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Koontz with Trixie © Jerry Bauer
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Dean Koontz says he found himself at a loss for words when his dog Trixie died in June.
“Never in my life have I faced writer’s block, but I couldn’t write a word for a month after she died,” the author told USA Today.
Koontz had adopted Trixie, a retired service dog, several years ago. The Golden Retriever often sat in his office as he wrote, and served as inspiration for the dog in his latest novel, “The Darkest Evening of the Year,” which tells the story of a woman who rescues a dog with mystical qualities.
Does the author think all dogs possess special powers? “There is a deep mystery in dogs,” Koontz says. “I saw it in Trixie. Dogs are open to things we’re closed to. They see things we don’t see.”
Koontz says Trixie certainly performed magic – on him and his wife, Gerda. “She taught [us] to enjoy life more,” he says. “Dogs are fascinated by the minutiae of life. There are wonders all around us, and we’re blind to them in our rush through our daily lives.”
“The Darkest Evening of the Year” is in bookstores now.