"Dog Talk" on NPR

This morning on WLIU-FM, Tracie Hotchner will be featuring a brief talk with me about "Dogs I Have Met" and the Sula Foundation. Tracie also featured me recently on her Cat Chat on another network. Will my sister make fun of this again? We'll see.

I also recently taped an interview for KGNU in Boulder and Denver, although I don't know when that will air.

And apparently there may be something coming up in the NY Post, and Ladies Home Journal.

Remembering Dinerral Shavers

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the murder of Dinerral Shavers, the drummer for the Hot 8 Brass Band. I spent most of the day in bed, suffering from whatever it is that is going around New Orleans. But I rose briefly to give a few interviews with Fox 8 and WWL-TV. This used to be a regular occurrence but lately my teaching schedule keeps me unavailable for commentary on the crime situation in New Orleans--and I've been fine with that.

But, next Friday will mark one year since the murder of Helen Hill, and in that case there are still no leads. This is true of most of the approximately 210 murders in New Orleans this year.

On January 11th, SilenceIsViolence will be marking the anniversary of the march to city hall with several events, including a Brass Band blowout at the Howlin' Wolf, with the Hot 8, Soul Rebels, Free Agents, Rebirth Brass Band, and more. Tickets are $15 and are available at the box office, online, and at Sound Cafe. All proceeds will go to the Dinerral Shavers scholarship fund.

Obsessive reading: Fetchdog.com

I don't know how long this site has been around, but since discovering it a few days ago I can't stop checking it for new stories. Fetchdog.com has lots of dog stuff--stories, interviews, advice, product links, gifts, blogs, etc. And it is smart. The book review section is written by Julia Szabo and Melissa Holbrook Pierson. Another of the blogs is hosted by Glenn Close. Yes, that Glenn Close.

Possibly more information than any of us need

Tatiana, who was born in Denver on June 27, 2003, was brought to San Francisco as a companion for Tony, a 14-year-old Siberian tiger whose sibling and lifelong companion, Emily, died in late 2004 from cancer of the spleen. Although they were standoffish at first, Tony and Tatiana started having physical contact without barriers in February, graduating to bouts of torrid sex.

--from The San Francisco Chronicle

The Dog Who Loved Cheerios

thedogswholovedcheerios, originally uploaded by kfoz.

The postman just delivered a copy of Cami Johnson's new book The Dog Who Loved Cheerios! This book of dog portraits isn't due out until March, but I contributed the foreword, so I get an advance copy. Cami, of course, did the portraits of Brando and Sula for the jackets of my books. Yet, when I was asked to write something for the front of her collection, I wondered if I had anything to say. At that point, the title of her book was something about a rogues gallery of devil dogs, and the editor said, "Don't you have some stories about Brando?" I insisted that I'd told them all, but the editor, who knows Brando, said, "What about that time he ripped that woman's skirt off in Manhattan?" Oh yeah, that time. Suddenly a flood of intentionally forgotten adventures surfaced. So, to learn some of the worst things he's done, go buy Cami's book when it is out.

Meanwhile, if you haven't already, go buy Dogs I Have Met!

It is Christmas Eve in New Orleans....

and it is actually quite chilly.

And I haven't yet strung lights on the porch, which seems particularly important when you are the only house on the block.

Canine Culture just called to let me know that the blue rubber ball that I special ordered for Brando has finally arrived.

Beth's Books is open until 2pm, and I am manning the store after a wave of record-breaking sales. (The new arts and graphic novel sections have helped lure in new business.)

The Sula Foundation received a nice contribution in today's mail.

Yet I am still waiting to be paid for the Mediabistro course I taught in October and November. Brando's ball may have to wait behind the counter a few weeks due to that delay.