Dear Burning Questions,
Will William Diehl have a new book out soon?

Ida Fay
Middleburgh, New Jersey

You've struck gold. At the end of February, the author of Primal Fear will bring us Eureka, a suspense novel of epic proportions. In it, Diehl brings the seamy past of California to life. Diehl lives in Woodstock, Georgia, with his wife, Emmy Award-winner Virginia Gunn.

The name game

Dear Burning Questions,
I have a very favorite author (or authors) and would like to know more about her (or them). In 1983 I bought a paperback book entitled A Rumor of Angels by M. Bradley Kellogg. The back cover stated that this was her first novel, she lived in New York City and was a theater scenery designer. I loved the book, in the science fantasy genre, and was on the lookout for anything new by this author. In 1986 I was rewarded by two new books, Lear's Daughters, Part I: The Wave and the Flame, and Part II: Reign of Fire, both also published by Signet.

Then, after years and years of not finding this author again, a new series appeared in 1995 by Marjorie B. Kellogg and published by Daw Books. This series, The Dragon Quartet, began with The Book of Earth, followed in 1997 by The Book of Water, and in 2000 by The Book of Fire. My question is: one author? or two authors with remarkably similar names?

Sidonie Stolz
Macomb, Michigan

When in doubt, go to the source. We recently asked Marjorie Bradley Kellogg about her mysteriously morphing name and received this reply:

"You found me! M. Bradley Kellogg is the same person as Marjorie B. Kellogg and (my theatre name) Marjorie Bradley Kellogg, but NOT the same as Marjorie Kellogg, the author of Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon. All of those naming acrobatics were the result of another (older) author already having claim to my name. And she's been a playwright as well, so I had to use my entire handle in my theatre life as well. It's really much too long for decency, but what's a girl to do?

"I am hoping for enough interest to someday republish [my past books], for they got absolutely no advertising or publicity when they were first published. There is a fourth science fiction novel called Harmony. It's really my favorite of the SF novels, but is also out of print.

"The SF titles have all reverted to my hands by now, except for the current DAW fantasy titles, still very much in play and awaiting for much too long the completion of the fourth book of the quartet."

The devil made her do it

Dear Burning Questions,
I was hoping you could help me find out more information about author Melanie George. I first came across her books when her profile was featured in What's New in Paperback several months back. I was intrigued, so I picked up the first book in her Devil series, Devil May Care. After that, I was hooked and have since bought all her novels. I know about the books she has coming out this year, but can you tell me what books she has coming out next year? Thank you.

Leanne Duvall
Naples, Florida

We forwarded your questions to George herself, who offers this response: "It's hard for me to believe that my first book, Like No Other, was only published last year. Since then, I've sold 11 more novels, both historical and contemporary with, as you mentioned, the three books in the Devil series, Devil May Care, Handsome Devil and The Devil's Due out in 2001, as well as a Christmas novella entitled A Very Gothic Christmas. April 2002 will see the release of my first contemporary, a romantic comedy entitled The Mating Game. In August, I'll have out another historical, The Art of Seduction, and then in November, my first romantic suspense, tentatively titled Killing Beauty will wrap up the year. You can get additional information on my Web site: www.melaniegeorge.com."

Huck Finn style

Dear Burning Questions,
As I read the excerpt by Hal Crowther in your October issue of BookPage, "Lee and Dolly do Belle Meade," I am reminded we have not heard from Lee Smith in quite some time. Does this wonderful writer have any new books in the works?

Terry Vigus
Enon, Ohio

Smith's new novel The Last Girls is scheduled for publication in August 2002. It's the story of five women who reunite to go down the Mississippi River on the Delta Queen -- 30 years after they made the same trip on a raft, as students.

Smith says, "Not entirely coincidentally, I went down the Mississippi River myself in 1966, on a raft, with 15 other girls from Hollins College -- inspired by reading Huck Finn. Though The Last Girls will be fictitious, I'll use the metaphor of the river journey, as a way to talk about women's lives."

Smith is also working on an oral history project in her hometown of Grundy, Virginia.