By Eva Marie Everson
Toto. Asfaloth. Figaro. Buck. Snowbell. Wilbur.
Ever since Noah built the ark and called them in by “twosies,” animals have been a vital part of both life and story.
My husband and I rescued our dog, Bear, shortly after we married. A couple of years later, a cat showed up at our back door, meowing quite loudly. After I set some food out, we found ourselves owned by a cat our three-year-old named “Ke-Ke.”
We rescued our second dog in 1990 when that same child, now a teenager, took a summer “job” at the local shelter. “Come look, come look,” she said when her father picked her up after the first day. He looked. Later, I looked. Aimee was a precious part of our family for nearly 17 years. Then there was Oreo . . . and Hope and Angel . . . Poods . . . and Vanessa. Pets have been a part of our day-to-day for 47 years now. These bits of fluff and fur have been as much a part of our family—and our family story—as the kids and grandkids.
Introducing a family pet—or an animal of any kind—to your work of fiction helps readers connect with your characters, especially if your fans are pet enthusiasts. But once you introduce them, you cannot forget them in your story. You must continue to incorporate them while giving them a purpose within the plot.
Let’s say you bring a cat—we’ll call him Whiskers—into your storyline. Whiskers is a friendly cat owned by your character, Brett. Whiskers meows a lot. He loves plopping into a puddle of sunshine on the floor, flicking his tail, and giving himself a bath. He’s also in-tune to Brett’s sudden shifts in mood. This detail is important in helping the reader to understand the illness Brett works to overcome, which is a significant part of your plot.
Whiskers’ role within the manuscript is to alert the reader to Brett’s changes, which helps introduce conflict.
Or how about Rover. Rover is a goofy dog who prefers outside to inside. He runs around the yard all day, dragging sticks to a pile, then spreads them out again. He rarely barks, but when he does, it’s enough to set off house alarms in three counties. Your character, Jen, loves watching Rover from her kitchen window and, at night, brings Rover inside.
One night, the scene calls for Jen to sit in her favorite chair reading a book, her loyal pup lying at her feet, snoring softly. Suddenly, his head pops up and his ears pin back. A low growl emits deep in his throat. Something is wrong. Jen raises her eyes and looks out the window just as a shadow slips past.
Rover’s characteristics and actions have raised the tension in the scene.
As writers, it is important to keep your readers aware of your pet character’s presence. For example, when your human characters come in from a long day at the office, be sure to have their pets meet them at the door. If they don’t, perhaps something is amiss. Conflict! There are so many ways pets can be incorporated to drive plot forward. Have your pet characters loyally follow a main character down a “yellow brick road,” offer emotional support or comic relief, or teach valuable lessons about friendship, all while learning lessons of unconditional love.
Sometimes, Whiskers and Rover can show these elements of story better than their human counterparts.
Eva Marie Everson is a best-selling and multiple award-winning author and speaker. She is a Christy finalist, a Silver Medallion winner, a Carol recipient, a Maggie and Golden Scroll award-winner, and an Inspirational Retailers Choice Award. Her work, The One True Love of Alice-Ann, was named by Booklist as among the top 10 titles of inspirational fiction for 2017. Eva Marie will teach a workshop, “Every Christian Writer’s Toolbox” at the upcoming CCW Spring Conference (virtual) on March 14.
