What is Bruce Littlefield reading?

The current featured contributor at Writers Read: Bruce Littlefield, author of The Bedtime Book for Dogs.

His entry begins:

When I’m writing, I don’t get to read as much as I’d like to. (And having done 10 books in the last 10 years, I’m writing a lot!) I know many people might find that crazy—a writer not reading—but early in my career I realized if I was reading while writing a book, I’d end up mimicking the voice of the writer I was reading. And the voice of Ernest Hemingway doesn’t work too well for garage sales, though I do buy his belief that "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

My favorite time to read is on vacation. A book on a plane is a great distraction and a book by a pool with a cocktail in hand is a great luxury. I love non-fiction.

The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs, in which the genius writer chronicles 12 months of living a strictly Biblical life, including all the facial hair that goes with it, is a recent fave. Jacobs’s devotion to his craft is to be admired (and his wife deserves a medal.) I grew up Southern Baptist in South Carolina, so...[read on]

Among the early praise for The Bedtime Book for Dogs:

“With its thick outlines, bright colors, beady canine eyes, and endearing dog’s-eye viewpoint, debut illustrator Heath’s artwork … gives the pages a feeling that’s half comic book, half primer. Words and commands familiar to dogs (lie down, treat, squirrel, good dog) lace the text and provide potential opportunities for interactivity with pets.”
—Publishers Weekly

“The book, a simple story about a good dog who decides to walk himself because his companion is too busy, is charming, adorably illustrated, and… well, genius.”
—Pet Home Magazine

“The publication of Bruce Littlefield’s The Bedtime Book for Dogs takes this (pet) obsession one stage further. Littlefield has written children’s stories to read to your dog before it goes to sleep. It’s all perfectly deranged, of course, but good-natured and loving and, in Littlefield’s case, actually rather well-written.”
—FT.com

“‘The Bedtime Book for Dogs,’ by Bruce Littlefield is adorable, cleverly incorporating into the story words that dogs actually know. (Not that I think any of you actually read to your dogs.) (Or do you?) It begins: ‘Come. Sit. Stay. I want to tell you a story. I think you’ll like it. It’s about a TREAT.’ My dog, I can assure you, would be all ears by now.”
–Star Tribune

"Bruce Littlefield, reigning guru of garage sales, Airstreams, and Christmas lights goes to the dogs with this one-of-a-kind picture book, groomed for reading aloud to furry best friends. Childlike artwork and recognizable words (“come,” “stay,” “treat”) will get tails wagging. Fetch!"
–Chronogram

Visit Bruce Littlefield's website and Facebook page.

Writers Read: Bruce Littlefield.

--Marshal Zeringue