“Rescue Me, Maybe” is what I call a “love story… for dog lovers.”

It follows Jane Bailey, who has just lost both her husband and her dog to cancer. But, no one knows that she’s sadder about the dog. Jane’s husband had dragged her to Philadelphia, but now that he’s gone, she’s free to move back to her beloved hometown of laid-back, beach-y San Diego. At least… she will be after she helps out temporarily at her uncle’s small-town Arizona B&B. As an introvert, Jane is not excited about working at the B&B. En route to her new role as breakfast chef, she finds a stray. Heartbroken from the loss of her dog, she’s determined not to let this mutt worm its way into her affections. She’s also determined to have next-to-no interaction with the B&B’s irritating guests, and the even more annoying handyman who lives next door. Will Jane be able to keep her sanity—and her secret that she’s not really a grieving widow—while trying to get back to the place she thinks is home?

“A love story for dog lovers”, huh?
Technically, it’s humorous women’s fiction, but I like to call it “Fido-friendly fiction.”

What kind of readers will it appeal to?
Anyone who’s ever loved a pet, and people who don’t mind a little humor mixed with death-stuff. I know a lot of readers who enjoy books about dogs worry that the dog will die at the end. I decided to mix things up by having the dog already be dead at the beginning of the book. You’re welcome.

Tell us about the human main character.
Jane is a loner and an introvert. She doesn’t like talking to strangers. She finds hugging terribly awkward. She’s full of guilt over not being the grieving widow that everyone thinks she is. She’s actually much more grief-stricken about her dog, who was in her life twice as long as her husband. She really just wants to be left alone until she can find a job and make it back to San Diego, where her two life-long best friends still live.

We’ve interviewed you in the past. Remind us about that novel.
My debut novel, “What the Dog Ate,” is also humorous women’s fiction. It’s a lighter tone than “Rescue Me, Maybe,” and a fun read when you want to forget that the world can be sucky.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m super boring. I used to be an accountant. After that I was a research analyst. Yeah – I know. Look out – the glamor jobs! I know you’re wondering how I could give up ALL that.

I like to read, watch sports, walk my dog, hang out with my hubs and have him make me cocktails. I especially enjoy these pomegranate margaritas he’s been making lately.

Do you have a website where we can keep up with your work?
www.jackiebouchard.com

How can we follow you on Twitter and/or Facebook?
@JackieBouchard
http://www.facebook.com/JackieBouchardWriter