The Christmas Mystery, "Babies It's Warm Inside"
came out in fall, 2019
The first book in our PI series by Lyn Farrell is called "The Blind Switch"
"The Blind Switch" is a story about a young racehorse trainer named Danny Parrish who has a gambling problem. He's been betting on horses and losing big time. When Danny can't pay his gambling debts (he owes $15,000) the bookie sends some "muscle" to "persuade" him to pay up. When he arrives home with a sprained wrist and broken ribs, his girlfriend, Tracy, decides to write a letter to his mother. But which one should she write? Danny was adopted as an infant by Mr. & Mrs. Richard Parrish who opposed his career choice and have little contact with him. Danny's birth mother, Cara Summerfield, had him at age 17 and has never told her husband about her son. Cara wants to keep her secret and goes to Rosedale Investigations and asks them to find her son and she will pay his debts.
But when they find Danny, he is in the hospital close to death.
These are the "working titles" for Books 2 & 3 in the new series
The Bloodline, or The Teddy Bear Switch The Painting Switch
- We are so grateful to our readers who check out this web site.
- We continue to pick up new contacts! Thank you.
- Will we need a new web site for the new series? Or would readers check this one to get to the new series info? Let us know what you think. email: farquha1@msu.edu
Great One Liners from Dollycas Book blog
This mystery has many characters who weave nicely into Mae’s past and present. Because the story flows from character to character there are some interesting developments in both character and the plot. Great mystery!
Author Teresa Trent
I enjoyed the story very much and thought the author gave us wonderful characters.
~Texas Book-aholic
Interview with Suzanne December is featured on "Cozy Up with Kathy" Check it out! https://cozyupwithkathy.blogspot.com/
Here are the first few questions and answers
With a last name like December, why did you name your daughters Mae and July?
I named them Maeve Malone and Julia Grace, but when my older daughter couldn’t pronounce her sister Maeve’s name she called her Mae, and it stuck. We started calling Julia “July” after that.
Are you employed outside the home?
Yes, I’m a journalist. I write a column for the local Rosedale paper called “Suzanne About Town,” and while many of my columns are about small-town happenings, some of them are more serious. My husband, Don, prefers my pleasant “happy-endings” work. I always cover local weddings, for instance.
What is your husband’s reaction when you write more serious columns?
He is not amused. For instance, in my most recent column, just before my daughter Mae’s wedding to local Sheriff Ben Bradley, I wrote about the previous Sheriff in Rose County, Trey Cantrell. Four years ago, Trey was “encouraged” to resign after a sexual scandal, something which always puzzled me. Trey was divorced at the time and the woman was a single adult. I wondered what was really behind him relinquishing the job, but put my suspicions aside as everyone in town seemed to like our new sheriff, and nobody seemed interested in looking into Trey Cantrell.
Here are the first few questions and answers
With a last name like December, why did you name your daughters Mae and July?
I named them Maeve Malone and Julia Grace, but when my older daughter couldn’t pronounce her sister Maeve’s name she called her Mae, and it stuck. We started calling Julia “July” after that.
Are you employed outside the home?
Yes, I’m a journalist. I write a column for the local Rosedale paper called “Suzanne About Town,” and while many of my columns are about small-town happenings, some of them are more serious. My husband, Don, prefers my pleasant “happy-endings” work. I always cover local weddings, for instance.
What is your husband’s reaction when you write more serious columns?
He is not amused. For instance, in my most recent column, just before my daughter Mae’s wedding to local Sheriff Ben Bradley, I wrote about the previous Sheriff in Rose County, Trey Cantrell. Four years ago, Trey was “encouraged” to resign after a sexual scandal, something which always puzzled me. Trey was divorced at the time and the woman was a single adult. I wondered what was really behind him relinquishing the job, but put my suspicions aside as everyone in town seemed to like our new sheriff, and nobody seemed interested in looking into Trey Cantrell.
One Liner reviews for "Six Dogs Too Many" by Lia Farrell
The Mae December mysteries is one of the best series for character development that I’ve come across.
~The Power of Words
A complicated plot involving intertwined crimes both past and present. Intriguing psychological content and police procedural elements make this a very interesting mystery to untangle.
~Laura’s Interests
Six Dogs grabbed me from the prologue. . . the point where your heart starts beating a little faster in anticipation. And the text excellently fulfills the prologue’s promise.
~Back Porchervations
Sneaky the Cat's Interview with Mae December's basset hound Cupcake
- Check out the Interview: https://sneakylibrarycat.wordpress.com/
Readers are already reading "6 Dogs 'Til Sunday" on their E-readers
One of our readers put a comment on the Mae December Facebook page yesterday saying "I just finished reading “Six Dogs ‘Til Sunday” and enjoyed the book very much. I think this book is the perfect ending to the series. Thank you for hours of enjoyable reading.
She downloaded the book on her Kindle before its actual release date. Now that's a dedicated reader.
THANK YOU!
Character Interview with Cupcake the basset hound
We have an upcoming Blog Tour with Dollycas. She has asked us to write a character interview with an animal character from our 6th book. We chose Cupcake, Ben's son Matt's puppy. Cupcake is asked what her favorite scene is in the book. Here's her response:
My favorite scene in the series was when I got to be in Mae and Ben’s wedding! Here’s my grand entrance.
“All the guests were standing & there was a collective aww as Matthew and Cupcake the basset hound (that’s me!) made their entrance. Matthew looked so handsome in his tuxedo. Showing no trace of nerves, he led his little dog straight to the assembled wedding party. “Good job, Buddy,” Ben whispered to his little boy when the pair reached him. Matt smiled and Cupcake wagged her tail. “You too, Cupcake.” (I beamed)"
Cupcake was introduced in "Four Dog's Sake", the 4th book in our series. We added this picture in case you forgot how cute she is....
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Just got first review for "Six Dogs 'Til Sunday" from Publisher's Weekly
Set in Rosedale, Tenn., Farrell’s sixth and final Mae December mystery (after Five Dog Voodoo) offers an appealing cast of characters, .....As Farrell (the pen name for the mother-daughter writing team of Lyn Farquhar and Lisa Fitzsimmons) neatly wraps up the series, cozy readers will be sorry to see the last of Mae and friends. (Mar.)
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Happy Holidays from Lia Farrell
Was out walking my corgi yesterday and thinking about how much I had to do before Christmas. It was sunny and about 30 degrees, but instead of appreciating the beauty of nature, I was feeling grumpy. Just then I saw a pair of Eastern Bluebirds sitting on a weathered fence. They are common further south, but very rare in Michigan. Sometimes the Christmas spirit descends in blue and orange instead of red and green. I was surprised by joy!
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Here's the Sign at the Library about my talk tonight. Feel pretty psyched about my name on the sign. Just hope somebody comes!
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Lia is presenting on the topic "Unleashing your Creative Self" on November 13th at the E.L. public library.
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Six Dogs is available for pre-order on Amazon. Below is the back cover description. Copy and paste this url into your browser to pre-order the book.
https://www.amazon.com/Six-Dogs-til-Sunday-Farrell/dp/1603812504/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1507572169&sr=8-6&keywords=Lia+Farrell
"It's January in Rosedale, Tennessee, and Mae December is preparing for her March wedding to Sheriff Ben Bradley. Mae, who boards dogs for a living, is also busy tending to her pregnant dog and scouting locations for the movie featuring the music of her former fiancé Noah West, who died in a car accident four years earlier. Fortunately the picturesque old house at the end of Little Chapel Road is for rent. Just as filming is about to begin, a man is shot on the set, but manages to drive himself to the hospital, where he dies before he can ID his killer. He was a member of the film crew, but also a local, and circumstances point to his being a confidential informant for Ben's predecessor, Sheriff Trey Cantrell, also the owner of the house turned movie set. At the time of the shooting, the victim had been stealing a large sum of money from a safe on the premises. Whose money is it, and where does it come from?"
All Done!
Six Dogs Till Sunday is finished. We submitted the ms. on time to our publisher, Camel Press. Also due at the time of submission were a character list for Book 6, an Acknowledgements section, a Dedication and a Synopsis. Whew!
We dedicate this 6th and last book in the Mae December mystery series to Lyn's sister and Lisa's aunt Susan Campione who left us on August 1. Hers was a remarkable life story and she will be missed always.
For those of you who have time to read our Synopsis, the first paragraph is here for your reading pleasure.
Synopsis - Six Dogs till Sunday
The Rising Sun movie production company is coming to Rosedale to make a film using Noah West’s music as its soundtrack. Mae December is asked to find a location and picks an old house at the end of Little Chapel Road—a place where her former fiancé Noah hung out and played music before his death. Sheriff’s investigator Dory Clarkson calls Mae’s mother, Suzanne, to suggest the arrival of the movie company as a good story for her column, ‘Suzanne About Town.’ The old place belongs to former Sheriff Trey Cantrell, now back in town after a sex scandal forced him out of office. Ben assigns Detective Wayne Nichols to work security for the movie company where he catches a glimpse of Vince Harper. Three years earlier, Wayne ran Vince out of town after he stalked Mae, but now he’s back.
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Deadline for "Six Dogs 'Til Sunday"
August 15 is the deadline for us to submit our 6th and last book in the mystery series. We are doing final edits now.
I just wrote the Acknowledgements and Character List. This time we especially want to thank our readers. Writing can be a lonely business and we so appreciate the reviews (good or bad) and comments. Authors need readers and we thank you!
This is the photo of the 2 of us that we sent for the RONE Conference video.
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Williamston Library in Michigan
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Six Dogs Til Sunday will be out March, 2018
The RONE Conference in California
We got an invitation from the Ind'Tale Magazine to attend the RONE Conference in the fall. Truly a unique conference, it includes hair and make-up styling, book cover photo shoots, fun interactive panels and of course the RONE away presentations. Sounds fun!
Harlequinn Publishers now publish Mysteries
We learned just today that Harlequinn, the legendary romance publisher is branching out into mysteries. And...wait for it...our second book in the Mae December series has been picked by Harlequin's Worldwide Mystery publishers. They will be reprinting "Two Dogs Lie Sleeping" in the mass market format.
We made it! We are in the top 5 mysteries published in 2016 and have entered the final round of the RONE contest. It's been a wild, fun ride and we are looking forward to the selection of the top novel. We are unlikely to win, but we are honored to make it this far!
Just learned we are moving to the next round in the RONE contest.
Thanks everyone for your vote!
The RONE voting ended May 28th
If "Five Dog Voodoo" gets chosen we would attend
the Awards Gala
Please Vote for "Five Dog Voodoo" Between May 22 and May 28. We are up for a RONE award.
The RONE acronym stands for Reward for Novels of Excellence and is a contest done each year by the InD’Tale Magazine. To win this award, a book must go through one of the most comprehensive processes in the industry today. You can only Vote Once.
Step 1: Search for http://www.indtale.com/#
Step 2: Make an account with the InD’tale Magazine with password. Click the tab at the top black banner labeled SUBSCRIBE. Once you have filled in the information, click on Create New Account.
Step 3: InD’tale will send you an email to verify your account
Step 4: Once you verify your account, log back into http://www.indtale.com/2017-rone-awards-week-six
Step 5: Click on “Five Dog Voodoo” by Lia Farrell and then click the “VOTE” tab at the bottom of the page.
Our Youngest Reader So far!
Walking around the Neighborhood a few days ago I saw a group of Young Girls playing on the driveway. One Came up to me and asked me if it was hard to write a book. "Not that hard," I told her. "How did you know I wrote books?"
"I asked my mom to buy yours and I read it."
WOW! She is only 11. And she loved "One Dog Too Many."
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We all know how hard it is to set a mystery down!
Cozy Mysteries are under attack! Several of the big 7 publishers aren't carrying them anymore and are ditching their authors. Facebook has a protest site called "Save Our Cozies". It was the reason I decided to do this new giveaway. |
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THE RONE AWARDS
"Five Dog Voodoo" is in the running for a RONE award, given by Ind'Tale Magazine which is the premier periodical for Small Press and Indie published works. The voting will take place between May 22 and May 28. Since this site is extremely chary with star reviews, we are honored to have received a 4 1/2 star rating. Five finalists will be selected from the 30 mysteries that are in the Contest. |
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Is Winter Over Yet?
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Dogs are Smarter than we think!
Yesterday I was walking my dog Fi in the park with my neighbor, Will. I mentioned that after the walk, I had to stop into Home Depot. Suddenly my dog stopped dead. Home Depot has recently become a "Pet Friendly" store and they have lots of yummy dog treats. I turned back to the dog and said, "Come on Fi, let's walk. She was rooted to the ground. Suddenly she ripped the leash from my hands and dashed back to the car. She obviously know the words "Home Depot" and was ready to go! So cute.
After Book 6
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Finally Finished Book 6 cover
These are the images we proposed to the publisher
Whew!
Book Cover 6 still More ideas
Decided today won't put a bride on "Six Dogs Til Sunday".
We haven't used people on covers to date.
More Ideas for Book Cover 6
We have a postcard now - super cute!
Thanks Camel Press
SIX Dogs 'til sunday
The last in the Mae December Mystery series will wrap up all the loose ends from earlier books including why sheriff Cantrell stepped down, his connection with a man who was stalking Mae in Book 1, and an old house where musicians used to gather, including Mae's first fiance, Noah west. Old crimes will be solved, stolen money will be returned and Mae and Ben are finally getting married.
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The Lia Farrell Duo
Here we are, in Franklin, Tennessee the inspiration for Rosedale, the little town where the
Mae December books are set.
We are currently working on Book 6 in the series.
Here we are, in Franklin, Tennessee the inspiration for Rosedale, the little town where the
Mae December books are set.
We are currently working on Book 6 in the series.
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Finding Courage in the Snow
Walking the dogs in the 80 acre field last week I spotted a full-sized collie. I had met him once; his name was Courage. He was lying in snow at the top of a hill and I worried that something had happened to him or his owner. I ran to the top of the hill, but he was fine. So was his owner who walked up shortly. He asked if I was the local author, Lia Farrell. I confessed I was. He said he was going to buy my book for his wife for Christmas. I went to the bookstore later to sign the book for Courage's "mom." Her husband had purchased all 5 of the books. My best Christmas present yet. |
Finding Courage
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