ISBN 1-4137-3140-6
Frank Weaver Jr
Click on the book cover above to order
Crab Cake & Pepper
from the author.
Also available at (click link)
Amazon.com,
BarnesandNoble.com,
or directly from the publisher at
PublishAmerica.com.
For a signed copy, e-mail the author:
FrankWeaverJr@aol.com
Chuck Lyons, Photographer, Akron, Ohio
COMING SOON
"Into The Hollow"
A Spine Tingling, Hair Curling, Ghost Story!
Crab Cake & Pepper
SYNOPSIS
On the first day of trout season, April, 1951, Pepper Whalen and his buddy, Thursy, set out to win a $100 award for catching Ol' Uncle Louie, an elusive, legendary, rainbow trout so big, that if it's ever caught would set new Pennsylvania state records. Instead, the two young lads experience a lifetime of adventure when they suddenly discover their immediate need to remain a few steps ahead of two sleazy ex-cons who are searching the boys' secret fishing hole for a metal box.
Unbeknownst to the boys, the box, hidden ten years earlier, is filled with loot from a bank robbery. After witnessing the criminals' attempt at drowning a Game Warden, a life threatening chase begins. Over Southern York County's wooded, hilly, farm country it continues with no less than 39 Pennsylvania State Policemen becoming involved in the massive manhunt. But still the elusive duo manages to frustrate the law, leaving them scratching their heads in the wake of an unexpected escape.
Risking his own life to save the lads, Pepper's Border Collie, Crab Cake, decides to take matters into his own paws. Nearly shocked with fright, the lads watch helplessly as their dog takes the poisonous venom from the strike of a copperhead snake which had been intended for one of them. With no transportation, 20 miles from the nearest veterinarian and two ex-cons hot on their trail, time becomes critical as the boys find themselves faced with the almost impossible task of saving their dying, heroic dog.
Unforgettable characters, such as Angus "Tattoo" MacGrew, Isadore "Crazy Eyes" Zitoulleo and the neighborhood drunk Amos Springler with his blind and deaf dog, Old Shep, fill the pages. Sprinkled among these three are close neighbors Floyd Brouse, Elwood Gampee, Lucas Barnes, Pinkus Mueller, Larry Haney, Pete Patterson and his son, Thursy. Thrown into this mix are Pennsylvania State Police Capt. Gangloff, Pepper's parents, Jack and Doris Whelan and his younger brother, Ty.
Crab Cake & Pepper is a page turning tale about family loyalty, boyhood dreams and re-establishing friendships. But more than that, it's an inspirational love story about a boy and his dog. How far either one goes to save the life of the other, when all others have abandoned hope, strengthens Pepper's understanding and belief in a far superior form of Authority. It solidifies Crab Cake's reassurance of Pepper's devoted loyalty to him, the one true blue friend the boy has ever had.
AUTHOR BIO
A native of the Keystone State, Frank Weaver, Jr. spent his boyhood on a farm in Southern York County's White Oak Valley, the setting for his novel, Crab Cake & Pepper. The author is an alumnus of Hametown's historic one room schoolhouse, Shrewsbury's elementary and York's parochial schools. His family still lives there.
After a hiatus, Weaver continued his education in 1975 with a full scholarship to Winona's School of Professional Photography, majoring in Executive, Environmental and Bridal Portraiture. He completed law studies in 1993, with honors, from The School of Paralegal Studies with majors in both civil litigation and wills, trusts and estates administration.
After 27 years on stage throughout Northeastern Ohio's community theatre circuit, with more than 70 plays to his credit and three acting awards, Weaver has finally switched interests. He now devotes his time to his hometown newspaper as a photojournalist and columnist. In his spare time he nurtures his love for writing fiction. Crab Cake & Pepper is his first published novel. Two more are in the works. One, a ghost story, also takes place near his Pennsylvania boyhood home of White Oak Valley. The second, a fishing story, is set in Ohio's Portage Lakes. The ghost story he hopes to release sometime in 2005. The other by the summer of 2006.
The author is the seventh generation in America whose direct ancestor, Sebastian Jacobus Weaver, arrived here in July, 1753 on the ship "Snow" Rowand. His paternal great grandfather, John S. Weaver, founded the Weaver & Company Iron Foundry in New Oxford, Pa. On his mother's side he descends from the pioneer, The Honorable Johannes Chronister who arrived in the New World on September 5, 1738 on the ship Winter Galley. In addition, he's a direct descendant of a Revolutionary War soldier and two Civil War soldiers, one paternal, the other maternal, who both fought for the Union.
Now semi-retired, Weaver spends much of his time with Peggy, his wife of 32 years, and 'Tego, their Golden Retriever at their Portage Lakes home. An avid boater and fisherman, the author and his wife also spend time in their year round, ocean villa getaway with their children, grandchildren and friends.
EXCERPTS
"Right after we got 'im cuppala years ago," Pepper said, munching on his sandwich, "no one knew his name. He was abandoned. Someone dropped him off at Stabler's Cabins on the old Susquehanna Trail. I was helping Mom make crabcakes fer supper that night an' I accidentally dropped a cooked one on the floor. Before I could pick it up, the dog got it with his mouth. I yelled fer him ta drop it but 'twas too late. Guess the poor thing was hungry," he said swallowing a bite of sandwich.
"'Drop the crabcake. Drop the crabcake, dog,' I yelled. Didn�t even know dogs liked crabcakes," Pepper continued while washing the sandwich down with his Mom's freshly brewed ice tea. "But he juss up an' ate it, then licked his chops as if ta ask fer more. My Mom was laughin' so hard she almost fell ta the floor. My two sisters were laughing and Ty and David were laughing. Everyone was a laughing 'cept me," he said.
"Looking back now, I s'pose 'twas funny but since I figured everyone would say it was my crabcake he ate, I saw nuttin' funny 'bout it, at the time," Pepper explained. "When my Dad came home that evening an' my Mom told him what happened, he looked straight at me wit' one of those impish grins he gets on his face and said, 'Well, son, I s'pose now he has a name.'"
As Thursy watched the fight between Pepper and his fish, his line suddenly bent. Deep down it went. "Thursy," yelled Pepper, keeping his eyes on his own line while catching a glimpse of Thursy's bent rod from his peripheral vision. "Yer line. Set the hook, Thursy, now!"
An unexpected sense of high adventure gripped the boy as he reached down to pick up his rod. Crab Cake's eyes switched from Pepper to Thursy and back again. The dog barked loudly and with much enthusiasm. He seemed as thrilled as the boys.
Unlike Pepper's homemade pole, Thursy's equipment was a store bought casting rod and reel. He set the drag and jerked hard on the rod, setting the hook. Now both Thursy's rod and Pepper's pole were bent in high arches, each with the weight of their own respective fish. When Pepper's fish jumped out of the water, Thursy's was deep under the surface and vice versa. In and out, in and out the two rainbows jumped glistening in the rays of the sun. Thursy started reeling in his catch but Pepper quickly stopped him.
"Nah, nah, buddy," cautioned his friend. "Feed it line. Let it run, an' then reel it in. Keep doing that an' it'll tire itself out an' be easier ta land." Thursy did what Pepper suggested. Slowly he fed more line to the fish. Downstream it went, fighting with all the energy it could muster.
In the process of the excitement, with all the noise and Crab Cake's barking, the actions of the two boys started drawing a crowd. Seeing both lads had hooked not just a trout but two beauties, other anglers had lined both sides of the banks and before the boys could land their fish the others started casting. "Oh no," thought Pepper. "Give us a chance to land 'em."
But that would only have been wishful thinking. Not everyone was as considerate of the other guy as Pepper was taught to be. In the process of lines being cast here and there, exactly what Pepper feared would happen, happened. First, Thursy's line became tangled with two other lines from the opposite side. Trying to reel in his catch, the line became so snared the great rainbow spit the hook, freeing itself.
Thursy was furious. "Couldn't ya at least waited 'til we landed our fish?" barked the disappointed lad. "Ain't ya got no respect for other anglers? Ain't ya got no common sense?" It sounded more like a furious Pepper than it did an upset Thursy.
He opened his pocket knife and quickly cut his line, freeing the other lines in the process. As upset as he was, this time he just wanted to leave the area and the stupidity of those around him. But his pal, Pepper, still had one hooked and was struggling to land it before the same thing happened to him.
Across the stream sat three new guys, ready to throw in their lines in the direction of Pepper's. Crab Cake growled loudly as they moved their poles into casting position. Stopping in mid-cast they stared at the dog. "Drop those lines in the water 'fore I land this fish an' my dog'll be dropping all three of ya," promised Pepper. "An' if he misses, my buddy an' I's gonna do it."
Pepper's Dad finally slipped quietly out of the room to join the doctor in his office. Thursy followed him, leaving Pepper all alone in the room with Crab Cake, a dying Border Collie and his best friend.
The dog was lying on his side, facing his master. Again, Pepper moved closer to the bedding, this time laying his head down next to the dog's and gently resting his arm across Crab Cake's body. "We've had so many good times together," he whispered to him, tears still streaming down his cheeks. He knew the end was very near. The poison from the copperhead snake was doing its job.
"How am I ever gonna forget ya, Crab Cake? Huh? Remember flushing out all them ring-necked pheasants, rabbits an' other game whenever we'd go hunting?" he asked, knowing full well the dog, in the condition he was in, had no chance of ever hearing him. "Shore didn't take ya long ta learn ya don't corner skunks," he softly whispered, this time chuckling lightly as he remembered Crab Cake once being sprayed by a skunk he was chasing. "Crab Cake," he added, "you stunk for a week."
"I'm never gonna forget the time ya thought you'd caught that big ol' fat groundhog. The way he turned on ya, brought tears to my eyes, I was laughing so hard. I can still see ya hightailing it outta that field yelping to beat the band with yer tail juss a flopping 'tween yer legs," Pepper continued, trying to implant within his mind an indelible memory of all the good times he had with his dog.
"I'll remember every one of 'em, ol' buddy, 'specially you chasing that big ol' beautiful, gorgeous, rainbow trout downstream yesterday and tangling every fishing line on both sides of the creek. Sure I yelled at ya, Crab Cake," he sobbed, "but you know I really didn't mean nuttin' by it, don't you?"
What others are saying about Crab Cake & Pepper
Crab Cake & Pepper is a homespun tale that likens that of Huckleberry Finn. Weaver's personalization of characters holds the interest and spurs the curiosity of the reader. Crab Cake & Pepper is a refreshing addition to any school or public library.
Elizabeth A. (Trostle) Kyer
Special Educator and Language Arts Instructor
Northwest Middle School - Canal Fulton, Ohio
What a story! The setting is not that different a place than might be found in any rural part of the country. This style of writing and story content certainly has a place in our libraries for enjoyable reading for the "child" in all of us.
Claude P. Swartzbaugh
Retired Elementary School Instructor
Past President - Pa. State Education Assoc. for Supervision and Curriculum
Hershey, Pa.
With convicts on the prowl for a strongbox full of loot, the quiet Pennsylvania Dutch countryside soon becomes rife with mischief, crime and heroism. Weaver has concocted a tale with two villains who aren't too bright, but menacing enough to worry any reader. Not only will the book appeal to kids, but also to adults who cherish childhood memories of simpler times and a slower pace of life. Crab Cake & Pepper, while not a cookbook, does contain the recipe to become this generation's Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Tamara Proctor
Assoc. Editor - The Suburbanite
Akron, Portage Lakes, Ohio
The Return of Local Color
In this entertaining and highly readable
novel Frank Weaver Jr. has brought forth
something that has been sorely lacking in
American contemporary literature: local
color. Indeed, Mark Twain, the originator
of the genre, must have been smiling
down on Weaver as he hunched over the
manuscript of Crab Cake and Pepper.
This book is a must read for anyone who
loves authentic settings and dialogue.
Weaver's portrayal of the
Pennsylvania Dutch countryside and the
quirky folks who inhabit the region is
superbly done. Thanks to the
author's deft use of dialogue and
description, scenery comes forth vividly
and lifelike characters walk right off the
page.
Although Weaver wrote Crab Cake and
Pepper in a simple and easy to
understand idiom, this book should not be
relegated solely to the shelves of school
age children. This is a novel that can be
appreciated by readers at all age levels.
Children will love the winsome adventure
and adults will pleasure in memories of the
"good old days" that are stirred up
by Weaver's tale.
Lovers of literature owe Frank Weaver
Jr. a huge "thank you" for Crab
Cake and Pepper, since this wonderful
little book goes a long way toward
restoring to prominence the treasured
genre of American local color.
Jim Sewell
Kent State University English composition
instructor
October 26, 2004
Memories of a long ago Childhood
A super story of a boy and his dog: a
21st century version of a Mark Twain
novel available at Barnes & Noble and
Border's Bookstore. It will keep you
on the edge of your couch as it twist and
turns and then twist and turns again.
Crab Cake & Pepper is more than just
the story of a boy and his dog. It is an
opportunity for many of us to revisit our
childhood when it was up to us to find
healthy activities to occupy our days.
Although I am now 67 years old, Mr.
Weaver's book took me back to my
boyhood days as no book has ever done.
At any moment I expected to find my
name in the book when I was a young
boy growing up and playing in the woods
of Ohio. At one point in the book I was
convinced that Pepper had found my old
fishing hole. I would recommend that
every boy/girl, father, mother, boy
scout/girl scout and troop leaders read
this book. Mark Twain is still with us.
Warren Woodberry - author
TV Producer & Director of the Holy
Toledo Creative Class
Toledo, Ohio
The Adventure of Youth is Back!
Friendship, loyalty, courage, intrigue,
adventure --- all the elements of an
exciting youth are here in this superb story
of a boy and his dog. Pepper and Crab
Cake set out for a relaxing day of fishing.
Excitement is in the air as the quest for old
'Uncle Louie' begins. This great fish will
give way, however, to danger, intrigue
and selfless love as Pepper, along with his
best friend, and his best human friend,
encounter two surly characters bent on
evil. Their very lives are at stake as they
become an obstacle to the criminal
designs of the two crooks. Pepper's trusty
Crab Cake even puts his life on the line to
save the boys.
Frank Weaver, Jr. 'weaves' us a tale of
boyhood adventure; of the love between
a boy and his dog; of the loyalty of two
boyhood friends; and of the strong ties
within a family. We meet a number of
wonderfully interesting characters, good
and bad, and we make our way through
the woods and streams of southeastern
Pennsylvania and a time gone by.
Weaver invites us to smell the trees and
the food, to see the glorious hillsides, to
hear the rustling streams and to feel all the
emotions of family warmth and youthful
adventure. The story is interesting for
adults and exciting for those in their early
to mid teens. It is true family entertainment
with the emphasis on entertainment. It is a
visit to the past for all who read it. Kudos
to the author.
Steve Kyer
High School language instructor
October 21, 2004
Great book for all ages
A heartwarming adventure that will keep
you turning the pages. Fun not only for
kids, but for the kid in all of us. Who can't
help but love a story about the adventures
of a boy and his dog?
Denise Hudak - assoc editor
Northeast Ohio Weekly newspaper
October 19, 2004
A Book Review of Crab Cake & Pepper
PORTAGE LAKES - Crab Cake &
Pepper is not a cookbook, but it does
have the recipe for becoming this
generation's Adventures of Tom
Sawyer. In his first novel, Frank Weaver,
Jr. has delivered an adventure that can be
enjoyed by ages eight to 80.
Crab Cake is a border collie and Pepper
Whelan is a young boy growing up in rural
Pennsylvania during the spring of 1951.
Among the highlights of their life down on
the farm are listening to baseball games on
the radio, playing ball in the meadow and
the first day of trout fishing.
It is during the search for the elusive
Ol' Uncle Louie, the stream's
largest trout, that Pepper and his friend,
Thursy, along with Crab Cake in tow, that
innocence crosses paths with villains
looking for abandoned loot.
Weaver has concocted a tale with two
villains who aren't too bright, but
menacing enough to worry any reader.
With convicts on the prowl for a strong
box full of money, the quiet Pennsylvania
Dutch countryside becomes rife with
mischief, crime and heroism.
Weaver's book will appeal to
children as well as baby boomers who
cherish their childhood memories of a
simpler time and slower pace of life. As
Crab Cake and Pepper steal away to
their secret fishing hole, the reader can
almost hear the whistling theme song to
the Andy Griffith show.
Weaver's book will be a hit with
school teachers, too. While telling an
entertaining tale, Weaver wove a
descriptive backdrop of life on a farm.
Instead of telling children what life was
like back in rural America, Weaver's
novel will transport children to a different
lifestyle via Crab Cake & Pepper.
Parents and teachers alike will appreciate
Weaver's use of the vernacular while
not using one word of foul or vulgar
language.
Crab Cake & Pepper is a love story
between a boy and his dog. It is also a
tribute to our rural forefathers who
endured a hardy farm life and produced
lessons for our lives.
Weaver is the Outtakes Around The
Lakes columnist for The Suburbanite.
Crab Cake & Pepper is his first novel.
The book is available online at
Amazon.com or from Borders website or
from Barnes and Noble. For an
autographed copy, email the author at
Frankweaverjr@aol.com .
Tammy Proctor
Assoc. editor - The Suburbanite
newspaper
Nov. 1, 2004 - Akron, Portage Lakes,
Ohio
Great Potential for the Screen
Excellent story. Very well written and a
must for anyone who loves a great
adventure in which to escape. The author
takes you back in time, painting a scenic
picture of the farmlands in Pennsylvania.
This is a page turning adventure of a boy
and his dog with colorful words that leap
out of the book and will reach out and
grab your innermost heartstrings. Crab
Cake & Pepper has great potential for a
movie that would be a surefire hit at the
box office.
Tina Marie Thomas
Lover of Adventure
Northwestern Pennsylvania
Wholesome Mystery
What a great book, so set your mind
adrift back to yesteryear. It's an easy
to read book that you can not put down
until the last page. The twists and turns of
the storyline keep you reading up until the
very end. This could, over time, become a
classic like Tom Sawyer. I would love to
see this on the big screen. Congratulations
to Mr. Weaver.
John Ruby
A reader of mystery
Arizona
My Husband As a Boy
I read this story in two sittings. It
reminded me so much of the tales my
husband keeps telling me he experienced
as a boy, especially his love of fishing and
adventure. I can now appreciate how
much he enjoyed the adventures as only a
young boy could have experienced.
Kudos to Mr. Weaver for a truly
enjoyable story.
Judy Snivley
A reviewer
Portage Lakes, Ohio
Great Book by a Wonderful Writer
Crab Cake & Pepper is a book
you'll always remember and will
remind you of a time you wished
you'd never forget. The book has all
the makings of a classic story that will
withstand the test of time and will be
passed on to families for generations to
come. The book is simply delightful and I
highly recommend it. Awesome debut.
J. A. Treavelson
A Carolina Reviewer
Fan of wholesome fiction
Story of Loyalty and Adventure
This book has all the elements I love in a
well written story. It's captivating
from start to finish. Crab Cake & Pepper
will beckon you to your childhood;
reliving it and throwing in some mystery
and adventure, too. Family, friendship,
community, public servants and the sordid
few entwine in this easy to read novel by
Frank Weaver, Jr.
Tim Ziegler
An avid reader
York, Pa.
Weaver's Crab Cake & Pepper
rivals Classics
Author Frank Weaver, Jr. takes us on a
nostalgic, fun and harrowing journey in his
debut novel, Crab Cake & Pepper. For
many, the first day of trout season may
never be the same. Reading his finely
tuned and well written novel is a must for
the kid in all of us. Crab Cake & Pepper
is one story to rival popular and sanctified
classics. Mark Twain's Huck Finn
may have to move over to make room for
the new classic, Crab Cake & Pepper.
K. A. Schneider - author
The Scent of Magnolias and
Men
Piqua, Ohio
A Quintessential Tale of a Boy's
Love for His Dog
Straight out of the Pennsylvania Dutch
countryside, in a quaint location called
White Oak Valley, comes a Border Collie
named Crab Cake and a boy called
Pepper. Get ready, readers, for they will
steal away your heart.
It's been a long time since I've
read a book that carried me back to
another time and place where family
lifestyles and values were foremost,
honest and uncomplicated. Whether
you're trout fishing for the elusive
Ol' Uncle Louie or playing makeshift
baseball, author Frank Weaver, Jr.
captures your heart with his endearing
characters and colorful dialogue.
Written like a classic, all ages will enjoy
this book with its priceless descriptions
and lessons about growing up. You will
laugh at the comical antics of two
numbskull criminals, Crazy Eyes and
Tattoo, as they plan and argue with each
other often enough to make idiotic
mistakes, but dangerous enough to cause
serious trouble to the Whelan family.
Pepper's love for Crab Cake is the
quintessential tale of a boy's love for
his dog, as he poignantly speaks to his
motionless Border Collie after a
copperhead snake bites the dog.
This is an extremely well written book and
bound to become a family favorite. If
you've enjoyed Old Yeller, Tom
Sawyer or the character of Scout, in To
Kill A Mockingbird, then you'll surely
derive something special from this book
to hold forever in your heart.
El Aspin - author of children's books
California
Jan. 9, 2005
Sequel Needed to Crab Cake & Pepper
I just finished author Frank Weaver,
Jr.'s book, Crab Cake &
Pepper, and absolutely loved it. It
brought me to tears many times as the
story unfolded and was just a really fun
book to read. Those who said it was a
wonderful adventure back to the fifty's,
were absolutely right.
I also enjoyed how faith was incorporated
into the book and the power of prayer in
one's life. It's so great to read
books that acknowledge God and allow
Him to be a part of their daily lives. How
uplifting! The author did a great job! Now
just one question - a sequel ?
Kim Godar - Fan of good reading
Portage Lakes, Ohio
Feb. 2, 2005
Novel includes superb Voice
Taking the opportunity that my winter
school break afforded me, I swiftly
delved into the world of Crab Cake
& Pepper. After flying through it in
three days, author Frank Weaver,
Jr.'s first novel was not only quite
satisfying but also became a welcomed
lesson for college students like me on how
to write a solid novel.
As a would-be-writer, I had taken a class
investigating the pursuit of the writing
voice. Crab Cake & Pepper is
an excellent example that would have
served well in that class. It includes
superb voice writing. While
reading, I could hear the author telling me
the story through his voice. The
words leaped right off the page.
As for the construction of plot,
Weaver's ability to successfully juggle
characters in different locations builds
suspense almost effortlessly. While the
story's ending was quite
unpredictable, as it should be, Crab
Cake & Pepper's cohesiveness
held my attention right through to the very
end.
Aside from the technicalities that writers
have a tendency to always discuss, when
you come right down to it, Weaver's
Crab Cake & Pepper is a very
well written book, entertaining and fun to
read. That, to me, is how a book should
deliver. Consequently I look forward to
reading his next two scheduled novels, a
ghost story and a fishing adventure.
Jason Morgan - college writing major
Wooster, Ohio
Jan. 20, 2005
From Under the New York Sun
Frank Weaver, Jr. has crafted a young
adult tale that will entertain all ages. Even
the title, Crab Cake & Pepper, is fun.
And he sprinkles fun all through this
delightful adventure for boy and dog, with
enough conflict to keep the reader turning
the pages. Excellent!
Lynn Barry - author
Puddles, BJOYFL
Hume, NY
His kind of Story
Having finished Crab Cake & Pepper, I
thoroughly enjoyed it. This is my kind of
story. While growing up, most of us still
remember classmates who, while one
minute we couldn't tolerate, the next they
end up as best friends. Anyone, young or
old who has ever caught a fish, dreamt of
being a hero or who had a faithful
four-legged pal can find it all in Crab
Cake & Pepper. This adventurous, fast
moving and well written tale is exciting,
fun and above all, safe to read by
everyone. Crab Cake & Pepper takes us
back to that magical time in youth when
our minds were still in the process of
forming long lasting memories. The story
simply jogs those memories starting the
process of recall. I highly recommend it to
both the youth of today and our senior
citizens, to both boys and girls as well as
men and women.
Piney Woods
Akron, Ohio
Childhood Memories Stirred
Having just finished "Crab Cake &
Pepper," I must say how much I
thoroughly enjoyed reading it! The setting
reminded me of the farm I grew up on in
Virginia in the fifties...a great story! Frank
Weaver, Jr. is a very talented writer, and
I look forward to reading his next book.
Hazel Willoughby
Summit County, Ohio
A Refreshing Joy
To read about so much caring, so much
actual concern is a refreshing joy in the
midst of today's cynical society. Crab
Cake & Pepper, by Frank Weaver, Jr.
renews one's hopes that people may
once again care about another's well
being. As in times past, a neighbor
may once again come to one's
rescue. Even an ordinary dog may make
the ultimate sacrifice, and that someone
may, with a free heart, return the favor.
True character always shows in how
someone respects and treats animals,
especially pets, and true loyalty in pets
always shines through.
Frank Weaver, Jr. definitely lives up to his
family name as he weaves this
adventurous tale of families, friends,
neighbors, pets, and wild animals as they
all encounter two hardened criminals, who
suddenly appear in the quiet countryside,
looking for supposed loot left behind by
their jailbird friends. Yes, they are
hardened criminals, but they art also inept,
bungling almost everything they try.
However, with dumb luck on their side,
the two create chaos and danger
everywhere they go. With lives at stake
and no one safe, this book is a page
turner for sure.
Think back to when protecting each other
was paramount. Think back to when a
neighbor was always someone you could
depend on. Think back to those pets you
loved so much when you were younger
and of the names of each and every one,
a wagging tail and a welcoming bark as
you came home or a tender meow and a
cuddle on a cold winter's day. In
whatever way you remember that loyal
pet at your side, such memories are
precious and will always comfort you.
Thank you, Frank Weaver, Jr., for Crab
Cake & Pepper. Thank you for taking me
to a special place, a special time, where I
could once again believe in the goodness
and caring and self-sacrifice that still lie
somewhere within us all. Thank you.
Danny Lee Ingram - Aug. 18, 2005
Author - Pennies On The Tracks &
Glass Cuts the Shadow
2005 Push Cart Award Nominee
More Than A Folksy Yarn
Crab Cake & Pepper is more than a
folksy yarn about a boy and his dog. It
digs deeply into a ten year old boy's
psyche and brings us along for the ride of
a lifetime, replete with a family, a
struggling friendship, rousing adventures
and a surplus of belly laughs.
Set in the rural backwoods of
Pennsylvania in April, 1951, Crab Cake
& Pepper sings with the love of nature
and family. Jack "Pepper" Whelan,
Jr., one of five children, anticipates the
opening of trout season with the glee
found only in childhood.
Along with his
best friend, a bright, spirited border collie
named Crab Cake, Pepper prepares for
the big day by digging for night crawlers
with the help of his Mom's soapy
dishwater and paying off his siblings to do
his early morning barn chores. He's
ready to rise at dawn to beat the other
anglers to his secret fishing hole, where he
hopes to land the legendary monster trout
known as Ol' Uncle Louie.
Meanwhile, recently escaped convicts,
"Crazy Eyes" Zitoulleo and
"Tattoo" MacGrew navigate
toward the same fishing hole. Tipped off
in prison, the bumbling duo overhears a
tale of a metal box filed with stolen loot
that rests at the bottom of the cold
stream. To make matters worse, Pepper
runs into Thursy Patterson, a boy with
whom he's shared an uneasy
friendship. Thursy is quick to anger and
ready to fight with little provocation.
When he asks Pepper to join him for the
big fishing event, Pepper squirms,
unwilling to reveal his choice fishing spot.
A series of unfortunate events propel
Pepper, Thursy and Crab Cake into the
midst of a manhunt, particularly after the
witness the attempted drowning of a game
warden. Their luck deteriorates as the
boys are kidnapped by the desperate
villains. These experiences draw Pepper
and Thursy closer, where true friendship
glimmers. Meanwhile, Crab Cake is bitten
by a copperhead. The canine's life
hangs in the balance for days, threatening
in the backdrop during the final thrilling
fight between the foul buffoons and the
plucky boys.
Mr. Weaver has a knack for creating
believable, humorous and endearing
characters. His grasp of the backwoods
dialect is adroitly captured. Childhood
memories will float to the surface of
readers' minds as they follow through
the woods and fields while the delightful
border collie frolics in the background.
The scenes between the boy and his dog
are beautifully portrayed and emotive.
When Crab cake nears death, emotions,
not unlike those felt during Lassie Come
Home will clog the throat of the most
sophisticated reader.
Crab Cake & Pepper offers universal
appeal for the adventure of a lifetime.
Children of all ages will enjoy the ride.
Aaron Paul Lazar - Nov. 3, 2005
Author - LeGarde mystery books
Double Forte’, and Upstaged
Finger Lakes, New York
Great Story Teller
What a great story teller Frank Weaver,
Jr. is! I enjoyed his book, "Crab Cake &
Pepper" immensely and can't wait to read
the second and third books that he's
writing. I was a bit surprised at the ending
as I was hoping in that last chapter
where they are fishing for Ol' Uncle Louie
with the old man on the other side, that
they would find the metal box with the
loot. Of course, when the old man
mentioned something about hooking onto
some metal, he had to tease us into
thinking that.
I thought for sure they found the loot.
Thanks for writing such a wonderful book
for
all of us to enjoy!
Marilyn Straub
Portage Lakes, Ohio
www.FrankWeaverJr.com
email:
FrankWeaverJr@aol.com
mail@FrankWeaverJr.com
Sign Guestbook
View Guestbook
