Photo of Libby and Annette Mahon provided courtesy of Ms. Mahon and used with her permission.
If you have not had the pleasure of reading any of the dozen titles (mystery and romance) penned by author Annette Mahon, let me take the chance to introduce you to a multi-talented woman with an affinity for animals. In addition to loving her three-year-old Australian Shepherd Libby and writing, Ms. Mahon also quilts and commutes between Arizona and Hawaii (both of which are settings for many of her books).
She was gracious enough to entertain my questions about how Libby fits in with her busy life.
“I was a cat person growing up, but I’m so glad I learned about dogs. I still like cats, but I’d be lost without a dog.” ~Annette Mahon
Courtney Mroch: How did you find Libby?
Annette Mahon: Newspaper ad. We lost our prior dog very suddenly (heart attack, she was 11) and I didn’t want to get a six week old puppy. So I combed the classified ads looking for someone with an older dog. And found Libby (then named Liberty). She was 16 weeks and the woman who had her was moving and needed to get rid of several dogs. (She had four!) I liked that she interviewed me about my house and situation; then my husband and I drove out to meet her. It was love at first sight.
CM: Does she help with the writing of your books?
AM: Not literally, but she keeps me company while I write. She’s very good about not bothering me while I’m at the computer, but as soon as she hears the MS turnoff tones, she’s right there and raring to go.
CM: Does she help with your quilt making?
AM: Afraid not.
CM: Have you made her a quilt of her own?
AM: I haven’t, but that’s not a bad idea. I do have a particular quilt that I spread on the bed when I sit there to watch TV. She knows that she can come up and lie on that while I’m there.
CM: Do you have any new books coming out soon?
AM: Dolphin Dreams, the first book in the Matchmaker Quilt trilogy, came out in late April. I have another romance, The Secret Correspondence, coming out in June 2008. No mysteries in the lineup at this time, though the paperback of An Ominous Death will be out within the next year. I’m currently trying to get a date from Worldwide.
CM: Do you ever feature any dog characters in your books and base them on yours?
AM: Oh, yes. There are several dogs in my mystery novels, and I do use characteristics from dogs I’ve owned. Libby is my fourth dog — we’ve also had a standard Schnauzer, a Golden Retriever and a Dalmatian.
CM: Do you have any funny stories, or a crazy quirk that your dog does that never fails to bring a smile to your face?
AM: Libby has learned that I say “oops” when I drop things in the kitchen. I didn’t even know myself that I did this. My husband was the one to notice it. I’ll be working at the counter — or sitting at the table — and drop something. “Oops.” Libby comes running!! It can be a bit of meat, or a bit of vegetable — she doesn’t mind what. She loves it all. She’s quick, too. I dropped a vitamin pill once, and luckily I yelled “leave it” in time.
Click here to view some of Ms. Mahon’s stellar creations.
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