The Winner--and Another Shot for You

The winner of my Gratitude Giveaway Hop gift certificate is Jennifer. I was overwhelmed at the number of people who stopped by, and I'll definitely participate again in the hops. What a great idea, Kathy! If you want to see how organized this woman is, look at http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/.



Now. If you didn't win that one, here's another chance for a $10.00 Amazon gift certificate. I'm looking forward to January, when my next mystery, SOMEBODY DOESN'T LIKE SARAH LEIGH, will release as an e-book. A fan wrote to say what a clever title I'd chosen, which was nice, because my editor and a couple of other people who've seen it didn't get the allusion at first. I think it has to do with age. If you read the title and a certain commercial jingle doesn't pop into your head, you're too young.

Anyway, it gave me the idea for this week's contest. Give us the cleverest book/movie title you can think of. Maybe it's intriguing, maybe it's funny, maybe it's darkly ominous or brightly promising. You can explain your choice in one sentence if you like, but you don't have to. "Experts" on this end--me and a couple of friends--will decide next Monday which is most deserving of the prize.

The Promised Poem

The Mystery Reader’s Lament

There’s laundry that’s wet in the washer; it finished an hour ago.

But Kinsey has put on her little black dress, so my housekeeping’s bound to be slow.

You can’t beat a tough country lawman, and Walt Longmire’s been through a lot.

I guess I won’t get to the Macy’s Day Sale, ’cause poor Walt is about to get shot!

My doctor expects me this morning, and the roadways are slushy with snow,

But Reacher is in such a terrible mess! How he gets out—I just have to know.

I can’t be a brilliant forensic, a Gil or a Kay or a Bones,

But I can encourage their efforts (and even their lesser-known clones).

My family and friends sometimes chide me. I don’t get a lot done, it’s true.

Just blame all those authors who write crime so well: I’ve got too much reading to do!

Peg Herring, 2011



Read My Post--Win a Book

I'm guesting at Suzanne Adair's blog--http://suzanneadair.typepad.com/blog/2011/11/a-tudor-thanksgiving.html#comments--The topic is Thanksgiving or its equivalent in historical authors' area of expertise. Make a comment Sunday or Monday and enter to win a free copy of HER HIGHNESS' FIRST MURDER.

Day Last: The Party's Over

As the Church Lady would say, Isn't that interesting! In order to make my life even more exciting during the week of a book launch, getting ready for a workshop today, having the family home for a visit, and monitoring this Blog Party, the Internet disappeared from my home for approximately 24 hours. This is not something to be taken lightly. We did live through it, but it was kinda like being thrown into the Dark Ages. Conversations just stop. "When did the Tigers trade Magglio?" "I don't know I'll look it--" Stop. "How do you make monkey bread, anyway?" "Let's do a Goo--" Stop. "Is it gonna snow tomorrow?" "I think they said--" Stop. How quickly we become dependent on those little boxes! Anyway, the Internet break healed overnight, so here's our status: Roger's name was drawn for the last Amazon gift certificate. Laura gets the prize for the best comment on Thursday. Friday was a bust, so we'll save that last question for another time. Here's where I thank you all for coming to my party. I consider POISON, YOUR GRACE to be well and truly launched. I think the blog party's a great idea, and I plan to make some tweaks and do it again now that I know how it rolls. For the authors who participated: my goal in the next few weeks (maybe months-- there were quite a few) is to post an Amazon review of one of your books. For the readers, I've written a poem you might enjoy because it expresses the stresses of being a mystery reader. However, since guests are sleeping in the vicinity of my office, I can't post it until tomorrow. So come back one more time if you'd like a copy for your wall (or your dartboard)!

Day Six: Never Rains but It Pours

If you're here for the Gratitude Giveaway Hop, the post is found in the archive list, below on the left hand side. We're in the middle of a party (which you are welcome to join) or you can scroll down to the GG Hop post and sign up for your gift. Sorry for any confusion, but I'm so glad you stopped in! As long as you're here, you can meet several other authors who are "partying" with me and mentioning their latest releases, so ENJOY!

Partiers' Update:
The author copies of POISON, YOUR GRACE showed up yesterday afternoon. Winner was Brenda from MS, who guessed November 16.
Winner of the draw for yesterday is Kay. Congratulations!
Best post of the day was tough-they were all good, but I like Laura's sending a modern teen back to Little House days. Better than when the Hiltons spent time on that farm or whatever it was they did!

Today's question is introspective, which works well for a Thursday, I think.
Choose one and give us the short version of why:

a) You can become wildly famous and receive several awards for one book but can never write another.
b) You can make a ton of money but must stick to one series.
c) You can keep writing whatever you like, but you will never be rich or famous.

Peg's answer: I would have to go with c), although it's hard to say what I would do if that ton of money was
waved in front of me. Better authors than I have succumbed to the crank-out-another-one mill.

Gratitude Giveaway

Welcome, New Visitors!
As part of the Gratitude Hop (http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/p/giveaway-hops.html), I'm giving away a $10.00 Amazon gift certificate to one person who comments on this blog over the week of the Hop.

If you don't know, the Gratitude Hop allows visitors to "hop" from one blog to another where authors are giving away prizes for a specified period of time. You use the link above to find them and sign up for as many as you can manage!

What I'm particularly grateful for this year is being a "real" author. Ten years ago, I was teaching school (and loving it) but the desire to be an author just grew and grew. I told my husband about it and he said "Go for it, if that's what you really want." (Another reason to be grateful: an understanding spouse.)
It took a lot of work, some tears, and some refiguring of goals (I thought I'd give it two years but it actually took six.) BUT--I have six books out as of yesterday, and they've been very well received by critics and readers alike. My publishers, Five Star and LL-Publishing, are conscientious and helpful, so I've got support and gentle guidance that makes my work the best it can be.
So I'm celebrating the release of POISON, YOUR GRACE, the second in my Simon & Elizabeth (Tudor) mysteries on November 16th, enjoying the thrill of having people tell me they like my books, and remembering to be grateful--I could still be teaching comma rules to sophomores (not that there's anything wrong with that!).
Learn more about me at http://pegherring.com/

Day Five: Time Travel

Important business first: Yesterday's draw winner was Gerri! Congratulations!
And the clever comment choice is Kay, because she's right about V.C. Andrews. It's quite an accomplishment to write books when you're dead.

Today's question: Consider moving one of your important characters to another time period. What would be his/her advantages and disadvantages there? (You can have two sentences here, one for each.)
Peg's anwer: Elizabeth would be a great modern businesswoman, having both the intelligence and the nerve to stage takeovers, risk capital, and lead stockholders into bold new ventures. She would not deal with the paparazzi well, though, since she is not good at holding her temper or suffering fools.

No sign of books yet. Sorry Barb, Nancy, and Penny!
Again, if Blogger won't let you comment, email me at pherring@m33access.com and I'll post for you. It isn't nice to me, either, but I can get in.

Party On!

Day Four: A Deadly Question

Welcome to the Party! A few snags, but what party doesn't have an uninvited troublemaker? We're celebrating the release of POISON, YOUR GRACE, so here goes.

Yesterday's winner of the draw for an Amazon gift certificate is Laura. Congratulations!

Haven't seen any books yet, so everyone's guess on the delivery date is still good!

Commenting is a bit of a problem for some, and I apologize. Feel free to email me the comment and I'll enter you in the drawing, post your wisdom for the world, and give you credit. pherring@m33access.com

Today's question is NOT morbid, honestly. It's just for creative speculation.

If you could not be the wonderful "you" you are and you had to instead be a dead author, which one would you choose and why?

Peg's anwer: (Gee, Peg, you ask really tough questions!) I probably should say Shakespeare, because I love his plays so much, but as a novelist I would choose Thomas Hardy because I love his characterization, grasp of setting and human frailty, and subtle humor, and I've come to share his world view more and more over time.

http://www.amazon.com/Poison-Your-Grace-Five-Mystery/dp/1432825364/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321354506&sr=1-1

This is London Bridge as it was. It will play a large part in Book #3 of the Simon & Elizabeth series, my WIP.

Blog Party Day Three: What Do They Think of You?

Winner of the drawing for an Amazon gift certificate for yesterday's comments is Wendy. Congratulations!

The most impressive post was Lois', which was a big, fat lie and therefore wonderful fiction.

Today's question:

Q: If your protagonist read your book, what would he/she have to say about it?

A: (my response) Simon would feel that I gave him too much credit because he made mistakes that might have cost Elizabeth Tudor her life. POISON, YOUR GRACE http://www.amazon.com/Poison-Your-Grace-Five-Mystery/dp/1432825364/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320842708&sr=1-1

Remember: ONE SENTENCE and a link to your latest book!

Also, no sign of my author copies yet, so there's still time to guess the date and time they will arrive. Release date is Nov. 16. The closest guess wins an autographed copy.

Here's Barbara Graham (right) with Luci Zahray (aka The Poison Lady) at Malice (I think).

And finally, thanks to all the people who've been publicizing this Blog Party. When you have one, be sure to invite me! And be sure to return every day until Saturday for another question!

Blog Party: Day Two

Day one was great, and here's the tally.
Winner of the drawing for the Day One Amazon gift certificate (drawn from my faithful U of M hat. Did you see those boys yesterday? Yay!) is Liz.
I loved everyone's answers and noted a LOT of food mentioned, especially chocolate. Oddly enough, Liz also gets tagged for the best answer, possibly because I recognized that feeling of guilt as one drags around papers that must be graded.

Note to non-authors: you are welcome to comment, even if the questions are designed for writers. You DO want to qualify for the Amazon gift certificate, so think of something to say! Also, I'll keep track of your guesses on what day my books will arrive until they get here, but please give a day and a time, so we can narrow down the field to one winner when it happens.

So here's today's question: When you are at work on a typical writing day, where will you be and what will you be wearing? Remember ONE SENTENCE, and add a link to your book for anyone who's looking to buy today!

Peg's answer: Since I write historicals, I wear an authentically antique green housecoat with lots of pulls around the bottom (the result of cat affection) when I trudge upstairs to my office at about six a.m. to start work.

POISON, YOUR GRACE http://www.amazon.com/Poison-Your-Grace-Five-Mystery/dp/1432825364/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321179546&sr=1-1

Blog Party: Day One

Welcome to My Party!
The idea is for writers to answer a question in ONE sentence. They can then add a link to their current book (I start it off below to demonstrate). We'll continue with a new question each day until November 19th.

For attending the party, which celebrates the release on Nov. 16th of POISON, YOUR GRACE, the second of my Simon & Elizabeth mysteries, you can win in several ways.
1) All comments, whether author, reader, or some other form of life we don't understand, are entered in a daily drawing for a $10 Amazon gift certificate.
2) If you'd like to guess when my author copies will arrive at my home, give a date and time. (Again, release date is 11/16/11, and I haven't got them as of 11/12/11, so who knows?) Closest to the actual time I take delivery wins an autographed copy of the book.
3) Authors, I'm going to recognize the cleverest responses in a variety of categories: humor, uniqueness, creativity, and universality (that's the one that makes all the other authors say, "Oh, so true!" I'd like comments on which readers think are the best ones, but it's my blog, so I'm the final judge. ;)

So here's today's question:
What five things would your protagonist carry with him/her on a typical day, and where would those things  be?
Simon carries an apothecary bag that, along with medicines like fox grease and toiletries like powdered rabbit head, often has elements of disguise like a wig, gobs of wax, and a cap to cover his hair.

POISON, YOUR GRACE: http://www.amazon.com/Poison-Your-Grace-Five-Mystery/dp/1432825364/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321096987&sr=1-1

Blog Party!

Saturday, Nov. 12, and every day until Nov. 19th, I'm having a party on my blog.
Visitors will meet a bunch of author/friends who will answer (hopefully with
wit and humor) questions about themselves and their work in ONE sentence.

Everyone is invited to visit and comment. Each day I will draw a name from the
list of people who comment, and that person will get an Amazon gift certificate.

The party celebrates Five Star's release of POISON, YOUR GRACE, the second
of my Simon & Elizabeth mysteries, on Nov. 16th. So visit, meet some great
authors, and help me celebrate. (P.S. According to LIBRARY JOURNAL,
"this historical shines," so you might want to pre-order a copy of
POISON, YOUR GRACE on Amazon!)

It's all right here at http://itsamysterytomepegherring.blogspot.com/

Being in Two Places at Once

Today I'm guesting in two different places--oh, the wonders of the Internet!

This double-blogging is accidental but fun. At Dames of Dialogue, I post about women

(dare I say "dames"?) in the Tudor Era. You can see that one at

http://wp.me/ptCd3-1F4

On the Perfect Romance blog, http://perfect-romance.com/ I tackle a subject dear to

my heart: Did Shakespeare Write Shakespeare? (Short answer--YES.)


Take a look. Both blogs offer lots to readers, and I thank my hosts for providing

opportunities to authors.