Maggie Pill Mysteries

 Sleuth Sisters #4 has been a long time coming, and to be honest, it isn't close to being ready. For one thing, it needs a title. The cover artist is booked until mid-February, which is okay, because without a title it would just be ____???_____ A Sleuth Sisters Mystery by Maggie Pill We'll keep the theme of three wooden bars,with a representation of one sister on each. The season is autumn, so I'm guessing she'll choose something orange-ish for the background color, and I suggested purses this time: expensive and highly decorated for Retta, black and business-like for Barb, and a dollar store cheapie for Faye. #4 concerns a lake and the property around it. There's also a flock of chickens in this one, so I've been trying to make chicken allusions ("Is that a chicken joke?" a la Jo Anne Worley for all you old folks). Here's a list, none of which I'm completely in love with. I welcome your input and more suggestions. A C...

On the First Day of Christmas, my agent sent to me: a huge check for royalty! On the Second Day of Christmas, on Audible for me: new audio files On the Third Day of Christmas, the artist sent to me: one awesome cover On the Fourth Day of Christmas, the tech guy sent to me: epub mobi formats On the Fifth Day of Christmas, the readers sent to me:   Five Star Reviews! On the Sixth Day of Christmas, some good luck gave to me: promo on BookBub On the Seventh Day of Christmas, my publisher decreed: major U.S.   book tour On the Eighth Day of Christmas, the news announced to me: New York Times top listing On the Ninth Day of Christmas, an editor told me: “Couldn’t find an error.” On the Tenth Day of Christmas, a beta said to me: “Next book’s even better!” On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, my PR girl told me: Outsold Evanovitch! On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, some clerk called to tell me: “Oprah loves your book!” ...

1. A dark science room                                                   ____Chow Chow 2. Teutonic minder of ewes                                             ____Black Lab 3. Colorful insect chaser                                                 ____Papillon 4. Pugilist  ...

Fill in the first word, which will help with the next circle

By this time in December you've heard all of these songs a thousand times, so match the Christmas song lyric with its title. 1. ...and folks dressed up like Eskimos. 2. You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear... 3. With the angels we will sing, "Hallelujah to the King!" 4. What can I bring Him, poor as I am? 5. "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep." 6. But the very next day, you gave it away. 7. Give him a hammer with lots of tacks... 8. I put a tack on Teacher's chair... 9. For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. 10. Let's hope it's a good one/without any fear ____ "So This Is Christmas" ____"I'm Gettin' Nothin' for Christmas" ____"Last Christmas" ____"The Christmas Song" ____"The Hallelujah Chorus" ____"In the Bleak Midwinter" ____"Up on the Rooftop" ____"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" ____"Silent Night" _...

Your Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth (and, by your grace, 'Highness' between us two), I was honored to receive your missive at this Christmastide, and humbled by your care for a mere subject of your great and prosperous realm. That you take interest in my life here on the outskirts of London is a source of pride to me, and I recall each single time we have met over these many year with great joy. You speak of growing old, but if I may respectfully disagree, Gloriana cannot age. You are our nation's shining light, and when light fades, the world grows dark. You spoke of holiday preparations at Greenwich, and though I have not been there, I think I can picture the stonework hung with greenery and the many candles lit for evening festivities. Things are simpler here, but since you asked, I will tell you of our preparations. My son Henry cut some holly to put over the doors, and my wife tied it with red ribbon. Its bright green leaves and red berries add a ...

My old friend Simon, I have thought of you often in recent days. It has been some years since we last met and I sent you off to Scotland. I am certain you have grown ancient, for I myself am old. It came to my mind to write to you of my days in Christmastide. Perhaps you will in turn tell me of yours. We are keeping Christmas now, since it is December 24th. The next twelve days will be busy ones, with parties each day until the last and largest one on Twelfth Night. Much of it is silliness, with men dressing as women and women as men. There is also gambling, which some abhor, but I believe life must offer good times to balance the bad ones we cannot avoid. I have ordered the cooks to spare no expense in feeding the household, so we shall dine on meats of all kinds, marchpanes, pies, custards, frumenty, plum porridge, and much else. I look forward to the Christmas pie of neat's tongue, eggs, sugar, lemon, orange peel, and spices. As I told you when last we met, sugar is a wond...

The Blizzard and Mrs. Beard by Peg Herring I slid the holdup note and a plain cloth bag across the counter toward the teller and watched her professional smile turn to a grimace of fear. “Put $10,000 in the bag or I’ll shoot the place up good.” I was proud of the note: succinct but definitely informative. The woman looked fearfully at me, or rather at the persona I presented. A heavily padded overcoat made me look twenty pounds heavier, cotton balls in my cheeks rounded my face to a moon, smoky-tinted glasses hid my eyes, and a dark wig with a knit cap pulled over it covered my real hair. Her mascara-laden eyes searched the place helplessly. I had all the advantages, and she had none. It was a small credit union with no security on site, and outside there was a blizzard. Even if she rang her supposedly secret buzzer, it would be a long time before help arrived. The sheriff’s officers were all out helping honest citizens involved in fender-benders and worse as the storm rag...