When is Kate's Christmas party?

Who's asking: Several people at the New England Crime Bake, last weekend

Kate's Mystery Books will be having its annual holiday party on Friday, December 8. Festivities will begin around 5:00 p.m and go until about 9:00, or until Kate kicks everybody out.

Authors who have said they plan to attend include Reed Farrel Coleman, Joseph Finder, Chuck Hogan, Chris Mooney, Karen Olson, Peter Spiegelman, and Sarah Stewart Taylor. Everyone is welcome; if you're an author who'd like to attend, shoot Kate an e-mail or call her (the number's on her site) to make sure she has your books on hand for the party. If you're a reader, there's no better opportunity in all of New England to meet dozens of authors in a relaxed, congenial setting.

In the interests of fair play, I should also mention that The Mystery Bookstore's holiday open house is scheduled for Saturday, December 9, from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. It promises to be an equally fabulous event, with the slight disadvantage that I myself will not be there. Our Chris is playing Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream at St. John's that night, and even I have not figured out a way to be in two places at once.

Best and happiest birthday greetings today to the ageless Carla Forbes-Kelly, even though it's almost tomorrow already where she is.