Today I welcome Debbi Michiko Florence to Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a canine story for kids or young adults. Debbi is here to talk about My Furry Foster Family: Kingston the Great Dane which is a book in a chapter book series published by Capstone for kids aged 6-9.
Best Dog Books: Who is your key dog character(s) and what kind of dog is he/she?
Kingston is a Great Dane.
Best Dog Books: Tell us about your story.
This series is about an 8-year-old girl named Kaita Takano who fosters pets with her family. She has her own dog, Ollie, who is a rescue dog from the same organization she fosters for. Each book features a different pet.
In Kingston the Great Dane, Kingston arrives to stay with the Takano family. His owner had to move from a house to a small apartment and could no longer keep him. Kaita is thrilled to meet Kingston who quickly makes friends with everyone in the family. He copies everything Ollie, a dachshund, does, making for some hilarious happenings. The story focuses on Kaita and her family finding the right new forever home for Kingston. (Spoiler alert: there is a happy ending.)
Best Dog Books: What inspired you to write this story?
I was lucky in that I’d worked with my editor at Capstone before for another series (Dorothy and Toto), so she knew that I loved animals. I have a degree in zoology and have worked with animals big and small. So when this series was being developed, she reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in writing for it. I said, yes, of course!
Best Dog Books: What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? How did you overcome it?
Since this was a series developed by the publisher, they gave me the focus for each book – the pet and the pet’s name and the word count/number of chapters. But I had the freedom to otherwise write the story. The stories came easily to me, since I had previously worked in a pet store, the Humane Society, and had many pets. The biggest challenge was the turnaround time. I only had a month to write each book after my outlines were approved. I work well on deadlines, however, so it all worked out.
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?
My newest book is my middle grade debut, Keep It Together, Keiko Carter. It’s about a 7th grade girl dealing with changing friendships and first crushes. She also wants a dog. So yes, there are dogs in this novel. You’ll have to read it to see if she gets one!
Best Dog Books: What else would you like us to know about you or your story?
I love animals, and especially love dogs. And I can’t imagine having a household without one. Pets bring such joy to a family. I currently have a 3-year-old rescue dog named Kiku, a minilop rabbit named Aki, and a Pekin duck named Darcy.
Best Dog Books: Can you remember the first book that made an impact on you? Why?
Lad: a Dog by Albert Payson Terhune about an amazing Collie. I think I was in third or fourth grade when I read it and fell in love with dogs. I still have my childhood copy on my shelf.
Best Dog Books: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
I know this is the one that every author gives, but it is so important. Read. Read the kind of books you want to write, but also read from other genres too.
My other advice is keep learning and growing and writing. I wrote, revised, queried, and submitted for almost 15 years before I made my first sale. Five years ago, I had no books to my name. Today I have 17 books published, and three more under contract. Dreams do come true!
If you’d like to learn more about Debbi Michiko Florence, you can check out the author’s website or follow the author on twitter @DebbiMichiko or Instagram @debbi_michiko_florence. You can also find more information and reviews on her site here.
Thank you Debbi for joining us at Best Dog Books. We look forward to reading your book and inviting you back to tell us more about Truman the Dog!
For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.
For published authors and unpublished authors, check out our dog story writing contests.
