Kristina Riggle & Lucky

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

It’s my birthday! And my new book comes out this week.

What's brewing? Any goodies to go with the coffee?

A salted caramel mocha. Normally, I stick with the regular brewed coffee, but I’m splashing out today. I even bought a pastry (though the mocha is basically a pastry in a cup already. But hey, it’s my birthday.)

Back in 2009 you said Lucky had a role in your second book. Has he appeared in more of your writing?

Not so far, but he shouldn’t feel left out. To date I have never re-used characters, four-legged or otherwise. I also don’t often include pets (it’s challenging enough to juggle all the human characters) so in that sense he’s in an elite group. As far as I recall, only Bartleby the cat from Real Life & Liars, and Frodo the Lab from The Life You’ve Imagined have made into the casts of characters, other than Lucky. (Both fictional dog names are literary references. I just noticed that.)

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

Lucky keeps me company (especially if there’s a storm, and then he’s underfoot every moment). In fact, he has an uncanny sense of time. When I’m getting up during the day to have coffee or lunch or what have you, he barely stirs from his favorite napping spot on the couch cushion…until it’s time for me to wrap up and go get the kids. Then he seems to know, and perks up, because the boring writing day is over and it’s time for the fun to begin when the kiddos get home.

He does like to keep me company when I write outside on the deck, so I’ll pull up a patio chair just for him.

Who are Lucky's best pet-pals?

We joke about his girlfriend Zoe, a Sheltie next door. They like to run up and down the chain link fence together, but when they’re in the same yard, Lucky isn’t very nice to her! He chases her around until she hides somewhere. He did make nice with our friends’ dog named Lucy when we went for a weekend visit. Lucy is much bigger, but Lucky decided to be the boss of her. It worked out well enough.

Lucky doesn’t usually play nice with bigger dogs, especially on his leash. He gets all “short-guy syndrome” and tries to take a piece out of them. Since he only weighs about 12 pounds, this is a bad idea.

If Lucky could change one thing about Michiganders, what would it be?

He’d want everyone to stay off the front porch unless they belong here. This is his domain, so any and all delivery people, salespeople, plumbers, roofers, politicians and fundraising children should stay away.

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

Why do you carry your kibble into the living room a few bits at a time, drop it on the carpet, and then eat it? What’s up with that?

Runner up question: Why do you pee on my side of the bed anytime we accidentally leave the door open? What kind of grudge are you holding and how can I make it up to you?

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

Tobey Maguire. I don’t know why I think that, but it’s the first name that came to mind. Maybe it’s his boyish charm. Maybe it’s because I watched The Great Gatsby twice.

Visit Kristina Riggle's website, and learn about her new novel, The Whole Golden World.

The Page 69 Test: Real Life & Liars.

Read--Coffee with a Canine: Kristina Riggle & Lucky (June 2009).

Writers Read: Kristina Riggle (August 2010).

The Page 69 Test: The Life You've Imagined.

--Marshal Zeringue