The Sunday that has just passed was a great day; I got to see the first ever Ruff Life character Rover. I hadn't seen Rover for a long time, but as soon as I walked in my friend's house, her beloved Golden Retriever, who I spent so many years walking when he was younger, struggled up on his back legs and came over for a hug, stroke and a kiss.
He's an old dog now and not able to get around very well. He certainly couldn't get up to some of the crazy things he used to, but my eyes lit up as soon as I saw him. We had spent many hours walking the fields of Rothley and Mountsorrel when my daughter attended Primary school. Rover used to live at my house during the week and go back to my friend's on weekends. This suited everyone as both my friends worked during the day.
Rover and I used to love our time together outdoors; we would meet up with other dog owners and the dogs would run off and play. I miss those days. But life changed when my daughter went to high school and my friends' began a family of their own. I changed my job to work during the day, instead of at night, and my daughter, whose school was located close to where Rover lived, would walk him during her lunch hour.
He became a great inspiration for me, especially his unique and funny character traits that I've included in the books. He's always been my canine hero, who is always affectionate and funny and he has made a terrific main character (Max) for the Ruff Life series of children's spy action books.
Whenever I pick up the books, especially the first one 'It's A Ruff Life', I am reminded of just how unique Rover is, and so really the biggest dedication for the success of the book series and everything else that is exciting and about to happen at Ruff Life goes ultimately to my beautiful four legged friend Rover.
B R Tracey
