For the last two years, I’ve been hosting a video series called Sidekicks & Side Trips, where I interview fellow authors and their pets. I’ve learned so much about some of my favorite authors getting the chance to meet their beloved pets – everything from dogs to cats to ducks and rabbits. Though the authors all come from a different place, in some cases, other countries, and write in different genres, they all have one thing in common – the authors adore their pets. Sitting right beside me during these interviews is my sidekick, Lolo.
I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to do a sidekicks interview about Lolo so you could get to know her a little bit better:
Q. Introduction of Pet – name, breed, age, etc.
A. Lolo is a nine-year-old German shorthaired pointer who came into our lives just when we needed her most and quickly became the benevolent queen of the household. She’s the second pointer to become part of our family. When we lost our last pup, Maxine, we were bereft. Maxine was such a huge part of our lives, and we didn’t know if we’d ever be ready for another dog. But we’re dog people, so it wasn’t long before we started looking again. Ultimately, we went back to the man who we got Maxine from ten years earlier. We saw Lolo and instantly fell in love. She wasn’t a puppy anymore – the person who first bought her returned her because she was gun shy. His loss! Lolo came home with us, and we absolutely adore her.
Q. How did she get her name?
A. We named her after Iowan and Olympic hurdler and bobsledder Lolo Jones, and she lives up to her name. Lolo is fast!
Q. What is your pet’s favorite pastime?
A. Lolo loves to hike, hunt, and take naps by the fire.
Q. How does having a pet contribute to your creative life?
A. Lolo gets me outside and moving, and for me, this helps me be at my creative best. When I’m out hiking with Lolo, my mind frees up, and those knotty plot points seem to untangle themselves.
Q. What makes your pet such a good sidekick?
A. Lolo is a fabulous sidekick because we love doing the same things. We hike, go for walks, snuggle on the couch to read a good book, or binge-watch something on Hulu or Netflix. She also understands when I need to work. She takes her place in her dog bed beneath my desk and hangs out while I write.
Q. What is a bad habit that your pet has?
A. Digging!
Q. What is the naughtiest thing your pet has ever done?
A. See the above answer. Again, many apologies to our neighbors who found a hole beneath their fence.
Q. What is the funniest memory involving your pet?
A. It wasn’t funny at the time, but we can laugh about it now. A few years ago, my husband and I took a car trip to Colorado with Lolo to go hiking in the mountains. Once we made it to Denver, we stayed at a hotel that allowed dogs. The first morning there, my husband took Lolo outside, and a skunk immediately sprayed her. We spent the next four hours waiting for a store to open where we could buy her a new kennel and skunk odor remover. Luckily, the friendly folks at the hotel let us use their hose out back to scrub Lolo clean. It took forever to get the smell out of my car. Lolo was like, what’s the big deal?
Q. What is the hardest thing about being a pet owner?
A. Lolo has a massive fear of fireworks and even thunderstorms, which is odd because she’s also a hunting dog who goes out with my husband and has no problems. The 4th of July is so traumatic for her. It’s hard to see her so frightened, but we do our best to calm her, try to find a quiet spot where she feels safe.
Q. What is the most rewarding thing about being a pet owner?
A. The unconditional love. Lolo is always happy to see us when we come home, always ready for a road trip, and seems to know when we need snuggles.
Q. Cover your pet’s ears – if not your current pet, what is your dream pet?
A: Well, I do think Lolo is my dream pet, but if she wasn’t part of our family, I think it would be so much fun to raise goats. They are so cute, especially when they are little. I mean those sweet little faces.
Q. If your pet could describe you in three words, what would she say?
A. What I’d like to think she would say: Happy, patient, fun. What she would probably say: Very bad singer.
Q. If your pet had a theme song, what would it be?
A. Definitely Wildflowers by Tom Petty. It’s such a beautiful song and I think these lines perfectly describe how Lolo feels when we’re out hiking:
“You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worries
You belong somewhere you feel free”
Q. If you and your pet were in a dark alley, who would protect who?
A. I’d like to think Lolo would fearlessly protect me, but I also think she would throw me over for a dog treat or Chicken McNugget in a heartbeat.
Heather Gudenkauf is the Edgar Award nominated, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of eight novels. Her upcoming novel, THE OVERNIGHT GUEST will be released on Jan. 25, 2022. Heather was born in Wagner, South Dakota, the youngest of six children. Today, Heather lives in Iowa with her family and a very spoiled German Shorthaired Pointer named Lolo. In her free time, Heather enjoys spending time with her family, reading, swimming, and hiking. She is currently working on her next novel.
