Beth Stern has always led with her heart.\u202fThe New York Times<\/em> best-selling author\u2014and wife of radio legend Howard Stern\u2014has spent decades giving animals a second chance, first as a volunteer at local shelters and now as a longtime spokesperson for North Shore Animal League America, the largest no-kill rescue and adoption organization in the world. When she chatted with us from her Florida home, she was quick to remind us: \u201cIt\u2019s just who I am at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, she\u2019s channeling that lifelong devotion into her sweetest project yet:\u202fCoco and Stephen, Together Forever<\/em>, a children\u2019s book inspired by the unlikely friendship between a special-needs cat and a rabbit that blossomed in her own foster room, with all of her author proceeds benefiting North Shore Animal League America..<\/p>\n<\/div>\n And the giving doesn\u2019t stop there. Stern recently teamed up with her friend Jill Martin on a charming clothing line for humans and pets alike, with 100 percent of her profits going toward saving animal lives. As warmer weather approaches, she\u2019s also gearing up for what she calls \u201ckitten season\u201d\u2014opening her home to pregnant mamas and newborns, complete with dedicated birthing suites. \u201cIt\u2019s a magical time,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Ahead, Stern opens up about her new book, her lifelong work in animal rescue and what life looks like during kitten season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is my fourth book\u2014it\u2019s my third children\u2019s book. My first book was Oh My Dog<\/em>, about how to pick, nurture and train your new furry friend. That was just for dogs. Then I went into children\u2019s, and I\u2019m loving it. I love that I\u2019m able to share the magic that happens in my foster room and get the conversation started with kids about rescuing and fostering, not buying from a pet store and taking care of animals in general.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis time, it was very easy. I never thought I wanted to write a children\u2019s book\u2014I don\u2019t have any extra time. I\u2019ve spent my whole life fostering and caring for animals, and when I wrote my first children\u2019s book, there was magic happening in my foster room. There was a purpose\u2014love and purpose heal your soul.<\/p>\n It was based on this cat, Yoda, and I really wanted to share that with the world. When I met with the publisher, they said, \u2018Let\u2019s do this as a children\u2019s book and figure out how to tell the story.\u2019 It was easy because it was a play-by-play of what happened in my foster room. Of course, I had help\u2014I\u2019d never written a children\u2019s book before, and there are things you have to learn, like pacing and how children read differently than adults.<\/p>\n Once we went through the process with the first one, the second was easy because it followed the same characters. Then years went by\u2014I was approached to do a third and said, \u2018I don\u2019t have the time.\u2019<\/p>\n That changed when I rescued Coco Melon, Coco and Stephen the rabbit. Their story was the easiest to outline, and it just flowed. I\u2019m so excited to share these new characters\u2014they\u2019re in the room next to me right now, playing together.\u201d<\/p>\n BUY NOW – $20<\/p>\n \u201cOnce I decided on Penguin Random House, the publishers assisted every step of the way. They share the illustrators they\u2019ve worked with in the past, or an illustrator they think would be a good match for the personalities. We worked very closely together. They knew the characters as well as I did at that point. They basically said: \u2018Let\u2019s take a look at these people.\u2019 There were maybe 10 of them. Then, I narrowed it down to a couple, and we had each of them draw a sample of Coco Melon and Stephen. As soon as we saw Joni, we knew right away that she was the one who captured the essence of both of them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s definitely in my blood, because when I was born, my parents had a rescue, a big collie mix rescue that was their firstborn, Susie Dog. We always rescued our animals growing up, whether it was the neighbor who didn\u2019t want their guinea pig anymore, a cat thrown outside by a family they didn\u2019t want or the local shelters all knew us. Yes, we\u2019ve been animal lovers and have rescued since I was born.<\/p>\n Then, it just carried on, and I started volunteering in my adult life because it was so near and dear to me. When I was working in New York City, I couldn\u2019t have one of my own because of my travel schedule, and I was modeling all over the world. When I had time, and I was home, I would volunteer at the local shelters. That\u2019s where I met and learned all about the mission of North Shore Animal League America, and started working closely with them and volunteering there regularly until I decided to start fostering.<\/p>\n In my foster program, we work directly with North Shore Animal League America, which is the largest no-kill rescue organization in the world. They\u2019re incredible, and I love being affiliated with them, and I love that my foster program is, too. That\u2019s just how it is. I\u2019m now 53 years old, going on 54, and I\u2019ve been doing this for such a long time. It\u2019s just who I am at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh my gosh. I guess a good night\u2019s sleep is always key. I\u2019m really not one who\u2019s into skin care. I wish I had time to know all the latest and greatest lasers and creams. My family, I\u2019ve just been very fortunate. I have very good genes when it comes to skin care, and I just use Dove soap and wash my face before I go to bed.<\/p>\n I eat terribly\u2014sugar, carbs, pizza, donuts, cereal, gummy bears. I eat like a 12-year-old kid! I wish I had spent more time taking care of myself\u2014maybe I\u2019ll regret it soon since I\u2019m already in my 50s. Really, I don\u2019t spend much time on that because I\u2019m so busy with my animals.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe we have the secret! Maybe this can be my next book!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, preparing myself is a better word as we get ready for kitten season. Once the weather turns warm, cats\u2019 heat cycles escalate\u2014that\u2019s what we call kitten season. So many cats who aren\u2019t spayed or who are outdoors get pregnant. I open my home to as many as I can. I\u2019m really good with the pregnant mamas\u2014I have little birthing suites throughout my house and can assist in the labor.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a magical time\u2014I\u2019m able to help these kittens find their forever homes once we find the perfect match for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\nI\u2019d love to hear how you got pen to paper for this book. I believe it\u2019s your fourth one, right?<\/h2>\n
What\u2019s the hardest part of sitting down to write and getting it all out there? I know the ideas are there, but how do you go about it from start to finish?<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\nHow did you decide who the right illustrator was for this book? How does that work with the whole creative process once you do write it?<\/h2>\n
You have pretty much devoted your life to animals. Did you grow up like this?<\/h2>\n
Part of your life also involves travel, red carpets, premieres, all that good stuff. Are there any beauty things that you really love\u2014the things that make you feel your best?<\/h2>\n
Well, it sounds like we have a similar diet!<\/h2>\n
I\u2019ll be your editor. My last question: What are you excited about as we get into May, besides the launch of the book?<\/h2>\n