Sunshine's blog

Hi everyone!

Yes, it’s Tui; I’ve commandeered the blog from Sunshine this week, because she’s worn out from chasing tennis balls all day anyway, and I’m on a mission for a fourth grader named Rachael!

Rachael has sent me a set of excellent book project questions, but they come with a deadline…the project is due AT ONCE!  That is, she needs a reply by September 1st.  Oh noes!  I remember this feeling!  Having things due much sooner than I expected!  Hang on, wait, that still happens to me.  Pretty much all the time, in fact.  :-)

(Although I am a bit confused about how you have a school project due already…has school even started yet?  Where is your crazy school, and what’s up with that?)

Of course, mail takes ages to get through the author mail system to me, so I’m hoping Rachael will come on here and find these answers in time for her project.  Fingers crossed!  Hi Rachael!  I hope you’re out there!  Besides, they’re the kinds of great questions I get all the time, so hopefully this’ll provide answers for everyone else who’s wondering about them, too.

To the questions!

(1) How long have you been writing books?

Hi Sunshine, I have a question. Where do you get the pictures on the front covers?
Lindsey

Hi there!
I LOVE the Pet Trouble series! I want to be an author just like you and write books about dogs. I love dogs soooo much! Sunshine is so cute! I have a black Labrador Retriever. His name is Noah. Do you draw the cover of the Pet Trouble series or are they photographs?
Kristen

Hi Lindsey and Kristen!

Kristen, how funny that your dog is named Noah…you know that’s the name of Jeopardy’s owner in Smarty-Pants Sheltie?  Tui and I wish you lots of luck with your writing!  Personally, I say the world needs LOTS more books about dogs!  Hooray!

Good question about the covers—aren’t those dogs awesome?  Don’t you just want to jump around and play with them?  I do!  I think the dog who’s playing Buttons on the book 3 cover should come over and be my best friend right now now now!

Hello splendid readers!

Guess what?  Book Seven of the Pet Trouble series is HERE!  YAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!



Hi Sunshine,
I was going to ask you to do a boxer but I opened up Smarty-Pants Sheltie and it had a boxer story!  I can not wait to read it!
Theresa

Yay!  We hope you like it, now that it’s finally out!  Do you have a boxer?  Aren’t they great, hilarious dogs?  (A little too big for me to play with, but my fictional alter ego Buttons is a lot braver than I am!)

Hi everyone!

I hope you’re all having an awesome summer!  Tui and the new puppy keep going off on adventures and ABANDONING me, so I’ve decided it’s my summer vacation and it’s OK if I don’t blog, since that’s kind of like homework, right?  :-)

On the plus side, while they were away on their last adventure, I got to go to summer camp!  That is, I went to visit my grandpawrents at their cabin, where I did OODLES OF FUN THINGS which the new puppy CANNOT DO (er…yet!), so THERE.

Such as!:

Kayaking!  Whee!

Who’s steering this thing?!

I know, dear readers!  Yet more eons have passed!  As shocking as it sounds, apparently transcribing this blog for me isn't Tui's #1 priority right now!  AS IF she has more important things to do!  Or more important puppies to attend to!  HARRUMPH!

Believe me, I'm doing everything I can.  I tried teaching myself to type...


This is harder than it looks!

But that didn't work...


Hello?  Little help?

I think there's something behind me...

Beloved readers!  I did not mean to abandon you!  I know, I haven't blogged in months and it's a TRAVESTY!  I'm sorry!  It's not my fault!  I swear, I would be here every day blogging if I didn't need Tui's help, and the problem is that Tui has been terribly terribly busy with a SHOCKING NEW DEVELOPMENT which has taken over the entire household.

BEHOLD:


Why is this happening to me?

Hi hi hi!

Lovely readers, something terribly nefarious is happening in my house.  First of all, there has been FURNITURE MOVING!  Nothing good ever comes of furniture moving!  So ominous!  Not only that, but all sorts of THINGS keep coming into the house -- things that look like toys for me, but aren't!  Things that smell like extremely tiny people!  I don't approve! 

Worst of all, Tui seems to be sleeping about forty hours a day.  I cannot begin to tell you how bored I am.  Even when she does take me for a walk, we have to move at the speed of fur growing, so it is rather tremendously unexciting.  And when I try to remind her what fun is by running around the house carrying a tennis ball or barking at nothingness, she crawls further under the covers and puts a pillow over her head.  WHAT.  Ignore ME, will you?  OutRAGEOUS.  At this rate, I almost wish Oliver and Maui would come back just to keep me awake.  I mean, seriously!

So what is a poor bored little dog to do?  Try to tackle a bunch of your questions at once, of course!  :-)  Let's see...

Hi!  I love Mud Puddle Poodle; it's been the best book I've ever read in my life!!  It's just like my life.
Can you tell me where I can find more Pet Trouble series?
Thank you,
Natasha

This is Marissa and I'm a big fan of your books. I was wondering how many books you have published under the title Pet Trouble?  Please let me know so I can buy the ones I haven't read. Thanks. P.S. I love your books.

Hi Sunshine,
           I was wondering, Is there really a dachshund book coming out?
I also would like a list of all the Pet Trouble books. Is there any new ones other then the dachshund one?
        MK

Dear Sunshine,

My mom and dad said we can FINALLY get a dog!  So we are trying to decide which breed to get.  We think we may get a Goldendoodle, poodle, Westie, Yorkie, Bichon Frise, or a Shih-Tzu.  We need one that does not shed like Rosie in Mud-Puddle Poodle (my favorite book that you have written so far).  Which breed do you think we should get?  I need a true answer!

Love, your TRUE number 1 fan,
Grace

Hi hi hi!

Guess what January 1st was? 

Yes, yes, New Year's Day, start of a new decade, etc., etc., but most importantly, it was the birthday of ME, SUNSHINE!  YAY!  BIRTHDAY!  DAY TO CELEBRATE ME!  HOORAY!!!  :)  :)  :)

So, in honor of me, Tui decided to bake me my very own dog biscuits from the extra-awesome mix & recipe which her sister and brother-in-law put together as favors for the baby shower (we had a few extra bags):


Adorable dog biscuit party favors!

(That way Aunt Kari could be involved in my birthday, too, EVEN THOUGH she totally NEGLECTED to call and wish me a happy birthday OR sing to me over the phone AHEM AHEM.)  (Hoping the guilt will lead to more treats and snuggles next time she sees me, mwa ha ha.)  ;-)