About
Bob Frey loves to entertain, make people laugh and think, and, perhaps, shake them up a little. He was a copywriter for several top Los Angeles advertising agencies and received several awards for his creative work. When he turned to writing fiction, he found it was a whole new ballgame and he had a lot to learn. He has since published a couple of mysteries, The DVD Murders and The Bashful Vampire Murder & Comic Book Murders, and Catawampus Tales, a book of short stories, a mixed-bag of fast food for the mind.
Also an actor, he has appeared in some forty independent films and stage plays. He now lives in Sandy, Oregon, with his wife, Susan.
Description
<p>When Jessica Bryant pesters her wealthy parents to allow her to have a dog as a pet, the answer is a resounding "No"; but they soon come to regret their decision when thier home is broken into one evening whilst they are out and their daughter kidnapped and held for ransom. The kidnappers, in the form of four seedy and incompetent characters wearing Disneyland-type masks, take her hostage and keep her incarcerated in a place from which there appears to be no escape. However, they reckon without the resourcefulness of our heroine, and the courage of a wonderful stray dog who comes to her aid and whom she names 'Murdo'. And so begins an exciting and humurous accounting of the couples' adventures together as they consistently foil and outwit the abductors whilst on the run together.<br /> This is a lovely story of the friendship between a girl and a dog, bringing out themes of responsibility, camaraderie, redemption, salvation and self-sacrifice. It includes some wonderful dialogue sequences as Jessica teaches her new four-legged friend how to communicate with her, with additional delightful conversations between the animals when a rabbit and a sparrow join forces with them in an effort to outwit the kidnappers and restore Jessica safely back to her parents' home. </p>
Story Behind The Book
For me, writing books is more than a business. I write for pleasure. Critics say if you want to build a career, you should stick to one genre because that’s what your readers expect and they will be disappointed if you don’t. They are probably right. Having been an actor, to me it’s a little bit like type casting. Look what happened to poor Tony Perkins and Vincent Price. I write what interests me, and if people pay to read what I’ve written, well, that’s frosting on the cake.
Reviews
<strong>Deliciously Eclectic<br /></strong>Known for his satirical style, Bob Frey does not disappoint in "Catawampus Tales," a collection of short stories that range from humorous to outrageous, and can be categorized as "deliciously eclectic." Just when you feel like you know what's going to happen next, Frey jolts you with a twist. The arrangement of short stories is such that they bounce from science fiction to a romantic fantasy, and everything in between--there's definitely something for the avid and casual reader. The memorable stories of the collection are "Zombie Fight Song," and "Supermale's Gone and Left Us." Simply put, if you like books where the flow is nearly impeccable, easy to read--without losing any of the substance--and a sense of humor, this is it.--J.R. Shah, Amazon review
