Peg Herring, Mystery Author

There was an article in the Sunday paper yesterday about a young man who'd chose self-publishing. He had a cute idea for a children's book, and after being rejected by traditional publishers, he went to work and got it together himself. And ordered 1000 copies of the book. I wish I'd met him before that point in his brand-new career. Here's my understanding of the scam some "helpful" publishers use to make money off earnest, unknowing writers: They "help" you publish your book, charging you every step of the way. They encourage you to buy a bunch of copies because "When this thing takes off, you're going to want them on hand!" They often charge the author full or nearly full price per book, so he gets no profit unless he jacks up the price, making dutiful friends and relatives shell out more than they should for a book in order to be supportive. Bookstores don't want them, because people don't want to pay big bucks for a b

Mother Nature has never been good with moderation. Snow is beautiful. It's invigorating. It's the ultimate in manipulative playthings. But a little goes a long way. The same can be said for Mom N.'s other specialties: sun, wind, and rain. It could be a lesson for Humankind: moderation is good most of the time, but every once in a while, you have to ramp things up in order to get everyone's attention.

I heard a theory long ago about circles. The idea is that we each have around us imaginary circles that contain people we allow in and therefore care about. Your family is probably your innermost circle, at least some of them. Friends come in over our lifetimes; some leave, some stay. Some make it to that innermost circle; many remain in the second or third one out. The people in your circles are the ones you would defend, the ones you care about. The closer they are to your inner circle, the more you would do for them. That's great. The problem with circles is that while there's an inside, there's also an outside. Those outside your circles are less important. Their lives matter less. For example, if your child were on your left side, about to be run over by a bus, and if a child you've never seen before were on your right in the same danger, which one would you save? Nature doesn't tell us which life is more important. Only the circles you've drawn for y

I'm a member of EPIC, the Electronically Published  Internet Coalition. I've only been  to this conference once, but it was productive,  and I love San Antonio. They're a great group, so I told them I'd help with publicity. (TA-DA!)   Please join us in the lovely city of San Antonio,  Texas for EPICon 2015 *EPICon- Bringing ePublishing Partners Together* March 13-14th, 2015 The Menger Hotel, San Antonio, TX Sponsored by the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Enjoy two days of all things ePublishing. With workshops  for any author or publishing professional, this short period will be packed  with information, news, and most importantly: education. Authors, old and new,  will have the opportunity to learn about small press ePublishing and network with publishers, editors, and experienced published authors. For 2015, we have a full schedule of educational and informative workshops for authors and publishers, with gu

The question of why we have to get old has always bothered me. Why do wrinkles have to appear? Why do our bodies fail us? Why do our minds get fuzzy and our thoughts impossible to hold onto? Why can we start for another room and forget the reason for the trip on the way? The answer I've chosen? To teach acceptance of ourselves the way we are right this minute. When you're twenty, healthy, and quick-witted, it's easy to look down on those who aren't any of those things. We feel indestructible, and we're often impatient with those who are less so. When you're forty, you work hard to stay healthy, to look twenty, and to keep those wits sharp. But at sixty you begin to realize it's a losing battle. No amount of work or study can alter the facts of time's passage, no matter what modern gurus claim. We get older. We get old. That's not to say we have to give up, but we need to acknowledge that our physical and mental faculties will decline--are d

1 can whole water chestnuts 1/2 strip of bacon for each chestnut (you can use pre-cooked) Sauce: We like barbeque sauce, French dressing, or Russian dressing, but teriyaki, soy, Zesty Italian, etc. are also possible choices. Cook the bacon in a skillet or microwave but don't let it get crispy. When it cools, wrap it around a water chestnut and skewer with a toothpick. Set them on a foil-covered broiler pan, brush with the sauce of your choice, and broil until the bacon sizzles and turns crisp. Make lots, because no one can eat just one of these!

These appetizers are easy and yummy--and easy! 1 pound sliced bacon 2 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese 2 tbsp. prepared mustard 1 c. mayonnaise 1 pound sliced pumpernickel party bread Cook bacon in a skillet until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Preheat oven to broil. In a medium bowl combine the bacon, cheese, mustard and mayonnaise. Stir well. Arrange party bread on a cookie sheet. Spoon mixture onto each slice of bread. Broil for 5 minutes or until bubbly.