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This is Maple.
I first met Maple a few years, before she was was a moviestar - but more on that later, when I was doing a photography job at Saxon and I's local dog training school.
In case I never mentioned it, yes, I'm also a photographer.
Anyway, I was photographing an obedience trial and Maple caught my eye, mostly because she's just THAT beautiful - and mind bogglingly smart.
I introduced myself to her own and asked if I could take a couple of extra photos of Maple, and fortunately for me, the answer was - yes.
As a part-time dog photographer I see A LOT of dogs and they're all incredible but Maple really stuck in my mind. SO much so, that I made her the main model on my photography business cards.
Cut to a few years later, I was at the movies with my best friend Lara and who pops up on screen as the animal actor in the movie - Maple of course! If you like chick flicks, the movie is Anyone But You, a fake relationship trope, rom-com set in Sydney.
At the time, I was part way through writing the first book in the Wildling K9 Mystery Series and I left the cinema dreaming of the day an email would land in my inbox asking for an option on the series for a film or television production - starring Maple.
It's the dream of many writers to one day see the world and characters they've created come to life, and ever since that day I've imagined Maple whenever I write Koda and that's why I thought you should meet her.
Much like Koda, she's an incredible dog who competes with her owner in obedience, agility, dancing, she acts... and who know what else she's capable of.
Unfortunately I haven't remained in touch with Maple's owner but I hope to see them both again some day at an event I'm photographing.
If you'd like to know about the dog who 'unofficially' inspired the creation of Koda, you can follow Maple's Insta at: @maple_the_border_collie.
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