Teresa Rhyne

Teresa Rhyne is a lawyer, writer, dog lover and breast cancer survivor (though definitely not in that order). She loves wine, books, coffee and dogs (still not in order) and loathes exercise, Christmas, and chocolate (probably in that order). She has lived in Southern California (it’s like its own state) for her entire life but only recently has she lived in any one house longer than five years. She shares said house with her boyfriend Chris and their irrepressible, diabolically cute beagle, Seamus (the Famous).

Rhyne's new memoir is The Dog Lived (and So Will I).

Recently I asked the author what she was reading. Her reply:

I recently finished A.M. Homes's May We Be Forgiven, which is an astoundingly good book. I was drawn into the characters and the drama immediately and am just in awe of her writing chops. I’d been reading a ton of non-fiction, because that’s what I’ve been writing, and this book brought me right back to my love of fiction. So next I picked up John Irving’s In One Person. John Irving is one of my favorite writers of all time and this recent book did not dampen my enthusiasm. I thought he handled a difficult subject (transgender and bi-sexuality) with great sensitivity. I was lucky enough to hear Mr. Irving’s talk at the American Library Association annual conference in Anaheim, CA this year and he read a bit from this book. It was enjoyable to read/hear the book in his voice as he envisions the characters, but his writing is so vivid and his characters so clearly drawn, the personal reading by the author isn’t necessary (just an added bonus). I tend toward the “dysfunctional family/ people” sorts of fiction because in the end, that’s all of us. It’s a universal experience. These two books were great reminders of that.

On the non-fiction front, I just finished Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me A Family Man by Brian McGrory. Memoirs about animals are my thing right now and after reading Sy Montgomery’s Birdology (which I read because I love her The Good, Good Pig), I was intrigued by a memoir about a rooster (though as these memoirs usually are, it’s really about so much more). I enjoyed the story and thankfully, did not rush out and get a rooster (nor did I get a pig after reading Sy’s book…but I wanted to).

Visit Teresa Rhyne's website and The Dog Lived (and so Will I) blog.

See--Coffee with a Canine: Teresa Rhyne & Seamus.

--Marshal Zeringue