Dear Reader,

In July, the Kids Making It organization (www.kidsmakingit.org) in Wilmington held a Making Magic fair to raise funds for kids at risk. I was honored when the program chairman, Diane Boissiere, asked me to donate a cameo role in my next book as a silent auction item.

Last week I got a call from the highest bidder, Joan, the owner of the Crescent Moon Gift Shop at the Cotton Exchange. We had a friendly chat, the upshot of which was that her shop will be featured in my next book. Her husband is a glass blower, and I can’t wait to see the shop and meet Joan and Mike. They live on a boat on the Cape Fear, and we will have cocktails on the deck.

The Making Magic fair raised $17,000 to be used for woodworking mentoring projects for many wonderful, but at-risk,kids.

Diane sent me a nice thank you letter. But the thanks go to her, and to Joan, and people like them who support these worthwhile organizations. If you go to my Photo Gallery page, you will see that I adore doing fund raisers, selling my books to make money for worthy causes. As long as you can find something to give, you will never feel poor.

Magnolia Mysteries is a small press, owned by me. I am selective about which booksellers I deal with. I have a few cherished independent booksellers who have helped so much to promote my books through in-store events, book festivals, and advertising. Those stores are listed on my “Where to Buy” page. Two Sisters Bookery in Wilmington and Dee Gee’s Books in Morehead City fill mail orders promptly. There is a link to Two Sisters on my “Where to Buy” page, and we will soon have a link to Dee Gee’s.

Although Amazon.com advertises that they carry new copies of my books, they do not. Readers have complained to me that they ordered, only to wait and wait and finally be told “new copies are not available.” Amazon sells used copies only and charges anywhere from $25 to $140! That’s right, a new copy signed by me will cost you $15, but a used copy on Amazon sells for much more. They advertised a used, signed copy of Murder at Wrightsville Beach as a collectible and asked $140 for it. Do they get any takers at those prices? I certainly hope not.

The good news is that Harlequin has bought the mass market reprint rights to several of my titles. Right now you can order the mm version of Murder on the Candlelight Tour for about $5 from Harlequin. Go to: www.eharlequin.com, then click on Worldwide Libraries/Worldwide Mysteries, and go to “upcoming books.” Candlelight Tour will be the September feature.

In the future, they will be printing other titles as well. Watch this website for announcements.

I get the nicest e-mails, asking if there will be an eighth book in my series. I have begun research and plotting for Murder in the Pines. While Ashley and Jon are honeymooning in Pinehurst, they visit the archeology site at Ft. Bragg and stumble upon more than ten-thousand-year-old artifacts.

Send me an e-mail, and I will add you to my mailing list and let you know when the book is available, late 2009. Or simply watch this website.

Stay cool and have fun!

 Ellen Elizabeth Hunter