Spatz and owner, author Sherry Fair, pose for fans at a bookstore in Trenholm Plaza.

Have you ever met anyone who is the subject of his own series of books? I have. His name is Stonerhaven Carolina Spatz. He’s a dog…a pedigreed Sheltie…who lives and works with author Sherry Fair and her family.

Spatz divides his time between the Midlands of SC and the Blue Ridge Mountain Region of NC. His adventures are chronicled in the Spatz series. Book One – Spatz: The Scratching Sound is currently in local bookstores. Author Sherry Fair, Spatz, and illustrator Jarrett Rutland were at Books–A–Million at Trenholm Plaza Sunday, September 11, signing books and promoting the spring release of Book 2 – Spatz: The Best Parade Day.

Cub reporter John Dixon chats with illustrator Jarrett Rutland at Joe Muggs during book signing. Spatz posed in his parade car and sat patiently while I petted him. He took a break to hoover up cookie crumbs under the table where we were sitting (which was a very doggy thing to do) before posing for some more photos.

Fair has always loved animals. As a young girl she read many books about horses, including all of the Marguerite Henry books about the ponies of Chincoteague before discovering some wonderful dog books. She loved Lassie so much that she ran away from home and down the street every Sunday night to watch Lassie on a neighbor’s TV because her family had no TV at home.

Fair grew up wanting a collie to call her own. She soon discovered Shelties and fell in love with them because, “You love them, and they love you back.” They also “enjoy being with the whole family and doing what the family does.” As an adult she has owned three Shelties. The third one is Spatz, and he’s a star!

Fair graduated from Columbia College with a degree in English. She has been a teacher, writer, and storyteller for many years but spent most of her time writing for others. She wrote plays and stories for students to perform. But until she fell and broke several bones in her feet, she never took time to write for her own enjoyment.

Fair believes writers should “write about everything they see and like.” She also says that they should “write daily and try to use new words.”

When you read the Spatz books you will see she has followed her own advice. She loves Spatz and has written about the simple but amusing things she sees him do daily.

Little kids will love the book about Spatz’s adventures with Grey Squirrel and his upcoming adventures at a Fourth of July parade. Book three has something to do with Spatz’s peculiar talent for blowing bubbles under water. Given Spatz’s joy for eating, car rides, and herding the family’s other dog, a chocolate lab, around I am sure there are many other stories to come!

Jarrett Rutland is a talented young man who began writing and illustrating his own fantasy adventure stories in kindergarten. As a high school student he was awarded the National Congressional Art Award for the state of Alabama. He has since received numerous other awards.

Rutland earned a bachelor of fine arts degree at the Maryland Institute College of Art and has studied abroad in Canada and France. Jarrett admits his personal favorite genre is fantasy (which is also my own personal favorite.) He spent a year developing a comic strip before becoming an illustrator of children’s books.

Rutland still dabbles in stationary and greeting card design, and does work on commission to help pay the bills between books. He has enjoyed his work with Sherry Fair and Spatz and looks forward to illustrating Spatz’s future adventures. You can find out more about Spatz and Company or book workshops and personal appearances at www.spatzbooks.com.

As for me…I got a first edition signed by the author and illustrator for my book collection and met two very interesting people and a pretty cool dog. We have two slightly neurotic dogs at my house, so I came away from my interview inspired and thinking I might try my hand at writing The Canine Adventures of Chizillah or It Came from Under the Sofa .

Spatz poses in his parade car.