A Boy’s Best Comrade follows a loyal dog in Stalin-era Moscow, as she protects the boy she loves through arrest, hunger, homelessness, and betrayal in a world where devotion itself becomes an act of courage. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I’ve always adored animals and possess a fascination with history, particularly Russian history. When I read about the packs of stray dogs that have taught themselves to navigate Moscow’s subway system, I saw a way to combine my love of animals and passion for history. Once I started writing I looked to my favorite childhood books and movies, especially Don Bluth’s animated movies, for even more inspiration.

How did you balance Sasha’s animal instincts with the emotional depth needed to carry the novel?​

Sasha is based off and named for my dog. When writing Sasha’s character, I imbued her with my Sasha’s personality and mannerisms to lend her authenticity and make her feel like a ‘real’ dog. To ensure that she was humanized in the story I turned to Mrs. Brisby from The Secret of NIMH and other characters who possessed the nurturing, maternal, characteristics that I wanted Sasha to possess for inspiration. Throughout the novel I tried to maintain a balance between conveying human emotions through Sasha while ensuring that she still behaved like a dog.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

The most crucial themes in the book are resilience in the face of adversity, the horrors of authoritarianism, and the importance of loyalty in a world of distrust. While these themes were particularly relevant in Stalinist Russia, I believe that they are universal and would resonate with readers across generations and cultures.

What kind of research shaped your portrayal of Moscow’s streets, metro stations, and stray-dog packs?​

The research was absolutely the most difficult aspect of writing A Boy’s Best Comrade. I was fortunate enough to be able to view documentaries about the real-life Moscow subway dogs and strays in general. The research about the streets and metro was more difficult due to all the changes to the city over the course of several decades and the language barrier. I used a combination of written sources from the 1930’s along with maps and photos of the city and metro to try and create an accurate depiction of 1930’s Moscow.

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