I’ve always had a pug or two to supervise my fiction-writing career. Scooby was my Official Muse for every word of my very first novel, and five more stories after that. His favorite place was wedged beside me on the couch, acting as a furry armrest as I typed on my laptop. He always preferred to watch the screen — I think he was proofing!
Fiona came along during Scooby’s latter years. She looked after him even though she was past middle age herself, making sure that he ate, and notifying him of what was going on when he couldn’t hear or see very well anymore. Fiona also found the time to make lasting contributions to literature herself, reviewing the Battlepug Comics by Mike Norton, and dishing the dirt on life with a writer – me!
Currently, my pugly writing assistants are Queenie and Toby. Both are rescues, like Fiona and Scooby before them. Tiny Queenie is the kind of feisty and playful senior that I hope to be! Toby is a mellow fellow. Both feel it’s their duty to cram into my lap while I write (and that’s where they are right now as I type this!).
The pugs’ bigger but younger “brother” is Tux, a pitbull-boxer cross (another rescue!). He was raised by our dear old Fiona, and believes himself to be 100% pug. The real pugs rule Tux’s life, of course. Meanwhile, he is forever trying to make himself as small as possible in order to fit in with them! He’s not much of a writing assistant, but I’m well protected from the garbage truck and the UPS van!
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- Toby the Pug
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- Fiona the Pug (left) with Toby
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- Tux believes himself to be a pug. Here he is making himself small so Queenie will play with him. She never turns down an invitation to romp!
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- Tux being helpful by holding down a 2×4 during the construction of our chicken coop.
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- Tux, the pitbull-boxer cross who thinks he’s a PUG
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- Queenie the Pug
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- Fiona the Pug made her own contributions to literature.
