Maggie Pill Mysteries

We didn't really have pets when I was a kid. We had animals that lived with us and did work in return for bed and board. That doesn't mean we didn't love them, but they earned their kibble. Me, my sister, Laddie, & Ching-a-Ling The cats were there to keep the mice away (probably rats too, but that never occurred to me. Ick!) Each of our two farmhouses had a "house cat" that lived inside and was quite pampered compared to the "barn cats" who lived in the barn and multiplied freely. Each new batch of kittens was a treat for us girls, and we hunted them down in whatever spot their mothers chose to hide them by listening for their mews.What fun to move a bale of hay and find four or five little balls of fur to play with. We didn't even mind that their tiny claws were sharp enough to leave bloody trails down our forearms. The family dog was responsible for helping to herd the cows from and back to the barn. Looking back, I realize that our be...

There was some concern after PERIL, PLOTS, and PUPPIES came out that the Sleuth Sisters series was finished, and to be honest, I wasn't sure myself. I've said many times that I don't want to write the next book just because. I need a story that I want to tell, because it's very hard work to write a book (at least one people will want to read). Sister anecdotes can go on forever, of course. There's always fodder for more humor in the way we interact with each other. Cute animal items are also easy to come up with. The fact that the real-life Styx almost broke my leg last week while trying to tell me he was glad to see me demonstrates that. Setting can become a problem in a series; call it the Cabot Cove Syndrome. How many murders can a small town expect? I felt that if there was a Book 7, it should take place somewhere else. Series writers will admit that after a few books it's also difficult to get all the secondary characters in if the characters remain ...

The 6th Sleuth Sisters Mystery, PERIL, PLOTS, and PUPPIES, just went live as an e-book on Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and all other major e-book distributors. Still waiting on news from the studio in Chicago about the audio version. I know it's in production, I just don't know what phase.

Peril, Plots, and Puppies, the 6th Sleuth Sisters Mystery, is currently in production as an audio book at Cerny American in Chicago. It's always interesting to be part of the process, and though I'm far away, I have some responsibilities. Of course I can choose the people who read my books. Since I've been happy with all the earlier audiobooks, I'm happy to stick with the Cernys. I did learn that the actress who reads Faye is no longer available, so I had to okay a new narrator for that segment. Her audition was good, and I think the books will continue to move well from pages to audio files. I also try to give the narrators a list of words that Michiganders know well but others might not, place names like Mackinac, items common here but not in Chicago like pasties, and in the case of this book, German dog commands. Now I know they can look that up, but why should they have to when I have a friend who taught German for decades? She kindly provided me with phonetics...

I have three weeks to make sure everything is AOK for the 6th Sleuth Sisters Mystery, Peril, Plots, and Puppies. I think I'm ready. Preorders are available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Peril-Plots-Puppies-Sisters-Mystery-ebook/dp/B078V8X9J6 It will be available from all ebook providers, B&N, Kobo, etc. Print version is coming along. Reviewers are pre-reading (they like that). I'm sure there are things I should be doing, but I can't think of what they'd be. In this book, the sisters take on two cases: shutting down a puppy mill and finding a murderer. Neither their client nor the puppy mill owner is fun to deal with, and the added complication is that Barb was seen near the murder scene, doing a Correction Event as the Grammar Nazi. Each sister has her own concerns, but of course they come together when it's time for Sister Power.

It's a terrifying thing for an author to say, "I will have this book ready on..." A hundred objections come to mind: what if I hate it? what if the editor hates it? what if, what if, what if? Still, there comes a time, and it's here. Peril, Plots, and Puppies is slated for March 23, and you can pre-order it here: https://www.amazon.com/Peril-Plots-Puppies-Sisters-Mystery-ebook/dp/B078V8X9J6 If you've missed any of the former books, you've got two months to get caught up!

Working Cover Files If you keep up with my adventures, you know I was conflicted about a sixth Sleuth Sisters book. I do NOT want to be the author who stretches a series beyond logic, and I feel strongly that if I'm not interested in the plot, my readers won't be either. That was reinforced this past week as I read a book by one of my favorite authors, who has a long-running series I've always liked. The new story was beyond belief, with the detective getting naked in front of a crowd of people to force a confrontation that made very little sense and wasn't believable, at least for me. I never want the Maggie Pill name attached to a book just to have a new one out there. With that said, I found myself interested in the sisters again somewhere in August, and the questions began. What if Barb is caught, or almost caught, doing her Grammar Nazi thing? What if it's because there's a murder nearby, so the Nazi is a suspect? That was the germ of the idea for Boo...

Over the course of their adventures, the Sleuth Sisters have collected two dogs and a cat. When I include a pet in a book, it's always a pet I've known, and they're included as a sort of tribute to their individuality. Styx, Retta's dog, is a combination of two Newfoundlands I've known. Big (of course), friendly, and overzealous, he gets in the way a lot and does exactly what he's told not to do, but he's so lovable it's okay with his mom. Retta needs Styx. She's a widow who lives out in the country, and he provides company, security, and lots of entertainment. Faye found her dog hurt alongside the road (in the second book, 3 SLEUTHS, 2 DOGS, 1 MURDER) and took him in. He's a bit grumpy, but he's probably got good cause to be. A one-person animal, Buddy would die for Faye. For most other people, he'd just as soon pass. Faye's heart is big enough for all the animals in the world, but she and Buddy have a special bond. Barb gaine...

If your dog were an actor, who would he be most like?* If your cat went to college, what would she major in? If your horse got to decorate the stall, which colors would he choose? If your guinea pig rented a movie, what would he want to watch? If your parakeet had a purse, would it be designer, practical, or casual? *Burt here strikes me as an Abe Vigoda type. Just wondering... For my regular readers, I've decided to move the blog to Thursdays and see if I'm better able to keep up with stuff that way. (Peg's still on Mondays)

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

A peccadillo is a behavior that is a little odd and particular to one person--or in this case, pet. I've listed some pets we've had and their idiosyncrasies, and I invite you to share your list. *A cat named Fred who went hunting with my husband, following at his heels like a hound whenever he left the house with a gun. *A horse named Dolly who guarded the water trough and only let the cows and other horses drink when she felt they deserved it. *A cat named Ching-a-ling who (somehow) climbed to the top shelf of a floor-to-ceiling bookcase and sat as still as a statue until just the right moment and then scared the bejeebers out of guests. My sister & I with Laddie and Ching-a-ling *A dog named Laddie who stayed under the bed as long as there was thunder outside. *A dog named Gertrude who slept on our bed without permission but never got caught. When you started up the stairs you'd hear a thump, and on the bed there would be a small imprint, but she'd ...

If you know the Sleuth Sisters, you've met Buddy, Faye's mongrel, and Styx, Retta's Newfoundland. You know Barb has formed a tenuous relationship with a stray cat. Book #2 had some horses join the family, and Book #3 took us to the family farm, where there are reindeer and peafowl. In the 4th Sleuth Sisters book, chickens are an inciting factor--Bet you never heard that in a mystery before! All this brought to mind a question for today's post: If money, space, and other possible drawbacks were somehow taken care of, what animal would you choose to get for a Christmas gift? (to add to the ones you already share space with, of course)

They never judge. They forgive, even when you pull their tails. If you want to play with a toy, okay, they will too. When you laugh, it makes them happy. If you don't want the rest of that cookie, they'll take care of it for you.

Here's a challenge: List all your childhood cats/dogs/whatevers in order. Now I can't do ALL our cats, because we lived on a farm and there were cats everywhere, but the first cat I recall was Chocolate Bar, an adopted barn cat who let me carry him around like a baby. He was followed by Ching-a-ling, a temperamental Siamese who had no intention of letting anyone carry him anywhere. Ever. (His opinion was overcome for the picture at left.) Our longtime collie dog was Laddie (also in the photo), who was useful for herding cows and as lovable as a dog can get. When I was really young there was a workhorse, Rowdy. Later there were two ponies for the two of us to ride, Molly & Rusty, and an assortment of horses from Mackinac Island we boarded over the winter, notably Danny, who had his own mind about where you would go on a trail ride, and Dolly,  who became a permanent resident at some point. (Photo below) I never got close to the chickens, pigs and cows on the farm. I...

This is Bert, our new Basset Grand-dog. He's 8 weeks old, and pretty much all he does is sleep. When he is awake, he likes Mommy G best (because she spoils him) and Grandpa J second best (because he'll sit and hold him for hours). I apparently fall into the "I'm sleeping under your chair so be careful not to rock" category. He did roll off J's lap once and onto the couch. Didn't make a lot of difference to Bert.

Must Have Known I Was Writing About Her--She Took a Nap! They should have taught languages in school that I can really use: like cat or dog. I took French, but I live in Michigan, for heaven's sake. I might use it a few times in my life, but cat or dog I could use every single day. The old cat has been trying to tell me something all morning. I checked her food dish--full. Her water is fresh. I cleaned the cat-box. Hubby vacuumed her bed so it's comfy and arranged the way she likes it. There are no suitcases out, which always makes her nervous. Neither are there strangers in the house, which sends her to the basement for the duration of their visit. She stopped going outside some time ago, which we figure is due to a natural sense of self-preservation: She's too old to escape the critters that roam our woods, coyotes, owls, and the like. The hummingbirds outside the kitchen window sometimes upset her, but that doesn't seem to be the case today. So what is she...

Boonies, boondocks, down in the boondocks. Who'd have guessed the term has nothing to do with docks? It comes from the Philippines' Tagalog language: bundok , meaning mountain. It was picked up by U.S. military folk and apparently became associated with "way out there where the guerrillas are." When I titled Book #3 MURDER IN THE BOONIES, someone asked if most of America would known the term boonies . I think they do, because of Billy Joe Royal's song, "Down in the Boondocks,"  and an assortment of Vietnam-era movies. In Michigan we use it a lot. Someone lives "way out in the boonies" or we get "lost in the boonies" when our GPS goes crazy. Not sure if/how it's used in other places. (Chime in here!) In Book #3 we learn that Barb, Faye, and Retta were raised in the boonies, ten miles from town. Typically, when they were kids Barb never thought much about where they lived, Faye loved everything about the farm, and Retta felt...

Lad, Ching, my sister & me I grew up on a farm. We had animals everywhere, in the house and in the barn. They were expected to earn their keep in some way. Our collie, Lad, (above) helped my dad and grandpa fetch the cows when it was time for milking. The cats kept the rodent population down in the barn and pretty much non-existent in the house. Some were pets, of course, notably our Siamese cat named Ching-a-ling (above) whose main activity was looking down on any being unfortunate enough to not be Ching-a-ling. There were ponies who let us ride them when they felt like it. But mostly the animals contributed something--assistance with work, some necessary product like eggs or milk, and of course, meat. Because of all the animals I knew as a child, I became a pet person. Though Lad was our only dog through my childhood (He lived to a ripe old age), I married a dog lover, and we always had one or two around when our kids were growing up. We usually had multiple cats, too, sinc...

Not Maggie. Not Maggie's dog. Cool pic, though! Recently, science has discovered that dogs understand lots more of what's said to them than was previously thought...well, by scientists. Dog owners have long known there's a big vocabulary in those furry little heads. Your dog might know words like ride or car . He for sure knows treat and walk . Not only does he know words, he senses how much meaning is behind them, especially no . Like a toddler, he learns to judge when you really will get out of that chair and stop him and when you're just too tired or too lazy to follow through. Even when they don't understand words, dogs sense the emotion behind them. They know when we're sad, when we're excited, and when we need a wet nose shoved into our faces. So why do we talk to them beyond those few hundred words they know, like ball and fetch ? Because dogs are great listeners. Unlike most people, they've got nothing but time for you, and if you wa...

You know the rest of it: All I get is bony fingers! I've spent the morning setting up this blog, and I'm pretty happy with it so far. I'll add things as I think of them or as visitors make suggestions. (Hint, hint!) I'd like to tell you about the inspiration for Styx, the dog in the second Sleuth Sisters book. I've known 2 Newfs well, since my son had one for a while and my brother still does. They're beautiful dogs, and if you read up on them you'll find that they're intelligent, loving, and loyal. So when Styx acts a little goofy in Book #2, it's just his personality, not the breed. Both the Newfs I know became extended family members young, and it was a little difficult for a while, having a puppy as big as a house. Bubba, the first Newf I "met" was a hole-digger, a drooler, and as sweet as a dog can be. Terra (short for Holy Terror) used to drag my sister-in-law around where SHE wanted to go and paid no attention to commands...