I believe that a strong public library is an essential part of the community, and I do what I can to support the Athena Public Library. Working as a volunteer doing cataloging and reference several afternoons a month allows me to keep my hand in. After all, I was a public library manager in Houston for many years before I moved back home to Mississippi. My Maine Coon cat, Diesel, also enjoys going to the library. He has been a great hit with the staff and the patrons alike. He’s very sociable, and his unusual size (he weighs thirty-six pounds now, and he’s not overweight, he’s just big) always gets people talking.
When the library director, Teresa Farmer, first approached me about serving as a member of the board of the Friends of Athena Public Library, I was honored. My dear friend Helen Louise Brady – owner of a wonderful French bakery in Athena – had to step down after more than a decade of service, and she recommended I take her spot.
I told Teresa I’d be happy to accept, and then I started querying Helen Louise about just what serving on the board entailed. (And, yes, I should have asked that first before I agreed to do it. This wouldn’t be the first time my enthusiasm had led me into the path of trouble.) According to Helen Louise, the big event was the annual Friends gala, held in December, as a major fundraiser. I haven’t been to one, and now I’m a bit anxious about attending my first one.
The duties weren’t onerous, Helen Louise assured me. The only potential problem was apparently the fighting among certain of the board members about who would do what – like host the gala, for example. The two bedrocks of Athena society, the octogenarian Ducote sisters, kept everything under tight control. Miss An’gel and Miss Dickce had run things for six decades, and they weren’t about to cede control to anyone. The trouble was, Vera Cassity had her sights set on becoming queen bee, and Vera had all the sensitivity of a rhino with a headache. Plus she had a chip on her shoulder the size of Memphis because she grew up poor and now has a lot of “new” money, thanks to her businessman husband, Morty.
Things could get pretty dicey before the gala is history…
You can read more about Charlie in Out of Circulation, the fourth book in the “Cat in the Stacks” mystery series. The first book in the series is Murder Past Due.
** Thanks to the publisher, I have one (1) copy of OUT OF CIRCULATION to give away. Contest open to US residents only and ends January 30. Leave a comment to be included in the giveaway. The book will be shipped directly from the publisher. **
Meet the author
Miranda James is the pseudonym for an Agatha and Macavity Award-winning author who has published eighteen mystery novels, along with several short stories and works of mystery non-fiction. A librarian in Houston, Miranda has two young cats running riot through the house and thousands of books. Visit Miranda at www.catinthestacks.com
Books are available at retail and online booksellers.
Sounds like a good read!
i lve these kind of books
This should be a fun read!
Thank you for the chance to win. This is a good series, cats and books.
Love library cozies! Dee
Sounds like another great mystery.
This is one of the most fun series out now. I would love a copy of OUT OF CIRCULATION. Thanks fo rhaving this contest.
I’m a huge fan of libraries and librarians (where would we be without them? I don’t even want to think about it). I also love this series, no need to enter me in the drawing, I snap up each release, eager to hear more about Charlie and Diesel.
Books with a library theme are great. Sounds like there is some politics going on in this books. Would love to read it.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
I hit “send” too soon, I wanted to say that I am amazed that Diesel weighs 36 pounds! My cats are “portly” to put it politely and check in with weights in the high teens and one is 20 pounds. My vet once told me that “no cat needs to weigh more than 12 pounds.” I looked at him and said, “Seriously?”
Every cat in the waiting room weighed more than that!
What a fun sounding book. Would be great to win.
nlb1050(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love Diesel and can’t wait to read this one!
Oops! forgot the
afarage(at)earthlink(dot)net
I am looking forward to reading this one as well! 😀
ladychrisa(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thanks, Dru Ann!
As a librarian myself, I love books with a library connection!
I love Diesel and his human. I already own 2 of Diesel’s stories and would love to add this one to my collection.
NoraAdrienne(at)gmail(dot)com
I’m VP of our local Friends group, and our treasurer has 2 Maine Coons, big like Diesel. I’d love to win a book to share with her and the library. Karen
I just love Diesel and think he is such a great part of this series.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I love books set in libraries! 🙂
vicki(at)vickilemonds(dot)com
I’ve loved libraries since I was in my single digits. On the praise of some of the other responders, I’d say this one is one to be checked out. Please put me in the draw, Dru. Thanks.
This has been a fun series to date. Glad to see a new book is out. Thanks for the giveaway.
This sounds like a lot of fun, and who doesn’t enjoy a book set mainly in a library? Please enter my name in the draw for the chance to win a copy.
I would love to win!
Love Diesel and his peeps! Looking forward to reading the newest installment
Libraries and Maine Coon cats = a perfect set-up. This sound delightful.
thanks for the chance to read this mystery!
This is fast becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery series.
lynettek51(at)yahoo(dot)com
My daughter would love this, thank you for the chance to win it.
wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
I love cats and I love books. No better combo! Would love to read this series!
I am a paraprofessional in two libraries….how did I miss this series? Love all things library!
I worked at SJPL back in the day. Love library mysteries.
Finally the release day has arrived!
Very interesting read!
Sounds like a good one! Thanks for the chance to win!
I would love to read this book.
Happy to have discovered this series. Keep writing!
Thanks Dean and Charlie for stopping by.
contest is closed.