Dear Friends,

I’m a writer, a talker, and a cat lover—who would’ve guessed? That being said, I am taking the opportunity to talk about something I learned recently that I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around. The Jacksonville Humane Society (my local animal shelter) took in approximately two-thousand kittens between January and July of this year. TWO THOUSAND!!!

Where did all those little furry darlings come from? Who is dropping the ball in leaving them homeless? And finally, what can I do?

To answer the last question, I can’t take them all in. In fact, Juliette (my calico princess) says we are at one cat and holding. However, it is taking all the willpower I can muster not to volunteer to foster. Why don’t I? Because I know myself too well. Any fur creature who spends the night here, stays here. I’m a pushover with a heart that is quickly stolen.  At this point in life, the most I can do is donate, which was made quite easy by JHS. The click of a computer button sent a box of kitten formula on its way via Amazon Prime. Therefore, I urge all members of my community who love animals, especially cats, to follow my lead. If a box of formula is not in your budget, send a cash donation in the amount you are comfortable with.

Additional information is available at: jaxhumane.org.

Before anyone complains, I know that through courtesy of the almighty Internet, this message will be seen by those in many regions of the world, which begs the question of why post to so many out of the area? I post because I do not believe the problem is unique to my city and would urge those in all locales to check with their shelters. If you do, please let me know in a post to my Facebook page, Judith Erwin Books, or to this website.

P.S. Be sure to get your copy of fellow cat-loving author Karin Slaughter’s new book The Last Widow, available for pre-order now in bookstores and the standard web sites. I can’t wait.

To provide a glimpse into The Studio, Kathryn Alyssandra Connelly, commonly known as Kaci, is a former ballerina, turned ballet instructor. She is recovering from a tragedy of the most dreadful kind when Matt Emerson, a handsome commander in the United States Navy, enrolls his five daughters in her studio. However, Matt has a dark secret of his own. What comes next, no one could predict.

Fans of my last novel, The Ballet, will recognize the adept private investigator, Jake Shepherd, when he enters the picture and attempts to unravel the mystery threatening to destroy Matt, Kaci, and the Emerson children. Readers may wonder whether the self-assured, intuitively sharp investigator can succeed where the FBI and law enforcement from two states failed.

Finally, on a personal note, those close to me know that 2018 was a hard year. I lost someone very dear. We shared a love of books, photography, antiques, animals, and flowers for over thirty-five years. To quote the legendary dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky, “I am not crying, but my heart is filled with tears.”

Be sure to keep an eye on this web site and my Facebook page--Judith Erwin Books--to learn when The Studio will be available.

Finally, subscribe to my newsletter in order to receive notice of not only release dates but also preorder availability, discounts, and giveaways. You have my word, I will not inundate you with communications, and you are free to unsubscribe at any time.