The Absent Author  by Ron Roy 

Characters

Dink: Donald David Duncan, main character, blond, plans to be a famous author someday, has a guinea pig named Loretta

Ruth Rose: dresses in one color, lives at  24 Woody St. (next door to Dink), has an orange cat named Tiger

Josh Pinto: Dink's best friend, likes to eat, plans to be a famous artist someday

Wallis Wallace: famous mystery author, Dink's favorite author, really a girl!

Mr. Paskey: owner of the Book Nook

Tommy Tomko and Eddie Carini: friends

Mavis Green: writer, hair in bun, carries a book bag with a picture of a moose on it, wears a red scarf with tiny black letters (m's or w's) on it (alias for Wallis Wallace!)

Officer Fallon: Jimmy Fallon's grandfather and police officer

Maureen Higgins: taxi driver for Wallis Wallace

Livvy Nugent: past babysitter for Ruth Rose, cleaner at the Shangri-La hotel

Mr. Linkletter: "We have rules at the Shangri-La"

Setting

Town of Green Lawn, Connecticut