Death at the Dogpark
Kindle Edition
by Neil S. Plakcy & Joanna Campbell Slan
About Death at the Dogpark
Death at the Dogpark
Cozy Mystery
Publisher : Samwise Books
(March 13, 2025)
Paperback : 192 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8230651178
Digital ASIN : B0DY1RXVLB
Two gripping novellas explore murder, mystery, and mayhem at the local dog park in this unique collection from authors Neil S. Plakcy and Joanna Campbell Slan.
In "Dog's Punishment," Steve Levitan and his intuitive golden retriever Rochester uncover dark secrets when investigating the death of a controversial dog trainer. After Melissa Kawamoto is found dead at the local dog park, Steve must untangle a web of professional rivalries, stolen patents, and bitter grudges to catch a killer who turned a revolutionary training method into a deadly weapon.
In "Lamb Chopped," craft store owner Kiki Lowenstein's peaceful morning at the dog park turns horrific when her Great Dane Gracie digs up a severed hand. The discovery pulls Kiki into a disturbing investigation involving missing pets, corrupt officials, and a shadowy network trafficking shelter animals to research facilities. With help from her homicide detective husband, Kiki must expose the truth before more animals—and humans—become victims.
Both stories showcase the unbreakable bonds between humans and their canine companions while delivering clever mysteries filled with twists, turns, and compelling characters. A must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and anyone who believes dogs have an uncanny ability to point us toward the truth.
About Neil S. Plakcy
I've wanted to be an author since I was about sixteen, when a high school assignment on A Separate Peace showed me how powerful writing can be. At the University of Pennsylvania I studied creative writing with Philip Roth and Carlos Fuentes; I went on to receive my MFA from Florida International University.
My first published novel was Mahu, about a Honolulu homicide detective dragged out of the closet during a tough case. I put a lot of myself into Kimo Kanapa'aka, the hero, and yet he’s very much his own character, and much better than I am! He has had a powerful hold on my imagination for many years. I love writing about him and hope to keep doing so for a long time. He’s also the source of my favorite reader question. A few years ago, someone emailed to ask if he was circumcised.
My first reaction was “Man, I’ll bet Stephen King doesn’t get questions like that.” But then, his are probably even weirder. I went online and did some research and discovered that at the time Kimo was born, hospital circumcisions were common. So there you go.
My path to publication was a long and checkered one, as is the case with many authors. My first published stories were magazine erotica, and I still like to keep my hand in (no pun intended) with that kind of writing. But for the most part now I write mystery and romance—all my books seem to have both those elements, though in different proportions.
I began writing the golden retriever mysteries because I spent so much time walking my golden, Samwise (yes, I’m a Tolkien geek). He had so many funny habits and such a strong personality that I just knew I had to write a book that featured a dog like him. (Fortunately, Sam had no habit of finding dead bodies.)
I live in Hollywood, Florida now, with my partner and our golden retrievers, Brody and Griffin.
Author Links
Amazon Author Profile https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B001JP4EL6
About Joanna Campbell Slan
Joanna is a New York Times Bestselling, USA Today Bestselling, and Amazon Bestselling author as well as a woman prone to frequent bursts of crafting frenzy, leaving her with burns from her hot glue gun and paint on her clothes. And the mess? Let’s not even go there.
Otherwise, Joanna’s a productive author with more than 80 written projects to her credit. Her non-fiction work includes how to books, a college textbook for public speakers, and books of personal essays (think Chicken Soup for the Soul).
Currently, she writes six fiction series: The Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series (Agatha Award Finalist, contemporary, St. Louis setting, crafting), the Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery Series (contemporary, Florida setting, DIY, and recycling), the Jane Eyre Chronicles (Daphne du Maurier Award Winner, 1830s England, based on Charlotte Brontë’s classic), the Sherlock Holmes Fantasy Thrillers (late 1800s, based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s books), the Tai Chi Mystery Series (featuring a mature female amateur sleuth!) and the Friday Night Mystery Series (set in Decatur, IL in 1986 with a spunky female heroine.)
A former TV talk show host, college teacher, and public relations specialist, Joanna was one of the early Chicken Soup for the Soul contributors. She won a Silver Anvil for her work on the original FarmAid concert to benefit farmers.
In her ongoing quest never to see snow again, Joanna lives with her husband and their Havanese puppy, Jax, on an island off the coast of Florida.
Author Links
AUTHOR
INTERVIEW
1. When did you first realize you
wanted to be a writer?
Actually,
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a writer. How silly is that?
Maybe it’s because of my advancing age? I always loved stories that plucked me
out of reality because my home life when growing up was chaotic and unpleasant.
2. How long does it take you to
write a book?
It
depends on the book and what’s happening in my life at the time. For example, I
have a trilogy I started years ago, but it was interrupted when I had an
operation that didn’t go as planned. I started The Friday Night Mystery
Club series nearly forty years ago. I couldn’t finish it until I had
perspective. Sometimes, a book simply flies out of my head and onto the page,
but usually I have to wrestle it down to the ground. I think three weeks is my
shortest gestation.
3.What is your work schedule like
when you're writing?
Um,
that would be every day, because I write every day. I get up, wake up slowly,
do a few household chores and get to the keyboard by nine or so. I work until
lunch, and I try to take an hour off. Then back at it until six.
4. What would you say is your
interesting writing quirk?
I
get funnier the tired-er I get. I think I do my best writing at night, but I
always do some work in the morning. But I love to stay up late and do crafts.
How does that work? Not well! Occasionally, I literally fall asleep at the
keyboard! I’ll wake up to find a row of funny marks. So weird, eh? I’ve become
great at taking 30-minute catnaps.
5. How do books get published?
That’s
an almost impossible question to answer, so I’ll give it my best shot. At
night, when I’m sleeping, tiny elves creep into my office. They turn on my
computer and send the finished file to Beta Readers, when it comes back, they
send it to Silvia in Hungary, who does my formatting. Meanwhile, Dar or Tatiana
work on a cover. When all the parts are done, the elves hand it over to Stacey.
She assembles all the pieces and puts the book up for sale.
6. Where do you get your
information or ideas for your books?
From
everywhere and from everyone. I do not discriminate. You tell me something
interesting, and I’ll file it away for future use. I read widely. I eavesdrop.
I ask people a lot of questions. I do a lot of research. Then I put all that in
a blender and hit “liquify.”
7. When did you write your first
book and how old were you?
I
was about eight. I stapled papers together and announced that I’d written a
book.
8. What do you like to do when
you're not writing?
My
daughter-in-law calls me the Queen of Crafts. LOL. I make miniatures, do DIY
projects, crochet, and draw. I also spend a lot of time with my family.
9. What does your family think of
your writing?
Everyone
is very proud of me, and frankly, a little surprised by how well I’ve done. Not
because they lacked faith in me. They know this industry can be a struggle.
They know it’s a tough business. Surviving it for all these years is a
testament to my perseverance.
10. What was one of the most
surprising things you learned in creating your books?
It
never gets easier. Ever. Each book presents its own challenge. There’s a point
in all of them when I want to poke myself in the eye with a pencil. But I
don’t. I keep slogging away at it.
11. How many books have you
written? Which is your favorite?
The
last time we counted it was almost 80. My favorite is always the book I’m
writing at the time.
12. Do you have any suggestions to
help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Run
toward, not away from, criticism. Don’t take it all to heart, but look for
repeated themes. Do they complain about your plots? Your characters? If more
than a couple mention something specific, figure out how you can improve.
Also…write even when you don’t feel like it. Train your body and your mind so
that when you sit down at the keyboard, you know it’s time to write.
13. Do you hear from your readers
much? What kinds of things do they say?
Gosh,
so many of them have become close friends. When I was hospitalized last year, I
was inundated with cards and emails. They tell me my characters have become
their best friends, and that I’ve given them intriguing stories that served as
distractions in times of crisis. Some tell me They appreciate my balanced
approach to social issues. I love to make people think. I do my best to show
many sides of an issue.
14. Do you like to create books for adults?
Yes.
15. What do you think makes a good
story?
A
beginning, an interesting middle, and a satisfying ending. I love learning, so
I do my best to add history or facts that are unusual.
16. What would you like my readers
to know?
Emily
Dickinson suggested that we “dwell in possibility.” I believe the world is a
wonderful place full of possibilities, and so I write about spunky women who
refuse to allow circumstances to keep them “down.” My characters are realistic.
My plots are, too. I have very good ratings on Amazon and a devoted fan base.
Readers can try one of my books for free by going to: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/168viwryfn
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