As a national security writer for the Washington Times, Rowan Scarborough usually writes about momentous topics such as Islamic extremism and Russian aggression. But in his most recent work, Scarborough takes on America's dog culture. In a new novel, Dog Park, he draws from six years of personal experience to satirize fanatical dog lovers and the eccentric communities in which they live.
The main character’s dog is based on Scarborough’s own dog.
"Six years ago I rescued a black lab, Jet was his name," Scarborough said in an interview with the Free Beacon. "That kind of immersed me in dog culture."
The story centers around a dog park, where Scarborough satirizes both the pet-obsessed community and the nation's post-9/11 capital. A pair of overzealous dog catchers watch over the park and exhaust all means, including counterterrorism software, stakeouts, and DNA analysis, to catch an owner who doesn't clean up after his pet.
In one episode, the dog catchers leap out of the patrol vehicle and pounce on a retired woman, much to her displeasure.
"You have to have an ability to make people laugh at least in private among your friends," Scarborough said. "If you don’t have that knack then you aren’t going to be able to notice funny things in your everyday life that you can turn into fiction."
Scarborough has published two nonfiction books, including the New York Times bestseller Rumsfeld’s War: The Untold Story of America's Anti-Terrorist Commander. Dog Park is available in an ebook version online.