If you’re wondering, Dark Spirits likes the rock. Likes the metal, and the indie rock, the 70s flair, and the punk rock (natch). Dark Spirits (it’s sorta weird giving a book this personality, but in some ways sorta fun too, especially when it’s almost like it’s typing this now, talking about itself ala Bob Dole) especially likes the rock when the rockstars give it the faceout treatment in bookstores, so that all other books fall back behind its dark glory. This occurrence is shown in photographic full color in the picture below, as the hand holding Dark Spirits belongs to none other than Ron Lewis, the rock madman known not only as Ghost Stories but also as a member of the Fruit Bats (whose new album, Ruminant Band, is awfully good). He was in LA recently doing some TV work (as rockstars do), and shopping for books (ditto), and saw the Dark Spirits and gave it a high-five and the above-mentioned shelf faceout. Thanks Ron, from both Dark Spirits and me. You rockstars are all right.

Talk about a good way to spend the summer: kicking back in the recliner in shorts with a cold drink in one hand and a heavy book in the other (the book to keep people from pawing your drink). Really, that’ll beat the heat and have you in a dandy mood no matter what day of the week, month, or year. And if you need an example, check out the below lovely pics of pals and Spiked Punch readers Jon and Nicole. Dang, I’ve never seen a finer looking couple of cocktail-swilling kids (and hey, the fact that they’re reading the good old Good Spirits is just a happy by-product of their awesomeness). And now, in honor of Nicole (who may have hinted that my blog posts tend towards the lengthy), I’m going to stop here and let the photographs tell the story:

First it was Luke below, passed out after a night with Good Spirits. Now it’s Bunnie (the kitten of rockin’-pals-and-blog-readin’-stalwarts Nicole and Jon), hitting the bottles once the parents had passed out from too many Valencias (word was that Bunnie was sipping the High Life first, then moved on to the Bud). What feline is next to take a turn into boozing? You tell me. And, for that matter, aren’t there any drinking dogs out there? Dogs are going to get a bad name soon, stuck in line at the bar behind all these cats. And what about drinking lamas? Pet ocelots stealing into the scotch? Don’t get me started on the helper monkeys and gin. Cause that action’s rampant.

See, even cats fall asleep when reading my books–it’s not just you (hopefully you after a passel of drinks). Really, though, this is perhaps my favorite book-in-action photo, until you send me yours, of course. It’s from my from-the-way-back-but-still-in-touch-with pal Kristine Moore, and the cat model is her very own Luke. She was picking out recipes from Good Spirits to whip together for some fabulous party, and Luke was helping, and then all that booze talk was making him sleepy, and so he conked out with the closest pillow at hand. Pretty darn cute and then some.