Yesterday I was going over the first pass pages of A Farewell to Arfs (the next Chet and Bernie novel, coming August 6, preorderable now, if you’ve got a minute). It’s an Adobe thing where you have to concentrate, more about finding little glitches than following the story. You get so you don’t even remember writing certain passages! For example this one, where old Mr. Parsons, the long and happily married next door neighbor, has some marriage advice for Bernie (the detective; Chet’s the narrator and yes, a dog, but not a talking one):

“Here’s a marriage tip. Even if you’re inclined to disagree about some little thing, keep your trap shut. Only disagree if it’s big and you’re damn sure. Like if she says take the next left and you know it goes right off a cliff.”