I know the title of this entry might not make a lot of sense, but I have been e-mailed by some of you about mystery book authors who are being dropped by their publishers. Some of these authors have several books in their series and are not being given the opportunity to wrap up their existing series.

At the same time >>>

It also seems like some authors are being given the opportunities to start second and even third series. This, of course, is great for those select authors and their fans, but not so wonderful for the discontinued authors and their fans.

Another trend that seems to be VERY BIG is the omnibus craze. Again, there’s a positive for some: You can buy two or three of an author’s books in one book, but if you’re already the author’s fan, you have probably read all of those books. So, it’s not such a great deal for the author’s fans.

I guess I wish that rather than being treated to the omnibus selections of “select” authors, publishers would keep publishing the mystery books of the not so “select” authors. It seems like new and original mysteries should be given the opportunities that the reprints/reissues are given. Is it that much more profitable for a publishing company to rehash three books by an author in one tome VS putting out a new mystery by a lesser known author?

I guess the “buck” (as in “$”) stops here…

I read rather slowly these days. I just find myself doing other things during the times of day that I used to spend reading.

I used to get a lot of reading done during the late hours of the night. I use a small flashlight and lay on my side— and quietly turn the pages of my mystery books. I guess I should use the past tense on that, since I am on a medication that pretty much zonks me out at night after reading just two pages.

It is for that reason that I already started my Halloween mystery books. When I told my daughter I hoped to finish the Halloween mystery book that I started a week ago, her response was “I should hope so!”

Well, thanks to four sleepless/restless nights before and after my air travel days, I was able to read my first Halloween mystery, finish my audio mystery book, and get through the first half of a new audio book. (I had only packed one “real” book for my six day visit to Colorado Springs… Surely, I thought, that would be enough!) Instead of “reading” in bed, once I finished my one “real” book, I lay in bed and listened to my audio books. Unfortunately, this meant that my audio book continued to play while I was zonked out… which meant that I did a lot of rewinding every time I woke up… which was several times a night. Not the most conducive way to get your ZZZZs!)

I love that I’m reading more these days, but I’m not sure I like that I’m sleeping less!

My husband has been holding down the fort for me – and that includes taking care of our 14 1/2 year old puppy (who happens to get special medications three times a day) and keeping the ol’ homestead in shape. It has also included taking care of my computer’s comings and goings.

This has meant that he doled out Sprite’s medications on the way to and from work and ALSO listened to her complain about the injustices of life. Her complaints are much louder and more frequent when her favorite person isn’t present. And that would be me!

My husband and I talked several times a day (thank goodness for cell phone family plans!) and he tried to describe what was happening on the site. From what I gather, there are other people who aren’t crazy about grocery store monopolies, AND he told me that when I think I’m recycling my grocery bags… well, quite frankly… I’m not! (Hmmm… I might just have to break down and buy some of the reusable shopping bags… When I do though, they won’t be from my grocery store! All of their over-packing-to-the-point-of-ripping has left me thinking that there are a whole lot of other places to buy those bags!)

I am so tired right now. Rather than spending one restless night contemplating a day of air travel, I am now up to two nights of worrying. Good grief! At this rate, I’ll have to go for much longer visits so that the two restless/sleepless nights before the air travel (each way!) actually pay off.

I had dated some entries so that they would “magically” appear while I was away visiting my brother, mother, and her beau, and since my husband already posted your comments, I’ll go ahead and read them right now. I just wanted to check in and say hello!