On Endings

Thanks to everyone for the 'grats on the new site, and for the mounting excitement re. the release of the final book of the Zodiac series, THE NEON GRAVEYARD (May 31). It hasn't gone unnoticed that more than one reader has expressed sadness at the end of the series, to which I say with all sincerity: that makes me so happy. It really does. I'd much rather you rue the successful ending of the series than rue its continuation, and I was more afraid of the latter happening if I continued driving Joanna so hard and fast on her journey through the Zodiac underworld. Start strong, end stronger – that's my motto (that I just made up. ).

The truth is, I've been watching Joanna closely for the last couple of books, knowing she was both getting fatigued and wondering when she'd get a breather (if not a happy ending), and the sixth book is in response to that. My hope is that after the events in THE NEON GRAVEYARD, you're going to feel like you've stumbled home at dawn after a long night out with great friends, and are more than ready to rest up for a new day. Because that's where I am with Joanna and co. We've had our fun (What? Fun is relative, right?), we've each gone home, and we're done talking for now.

Now if you want to know why Jo's done talking to me … well, you'll just have to read the book. [← Insert melodramatic and villainous authorial cackle here. ]

Off to scribble.