As you know, this is the picture on the cover of the sixth book in my Meg Sheppard Mystery Series. Several of you have asked, 'Will there be a seventh?' I have written a few pages, so there's more than a 50:50 chance a seventh book will be published!
If I do complete it, Kelly will feature in it, of course. I interviewed her recently and thought you might like to read her answers. (See below).
This is followed by a story 'Cooking'.
At the launch of Love and Death, I was asked if I had ideas for the next book.
To answer the question, I mentioned something I'm curious about. I have decided to pursue it. If you weren't at the launch, you won't know what it is until you read the book (assuming I finish it!).
I've been asked how I write my books. I don't have a plan or an outline. Although I have some thoughts, I don't know who the murderer is until near the end of the book and sometimes change my mind as I write! It is truly a mystery even to the author!
Here are the first two sentences of my (very) rough draft of the next book: (If you've read Book 6 you'll know who Les is and will be able to guess which of Meg's horses Dirk is).
'Les is doing a great job of preparing Dirk for his first racing season. The two-year-old thoroughbred is relaxed and does everything Les asks of him as they travel around the large indoor riding arena.'
Kelly's Interview
Exclusive to Vicky's Blog.
You play a big role in the Meg Sheppard Mystery Series. How does it feel to be part of the series?
It feels okay because I do play a big role. I’m loyal to Meg and want to help her when I can. Being a dog can be a challenge sometimes though, and I can’t always do what I’d like to for Meg. But I try.
How did you come to live with Meg on the farm?
I was born on a sheep farm where the owner used working border collies, like my parents, to herd the sheep. But he didn’t like my looks or size, so I was a reject. He had his neighbour take me to the humane society. I met Meg there, and she took me for walks. One day she brought me to the farm. That was the happiest day of my life.
What do you like about living on the farm?
I get all the things I need to be healthy and happy, and I can run around and enjoy the smells. I like to help with the barn chores, and I sometimes help bring the horses in if Meg asks me.
I love everyone who lives here and at Milkweed Farm.
What don’t you like about living on the farm?
I don’t like thunderstorms. The brilliant lights and loud rumbles scare me and there’s nowhere on the farm where the noise and flashes can’t reach you.
Where is your favourite place to sleep?
That’s easy. On the bed next to Meg.
You must like Meg a lot.
She’s the one who rescued me from the kennel at the humane society. She gives me nice kibble, lots of fresh water, and walks. She often talks to me, which makes me feel as if I matter and I’m worth caring about. Meg tells me I’m her partner when we’re out investigating.
It wasn’t nice to feel rejected, so I really like this feeling. That’s why I try to help Meg.
How do you feel about Jake being a part of the family?
Jake’s my buddy. I missed him when he went away for a while. Cooper is here but he’s a cat and it’s not the same kind of friendship. Jake helps Meg and me when we’re in danger, especially when there’s someone attacking us. He’s braver and stronger than I thought he’d be. He’s now qualified as a therapy dog just like me and we can visit the hospital patients together. I love doing that.
Do you think Meg puts you in too much danger sometimes?
Meg doesn’t do it deliberately, but we have faced some violence and we’ve all three of us got hurt now and then. But we’re going after the bad guys and there’s usually a connection to horse abuse. Jake and I have both experienced abuse. We know something about it. We love Meg because she loves us and cares about all animals. We want to help her get rid of the guys who hurt animals.
Do you think there’ll be a seventh book in the Meg Sheppard Mystery Series?
Jake and I will be out with Meg doing our work, so I hope she tells everyone about it. We’ve already faced some danger in the new book, and I can’t wait to see where our adventures lead us.
Thank you, Kelly.
Thank you for wanting to hear from me. Jake thanks you too.
Cooking
(This is a 'word challenge' story. The words I had to incorporate are in italics).
Travis rolled up his grimy sleeping bag which smelled of woodsmoke and stuffed it into the rusty wheelbarrow he’d picked up at the end of Sandy’s driveway months ago. He hadn’t stolen it. A piece of brown cardboard had ‘free’ written on it in faint red marker. There was cruel irony in the fact that Travis was the homeless one and Sandy was the one with the fancy house and sleek sportscar.
Travis tried hard to accept that the truth would be unknown forever, but he wasn’t succeeding. The lies and deceit still haunted him. He knew he needed to move on, but kept sliding backwards. Besides, he was approaching the twilight years of his life and believed there wasn’t enough time to start all over again.
After cleaning himself up as much as was feasible at the YMCA, he pushed his wheelbarrow towards the community centre. He parked it behind the building but not close enough to the garbage bins that it, and its important contents, risked being seized.
The cooking class was the only thing he looked forward to each week. And they were free including the supplies. It was part of a local government back-to-work initiative.
But this was the last class of the session, and he wasn’t eligible for the next one—only one session per approved applicant.
He stood in his usual spot. His simple ingredients were on the counter in front of him. This was to be a friendly competition judged by the pastry chef from the ritzy hotel downtown. A journalist from the local newspaper was wandering around with wide eyes and smooth baby-like skin.
He glanced along the counters. His classmates each had numerous ingredients, a variety of utensils, and one or two electric devices. Travis didn’t. The quality of his ingredients was all important to him. The warmth and cleanliness of his hands were also critical to success.
He thought the journalist was there far too early. She should have come about an hour later when the judging would take place. The pastry chef, Marcel, hadn’t arrived yet, and Travis understood he would be observing the techniques and processes used by participants, not just sampling the results. So, they were to wait until he joined them.
Travis was enjoying the aroma of the butter as it reached room temperature—when a microphone was thrust in front of him. The journalist asked if she could interview him. He was inclined to say no but her earnest, bright eyes and slight frown caused him to agree.
Her name was Anthea, and she was Marcel’s daughter. That’s why she’s so keen to cover this story, Travis thought. She asked for his name and played it back to assure herself that her minimalist equipment was working. But she fumbled, reddened, and stared at him.
“Is there a problem?” asked Travis.
“You know my dad.” Her voice was close to a whisper.
“Do I?”
“Yeah. You’d know him as Matthew Lewis.”
“Oh. I’m trying to move on.”
“My dad wants to too. He’s trying so hard to be cool about it, but it’s not okay.”
“No, it’s not okay.”
“Can I talk to you later? I want to help my dad.”
“I’m not sure.”
She pleaded with him. So, he reluctantly agreed to meet with her. She turned away just as her father, Marcel, arrived. Travis avoided eye contact and focused on his butter. He created a small crater in the middle of the large, soft, yellow, aromatic lump and carefully added other ingredients, kneading as he went. The texture and feel of the butter changed as his hands combined and moulded. He pressed the mixture into a pan and placed it in one of the ovens. He washed his hands, cleaned his working area, and grabbed a coffee from the refreshment table.
When all the creations were being baked or cooled, or were standing on ceremony awaiting his judgement, Marcel pulled up a chair and sat next to Travis.
“I don’t need to watch you making your signature shortbread. I’ve seen you create it many times and it’ll be melt-in-your-mouth delicious.” He spoke in plain Canadian, not ornamented with his usual curious French accent.
“Someone might know our connection, so you’d better not select me.”
“I will be fair and honest, not like someone we know.”
Travis grunted.
Marcel was summoned to start judging and sampling.
The shortbread was exemplary, and Marcel was compelled to select it as the winner. It stood out in every way. He couldn’t pretend it didn’t, even if he’d wanted to. The aroma, the feel of it in his mouth, the deliciousness—there was no fault to be found.
Marcel’s daughter took pictures of her father and Travis, of the shortbread, and of Marcel savouring the shortbread.
This small celebration changed Travis in a big way. He shook Marcel’s hand and agreed to work with Marcel to avenge the wrong they’d suffered.
Marcel had said, all along, that he couldn’t do it alone. He needed the evidence Travis had documented and carefully preserved despite his homelessness. There was almost a funny side to the fact that Travis had a small, locked box in the wheelbarrow previously owned by Sandy, where he stored the relevant documents. He also had other digital copies saved to the cloud.
Anthea was keen to help. The three met in a room in the hotel where Marcel worked. Travis and Marcel were sombre and hesitant at first, but Anthea was excited and determined. It turned out she was an excellent investigative journalist. Once Travis agreed to hand over his files, she wrote diligently and carefully, conducted interviews, took photos, and gathered other supporting material.
A large media company picked up the long and detailed article. This prompted other victims to come forward. Travis and Marcel were not the only ones swindled out of their savings. Others had fallen into a similar trap.
Sandy was a phoney developer and contractor. He promised Travis and Marcel he’d build the restaurant of their dreams but demanded more money for architects, more to get planning permission, more for soil testing, and so on. Travis and Marcel were embarrassed and ashamed that they’d believed Sandy’s lies and had turned over their savings with no results. Travis was devastated and felt humiliated.
And Sandy had the audacity to stay in the community. He said he had proof he’d paid the architects, the environmental engineers and the lawyers, but that proof was never proffered.
Anthea’s story hit the headlines and was aired on national news. The pressure grew and Sandy was finally arrested and charged without Travis and Marcel having to spend a penny on lawyers whom they couldn’t afford.
Travis and Marcel eventually opened their dream restaurant ten years later than originally planned. It’s called ‘Anthea’s’ and, of course, the featured item on the afternoon tea menu is Travis’ signature shortbread.
Vicky Earle Copyright 2025
Happy Reading!
PS I hope to have some updates on the racehorses soon. They will be starting their preliminary training in the near future.
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Thank you for reading it!
Vicky
Lovely!