Happy New Year to everyone. I'm still pinching myself after a Betty Page review in Mystery Scene for my latest Benjamin Justice mystery, SPIDER SEASON, that included this: "This exquisite novel is the finest yet in a powerful series." (SPIDER SEASON is the eighth novel in the Benjamin Justice series, which has won the Edgar for best first novel and three Lambda Literary Awards.) To read the first chapter, you can visit my web site: www.johnmorganwilson.com. I'm also inviting anyone who's interested to my launch party this Sunday in West Hollywood, CA. Here are the details: Sunday, January 4, 3 to 6 p.m., at the Gendarmerie Spa, hosted by owner Topper Schroeder. The Gendarmerie is located at 9071 Nemo St. (310/858-9009; www.thegendarmerie.com). (A Different Light Books will handle book sales and get all the profits as ADL struggles to survive.) The Gendarmerie is located on Nemo half a block east of North Doheny Drive, just north of Santa Monica Blvd. Nemo is a small side street that angles into Santa Monica Blvd. between Empty Vase florist and Taste of India. Street parking without permit is OK until 7 p.m. Hope to see a few of you. Meanwhile, may the new year be a healthy and productive one for all. And thanks to Crimespace for this opportunity to do some boasting and reach out to our community of crime readers and writers.