Dogs and their Writers - Part 2

By Olivia Levez

Welcome to Part 2 of my Dogs and their Writers post, featuring Diesel and his debut author Kathryn Evans, Mitzi and her writer, Amanda George, and Stanley Chester’s author Camilla Chester.

 First, a picture of Basil, who inspired Dog in my debut book The Island. 

I wrote my book over a teacher holiday one summer, and hid away from all internet and mobile reception in my caravan in West Wales. My only companion was my Jack Russell dog, so little by little I suppose it was only natural that he crept his way into my book as well as onto the bed. My teenage castaway Fran has Dog as her only companion on a desert island in the middle of the Indian Ocean...

If you look closely, he has even found his way onto the spine of my book!

Now to this week's dogs and their writers:

Diesel, and his writer, Kathryn Evans...

Diesel and Kathy among the strawberries

1.       Have you ever featured your pet dog in a book? Which and how? Not as a dog but his personality has definitely been hijacked – loyal, loving and a bit dim.

2.       Is your dog an essential part of your daily writing routine? In so many ways! How? He is always by my side when I’m writing. My office is also where I work for the farm so when people come in unannounced, and I’m acting out a scene from a book, I just pretend I’m talking to the dog! It’s a bit strange if I happen to be crying at the time. Also, when I have plot problems, we go for a walk to unstick them.  Never fails – though sometimes we have to go for very long walks… 

      Where does your dog like to be when you’re writing? In his stinky bed, by my feet. Unless one of the cats beat him to it and then I have to move the cat or Diesel makes his sad face.

3.       How does your dog help/inspire you in your life as a writer? I think it’s just having a companion, someone to talk to who just listens! You don’t need answers to work things out, you just need to go through the process of discussing them. Dogs are perfect for that. My cats just look at me as if I’m stupid then through all my papers on the floor. Diesel looks at me as if I’m brilliant, the best thing in the world.  It helps when you are convinced you can’t write for toffee!

4.       What does your dog think of your current WIP? How would s/he describe it?  There’s a cat in my bed. Is it walk time? Is it dinner time? Is it walk time? There’s a cat in my bed. Sorry, to be honest, he isn’t the brightest…

     I am sure that Diesel would like everyone to know that his writer has her debut book coming out in February, and that his writer is very brilliant indeed! I was lucky enough to critique the opening, and can't wait to read it.

Follow Kathy @mrsbung

Mitzi and her SCBWI writer, Amanda George

1.       Have you ever featured your pet dog in a book? Which and how?

One of my WIPs is based on Mitzi and she is going to donate the payments from that book straight to the Dogs Trust when a publisher takes it on… needs to be edited first though!

2.       Is your dog an essential part of your daily writing routine? How? Where does your dog like to be when you’re writing?

Mitzi is a vital part of my creativity!  She’s never far away whenever I’m writing and she just needs to look at me with her soft, brown eyes that somehow wakes my muse up!

This is me giving Amanda my 'you cannot be serious' look

3.       How does your dog help/inspire you in your life as a writer?

I can bounce ideas off her without her putting me down or telling me that I’m writing crud until it’s editing time when she sits on my right foot and yawns if it’s boring

4.       What does your dog think of your current WIP? 

Amanda writes terrible stuff during her first drafts so I just stay in my bed and dream of the editing times when she really takes my comments to heart and usually makes the changes I say about.  She sometimes reads her first drafts to me but I don’t take much notice until it’s finished and editing it… I can’t wait for her to edit my book!

Mitzi and her writer, Amanda

Stanley, and his writer, Camilla Chester

1.      Have you ever featured your pet dog in a book? Which and how?

My dog Stanley Chester is not featured as himself but I sneak in his name. He wheedles his way into every aspect of my life!

In my first book, which I am due to publish in the spring (JarredDreams) the creepy town where the book is set is named Stanbridge and one of the dreams is his (Stanley Chester’s dippity do dog circus with matching hats for all)

2.       Is your dog an essential part of your daily writing routine? How? Where does your dog like to be when you’re writing?

If I am on my own in the house then I always write at the table with Stanley next to me in his basket. Occasionally he will come and put his head on my knee. So gorgeous.

I walk dogs for a living so all my dogs help really as I use the time to think things through and might make voice notes into my phone as thoughts come to me.

3.       How does your dog help/inspire you in your life as a writer?

He believes in me and I love him. He is patient, non judgemental and loves it when I read my work out loud.

“Being the wise king was ok, but the crown didn’t taste as good as gravy bones.”

4.       What does your dog think of your current WIP? How would s/he describe it? 

Well, that Mummy HB is always click clacking away into the shiny thing. She’s telling stories. This one is about a boy called Lucas Larks who likes cooking (he can come and cook for me anytime – although he only makes veggie stuff which is not as good as sausages). Anyway, he goes to a big house and then tries to get out of it again. It all sounds a bit pointless if you ask me, but then all HBs are mad, so carry on.

You can read Stan’s blog here: http://thestanleydiaries.blogspot.co.uk

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