Fido and Friend in Five: Gary Schmidt!

Gary Schmidt

Lizzie Bright

I am epically excited today to share with you my Fido and Friend interview with one of my all-time favorite authors, Gary Schmidt! There are certain authors out there that you don't even hesitate to read their new book. You know, without a doubt, that what you are going to spend your time with is a work that is funny, insightful, heartbreaking, beautifully written, and will stay with you for a long time. That's the way I feel about Gary's work. So when my editor, Molly O'Neill sent me the jacket blurb Gary was kind enough to write for my book, A Dog's Way Home, I almost wept. Not only is Gary a multi-award winning author, but he's also just a super nice guy. And can I just say, I love the fact that he writes his drafts on a typewriter! Don't believe me? Watch the trailer at the bottom for his new book, Okay for Now. But before you scroll down to the bottom, let's ask Gary our Fido and Friend five:

The Wednesday Wars

1. How did you and your dogs find each other?  We went looking for border collie. We found one litter--and chose him because he would have been killed since he didn't have the desired markings--he has one blue eye and a brown eye. Then, when we were about to leave, we learned that another also didn't have the desired markings--a white collar that extends fully around the neck--and se we took him too.                                                                                                                                                    

2. What makes your dogs tails wag?  Surprisingly, not all that much. Border Collies are very judgmental. So, walking into the room at first light--that will set tails wagging. Asking if they want to go for a run. That, too. But they won't wag for food, or for mere entertainment.

3. What's your all-time favorite dog story?  (I am sorry to say, Gary is not a fan of novels about dogs, except, I'm happy to say, mine). Never liked the Lassie stories. They always seemed to revolve around  the fact that Lassie couldn't communicate to the stupid adults  that Timmy was in some sort of dreadful trouble. If you want a story, how about the border collie just written up in the NY Times who has a vocabulary of over a thousand words! Not bad!

4. If your dogs could change just one thing about you, what would it be?  I would be home all the time, and running them all the time, and finding some sheep for them to herd.

5. In five words, tell us what your dogs mean to you:  Health--physical, emotional, aesthetic, social.

Okay, now you can watch the book trailer for Gary's new book, Okay for Now. You'll get to see Gary practically cavorting with his border collies on the beautiful farm they share with Gary's wife and kids in Michigan.                                                
                                                  www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtv3UOi9HNg

In bookstores mid April

THANKS, GARY!