Some Real-Life Stars of One in Vermilion May Live

In the Spring of 2017, Archie "adopted" Jennifer one day while she was going to get the mail. Suddenly, a woman came up with 8+ children and said she was having trouble taking care of all her kids, much less her dog who kept getting out and getting pregnant. She asked if Jennifer could take Archie, one of the latest babies. Jennifer was literally going to the Humane Society the next day to adopt a dog, but Archie adopted Jennifer. They've been inseparable ever since. 

When Jennifer heard this rescue had a bunch of black labs up for adoption, she went to see them. She fell in love with all of them! There were at least ten who all looked alike, but the one she picked was just a little taller than his siblings. She felt bad to take him away, but she gave him a new family with Archie and Jack (now deceased), as well as 88 Fingers Louie, her one-eyed, nine-toed orange tabby she had for over twenty years (who suffered a few amputations, the poor guy). Jennifer always thinks people names for pets are funny, and she loves Brian the talking dog character whyo is an aspiring author on Family Guy, so Jennifer's new dog became Brian. The other Brian is all white with a little black, and Jennifer's Brian is all black with a little white. He's a Reverso Brian, really.  When Brian learned how to talk, he said he thought his name was cool. Brian is misperceived as this big scary dog, but he is the sweetest, most gentle dog Jennifer ever met. Also, he is a true retriever, because she never showed him how, but he somehow knows how to catch Frisbees in the air! He's often the star of the dog park!

Jack is very important to Jennifer's story, both in the book One in Vermilion May Live, and in real life. She adopted him from a lady down the street who ran a rescue out of her garage. This other saint of a woman named Suely Auerbach saved him from the Miami Pound the day he was to be euthanized. She paid all his medical bills because he had severe pneumonia, and she gave himthe woman down the street who gave him to Jennifer. Jack was blind and had severe emotional problems. Jennifer suspected he was abused before she got him. She gave him a loving home for 20 years, and he gave her love for just as long. After months of trying to earn his trust, Jack finally gave in and trusted Jennifer, and then he never left her side. When Jennifer finally worked up the nerve after nine years to get a tattoo (which wasn't bad at all!), under her mother's name, she put Jack's name, and then Louie's. Jennifer will always love Jack, and she hopes he can see now and it's all beautiful and wonderful wherever he is. 

When Jennifer met her ex, he had these four great cats that he saved from the street. It was one of the things that drew her to him. Three cats were from the same litter, but one Siamese was from another. Jennifer's ex loves Bruce Springsteen and 80's music, so he named one of the Siamese cats "Bruce." He was the friendliest, most outgoing cat Jennifer ever met, and it would not have surprised her one bit if one day, he just said, "Hey, what's up?" He seemed almost human, he was so friendly and sweet. Her ex named the other two Siamese "Buggles," "Bowie," and then he also had a black cat named "Blue." They were all named after 80's bands, with the Buggles ("Video Killed the Radio Star"), David Bowie (of course!), and "Blue" for Blue Oyster Cult. He also had another black cat named "Blondie," but she ran away. 

Archie the Dog and Bruce the Cat were having a love affair. Jennifer had never seen a dog and cat that close. It was more though that Bruce stalked Archie, and Archie was just polite and tolerated him. They were inseparable. It was beyond cute.

Jennifer named Archie after her favorite mathematician, Archimedes of Syracuse , one of the most brilliant, interesting historical figures of all time. Archie has severe separation anxiety, like Lola in the story (incidentally named after the iguana her sister the veterinarian fostered for a long while). It may be because Archie had the attention of all those kids in his previous family. He is very clingy and constantly in Jennifer's lap, or behind her in her chair. She has discovered the following: Archie makes for terrific lumbar support and also warms Jennifer's lap when she's cold, he is able to offer great suggestions when she writes (although, admittedly, he can be a bit hash at times), and has a very keen eye for editing. He can also do Calculus, although he  hates Related Rates problems like everyone else. Jennifer tried to train him to grade papers, but he hasn't mastered that part yet. Jennifer is still working with him on it.