“Several readers have asked me where I got the idea for Pocket Dog.
Years ago I audited a creative writing course at Ohio State taught by English prof and good friend Michelle Herman, whose office was near mine.
On July 11, 1990, Michelle asked our class to each write a short essay about a pet, and I submitted a funny little one-pager about a guy named Ollie who orders a puppy from a distant mail-order kennel/vineyard called Chateau Dom Pedigree (whose dogs are sized like underpants). Thinking he is buying a manly XL dog, Ollie inadvertently buys an XS dog named Tex, and when his tiny pup arrives it turns out to have unusual supernatural abilities. To my surprise, the class loved the story, but life and career intervened, so Tex lay dormant for several decades, until his rebirth 10 days ago. Now, he’s back, and I hope he will live a long, happy life. Read Tex’s original 1990 story by clicking HERE.”
