Hi friends,
In my upcoming release, The Killing Tide, my hero Finn has an Australian Shepherd named Layla. Here’s a picture of the dog that inspired me.
Isn’t she adorable?
I love reading about canine characters. There’s just something endearing about a hero and his pet. It gives us a glimpse at the softer side of even the most alpha of men.
My hubby is definitely an alpha guy, but he is so adorable with our puppy Griffin (named after Griffin McCray—the hero in Cold Shot).
Yes, that’s our puppy. He’s a two-year-old, one-hundred-and-eighty-pound pup. Thankfully Newfies typically stop growing around two. If he gets much bigger he won’t fit in our townhouse. Yes. My husband thought having a giant breed dog in our townhouse was a good idea…
But I do need to thank Griffy for the inspiration for Finn’s dive rescue background. I watched this video of the Italian Coast Guard using Newfies to aid in their rescues.
Isn’t it amazing! They jump out of helicopters and save people in distress. While our Coast Guard doesn’t utilize canines in their rescues, I was so in awe of the rescues themselves, I created Finn with that background. To find out more, you can pre-order a copy of The Killing Tide today!
You can pre-order at one of the links below:
BARNES & NOBLE | AMAZON PAPERBACK | CHRISTIAN BOOK
Question for you:
Are you a fan of canine characters?
Do you have a favorite fictional pet?
I look forward to your answers! I love chatting pets.
Have a blessed day!
Dani
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We are lovers of Aussies and have our third one, Shelagh. They are too smart for their own good. love this breed and their loyalty. your Newfoundland looks like a big huggie bear.
Oh how fun. I love Aussies. Very cool name–Shelagh. Yep. He’s a very cuddle bear.
I am a fan of canine (or any other type of animal) characters! My favorite that I can think of is Evie’s pet pig in Karen Witemeyer’s More Than Meets the Eye. 🙂
Oh, great choice!
We have giant breed dog, also a puppy, in our home. Ziva is a Boerboel which is not a common breed. She looks like an English Mastiff and is full of energy and lacking in patience, but we love her. Your Newfoundland is adorable!
I love animal characters in general. When I was younger, I read every book in the library with an animal on the cover, even if the main story wasn’t about the animal. I still love the Black Stallion series of books. Though I have to agree with an earlier commenter that Evie’s pet pig was probably the mosts unique animal pet I’ve read about.
Oh wow. I haven’t heard of a Boerboel before. I’m going to have to look up that breed. Love Mastiffs so I’m sure she’s adorable. Our Newfie was full of energy but he finally chilled out a bit over the last six months, but still lacking in patience 🙂
I love Layla in THE KILLING TIDE. I think that animals add to the personality of the characters in a story, so I love to see them in books. I really love how Finn explains Layla’s name!
Awww. Thanks so much, Vickie 🙂
I’m always a fan of canines (or any pets) in books. The character often is able to talk to the pet more freely than they will another human so they can give us some insight into a character that we might not have had otherwise.. Sometimes the canines are even able to add some humor to the story. Two of my favorites are Haus (a smiling dog) from Pepper Basham’s Mitchell’s Crossroads series and Aslan (a service dog) in Cara Putman’s Delayed Justice.
That is so true about characters often speaking more freely with pets. Great point!
Wow! I had no idea they had dogs who are rescue swimmers! That is awesome! I love it! I love canine characters, they draw me right in to a story. One of the first canine character’s I fell in love with was Dee Henderson’s Black, Ann Falcoln’s dog.
Thank you for sharing yourself with us through your stories. I loved the Alaskan Courage Series. I’ve been hooked since Submerged!
Awww. Thanks so much, Mandy. So glad you’re enjoying the stories.
I’m a huge fan of Black too!
Yes, I’m absolutely a fan of canine characters. Ronie Kendig’s A Breed Apart series about Military Working Dogs and their handlers was A. Maz.Ing. I was in Rome, Italy during their D-Day celebration earlier this month and their military dogs were part of their parade. It was so cool to see them being honored among the other soldiers.
Oh wow. That had to be fabulous to see!
That video was jaw-dropping! I love that Newfoundlands undertake water rescues. Wow! (And the pictures of your Griffin are SO cute!)
Thanks, friend! I know. It’s so cool.
I think Australian Shepherds are gorgeous and would love one. Your Newfie is cute too!
I’m with you. I love Australian Sherpherds. I’ve heard they’re full of energy.
I love canine characters. We have had 4 Australian Shepherds and have a miniature Aussie now, so I can’t wait to read about your new character to see if he has a personality like any of ours. 😃
Wow. How fun. I had no idea they had miniature Aussies. How adorable.
Enjoyed your post. Griffin looks like he had his tongue tattooed with oak leaves. 🙂
I know. His mom had the same tongue. So unique.
I don’t own a dog at present, but we once had a miniature Italian Greyhound named Gracie. She was cute, but she wasn’t the smartest! 😉
I enjoy canine characters so I can live out my dog ownership vicariously!I love the interaction between Finn and Layla in The Killing Tide.
Thanks so much, Melissa. So glad you enjoyed Finn and Layla.
I love canine characters, they always add so much to the story! I am so looking forward to meeting Finn and Layla! I love it when you post photos of Griffin, he seems like such a sweetie! 🙂
YES! I love canine characters! I have a rescue dog (Yorkie Poo, and other breeds) My 3 year old grandson thinks her name is “Good Girl” b/c that’s what he’s heard me call her! 🙂
I always like dog character. Since we have moved into our house 29 years ago, we have had 4 dogs. Our last one was a huskey Shepherd mix. Unfortunately we had to put him down in April. In that time we also have fostered 21 other dogs.
We will probably get another dog after my hip replacement.
I love pets in books, dogs, cats, lizards, cows, or horses. They all connect with us on so many levels. I had a Great Pyrenees, David we had so much fun together. I raised him from a pup til last fall when he was 11 y/o I had to have him put to sleep. He had a great sense of humor. I guess Lassie is the fictional pet I remember most!
So much fun! I love that your precious pup is named after Griffin! My absolute favorite are Alaskan Malamutes. We had some that we just adored! Alaskan Malamutes and Huskies are great sled dogs and I was excited to see them show up in Sabotaged! I even bought a little stuffed one to put on my bookshelf next to your series.
I am always thrilled when a book has a canine character! Do I have a favorite? I’m not sure I could name just one but I have to agree with Joy Tiffany above who commented on Aslan the Service Dog in Cara Putman’s DELAYED JUSTICE. Your Newfie is gorgeous! I can’t imagine trying to fill him up! Thank you so much for sharing the Newfie’s and the Rescue film! I can’t wait to share it with my family! We are definitely “dog people” as we presently have 3! They are all inside as well. (Our fence is 26 years old & needs to be replaced.) We have our 11 yr old 85 lb. Black Lab, Boudreaux, who has No Clue he is a D.O.G. He is convinced he is a human! He acts more human than dog! He also may be the only Lab that HATES WATER. He has since we got him when he was 6 weeks old! daughter’s 65 lb, 3.5 yr old 1/2 Lab 1/2 Golden Retriever, Darcie. She was a Rescue & we got her when she was 6 months old. Our son moved back home & brought Bella. BEDLAM would have been a more appropriate name! She was about 6 months old when she was rescued & 9 months old when he adopted her. She was a little over a year when she moved in with us. We call her “The Rookie” & she’s had to have some behavior modification after she ate the bed in her crate & then two very nice dog beds in our den. She’s just a little to full of herself! She weighs about 55 lbs & she’s a Field Lab & is the exact color of a DEER! She leaps everywhere she goes – where the other two might climb something – Bella leaps with all four legs off the ground at the same time. It’s as though she almost levitates!
I love canine characters in books because they always add a unique dimension. You can tell a lot about a character by the type of pet, name of pet and how they treat their pet (interaction, treat them as one of the family, etc.). I’m looking forward to reading all about Finn’s relationship with his dog in THE KILLING TIDE.
Your “pup” is adorable, Dani and love that you named him Griffin after your character!
Wow, those rescue dogs jumping out of helicopters are amazing! I didn’t know they did that.
I love it when animals are included in a story, like in the Alaskan Courage series by Dee Henderson, it makes it more “real” somehow. I am enjoying reading The Killing Tide and Finn’s dog is adorable and perfect for him.
Blessings, Tina