PEGGY FIELDING'S NEWSLETTER
Vol. 6 Number 8 December 2006

A HEN~WIN SITUATION

Jackie and I have entered our CHIK~LIT FOR FOXY HENS in several contests. Pray for our little book's success. I'm writing this on Christmas Day, hoping that would be a good omen for a win for our book.

On January 9, at the Nathan Hale Library in Tulsa, we will make our last public appearance with this little darling. We've worked like donkeys in a mine this past year and have sold a ton of books. Our editor seems pleased.

YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO

Yes. Go to the archives and punch up this newsletter in finished form, pictures and drawings, and all, for your own sakes as well as to keep Carolyn Leonard happy. Go to www.peggyfielding.com Subscribe, if you aren't already in this select group. It's free, of course.

HORRID NEW ADVENTURES

My little Toyota truck has failed me, and in public, at that. I'm going to start my search tomorrow for a new little car. I suspect my pickup days are over. Some teenage boy will love my Toyota, because of the padded and carpeted fold-up bed in the camper. I sometimes find a group of young men admiring that sight at the back window of the vehicle.

A DECISION ABOUT AN AUTHOR

Jackie King got me started on reading mysteries, particularly the Stephanie Plum series. I've just finished THANKSGIVING (Not a Stephanie Plum but by same author) and TWELVE SHARP. I am sorry to say this, but as crazy as I was about the first books in the series, I detect a stranger's hand in the two or three most recent books by this author. I suspect she is letting someone else write her books. Perfectly respectable books, by the way, just not the voice I wanted. Ah well, too bad. If they don't serve Dr. Pepper at a restaurant, I'm never interested in trying Mr. Pibb.

Persnickety, Ms Hazel called me.

I'll bet Grafton and Kinsey Milhone's next mystery won't disappoint me.

Jackie got me turned on to that alphabetical series, also. That Jackie has a lot to answer for, mostly good things, of course. She is leading Paula Alfred and me down the primrose pathway of mystery for a new HENS volume. It is called FOXY STATEHOOD HENS: And Murder Most Fowl.

This means I'm writing my novella, HATS, HEALING AND HOMICIDE IN TULSEY TOWN as my first murder mystery story. It is set back before 1807, which is a time I love to write about, set in Tulsa's beginnings in Indian Territory, a place I love to write about. There if only one problem. How the hell do you write a mystery? Yeah. I'm the one who set this task in motion, but Jackie has a lot to answer for.

IN LOVE WITH ANOTHER WOMAN'S HUSBAND

Recently, at the Tulsa NightWriter's party, I asked the only man in the kitchen to open my jar of midget dill pickles. Not only was he strong enough to open the jar, he leaped for paper towels to clean up the dill juice on the floor...with a smile on his face while doing that menial chore.

And that wasn't all he did.

Throughout the evening, he lifted, cleaned, poured, trashed, rearranged, smiled and spoke pleasantly to all comers ... and he isn't even a NightWriter. His wife Pat, is the woman who brought this paragon into our midst.

I tell you, in all the years we've been having the party, that man was the first and only male who willingly did the thing domestic. Pat, you were taking a big chance, letting all of us females get a glimmer of what a good guy could do in a kitchen if he had the will to do so.

AND THERE IS DUSTY, FURNISHER OF ALL MY SEX

This good guy surprised me and sent me one of his latest short stories. The story made me laugh and I love to do that.

I like Dusty's work but I LOVE his wife. I walked into their house one afternoon and she was ironing Dusty's shirts. I counted fifty beautifully ironed shirts hanging on that line in the living room. (Yes, that is 50 shirts.) She said she liked doing that chore.

I love Dusty but I’m in love with his sweet wife, Pat. I'd hesitate to say how many years it has been since I've had an iron in my hand.

WHY I HAVE SO MUCH TIME TO DO ALL THAT I DO

One subscriber, Donna Sherf, said it best: "I keep wondering how you have time to do all that you do. Then it dawned on me. NO SEX! You must have time on your hands! Happy Holidays!"

You have it right, Donna, and no ironing either. That does leave time for writing and reading. Secret wish: To be unseen in Donna's bedroom. What constant fun must be transpiring there! Lucky woman.

MAGIC FOOT STEW

Yep. I've dipped my toes again. This time with a photographer present. She was somewhat shocked at the mess that started out as clean, hot water from the tap in Angie's salon.

In minutes, the water began to get grungier and grungier. Ugly? Brown, deepening in color at each moment, with foamy ugh stuff floating in it. Don’t ask me. I don't know.

Angie, the little woman kneeling next to me in the pictures, says only, "Yeast." Apparently, I'm a yeast factory.

When I left Angie's place at 5840 S. Memorial, was when the pickup went completely bonkers, so I may not make this week's appointment. When I get the new car it will be back to the magic stew for me. I think this "thingy in the water," is decreasing the size of my ankles. Wonder if I could dip my belly in the magic waters some?

My pal Jackie introduced me to the magic footbath. Now all say together: JACKIE HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR."

Angie's telephone number is (918) 527-6904.

UNTIL NEXT YEAR

Resolution time! New start time! Change time! For all of us.

Love Peggy