July 16, 2018 · 12:28 pm

Leaving on a jet plane….

If you get the John Denver reference, you know where I’m heading today. A week of workshops, friendship renewals, motivation, and hopefully some book sales and new readers. Hee hee – I had to put that one in!

Any hoo….

I’m sitting in the airport, waiting for my flight to leave and thought I’d check in and let you know that the rest of my posts this week will be coming to you livelivelive from Denver, CO and the #RWA2018 conference. Stay tuned for daily updates – sometimes more than 1! and for tidbits from the conference.

This year, the event is even more special because my dear writing friend and NHRWA sistah, LISA OLECH, is a Rita Award nominee. I can’t wait to cheer her on and scream with glee when she wins!!!

SO, wish me safe travels and I’ll check in soon! Be well and look for me here:  Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

 

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July 13, 2018 · 4:00 am

When I’m not writing I’m….


So today’s prompt is “creative outlets I enjoy.” You already know I lovelovelove to cook. But did you know I also like to paint and restore old steamer trunks?

I’ve done 5 trunks over the past 3 years using a decoupage method. When they are complete, I give them away as gifts to people around me who ask. My daughter has 2, my BFF has one, and I’ve got the other 2. This one is sitting in my office behind the couch I use to take naps in when the words aren’t flowing as fast as I want them to.

I also like to paint – crafty paint. I  hand paint canvas bags  and give them away at my book signings to readers. Since I write a romance series about cooking, the bags are all food themed:

 

Now, it’s always been my DREAM to have a hard-back book contract. Because I’m one of those people who believe in  putting actions behind dreams to propel them into reality, I also handpaint wooden “books” and then insert my own POD ( print of demand) paperbacks into them, also for readers at book signings as a gift from me;

The readers I’ve given them to have been thrilled because the “book” is a nice way to keep the actual book fresh and new-looking.

So…crafting and painting is my superpower, er…creative outlet. What’s yours?

Let’s see what other creative outlets the writers in this hop have: MFRWauthors

And, of course, when I’m not writing, painting, cooking, or restoring stuff, you can always find me here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

 

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July 11, 2018 · 4:00 am

Why I love a list….

I’m a list-maker. You know: one of those annoying people who write everything they have to do, everyplace they have to go, and every item they need to buy, down on a piece of paper before they ever leave the house or attempt a task.

This is the list of things I needed to do for Saturday, July 7.  You will notice the list is even dated. That’s so I don’t confuse it with another day’s list. You will also note at the bottom of the list is a reminder to write a blog on…lists.

I make lists for the grocery store; the chores I need to do; the stops I have to make while I am out of the house doing normal life stuff. I make sublists, too, when I have to go more than 2 or three places during one trip. I’ll list my destination, then – in bullet form – all the things I need to purchase or do at each place.

I have lists for birthday presents. I have a list of people I need to buy or make Christmas gifts for every year. I have a list of the days I need to send bills out to be paid.

I have a list of all the blogs I want to write, a list for the titles of the books I need to finish ( or start!) and then sublists added to that.

I have a bucket list with 1000 items on it. I have a to-do list for every day next week already.

I make a lot of lists. A lot of lists.

Maybe if I stopped making lists, I’d get more stuff on the lists done. Just a thought…..

 

 

 

 

When I’m not making lists, you can usually find me here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

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July 10, 2018 · 4:00 am

#DiveIntoSummerHop with The Wild Rose Press

From July 9-16, my lovely publisher, The Wild Rose Press , is hosting a Dive into Summer Hop over on Instagram. Here’s the official post up on my Instagram page:

Welcome to tbe #DiveintoSummerHop w/@thewildrosepress. We are giving away some great prizes to celebrate #summer
HOW TO ENTER for a chance at an ecopy of The Voices of Angels: #comment and #TagAFriend who would be interested in our hop. Then hop over to @annaloresauthorAND follow her instructions. The hop runs july 9 to 16. Following all authors participating in the hop and @thewildrosepress is required for entry.

Instagram is not sponsoring or affiliated with these giveaways.
#instagramHop #IGHop #authorsifIG#authorsofinstagram #authorlufe #wrkbks#twrpbks #readroses #bookstagram#booksofinstagram #booksofIG#bookworms #readromance#romancereadersofinstagram#romancebookstagram

If you’re interested in participating, click on the following link, comment, follow me on instagram ( if you aren’t already) and the hop on over the author listed and follow her instructions. There’ tons of prizes: amazon gc’s. free ebooks, and more!

Have fun hopping! Click this link to participate on my page: Instagram:Peggy
When I’m not hopping ( heehee) I’m usually here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

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July 9, 2018 · 4:00 am

My current #SocialMedia obsession…

So you can probably guess the answer to the blog title today. I discovered TRIBERR a little over a year ago when author (and good friend) Marianne Rice spoke to my NHRWA chapter about using social media to build a target audience. It was a great workshop overall, but when she told us about TRIBERR, I immediately looked into securing a spot on the media site.

So, what is Triberr and why is it such a worthwhile Social media site to be a part of? Here’s a great article on exactly what it is and does, link, but in a nutshell, Triberr hooks you up with other bloggers on  the web who will share your content to their sites, blogs, social media posts, etc. When I first joined the social media world I had a world wide web “reach” of maybe ( on a good day) 100 people. That included Twitter, FB, and Instagram.

After one week of joining Triberr, I saw a 10 percent increase in traffic across my sites and within a month, that had risen ten fold. My Triberr reach as of today is 171,ooo. I don’t even know 100 people, much less 171,000!! My Twitter followers increase daily ( this morning they number 2,220) and my FB author page is up to 1,301, up nine since  last Monday. I know those numbers may not seem impressive, but when you’re a virtual nobody like I am, getting your name out there so poeple can buy your books is hard. The fact that when I started writing for publication I had 1 follower on Twitter ( my darling daughter) and now I number 2k+ is amazeballs!

How I increased those numbers is no secret: I joined TRIBERR and then started following other TRIBES devoted to writing, marketing, and author branding. This is my own site (called a TRIBE) Strong Women. Loving Men

where my blog postings get listed daily, and where other authors/bloggers/readers ask to join my tribe. I’m a member of about a dozen other tribes where I read and post those bloggers’ content daily, thereby increasing my own web reach. It’s a win/win situation as far as I am concerned.

Since I’ve limited the type of tribes I want to be associated with – all romance writing, marketing, and review sites – I can target my reach to those individuals who read and write and review romance books. If I wanted to really expand my reach, and I probably will in the next year or so, I’d include book bloggers, readers, and reviewers of all book genres, not only romance. But even if you wanted to narrow down your scope to, say, just romance readers/bloggers/reviewers who only read/review/blog about Paranormal Romance, or historical romance, you could do that as well.

The site is free, the only cost – the time you take to share the posts you want to each day. And you don’t even have to do it every day. I do because I typically blog every day, but if you’re a once a week blogger, that’s fine. As long as you share other posts in your tribe, you’re fine.

If you’re looking to grow your on-line and social media presence, Triberr is a great way to do so with very little every and a whole lotta reach! I’ve even included it in my search engine sites.

And when I’m not on Triberr, you can usually find me here:

Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

 

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July 6, 2018 · 4:00 am

Clothing…required. #MFRWauthor Blog challenge Week 27

This week the MFRWauthor blog prompt is THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE WHILE DRESSED.

Hmmm….so many possibilities, esp. for a romance writer, (heehee).

But if I’m going to be truthful, the most fun I have while dressed is when I’m cooking.

It’s no secret I lovelovelove to cook – and eat! I even wrote a romance series about a chef and her family – all of whom cook. Many of my treasured recipes where incorporated into those stories and I have to admit, people who’ve read them have commented many times they got hungry while reading them.

Okay…for a romance writer that pun leaves a whole bunch of stuff open to the imagination, but…I digress.

I am never happier than when I am surrounded by me dearest friends and family around my huge dining room table and they are all eating a meal I’ve put together.

 

I’m usually the first person to volunteer to bring a dish to an event, and I’m always grilling people ( another shameless pun!)  on how they made something that’s a new flavor profile to me so I can replicate it, reconfigure it, and then serve it when I’ve got it perfect.

I’m not a snotty cook, either. I don’t care if something is made from scratch, half from scratch with boxed stuff added as filler, or a meal put together from those old childhood friends Hormel, Chef Boyardee Green Giant, or Heinz. I’m an equal opportunity taster and cook. Of course, I always try to redo any dish I try where I’m told that it was half scratch or store bought, just to see if I can make it without using any commercial boxed products. I think my success rate is somewhere in the 90th percentile!

Creating the perfect tastes to entertain the dearest and most loved people in my life is my idea of true, complete, happiness.

And let’s be honest here: you should never prepare food without clothes on! Think of all the sensitive places you could burn or sear or – God forbid – slice while you are cooking!!! There’s a reason cooking aprons are a necessity in my kitchen. They not only protect my clothing from grease spatters, but they are an added layer in ensuring none of that hot grease crosses to my skin! Think about that for a second…..

So…I love to cook with my clothes on. Let’s see what some of the other authors and bloggers in the challenge like to do while dressed. And I’m really hoping next week’s prompt isn’t THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE NAKED! Hee hee MFRWAuthor 52 Week Blog Challenge.

And when I’m not cooking, you can find me here doing….other things than cooking!! Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

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July 4, 2018 · 4:00 am

#ChristmasInJulyFete

For the entire month of July, NNLightsBookHaven is sponsoring a Christmas In July Fete featuring dozens of romance authors  and a grand prize of a $100 Amazon ( US) gift card as a rafflecopter. Here’s the link for the contest: RAFFLECOPTER  

I’ll be featured on July 17, so make sure you check back at The Christmas in July Fete that day to see what I’m promoting for the (summer!) holiday season!

And when I’m not out celebrating the holiday season waaaaaaay early ( hee hee) you can find me here:

Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

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July 3, 2018 · 4:01 am

Summer Book Sale…

Fabulous news! My wonderful publisher is having a HUGE sale – 3 ebooks for $10.00 now until August 31 – so if you haven’t filled your summer reading list yet, now is the perfect time to do so. Here’s the link , and my first Lyrical book, COOKING WITH KANDY, book 1 in the Will Cook For Love series is featured in the sale! Start with this one, then if you like it – which of course you will(!) you can order the rest.

I love a book sale, don’t you?!

When I’m not attending book sales, you can find me here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Links for the WILL COOK FOR LOVE SERIES:

Kensington/Lyrical

Amazon

Barnes and Nobel

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July 2, 2018 · 8:39 am

Pre-packing…

In just 2 weeks I will be jetting off to the annual RWA conference in Denver, Co. My first time EVAH to Denver!!!

I, truthfully, can not wait! For sososo many reasons, not the least of which is the Pro-Literacy Event that takes place every year and is opened to the conference attendees and the general public. This year, once again, I will be signing books! YAY! Along with hundreds – YES, HUNDREDS  of other romance authors. IF you’re in Denver, or the vicinity, on Saturday, July 21, then come see us from 3-5 pm at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. All the proceeds from book sales goes to ProLiteracy, and benefits local and national literacy organizations. It’s a win/win: see your favorite author, buy a book you’ll love reading, and know that your purchase will help other people learn to read. Love that!!

I’ll be blogging about the Conference – as usual – which I’m attending it, so look for those posts from July 17-22. I’ll try to  post daily – sometimes I even manage twice.

I hope to see many new and familiar faces ( yours included) at the event.

And when I’m not busy conferencing, you can find me here:Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

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June 29, 2018 · 8:40 am

Face-time…

Week 26 already?? Yowza. Okay, so the prompt this week is My Favorite Indulgence. Why, then, is my post titled Face-time…?

Good question, and easy to answer.

I’ve mentioned about a million times on my writing blog and my menopause one  I am a skin care fanatic. F-A-N-A-T-I-C. I wasn’t always this way, though. In my teens, and through my early forties, I was a total sun worshipper. The darker I could tan in the summer, the better I  liked it.

Than I got melanoma and the fun went out of sun bathing for me. Now, I shun the sun like a vampire queen. After the melanoma was treated I switched my sun worship to skin worship. I began getting professional facials on a monthly basis – no inexpensive thing, that! I invested in 100 SPF sun lotion – again, not cheap, and I now have an entire wardrobe filled with wide brimmed hats in every color imaginable. I typically wear mid-to- long sleeves and I never go out of the house with first slathering myself in sun block.

A little excessive?
I prefer to to think of it as a self indulgent process of prevention.

The real self indulgence here though, is that I still get those monthly facials from an aesthetician. The prices have gone up yearly, but I don’t care. She keeps my skin glowing and healthy and is my first line of defense if she spots anything untoward cropping up. If she does, she tells me and I make an immediate appointment with my dermatologist.

If I had to give up something in order to continue paying for those treatments, rest assured I would. Even if it was something vital, like dessert!

To see what the other authors in this hop consider self indulgences, click here: MFRWauthor

And when I’m not getting facials you can find me here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

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