Baby-mama-drama for senior publicist, Kelly Bowen, and her snails, Snookie and The Situation.

So for those of you who frequent the Algonquin Book blog, you might remember my last post about the new additions to the Algonquin family – Snooki and The Situation, our pet snails. The past few months have been a whirlwind of snail suburbia activity – Snooki and The Situation moved to a larger home (a mid-sized terrarium), explored new lands (by changing their landscape weekly with new branches, leaves, and random items), and today I discovered they gave birth to a very adorable snail baby!

Obviously, we named the snail baby J-Wow, continuing in our Jersey Shore theme. But amid the squealing and cooing by everyone crowded around the terrarium (including Publisher Elisabeth Scharlatt and Workman Publisher Bob Miller, who are in town for a few days from NYC), we get this email:

Everyone,

I want to let you know I snuck the snail baby in this morning. Seriously, do you think a snail could give birth to something that big? I apologize for your excitement, but
adoptions among snails are just as meaningful as a real birth.

Thank you for making Friday morning lively.

Craig

So apparently Craig Popelars, who was the original instigator of the pet snails, PLANTED a snail baby in my terrarium this morning. That’s right, folks; it was all an evil prank. What about J-Wow’s parents? Do they miss him? Does J-Wow feel abandoned since he was snatched from his home and the only short life he knew? Hopefully J-Wow will come to love Snooki and The Situation, his new godparents, and his new home at Algonquin Books just as much.

J-Wow, welcome to the family! We will love you like you’re our own.

-Kelly

PS: You can send snail baby shower gifts to the attention of Kelly Bowen at Algonquin Books. Snails love cucumbers, carrots, and large stuffed animals.

Love snails as much as we do? Check out The Sound Of A Wild Snail Eating, coming August 24th!