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The cats have no genre preference. They would as soon lie on top of the trashiest paranormal vampire saga as any literary masterpiece. In fact, WAR AND PEACE might be uncomfortable for them. Here they are eating. They are very cute when they do this. They are less cute when they are knocking stuff over on my bureau or pulling down clothing items from hangers. In fact, they are trying to reorganize my wardrobe this summer, mostly so it's all on the floor where they can lie on it and shed fur in peace.

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ME?

Note little "dead mouse" cat toy in front of Miss Dahlia. Those items still alarm me whenever I see them.

When I'm not writing my own book or completely wasting time in some other pursuit, I am usually reading. Here are the last few I took on.

THE 19TH WIFE by David Ebershoff is a gem. Remember I like BIG LOVE on HBO. I keep waiting for jealousy to surface on the show and it never does. I mean let's say you're a wife in a marriage with a husband you love. And then he brings somebody else home? And you get to be in the next room while he is "visiting" her? You'd think there'd be poison in the pancake mix on the first day. Not on the show, though. Well, in this book jealousy is shown by the wives (although if you were the wife of a gnarly old dude with ear hair and bad breath, you'd probably welcome any new wife). Five stars.

THE KILLING CIRCLE by Andrew Pyper to me was boring and depressing. I thought it was going to be a murder mystery, but it was too creepy and psychological for my tastes. He is obviously an excellent writer, but this one didn't do it for me. No rating because I didn't finish it.

SECRETS TO HAPPINESS by Sarah Dunn is a terrific women's fiction/chick lit read. Hey, any book that makes me laugh out loud can't be bad. Her male characters are believable and that

isn't easy to do. Hats off. Four stars

NOTHING TO LOSE by Lee Child was my airport book for the Arkansas trip. It was okay. The hero, Jack Reacher, keeps scaling the impregnable fortress, over and over, at will, day or night. Ho hum. Reacher is a well-loved series character and part of his premise is that he never does laundry. He wears clothes and then throws them out and buys new clothes. I know this is supposed to be quirky, etc., but EEEEEEEEEEW. He has no problem getting sex partners either. Try doing that if you're a female. Oh, this thing? From WalMart a week ago. Do you think it smells? Sorry, I can't afford anything else till tomorrow. Two stars.

This book is a humdinger. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Stieg Larsson, a Swedish author who is now dead, but who turned in this manuscript and the two that will follow before he died. It is a riveting story with a very satisfying ending. I couldn't put it down. This hero also has no trouble getting sex partners, but thankfully he seems to launder and change his clothes regularly. The girl in the title is a unique pissed-off heroine who knows how to get excellent revenge. Five stars.

MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT OF THE SUMMER: waiting in line at the airport, getting checked in, and through security, all while wearing long plastic "L" strip (for Large) down my chest on newly purchased sweater. Solidarity with the masses, bro.

Loving the Dream, dear reader

Enjoy July, the perfect New England month (we hope)

becky