Hallowe’en, Monday, October 31st 2011.

Hello there, book lovers.

What a summer I’ve had! My darling queen has not been well. Frighteningly, she had a heart-attack and was whisked into hospital. She recovered from that and was brought home, and a week after that she had another, and had to be taken back in. The ambulances were here in four minutes which was marvellous. Hopefully those magnificent doctors and nurses have got her sorted and with care she should be all right now. But I can tell you, it made my pulse race to see the ambulance flying up the lane with its blue light whizzing round.

What with that, trying to write my new book and keep up with the gym and the new life regime, I’ve been so busy.

By the by, I said that when sexy Linda of Weight Wise came back from her hols (she’s had three months, by the way – she must be rolling in money - her name should be Vorderman) she would weigh me and I would l let you know the result. Well I was weighed on October 7th and I’ve actually lost 10½ lbs in 11 weeks … nearly 1lb a week. Sexy Linda thought that was great. I’m pleased I’ve lost the weight, of course, but it seemed to be a rigorous schedule to lose what appeared to be so little. She pointed out, quite reasonably, that if I maintained that rate of weight loss for six months, by April 6th, I would be 2st 2lbs lighter. Well, you can’t fault her arithmetic. I will certainly give it a damned good try, and I’ll let you know progressively how it goes.

I’m excited about the publication of my new Angel book, THE CHESHIRE CAT MURDERS which will be out in hardback in March 2012. I hope you enjoy it.

I’m probably more excited about what is really big news from me …
Another Angel book, THE SNUFFBOX MURDERS, will be available as an ebook next week, on Kindle, Sony Reader and the iPad. Do you know, I’m so thrilled, I can’t sleep at nights. I have to go out into the backyard and howl at the moon.

Well, Barnardos have sent the Christmas cards I ordered, and they really are Christmassy, no stagecoaches, candles or robins, but a simple painting of the infant Jesus with Mary and Joseph in a stable, with several animals in the background. It sums up what Christmas is really all about, doesn’t it?

Before I go, I have a complaint. Now I don’t usually gripe about my lovely readers – God bless them, where would I be without them? But it has come to my attention that certain nosey parkers are reading this diary but not reading the books nor listening to the audios. Now I think that’s a bit cheeky. After all, I sit at this computer sweating blood to bring Angel’s mysteries to you and some of you are not even reading them. It can’t be general, thank goodness, because the overall sales and loan figures are up, but if you are guilty of the offence, and you know who you are, take heed of the following. Inspector Angel has discovered that Lilian from Ossett, who wore the magic T shirt and used to work at Empire Stores is one of the offenders. He’s told me that if it doesn’t stop, he’ll send the boys round one dark night and have her brought into the station for questioning. She could find herself spending the night in a very drafty cell. You have been warned.

Well, I’d better get back to the serious business of writing my book.

If you can stand the meanderings of this old writer, please keep looking in.

And take care.