Kaye Brownstone

Full Bio

To My Friends, Old and New...

Kaye Brownstone

This page is for you—my friends—whose kindness has given me courage. Here I’ll share quick notes and the little thoughts I’d tell you if we were sitting together over coffee. 

~~ Kaye

Finn

 Meet Finn

I’m Finn, the in-house critic and all-around alarm system for the perils of everyday life at the Brownstone home—perils like birds, squirrels, thunder, fireworks, flies, and salamanders.   Yes, I’m small. Yes, I’m cute. But don’t be fooled—I run this place with a carefully executed defense strategy built entirely on noise, nosiness, needling, and nerve.

Titles and Designations

My personnel file shows a running list of names I now answer to—Finn, Finnegan, Finny, Finner. Then there are the names that come with a backstory.

My favorite? Daddy dog—because I was the last gift my human’s dad gave her before he passed away in 2016. That means my job description goes beyond keeping her humble and on schedule. I’m a daily reminder that he loved and cared for her to the end. (I know she doesn’t really need the reminder…but it makes me happy to be able remind to her every day. I still owe her dad big for the upgrade from “just a dog” to “her dog.”)

My least favorite name, whispered with both annoyance and affection, is little black demon dog … let’s just say I will neither confirm nor deny the validity of this moniker.

 

Finn ...(AKA Chief Judgy Face—Or Upper Management—depending on who you ask.)

How I Support the Writer (According to Me, Finn)

I serve as time manager, reminding her (loudly) when it’s time to stop writing and start snacking.

I proudly serve as marketing assistant, winning readers over with my cuteness better than any paid ad.

In my capacity as mood booster, I make deadlines feel a little less scary with one wag.

I handle revisions. One well-placed look from me and she’s rethinking every sentence she thought was brilliant five minutes ago. That’s called editorial oversight.

I boost productivity with surprise interruptions. Nothing sharpens focus like trying to out-type me when I’m demanding attention.

I proofread drafts by sitting on them. If the page can’t survive my paws, it’s not ready for the world.

I keep her humble. Every time she laughs at her own jokes, I glare until she questions her taste.

I manage scheduling. Forget the calendar—if my bowl is empty, the deadline is officially canceled until further notice.

I’m also her muse. Half her best lines probably come from looking at me and thinking, What on earth is he doing now?

So, that’s me. Finn. Small, black, and devastatingly handsome—though I don’t have to tell you that.