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Maggie Pill: The most intriguing mystery writer you never heard of!


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Okay, THIS Is the Last One

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 I have some theories about why I've stressed over the cover for CUTEST LITTLE KILLER so much. First, it's the start of what I hope will be at least three books, so a cover that establishes a theme is good. I had to ask myself, what thematic items will work for a BUNCH of books? Second, the character in the title is unique, which at first made me want to picture her on the cover. I started by choosing a photo of a little girl who looks slightly dangerous. But several fans said they'd rather create their own image in their minds, and once I thought about it, I had to agree. Who hasn't been disappointed with a movie that turned a favorite character into someone you didn't recognize? I love Matthew McConaughey, but he didn't fit my image of Dirk Pitt at all. And of course there's Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher... So here's the pic I thought would work. It didn't. Cover artists say it's a mistake authors often make, and authors can't blame them if th...
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I started my career believing I'd never write more than three books in a series, but I soon found out that publishers and fans always want more than that. When I began writing the Sleuth Sisters, the demand for "the next one" was great, and the ideas kept coming, so I did seven books. When I finally ended the series, a reader I know personally said, "Good. I was getting tired of that series." (Huh. Did anyone twist your arm to make you read them?) Anyway, my original point was that I believe a series has an arc. If a writer sees it as going on and on, great, but for me, it's pretty short: Introduce the main character(s), see them grow through their adventures, toss in some secondary characters who are fun, and solve a new crime in each book. While readers look forward to the next adventure, for me a series begins to feel repetitive at some point. How many times can the irritating character be irritating in new ways? How many daring rescues must the main char...
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The Fun Books: A New Addition

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  Book #3 Have Cats -- Will Crime-Solve releases October 1, 2024. Here's the universal link to buy it from your favorite book site in paperback or e-book. The audio book is in progress. I'll keep you posted.      https://books2read.com/u/md2D5R Or you can ask for it at a book store.  Or you can ask your local librarian to get it for you. The Cats & Crimes books are fun to write for several reasons. First, Lorilee is my age, so we share some views on life. She spent her working years in public service with family services; I was a public school teacher. Like me, she's of the opinion that people can be irritating when they refuse to educate themselves, think things through, and consider the feelings of others. Second, I get to write about cats, which is always a plus for me. I love pulling stories of cats I've known into the books, and I also talk to cat lovers everywhere to get more anecdotes. Lorilee takes in strays and adopts cats with issues that make the...
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