"There is a limitation in the Excel driver that effects the 'DELETE' keyword. If you attempt to use it, you will receive the error message, "Deleting data in a linked table is not supported by this ISAM". Instead, we remove the Excel table entirely with the DROP TABLE 'authors' command."

That is so clever!  For years, I have been using an Excel template and the FSO to overcome the delete failure.  Your solution is so simple it's elegant!  Bravo!