Katie Alender & Winston

Who is in the photo at right?

That would be me, Katie Alender, an author, and my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Winston. Winston is four years old and is my buddy and partner in just about everything I do.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Initially, I thought about walking Winston down to the local coffee shop and doing that thing where you tie the leash to the table and peacefully sip your coffee. But Winston doesn’t believe in being peaceful in public. Winston turns into a raving, yapping maniac—particularly if there are cars anywhere in the vicinity. A pet psychic told me that Winston wants to protect me from cars, but I actually think he wants to kill and eat them. When he was a puppy, a friend of mine who was dogsitting taught him to get really excited and chase shiny lights, and the reflections on cars drive him wild.

Plus, it’s pretty hot, and Winston’s not exactly an athlete.

Instead, I decided to haul dog and coffee out onto our balcony, which overlooks the backyard and the San Fernando Valley. Winston doesn’t get to spend a lot of time out there, because he tends to eat anything that ends up there, including dead bees and occasionally live bees. So I did a bee-check and we headed out. He really enjoys it—just sits in his bed, watches the birds and the cars going by.

Typically, I’ll just take my coffee to my desk and drink it while I check my email, but I’d just sent something off to my editor and was in that very zen moment where you can’t do anything but wait. Although I did make some story notes.

What's brewing?

In my household, we’re good old-fashioned morning coffee folks. I never drink coffee in the afternoon or at night. We use Don Francisco ground coffee with Splenda and organic half & half (yes, I realize how ironic that is).

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

A cheese and butter sandwich on wheat bread. If I had remembered to buy sandwich meat at the grocery store, it would have been a ham and cheese sandwich. Hey, some people drink coffee in the afternoon—I have a ham sandwich for breakfast.

Any treat for Winston on this occasion?

Yes, and in fact, I almost destroyed the togetherness of the occasion by giving Winston one of his highly coveted White Bites. As soon as I gave it to him, he looked at me as if I might try to take it and ran off to eat it by himself on the rug. Eventually he came back and chilled with me.

How did Winston get his name?

It was actually really odd. Winston’s coloring (chestnut and white) is called “Blenheim.” When my husband spent a semester in the UK in college, he visited Blenheim Palace, which is where Winston Churchill was born. So he made that connection, and I was like, “Um, okay.” The name suits him very well!

Does Winston have any tricks?

Oh, Winston is MUCH more than just a pretty face! He’s a very fast learner and loves to work on tricks. We clicker-train, which I recommend for anyone wanting to teach their dog new behaviors. Winston can sit, stay, lie down, leave it, shake, high-five, double-high-five, spin, walk in a circle around me, play dead, swat kisses that are blown at him, and “go say hi.”

He learned “go say hi” when I was working on the dog show—he came to the office with me every day from the time he was 8 weeks old. We had a gate at the office door, and when someone came by, we apparently would say, “Go say hi!” I don’t know exactly how we realized it, but even if he’s asleep, you can say, “Go say hi!” and he’ll get up and run to the nearest door.

We took one Agility class, and Winston rocked, but it aggravated a back injury he got when he jumped off a too-high surface last year. So no more of that. But he loves to work on training. And I highly recommend clicker-training for anyone—my neighbor borrowed a clicker and a book of dog tricks from me and has taught her 16-year-old cat to sit, stay, sit up, jump over a stick… it’s unreal. Anyone with a dog has no excuse.

How did Winston come to be united with you?

Winston came from a breeder in Orange County. (The OC!) He’s our first dog.

So he’s a purebred?

Yes, he is a purebred, which I know isn’t for everyone. But I actually spent the past five years producing dog shows for TV (like in the mockumentary “Best In Show”), so it’s my opinion that there’s a time and place for purebred dogs. I’ll share that opinion with you, if you don’t mind.

In a perfect world, dogs wouldn’t be having puppies willy-nilly—and if their breeding is controlled, then there are naturally going to be breeders controlling it.

If we had to choose between a population of dogs brought about by caring breeders (I don’t mean puppy mills!) and a population of mutts who breed indiscriminately, I choose caring breeders over the people who just can’t be bothered to neuter their pets.

Good breeders (and I’ve met tons and tons of good breeders) care so much about the dogs—their health and their character. They’ve turned their lives upside down to get happy, healthy dogs. They do health testing, they do temperament testing. The thing is, some breeds are exactly right for some families—and when a family gets a dog that’s a perfect match for them, the chances are much slimmer that the dog will end up in a shelter.

All that being said, now that I’m an experienced dog owner, I would definitely be open to getting a mixed breed dog. But I also know that you have to really do your homework when you get any pet. I never want to bring a dog into my home believing less than 100% that it will be the dog’s forever home—which is why it’s so important to find the right dog.

What’s your favorite thing about dogs?

I’m awed by the relationship of dogs and people—two species who actually evolved together (you can blame your lame hunting skills on the fact that your ancient ancestors started relying on their dogs’ good hearing and sense of smell instead of their own!).

I love watching Winston take in the world around him—and watching him work to communicate with me. Just little things like eye contact, body language… it’s completely fascinating.

What does having a dog mean to you?

Having Winston around means I’m never alone. He is truly my companion.

A woman we interviewed once for the dog shows said that the purpose of pets is to teach us how to love deeply and then live with loss. I know that every day Winston feels safe, fed, comfortable, and loved is a perfect day for him. It’s a privilege and a joy to be able to provide that for him—and he pays me back with loyalty, devotion, and unconditional love. What more could I ask for?

Kristina Riggle, author of “Real Life & Liars,” said that Alender's recently published YA novel “'Bad Girls Don’t Die' had me ripping through the pages at the end and kept me up way too late.” Eileen Cook, author of “What Would Emma Do?,” called “Bad Girls Don’t Die” an “intriguing mix of compelling and creepy, ... not to be missed. Ghosts, friendship, romance, and family all weave together in a puzzle that will keep you reading until the very end.”

Learn more about the author, her writing, and Winston, at Katie Alender's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Krista Davis & Han, Buttercup, and Queenie

Who is in the photo at right?

Left to right, we have Han trying to convince me that he deserves a treat. We're not sure what he is, but we know he's big. He may have some Black and Tan Coonhound, Springer Spaniel (I know, that's hard to see), and/or Bernese Mountain Dog in him. I'm next--Krista Davis. I write the Domestic Diva Mystery series. My most recent release is "The Diva Takes the Cake." The little white dog is Buttercup, a Jack Russell mix. The red one who's being deceptively well behaved is Queenie, a Golden Retriever, who isn't golden and won't retrieve.

What is their most intimate involvement with coffee?

They've all had little tastes of Häagen-Dazs coffee ice cream.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I don't need much of an occasion for coffee with the canines. They've convinced me that they require a cheese snack every afternoon, which gives me an excuse to indulge, too.

What's brewing?

I'm a hot tea with sugar and milk kind of person. My recent favorite is Newman's Own Organic Black Tea. But it's hot outside today, so iced tea with a hint of raspberry and no sugar hits the spot.

Any goodies to go with the coffee ice cream and iced tea?

Always. There's the cheese, of course. But Sophie (my protagonist) isn't the only one who bakes. I've been into cupcakes this summer. But now that blueberries and raspberries are ripe, I'm shifting into fruit tart mode.

Any treat for the dogs on this occasion?

Cheese, of course!

I also keep a cookie jar in the kitchen, and they know where it is. For some strange reason, they think they must have a dog cookie every time they enter the house, and they cluster at the counter where the cookie jar sits, just to be sure I don't forget.

Where do you usually take Queenie, Han, and Buttercup out for fresh air?

We live in the country, so they can romp around off-leash. They like to hang out with me when I'm writing, but we go for a couple of walks every day on a path through the woods.

Would they rather chase a squirrel, a cat, a car, their tails, the mailman, ...?

Buttercup thinks it's her job to chase squirrels. Queenie, true to her bird dog roots, barks at the huge vultures that fly by from their home on a nearby cliff. And last year, she surprised me by catching a groundhog that had been tormenting the dogs. Han was very proud of himself when he caught a raccoon, but he didn't know what to do with it once he had it. Fortunately, it scampered off when he released it.

Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick, ...?

I've always had dogs and have thrown many, many balls and sticks. This is the first time I have ever had dogs who aren't interested in fetching. Queenie and Han do like a good game of tug of war, though. And Han swims like a fish.

What do the dogs of a domestic diva eat?

One of my dogs is allergic to grains. That means no corn, soy, wheat, or rice. It's hard to find dog food without any of those ingredients. So the vet took us off commercial dog food, and my dogs eat pretty much what we eat. Or what we should eat. Lots of potatoes, sweet potatoes, lentils, meats, and veggies. They love watermelon! Queenie is notorious for pulling raspberries and blueberries off bushes to eat them. And if I don't watch like a hawk, Han and Queenie help themselves to cucumbers and tomatoes in the garden.

How did the dogs come to be united with you?

We intended to adopt a Golden Retriever. Queenie was selected because of her strawberry blonde fur and outgoing personality.

I'm sorry to say that someone abandoned Buttercup, Han and seven of his siblings. They were so small that Buttercup towered over them. I couldn't take those sweet puppies to the shelter, so they stayed in my laundry room until we found homes for them. Four of them went to New Hampshire, so if you live there and have a dog who looks like Han, it might be one of his siblings. Poor Buttercup was scared to death. She watched me so carefully, with a worried face. The first night, she went from one puppy to the next, like she was counting them and checking to be sure everyone was okay. But since she was an adult, I let her out to play with Queenie the next morning. I'll never forget how happy Buttercup was to discover Queenie's big dog bed and giant chew bone. Queenie adopted Buttercup immediately and never once growled at her over toys or bones. They still eat out of the same bowl if one finishes a meal sooner. BFF!

How did the dogs get their names?

Queenie's mother was named Lady Ruby so we felt a royal name was in order. I wasn't crazy about the name Queenie, but she's been so gracious toward the other dogs and is such a lovely leader of the pack, that now I think it's the perfect name for her. Naming Buttercup was hard. She was an adult when we found her, so she clearly had a name before. Even though she was sweet with the puppies, she was all rascally Jack Russell. When one of my friends suggested "Buttercup" we knew it was just right. Han had a sister who looked amazingly like him, hence Hansel and Gretel.

"The Diva Takes the Cake," Krista Davis's second Domestic Diva Mystery, is now available in bookstores everywhere.

Reviewer David Marshall James says "Davis has devised a delightful romp, with engaging characters and a nicely crafted setting in which to place them."

Watch the video for "The Diva Takes the Cake."

Learn more about Krista and her canines (and feline) at her website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Julia Buckley & Simon

Who is in the photo at right?

That's me, Julia Buckley, a mystery writer and English teacher, and Simon. Simon is half Jack Russell, half Beagle. He is officially my son’s dog, because we got him as a birthday present when my son turned seven, but Simon decided long ago that he loved me best. We might conclude that this is because I feed him, walk him, and talk to him. My sons do that too—sometimes.

Do you have Coffee with Simon?

I must admit I don’t drink coffee and never have, although I love the smell of coffee brewing. That admission lost me a job at Starbucks when I was young. But my husband is a coffee addict and Simon knows that the minute he smells those Colombian grounds percolating in the morning, food and water will be available—and maybe the occasional extra scrambled eggs.

How did Simon come to be united with you?

My son had longed for a dog ever since he could talk (which was early). He would always trap me into “I love dogs” conversations. When he was about four, he asked me what a “feline” was. I said, “That’s another name for a cat—a sort of scientific name. The name for a dog is ‘canine.’” And without a pause he said, “Awww. I wish I had a canine.”

So I scoured the papers looking at dogs for many months before Ian’s seventh birthday, and found that dogs, especially purebreds, are expensive! Then I found a little kennel about an hour and a half from us that had reduced the price on Beagle/Russell puppies because they were six months old. So I guess you could say I chose Simon because he was on sale. I am ever thrifty.

How did Simon get his name?

We named him in the car on the way home. We said that Ian could choose, because it was his birthday, and then we started listing suggestions, starting with men’s names, because the dog was male. We got to the name Simon, and Ian said, “That’s it. His name is Simon.”

If only I were that decisive.

Where do you usually take Simon out for fresh air?

We have a big and wonderful back yard that is Simon’s domain. We can let him out there to bask in the sun, chase the dog next door (they run along the fence, as you can see in the picture at left), or snap at gnats. He hates them with doggie passion.

We also take him for walks around the neighborhood or (rarely) to a park.

Is Simon's bark worse than his bite?

Yes. He barks and howls, like Snoopy. But he is a total faker, as we see whenever visitors come over. Those who take the time to pet him find that he falls in love easily.

He only bit anyone once, and it was because I read something on the internet, one of those “how come” sort of philosophical lists people send around, that said “How come dogs love sticking their heads out the windows, but they hate it when people blow in their faces?”

I read this to my sons to make them laugh, but of COURSE my boys decided to immediately go and blow in the dog’s face. My little one was only about three years old, and I think Simon couldn’t decide what he was exactly, and when Graham squatted and blew in Simon’s face, Simon snapped. It was very instinctive, and only one of his teeth caught Graham on the lower lip, but WOW—you wouldn’t believe the blood. And then Graham touched his mouth, and cried and screamed and walked around the house touching the walls, and it was like the set of Macbeth.

Graham recovered quickly and didn’t need any treatment other than some Neosporin, but poor Simon looked like he felt guilty all day.

Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick, ...?

Simon loves tennis balls, and he’ll even bring one back to you. The problem is getting him to give it up.

Would Simon rather chase a squirrel, a cat, a car, his tail, the mailman, ...?

Squirrels, yes, and birds and rabbits. And other dogs. We live on the alley, and so every dog walker in tarnation comes past our house, and Simon has a busy time of it, running through the shrubbery and pursuing those passing canines.

Which TV dog is Simon most similar to?

He has standard Beagle coloring and features, so he looks a lot like Shiloh; but the Russell in him makes him slimmer than the average Beagle, and his snout is narrower, and sometimes he reminds me of Wishbone, from PBS.

What's the most embarrassing thing Simon ever did?

Simon does a lot of things that can be termed disgusting, because what he loves to smell the most are the things we like to smell the least. So the most embarrassing things I can’t even print here. But I’ll give you a vague idea: one Thanksgiving we had a big extended family gathering at my parents’ house. Five children and all of their spouses and children. My parents are very traditional, very Norman Rockwell, and at one point they asked us all to join in a big family prayer. We were all there in silence, thanking God, and Simon inserted himself into our midst, began rolling around on his back (which always itches) and moaning loudly while he did so. A bit distracting.

Then, at dinner, my husband shot me a look that said, “Emergency!” I looked over to see Simon trotting down the stairs toward the table with something he’d dug out of the upstairs bathroom garbage. We’ll leave it at that. I managed to get it from him before people noticed and were horrified.

What's the weirdest experience you've ever had with Simon?

Simon is officially "married," because a nearby town recently sponsored a dog wedding. I kid you not. A friend of mine at the high school wanted to make a documentary about it, so he asked if Simon would "marry" his miniature Pinscher, whose name was Bina. We said okay. When we got there we found that Simon was one of the few dogs not in a costume. Some people were taking this wedding VERY seriously and spending a lot on tuxes, dresses, "just married" mobiles. It was rather surreal.

When the pets got married, they had to walk down this white carpet together and then receive their certificate. It seemed every dog was so polite and well-trained, except for mine, who bucked and strained on his leash and walked backward down the carpet while he scanned the crowd for me. You can see in the photo that he looks absolutely horrified, while his bride looks downright disgusted with him. Some beagles just aren't meant for marriage, and he and Bina haven't talked since.

Has Simon worked his way into any of your writing?

He has. In my latest novel (currently with my agent and awaiting its fate), the protagonist lives alone with a Beagle, and Simon was utterly the inspiration for all of that little fellow’s behaviors. If the book sells, I’ll have to give Simon a small take. Or at least a hamburger or something.

“The Dark Backward” was Julia Buckley’s first mystery and is available at your local bookseller. Her novel “Madeline Mann” was called “A bright debut” by Kirkus, and Library Journal has dubbed her “a writer to watch.” She posts at three online blogs: Mysterious Musings, Poe’s Deadly Daughters, and The Inkspot.

--Marshal Zeringue

Nic Papalia & Lindy

Who is that in the photo at right?

That's me, Nic Papalia, President of the West Australian Dingo Association, and Lindy, my pet dingo. Lindy is 8 years old and a very gentle, friendly, and lovely dingo. She is a great ambassador for her kind.

Lindy is an Alpine dingo – there are only around 130-140 of them in the wild – and they live inside the Kosciusko National Park.

What's brewing?

I enjoy a flat white with no sugar.

We have been in talks with a man who has a company selling coffee from Vanuatu and have requested a dingo coffee label to highlight awareness of the plight of the dingo in Australia.

What about Lindy's coffee?

Lindy enjoys coffee if there is sugar in it!

How did Lindy come to be united with you?

I first visited Bruce Jacobs' Dingo Farm outside of Melbourne some 15 years ago. I was unaware of the plight of the dingo and a product of media persecution of the species. I knew the over-publicized Chamberlain case story which almost wiped the dingo population out. Bruce asked me to lay on the ground and I had 100 dingoes lay sit and stand next to and on me in an almost religious experience. I knew then I had to do something to try and correct the great wrong that has been permeated around and about the dingo and try to do all I can to help save the species from extinction. I was instrumental in forming the WA Dingo Association and also organised a friend to help create the website.

Then about 8 years ago I bought Lindy from Bruce Jacobs' farm. I paid $850 (Australian) for her when she was 3 weeks old.

How did Lindy get her name?

Lindy has the same name as Mrs. Chamberlain, irony is a strange thing!

Dingoes are canines but are of a different sub-species than dogs, right?

Dingoes are not domesticated animals – they can be humanised and, with the correct love and care, make wonderful companions.

A dingo is a wolf (canis lupis dingo), not a domestic dog (canis familiaris). They have a disposition more like that of a cat than a regular pooch.

You say "a disposition more like that of a cat than a regular pooch" but there aren't too many surfer cats out there....

That's Lindy the ‘surfie dingo, in the photo at right, with my son Adam at Meelup Beach.

I would ask if Lindy's bark is worse than her bite but...

Dingoes don’t bark. Also, they have no smell or odour. Dingoes have a scent gland in their tail and a double line of whiskers on their nose which are faint but pronounced. Dingoes come in tan, white and black and tan. There are different types of dingoes due to the evolution and surrounding landscape.

Which cinematic character does the dingo most closely resemble?

Dingoes are Australia's top land predator – they are our LION KING – keeping everything in the ecosystem balanced and harmonious. Fox, cat, pig and goat numbers are kept in line by the dingo; the kangaroo numbers are kept in balance, too, which stops the defoliation of Australia.

What about Lindy's own television career?

We have made a documentary about the dingo with Jon Lewis on "Time With Jon" which has been shown across Australia on many TV stations.

A narrow range of Lindy's media talents are on display in this video.

It seems like Lindy is quite the celebrity.

In 2004 Lindy accompanied me on a car trip with two friends to Alice Springs where we met Jim Cotterill and Dinky the singing dingo, and John Hogan, the man who has Donna, the world's only hearing guide dingo. It was quite a meeting in Alice Springs: a dingo from the west, the centre and the east. The three dingoes were on the front page of the Alice Springs newspaper and there was a horde of journalists and people at the train station to record and experience this remarkable event.

Lindy has also been on all of the Perth community paper covers.

I have given 28 radio interviews across Australia in the last 12 months on the importance of saving the dingo from extinction; the ABC radio interview was listened to, I was told, by a million listeners.

Wild dingoes are at high risk of extinction due to extermination projects funded by the Australian government and certain rural lobbies. Learn more about dingoes at the West Australian Dingo Association website and its MySpace page.

--Marshal Zeringue

Kaye Barley & Harley

Who is in the photo at right?

That's me and Harley. My name's Kaye Barley. Harley and I live with my husband Donald in Boone, NC, which is a small town in the Western Carolina mountains. When I'm not working, I'm "Mistress of Meanderings and Muses," a terrific little blog which recently had a virtual party in celebration of welcoming 10,000 visitors. And that's after having been around for less than eight months. I'm pretty proud of that, and over the moon proud of Meanderings and Muses where we host writers and fans from the mystery/crime fiction community as guest bloggers. While most of us have roots in the crime fiction world, our conversations at M&M are all over the place. It's fun and it's interesting, and I hope some of your readers will stop by for a visit. You never know who you'll see there, or what we'll be chatting about.

What's your dog's name, gender, age, breed?

Harley's full name is Harley Doodle Barley. We added the "Doodle" 'cause he was born on the 4th of July, 2005. (We sorta changed the song to "he's a Harley Doodle Barley ... born on the 4th of July." Silly, silly, I know).

We named him Harley 'cause Donald has always wanted a Harley. This one, sadly enough, is the only one we can afford. Now, while Donald may not be able to hop on and ride this Harley on the open road like he could a Harley-Davidson, I'm doubting very much he'd ever love a motorcycle as much as he loves this little Corgi.

There are two types of Corgis - Pembrokes and Cardigans, and ours is a Pembroke. They're the ones without a tail. Tasha Tudor always owned Corgis when she was living - sometimes as many as 14 at a time and here's what she said about them in The Private World of Tasha Tudor - "They're such characters - a mixture of a dog and a cat, I think. They especially don't like to be scolded in public. They talk back; they growl and show their teeth and pretend they're frightfully savage. However, they never criticize. You're always beautiful to them."

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

The occasion is just a lovely Sunday morning at home. Early morning is a favorite time of day at our house. We are suckers for a sunrise, and a North Carolina mountain sunrise can be pretty spectacular.

What's brewing?

What's brewing is organic Costa Rican medium roast from Higher Grounds. Pressed. Served in pretty pottery mugs hand made by a local Boone potter. A little sugar and a dollop of Half & Half, please.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Still warm from the oven blueberry muffins made with local hand picked blueberries. Slathered with butter.

Any treat for Harley on this occasion?

Well, of course! A brand new bacon flavored chew bone which not only makes him happy, but helps keep his teeth clean.

How did Harley come to be united with you?

Donald and I had two cats. George and Martha. We got George and Martha at the Humane Society the day we returned home from our honeymoon. George graced us with his presence for 15 years, and Martha for 18. Losing them was, of course, heartbreaking and the saddest thing ever. Coming home from work to an empty house with no little loving furry creatures to greet us was also heartbreaking, but we just weren't quite ready for new kitties, so decided maybe it was time for a dog. We had met a couple of Corgis and thought they were very cool, very smart and just the right size for our little house. We found a woman in South Carolina who raised Corgis so we planned a "meet and greet." Obviously, it went well. I cannot imagine life without Harley. Vacation now means finding a place to stay that is "dog friendly," but that's not as difficult as we thought it might be. We've even imposed on friends and family when we've visited, and so far Harley has shown himself to be an exemplary house guest and minds his manners nicely.

Where do you usually take Harley out for fresh air?

We live in the wilderness and have a little bit of land. While walks with me are pretty boring for Harley, walks with Donald are a great adventure. They usually take a walk or two every day exploring. He has a pond he occasionally jumps into and he has a creek he loves to cross. He also has a huge fenced in area that he can get into simply by walking out the back door and off the deck. It's his own little world out there with some open space where he can run, and a big flat rock [photo, right] which he has claimed as his own special place to just sit and "be," and there's an area that has lots of trees and is shady.

Where is the best nearby dog park?

There is a dog park in town - about 12 miles away from where we live, but we haven't been there. Harley takes after his mom and dad and is a bit of a homebody.

Is Harley's bark worse than his bite?

Pfft. Yes. Yes it is. He has a really, really loud bark. And he does everything Tasha Tudor wrote - he talks back; he growls and shows his teeth and pretends he's frightfully savage. And totally cracks us up in the process. But of course, we tell him we're scared to death and that his every wish is our command.

Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick, ...?

Stick. Harley loves to chase a stick. And most of the time he'll bring it back and expect it to be thrown again. When he gets tired of that game, he'll just lay down and eat the stick.

Would Harley rather chase a squirrel, a cat, a car, his tail, the mailman, ...?

Well, he doesn't have a tail...

I think he likes to chase rabbits the best. We have a lot of rabbits living around our house. But they are smart and they are fast, so so far they've been safe.

Would Harley rather catch a squirrel, a cat, a car, his tail, the mailman, ...?

I think actually he's pretty happy when he catches the mailman. If the mailman will scratch his belly.

Which TV dog is Harley most similar to?

Oh my - that would have to be Lassie, wouldn't it?! He is very brave and very smart and would somehow figure out how to pull us out of a well, should that need ever occur. I'm sure of it.

What's the most embarrassing thing Harley ever did?

Well. He burps. Big man sized burps. Gobbles up his dinner, sits down, looks you dead in the eye and burps.

Learn more about Kaye Barley and Harley--and see more photographs of the corgi--at Meanderings and Muses.

--Marshal Zeringue

Kristina Riggle & Lucky

Who is in the photo at right?

That's me, Kristina Riggle, a writer and occasional freelance journalist and my dog, Lucky. Lucky is going on two years old, he's a boy, and our best estimation as to his breed is that he's a border terrier-chihuahua mix. It's hard to tell from this picture, but he weighs 12 pounds and is about the size of a largeish cat. His coat is wiry, which is good for my husband's allergies. Another distinctive feature is a curlicue tail which makes a complete circle in its normal, happy-dog position.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Lucky and I took a walk to our local coffee/ice cream/car wash place (yes, really, drive-through or walk-up service) because tonight is the launch party for my debut novel ("Real Life & Liars") and it seemed like a nice, relaxing thing to do before all the excitement.

What's brewing?

I don't normally go for frou-frou coffee but it's so bloody hot here, today. It's not even noon and it's already almost 90 degrees, so I ordered a frozen blended drink. But it is mocha flavored, so at least slightly reminiscent of actual coffee.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Not this time! So hot I don't have much appetite (or maybe it's launch party nerves).

Any treat for Lucky on this occasion?

I gave him a dog treat upon our arrival home for being a good sport while trying to take our picture. Too much "people food" makes him barf, and he always seems to do that when I'm the only one home to clean it up.

How did Lucky come to be united with you?

I was initially against getting a dog. I was always a cat person, and anyway, I felt I had my hands plenty full with our toddler and older son. But I relented after my book deal, partly because my husband has been so supportive of my writing career, I felt it was a way to repay him. Also, my son really wanted a dog. The things we do for our kids.

At first I was too skittish about adopting a rescue dog, fearing unpredictability. But after some more research, testimony from friends, and the sticker-shock of a purebred border terrier, we found Lucky via petfinder.com, identified as a border terrier mix who was good with kids and already housetrained. He was seven months old at the time.

Now I'm really glad we adopted a dog and I would recommend the same for anyone. Also, look at that face! He's so cute.

How did Lucky get his name?

My son Sam named him. We surprised Sam with the dog; my husband went by himself to go pick the dog up. As soon as Sam saw him, he lit up with pure joy and said, "I'll name him Lucky, hi Lucky!" and that was that. Sam had been reading a bedtime story about a boy with a dog named Lucky. I always liked the name Frodo for a dog, so in my next book, I named a dog Frodo (and also gave Lucky a role in the book, too!).

Where do you usually take Lucky out for fresh air?

We go around the block, usually with my son on his bike and my 2-year-old daughter Avery in the stroller. He also likes to harass the squirrels and birds in our backyard, and there's mutual harassment going on with the feral cats who live in a patch of woods behind our fenced-in yard. They taunt him from just the other side of the fence.

Where is the best nearby dog park?

I'm too nervous to take him, because as a novice dog owner, I'm just not good at knowing when harmless roughhousing turns serious. Also, Lucky has a bit of "short guy syndrome" and he can only be friendly with a bigger dog for about 30 seconds before getting intimidated and trying to nip. Since most dogs are bigger, that can be a problem. I need the Dog Whisperer's help with this one!

Is Lucky's bark worse than his bite?

Oh much worse. He has a deep voice for such a little dog and everyone's surprised by it. He sounds terribly fierce but he's actually very cuddly and friendly (except with bigger dogs, see above).

Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick, ...?

Lucky loves to chase a stick, but then he sits down to eat it. We're working on "fetch."

Would Lucky rather chase a squirrel, a cat, a car, his tail, the mailman, ...?

Squirrel, no contest. And we have lots of them.

Would Lucky rather catch a squirrel, a cat, a car, his tail, the mailman, ...?

He does his best to catch those squirrels and frankly I hope the squirrels always stay one step ahead of him.

Which TV dog is Lucky most similar to?

He has his "Lassie" moments where he barks up a storm, runs to us and then whines and dances around in place, making this face: "Timmy fell down the well! You've gotta do something!" though he's typically just alerting us to some dangerous interloper like the paperboy or another neighborhood dog walking by. Or a squirrel.

What's the most embarrassing thing Lucky ever did?

I don't know if it's embarrassing really, but he gave us all a fright shortly after we got him when he dashed out through our back fence, which my son had left open only briefly. I suddenly heard Sam screaming Lucky's name frantically and I ran out to find Sam in tears and hysterical because he'd run away. We already had a microchip in him so I tried to reassure Sam we'd find him. Meanwhile, our lovely neighbor had heard the commotion and she and my husband ran off to search the neighborhood. Some OTHER lovely neighbors had seen him wandering, knew he was lost, and had scooped him up. They were carrying him when the first neighbor saw him. All told, he was only gone about five or ten minutes, but I had to admit those five or ten minutes were agonizing, even for me, a supposed cat person.

Groucho Marx said, "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read." Was he right?

I'll take his word for it. Lucky is too small for any books except maybe mass market paperbacks.

"'Real Life & Liars', Kristina Riggle's sumptuous and rich debut novel, examines the complications that arise in family and marriage, love and heartbreak," according to New York Times bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch. "With lush writing and nuanced, relatable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who has ever been both grateful and driven mad by the people they love most: their family."

Visit Kristina Riggle's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Chris Knopf & Sam

Who’s the guy with the dog?

That would be me. I’m Chris Knopf, writer of the Hamptons Mystery series and partner in Mintz & Hoke Communications Group. The dog’s name is Sam, after Samuel Beckett, another famous Irish existentialist. Sam’s a 9-year-old soft-coated Wheaten terrier, not a schnauzer or a cock-a-poodle, as some have alleged. And it’s advisable not to make that mistake in front of Sam. That and talking birds are the only things that piss him off.

You obviously have a coffee routine with Sam.

I do. Every weekend, my wife and I walk Sam into Southampton Village where we sit on a park bench and drink the uniquely delicious flavored coffee served by the Golden Pear. Sam entertains children and other passersby and barks at black pickup trucks, because a dog in the bed of a similar vehicle once barked at him and now he thinks all black pickup trucks are, in fact, dogs themselves. I’ve yet to convince him otherwise.

What is Sam’s most intimate involvement with coffee?

He’s had some, which he seemed to like quite a bit. My wife’s father lived to be 98 years old secure in the belief that dogs should be fed at the table. His daughter, on the other hand, felt the exact opposite. A titanic war of wills ensued. At one meal, she’d successfully blocked offerings of roast chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and vanilla ice cream. But then, exhausted from the struggle, failed to see him slip a full cup of black coffee under Sam’s nose.

Ever since, whenever I pour myself a hearty mug of joe, you can see in Sam just a hint of distant longing.

What is Sam’s nationality?

He’s a Canadian, born in Toronto. This evidences itself in his generally easy-going nature, resistance to intense cold and preference for government subsidized health care. I was recently in Toronto on a publicity tour for my books, and made the mistake of revealing his roots to an interviewer. From there on out it was, “Okay, okay, enough about the books. Tell us more about the dog, eh?”

Sam must have found his way into your mysteries.

He did indeed, nearly in whole cloth. Sam Acquillo, one of my protagonists (no relation), has a dog named Eddie Van Halen. I got the name from my son, who growing up had a few imaginary friends, Eddie Van Halen being prominent among them. Eddie doesn’t look anything like Sam the dog. Eddie’s a mutt, with strong German Shepard leanings. He also gets to run free. Sam has to stay inside a fenced in yard. In every other respect they’re exactly the same. I did this to save my strength for making up things about the human characters, who are far simpler, but more plentiful.

So Sam’s a pure bred?

Unfortunately, yes. The concept behind pedigree dogs is people think they’re designing the exactly perfect animal for some special circumstance. What they’re actually doing is providing a solid revenue stream to the veterinarian industry. The healthiest dogs in the world are the ones you see around those gigantic mountains of garbage in third world countries where they team up with women and children to scavenge for food. This is Darwin at his best. These dogs get to breed with whoever they want, eat whatever they want, and get lots of exercise playing tug of war with rotting chicken carcasses. Sam gets plenty of exercise, but is only allowed to eat specially prepared food from a severely restricted menu and his breeding days never quite got off the ground before we turned him into a castrato.

You mentioned exercise. Does Sam like to play catch?

I tried to introduce him to the concept when he was a puppy. The first time I tossed a ball he chased it, since he’d never seen a ball before and likely mistook it for some form of strange rodent. But after he picked it up in his mouth, he immediately dropped it, realizing it was not only inedible, but clearly part of some cruel hoax. The second time I tossed the ball he just looked at me as if to say, “Look, it was your idea to throw the damn thing. You want it that bad, go get it yourself.”

Then he probably isn’t big on tricks.

He only has one trick, which my wife taught him. He smiles for his highly-refined, special-order, million dollar treats. This is cute as hell in person, but when we try to capture it on film, he looks like a rabid, snarling hound from hell. Which he’s anything but.

So he’s friendly.

To a fault. You get the feeling that he’d gladly go off with any human being that bent down to pet his head, without looking back. What he doesn’t know is that not all households stock his special food, allow him the run of the furniture, have fully-fenced-in yards and provide their pets unrestricted access to the Internet.

"Hard Stop," Chris Knopf's fourth and latest Hamptons Mystery novel, is now available from booksellers everywhere. One reviewer called protagonist Sam Acquillo an "appealing hero" who is complemented by "a colorful entourage that includes endearing Eddie, the anti-Marley dog, mak[ing] for a lively and entertaining mix."

Learn more about Sam and Chris at Chris Knopf's website.

--Marshal Zeringue