I don’t update these posts very often, as an Abby fan just pointed out to me. Sorry about that! A writer’s life basically consists of sitting in front of a blank screen, gnashing one’s teeth, and hoping to come up with a better idea than the last one. If I updated every day, it would go like this: Halfway through chapter one. Threw out chapter two, can’t seem to get chapter three right…  The other reason I don’t update very often is that for the last two years, I’ve been working on two series: Abby Hayes and Sister Magic.  If you’re ever faced with the choice of writing two at once, my advice is : DON’T DO IT!!!  It’s twice the pressure and half the fun. Oh, I admit, I love both series. But I’d love them better if they were separated by several years, and maybe a wide sea.

The sun is shining today (for the first time in ages), and here I am, at my computer, as always. I’ve been inspired by your messages to write this post and to answer a question or two.
1. Will there be more Abby books? Answer: YES. At least three more, and possibly more after that.

2. Will there be more Sister Magic books? Answer: YES. SIX of them.

3. When will they be out? Um, I’m not very good at keeping track of publishing dates, but somewhere between March and June. (Check Amazon or B&N websites. They usually have the books posted months in advance.)

4. How many are you going to write? See above. Unfortunately what takes you only a few hours to read takes me months to write. So please be patient with your slow, tortoise-like author, who is trying to write the best books that she can for you.

The day before yesterday I received a manila envelope that contained about a dozen snail mail letters from Abby Hayes fans all over the U.S. They were forwarded by one of my publishers. To my dismay, I discovered that many of the letters were postmarked 2006. Abby fans had written me over a year ago and I had only just received their letters! These letters weren’t sent to Scholastic, who publishes Abby Hayes. They were sent c/o Another Publisher.

Dear friends, if you want to send me a fan letter by snail mail, be sure to send it c/o Scholastic!!! Their address is 557 Broadway; New York, NY 10011. They always promptly forward your mail to me . (Thank you, Scholastic!) Do NOT send letters about Abby Hayes or Sister Magic c/o Another Publisher. I won’t see them for at least a year. (Boo! Hiss! I am very annoyed at the Other Publisher.)

I answer snail mail once a month. Well, I try to answer it once a month. Sometimes it takes longer. If you want an immediate response from me, use the Amazingmazer contact form. I answer emails very quickly. Unless I’m on vacation, of course. Or my website crashes. (I hope that never happens again!) Or my computer is on strike….?