Fido and Friend in Five: Sydney Salter!

Sydney Salter

Have I mentioned we have an embarrassment of riches here in the local author department in Utah? Well, we do! And today you'll get to meet another one, Sydney Salter, and her dogs, Jack and Rosie. You need to know two things about Sydney: 1) she is one of the hardest working writers I've ever known--she NEVER gives up and she never stops working! And 2) she's one of the few people I know who has more animals in her home than I do. She not only has these two enormous dogs, but she also has an assortment of cats and turtles and I don't know what-all. But that's because she has a very big heart and (I'm assuming) patient husband. Oh, and did I mention she has two charming daughters AND is the Utah/Idaho SCBWI Regional Advisor?

Like me, Sydney writes for both teens and middle graders. Her funny, touching first book, My Big Nose and Other Disasters was closely followed by an exciting middle-grade Jungle Crossings.  Her latest teen novel is Swoon at Your Own Risk.  Have I mentioned that Sydney is really, really good at titles?

                                                                  
So let's meet Sydney and her two Bernese Mountain dogs, Jack and Rosie!

1.How did you and your dogs find each other?  I didn't grow up with dogs, so I didn't really understand them. Having lived all my life with cats, dogs seemed too needy. Kind of loud and messy...so I ignored my family's pleas for canine companions, until I started researching Alaskan sled dogs for a story. I realized that dogs are amazing animals! So knowing that dogs like packs, I insisted that we add two to our family: Bernese Mountain dog siblings, Jack and Rosie            

2. What's your all-time favorite dog story?  As a child, I loved The Incredible Journey, but I was focused on the Siamese cat. Where the Red Fern Grows made me cry and cry and cry. Recently, I've loved Because of Winn Dixie and The Underneath (I still love cats too!). Oh and Hondo and Fabian is my absolute favorite picture book!

3) If your dogs could change one thing about you, what would it be?  My dogs would like more tasting samples as they lounge in my kitchen, chins resting on their paws, watching me cook. Their keen attention make me feel like Rachel Ray!

Sydney and very large friends!

4)  What makes your dogs tails wag?  The word "waffle" (I always bake extra for them). To be fair, Rosie wags her tail for nearly anything or anyone--even the vet!

5)  In five words, tell us what your dogs mean to you:  Huge hairy loving couch companions!

Thanks so much for stopping by Rosie, Jack and Sydney! To find out more about Sydney, her books, and to follow her most excellent blog (did I mention she's a great blogger?), visit her at www.sydneysalter.com
www.mybignose.blogspot.com