In like a lion ...

It's me again, Margaret.

There's something to be said for the power of encouragement. And I've been getting a lot of that lately.

I won't bore you with the gory details of why I've been conspicuously absent for the past 2 months. May it suffice to say my life has been more than a bit ... well, insane is probably the most appropriate term. Many more brave than I would enumerate the circumstances which have kept me from writing, sharing with gusto their trials and tribulations whereby garnering sympathy and commiseration. I'm not that brave. I know perfectly well that you would all sympathize and commiserate with me. There are just some things better left unsaid.

So today I'm diving back into the pool again. At least, my foot is on the board. I've been working behind the scenes, catching up, slowly but surely. Today will be devoted to the last mountainous task, the one I've been putting off until the last possible moment, and when it's done I'll be able to say 'whew' with some degree of finality.

I'm still writing, although for the moment I'm concentrating on the reviews. And I'm planning to get back into the interview game soon as well, though I won't presume to think I can do one a day or even one a week. One occasionally is probably the best we can hope for.

On a very positive note, I was very honored recently to have my very first print publication article appear in the Jan/Feb issue of CrimeSpree Magazine - the one I wrote last summer about the Killer Year bunch - my Wonder Twin J.T. Ellison, Big Brother Brett Battles, the adorable and vivacious Toni McGee Causey and the rest of the KY fabulots. (Looky there, I coined a new word.)

Speaking of the WT, she put a great post up yesterday over at Murderati, an interview with the wise and gracious Neil Nyren, senior vice president, publisher and editor in chief of G.P. Putnam’s Sons. If you're so inclined, it's absolutely worth the read, so check it out here.

That's all we have time for today, kiddies. Lots to do, not the least of which is to send my poor starving college child (a.k.a. The Tall One) a nice little care package, and the post office closes at noon ...

I should be back more frequently henceforth, so I'll take the opportunity now to say thanks for sticking with me. Who knows, in the near future I might start waxing eloquent again.

In the meantime, read a book. It's good for you.

=) JB

"A faith is a necessity to a man. Woe to him who believes in nothing." - Victor Hugo (1802-1885) French poet, dramatist, and novelist