I hope everyone is enjoying the 4th! Caption Contest II’s winner is James Ryan, with his brilliant “Damn those romance novels.” James is a poet and writer retired from the military. He receives a signed and pawtographed copy of my forthcoming book.

Second place (which doesn’t get you a book but should give some satisfaction) was Lara Maynard’s “You may be a crazy cat lady, but I am a crazy lady cat, lady.”

Honorable mention goes to Laura Taylor’s “Oh, great, you’re here!” instructions to the hapless catsitter.

All the entries were hysterical. Thanks to Pam Lucas (winner of caption contest I) and a couple of friends who judged these entries. James will join two other judges selected randomly from people who can’t dodge fast enough, to judge Caption Contest III, sometime toward the end of July. There will be seven contests in all between now and Oct. 2, when The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap will be released.