THE INTERVIEW:
DANA
Welcome, Hy. Would you please tell us
a little about yourself.
HY
I began my working life as a stage
actor, performing on Broadway and in national tours, among other
places. One year, while working in summer stock, I came up with an
idea for a play. It wound up having a short run Off-Broadway, and
that began my writing career.
Today, I’m best known for my TV work.
I was one of the original writers of the series “Monk” and wound
up becoming the show’s Co-Executive Producer. From there I became
head writer for the webisode series “Little Monk” and Consulting
Producer on TV’s “White Collar.”
In the publishing world, I’ve written
a dozen books of short mysteries which have been translated into over
a dozen languages.
More recently, I wrote “Rally ‘Round
the Corpse”, the first in my Abel Adventure mystery series. It was
published a couple of months ago and is available just about
everywhere.
DANA
What can you tell us about your book,
“Things Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know”?
HY
“Things
Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know” is a humor book, 115 essays
“written” by 11 dogs who share their innermost secrets. They
range from Tinkerbell, the world’s most spoiled Chihuahua to
Axelrod, a yellow Lab who is puzzled by everything, from herb gardens
to sofas to sprinkler systems.
The
essays are short, two pages each, so each dog tells ten or eleven
little stories about his life. Readers have told me they read one
every night, or keep it on their coffee table to thumb through
whenever the mood strikes.
DANA
As a dog owner, I have to ask this
question; Do you own a dog (or dogs), and, if so, would you please
tell us about them?
HY
For the past 25 years, I have had
miniature Schnauzers. This dates back to the time I held a Boston
Terrier up to my face and broke out in a rash. My doctor told me
there were a limited number of breeds I could pick, ones that don’t
shed or have dander. I chose Schnauzers and have loved them ever
since.
My current pair – I always have two –
are Charlie and Nelson. For much of the year they get to live on
dozens of acres in the middle of the woods. The boys love to explore
and have been known to a tree bear (the more docile black bears) and
bring back deer bones. I never ask where they get them. I don’t
want to know.
DANA
What inspired you to write this book?
HY
One night I happened to see a TV
infomercial. It could have been “Things The Banks Don’t Want You
to Know.” Or “Things The Government Doesn’t Want You to Know.”
At some point, I said to myself, “Sure, how about ‘Things Your
Dog Doesn’t Want You To Know.’” And that’s how it started;
the title came first.
Like many humor books these days, this
one began as a blog. I started posting on the most obvious topics:
“What We Do When You’re Gone” or “Sticking My Head Out The
Car Window.”
The initial idea was to keep them
generic, in a sort of Everydog persona. But I soon realized that the
humor was in the specifics. It was funnier if the dog had a real
personality, and even funnier if we invented a variety of “dog
bloggers” with radically different personalities.
DANA
What did you find to be the most
difficult part of writing this book?
HY
I found that the tone was the trickiest
part. The first essays were a little too sarcastic and didn’t have
enough individual personality. Every story, I realized, has to draw
you in quickly. This was a learned skill.
DANA
What are your plans and goals for the
book?
HY
I don’t anticipate a movie sale, if
that’s what you’re asking. But I think this could be an
“evergreen” title that stays in print. I hope it can be big
during the holiday season. The book was recently featured in Dog
Fancy magazine as one of the perfect dog gifts for Christmas.
DANA
The essays in your book so describe the
nature of dogs, and you tell each story with such humor. Do you
consider yourself to have a very good sense of humor, or is it
something you have to work at?
HY
I’ve always considered myself funny,
but I became confident in my humor when the USA Network called me up
and asked me to work on “Monk”. Suddenly I was in a room with
five great comedy writers and found I could hold my own pretty well.
DANA
What projects are you currently working
on?
HY
I’m always writing something. It’s
my job and my only hobby. Most recently I was asked by USA and
Obsidian Press to take over writing the “Monk” novels, a
successful series of books based on the characters from the TV show.
My friend Lee Goldberg wrote the first 15 novels, and I’ve been
asked to write numbers 16 and 17.
DANA
Do you have plans for more books in the
future? If so, what types of books will they be?
HY
As soon as I have a chance, I plan to
finish the second novel in my Abel Adventures Mystery series, titled,
“If I Die Before the Wake.” I also have an idea for a sequel to
the dog book.
DANA
As a fellow author, I always like to
ask this question: if you could describe the work of an author in
three words, what would those words be?
HY
Alone, creating worlds. (That’s
three words and a comma.)
DANA
I couldn't have put it better myself! Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Hy.
I couldn't have put it better myself! Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Hy.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Why
do dogs eat furniture when there are endless chew toys nearby?
Why do they always dash to a rug when they have to throw up?
Why do they always dash to a rug when they have to throw up?
And
why are they always absolutely starving?
Things
Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know
answers the questions that dog owners have asked for centuries. The
book is a collection of 115 humorous essays that reveal the truth
behind some of the most baffling canine behavior, their hopes and
dreams, their grudges and pleasures, and what they really think about
us humans. Peppered with lively, clever stories and visually
appealing photographs, Things
Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know
is a verbal and visual delight that is laugh-out-loud funny. If
you have dogs, love dogs, or have ever been baffled by a dog, this
book is a must-have.
Topics
include:
- My Life in Your Purse by Tinkerbell, the Chihuahua
- Waiting by the Table (for food scraps, of course!) by Orson, the bulldog
- The Bed Rules (Rule #1—It’s my bed) by Dimples, the boxer
- The Reason I Ate the Sofa (leather tastes a lot like rawhide) by Axelrod, the yellow lab
- I Can Poop the Second I Start My Walk (but choose not to) by Sophie, the cocker spaniel
Things
Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know
is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, Target, on
e-books and at independent bookstores everywhere. For more
information, go to www.ThingsYourDog.com
where you can also ask questions about your own dog’s behavior and
learn the secrets they have been keeping from you!
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
ABOUT
HY CONRAD
Hy is
also the author of hundreds of short stories and ten books of short
whodunits, which have been sold around the world in fourteen
languages. Hy’s first mystery novel series, Abel Adventures, will
debut in 2012 with the publication of Rally
‘Round the Corpse. And
his first full-length comedy/mystery play, Home
Exchange, premiered at the
Waterfront Playhouse in May 2012. He lives in Key West with his
partner and two miniature schnauzers. (www.hyconrad.com)
ABOUT
JEFF JOHNSON
Jeff spent most of his working life in advertising agencies, currently as General Manager of Cramer-Krasselt in New York City. He is the author of The Hourglass Solution: A Boomer’s Guide to the Rest of Your Life and co-authors (with Paula Forman) a national online advice column called Short Answers, which also appears in newspapers all along the east coast (from Massachusetts to Florida). Jeff lives in Vermont and Key West and is on the Board of Directors of the Waterfront Playhouse and the Florida Keys SPCA.
Jeff spent most of his working life in advertising agencies, currently as General Manager of Cramer-Krasselt in New York City. He is the author of The Hourglass Solution: A Boomer’s Guide to the Rest of Your Life and co-authors (with Paula Forman) a national online advice column called Short Answers, which also appears in newspapers all along the east coast (from Massachusetts to Florida). Jeff lives in Vermont and Key West and is on the Board of Directors of the Waterfront Playhouse and the Florida Keys SPCA.
LINKS:
WEBSITE
LINK: www.ThingsYourDog.com
AUTHOR
LINK: www.HyConrad.com
2 comments:
Thank you for hosting Jeff & Hy today :)
Happy to have them!
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