The Front Page News
Bad dog (food)!
I have been following the tainted dog food scandal with interest and horror -- the cynicism of the wheat gluten manufacturers in China (who were adding plastic scrap to the gluten because it makes the gluten appear to have higher protein content) is just appalling, and the idea that your pet would be killed by someone's greedy manipulation of their food is quite depressing.
Last year, my friend Sally and I wrote Throw Me a Bone, a cookbook for dog food, treats, and snacks -- partly for fun, and partly because I had gotten very leery about commercial dog food -- not because I'm psychic and could foresee the Chinese gluten scandal, but because years ago, when I switched my dog (my now long-gone, much-beloved Irish setter) from supermarket dog food to high quality stuff, her health completely changed for the better. I'm not a knee-jerk skeptic, but I really did see in practice how much it affected her to be on a really healthy diet.
So when I got Cooper, I decided to start him on good food, and he's a lean, mean, canine machine. I certainly don't cook everything for him -- I wish I had the time to do that, but I don't -- so I give him very good food that I get mail-order, and make him food when I can.
This is all a preamble to some good news, which is that at the end of May Simon and Schuster is re-releasing Throw Me a Bone in a quality paperback edition. Look for it in stores, or you can click through here on the picture of the book and it will lead you to Amazon.
Rin Tin Tinning
full-time now. I'm spending the winter in California doing my last bit of reporting for my Rin Tin Tin book, which gets more and more interesting as time goes on. I spent the afternoon at the house that belonged to Larry Trimble and Jane Murfin, the people who owned and trained Rin Tin Tin's rival, Strongheart. The house was modest, which surprised me, since Trimble and Murfin were very successful. Then I was informed that the house I was in was actually the dog house, and Trimble and Murfin lived in a grander place just up the hill...
California here I come!
I'm heading west for six weeks (until December 22) to finish reporting on my Rin Tin Tin book. I won't be doing any formal appearances or readings while I'm out there, but if any of you are Rin Tin Tin collectors and have interesting things to show me or tell me, please, please send me an email and I will be in touch...
Apologies
Perhaps you've noticed how out-of-date my website is. Shame, shame! I have been totally and utterly remiss in not putting in 1) new pieces to read 2) new lecture/reading dates 3) new reviews, interviews 4) new, new, new anything. But I do have a legitimate excuse -- I've been busy! My bouncing baby boy has been running me ragged, so my writing has slowed to a trickle and my website updating has slowed to...what's slower than a trickle? A drizzle, perhaps. In any case, I promise to update the site, post some new pieces, and give you a rundown on my upcoming appearances in the next few days. Thanks for your patience...
More general news...
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