Accomplished screenwriter and journalist Gary Goldstein is releasing his fourth novel, and this one has a unique twist. “Canine Custody” is a dark comedy that explores the nuances of divorce through three points of view: the husband, the wife, and the family dog.
Fans of Hallmark are likely familiar with Goldstein’s work. He has written numerous screenplays for the network, such as “Royally Ever After,” “Summer in the City,” “My Boyfriend’s Dogs,” and “Lights, Camera, Christmas!” His 2023 Hallmark movie, “Friends and Family Christmas,” was co-written with Tracy Andreen and earned a GLAAD Award nomination for Outstanding Film — Streaming or TV.
Goldstein talked with EntertainmentNOW exclusively about his new book and future screenwriting plans, including a Christmas movie.
“Canine Custody” releases everywhere books are sold — including Amazon — on September 22, and has been made available for preorder prior to that.
The Novel Is ‘War of the Roses Meets A Dog’s Purpose’
The novel follows a husband and wife who impulsively separate after 12 years of marriage. Their conflict soon becomes a custody battle, because neither is willing to give up their beloved Springer Spaniel.
“It’s kind of ‘War of the Roses’ meets ‘A Dog’s Purpose,'” Goldstein said.
“Canine Custody” unfolds through alternating first-person perspectives of the husband, wife, and dog. This marks a departure from Goldstein’s previous novels, which were written in third person.
Writing from three points of view can be a little tricky, especially when one of them is a dog. Goldstein said his own childhood experiences with his parents’ tempestuous marriage influenced the dog’s perspective — something he didn’t realize until he finished the novel.
“The dog doesn’t understand everything, but observes a lot and tells us what she gets and doesn’t get, what she appreciates and doesn’t appreciate,” he said. “She’s learning as she goes along… The dog basically spoke to the reader, which is a tricky thing to do.”
He said his parents got divorced when he was 20, but they were already considering it when he was just 11.
“There’s a lot of stuff I heard and saw as kid that I’ve kind of put into the eyes of the Spring Spaniel, almost without knowing it,” he said. “It’s something I realized after the fact. This dog, which is their child, has the child’s perspective of: ‘No matter how much they’re not getting along, I don’t want my people to split up, because how will it affect me?'”
Goldstein Enjoys Exploring the Intricate Nuances that Make Relationships Tick
Although “Canine Custody” is a dark comedy, it takes a meaningful look at marriage, relationships, and the roles pets assume in their families.
“These are good people,” he said. “They’ve just kind of lost sight of what’s in front of them, essentially.”
Goldstein said he’s always been interested in how two people can fall madly in love, want to spend their lives together, and yet still reach a point years later where they can barely stand to be in the same room.
“I’m a believer in that sometimes, the things that attract us to people can also become the things that turn us away as time goes on,” he said. “Every good trait has kind of a downside to it. But if a couple can grow together and communicate well, things can really work out.”
After years of screenwriting, Goldstein said he’s found that the classic story structure has become instinctive to him. That background has helped him write novels without feeling daunted by the storytelling process. But the characters can still take him in unexpected directions.
“There are lots of surprises along the way,” he said. “If somebody reads one of my books and says, ‘Wow, that’s a cool twist…’ Well, that’s very gratifying to me because I didn’t see it coming either until it landed in front me.”
“Canine Custody” is Goldstein’s fourth novel, and it’s already generated “significant movie and TV interest,” he said.
Goldstein has also written a Christmas screenplay that has generated interest as well. He already has a producer and a production company attached, and they’re talking with networks.
“It’s a really fun story,” he said about the Christmas script. “Hopefully, if we can get it made, it’d be for next Christmas.”
“Canine Custody” releases everywhere books are sold — including Amazon — on September 22.
