Melodie Muses On Fizzy Drinks
The Accidental Spurrt by Walt Pilcher is light-hearted crime that “takes a pop at the fizzy drinks industry” (I didn’t make that up, that’s from the press release).
It has intrigue and crime, twists and turns, and a very likable hero who doesn’t want to be where he finds himself, but he can’t find a way to be elsewhere. And it’s largely set inside a fizzy drinks factory. That’s a first for me. I don’t recall ever reading another book from “inside the coke can”.
the most incredible gem dropped casually into the mix
And along the way, as the drama builds, the most incredible gem is dropped casually into the mix, and I simply have to know what’s behind it.
The book includes reference to McGruff, a famous crime-fighting cartoon bloodhound named by a New Orleans Police officer who won a name-the-dog competition. The resulting advertising slogan was “Take a bite out of crime!”
So here was my question to Walt Pilcher:
I really want it to be true that McGruff is a famous crime-fighting cartoon bloodhound who “takes a bite out of crime!” Is it — and if not, have you suggested it to your local PD as an idea?
Here’s the answer from Walt:
Well, you’re in luck. Every word of it is true!
US readers will recall McGruff the Crime Dog and his slogan, “Take a Bite Out of Crime!”
I knew Jack Keil, the creator and voice of McGruff, personally because he was a creative director on the L’eggs hosiery account at the ad agency Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample while I was VP of Marketing for L’eggs.
Jack was crazy creative and funny. It was an easy transition to name my hard-bitten Raleigh detective Jake Keil as an homage to Jack, who passed away in 2017.
Isn’t that totally amazing! Maybe not such a surprise to US readers, but truly amazing to me. Walt even provided a link: McGruff the Crime Dog — Wikipedia
Melodie Trudeaux Is All About The Animals
That’s why Melodie has homed in on the animal angles of every one of the books she muses on. Melodie Trudeaux is the alter-ego of crime writer, Penny Grubb.
Melodie’s latest, Horse of the Same Colour…
… is a MABLE 2022 spotlight book along with The Accidental Spurrt. Please come and join Melodie and all the other authors at Fantastic Books Publishing’s
It’s free and it’s fun!
