actor should do her voice?

Julia Roberts. Because she’s incredible, and so is my little Bella.

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

Do you know, my dearest friend, how much you mean to me?

Visit Shannon Gusy's Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue

Carol Lynch Williams & Olive and Loki

Who is in the photo at right?

I am Carol Lynch Williams. I write books for middle grade and young adult readers. My beagle is Olive. We got her 18 months ago, when she was a pup. And Loki is a visiting border collie that we may end up keeping as our own. He's about two.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

It's been cold and rainy and I know we're going ot be getting snow again. I always need something sweet on a bitter day. Not only that, my novel The Haven is coming out any moment. Gotta celebrate!

What's brewing?

Hot chocolate. Creamy, sweet, dollop of sweet whipped cream. Yum. I'll have a large, please.

Any treats for you or Olive and Loki on this occasion?

By now Olive has begged anything she get from anyone who will listen. She's pretty friendly. Loki is sitting next to me, patiently waiting. I'll share some of my bagel with cream cheese. Yup, you're seeing a fattening trend going on here. Cream. Cream cheese. Better throw some butter on there. Sweet. Yum.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

When Olive came to live with us, she was so tiny. We went through several names for her, and finally decided Olive because it just seemed right. Her nickname is Salty Dog. We got her from rescue. They thought she was a full-blown beagle, but nope. I think she has some chihauhau in her as she loves to burrow and she hasn't grown very large.

Loki is on loan from a friend who is out of town. He's a rescue dog as well. He started out one name, got the name Sirius (from Harry Potter) and then, when he was adopted a third time, he was named Loki after Thor's half brother. He's a fabulous dog. But he barks too much.

How were you and your dogs united?

The best dog in the world, Violet, was killed when she was hit by a car. We missed her terribly. Still do. Violet nipped at any of the boys she didn't like when they came to visit my daughters. One day my oldest daughter went to PetSmart and there she ran into the dog rescue people. She bought Olive, as a tiny puppy a day later.

Please tell us about your new novel, The Haven.

Shiloh lives at Haven Hospital and Halls, a school for the terminally ill. No one ever gets well. As memories of surgery, a stranger and odd events tap at her brain, Shiloh is approached by Gideon. He talks of rebellion. Gideon wants freedom for the Terminals. But Shiloh isn't sure she can do what needs to be done to help save herself and her schoolmates.

How do your dogs help--and hinder--your writing?

Loki knocks my hands out of the way when I try to type on the computer. He's pretty strong. He'll also lay his head on the keyboard. Things can get pretty spitty. I have to send him out. Olive sits in the chair behind me so she is warm and so am I.

Have any actual dogs inspired fictional dogs in your books?

There are animals in many of my novels. But Violet (the nipper) actually inspired the dog Thelma in Signed, Skye Harper, a book that comes out in June.

Squirrel, postman, cat....?

All three. Please. And children.

Who are Olive and Loki's best pet-pals?

Abbey, another rescue dog. Abbey is Olive's cousin. The three love each other and wrestle till I want to pull my hair out. Then they fall in odd places to rest until they have energy to wrestle and bark and nip and fight again.

What is each dog's best quality?

Olive loves to talk, loves people, loves to be petted, loves to be held. She also loves to eat.
Loki is a good guard dog, gives hugs when you come in after a long day and always looks likes he's smiling.

If Olive and Loki could change one thing about you, what would it be?

They would have me give them free access to whatever we are eating. And fridge privileges.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Olive and Loki could speak, which actors should do their voices?

Sandra Bullock for Olive. But she'd have to do some whining. And Loki. Paul Rudd.

If Olive and Loki could answer only one question in English, what would you ask them?

Vets are saying you guys really don't have emotion. Do you? And can you tell me how to finish this novel?

Visit Carol Lynch Williams's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Susan Abel Sullivan & Moxie and Goober

Who is in the photo at right?

I’m Susan Abel Sullivan, author of The Weredog Whisperer, The Haunted Housewives of Allister, Alabama, and Cursed: Wickedly Fun Stories. My older dog is a female American pit bull terrier named Moxie. She’s a shelter adoptee so we don’t know her actual age—anywhere from ten to fourteen years old. The younger is some kind of hound/pit mix named Goober. He’s close to three-years old.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I have a confession to make; I don’t drink coffee. However, I love taking Diet Coke breaks in the afternoon to sit outside on the back deck with the dogs.

What's brewing?

I do love the smell of coffee brewing. When I worked for a Godiva Chocolate boutique, the aroma of Godiva coffee was heavenly.

Any treats for you or your dogs on this occasion?

The dogs are on a diet as per our veterinarian, but I’m having Bavarian pretzels and cashews.

Do your dogs help or hinder your writing? Have they inspired any dogs in your fiction?

Both! When they’re quiet, they’re a delight to have in my office. But when they decide that it’s playtime, they get so loud and boisterous that I can’t concentrate worth a flying flip. Moxie inspired the character of Luna—a family pit bull terrier that gets bitten by a weredog and turns into a teenaged girl during the full moon—in my novel, The Weredog Whisperer.

How did your dogs get their names? Any nicknames?

Moxie was chock full of moxie, especially for a dog that wound up on death row at the animal shelter. We originally named Goober “Bo,” but we changed his name two weeks ago when he ate one of his toys, became obstructed, and had to have two surgeries. The vet tech who cared for him affectionately called him Goober. He actually prefers the name Goober to Bo.

How were you and your dogs united?

My sister found Moxie for me online. Don’t ask me why she was surfing animal shelters on the internet. I didn’t even want a dog at the time. I wrote an article about the circumstances on how Moxie and I found each other for my publisher’s blog. Goober just showed up in our yard when he was six-months old. No collar, skin and bones. I put an ad in Craigslist, but the only person who responded was looking for a lost Basset hound.

Where do your dogs most like to visit on an outing?

The veterinarian. Seriously. Our yard is so big, that we play in the yard and swimming pool rather than go for walks in the neighborhood.

Do the dogs have any non-canine pet pals?

Yes, we have five cats. They all adore the dogs and vice versa. One cat, a Maine coon named Ernie, used to nurse on Moxie when he was a kitten.

Squeaky toy, ball, stick...?

Moxie is fixated on tennis balls; she was like that when we adopted her. It’s an anxiety thing. Our vet has restricted Goober to only Kong and Nylabone toys.

What is each dog's best quality?

Moxie wants nothing more than to please me. She is definitely a mama’s girl. Goober is seventy-five pounds of cuddle bunny and loves to be loved.

If your dogs could change one thing about Alabamians, what would it be?

They’d change the notion of “ban or restrict pit bulls” to “ban the deed, not the breed.” The American pit bull terrier used to be the most popular dog in America. A few bad apples came along in the 1970s and started fighting dogs again (dog fighting and bear baiting were big sports in the 1800s) and the breed lost its reputation as a great family dog, which is unfortunate, because they are great family dogs: smart, loving, and loyal.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which your dogs could speak, which actors should do their voices?

Randy Quaid (Cousin Eddie in the Vacation movies) for Goober. I’m going to tweak this question for Moxie. Rather than picking a voice, I’d select Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson to play Moxie/Luna when she turns into a teenaged girl during the full moon in a film adaptation of The Weredog Whisperer.

If your dogs could answer only one question in English, what would you ask them?

Tell me about your life before you came to live with us.

Visit Susan Abel Sullivan's website and Twitter perch, and learn more about The Weredog Whisperer.

--Marshal Zeringue

Allison Gutknecht & Gypsy

Who is in the photo at right?

I’m Allison Gutknecht, author of Don’t Wear Polka-Dot Underwear with White Pants (and Other Lessons I’ve Learned), the first in the Mandy Berr series, and I am attempting to wrangle my nine-year-old toy poodle, Gypsy, and my two-year-old cat, Folly.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Gypsy, Folly, and I are celebrating the release of my new book, A Cast Is the Perfect Accessory (and Other Lessons I’ve Learned), the second in the series following the adventures of Mandy Berr. They are impressed with it only because their names are both featured in print within my biography.

What's brewing?

Pumpkin spice Keurig coffee, black.

Any treats for you or Gypsy on this occasion?

Gypsy has a penchant for kielbasi, the Polish sausage, though she gets gifted with it very, very rarely.

How did Gypsy get her name? Any nicknames?

My favorite actress is Bernadette Peters, and both Gypsy and Folly were named after musicals in which she has starred.

How were you and Gypsy united?

Gypsy was my college graduation present. I moved to New York from South Jersey/Philadelphia two weeks after graduating, and Gypsy has been my nearly inseparable companion in the city ever since.

Does Gypsy do more to help or hinder your writing?

Gypsy is a definite hindrance to my writing. In fact, when I visit schools, I tell the students all about where I end up drafting my books. You see, I would prefer to do so at the desk in my apartment, where my computer is usually stationed. But if I sit there, Gypsy barks at me. So I move to my dining room table and spread out all of my things, which means my cat begins systematically knocking my papers to the floor and stealing my pens and sitting on my post-it notes (oh, and also, Gypsy barks). This means that I usually have to write from my couch, which is not ideal, but Gypsy tends to make sure that her wishes always come first.

Are there any Gypsy-inspired dogs in your books?

I haven’t written any books including a dog yet, but the main character in my two current books, Mandy Berr, has some definite character traits which were inspired by Gypsy. Specifically, both Gypsy and Mandy have a tendency to lean toward self-centeredness (Gypsy’s life philosophy is essentially, “And what about Gypsy?”), and they each react very extremely to any given situation (nearly everything is either the “best thing ever” or “worst thing ever” – there is very little gray area). Gypsy is also mistaken for a puppy at least weekly, and there is something in her excitable nature that has translated itself to Mandy’s view of the world.

Who are Gypsy's best pet-pals?

Gypsy’s best and only friend is Folly, who (don’t tell Gypsy) is much, much smarter than her. In fact, I’m pretty sure Folly knows how to read. She spent the first nine weeks of her life living in Ann M. Martin’s house, so it would make sense.

Where is Gypsy's favorite outdoor destination?

Anywhere that she gets carried in her bag. As long as she’s included, Gypsy doesn’t care where she ends up.

Squeaky toy, ball, stick...?

Her squeaky yellow ball, which is her whole reason for waking up each morning (although the cat often has to help her find the thing).

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Gypsy is convinced every single person is her best friend, yet she’s afraid of all other animals, except cats. A postman/cat combo would be ideal for her, though in truth, she’d probably take or leave the cat in favor of the person.

What is Gypsy's best quality?

Gypsy is excessively loving and lovable. This tends to make her quite needy, but in the most endearing of ways.

If Gypsy could change one thing about you, what would it be?

She would prefer that I never, ever leave the apartment, unless, of course, she is accompanying me.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Gypsy could speak, which actor should do her voice?

I became convinced very early on that Gypsy speaks exactly like Elmo from Sesame Street, and yes, she too would talk in third person.

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

What do I have to do to convince you once and for all that when I walk out the door, I will always come back to you?

Visit Allison Gutknecht's website, Facebook page, and Twitter perch.

The Page 69 Test: Don't Wear Polka-Dot Underwear with White Pants.

--Marshal Zeringue