June 2009
Who are you?
Author, recipient of Mom’s Choice Award of the “Adventures of Bella and Finny” book series and Clifton Park resident.
What got you started photographing your dogs?
I always, always took pictures of my dogs, both standard poodles. Bella is now 9 and we got her as a puppy. Finny was a rescue dog we got after he turned one; he’s also nine years old and apricot in color. Friends and colleagues kept telling me to do something with my photos of them, but I couldn’t come up with exactly the right idea. After I retired, one morning in 2004, I asked myself “Why not turn the photos into learning tools, books, for children?” This idea blended my background in human services including working one-on-one with special ed students at Shen and my love of my standard poodles.
Where did you find a publisher?
My first four concept books have all been self-published.
To date, I have sold over 1,000 books in “The Adventures of Bella and Finny Series.” They are for sale locally at Borders in Saratoga and The Little Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza. You can also order from my Web site at www.bellaandfinny.com. I just attended my very first BookExpo America in New York City I met with agents and other authors including Meg Cabot and the Julie Andrews who were there for Cabot’s “Princess Diaries.”
When did you win the Mom’s Choice Award?
I was in Florida recently when I got the e-mail and I was all alone when I read the news. I started jumping and screaming. It was a huge honor and very humbling.
This award is known for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services.
The panel consists of esteemed judges from companies like Baby Einstein and Reading Rainbow along with some regular moms, dads and kids who just really like what they are reading.
It is really going to open doors for me. It’s been a real validation for what I’m doing and it’s so gratifying to see that I can help kids start their love of learning through my books – that’s just wonderful.
Why do your dogs make just great models?
I’m not a professional photographer; I don’t use any special camera or computer tricks. Bella and Finny just absolutely love doing this – they are the biggest hams in the world.
— Lauren Carpenter
www.saratogian.com
