Le: This past spring, I met Holley Gerth at the Mt. Hermon Writers Conference. What a sweetheart she is! So I’m happy to welcome her here along with her adorable dog, Katie! So, Holley, let’s jump write in: what is your favorite kind of a pet? Dog, cat, guinea pig? And why?

HG: I’m a fan of dogs because they like to sleep and eat food as much as I do!

Le: They do indeed! How many pets do you have today?

HG: I have one dog, a beagle-basset mix (aka “bagel”) named Katie.

Le: And she is so cute! Have you ever rescued an animal?

HG: Yes, we rescued Katie from an animal shelter in a neighboring state. She was the featured dog on petfinder.com. I saw her picture, fell in love, drove two hours to put a deposit on her (we were leaving on vacation the next day) and came back for her a week later!

Le: That’s a wonderful story! What is the funniest thing you’ve seen one of your animals do?

HG: Our poor little Katie just had a cone on her head for about a week. Being the most laidback and uncoordinated dog in the universe, she bumped into all sorts of things. The funny part was that it didn’t bother her a bit! She’d just wag her tail and keep on bumping.

Le: They look so pathetic in those things, don’t they? Is there a secret that only Katie knows?

HG: She knows how much chocolate I truly eat and where in my house to find it.

Le: Uh-oh! That’s not good. No sharing chocolate with our pets. Not that we’re selfish with our chocolate, right? But it’s so bad for them! What is your pet’s pet peeve about you?

HG: She thinks I need more exercise…specifically, the kind that involves her, a leash, and a walk around the block.

Le: Oh, yes, I have one like that too. Katie just cares deeply about you and knows that walking is the best exercise. What is your pet peeve about your pet?

HG: When she trees a squirrel or possum in the middle of the night, she howls like a madwoman and refuses to come inside. Anything that disturbs my sleep makes the pet peeve list!

Le: I hear ya on that one! Thank you so much for taking the time to be with us, Holley! Now, I’d love to ask Katie a few questions. Don’t forget to give your sweet pet a treat afterwards. Hi, Katie! Aren’t you cute! I think you should write a story about your life in the shelter and how you were found by Holley. What would be the title of your autobiography?

K: Sleep is good. Food is better. How to quit your job and get all your needs met just because you’re cute.

Le: That would certainly attract a lot of folks I know. If you were to write a novel, would your friend inspire one of the characters?

K: Yes, she would be the moody one who controls the milkbones. But we’d all love her anyway because she “accidentally” drops food on the floor.

Le: A good habit for a friend to have. What’s your favorite movie?

K: Hitch. It’s her favorite movie and she pets my head the whole time she watches it.

Le: Ahh! What musical instrument would you like to play?

K: The tuba. It sounds just like my howl.

Le: That’s funny! So you could just play that tuba when those squirrels or possums storm the house. What do you think about cats? Dogs?

K: I think both of them smell really good.

Le: Where do you sleep at night?

K: I used to sleep in a crate but I used my sad eyes to convince them to let me sleep on a blanket in front of the couch. Have you ever tried the “sad eyes” trick? You should. I’m telling you, pure genius on God’s part.

Le: Yes, indeed it does! I was the baby of the family and it works well. What do you do when your friend is writing?

K: The same things I do when she’s not writing…sleep and eat. Haven’t you read my autobiography?

Le: Of course! What is your idea of bliss? Wait! I bet I can guess…

K: The moment when I watch, in slow motion it seems, a piece of my favorite food slip from the counter and into my waiting jaws. It makes me so happy I sometimes wonder if my tail will fall off.

Le: What is your friend’s idea of bliss?

K: Chocolate. But I’m not telling where she keeps it.

Le: Oh, Katie! That’s so unfair! But thank you so much for being with us today! You take care of your friend now, ya hear?

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