Blogistan seems emptier this morning....

I don't recall when I started reading Sheila's blog, StarLines, or how I found it. I know that it was fairly early on in my own blogging "career", and I suspect that it was pure serendipity on my part -- just clicking on one of those "Recently Published" blogs listed on the Blogger main page, perhaps. But since then, she's been a daily read of mine, nearly every morning, providing not just inspiration for this writer-in-progress (a better term than "aspiring writer", because dammit, a writer writes and I'm writing) but a look at what life is really like for the "working stiffs" who don't generate King or Rowling or Grisham-like first press runs. She's been a daily reminder of the work.

Until now.

Sheila has sadly decided to hang 'em up and concentrate on those pesky books and stories and whatnot, and while I can't quibble with her decision -- well, I can quibble with it, but hey, what's the use? -- I hope she'll at least consider a sporadic "Hey, wish you were here" type of post, like that blank postcard Red gets from Andy at the end of The Shawshank Redemption. (I also hope that the whole "Luddite" thing didn't end up being the final grain set on the side of the balance that was leaning toward "Quit blogging".)

Anyway, Sheila, best of luck, and I'll try to track down as many of your books as I can (you're not making it easy, what with eight pseudonyms spread across eleven genres!). I hope you'll continue to drop by here once in a while -- especially on that inevitable day when I finally post news of my first sale. Otherwise, I might just have to start up some underground rumors that you're attending SF conventions again. Who knows? Maybe in SF circles, "SL Viehl sightings" will take on an Elvis-like air of legend!