East Meadow's Camille Perri talk about 'Social Animals'

Calling all dog lovers! East Meadow native Camille Perri's funny, insightful new novel, "Social Animals" (G.P. Putnam's Sons, $30), revolves around a three-way friendship among women who meet at a dog park. One is a sweet, if ditzy, suburbanite named June, and the other two are not who they seem — Val is a private investigator hired by June's husband to see if she's cheating on him, and Alex is a billionaire in disguise, scheming to wrest control of her family company from said husband and his evil associates.

As the three women bond and their twisty story unfolds, "Social Animals" sheds a bright light on themes of community, privilege, our love of dogs and the power of finding your people. Perri discussed the book with Newsday in advance of her appearance at Gold Coast Book Forum in Oyster Bay at 7 p.m. on June 16, when she'll be interviewed by TV and live events producer Lindsay Jill Roth.

Tell us about your Long Island background.

I grew up in East Meadow in a house where my 85-year-old father still lives. I worked at the East Meadow Public Library from when I was a teen. My mom did payroll for the Jericho Library, and knowing I wanted to be a writer, she encouraged me to get my foot in the door by becoming a page. Then, when she passed away less than a year later, those East Meadow librarians and other staff came together and held me and raised me. They were like a family to me, and that library will always have a really special place in my heart.

The women in "Social Animals" are defined by class: June is well-off, Alex is a billionaire and Val, who comes from nothing, is dazzled by their lives. Did your own history contribute to these characterizations?

Growing up on Long Island, where towns with great disparity in wealth and privilege butt right up against each other, I became aware of all this at an early age. My father is an immigrant from Italy, a tailor; my mom was a housewife, and I couldn't help noticing that the kids I went to high school with had swimming pools in their backyards.

They also differ in their attitudes about dogs: While June is a dog fanatic, Alex is dogless and Val doesn't even like dogs but adopts one to give her an excuse to hang out at the dog park.

I started out like Val. My wife really wanted a dog and I was adamantly against it. I worked from home and she was at her office all day, so clearly I would be the one taking care of it. Then COVID happened, and that argument went out the door. We ended up getting a pandemic puppy. Also like Val, we got a Brussels Griffon — and I totally fell for this 10-pound maniac, this furry little thing that lives in my house and is very self-important, and not very well-behaved.

They're a toy breed, but they have big personalities. They don't understand that they are a small dog and will try to dominate a larger dog. They're also known for being the ultimate Velcro dog, which means they want to attach to you and not let go.

Most of the action — and there's plenty of it — happens at a dog park. Did you base that on your own experiences?

Yes, we started going so our lockdown pup would have a chance at socialization — then realized that I needed that socialization just as much. I grew to look forward to going to the dog park every night. The same group of regulars would all show up at 5:30, and all got to know each other. I was not prepared for how much drama there would be, and how interesting and colorful the people were. I immediately started taking notes for a novel.

We learn early on that Alex is gay and Val is bi. This could have led to an enemies-to-lovers romance plot, but you took another approach.

I liked the idea of Val and Alex butting heads at the beginning, then realizing that they have a certain chemistry, but connecting as friends, or partners in crime, rather than lovers. As Alex puts it, "Two women who date women can be friends, you know." And I don't think this is the end of the story for Val and Alex. I wanted to create an ending that can also be a beginning.

Oooh, does that mean there will be a sequel?

I wouldn't be opposed to it.