Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Simba

Happy Friday and happy last day of May! I have the grand finale for the crime critter photos today and boy is it ever a grand finale! It also bookends our series. We started out with a dog reading SUSPECT and we're ending with a dog reading SUSPECT.

You know how when you see someone you don't get to see often you ask to see pictures of their kids or their family? This is how much of an animal person I am. Whenever I see Gregg Hurwitz, I asked to see pictures of Simba.

While Gregg is plotting and planning his amazing novels, Simba keeps him company. For our Crime Critters series, Gregg caught Simba reading a very special book:

"Here is Simba with SUSPECT. He was delighted to be mentioned in the dedication, and he also believes quite firmly that he was the inspiration for the book, and for Maggie. (Crais refuses to confirm this.) Anyway, he found the book incredibly moving and may have even cried a little when he read the opening chapter. Some lion hunter he turned out to be."

 

Isn't he gorgeous? And I'm super excited because as you know Gregg is going to be in Cleveland in August. Several of my NE Ohio friends have already said they're going to be there; if you haven't registered, be sure you do so. It's going to be a great event! And his new book that's coming out in August, TELL NO LIES, is incredible, INCREDIBLE, but more on that later. Just know that you'll want to see him in person.

Many thanks to Gregg and Simba and all the wonderful folks who contributed to this year's Get Caught Reading series. Now make sure you get caught reading all summer!

My final pet tip of the series: love 'em! That's all they ask for.

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Isabelle

We had a few critters fall through this month, so you're now forced to meet one of MY critters. Isabelle was smitten with Lou Berney's book, Whiplash River, from the moment I received the ARC. She's a very skittish little girl, but she loves her exciting crime novels. She reads this one again and again.

Izzy tells me that she wishes Shake would come live with us because she's sure he would make her tasty fish to eat instead of the boring old kibble I serve up. And she thinks Lou Berney is a very funny writer. She keeps bugging me to ask for her to be in the next book with Shake. She thinks she would make a much better partner for Shake than Gina. ;-)

Since we have a cat today, I'll provide a cat-specific pet tip: Cats will make a plaything out of any item, so keep blind cords out of your cats reach to avoid strangulation; keep yarn and needles secured and out of reach to prevent them being swallowed; keep toxins out of their reach (maybe install baby locks on the doors?). In general, cat-proof your home!

If you missed Monday's critters with Craig Johnson, be sure to go back and check out the contest for his new Walt Longmire book!

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - A Holiday Edition

Even though today's Memorial Day, I had to have a critter picture. You see today is also the premiere of the new season of Longmire. Now I have to admit, that I don't watch television. I haven't had television reception in years and I haven't had the desire to pursue it, but there are a lot of people who love Longmire and a lot of people who have been introduced to one of my favorite BOOK series through this television series. So, I'm all for celebrating a new season. And celebrate we shall. First, let's look at who was caught reading:

Looks like Craig Johnson's as engrossing a story reader as he is a story writer. He's reading Margaret Coel's The Girl with Braided Hair to those beauties and they are definitely intrigued.

To add to the celebration, I have a lovely giveaway courtesy of Penguin Viking. I have both a copy of the new Walt Longmire, A SERPENT'S TOOTH, and the new TV tie-in edition of DEATH WITHOUT COMPANY.  So, some lucky winner is going to walk away with new Walt Longmire books. All you have to do to enter is fill out the form below. This is open to U.S. residents only and you must submit your entry by release day, June 4th. I'll pull the winner's number on the 5th.

As usual, any questions, just drop me an email. Good luck, happy reading and Happy Memorial Day!

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Franklin

First, I apologize for no critter yesterday. We haven't exhausted our supply yet, I just simply ran out of time. Some days I need about six more hours.

But, I promised myself I would definitely get Franklin up today because we simply can't skip two days in a row. We have critters to highlight gosh darn it!

We have a cutie today. Franklin lives with two of the coolest people I know: Dan and Kate Malmon. They're part of my Crimespree family and so that makes Franklin family, too, right? Is he my nephew? My cousin? Oh it doesn't matter, he's a readin' fool!

Franklin is reading HAWKEYE by Matt Fraction. It's put out monthly by Marvel Comics.

HAWKEYE follows the adventures of Avenger Clint Barton, when he's not hanging out with Earths Mightiest Heroes. These stories are one-two issues long, have a more street-level vibe, and full of awesome character beats.

Franklin knows good comics.

Today's Pet Tip: invest in reflective wear for your pets for when you have to be out in the dark. If you're at all like me here in NE Ohio, the days get short in the fall and winter. Sometimes you're in mid-walk when the sun goes down. Having a collar or vest with reflective properties will ensure that you're visible to motorists.

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Darla & Bogart

I have a brother-sister team of readers for you today! When crime fiction author Eric Beetner says in his bio that he's the "father of two" I'm pretty certain he's referring to his two-legged children (who happen to be adorable by the way), but who knows, maybe it's Darla and Bogart! ;-)

Eric has obviously instilled the same good habits in the canines that he's shared with his human children.


"Owen stayed at our house for a weekend last time he was in LA. Ever since then Darla has been a fan."

As for Bogart, well...

"Bogart likes his crime fiction hardboiled, so he really ate up Todd Robinson's debut, The Hard Bounce. I mean really ate it up. I need a new one."

You can find out more about Eric and his writing (all kinds of writing) at his website. And you can ask to see more pictures of these two cuties. They may be hardboiled readers but they look like big...er little?...softies!

Today's pet tip: please make sure you're aware of plants that are toxic to your pets. If they're in your home, make sure they aren't located where your critters can get a hold of them. They look like nice munchies to those who don't know any better.

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Wilbur

One of the nicest, funniest, most generous people I know in the crime fiction community is Tom Schreck, author of the Duffy Dombroski series. When it comes to empathy and kindness, he makes me look like Attila the Hun (and no comments from my sisters allowed).

Most people who know him, know about his passion for animals, especially basset hounds. Many have met Tom through various basset events, like basset waddles. That name just cracks me up, but it's apt for bassets.

Tom's own basset is Wilbur. Wilbur is a certified therapy dog and today Tom caught him reading...

"I called to Wilbur while he was reading an old school Dennis Lehane...he wasn't pleased I interrupted him...he tends to get lost in a good book.

Here he's enjoying Darkness, Take My Hand (Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro)."

Those look like some strong specs there, Wilbur. Keep reading, pal!

You can enjoy Tom's novels and shorts stories. Find out more at his website or come out for Bouchercon or Murder and Mayhem in Muskego. He's a regular at both.

Thanks to Tom and Wilbur for today's entry in the Crime Critters series.

And today's pet tip: Remain as calm as possible during stressful or emergency situations - your pet is easily influenced by your behavior and will mirror your stress or panic.

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Grover

Wow, we're plowing through May. Hope you all had a great weekend. We have more critters reading crime for you. Today we welcome Grover.

Grover's momma is Clare Toohey who you can find roaming the crime fiction community, especially over at Criminal Element and on Twitter as Clare2e. And did anyone catch a glimpse of Clare on Celebrity Apprentice?

Clare caught Grover reading Donald Westlake's The Ax and says, "In advance of his trip to the groomer, frankly Grover's finding the plot line in this one hits a little too close to home."

He was right to be concerned about The Ax:

That face is just adorable. I've been wanting to cuddle all of our critters from this month. I know, I'm hopeless. I can't help it.

Thanks to Clare and Grover. Hopefully Grover finds some plots a little less prophetic in the future!

Today's pet tip: Check your pet's collar regularly, especially for the young'uns who are still growing. You should be able to easily put two to three fingers between your pet's collar and him/her.

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Dark Poodle of the Apocalypse

It's Friday! But goodness, how did it get to be the middle of May already? Yikes. I am however, happy for wonderful spring weather now.

Today we welcome the Dark Poodle of the Apocalypse who was caught reading by Papa Bill Cameron, author of the Skin Kadash series:

"A fan of hijinx, anti-heroes, and generally absurdist humor, the Dark Poodle of the Apocalypse was an instant fan of Johnny Shaw. After devouring Dove Season (both literally and figuratively) she demanded Big Maria the moment it was available. Having learned my lesson with Dove Season, I bought two copies of Big Maria. She gives it Two Tongues Up! Delicious!"

That's quite the recommendation! I also like the rating system.

In addition to Bill's  novels, he's also written a fair number of short stories, which is where I first became familiar with his work. If you like simultaneously dark, humorous and insightful, I think you'll enjoy Bill Cameron. And you can check it out. Bill's a very generous guy with his work and offers some of his short work as free downloads on his site. One of my favorites--sorry it isn't free, but worth tracking down--is "The Last Ship." I read it in the West Coast Crime Wave anthology; I'm not sure if it's appeared anywhere else.

My pet tip for today: while I love this time of year, I always get grumpy around the Fourth of July. If you have pets, don't leave them home alone when you head out to see a fireworks display. Keep your pets away from any fireworks (pretty common sense), but be cognizant of the sounds as well. Because their hearing is so different from ours, the noise of fireworks can be very painful for your pets. I have to close my house and opt for air conditioning and still my dog is affected by the noise. The other thing I have to watch for is debris that is in my yard the following morning. People set off the fireworks but don't retrieve the trash it creates, which can extremely toxic to animals if they get a hold of it.

So, protect your pets from the fireworks. And if you're not a pet owner, please be considerate of the animals around you when you decide you're going to let off fireworks simply for your own amusement. You don't like it much when someone else puts you in pain for their amusement, so you know...

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Double-Bogey Duffer Burke Simpson

While I haven't had a chance to meet this little guy in person yet, I already know that I adore "Double." His mamma shares stories about his ups, downs and sometimes side ways, which are always a treat. Of course you know his mamma is Alafair Burke.

I'm especially fond of Double's reading choice today. I listened to Reconstructing Amelia on audio and you'll get to hear about it later, but Double spends his time reading while Mommy writes. After all, what else is there to do? Mommy hasn't been especially receptive to Double's plot ideas. What's wrong with a race around the park followed by squeaky toy keep away? That's exciting isn't it? Double also says, "Reconstructing Amelia is great, but why doesn't anyone have a dog?"

As for me, I'm thankful that Double occupies his time reading and allows his mommy to write. Alafair has a new book coming out next month and I CAN. NOT. WAIT. If You Were Here will hit bookstores on June 4th! And of course you'll hear about that one from me as well! Alafair has a pretty nifty pre-order contest going on now if you're interested in checking that out.

I'm sad that I won't be able to attend any of Alafair's tour events for this book, but if you can go and say "hi" for me, I'd love it...and you'll love the event, promise!

As a little side note, I just have to mention that Alafair is part of the reason I wanted to start this book blog. I didn't know her at the time, but I was reading her books and I wanted to tell others about them. As long as this blog has existed I've been reading Alafair Burke crime novels; she only gets better and better with each one. 

Thanks to Alafair and Double for playing along this month!

Today's pet tip is about sunscreen: Though all that fur helps protect her, your pet can get sunburned, particularly if she has light skin and hair. Sunburn in animals can cause problems similar to those it can cause in people, including pain, peeling, and skin cancer. So keep your pet out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and when you do go out, rub a bit of sunblock on unprotected areas like the tips of her ears, the skin around her lips, and the tip of her nose.

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Audrey and Annabelle

I've had the pleasure of visiting the Basset Plantation in Spotsylvania. I even sat on the sofa in these pictures and read surrounded by Bassets and humans, so I know lots of reading...especially crime fiction reading...happens here.

Since my visit, Annabelle has joined the pack. She's still just a wee one, so her "big" sister Audrey is reading her bedtime stories from one of their favorite authors, David Rosenfelt. I guess since they're both young'uns, they can learn from this New Tricks book. With the grandpa Basset Duffy, maybe not so much! (O.k. go ahead and groan...)

Annabelle and Audrey's mamma, Ginny, thinks in syllables. She writes haiku. And you can find her blogging about dogs, birds, poems and all kinds of fun stuff over at Gspotsylvania.

Today's pet tip is a simple one but an important one as the weather is warming up. Don't leave your pets in the car, not even for a 5-minute duration. Leaving your windows down a little doesn't prevent the car from quickly reaching high temps that can kill your pet. It's much safer to simply leave your pet home.

Have a great Wednesday and happy reading!

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Mindy

I don't actually need extra reasons to adore Marcia Clark, but her love of animals is just another plus in her column. She's smart, funny, writes a hellava legal thriller, AND happened to be last year's sexiest female crime writer here on the blog. But she's also Mindy's momma!

Mindy, like her momma, is smart...and she's rather sexy, too, dontcha think? Since Marcia is gearing up for the release of her new Rachel Knight novel, Killer Ambition, Mindy is staying busy on her own. Check out who we caught her reading! She says the book of A Kiss Before Dying is definitely better than either movie and if she met Bud, she'd probably bite his leg. ;-) Right now, Mindy's dreaming up a story where Rachel meets Bud; boy is he in trou...oh wait! That's Marcia's  Rachel story, "Trouble in Paradise," a little teaser before the novel comes out.

Many thanks to both Marcia and Mindy...absolutely wonderful gals, both of them!

And today's pet tip. Provide your pet with an enriched environment. Pets need mental stimulation, which may mean daily walks for your pooch, and scratching posts, window perches, and toys for your cat. It means play time with you, which not only keeps your pet's muscles toned and boredom at bay, it also strengthens your bond with your four-footed companions. And maybe they'd even like you to read them a story before bed! We've already seen this month that our critters love their books!

Have a great day and happy reading!

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Molly

Happy Monday everyone! Hope you had a nice weekend.

Today's critter comes to us courtesy of one of my favorite readers who caught her pooch reading one of my favorite writers. Sarah caught her Molly reading Reed Farrel Coleman's Onion Street.

Molly told Sarah, "Mom, this is as good as you said!" And "Mom" told me: "Molly loves a great mystery--Reed Farrel Coleman, my fav!" How can you argue with that?

 

And who knew we had so many technologically advanced critters around? I love it! I wonder if that means mine are using my computer when I'm not looking...would explain all the critter hair anyway. 

O.k. for today's pet tip we'll talk about that hair! Get summer coats in shape: Most cats and dogs "blow coat" at this time of year, with longer-haired breeds prone to tangling and mats as the dry, dead winter hair fights to drop out. Regular brushing helps restore oil to the coat and your vet may recommend an Omega 3 fatty acid supplement to keep coat and skin in good shape. Only bathe after a good brushing and don't go crazy with the clippers thinking shaving your cat or dog will make him more comfortable. Coats protect from both heat and cold, so leave at least an inch or two of coat for insulation from sun, heat and insects.

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Harley

Another very beloved pet of the crime community is Kaye Barley's adorable Corgi, Harley Barley! As any good mother would do, Kaye provides Harley with plenty of engaging reading material to keep him excited about reading.

We caught him engrossed his very own pop-up book version of Alice in Wonderland. He's fallen down the magic rabbit hole of reading! I wonder what Alice is telling him....

Mom Kaye has had an exciting year. After retiring most of want to do nothing strenuous, but Kaye embarked on a new journey and published her very first book, Whimsey. (Kaye also happens to be hosting a Goodreads giveaway for Whimsey, so you may want to check that out, too.) If you're not familiar with Kaye, you should stop over to her blog and take some time to get to know her. You'll find plenty more of Harley there as well!

Today's pet tip deals with a person "pet" peeve of mine: Don't allow your pet to ride with his/her head outside the window. They could be injured by flying objects. Even small debris can harm their eyes or ears. Dogs love to sniff the smells flying by, and they can still do this with the window slightly open--but not enough for their entire head to be out.

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Barclay

As you can see, crime fiction isn't just for humans. Lots of critters being caught with their books this month. Barclay Rudolph is a well-known critter in the crime fiction community. It helps, of course, that his mother is Janet Rudolph, who when you can't find at Mystery Fanfare, you may find at Dying for Chocolate or Mystery Readers International or on Twitter or Facebook or working on Left Coast Crime Monterey...she's just a busy, busy lady. Barclay knows that it's all about who you know in this world, and he knows someone important!

Janet caught Barclay reading Peter Lovesey's Cop to Corpse:

"Cop to Corpse was such a good read that Barclay's now exhausted (not bored) and savoring the story. Cats have more trouble reading than humans, and Barclay, more than most, since he's not the 'sharpest knife' in the drawer. Nevertheless, he enjoys all of Peter Lovesey's books. Point of fact, Peter Lovesey is known to have thrown in extra cash for cat treats with his renewal payment for the Mystery Readers Journal. He and I have both had cats named Dashiell Hammett. So it's only fitting that Barclay is reading Peter's work. I'm currently reading Peter Lovesey's The Tooth Tattoo. It's next on Barclay's TBR."

Shhhh, let's let Barclay get his rest. You know how cats are if they don't get ample nap time!

If you've been fortunate, like me, you've been able to have your windows and doors open lately because spring has finally arrived, so today's pet tip is related to just that:

Loose or poor-fitting screens can be an easy escape hatch for curious kitties and pups. Check all screens and window frames to ensure everything fits tightly before leaving pets home alone with the windows open. 

Have a super day and happy reading to all the critters big and small!

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Hamley

Are you enjoying the critters so far? I was waiting for a snake or a rabbit or maybe a ferret, but so far we're seeing a lot of great dogs and cats. But don't get too comfy...

Today we have a particularly wonderful contribution to the series. This one comes from crime fiction reader Mette who caught her dog Hamley thoroughly enjoying a good tale!
 
"Hamley likes stories that involve seeing the underdog fight for justice, which is why Done for a Dime is one of his favorite 'tails.' Every night he leaves his most treasured chew toy behind and he curls up on his cozy reading chair, nosing through the pages, growling along during the ruff crime scenes of corruption and murder, and woofing in support of the heartfelt characters."

 

Hamley looks so scholarly, doesn't he? Well he must be rather smart, as he has excellent taste in crime novels! Done for a Dime is David Corbett's second novel. And I'm kinda coveting Hamley's reading chair. Doesn't that look like a great place to read?

Many thanks to both Hamley and Mette for sharing with us and taking part in Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime. What a great addition!

And I completely forgot yesterday's pet tip, so sorry. Today's is about puppy mills. Some steps you can take to ensure you aren't adopting a puppy mill dog: 

1.) AVOID PET STORES (unless it is something like an adoption clinic with a reputable rescue organization hosted by the store). 

2.) Visit the breeder if you're getting a dog from a breeder. See the parents, see the environment, ask questions. 

3.) Adopt from a shelter or rescue organization!!! So many pets need furever homes and they're just waiting for you to come find them. 

As a side note, please make sure you do your research. So many dogs end up in shelters because the owners didn't do their research beforehand and didn't realize the energy level or the training needed or the space requirements, or other such factors that you can learn before adopting. Don't adopt out of pity and don't adopt because you think it's the fashionable thing to do. Adopt because you want to commit to your pet!

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - Puppy Lola

I must warn you ahead of time that today's critter caught...uh..."reading" crime is off the charts on the cuteness scale. Prepare to "awwwwww."

New puppy, Lola,  eats -- er, reads -- her first book, and selected the only galley in the house involving a K-9 hero. Theresa Schwegel clearly brings her characters to life in unique ways.

And Lola says it's a real page turner!

There's a bit of irony in this fitting contribution to the series, yes? Michael Koryta writes about the dark and the creepy, but now has this adorable little girl to help brighten the world. He also does work with great cat rescues, which of course is what inspired in part, The Ridge, so he's very familiar with all kinds of critters. It's probably safer that Lola got a hold of The Good Boy, rather than one of the great cats! And let's hope Lola doesn't get her teeth on Michael's next manuscript. All of us devoted readers would be crushed if we heard, "sorry, the dog ate my book."


For their bedtime reading, I suggested Michael read The Suspect to Lola. I think she'd like Maggie.


Thanks to Michael and Lola today. Happy Reading to all critters everywhere!

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime - B

Happy Monday all! We're kicking off the first full week of Get Caught Reading Month. If you weren't with us last week, be sure to check back and see our first three critters who were CAUGHT reading crime!

As for today, Sue Ann Jaffarian has been keeping a close eye on her cats and she caught B looking for pointers in VENGEANCE. Evidently B has an on-going battle with the other feline in residence at the Jaffarian household, Raffi. And B figured she could get a plethora of perspectives in this anthology. Maybe we should be grateful she didn't pick up one of Sue Ann's Vampire Mystery books! Although that look in her eyes makes me wonder if she's not seeing one of the ghosts from Sue Ann's Granny Apples series.

Thanks to Sue Ann and B for joining in the fun this month. And thanks to all of you for checking back today.

My pet tip for the day is motivated by all the yard work I did this weekend: Keep all and any lawn fertilizers away from your pets. Some are highly toxic. If you can, think about alternatives to the usual bone meal, cocoa mulch, and pesticides used to make gardens beautiful.

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime: Butch

Happy Friday! Where have you been caught reading so far this month?

I can't say I've personally met many of our critters for this month, but I've met Butch, and let me tell you it was love at first sight. The Boston terrier "noir dog," like his Momma Christa, may have a tough exterior, but inside he's all wonderfulness.

Momma Christa is the stunning hardboiled writer, Christa Faust whose Hard Case Crime novel, Money Shot, was nominated for every award known to the crime fiction man (or woman). She also happens to be the first female ever published by Hard Case Crime. She's a ground-breaking gal that way.

So what did we catch Butch reading today?

Butch is reading TROUBLED DAUGHTERS, TWISTED WIVES, an anthology of vintage domestic suspense by female authors, edited by Sarah Weinman. Because he's secure in his masculinity.

Atta boy Butch!

And today's pet tip: Since summer is just around the corner it's a good time to remember that while paw pads are "tough" they are also sensitive, and can be burned while walking on hot pavement and tar. If possible, walk on grass or dirt, and check your pet's paw pads to make sure there isn't any redness or pain.

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime: Moxie and Ella

If today's entry in the Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime doesn't warm your heart, there may not be much hope for you!

Ella and Moxie's momma is Rhonda who happens to be a blog reader, a crime fiction fan and a very good friend. I know she brings tons of smiles to people daily as she covers her UPS route...even though my UPS driver is completely fine, I'd give anything to be able to have my friend come to my house almost daily!

Anyway, Rhonda reports that Miss Ella is trying to introduce Moxie to Walt Longmire, but Moxie is a little intimidated by the cover.

Tucker, on the other hand, is very engrossed!

If you're a fan of the Longmire TV show, the new season starts on Memorial Day, and what I'm especially looking forward to...the new book comes out in June--A SERPENT'S TOOTH. Craig Johnson also has a short story out that I thoroughly enjoyed: "The Messenger." If you're not up to date on Walt's escapades, get hoppin'! I'm sure once Ella reads a few pages to Moxie, she'll be completely hooked, just like me.

As a little side note, these first two days I've only posted for the Critter series, but starting tomorrow and probably several times a week during this month, there will be two posts. I promise once this series is over I won't be continuing that practice. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Today's pet tip: filter your pet's water. Just as humans need to filter heavy metals, fluoride, bacteria and viruses from house tap water, healthy pure water for pets is important. Bottled water is not a good option because essential minerals are not present in the bottled water, not to mention the harm the plastic bottles cause on the environment.

 Happy Reading!!

It's Get Caught Reading Month!

For long-time readers of Jen's Book Thoughts, you know I usually try to do something fun for Get Caught Reading Month. In the past we've had Crime Readers Caught Reading Crime, Crime Writers Caught Reading Crime...this year I thought I'd combine this celebration with another one near and dear to my heart: National Pet Month. So this year we have, yes, you guessed it...

Crime Critters Caught Reading Crime!

I've invited a slew of readers, writers, publicists, publishers, etc., to share what their crime critters are reading. The contributions to this year's project have been wonderful, and I'm so excited to share them with you, so check back regularly for the newest updates throughout May.

To kick off the celebration--and in honor of today's release of the newest John Ceepak novel, FREE FALL--I have Fred Grabenstein. Shhhhh, no one tell Chris that Fred isn't reading FREE FALL today.  If you're fans of Chris Grabenstein's work, you probably know that Fred is a former Broadway star. Now he spends his days helping Chris dream up ideas for both his adult novels and his children's books. Since I help keep Chris' website up to date, I stay in the know about what he has coming out, and I have to tell you, the kid in me is so excited about a book he has coming out later this summer called ESCAPE FROM MR LEMONCELLO'S LIBRARY.

I'm sorry, what Fred? Oh right, this post is about you. I got sidetracked, back to Fred.

Here is Fred caught reading Robert Crais' book SUSPECT (he relates to the dog) in his den on his iPad. Yes, former Broadway stars like Fred do all their reading on iPads.

Fred looks a little irritated to be interrupted during his reading, doesn't he? We should let him get back to it. Thanks Fred! And thanks Chris.

If you're in the NYC area, Chris is having the Free Fall release party May 21st at The Mysterious Bookshop. I really need to plan a NYC trip when a Ceepak book comes out. I always want to go to the party and never can. So someone go and enjoy some salt water taffy for me, o.k? And clap extra loud when Chris does his reading.

And as a little extra for National Pet Month: if you have old towels, blankets, pet bowls/leashes/collars/toys, don't throw them out! Check with local shelters or rescue groups. They are always looking for supplies like this. Recycle and help pets in need all at the same time.

O.k., now go get caught reading!