Dear Friends:

Thanks to everyone who sent me messages over the past year. I answer my own fan mail, and enjoy interacting with my fans. Most authors contract outside sources to do this, or rely on one of their many assistants. A best-selling female author once told me that she had twenty-three assistants. Just so you will know, I do everything myself. I might have more time to concentrate on my writing if I didn't have to pay pills, run errands, and basically attend to my own needs, both professionally and personally. I like to keep it real, and I believe fans like to know I'm reading and responding to their messages.

A lot happened during the past year, so much so, I don't know where to begin. When I wrote my last newsletter, my boyfriend and I were on the skids, and I was attempting to enjoy being a single woman again. I guess I'm not meant to be single, because I got married in June to the same man. When you've  suffered through a failed marriage, it's hard to make another commitment. I'm thrilled I did as Dan and I are extremely happy, and I could not envision my future without him. We're quite different as to personality and interests. Dan's interests fall more into the area of science and physics. I like science, but when it comes to physics, I'm lost after F-MA.

In the early stages of our relationship, even though we fell in love, Dan and I butted heads. I wanted him to read my books and appreciate what I did for a living. Trying to oblige me, he struggled through INTEREST OF JUSTICE. While we were at dinner, I asked, So, what did you think?  Dan didn't say anything, he just kept on eating. I tried to remain silent, but inside I was fuming. I said, Did you like it? What did you think? You must have some opinion.  He looked up from his food and said flatly, "You said a lot of things you can't prove."  As you can imagine, we had to work very hard to put these two heads of ours together.

In time, I learned how a person with a scientific mind thinks. To be honest, it's a little frightening. I'm sure Dan feels bewildered at my occupation as well. I work day and night trying to craft novels that people will enjoy reading. Obviously, I'm not solving the mysteries of the universe. All I'm trying to do is entertain people. For most of the population, us lesser mortals, so to speak, entertainment is important.

Because I'm in a turnaround phase of my new novel, which happens when I send it to my editor to review, I was able to make time to read a few books. I had forgotten how wonderful reading is, particularly fiction. Suddenly, I was swept away. What's so great about a novel is that you can read a chapter or two, then walk away. But you know the book is waiting for you, and it's like a juicy little secret.

After being married for six months, Dan and I finally found time to take a honeymoon. As sometimes happens when you are in our age bracket, our families came along. Dan brought his fourteen-year-old daughter, and I brought my son and his family, including my ten-year-old granddaughter. When I realized I wasn't responsible for anyone other than myself, I quickly found myself using the same kind of tricks I used as a child. I mean, that book is just setting there, and you're dying to find out what happens next. So, I developed a lot of aches and pains, which gave me an excuse to curl up somewhere with my book. Yawn, I'm a little tired tonight, honey. All that walking, you know.  As soon as my husband started snoring, I pulled out my novel and eagerly flipped through the pages.

Okay, so science is terribly important, but don't we all need a little escapism? I'm proud that I'm a writer, and I salute all the writers who have worked so hard to entertain me all these years.
 

What else happened? Well, the first six months of the year were pretty painful. I've had a back problem for years, and this was the year I had no choice but to fix it. Even though I was in the midst of writing a book (I'm always in the middle of a book), the pain became too severe to continue. In March, I underwent a bi-lateral spinal fusion.

A few weeks before the surgery, I contracted salmonellae from a local restaurant, which caused me to become anemic. The surgeon wasn't concerned, that is, until I started hemorrhaging on the operating table. They gave me a transfusion, but the surgeon wasn't able to install what they call cages  in my spine to hold the fused bones in place. Nonetheless, I received another set of what I call hardware.

Since my hip and leg were badly fractured in 1990, I already have a large stainless steel implant. Now I have another set of implants in my spine. The only difference is today, they use titanium. If you take an X-ray at the right angle, I look like the bionic woman. My surgeon had forgotten about my leg and hip, as it had no bearing on what he was doing to my back. When he looked at the X-ray one day, he jumped, rather amazed that I had managed to come through so much and did so well. For some of you who don't know, if I had not had the horse accident, I might never have become a published author. When bad things happen today, I always take a deep breath and tell myself, Hey, this might serve some kind of purpose.  Now, Dan would say this is nonsense. That's okay. If he keeps talking this way, I'm going to break his leg and see how he likes it. Just kidding, of course. We have agreed to disagree. It's kind of fun.

Like my previous injury, this operation was a success and the pain in my back is gone. I'm really grateful, let me tell you. Isn't medical science fantastic? Someone like my husband probably designed the various devices that have helped me to lead a normal life. I decided he doesn't have read my books. Anyway, he now understands how hard I work, and how difficult it is to write a novel. The day I was released from the hospital, I went back to work. The surgery requires a year to recover. I couldn't wait, as the deadline for my book was only a few months away.

Anyway, wait until you read SULLIVAN'S JUSTICE. I patterned one of the characters after my husband, and I don't think you'll have trouble figuring out which one. Since he doesn't read my books, I don't have to worry he'll get mad. Neat, huh? Of course, he's not exactly like the character in the book. If he was, I wouldn't be married to him.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoy this little window into my world. I'm working on another novel to follow SULLIVAN'S JUSTICE, and it seems to be shaping up very well.

Sincerely,

Nancy Taylor Rosenberg