I’m really excited to have Kathleen Kaska guest-posting today, because her latest book is about dogs! Yes, I’m mostly about cats, but I loves me some doggies, too. And this new series of Kathleen’s highlights animal rights, which I’m ALL about.

Kathleen Kaska is the author two awarding-winning mystery series: the Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series set in the 1950s and the Classic Triviography Mystery Series, which includes The Sherlock Holmes Triviography and Quiz Book. Her first two Lockhart mysteries, Murder at the Arlington and Murder at the Luther, were selected as bonus-books for the Pulpwood Queen Book Group, the largest book group in the country. Her latest Sydney Lockhart mystery, set in Austin, Texas, is Murder at the Driskill. When she is not writing, she spends much of her time with her husband traveling the back roads and byways around the country, looking for new venues for her mysteries and bird watching along the Texas coast and beyond. It was her passion for birds that led to the publication The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: The Robert Porter Allen Story (University Press of Florida).

Run Dog Run is Kathleen’s first mystery in the new Kate Caraway animal rights series.

Let’s hear more about this book.

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Run Dog Run takes places in the world of greyhound racing. This was my very first attempt at writing fiction. I wanted to write a story that was not only engaging, but made people think about animal rights issues, a cause I am passionate about. I researched greyhound racing and was appalled at what goes on behind the scenes. I wanted people to be aware of the issues involved and to consider adopting one of these beautiful dogs.

My protagonist, Kate Caraway, is an advocate for animal rights. The story begins with a major disruption in her life. She was forced to leave her elephant project in Africa and return to the US. She returns to Texas to recover and becomes involved with a prominent, but shady character who raises and trains greyhounds.

After five years in Africa, researching the decline of elephant populations, animal rights activist Kate Caraway’s project comes to a screeching halt when she shoots a poacher and is forced to leave the country. Kate travels to a friend’s ranch in Texas for a much-needed rest. But before she has a chance to unpack, her friend’s daughter pleads for Kate’s assistance. The young woman has become entangled in the ugly world of greyhound abuse and believes Kate is the only one with the experience and tenacity to expose the crime and find out who is responsible. On the case for only a few hours, Kate discovers a body, complicating the investigation by adding murder to the puzzle. Now, she’s in a race against time to find the killer before she becomes the next victim.

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WOW! How about an excerpt?

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She’d been foolish and gone off alone, now she might have to pay the ultimate price…

The rocks along the bottom of the creek bed seemed to disappear. Kate felt the ropy, gnarl of tree roots instead.

The cedar break. She was approaching the road and soon the water would pass through the culvert. She knew that she would not make it through the narrow tunnel alive. Her lungs screamed for air. With one final attempt, she grabbed hold of a long cedar root growing along the side of the creek bank and hung on. Miraculously, it held. She wedged her foot under the tangled growth and anchored herself against the current. Inching her way upward, she thrust her head above water and gulped for air. But debris in the current slapped her in the face, and leaves and twigs filled her mouth, choking her. Dizziness overcame her ability to think—exhaustion prevented her from pulling herself higher.

She must not give in. Fighting unconsciousness, Kate inched her way up a little farther, and at last was able to take a clear breath. Her right arm hung loosely by her side, the back of the shaft had broken off in the tumble through the current, but the arrow was lodged in her arm. Numb from cold water and exhaustion, she lay on the bank as the water swept over her, and then, as quickly as it had arrived, the flow subsided and the current slowed. If she could hang on a few moments longer, survival looked promising. As thoughts of hope entered her mind, Kate feared that her pursuer might not have given up the chase. Perfect, Kate Caraway, just perfect. You screwed up again, she chided herself as the lights went out.

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Run Dog Run and Kathleen’s other books are available through Black Opal Books, Kathleen’s website, and Amazon.
http://www.kathleenkaska.com
https://twitter.com/KKaskaAuthor
http://www.facebook.com/kathleenkaska

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Write about a rescue and a dog.

MA

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