Today I welcome Martha Brockenbrough to Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a canine story for kids or young adults. Martha is here to talk about THIS OLD DOG which is a picture book illustrated by Gabriel Alboroz and published by Levine Querido. It will launch on September 1, 2020!
Best Dog Books: Who is your key dog character(s) and what kind of dog is he/she?
Old Dog is the star of this book, and he’s a dog that’s seen some things. Lakes. Whizzing balls. Beautiful trees. His body is starting to hurt a bit and it’s harder for him to get around, but he still savors his life.
Best Dog Books: Tell us about your story.
This is a book about an old dog who yearns for some of the pleasures of his youth—and finds the perfect companion in the form of a little girl taking her first steps.
Best Dog Books: What inspired you to write this story?
When my first daughter was a toddler, she and my old dog were the best of friends. And I noticed they were the perfect match for each other. They both liked to walk slowly, exploring everything about the world. They were both loving and patient and curious—all things I’d kind of lost touch with as a productivity-focused parent. So I wrote this book to celebrate that.
That dog is now long departed and the daughter is now 20 years old, which shows you how long I sat with the idea until I found the way to tell the story … I realized, when walking very slowly with another beloved old dog, that the language of a dog is all one-syllable words. I wrote this book entirely in one-syllable words, except for one word on the very last page. That’s what made it work for me, slipping deeply inside the heart of an old dog.
Best Dog Books: What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? How did you overcome it?
Picture books are a difficult form. You have to convey so much in so few words, and you have to conceive of a story that has a second half—the images, none of which are in your control. It’s kind of like sending a wish out into the universe. You just have to hope it lands in the right place. And this one did! Old Dog is more charming than I could have dreamed. Gabriel Alborozo did a beautiful job with the visual half of the story. He brought this beautiful old dog to life.
Best Dog Books: What kind of story can we expect next from you? Is it about a dog? If so, what can you tell us about it?
I will have another dog book out next year! It’s an early chapter book starring a fussy cat named Frank and the new puppy who invades his heart—a corgi named Sunny. This will be a series about the way earnest puppies soften all of us. There’s a ton of love in it. Jon Lau will illustrate.
Best Dog Books: What else would you like us to know about you or your story?
Many people have been relieved to learn that Old Dog does not die in this book! So it’s a read that can give you pure joy, and I think that’s what all of us need more of right now in the moment.
Meanwhile, I have two dogs now: Dorothy and Millie, both golden retrievers. I share their photos all the time on Instagram.
Best Dog Books: Can you remember the first book that made an impact on you? Why?
When I was six years old, my great aunt and uncle gave me Dr. Seuss’s THE LORAX. That book turned me into a little environmentalist, which has not changed to this day. I think that’s the great thing about the books we read as children: our hearts recognize important truths and wrap around them.
The planet matters. The pursuit of money above all else is harmful. Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. I’ve been on a path of caring ever since, always with a dog at my side.
Best Dog Books: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Study the books you love closely. Write down what happens, how it affected you as you read it, and why that is the case. The more you know about how books move us, the more you will understand how to translate your own stories into similarly moving tales. It can take a long time. This Old Dog took 18 years from idea to publication. It was worth it.
If you’d like to learn more about Martha Brockenbrough you can check out the author’s website or follow the author on facebook or twitter or Instagram for lots of dog and cat pics.
Thank you, Martha, for joining us at Best Dog Books. We look forward to reading your book!
