Happy Holidays from Josh Lanyon

I want to take this opportunity to thank my readers -- and the folks at Loose Id (in particular, my wonderful editor Judith David) for a wonderful year.

For nearly five wonderful years, in fact. I think I'm especially cognizant of the long and successful run I've had because A - it's the time of year when we  pause and reflect (in between pepper-spraying each other) about the past twelve months, and B - I'm taking a writing sabbatical next year.

It's going to be a very strange year for me. Not that I won't be writing (I hope!) but that I will be writing without deadlines. It's hard to imagine what that will be like.

In any case, the main reason these past years have been so productive and so satisfying is you. You the readers who buy the stories and then tell your friends about them -- take the time to tell me that you've enjoyed them --  and then turn around and buy more stories.

Thank you for that. Without the support of readers, writers could not afford to write as anything more than a hobby -- which, in my case, would mean very little writing at all. So thank you. Thank you for buying the sure bets like the Adrien English mysteries, and thank you for taking a chance on the spec fiction like The Darkling Thrush and the historical mysteries like This Rough Magic. Because you take risks in what you buy, I can take risks in what I write.

I hope that this holiday season finds you healthy and happy -- surrounded by friends and family and lots of good books.

See you next year!