SKL: Anyone who has a dog knows how magical they are. Daisy filled me with joy in so many ways. But what surprised me as a weekend puppy raiser was discovering how she opened the world to me whenever we were out together. She was an invitation to people to talk with me, to tell me about their dogs or, when they learned that Daisy was in training, to reveal their own or a family member's disability. Without Daisy, I was invisible. With her, I was connected to every human who crossed our paths.
JB: I well know the feeling. I've been a dog owner for decades. And my current situation resembles your part-time arrangement with Keith and the prison. When I got divorced, I had to find a new home for Emma, my nine year old Shepherd/Rottweiler mix. My vet warned me in no uncertain terms that no one would want an old dog, especially such a big one. But, I refused to accept that. I persevered and found sweet Emma a wonderful living arrangement with a woman who often comes home for lunch, has summers off and lives on a private lake. And has other dogs. Emma swims daily, has a busy social life and enjoys herself immensely. I am welcome to visit. Emma is always extremely happy to see me, greets me exuberantly and we spend wonderful time together. I get my doggie fix; Emma sees that I still care about her, that she was not abandoned. And when I leave, she settles back into the life she loves. I know she will be equally delighted to see me the next time I come. I admire her ability to live in the moment. It's a gift.
Back to you. Why did you decide to write a book about your experiences with Daisy?
SKL: What a wonderful story! Congratulations on finding the perfect arrangement for both you and for Emma.
JB: Thanks!
SKL: So, the book. As a former newspaper reporter, it's hard for me to ignore a good story. In this case, I couldn't stop thinking about all of the fascinating characters in Daisy's orbit. There are so many people who pull together to mold a tiny little puppy into a service dog: the inmates, the trainers, the prison captain who oversaw the program, the breeders ... I wanted to write about them. Yet, at the same time, I didn't want to be distracted from my work with Daisy. It wasn't until I was finishing up with Daisy that I decided to pursue the book idea. I put together a book proposal. It didn't go anywhere. When I found an agent, she convinced me that the real story was a much more personal one of how that year with Daisy affected me, my family, and Keith. She was right.
JB: She was right. It's quite a story, on many levels. Post-Daisy, you've continued to work with Keith and the puppies, correct? I imagine he's read your book. What did he think of it?
SKL: After Daisy, Keith and I raised a second puppy together, a yellow Lab named Holly. Holly is now a service dog for a woman with a number of health issues due to brain surgeries. Since then, I puppy-raised two other dogs with a different inmate: Freedom, who was placed with a woman with spina bifida; and Rescue, a black Lab who, in September, became the service dog for a woman who lost a leg in the Boston Marathon bombing. I'm now working with my fifth dog, a 4-month-old golden retriever named Bear.
About Keith, yes. He read the book. I had an advance reader copy sent to him over the summer, about a month before the publication date. It arrived on a Friday, he read it over the weekend, and called me first thing on Monday morning. He described a range of emotions. It was agonizing for him to read my description of his crime, and probably worse, to learn how it affected me. He said he couldn't sleep for the next couple of nights. Yet, he is incredibly proud of the book. He said he wants everyone to read it.
JB: Nice! I understand that your story may make its way to the Silver Screen at some point. What's up with that?
SKL: I sold the film rights to CBS Films, the major motion picture studio that just released the Joel and Ethan Coen film, Inside Llewyn Davis. Of course, selling the rights doesn't mean Weekends with Daisy will be turned into a film. Although, I understand the screenplay has been written, so that's a good sign.
JB: Well, If it's turned into a film, let's hope they do it justice. Marley and Me is a good example of a "dog" book that was translated into a hugely satisfying movie, at least for all of us dog lovers. What haven't we talked about yet, Sharron? Anything you'd like to add before we wrap this up?
SKL: We covered a lot, Joan, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about Weekends with Daisy.
JB: Your kind words warm the cockles of my heart. Thanks so much for talking with me, Sharron. Can't wait to see what you're up to next!
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