origin story
So how did a dog named Lunchbox become a crime fighting hero? Well, it all starts with humble beginnings…
Hi there, Jennifer here! This is the story of how Lunchbox and I met, and began on this journey together.
I have been working in law enforcement for more than twenty years. I've always loved dogs and wanted to adopt one. However, the long hours and demands of my job meant I never really felt like I could give a dog the loving home it deserved.
In 2016, I began volunteering with the Humane Soceity of Fairfax County, VA as a way to get my canine quality time in. That’s when I met Lunchbox (or “Cookie”, as the rescue had named her).
She had such a sweet and calm demeanor! She was picked up as a stray, and the vets said she was about seven years old (this was in 2019). This can be a problem for people, as sometimes adopters aren’t prepared for the challenges of caring for an older pet. But after spending time together at the rescue, we clicked instantly and I fell in love.
Because HSFC brought Lunchbox and I together, and because the organization does great work with rescue animals, I wanted to support it by sharing the profits of my books. After all, without HSFC bringing Lunchbox into my life, there would be no Lunchbox Is On The Case series!
Driving home from the rescue with a new family member!
“Even though I have had to adjust my lifestyle to better take care of a dog, it is worth it! I consider myself so lucky to have found Lunchbox.”
Lunchbox and I bonded very quickly. I think she also knew I was the right person for her. Lunchbox loves people and always looks for pets and scratches from everyone she sees. A stranger is just a friend she has not met yet!
When I brought Lunchie home to meet her new feline siblings, we all learned very quickly that Lunchbox was a born and bred hunting dog. She terrorized the cats for a long time! I had to set up an elaborate system of baby gates to keep them all separated. It took years, but they now (mostly) co-exist peacefully. However, Lunchbox is still very interested in the cats and enjoys chasing them. The cats have learned to tolerate her antics.
The idea for the books came when I was sent on a two month work assignment to Oklahoma. I had no one to take care of Lunchbox, so I brought her with me. I introduced Lunchie to my colleagues, and they absolutely adored her!
Lunchbox also loved Oklahoma because there were so many rabbits and moles to sniff after. It was there that I came up with the idea of writing a cute series of children's books about our crime fighting adventures together.
It took me a while to find an illustrator, but while taking Spanish lessons from Ana Cañas, she recommended her nephew, Sebastián Varela.
Sebastián is an animation student in El Salvador, and agreed to join the team! He’s helped with illustrating every one of the published episodes, as well as with Spanish language releases of the Lunchbox series
He has been drawing since he was a kid and it has always been his dream to see his work published somewhere (as a movie, as a book, as a comic book...). Sebastián is currently aspiring to a career as an illustrator at a major animation studio.
You can see more of Sebastián’s work by visiting his Instagram page