Jun. 11, 2007 ~ Old friends
I'm a reader of mysteries, and I prefer to read series of books by the same author, getting to know the characters and situations thoroughly. I tend to read everything by one author in our little small-town library, then start searching out inexpensive used books online by that same author. When I'm done reading those books, about half the time I pass them on to the library. Some, I can't bear to part with.
A brand new book arrived in today's mail. Bittersweet. Just last night I started reading a new series by a familiar author. Different characters, though, and I barely know them. But, J. W. and I are old friends. J. W. and Zee are the main characters in the Martha's Vineyard Mystery series, and I've read every other one except this new one, the latest, and probably the last. Have you ever enjoyed a book so much that you wanted to contact the author and tell them so? Oh, not in a "fan" sort of way, just a simple thank you and a kind word of appreciation. Everyone needs to know that they are appreciated, I think.
So I went to Philip R. Craig's website last month, wanting to know more about him, thinking I might leave a brief note there. But his son had posted a message saying that his father had just died. Of course I am sad for his family and friends, but I'm also just, well, sad... for me. Because the books I enjoyed are at an end now. There may be one more, later on, the one he was writing when he died. But if not, if he hadn't written enough of it... well, the one that arrived today is the last. There is one he has co-written, which is due out in several months, but the Vineyard Mysteries? They're probably done now. But I sure enjoyed them while they lasted.
So maybe you will understand why I'm going to put aside the book I'd just started. It can wait. Right now I'm going to check in with a couple of old friends, J. W. and Zee.
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