After such a long and unplanned absence from these posts, I thought it only fitting to mark the Winter Solstice, the tipping point between the old year and the new, by wishing that we could all manage the sort of peace and contentment displayed by Hallie (our German shepherd) and Jolly (our tuxedo cat) in the accompanying photo.  And if not all day every day, at least a few minutes now and again.  Of course if we spent all our time snuggling on sofas with our nearest and dearest, no books would get written, or read, and then where we would be?  The world would certainly be a sorrier place, at least from my point of view.

And as for books, for all of you who have asked, yes, there is a new Duncan-and-Gemma in the works.  It’s called Necessary as Blood, and is set in London’s East End.  I hope to finish the manuscript the end of January, and stay on schedule for a summer ’09 publication.  I think I’ve survived the mid-book doldrums (that stage where you think “why did I ever think this was a good idea for a book?”) and have now outlined the remainder of the book, chapter and scene.  That’s exhilarating, as you begin to see that all the pieces really will fit together, and the book takes on its own momentum.

In the meantime, I’ve had many nice comments on Where Memories Lie, which will publish in Germany in April and in the UK in summer ’09.  Where Memories Lie is now out in audio from Recorded Books in the US, and Jenny Sterlin does a wonderful job of narrating.

On the travel front, I’ll be home (WRITING) for the next few months.  In February I’ll be attending Murder in the Magic City in Birmingham, Alabama, as co guest of honor with William Kent Krueger, and in March I’ll be appearing on an all-British panel at an author’s luncheon for the Anaheim Public Library Foundation in  Anaheim, California.  Last I heard, other guests included the lovely Jacqueline Winspear and Rhys Bowen, two of my favorite authors.

Then in April I will be in the UK, doing research for the next, as yet untitled, Duncan-and-Gemma–#14!  And this time maybe I really will manage to keep up a real-time blog.  This is, after all, the season of resolutions!  And I promise to update my web page!!

We start the new year with a new addition to our family, a kitten whose name is still in question.  Rick insists that cats need to name themselves, so we are waiting for her to tell us.  That, by the way, is why we have cats named Jolly and Squidgy.  Our oldest cat, Bootie (and no, we were not responsible for that one) died in June.  This kitten needed a home, and we had an empty cat space.  She was a barn kitten and is still fairly shy, but I suspect that within a few months she will be running the household.  She’s already discovered that my laptop keyboard makes a nice place to nap.

And while we may not manage snow in our part of Texas for Christmas, the sleet this last week at least gave us a photo op for a White Christmas.

So here’s wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, a happy New Year, and many good books in the days to come!!!