When former Harcourt publicity director Jennifer Gilmore left her day job earlier this year to focus on writing her second novel, she says, her springer spaniel, Maddie was "thrilled" to have her around the house all day. "And I am happy for a little company while I work," Gilmore admits. "She stays under my desk all morning, daring me to leave"—but when she's ready to go out, Maddie clearly knows how to work the sad face!

Joseph Finder says he recently got a note from a reader about an awkward error in Company Man. "I'd used the word taught instead of taut," he says. "I had some sharp words with my proofreader, and Mia promised to do a better job on Power Play." (She'd better hurry; the novel's coming out next month.) Mia was actually trained as a seeing-eye dog, Finder reports, but was deemed "too needy to serve." (And now, I'm going to be giggling all morning thinking about a taught wire...)