The author, on how Kaiya and Tanka got their names:
Kaiya got her name the moment my wife first laid eyes on her in the back of the shelter kennel. It was the name she felt this gangly puppy deserved. And it fits her perfectly. Tanka (rhymes with Wonka) is from the Lakota Sioux word for "great" or "large." Since he weighed in at 120 pounds when we first adopted him, it seemed to make sense. As for aliases, Kaiya is sometimes referred to as "Tiny Dancer" because she frequently tap dances across the floor as she eagerly awaits her meals. Tanka occasionally goes by "White Avalanche" because...[read on]About Cromley's new novel, The Last Good Halloween:
Like most teenagers, Kirby Russo doesn't want much: a calm home life, a couple close friends, a sense of direction and purpose. And a chance to relax with a cocktail now and then. And maybe some privacy whenever fantasy and hormones get the better of him. But his world's upended when he comes home from computer camp to find his stepfather gone and his mom sleeping with their neighbor. In short order, he has to plan an epic road trip to save his family. Never mind the fact that he's at that age where you take yourself seriously, but no one else does. Never mind the fact that he doesn't have a car--it's really more like borrowing when it's a friend's parent's car and they won't know it's gone. And never mind the fact that he doesn't know as much about life as he thinks he does.Visit Giano Cromley's website, Facebook page, and Twitter perch.
Read--Coffee with a Canine: Giano Cromley & Kaiya and Tanka.
--Marshal Zeringue