Margaret Loudon: Don’t Quit Five Minutes Before a Miracle
Margaret Loudon is a pseudonym used by Peg Cochran. A former Jersey girl, Peg now resides in Michigan with her husband. She is the author of numerous cozy mystery series including the Open Book (writing as Margaret Loudon), Murder, She Reported, Cranberry Cove, the Farmer’s Daughter, Gourmet De-Lite, the Lucille series and Sweet Nothings Lingerie (written as Meg London).
When she’s not writing, you’ll find her either cooking, reading, or spoiling her granddaughter. Follow Peg on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Margaret Loudon (Peg Cochran)
In this post, Peg shares what inspired her most recent Open Book Series novel, what quality aspiring writers need, and more.
Name: Margaret Loudon (pseudonym used by Peg Cochran, who also writes as Meg London)
Literary agent: Jessica Faust
Book title: A Deadly Dedication
Publisher: Berkley (Penguin Random House)
Release date: August 1, 2023
Genre/category: Mystery
Previous titles: Gourmet De-Lite Series: Allergic to Death, Steamed to Death, Iced to Death. Sweet Nothings Vintage Lingerie Series (written as Meg London): Murder Unmentionable, Laced with Poison, A Fatal Slip. Cranberry Cove Series: Berried Secrets, Berry the Hatchet, Dead and Berried, Berried at Sea, Berried in the Past, Berried Motives, Berry the Evidence, Berried Grievances (coming August 8). Murder, She Reported Series: Murder, She Reported; Murder, She Uncovered; Murder, She Encountered. Farmer’s Daughter Series: No Farm, No Foul, Sowed to Death, Bought the Farm. Lucille Series: Confession Is Murder, Unholy Matrimony, Hit and Nun,
A Room with a Pew, Cannoli to Die For. Open Book Series written as Margaret Loudon: Murder in the Margins, A Fatal Footnote, Peril on the Page, A Deadly Dedication.
Elevator pitch for the book: In A Deadly Dedication, Penelope Parish is involved in another murder when she stumbles over a body at the Guy Fawke’s Day celebration. Everyone in town had a motive—including some of her friends. Penelope thinks she knows who did it until a second murder sends her investigation into a new direction and sends her into increasing danger.
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What prompted you to write this book?
This is the fourth book in my Open Book Series written as Margaret Loudon. I have to confess to being fascinated by the British Royal Family so of course I was following the Harry and Meghan saga. I wondered how I might use that in a book? The series would have to be set in England. I’ve been several times but it would be nice to do some armchair traveling while staying at home during Covid.
I created the fictional town of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke where there is a castle and a duke. The duke creates an uproar when he announces his engagement to an American romance writer! Shades of Harry and Meghan, no?
At the same time, I saw an announcement from a bookstore that they were looking for a writer-in-residence. That led to the creation of my protagonist Penelope “Pen” Parish, an American Gothic writer suffering from writer’s block, who hopes that taking the writer-in-residence position at the Open Book bookstore in England will help summon her missing muse.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I don’t remember exactly but I would say it was at least a year. The basic premise for the series remained much the same but of course it expanded as I began plotting out the books.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I’d already been around the block a number of times (23 times to be specific) so I had a good idea of what to expect.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Yes! A second murder! I hadn’t planned on that but it turned out to be perfect for the plot.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers will get a few hours of escape from everyday life and that they will be entertained.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Be persistent! The first three books I wrote didn’t sell but I kept going and I’m so glad I did! Someone once told me “don’t quit five minutes before a miracle” and that is so true. Rejections are hard, but each “no” is bringing you closer to a “yes.”
While there’s no shortage of writing advice, it’s often scattered around—a piece of advice here, words of wisdom there. And in the moments when you most need writing advice, what you find might not resonate with you or speak to the issue you’re dealing with. In A Year of Writing Advice, the editors of Writer’s Digest have gathered thoughts, musings, and yes, advice from 365 authors in dozens of genres to help you on your writing journey.