New Book Coming From "Marley & Me" Author

''Marley & Me'' author John Grogan is working on a prequel to the million-selling memoir about his dog.

''The Longest Trip Home'' will be released in October by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, the publisher said in a statement Tuesday.

''It is the powerful, often hilarious story of a son in the making, and of growing up in a loving, but comically old-school Catholic family,'' said the statement issued by Morrow. ''From his troublemaking childhood to his courtship of a fiery blonde named Jenny, Grogan writes about how he came to terms with who he is and what he believes.''

''Even before 'Marley & Me' was published, I knew this was the story I wanted to tell next,'' Grogan, 51, said in a statement. '''The Longest Trip Home' is a story very close to my heart.''

A film version of ''Marley & Me,'' starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, is slated for release in December.