Fido and Friend in Five: Liz Kessler and Poppy!

What is it about mermaids that enchants us so? Is it the magical realm of that world below, so very different from ours? Is it the freedom of swimming underwater forever, half naked? Or perhaps it's the salt water in our bodies that make us long for the sea. Whatever it is, Liz Kessler tapped right into the heart of that longing in her wonderful Emily Windsnap series! It resonated so far and wide and well, it was number 10 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2007. I read the first one, The Tail of Emily Windsnap, several years ago and was hooked. Here was this twelve-year-old girl who lives alone with her mother on a boat by the seaside, and she discovers (quite by accident) that she's half mermaid. That was my dream! When I was five, I spent an awful lot of time in the bathtub, trying to grow a tail. Didn't work out too well for me.

But Liz has lived at least part of that dream. She's lived in a boat by the sea, just like Emily Windsnap, and she gets to live vicariously through Emily's mermaid adventures. And so do her lucky readers, like me. There have been four books in the Windsnap series, with a fifth one on the way. Liz also wrote the Philippa Fisher series. Liz had a new book come out last year, A Year Without Autumn, to rave reviews.

Philippa Fisher

Liz grew up in Southport, in the north west of England. Like Augusta Scattergood, Liz started her writing career at the tender age of eight, writing poetry. You can read one of her childhood poems on her website. It's titled "Naughtiness." I really like that about her.

Liz now lives in a lovely little town in Cornwall with her sweet dalmation, Poppy. Liz exercises her inner mermaid by surfing, body boarding, and boating. She also is a passionate photographer and loves doing 'poi'--twirling batons that are aflame. You can see her do that on her website! Really!

Comfortable, Poppy?

1. How did you and Poppy find each other?  Poppy came into my life about five years ago, when she was two and I was...a bit older than that! She moved in with me, and has made herself very comfortable in my life ever since!


2. What makes Poppy's tail wag?  Pretty much anything, as she is generally a very happy dog. Her favourite things are: food (carrots, especially--but they have to come straight from the fridge), walkies, and cuddles.


3. What's your all-time favorite dog story?  Gosh, I'm not sure I know that many dog stories. I recently saw Marley and Me at the pictures and cried A LOT! As a child, Digby the Biggest Dog in the World was one of my top favourites.


4. If Poppy could change just one thing about you, what would it be?  I'd let her sleep on the bed.

Liz and Poppy

5. In five words, tell us what Poppy means to you:  Unconditional love, beautiful walks, cuddles.

Thanks so much to Liz and Poppy for visiting with us today! I'll be sending them a copy of A DOG'S WAY HOME, to give Liz a little more dog reading to do ;)