I just want to let people know that for the past couple of months my website has been messed up and the email that came through the webiste mostly disappeared. I coudn't figure out why people had stopped writing to me! Boo hoo! Was feeling very sorry for myself...the "nobody loves me anymore" syndrome.  Today, suddenly, much of it has resurfaced though I am afraid all of May's mail is permanently gone. So if you wrote me in May and I didn't reply...that's why; try again, please.  If you wrote me in June and I haven't replied yet...stand by. There's a lot to reply to!

It is not clear why these things happen. I blame all sorts of villains, like those deposed royals in Africa who want me to help them get their millions out of escrow. More likely it is just some weird computer thing, but since it is no fun to shake one's fist at technology, I prefer to think that humans are lurking out there getting some kind of weird kick out of ruining the relationship between me and my readers and correspondents.

In any case, it appears to have ended but I'm sorry about those emails that have been permanently lost. If you were a student who needed a reply by Thursday in order to get an A....my fault entirely. Tell your teacher that. If you are a worthy cause who was looking for a donation...I would have had to say no anyway.  If you wanted me to read your manuscript...I would have said no, with regret; can't do it.

But if you were someone who loves books, who wanted to talk about books, or writing...or whose life had been affected in some positive way by something I wrote...then I truly wish I could have read your email.

Don't give up on me! I think I am back in business. And I am looking forward to hearing from you.