Peg Herring, Mystery Author

Those of you who keep track of me might recall that about a month ago, my cat decided she needed to sleep on the computer desk, between me and the screen. It made her happy, but me not so much, since she'd playfully reach down every once in a while and swipe a claw at my swift-moving fingers.  Someone suggested I bring a second chair to the computer desk and make it hers. At first she wasn't sure (note the look on her face). You want me this far away? Really? Okay, I guess this is good It took a procession of pillows and blankets before I found one that suited her, and I had to block the chair so it doesn't swivel and make her feel insecure. Now she spends most of the day there, even if I get up to do something else. Of course, there's a caveat. I have to lift her onto the chair. If I'm not around, she gets up there just fine, but if I'm working, I have to listen to her cry until I stop typing and settle her in. So today's topic: What

1. Why are some words so hard to type? I invariably type Crhistmas and have to fix it. Also Goerge. 2. Why do we make stupid people famous? 3. Who decided that Christmas (or any holiday, for that matter) means going broke buying presents? 4. Who's Making Love to Your Old Lady (While You Are Out Making Love)?-- Sorry, it just came into my head. 5. What was I thinking when I planned a 30-day blog event? 6. What happened to being able to eat whatever I want and never gaining weight? 7. Where did I set my phone down this time? 8. Where can I find out if the 1998 Lincoln Continental had an escape button inside the trunk? (This is the kind of research question that drives authors crazy.) 9. When will I release my next book? (Only editors & cover artists know the answer!) 10. When will we learn that Peace on Earth is the only gift that matters?

Santa & Maggie Pill Santa was trying to get ready for Christmas, but things weren’t going well, and his droll little mouth pursed in frustration. He couldn’t find the fur-trimmed hat that went with his red suit. He needed a clean hanky to wipe away the ashes and soot after each trip through a chimney. And one of his boots had gone missing. Those were things his wife usually took care of, but she was nowhere to be found. Rubbing his little round belly, he looked in the kitchen to see if she was baking. Visions of sugar-plums danced in his head, but no. She wasn’t there. Was she in the laundry room, washing tiny elf socks and underwear? Scratching his snow-white beard, the jolly old elf peered into the small room at the back of the house. Nope. She wasn’t in the den taking a long winter’s nap, nor in the pantry sorting canned goods. When he finally found her, Mrs. Claus was in the den, curled up on the couch, reading a book on her Kindle. “What’s so interesting, dear?”

A Blog-Hop is a line of blogs put together so that readers meet new authors. A group that awarded their BRAG medallion to THE SLEUTH SISTERS, IndieBrag, has arranged one for the month of December, and I'm to be high-lighted tomorrow, Dec. 15th. I plan to share a Christmas story I wrote that will remind you of another Christmas tale, and I plan on giving away advance copies of my next book to some who visit either me (here) or Maggie (maggiepill.maggiepillmysteries.com). Be sure to visit!  Today's topic is Christmas music. I love the classics, both religious and secular, but I have to admit I'm distressed by performers who shouldn't attempt them. Walking through the stores, I hear stuff and think, "Who thought this was a good idea?" I found this site that demonstrates: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/10/worst-christmas-songs_n_4416509.html I have a soft spot for George Michael that I can't explain, but the rest? Shouldna done it!

They've started again with the cruel season. They put toys all over the house and then freak out when I play with them. There's a tree full of shinies and danglies in the corner of the living room, but "NO! Don't touch!" happens when I get anywhere near it. I managed to get in a few minutes of exercise with several of the things they hung on it while everyone was somewhere else. First I had to un-stick the nice things from the tree, which was hard. Then I had fun chasing them around on the floor--at least until Dad came in and bellowed like an angry bull, "Mary! Come see what your cat did!" They put pretty things on end tables and shelves too, but again, I'm just supposed to look at them. A grouping of half a dozen figurines in a little wooden shed sits on the coffee table. I knocked them onto the floor to see if they'd roll nicely on the carpet. Only one of them did, but that one was fun to bat around until it went under the piano too far for

A Lethal Time and Place is an old favorite of mine, so I'm sharing it as today's giveaway. It's a paranormal mystery set in Chicago in the late '60s, and you'll love the twist in the middle. I think you'll also love the characters: they're weird, they're wonderful, and they will surprise you with their cleverness, their oddness, and their support for each other. If you want to try the book, go to Instafreebie and download it in whatever form you need for your e-reader. Here's the link:    http://www.instafreebie.com/free/KqhUH   You've got one week. Merry Christmas!

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