Nadine Arzt

I have spent much of my life in the corporate world and never thought about writing children's books until Angus and Coco came along. Watching them every day and imagining what they thought and how they felt motivated me to write stories about our lives together. I noticed that how they interacted was in many ways how human children do and I found it very natural to create narratives around them about feelings such as fear, jealousy, sharing and being different from one another.

Angus & Coco were the first fur-kids that I had ever had. I adopted Angus when he was 6 months old and Coco 7 years later when she was 3 months old and we found her in my mom’s yard. I was already well into adulthood and had no experience living with animals before Angus. It was a soul-opening experience.

Through them I learned that animals are sentient and have feelings like we do and express emotions like we do just in different ways. And yes they talk. Not like humans but they do communicate in their special ways and I saw that firsthand living the three of us together.

These books show how Meowmy (that’s me!) teaches Angus & Coco life lessons but really they were my teachers. I am a kinder, gentler, more compassionate person and even became a vegetarian and this is because they taught me and made me want to be more aware of the impact on animals in the choices I make. I am forever changed because of them and I am so grateful. Nothing and no one else could have fundamentally shifted my perspective the way they did.

I am passionate about doing my part to protect the environment and to end animal cruelty and I as well as my company and brand HOUSE OF COCOJETT support several organizations who do amazing work on behalf of animals. I am originally from Long Island, NY, spent many years living in Manhattan and now I live in New Jersey with my rescue fur-loves Malcolm & Sadie.

I never thought I would be a Jersey girl but I am and I love it!