Author Photo: What Dogs Don’t Know – I received an email yesterday from my fine editor, Alessandra Preziosi, requesting an author photo for my upcoming picture book, What Dogs Don’t Know. I immediately remembered a snap taken this summer on Lake Champlain. It’s true, dogs don’t know a lot of things. But my guy Echo knows kayaking! We do have a life preserver for him. And I know, I know, I have to get better about using it all the time. – – – The book, wonderfully illustrated by Laura Sandoval, comes out in June, 2027. Echo can’t wait. http://www.jamespreller.com/2026/10/30/author-photo-what-dogs-dont-know/ #authorphoto #dogs #know #alessandrapreziosi #lakechamplain #laurasandoval #echo #june #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

Norman Rockwell in Troy, Down the Street from DeFazio’s Pizzeria – I had one of those days today. Suffice it to say that it included a lost wallet and a visit to Motor Vehicles. And those were the highlights! On my way home, I decided to treat myself to a pepperoni pizza from DeFazio’s. I needed it. I parked about a block away in front of this sign: – If that’s difficult to read on your phone, it says that Norman Rockwell frequently visited Troy and used this site as the setting for a painting, “The Street Was Never the Same.” I ordered my pizza and, with ten minutes to kill, looked up the 1952 painting. Then I stepped across the street, tried to get the perspective more or less correct, and snapped this photo: – – Pretty cool, right? Nice they’ve kept the colors. I imagine somebody with the city is on the ball, perhaps even supporting the building owner to keep those exact colors. Too bad they don’t still keep a 1903 Ford Model A parked on 4th Street. In my experience, that’s Troy. A city filled with unexpected treasures. A city with a past, a rich history. It’s why Scorcese picked Troy as the location for filming “The Age of Innocence.” It’s why they film “The Gilded Age” here, too. And the latest installment of “The Conjuring” franchise. The city evokes something, another time, another world. And if you haven’t tried DeFazio’s, my goodness, you’re in for a treat. – – http://www.jamespreller.com/2026/10/28/norman-rockwell-in-troy-down-the-street-from-defazios-pizzeria/ #normanrockwell #troy #pizzeria #defazio #motorvehicles #age #fordmodel #gildedage #too #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

Halloween, 1950s Style – I love this photo of my two oldest brothers, Neal and Billy, and sister Barbara, in the early 1950s. This is Adelphi Road in Wantagh, Long Island. It’s where the Prellers lived. Though four more of us came along later — I was last, born a decade later, in 1961 — I can still remember those cheap, plastic Halloween masks. That was it as far as our costumes went; that, and a pillow case to carry the loot. Later, as we got cool in our pre-teens, we usually dressed as “Hobos.” Every year. Those masks were stuffy and claustrophobic, and we’d constantly flip them up on top of our heads so we could breathe. At night, all the Preller kids were dump out our candy and wheel and deal. The trading of candy may have been the best part. “I’ll give you three Smarties for one Reese’s peanut butter cup!” “Who like coconut? Anybody want my Almond Joys?” I think that’s still my general disposition. Simple is best. I don’t like when things all get all fraught and overcomplicated. This is true of everything — proms and weddings and birthdays — not only Halloween. Busy weekend coming up: On Saturday, I’ll be at the Marlboro Children’s Book Festival; and Sunday, at 11:00, you can find me at the Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady. I’ll be signing Halloween-themed books! Next week, I have a book due, the third in my upcoming “Survival Code” series. But we can talk about that on another day. – http://www.jamespreller.com/2026/10/23/halloween-1950s-style/ #style #halloween #longisland #adelphiroad #later #almondjoys #barbara #billy #book #survivalcode #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

The First 450 Kids Will Receive a FREE $15 Book Voucher at This Saturday’s Marlboro Book Festival! – I think the flyer tells you all you need to know. This is the debut year for the Marlboro festival. I really have to hand it to the brave, selfless souls who took on the enormous task of creating children’s book festival from scratch. The level of detail is endless. The work is exhausting. Even the headaches have headaches. I’ll be there along with 60 other authors and illustrators. Come support reading, support children’s book creators, but perhaps most importantly, support the people in your community who have worked so hard simply to enrich the lives in your neighborhoods, your schools, your town. Don’t let their efforts go without you taking a minute, or an hour, to show your appreciation. Please stop by my table and say hello! And if you are a teacher or a PTA member interested in school visits, I’d love to chat with you! – – – http://www.jamespreller.com/2026/10/19/the-first-450-kids-will-receive-a-free-15-book-voucher-at-this-saturdays-marlboro-book-festival/ #bookfestival #free #pta #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

Come to Warwick Children’s Book Festival: Tomorrow, October 11th! – Yikes, I posted this elsewhere but neglected ye olde blog. Sorry if this is the first time you are hearing about it. – – If you are able, please join me — and a raft of talented children’s authors and illustrators — as we float on the briny seas of creativity and economic disaster! The event is INDOORS, so don’t let a little rain keep you from celebrating books and literacy with your friends and children. Or even if there’s a lot of rain. Just grab a hat and umbrella! Of course, if there’s a typhoon, or a twister, get to a safe place. A basement, if you’ve got one. If not, go to an interior room away from exterior walls and windows! Seek shelter! Protect your head! Protect your pets! If you look outside and see an actual tornado coming down the road . . . PLEASE DON’T GO TO A CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL IN WARWICK! – But barring extreme weather, this is one day in the year when you take an hour and say to your family, “Hey, let’s do this one cool thing. It’ll be fun. I might even buy a book for you.” Meet authors, ask them questions, look at books, talk to illustrators (many of them are non-verbal primates, so be patient), share your enthusiasm for reading. Show your children that this is something you value in our world: The love of literacy and all the ways it can enrich our world. And if you do come — hey, now! — stop by my table and say hello. I’d love to thank you in person. You don’t even have to bring your credit card!* * Kidding! Of course, bring your credit card! THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE ARTS! http://www.jamespreller.com/2026/10/10/come-to-warwick-childrens-book-festival-tomorrow-october-11th/

“Bad Decisions Makes Good Stories” — But Not Always! – – I’ve been watching one of my favorite shows, “Slow Horses,” now in it’s 6th season. I’m waiting for the 5th episode. And, yes, I love the BBC 6-episode approach to a full season. Just the right length; all killer, no filler. SPOILER ALERT. Anyway, I’ve been frustrated with parts of this season (and judging by the reviews I’ve seen, I may be the only person to feel this way). I keep thinking about the maxim, “Bad decisions make good stories.” Every writer learns this one early on. We all understand it. Perfect characters are perfectly dull (and unlikeable). When characters fall short, we identify with them, their foibles make them real. Plus, the bad decisions often lead to conflict, raising the stakes, and open the door to redemption arcs. But I have to say that I intensely dislike it when otherwise smart characters make incredibly dumb decisions. That’s not good storytelling, that’s lazy and annoying. And it’s even more annoying when that stupid decision is completely out of character. “Slow Horses,” I’m looking at you. Part of the appeal of this show, or just about any crime drama, is watching smart characters figure it out. We see that consistently with Jackson Lamb. He’s very, very good at spy craft. His brain is his greatest weapon. We see an old episode of “Columbo” with Peter Falk and it’s a delight to watch this guy, sloppy and easy to underestimate, pick apart an alibi. (Lamb and Columbo have a lot in common, btw, where the outward presentation belies the brilliance below the surface). So why am I so annoyed? Because River and Sid are incredibly lame as they try to evade two lethal Russian assassins. Every time they escape, they seem to put down their guard and . . . forget they are being chased by assassins? At one point, after barely surviving, they are walking smack down the middle of a dark street talking about whatever. Bickering, or something. And then headlights crest the hill and — oh, gosh, it’s those pesky Russian assassins again. So they run! Do they run into the woods? No. They run right down the middle of the street. What the holy hell? Fortunately, they are saved by Coe. Then they go to make a phone call in an arcade. Coe goes off to play video games, River sulks and watches Sid makes a phone call. And lo, here come the Russian assassins again! Why is this a surprise? Wouldn’t they want to be vigilant in some way? Watch the door, maybe? Because there are two heavily-armed assassins trying to kill them!!! Wouldn’t that put you on the alert? Coe decides to take on one of the assassins by himself, in a bathroom, with only a knife as his weapon. He doesn’t know anything about this assassin, not his skills, not his abilities, not his strength. But he makes this incredibly unnecessary, misguided decision because . . . he’s an idiot? Or because it will (supposedly) make for good television? Again, they’ve opted to serve the gods of Action over the gods of Good Sense. Yes, bad decisions. But also, bad spies. Awful at their work. Sure, it all leads to dramatic scenes. Running and jumping, explosions, terrible shooting (insanely bad shooting). The bad decisions serve the “action” gods, but do nothing for the intellect, which is, I would contend, the real appeal of spy craft. I get that River is flawed, imperfect. Those traits make him appealing, a guy (like us!) to root for. But please, let’s stop short of making him a blithering idiot. At least we have Lamb to make things right. http://www.jamespreller.com/2026/10/12/bad-decisions-makes-good-stories-but-not-always/

Book Store Signing, October 25th – If you are in the vicinity, swing by and say hello. There will be Halloween-themed events on Jay Street, with children in costumes desperately seeking sugar. If you are not in the vicinity, say, for example, you live in Norway, there are still expensive flights available! Admittedly, okay, I’m not sure this signing would justify that kind of financial commitment. Even the time off from work might be challenging. Not to mention missing your — I assume — cross-country skiing lessons and your beloved dishes of mutton & cabbage stew and creamy fish soup. If it helps, nearby Troy has the World’s Greatest Farmer’s Market on Saturday, so you could make a great madcap weekend out of the trip. See you there? Screenshot – Oh, almost forgot. I will also be signing other Halloween-themed books for as long as supplies last, including Jigsaw Jones: The Case of the Haunted Scarecrow and something from my “Scary Tales” series. – – – http://www.jamespreller.com/2026/10/15/book-store-signing-october-25th/