Friday, April 8, 2016

Dear Abby - Meet Riley (A Rescue Spotlight)

Dear Friends,

I hope you are having a great week!  Except for one night with thunder and hail (!), this has been a nice relaxing week here.

I'm excited to introduce you to my friend Riley today.  Riley is an adorable 2 year old Chihuahua/Dachshund mix.  I love her story and cute pictures, and I think you will, too!

Abby:  What is your background and how did you end up in rescue?

Riley: I was left in a box in a hotel bathroom, and when the hotel housekeepers found me, they called Animal Rescue Foundation of Louisiana to come and pick me up. I ended up living with a beautiful foster care momma, Lisa. I still remember her whenever I see her every year at adoption events! My momma loves bringing me, it means so much that we can keep in touch with Lisa!



Abby:  How were your first days at your new home? 

Riley: My first night at my new home was tough. I was nervous about these new people that I hadn't met before. I stayed up all through the night. The next day, I realized that this new lady was my new mom, and the man was my daddy. I immediately fell in love with them both, and we have been inseparable ever since.

Abby:  What are a few of your favorite things? 

Riley:  My top three favorite things are Lambchop toys, puzzle toys and jerky treats. No matter what size Lambchop, I love them all...I have one that is much bigger than me, smaller than me, and MUCH smaller than me! I just love Lambchop! Puzzle toys are so much fun to play with because it makes me think and I love figuring things out. I'm a very curious little girl. Jerky treats are my all-time favorite treat. I'm not super picky about the flavor.



Abby:  Do you have any tips for people who want to adopt a rescue pet? 

Riley: Doggies oftentimes deal with separation anxiety in the beginning. You just have to be patient with us and spend time with us. Taking us to doggie day care classes or leaving the TV on with music really helps. My mom has written about some great tips about adapting to life with a new rescued dog: http://www.dearfriendsblog.com/blog/pedigreepetmonth


Abby:  Is there a rescue group you want to send a shout out to?

Riley: I was adopted from Animal Rescue Foundation of Louisiana. They are wonderful people and I'm so blessed to have spent the amount of time I did with them. Here is their website: http://www.arfla.org/ and their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arfla.
Riley, thanks for visiting!  It was fun talking to another pup who is part dachshund and who loves Lambchop toys as well.

I really like Riley's tip about leaving the TV on with music.  I like listening to oldies music during rainy weather, and find it very comforting.

My Momma said she thinks Riley and I have a slight resemblance.  I take that as a nice compliment!

I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.  Thanks for stopping by today!

Love,

Abby xoxox

Book Review and Giveaway - Death by Trombone by Rebecca M. Douglass

Book Synopsis


JJ MacGregor’s very bad day has just gotten a lot worse.

JJ thought starting the day without coffee was a disaster, but now there’s a dead musician behind the Pismawallops High School gym. His trombone is missing, and something about the scene is off key. JJ and Police Chief Ron Karlson are determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, but will they be able to work harmoniously or will discord ruin the investigation? With the music teacher as the prime suspect, JJ could be left to conduct the band, and then Graduation might truly end in a death by trombone, or at least the murder of Pomp and Circumstance!

My Review

I have several friends who enjoy cozy mysteries, as I do.  We've talked about what makes a cozy particularly enjoyable for us.  Three cozy traits that I always particularly enjoy are a picturesque small town, a school setting, and a mystery with a bit of romance as well.

Death By Trombone has all these cozy ingredients.  The book is set in the small town of Pismawallops, in the Puget Sound area.  It is a charming small town, and an enjoyable place to visit via this mystery.

J.J., the book's protagonist and amateur sleuth, is involved in the school's PTA.  I enjoyed the school setting, and the work that J.J. and her friend Kitty put into the PTA (and the mystery!).

I also liked J.J.'s budding romance with police chief Ron Karlson.  It was well written, with a realistic pace given J.J.'s acrimonimous divorce.

The mystery in Death By Trombone is well told, and it kept me guessing!  The pacing was quick, with sharp dialogue that moved the story along.  

Death by Trombone is an enjoyable weekend read, sure to please fans of small town cozy mysteries.  I recommend it! 
 

Author Bio

Rebecca Douglass was raised on an Island in Puget Sound only a little bigger than Pismawallops.  She now lives and writes in the San Francisco Bay Area, and can be found on-line at www.ninjalibrarian.com and on Facebook as The Ninja Librarian.  Her books include the tall tales for all ages, The Ninja Librarian and Return to Skunk Corners, middle-grade fantasy Halitor the Hero, and the first Pismawallops PTA mystery, Death By Ice Cream.  Rebecca likes to spend her time outdoors, when not writing or working to make the schools the best they can be.  She spends her free time bicycling and running, and her vacations hiking, camping and backpacking.

Blog: http://ninjalibrarian.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-M-Douglass/e/B0078SLT2A/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1337267938&sr=8-2
Smashwords Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/NinjaLibrarian
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ninja-Librarian/305808032816136
Purchase Links
Amazon            Smashwords
Barnes & Noble            Createspace Store

Giveaway

(2) Signed Print Copy of Death by Trombone by Rebecca M. Douglas.  Giveaway ends 4/18.

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I received a copy of this book from Great Escapes Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.