A Boy And His Cat Come Home

Yeah - these two jokers

If you've known me for a little bit on Facebook, you probably also know Catney and Laney - the faux buddy private investigation TV series told in the form of TV GUIDE-style episode blurbs that began back in 2019 and went on for about five years. Quietly after the end of season five (and a heck of a season finale), owing to Buster's advancing age and health challenges, we let the series go. Buster's 18 now. He has a bum thyroid, arthritic hips, the start of cataracts, and while not stone deaf is closing in on it (we noticed on July 4th that only the bunker busters one jackhole was lighting off somewhere adjacent to our house seemed to bother the cat; he basically slept through the rest of the fireworks). In the last couple of years, he's also grown less tolerant of having his picture taken, making it harder to get a pool of quality shots. 

Totally fake book cover

But Catney and Laney has never been far from my mind - the peril of living with your co-star - and back on April Fools Day, with a full head of steam, I played a prank on Facebook. I posted this photo, adorned with obligatory marketing hype:

COMING IN 2024: THE CATNEY AND LANEY COMPANION!

    A lavishly illustrated book with all the episodes (including a 'lost' one)! Script excerpts! Behind the scenes info! Spoilers! Trivia! Related media! Other stuff! With a foreword by Buster 'Catney' Lane.

There was at least one unhappy lament noting the day on which the news was being shared, and several others who I'm pretty sure were playing along with the joke.

There's just one thing: the joke was that the book was an actual book. Which is why I'm pleased to shout loudly in this space: COMING IN SEPTEMBER!

THE CATNEY AND LANEY COMPANION is your complete guide to this weird, wonderful nonexistent TV series of the mind built on the backs of photos of a guy and a cat. It charmed dozens of viewers, was saved by a letter-writing campaign, and featured a who's who of guest stars that no actual budget could have ever pulled off.

                 Totally real book cover                 

This nearly 200 page book includes:

- All 101 CATNEY AND LANEY photos and episode blurbs, including an unreleased episode, every promo, PSA, and bit of whimsy we could still find, plus an introduction to how the series came to be (and what the hell it even is.)

- Information about each episode, including behind the scenes glimpses, trivia, and occasional spoilers

- Script excerpts for multiple episodes, including the full conclusions to the first season and series finales

- The Catney and Laney short story "The Mockingbird Who Knew Too Much"

- The stories behind the Season 3 letter writing campaign and the rare giveaway, THE CATNEY AND LANEY PROGRAM GUIDE

- An original foreword by Buster Lane

Part meditation on TV culture, part riff on TV listings of yore, part big, lovey hug to a geriatric cat who oozes personality, and all parody, this was the book I had to compile to get it into the hands of our fans and out of my system. Besides, who knows how long you want to hang around Facebook for reruns? 

Available exclusively through my website and expected to ship in September, THE CATNEY AND LANEY COMPANION will be available for pre-order on AUGUST 12 in the web store at www.douglasjlane.com/buy in trade paperback for $20 plus shipping. (There was also going to be a prestigious, self-important case wrap hardcover, but the initial sample felt... wrong. Maybe even a bit snooty. It's hard to quantify, but it was abandoned in the proofing stage.) 

While I like to do bonus bits for pre-sale buyers, I'm not sure there's going to be one for this release. I mean, I have ideas but time and effort are always a factor. Either way, there will be further web announcements when the presale opens.

So if you enjoyed following along with the imaginary adventures of two of my favorite characters, I think this makes a nice keepsake. If you didn’t have the chance, this is a great time to bring the boys home and enjoy things at your leisure. And if you try it and don’t enjoy it, slip it into a little library in your neighborhood. 

It’s bound to amuse - or confuse - someone. Catney would surely approve.