Le: Hi, y’all! Please welcome author Patti Hill today! Hi, Patti! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and introduce us to your Tillie. So let’s get started! What is your favorite kind of a pet? Dog, cat, guinea pig? And why?

PH: We’ve had just about everything living in our house, except snakes. I draw the line at snakes. My favorite, hands down, are dogs. It’s the unconditional love and slobbering affection that wins my heart. I don’t think our first son would have graduated middle school if not for Katie. She slept with him every Sunday to offer comfort for the approaching Monday.

Le: Ahh, how sweet! Pets can be so comforting and calming. How many pets do you have today?

PH: We have one dog, Tillie the personal trainer. She’s an Australian Shepherd. The breeder warned us that she needed a job to be happy. Her job is to walk my husband (before sunrise) and me (at a more reasonable hour) two miles day. If weather or a busy schedule cuts into her “working” time, she experiences doggie depression.

Le: What a good task for Tillie! The Hilo Monster walks me too. Have you ever rescued an animal?

PH: We rescued our previous dog, Katie. That dog knew how to love exuberantly. She was the perfect dog for our growing boys…and me.

Le: I love that! Isn’t it amazing how God brings just the right animal to us. I think they bless us more than we bless them. Do you ever incorporate animals into your novels?

PH: I can barely imagine life without a dog around, so I do incorporate dogs into my novels. There’s Blink, a huge black Labrador in my Garden Gates series. What a galoot! He’s a shoulder to cry on and a tail to duck! Bee, short for Miss Bee Haven, is the yellow Labrador in Seeing Things. She bridges the gap between Birdie and her grandson and creates a chasm between Birdie and her daughter-in-law. Bee is one busy dog. Tonto is a wiry mutt in my work in progress, Goodness and Mercy. He chases trains and gives a young boy a warm back to nuzzle at night.

Le: I love that! And love your descriptions: ‘a tail to duck!’ Boy, if you have a lab then you know that’s true! What was your favorite character animal?

PH: Black Beauty! Sorry for shouting. I loved horses as a young girl. Imagine my delight to get inside the head of the amazing Black Beauty. I learned to love reading and horses from Black Beauty.

Le: Has one of your own pets been the inspiration for a pet/character in a novel?

PH: When I need a dog that sheds her body weight daily, I’ll draw on Tillie. The rest of my canine characters have been a composite of dogs I’ve known and loved.

Le: That’s hilarious! I have a dog that sheds like that. What is the funniest thing you’ve seen one of your animals do?

PH: Katie loved to sit on my husband’s lap after dinner. He scooted his chair away from the table and up she hopped. Katie wasn’t a lap dog. She weighed 50 pounds! And she sat in his lap, hind legs extended, like a child.

Le: That’s hilarious! Is there a secret that only our pet knows?

PH: Only Tillie knows I ask her for help when I get stuck on a story. She’s brilliant, really. She knows how to help me without saying a word.

Le: Tillie, the muse, huh? Love it! What is your pet’s pet peeve about you?

PH: “My owner only feeds me two times a day. Can you imagine? I’m starving! I work hard. I deserve more kibble.”

Le: What is your pet peeve about your pet?

PH: The shedding. The shedding. The shedding. Did I mention the shedding?

Le: I feel your pain. Really! Thank you, Patti, so much for taking the time to be with us! Now, I’d love to ask your pet a few questions. Don’t forget to give your sweet pet a treat afterwards. ☺ Hi, Tillie! What would be the title of your autobiography?

PH: Walking Patti

Le: I bet it would be filled with adventures. If you were to write a novel, would your friend inspire one of the characters?

PH: I’m sad to say that Patti is way too boring to be in a novel. She spends most of her time at her computer. Talk about dulls-ville!

Le: I hear that complaint a lot from author’s pets. Must we why so many authors have pets. We need excitement in our lives. So, Tillie, what’s your favorite movie?

PH: It’s a toss-up between White Fang and Lassie. I see myself as the wolf, protecting my owner without sacrificing nobility. However, Lassie is my cerebral self. I can’t decide between the two. Did you know I catch popcorn with my mouth?

Le: What a brilliant trick! I’m impressed. What musical instrument would you like to play?

PH: I do a great imitation of a whining trumpet. It’s the only thing that will get my owner out of her recliner to open the door. But honestly, I long to play the drums. You see, I don’t have a tail. I’m quite envious of other dogs who get to pound out their happiness on the ground, a door, or a human for that matter.

Le: That just might be the perfect instrument for you! What do you think about cats? Dogs?

PH: Cats are, well, aloof. They never want to play with me. And I am a bit of a party animal. Small dogs aren’t much better. They snarl at me, and I’m the kindest, most fun-loving dog you will ever meet. My best friends are other Aussies, but I have quite a fondness for Labradors.

Le: Me too. But I love Aussies too! You are so smart! Where do you sleep at night?

PH: Thank you for asking. Although I must wait until my owner finishes her night-time ritual, I have my own room, the master bathroom. I’m not one to share my space with snoring humans. I need my room for dreamland romps. The floor is soft and no one steps on me.

Le: Sounds perfect. What do you do when your friend is writing?

PH: I lay right there beside her. She will occasionally ask me to leave when I, well, pass gas. She’s a flighty thing.

Le: How persnickety! What is your idea of bliss?

PH: Please, don’t be offended, but I enjoy running sans clothing (leash and collar) through fields of wildflowers. I can smell whatever crosses my meandering path without comments from my owner. Is it my fault she hasn’t developed a liking for more exotic aromas? Of course, I also love my kibble, the more the better.

Le: No offense taken! Sounds heavenly! What is your friend’s idea of bliss?

PH: This is a tough question. It’s rather difficult to tell with her. She spends hours staring at her computer, but how could that be blissful? She also rushes about with a toilet brush in her hand from time to time. Certainly that can’t be her bliss. All right, if I must give one answer, this is it: walking with me. How could it be anything else?
What is more fun? More satisfying? Yes, she lives to go for walks with me.

Le: I think you are very perceptive, Tillie! Thanks for being here with us today! You take care of your friend now, ya