I devour series books from authors whose work I love as if they were truffles that might melt in a heatwave—like those many of us have been experiencing this summer. As I gobble up the goodness, I don’t really think about the hours and days and months and, sometimes, years that the author spent on each of those books. How many mochas consumed, scones munched, walks missed, movies not seen, great books not read because they have their fingertips to the keyboard for hour after hour after hour.

Crafting cozy mysteries about Saffi Graywood—RV wanderer, tai chi dabbler, bike rider, and creator of nonfiction trivia books about everything from haunted outhouses to animals elected to office—has been a lesson in appreciation of other series writers.

I’ve written novels before (none yet published). Like most writers, I’ve taken my leisurely time doing so. It’s not unusual to hear of books taking many years to complete. There’s nothing wrong with that, as long as progress is actually being made. Writing a cozy mystery series is not like that. Series authors face deadlines that would scare a lot of writers back to their day jobs. For me, it’s B.I.S. (butt in the seat) pretty much seven days a week.

If you pick up a copy of MURDER AT LAST CHANCE COVE or read any series books, don’t let the writer’s aching back (or whining) concern you one little bit. The highest compliment you can pay an author is to read the book without worrying about anything except figuring out “whodunit.”