Merry Christmas!

I'd like to wish all readers of this blog a lovely Christmas. I really do appreciate your support, and your comments and emails are full of interest. Since starting "Do You Write Under Your Own Name?" just over a decade ago, I've learned a lot; it's been a quite fascinating voyage of discovery. I shall 

I'll reflect on 2017 as we approach New Year, but it's certainly been a great twelve months for me, and next year looks like being equally crammed with writing and events. I've been grateful for reaction to my books, both fact and fiction, and the other day I enjoyed this piece on Puzzle Doctor's highly readable blog.

The only downside of so much activity is that I've not had as much time as I expected to read contemporary books by my friends. I've got quite a sizeable pile of them looking at me reproachfully right now (books, that is, not friends). But I would like to give a quick mention to a few of the novels I'm looking forward to reading "when I get a chance".

They include, in no particular order, Frances Brody's Death in the Stars, David Stuart Davies' Blood Rites (published by an impressive independent, Urbane), Ann Cleeves' The Seagull, Kate Ellis' The Mermaids Scream, and Len Tyler's Herring in the Smoke. Plenty of good choices for last minute presents there! And how about giving yourself a present or two as well, while you're at it? Go on, you deserve it! .