Not a New Book--Just a New Look!

From time to time, authors pick up on readers' opinions, either directly ("I hate that cover!") or indirectly ("That sounds too scary for me.") I learned from listening that readers didn't consider one of my books because the cover looked dark and the title seemed harsh.
Hence, a new title and a new cover:

The old title was GO HOME AND DIE, and the old cover looked a little like a thriller, with two figures silhouetted against a city skyline. At the time I thought it was okay, but when I looked at the book honestly, it's more girl meets boy, grows up a little, and solves a murder along the way.
If you haven't tried it, here's the link so you can download a sample and see if HER EX-GI P.I. doesn't bring back some '60s memories for you.

Here's what you might want to know about Peg and her work:

Writes: Mysteries, mostly. There's suspense and death but no graphic violence, sex, or language.

Unique Qualities: In each book/series, the characters have an interesting view of the world. Though single, small-town females who just opened a small business is all the rage for protagonists, but I don't find that interesting unless something more about their character makes me want to get to know them. So yes, I have written books about small-town women, but the stories explore their character, their relationships, and their personalities along with a puzzling mystery.

Recognition: Authors these days love to tell how they're Amazon Bestsellers and such. I've received those kinds of benchmarks and more, but my favorite thing is when a reader contacts me to say, "I loved that book!"

Current projects: I've been updating my books online, making the links better and refining the wording. It should be done every couple of years, since technology keeps changing, but it's an exhaustive process! Now I'm on to something new--just not sure what that will be yet.

Cutesy facts about me that readers will love:
Hmmm. There's the 22-year-old cat, of course. She's very lovable except for last Friday night when she brought a live mouse to me when I was asleep in bed. Result: chaos for one human, one feline, and one (now deceased) rodent.

We live in northern Lower Michigan, where the daffodils are braving our cold spring quite well.→→→→→→→→→→→

I have the love of my life (well, the last 47 years of it), banging around downstairs as I write this. Here he is at a Tigers spring training game.

And of course I love books, not all at the same level, but still. Here are my personal categories.
🌟: Don't care about these people: 20 pages max
🌟🌟: Might care: Finished but no more from this author
🌟🌟🌟: The end is worth working for, but it might take me a while and others books in between
🌟🌟🌟🌟: Oh, I like this one! Bedtime delayed.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟: Did I remember to eat today?

A "Good Book" recommendation from my recent reading: .
Currently reading:

Started Dennis Lehane's SINCE WE FELL. Gripping, though I fear tragedy awaits. Same with Anne Perry's SHOULDER THE SKY, a WWI story. I'll read on in both cases, depression or no!

Book Clubs Take Note: Discussion Guide: Sister Saint, Sister Sinner

When I sent Sister Saint, Sister Sinner to my editor, she was (as usual) helpful about pointing out areas that needed more development, parts that repeated information already given, and places where the logic temporarily failed. At the end, she made a comment that stuck with me: "People are going to be talking about the things you deal with in this book." To me, that meant the story was destined for book clubs. Having visited a few in my years of writing, I knew that they often begin with a list of discussion topics. Now, they often don't stay focused on them, and that's okay. Sometimes it's the wine. Sometimes it's a natural progression. But discussion leaders like having questions that can get the conversation back on track when it strays too far from the story. Every person who reads a book gets something out of it that no one else does. I had the experience once of visiting a book group where one reader didn't like the book and kept bringing up her

What Do You Have of Grandma's?

My grandmother died on my birthday in 1968. We couldn't wish her back, since she'd been in a lot of pain for a long time. Later, I helped Mom clean out her house, and we came upon her sewing basket. For some reason I asked if I could have it, and my mother said yes. I still have it. I think of her every time I take it out of its cupboard, though I can't think of a single time I saw Grandma sewing. It's hers, and that's enough. My other grandmother was the type who asked her progeny what they wanted of her things long before she died. One day when I was visiting I told her about my new hobby, refinishing old furniture. Pointing to a table that had always sat in her living room, she explained that as a young woman she too had taken up that task. The classic-style table was cherry wood, she told me, and she had rescued it from somewhere and given it new life with elbow grease and varnish. "Maybe you'll want it when I'm gone," she said, and I readi

A Story for My Peeps--And a Sale for My E-books

December-r-r E-BOOK SALE You might know about Smashwords. To be honest, I don’t know much. But one of my publishers, Draft2Digital, recently acquired Smashwords, so they are one entity. Smashwords invited all D2D authors to join their December e-book sale, so I did. From December 15 to December 30, 2022, (the kickoff to the real winter season in my home state of Michigan), all of my e-books, both Maggie Pill and Peg Herring titles, will be half off. Fifty percent. Basically, two for the price of one. Is that cool (winter reference) or what? As a rule of thumb, Maggie Pill books are cozy mysteries, (e.g. the Sleuth Sisters & the Trailer Park Tales series) meaning they’re funny (I think), small-townish, and as non-violent as one can get when the story centers on murder. Peg Herring books are all over the map, because I write the story that interests me at any given time. Those who’ve been with me throug

Peg Herring, Mystery Author

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