by Shawna Jones
First published 2016
Bob sells hot dogs in late 21st century Chattanooga and wants nothing more than a peaceful existence. He enjoys time with his buddies Santiago and Xander, though he feels uncertain about committing to his girlfriend Betty. Then the impossible starts happening around him. Groundhogs speak in full sentences. A mime launches an unprovoked assault. Toys spring to life and move on their own. Bob struggles to make sense of these bizarre occurrences until his own hot dogs begin barking like dogs. Suddenly alien assassins arrive to hunt him down. Bob discovers that Santiago or Xander harbors a dangerous secret connected to the Galactic Bailiwick, the royal authority governing the entire galaxy. Now Bob must survive the alien death squad while grappling with questions that will reshape his world. Can he stay alive long enough to uncover which friend betrays him? Will he finally commit to Betty? And will those barking hot dogs ever return to normal?
Genres: adventure, crime, fantasy, contemporary, action, aliens, comedy, 21st-century
Vibes: fast-paced, humorous, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Chattanooga
Period: Late 21st Century
208 pages · Paperback · Independently published