David Dayan Fisher Interview

David Dayan Fisher moved to Los Angeles nine years ago from London to make his acting dream come true. He has since earned starring roles in both TV and film, including National Treasure, The Librarian, and 24, and has been a regular guest star for four years on the hit show NCIS as CIA agent Trent Kort. He is now a spokesperson for several dog rescue agencies. David spoke with TheCelebrityCafe.com's Sara Buchanan about his new children's book, Puppy School.

TheCelebrityCafe.com: Tell me a little about your book, Puppy School.

David Dayan Fisher: Yup. Puppy School, I say this is the story of a dream that became a reality. I was out having dinner when a friend's dog was mucking around, was being belligerent and I said 'Your dog needs to go to puppy school.' Anyway, the name kind of stuck in my head. That night in a dream, it really was the most unbelievably crystal clear dream, even while I was asleep I was watching myself dreaming and I followed this dream all the way. It was like watching a movie. So the next day I [wrote] it down and proceeded to turn it into a children's book. I've always been playing bad guy roles. All I do is play bad guy roles. Evil, evil, evil. And here I am with a wonderful story about puppies. So I say 95% of the book is exactly what the dream was.

TCC: Did you have a passion for writing before this story?

DDF: Yeah. I have a couple of scripts that I've written and about nine other treatments of stories. And since I've had that dream I now have another idea for another dog story and two other ideas for books. So I have been working.

TCC: Are you planning on doing a sequel to Puppy School?

DDF: There is one already in the making. It is set in Hollywoof and [the dogs] get hounded by the Puppyrazzi and there is a detective agency called The Dog Nose Knows. And that's all I will say but it is actually being formulated and written at the moment.

TCC: I noticed that your Facebook photo has a dog. Do you have any pets of your own?

DDF: Yes. I have two mutts. Terrier mutts. One is called Burton, he's three-and-a-half years old and there's Monkey who's two-and-a-half years old. They're not related but they act like brothers.

TCC: How did you come up with a unique the name like Monkey?

DDF: I've always wanted a Monkey. My ex-girlfriend and I found a dog about five years ago and I called that one Chimp. I wanted a Chimpanzee. When this one came along I started calling him Monkey. He jumps around like a monkey and he is a little monkey.

TCC: Did your dogs, Burton and Monkey, go to puppy school?

DDF: No. These mutts did not go to puppy school. They're terriers, but I call them terrierists. They are stubborn. They are wonderfully stubborn. They listen when they want to. But when they're out in public they listen because they don't want to be embarrassed. Burton is a charmer and a devil. Monkey just loves attention. They bring a smile to everyone. They're great little characters. They are my sanctuary.

TCC: So your book is about making a dream a reality. Tell me some more about the premise of the story.

DDF: "Puppy School" is where pedigree dogs go to get their degree to enter the world of pedigrees, and no mutts are allowed in this puppy school. But there's this little dog called Monkey, yeah I named him after my dog, and Monkey is determined to make something of himself. And he asks him mum, 'why don't we go to puppy school?' And she laughs at him like, 'We don't belong there, we don't go there.' His brothers and sisters laugh at him. But he has a dream to better himself and make something of himself. So he manages to get into puppy school and he makes a friend, Burton, who is a pedigree Labrador puppy. All I can say for the end of this book is that the world of pedigrees and mutts will never be the same again. It's a wonderful adventure. And it's great because it was a gift to me. I honest to god did not have to formulate the story. I just had to write down the dream. When I first had the idea, you know there are people now talking about turning it into a movie, I sent the idea of the story to a very big producer and director and he thought it was perfect, wonderful, great idea for a movie. This book is a gift and now I want to give this book to who ever I can get it to. And then I can give 50% to animals in need.