Tuesday – Book tour resumes. Off to Hadley, Mass. South Hadley Public Library, 3 p.m. for a small, informal talk with book lovers and readers. Then talk and signing tonight at 7 p.m. at Odyssey Books, Hadley, Mass. Hope to mix it up today, stretch the boundaries of a book tour a bit. Radio and TV interviews, then the talks.
On every book tour, I like to look and see what other “dog” books are up against me. This is both a humbling and masochistic experience.
The first time this happened, it was “Marley and Me,” and I remember tripping over a “Marley” stand at a Border’s and cutting my leg. I told John Grogan, who is a friend, that I had been injured in the dog wars, as well as trounced.
Every year, there is some new dog twist, and usually these books outmarket and outsell me. I have this knack for not offering up precisely what people want, as I also have a gift for annoying snobs.
This year, it is the battle of the dog names. Rose and I are up against “Pukka: The Pup After Merle” by Ted Karasote” and “Oogy: The Dog Only A Family Could Love” by Barry Levin. Plus several good books on the Michael Vick dogs, many of whom have been rehabilitated and who have gone on to live happy lives.
I’ve long argued that dogs are a mirror of our society and Americans are badly in need of nurturing and rescuing stories about dogs. Another gift of dogs to the world. “Rose In A Storm” is doing very well, and I can’t complain. But Rose isn’t really cute, and neither is the novel (I hope.) I see that Rose and I have been flanked again in the cute name department. “Rose” doesn’t stack up to “Oogy,” and both “Oogy” and “Pukka” have been thumping us on the Amazon lists (as well as the Michael Vick dogs. Pit Bulls get a bad rap in America, and they have devoted followers, and it is smart to give them cute names, but “Pukka” is a Retriever pup and she doesn’t need a smart name.
This is making me reconsider the names of my dogs, so that we can better compete. (This will be a great topic for Facebook – naming my dogs!). Izzy is fine, I think. He has a cute name. Maybe that’s why people like him.
Lenore’s loving puss could handle a cuter name. Maybe “Squishy.” Frieda could definitely use a cute name. Maria and I came up with “Googley,” or perhaps “Woogly.” Frieda could be a bestseller, for sure.
And then there is “Rose” She is definitely not cute, and her name is not nearly cute enough to compete. I told her that this this morning.
“Rosie,” I said, “forgive me, but in this economy we have to fight for every sale. I need to call you something else. How about “Woogly?” She gave me a curious look, then went to the window to check on the pasture. I’m not sure she will answer to “Woogly.” I picture her showing up with her spectacles and briefcase and resigning for another, saner, farm.
But she may have gotten a reprieve. On Amazon this morning, “Rose In A Storm” passed “Pukka” for the first time.
Oogly, watch out.