A great thing happened to me while I was writing Happy Dog Phoenix: I got to meet and talk with Bill O’Brien.

For dog lovers, Bill O’Brien is the Arizona man who introduced Rhodesian Ridgebacks to the U.S. and got them to be recognized by the American Kennel Club. His wife, Sada, posed with them onboard a ship travelling  from Africa to Boston. The photo made into Life magazine.

For lovers of everything Arizona, O’Brien is a cowboy, rancher, businessman, civic leader and philanthropist. He was instrumental in setting aside land for the Camelback Mountain Preserve, creating the Irish Cultural Center and improving behavioral health services for teenagers.

A champion storyteller, he has enough interesting experiences for several movies and sequels. He lives life larger than most of us.

So, I will be thinking of O’Brien on this St. Patrick’s Day. Here’s to you, Bill!