A TALE OF TWO DOGS

By Mary Day

Every now and then you get a little surprise a case of expect the unexpected, well I was pleasantly surprised when I met a gentleman by the name of Kevin Mcbride.

Kevin is a reasonably ordinary man, no different from any other person you may come across on your daily travels and is a father of three children and grandfather to eight.

I would describe Kevin as very much a man’s man and very much into following football and playing pool.

Kevin and wife Jan moved to Cyprus from London in September 2012 bringing with them their two much loved family pets Jess and Molly two jack Russell cross Chihuahua’s or ‘jacahuahua’ as Kevin and Jan like to call them.

Kevin holds a little secret within as he has written a children’s book and a very good one at that, one that I have had both the privilege and pleasure of reading.

On meeting with Kevin at his home in Catalkoy it was quite clear to me that the dogs seem to have taken on the same comical character of Kevin and after reading his book and then meeting the two dogs I almost felt that he was speaking for them as he had done so in his book, maybe it was just me and my imagination but there was a wonderful chemistry and great understanding between Kevin, Jess and Molly and I really do believe that although Kevin has written the book he was merely the writing tool for Jess and Molly and it was a case of if only the dogs could talk this is what they would say .

A little snip from Kevin’s book:

Jess, don’t run off! I’m scared! It’s so big out here! Don’t be silly there’s nothing to be scared of. I’m the queen of the jungle!

The book is based on the move from the UK to Cyprus from a dog’s view or should I say two dogs’ view, it is based on the wonderful adventure that the two dogs faced as they received the news that they would be moving to a new home so far away.

I asked Kevin how he came to write the book? He said “I managed large building jobs in the UK it was very stressful, when I came to Cyprus I will say I was a little bored, I was just in the garden one day, the dogs playing and running around and I said to my wife Jan that I could write a book about those two and that was it I did”.

The book is ideally suited to 3-7 year olds but I think adults will love it equally and enjoy reading it to children.

I asked Kevin if he had tried to get it published. He said ”I have sent it to my friend Stuart in the UK, he loved it and said it was brilliant and that he has a few contacts in publishing that he will get advice from and I will meet with him in November, but who knows what will happen we will have to wait and see”.  Kevin’s daughter Tracy said “I loved the book I thought it was fantastic”.

I asked Kevin if he had thought of doing more books, to be honest I am excited by and look forward to reading the next adventures of Jess and Molly myself.  Kevin said “My friends have said that I should write more but I have not really thought about it they said it could be a series of books, I think I would like to write more of them “.

A modest man afraid that his ex-work colleagues in the UK may see his book and make fun of him about it, Kevin does not see the talent that he holds and he gave me the impression that he is almost embarrassed by the fact that he has written a book. He does not seem to recognise that everyone who reads his book absolutely loves it.

On a final note all I can say is “look out for, The adventure’s of Jess and Molly”, not only will your children love it I am sure you will too”.