Interview With W. Bruce Cameron, Author of A DOG’S PURPOSE and 8 SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER

This week's interview with dog book writers features W. Bruce Cameron, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of A DOG'S PURPOSE, which was bought by DreamWorks for a live-action film, with Cameron adapting the screenplay.

Cameron is also the author of Emory’s Gift: A Novel, the NYT bestseller, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, which was turned into the hit ABC series that continues to run in syndication, and How to Remodel a Man (which was excerpted in O Magazine and Cameron was a guest on Oprah). His latest novel, A Dog’s Journey, is the eagerly anticipated sequel to A Dog’s Purpose.

Do you currently own dogs? Tell us their names, breeds and one amusing fact per dog.

My dog's name is Tucker, and his DNA is unidentifiable and suspect. He just turned two years old, which meant he has spent two years attempting to dig the stereo cables out from under the carpet.

In one sentence, what is your most recent book about?

A Dog's Journey continues the life of Buddy, the dog we last met in A Dog's Purpose, who is a dog who is reincarnated and remembers each of his lives, learning lessons from each to help him with the next.

When did it come out? Publisher? Any notable awards or praise for it?

Tom Doherty, an imprint of Macmillan, published it in May 2012. It was a NY Times bestseller and my dog says it is "chewy."

What inspired you to write A Dog’s Purpose and A Dog’s Journey?

I was riding my mountain bike in Colorado and I met a dog who reminded me so much of my very first dog, in the way she interacted with me, looked at me, and wagged her tail, that I rode away convinced I'd just very possibly met the reincarnated version of my long lost friend. This sense stuck with me for years, and I found myself wondering what it would be like if dogs never died -- what would that look like from the dog's perspective?

How did you go from writing comedy to writing about dogs?

I found out the dog was writing about me, so it was an act of self-defense. Actually, having a joyful and optimistic main character is an easy move for a humor writer, and there is a lot to laugh about in A Dog's Journey.

How did you find your agent?

More than ten years ago I was on the stairmaster and the woman next to me was a published author. She introduced me to my first agent, and then, after my book 8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter became a TV show, I found myself with agents and managers and lawyers and all sorts of helpful people who are delighted to take a percentage of my income.

What has been the biggest surprise or learning experience you’ve seen through the process of seeing your book(s) get published?

I am stunned by how much time and effort I must spend marketing my book and interacting with my readers. With social media, you don't just publish a book and figure you've done your part; your fans want to talk to you, have a conversation. It means, though, that you can connect with your readers like never before, so you don't have to guess what they like -- you can ask.

Tell me about a fun moment or proud experience you’ve had with your book and readers since the book was published.

With my book How to Remodel a Man, I was on Oprah, Fox News, the Early Show, and Good Morning America. Oprah was the best, an hour long segment --TV is so short, you answer a few questions and then it's over. It feels like a hit-and-run with a camera.

What are you doing to reach out to readers and dog enthusiasts?

We have a Facebook fan page with over 220,000 fans, and we post dog pictures, talk to readers, and give away free stuff -- every single day. I answer my emails, which sounds stupid except I get a lot of emails now, so it's not the "of course you do" sort of thing.

Back to the dogs...Think of your dog. If you could compare him to one celebrity, who would it be?

I think Tucker wants to go live with the Kardashians.

Where can people find you on the internet?

Facebook: look for "A Dog’s Purpose." My websites are adogspurpose.com and www.brucecameron.com. Tucker has a Facebook page, too. He's picky about who he accepts as friends, but he has a thing for Springer Spaniels.

What’s next up for you, writing-wise?

I have a book coming out fall 2013 called The Dogs of Christmas. I wrote and produced an independent movie this last spring that's in post-production right now, the name keeps changing on that one but right now we call it "40 is the New Dead." And now I need to propose a couple more books to my editor and see if I can talk her into letting me do some more dog stories!

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