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Dear Reader,
Joanna Schaffhausen wields a mean scalpel, sharp skills she developed in her years studying neuroscience. She has a doctorate in psychology, which reflects her long-standing interest in the brain--how it develops and the many ways it can go wrong. No Mercy her second novel features the adventures of police officer Ellery Hathaway and FBI agent Reed Markham. The two characters met years ago when Reed rescued Ellery from a serial killer's closet, and they were reunited by a grisly case in Joanna's first book, The Vanishing Season.
Please welcome this week's guest author Joanna Schaffhausen to the book club.
I'm a firm believer in doing research for my books, but I have a confession to make: I wrote a basset hound without much real-life experience with the breed. I knew they were short, dopey-looking dogs that seemed like prime candidates for the role of "comic relief." But last fall, our family adopted a basset puppy named Winston, and now I see all the important details I've been missing from my stories.
They trip on their ears. Those long, velvety ears were bred to sweep scents in front of their considerable noses while tracking, but when not in the wild, they are hilariously out of place. Ours likes to dangle his ears in the water bowl and leave trails all over the kitchen floor.
They are supreme sleepers. I knew the basset hound loves a good nap, but I did not appreciate the sheer depth of his skills. Winston can go from running around in circles to falling over snoring in the time it takes to turn out the light.
They are short dogs, but boy, are they long. The bassets were bred with the gene for dwarfism and are essentially midget blood hounds. They were meant to be the "poor man's hunting dog" and so were deliberately designed to be slow, enabling the humans to keep up on foot. However, they are looooong animals who can rear up and reach a kitchen table, should they deem it necessary (Hint: it's always necessary if there is food out.)
They are strong on charisma. When Winston and I go walking, it takes us forever to get anywhere because he is friendly to all he meets. Basset hounds are uncommon in our area, so many people want to pet him and take his picture. I feel like I am his press agent. People yell from passing cars, "Hi, Winston! How are you today?" However, as he is a short, gangly dog, I am the one who must wave back.
They think they are lap dogs. Winston came to us at 9lbs, but he will eventually clock in at 50-60 pounds. Already he's pushing 30 and doesn't fit on my lap the way he used to when he was a wee pup. This does not stop him from trying repeatedly to wedge every last paw onto my body.
They will make you laugh every day. Winston's current hobby is carrying around the empty mini liquor bottles that the local teenagers toss into the street. Don't judge him--it's hard being the town's most popular puppy.
-- Joanna Schaffhausen
Be sure to drop Joanna a note and welcome her to the book club.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
** AUTHORBUZZ **
TEMPTING BROOKE (Fiction) by Kristen Proby
I'm so excited for you to read Brooke and Brody's love story. This friends to lovers tale is full of humor, will pull at your heart strings and leave you smiling with contentment. Brooke loves her flourishing flower shop, Brooke's Blooms. She is excited about her place in her community. But when her childhood friend, Brody, inherits her building, and threatens to sell it, Brooke has to convince him to keep the property, and her business, intact. She just doesn't plan on falling in love in the process!
Go to: AUTHORBUZZ click on TEMPTING BROOKE to read more and to email author Kristen Proby, you'll get a reply.
* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE PROPHET, by Kahlil Gibran. I have a copy of the book to share with a lucky reader, so start reading today and enter for your chance to win.
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