Kim, Caffey, you both mentioned C.H. Harris (or C.S. Harris) writing Regency mysteries. Kim, you say that she is Penelope Williamson? I loved her western romances and always wondered what had happened to her.

If, however, she kills off her heroine in between books 3 & 4, count me out. I won’t be reading the series. It would be like killing off Harry Potter’s best friends at Hogwarts. What, no Hermione? No Ron?

Elizabeth George did something similar with Lady Helen. I suppose that left the hero free to make other connections with different women and spice up the author’s stories. It doesn’t work for me as a reader. I’m not even tempted to pick up an Elizabeth George novel now. I think J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) and Ann Perry have the right idea. Just because a couple is married doesn’t mean that everything is plain sailing.

As for my own continuing mystery series, I’m not sure how that will fly. My agent wasn’t too keen on the idea when I pitched it to her, mainly because I can’t write two books a year. Seems every writer is trying to publish two books a year. That’s what publishers want.

I’m just finalized a new contract with Berkley for two more books and all that I’m hearing from my agent is doom and gloom. Advances are being cut back because readers are not buying as many books as they used to and many writers are being let go. This is happening all over.

One last word. Yes, I’ve read Victoria Thomson’s series. All credit to this author for making herself over when times were almost as gloomy as they are now.

Elizabeth is smiling because she got a new contract!!