Today I welcome Bobbie Pyron to Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a canine story for kids or young adults. Bobbie is here to talk about A PUP CALLED TROUBLE which is a middle grade novel published by Katherine Tegen Books for kids aged 8 and up.
Best Dog Books: Who is your key dog character(s) and what kind of dog is he/she?
The main character in A PUP CALLED TROUBLE is actually an overly curioius, young coyote!
Best Dog Books: What is A PUP CALLED TROUBLE about?
Trouble lives with his coyote family in the wilds of New Jersey. Trouble has a nose for, well, trouble which is why his mother named him that. Through a series of curiousity-fueled events, Trouble finds himself lost in the “wilds” of downtown New York City and has no idea how to get back to his home. With the help of several unlikely friends-a smart-alacky crow named Mischief, a sensitive opossum named Rosebud, and a poetry-loving poodle named Minette-Trouble tries his best to return to his family.
Best Dog Books: What inspired you to write this story?
Quite a few years ago, I saw a news story on national news about a coyote running loose in downtown New York City. I (like probably a lot of people) wondered what in the heck a wild coyote was doing in the city! I started reading about urban coyotes. Turns out they’re everywhere! Not long after that, I visited NYC for the first time. I was overwhelmed by the skyscrapers, the masses of people, and the lack of trees and nature. I kept thinking about that coyote while I was there. On the flight home, I started writing his story.
Best Dog Books: What was the biggest challenge you had writing this story?
The biggest challenge I had was making it believable that Trouble would consider not returning to the forest but staying in Central Park with his new friends. I needed to add that layer of conflict and uncertainty to the story line. But at the same time, I knew if I were a coyote, there’s no way I’d want to stay in a city!
Best Dog Books: What is your next story? Will there be a dog character?
Although right now, I can’t say what my next story will be, you can always expect a dog to be in it, even if the story isn’t about a dog.
Best Dog Books: Is there anything you’d like to share about this book that we haven’t covered?
There’s a great section at the end of the book called Critter Notes that you must read! It has all kinds of fascinating information about not only coyotes but also crows and opossums. I promise you’ll never look at any of these three creatures the same after reading the facts about them.
Best Dog Books: What was the first book that made an impact on you?
The first book that made an impact on me was CASEY THE UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE HORSE. It was the first chapter book I read entirely by myself and I was so proud! It opened a whole new world of possibility for me!
Best Dog Books: What advice can you give writers?
Don’t get too focused on the publication end of things—getting an agent or editor. Just enjoy the journey and creative process of writing, creating a world and people (even if they’re actually animals) out of the wonder of your imagination. Once you get published, you will never be so free again to write what you want to write, the way you want to write.
If you’d like to learn more about Bobbie Pyron, you can check out the author’s website or follow the author on facebook or twitter. You can also find book reviews on her website.
Thank you, Bobbie Pyron for joining us at Best Dog Books. We look forward to reading your book!
For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.
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