Stephanie Kate Strohm & Lorelei Lee Strohm-Lando

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm Stephanie Kate Strohm, young adult author (The Taming of the Drew) with Lorelei Lee Strohm-Lando, female, age 7, Coton de Tulear.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I stopped into Flirty Cupcake in Lincoln Square, because I am incapable of walking by without getting a cupcake, and got a tea to accompany it. Lorelei and I walked through Winnemac Park on our way home post-cupcake.

What's brewing?

A hot raspberry herbal tea – it may be April in Chicago, but it’s only 30 degrees! Not quite iced tea season yet.

Any treats for you or Lorelei on this occasion?

I had a pineapple cupcake with coconut cream cheese frosting. Someone in a different store offered Lorelei a Milkbone, but picky eater that she is, she declined.

How were you and Lorelei united?

We met in Vermont, and it was instant love.

How did your dog get her name? Any aliases?

Lorelei was named after Marilyn Monroe’s character in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, a sassy showgirl named Lorelei Lee. When Lorelei was a baby, she had very blonde ears. She also loves to perform!

Does Lorelei do more to help or hinder your writing?

Help! She likes to sit next to me on the couch or under my chair at the table while I write. She’s also very good about reminding me to take breaks! I think I get some of my best ideas while we’re walking.

Has Lorelei inspired the creation of any fictional dogs?

There’s a dog in Confederates Don’t Wear Couture, but he couldn’t possibly be more different than Lorelei! She really acts more like a pretentious toddler than a dog.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Squirrel! Cats are too scary and postmen are friends.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

Squeaky-toy – preferably one that looks like a little stuffed animal.

Who is Lorelei's best pet-pal?

Honestly, she does not prefer the company of other dogs. Thorin, our friend’s jack russel mix, is the main dog in her life, but I’m not sure I would describe them as pals. The only activity that unites them is a shared love in sitting in front of the window and barking at passersby.

What is Lorelei's best quality?

She is extremely affectionate to all people, especially kids. She’s probably the friendliest dog I’ve ever met (except to other dogs, whom she mostly ignores.)

If Lorelei could change one thing about Chicagoans, what would it be?

They don’t drop nearly as many pizzas on the sidewalk as New Yorkers do!

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

Can we get a second dog, or are you too happy being an only pup?

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

I frequently pretend to speak in Lorelei’s voice, and she sounds just like Elmo.

What advice would Lorelei give if asked?

All of life’s problems can be solved by cheese.

Visit Stephanie Kate Strohm's website.

The Page 69 Test: The Taming of the Drew.

My Book, The Movie: The Taming of the Drew.

Writers Read: Stephanie Kate Strohm.

--Marshal Zeringue

Sarah McCoy & Gilbert

Who is in the photo at right?

This is Gilbert (a.k.a. Gilly-beart). The ‘t’ is silent. He’s a two-year old Coton de Tulear. A French pup. Beside him is his fur mama Sarah McCoy, author of the international bestseller The Baker’s Daughter, the forthcoming novella, The Branch of Hazel (Penguin, summer 2014) and the forthcoming novel New Charlestown (Crown, summer 2015).

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

It’s a typical day at home. Hot caffeinated beverages are more prevalent than water in our house. In fact, if ever I don’t have a mug in my hand, I think it makes Gilly nervous. He suspects the next epic event will be me putting my shoes on, which is on par with world implosion. “She’s leaving me? She’s leaving me? Oh my God, help, help, don’t leave me!”

What's brewing?

To be truthful, I usually do tea—Irish Breakfast, Earl Grey, Oolong, Matcha Green. But on occasion, particularly around the holidays, I’ll partake of the noble coffee bean. My mother, grandparents and husband are faithful coffee drinkers so when I smell a pot brewing, it reminds me of home. For my mom and husband that’s any medium roast. For my Puerto Rican grandparents, there is no substitute: Café Bustelo or nothing at all. So I’m sharing a cup of that today, in the spirit of family.

Any treats for you or Gilbert on this occasion?

I’m a baking-loving lady. I started baking Gilly organic pumpkin dog biscuits about a year ago and they’ve become a staple in his treat diet. Full of the best ingredients, flaxseed, eggs, pumpkin, chicken broth, etc. I love that I can make him something I know is good for him and that he loves. I could probably eat these too (they are allergen-free), but I don’t get as jazzed by the taste of chicken and pumpkin together.

How were you and Gilbert united?

I went through a breeder outside of Chicago. Gilly was my second fur darling. Our first was a loving cockapoo named Gatsby who sadly passed away of cancer at age two. The breeder contacted me on Facebook when she saw how heartsick I was over Gatsby’s dying. She said she felt a divine connection—and it turned out to be so!

I was waiting for Gilly before he was even conceived, then had the privilege of watching his dog mama grow beautifully round with his litter and give birth. From his first breath of air, I knew he was mine. When he was old enough to travel, I flew to Chicago and brought him home to our family in El Paso.

How did Gilbert get his name? Any aliases?

He’s named after one of my all-time favorite literary characters. Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables. However, we call him Gilly-bear(t), Gilly or Gil.

Have any Gilbert-inspired dogs appeared in your published work?

Not yet but one is about to. (I’m giving away book secrets here…) My third novel for Crown, New Charlestown, has a beloved dog in it. Gilly was certainly inspiration alongside Gatsby. They have been my fur children.

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

He’s very considerate of my writing hours. He sleeps either behind me in my desk chair (taking up most of the real estate… I usually end up perching on the edge) or under my writing desk on his pillow. He keeps me comfy and warm on cold days.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

All of the above and he goes bark-nuts. He has particular animosity toward plastic bags. Trash bags, store bags, any bag that crinkles and he’s positive it’s a monster in our midst.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

He’s not a throw-&-fetch dog. You can throw, but he’ll stay next to you and watch. The only toy he’ll jump through hoops to collect is his “ducky”—a worn-out, gutless, stuffed animal that looks more like a sock than a fowl. But he loves it. He also has a heart chew toy that once was the body of a teddy bear my mom gave him when he was born. Those are his favorite things. If you give him any squeaky toy, he’ll gnaw out the squeaker in under an hour. I can’t tell if he loves it or hates it, but the squeakers don’t last around here.

Does Gilbert have a favorite place to go for outings?

He loves being home on my family’s land in Virginia. All the lush plants and woodland smells. The animals and nature are so unlike the desert. He tuckers himself out gleefully romping through their backyard with his ‘uncles’—my parent’s two yellow Labradors.

Who is Gilbert's best pet-pal?

His uncle Max. One of my parent’s labs in Virginia. They have a bond that I’ve never seen between two animals before.

What is Gilbert's best quality?

He sees my feelings more than any other little soul on the planet. He senses when I’m sad beneath the smile. When I’m scared beneath the brave face. When I just need someone to snuggle at my side and breathe deep… reminds me to do the same.

If Gilbert could change one thing about Texans, what would it be?

Hmm, given that we aren’t true Texans, I’m not sure he’d have an opinion about Texans in general. I’d say he probably just wishes Texas was only a mile away from Virginia. That would make us both happy.

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

What in the world possessed you to eat ____ (fill in the blank: my husband’s toe fuzz, used tissues, a stink bug, etc.)? I’m baffled by the stuff he licks up and the stuff he balks at (steak, pork chops, cottage cheese).

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

Oh, this a fun one! I polled my husband. It would need to be an actor of shorter stature but big personality, tons of energy, a man of style, and cheeky. So we went with Jeremy Piven.

For more information on Sarah McCoy’s upcoming releases (The Branch of Hazel and New Charlestown) and her other books, visit Sarah McCoy’s website. To see what shenanigans Sarah and Gilly are up to on any given day, you can find them on Facebook and Twitter.

The Page 69 Test: The Time It Snowed in Puerto Rico.

The Page 69 Test: The Baker's Daughter.

--Marshal Zeringue

Susanne Dunlap & Betty

Who is in the photo at right?

That's me, Susanne Dunlap, and Betty, who's 21 months old and a Coton de Tulear. We're at Pemaquid Point in Maine.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Am I totally out of line to say tea with a canine? Betty loves to sit with me first thing in the morning when I'm drinking my tea and checking my email. Her head perks up when the whistle goes on the kettle.

What's brewing?

I love a good Assam in the morning, from a fab importer called Upton Tea Imports. Usually it's a single-estate, and I brew it 4 or 5 minutes.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Just milk (in the tea). I like coffee black, but that's for later!

Any treat for Betty on this occasion?

Sometimes she gets a dog biscuit, or her latest favorite, dried duck breast.

How did she come to be united with you?

My daughter has a Coton who's an incredible dog. I made a very conscious decision to get her from the same breeder, and she was six months old when I got her. Very timid, totally loving. She lives to cuddle.

How did she get her name? Does she have an aliases?

Betty is short for Thistledown's Babette. I love the movie Babette's Feast.

What's Betty's influence on your writing?

Betty's influence is mostly calming, and by curling up she keeps me from moving, so I have to obey the BIC rule (butt in chair!). Plus, her needs also make me take little breaks to go outside.

What's an ordinary day like for Betty?

We get up in the morning, and if it's a work day (day job), we have tea, then I get ready for work and take her to my daughter's apartment to spend the day with my daughter's dog. When I pick her up she's wriggling with joy. On a non-work day, she sleeps contentedly between my knees or calves while I sit in my chaise and write, read, or research.

Do you and Betty have a favorite place to go for an outing?

Betty hates--get that, hates!-- going for walks. Go figure! But if I can get her to a place where there's a safe, big open lawn, she loves to run around. Prospect Park is the nearest.

Stick, tennis ball, squeaky-toy...?

Betty has a knotted rope that I throw for her that she loves. She's so small I have to pretend to be struggling to pull it away from her, though!

Squirrel, cat, postman...?

She gets excited by the little sparrows that are ubiquitous on Brooklyn streets.

What's Betty's best quality?

She is so loving and cuddly, and completely loyal to the people she loves.

Who is Betty's best pet-pal?

That's Bisou, my daughter's dog. She just adores him, and will even happily go on walks if he's along.

What's her proudest moment? Her most embarrassing?

Hmmm. Perhaps the time she learned to lie down when I offered her a piece of bacon. I'd been trying with biscuits, but as soon as the bacon came out, she just flattened herself! And most embarrassing, getting loose at the local park and running all the way home across busy streets (my heart in my mouth).

Susanne Dunlap graduated from Smith College and later earned a PhD in music history from Yale University. She has taught music history at the college level, and is the author of two historical novels for adults.

Her novels for young readers include The Musician's Daughter, a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall of 2008, and the newly released Anastasia's Secret.

About Anastasia’s Secret:

The youngest grand duchess in the Russian imperial family comes of age during the revolution. Her family is imprisoned, conditions become worse and worse.

But Anastasia has a secret that she keeps from her family...

Visit Susanne Dunlap's website and blog, and become a Facebook fan.

--Marshal Zeringue