Author Archives: Peggy Jaeger

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About Peggy Jaeger

I've been many things in my life,but the most consistent is WRITER.

A visit from Author Isla Grey

Today I’m please to have Wild Rose Press Author ISLA GREY visiting with me.  The first time I heard her lovely name, I wanted to know more about her. From her website I found out she’s like me in that she loves a good story and has been writing for almost as long as she can remember. And – also like me – she’s a pen and post-it hoarder!

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Isla Grey hails from Central Virginia and still lives in the same small town she grew up in. She developed a love of writing at an early age and over the years has tried her hand at penning poetry (some good, some not so good), screenwriting, newspaper articles and historical stories. She’s “old school” when it comes to writing and is a hoarder of more pens, post-it notes and writing journals than she’ll ever need. Isla likes to write different types of stories from romance to mystery and anything in between and loves a “happy for now but there could be some bad things coming” feel. When Isla’s not writing, she spends her time being called “Mom, Mama, Mommy” (well, you get the picture) by her daughter who is forever active, even in her sleep. She considers herself an unofficial “cat whisperer” and is a pet human to a plethora of cats that have taken up residence at her home over the years. Isla also enjoys reading a good biography or ghost story, traveling even though “there’s no place like home”, good music played loud and walking.

Isla loves movies and is the movie mistakes editor at Bellaonline.com where she talks about…well…movies. Her novella, “A Voice in the Dark”, is available now and her book, “Asylum Harbor”, is also available now through Wild Rose Press.

Here’s the blurb and a little taste from this exciting new novel:

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Blurb

Trouble is the last thing Devon Brown needs when she leaves the painful memories of her past behind and heads to Shell Island. As the Salty Dog’s new bartender, she finds herself drawn to Kerr, the Shell Island harbormaster. But finding her happily-ever-after is difficult when dealing with an obnoxious bootlegger who supplies the bar with illegal liquor and a jealous coworker.

A standoffish loner with damaged emotions, Kerr avoids relationships like the plague. Things change when Devon catches his eye. As a simple flirtation grows serious, the coworker and bootlegger quickly become obstacles to any future Kerr and Devon may have together. As the situation worsens, Devon realizes that even the still waters of Asylum Harbor are no refuge during a storm.

Excerpt:

        “You already got dibs on this one Kerr?”

         Porter shot an evil glare at the opposite end of the bar and looked back toward her. “I’ll see you tonight.” He flicked his tongue. “After work.” He raised his glass in a mock toast and chugged it in one gulp.

         The lights dimmed for Victoria’s dance of the night. Devon watched Kerr, who was usually headed for the exit by now, and breathed a sigh of relief when he remained glued to his seat with his back to the stage. He wasn’t staying for Victoria’s peep show. There must have been something about this Porter character that got under his skin in a bad way.

         Devon was eager for the quick break. She hustled to the back as the chords to “Simply Irresistible” began to pelt over the speakers and ran some cold water over her forearm. A red welt was beginning to show where Porter had held onto it. She hoped he would be gone by the time she got back.

       Making it out before mid-song, Devon rounded the bar when someone snagged her wrist and thrust her hard against the bar, knocking the wind out of her. She could smell Porter’s alcohol-laced breath as his weight pinned her under him. One of his grubby hands shot under her shirt while the other wrestled with the button on her pants. “Let’s give them a real show.”

         She struggled to reach the Equalizer, but it remained hidden, out of her grasp. Devon hoisted her knee toward his crotch, but Porter lost his balance and fell backward before she could make contact.

         Kerr towered over him. “Get your hands off her.”

You can connect with Isla at:

Website: http://www.islagrey.com/

Blog: http://www.islagrey.com/islas-inklings

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorIslaGrey

Twitter: https://twitter.com/IslaGrey1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/islagrey

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00MMTEYEK

Book Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDfqmyddcQ4

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Filed under love, Romance, Romance Books

Hungry for something spicy and new?

MFRW BOOK HOOKS BLOG HOP is today!!!

click on the link at the bottom and discover your next favorite author! But first…..

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here’s a little sumthin’ sumthin’ from my new release, FIRST IMPRESSIONS. Padric Cleary is hungry and not just for food!

“Clarissa,” he whispered, his nose nuzzling along the outer edge of her jaw.

“Y-yes?”

His lips skimmed her throat, trailing lazily along the column of her blouse. He placed an open-mouthed, wet kiss along the skin beneath her ear, and she finally let out the breath she’d been holding, fearful she would faint dead away if she didn’t.

“I smell turkey,” he said softly, and took her ear lobe into his mouth.

As he gently sucked on it, Clarissa felt a punch of lust straight through her midsection. “Wh-what?” She gasped when his tongue slid against her throat.

“And biscuits.”

“Biscuits?” Confusion vied with a hunger that had nothing to do with food.

“Mmmm. Turkey and biscuits.” He licked her collarbone and then sucked at the skin covering it.

Oh, sweet Jesus.”

With a smile dancing on his lips, he pulled back and looked at her face. “Clarissa, I’m starving.”

She blinked a few times.

“You wouldn’t, by any chance, want to share your dinner with me, would you? Friend.”

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Blurb:
Family Practice Doctor Clarissa Rogers’ first impression of Padric Cleary is biased and based on gossip. The handsome, charming veterinarian is considered a serial dater and commitment-phobic by his family and most of the town. Relationship shy, Clarissa refuses to lose her heart to a man who can’t pledge himself to her forever.

Pat Cleary, despite his reputation, is actually looking for “The One.” When he does give his heart away, he wants it to be for life. With his parent’s marriage as his guidebook, he wants a woman who will be his equal and soul mate in every way. 
 
Can Pat convince everyone – including Clarissa – she’s the only woman for him?

Buy Links:

Amazon     The Wild Rose Press     Barnes & Noble

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Tweet me     Pin me     Friend me    Read me     Visit me

 

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Filed under Alpha Male, Author, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga, First Impressions, Friends, Romance, Strong Women

An homage to Lizzy Bennett….

It’s no secret Pride and Prejudice is my all time favorite romance novel. I’ve written ad nauseam about my love for it. Gone with The Wind comes close, but I always view that book more of a love tragedy than a triumph. One of the reasons P&P is so near and dear to my heart is its heroine, the feisty, intelligent, loyal Elizabeth Bennett. I put her right up there with Xena. Lizzy may not have been a warrior princess, defending land and country with a spear and a wicked drop kick, but she is certainly – in my humble opinion – a kick-ass romance chickita.

I recently read a very good piece titled 9 Reason’s we will always love Elizabeth Bennett. These include:

  • She never received a formal education, but made sure to educate herself.
  • She was confident and sure of herself, and even someone as imposing as Mr. Darcy couldn’t intimidate her.
  • She always put her family first
  • And would definitely have nothing to do with a man who dared to insult them.
  • She wouldn’t accept a partner for reasons less than love…
  • An ideal she stuck to, in spite of the fact that marrying Collins would have given her financial security, something no woman in her time could get on her own.
  • She understood the importance of kindness over money and a harp tongue
  • She never, ever took advantage of Mr. Darcy’s feelings for her
  • And she always, always spoke her mind.

To sum all that up, Lizzy didn’t take anyone’s crap, be it from the snivelingly Mr Collins, who could make her family’s future miserable, or from the snotty Lady Catherine de’Bourge, a high born woman of power and influence. She stayed true to herself as a woman and as a person,  believed love conquered all, and that marriage should be for love and nothing else.

See? Kick-Ass romance chickita!

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My Sexy Saturday109 – GirlfriendsRUs

This week’s theme: My Sexy Girlfriend

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This is our nod to all the sexy girlfriends out there. We know all about a sexy girlfriend and how their lover feels about them. There are the hidden looks, the longing gaze, the love shining in their eyes and all the things that come with love. The girlfriends can in all shapes and sizes because sexy has no bounds.  We love sexy and it’s always so fun to share.

Sexy can be anything, such as romantic moments like walks on the beach, a home cooked meal or even in another galaxy. It could be two lovers here on Earth dreaming about the day where they go on a magical vacation to another planet. Or staying right here at one of those wonderful places we can find in our own world.

Sexy has nothing to do with looks or status or even wealth. It doesn’t demand perfection and it isn’t pretentious but it does make us want to read those books.

We know that everyone has their own idea of sexy and we all love sexy!

This scene is from my new release FIRST IMPRESSIONS.

“Did you know about this?” Clarissa asked, her brown eyes moist as they peered up at him.

He nodded. “Moira and I talked about it at Alaina’s christening. I know you were shocked when we came through the door and saw everyone, but we really wanted you to have a party, Clarissa, and a surprise seemed fitting. I hope you’re okay with it.”

She squeezed his arm as shiny tears pooled in the outer corners of her eyes. Before he could say another word, she laid a hand across his cheek, and, with what he knew were several pair of inquiring, nosey eyes watching them, kissed him softly on the lips.

Somewhere behind them he heard his mother sigh.

“It’s the nicest, sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me,” she said. “Thank you.”

He wanted to tell her there would be a lifetime of parties from now on, since he was never going to let her go. She never had to worry again about being alone on her birthday, or any other day. The notion he wanted her with him, in his life, forever, shook him to his very core. But it wasn’t unease he felt. It was absolute joy.

With another nod, he said, “Okay then, let’s go have a party.”

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My Sexy Saturday Blog hop. Click on and find some Sexy new authors.

Buy links:

Amazon:    Wild Rose Press   Barnes & Noble

Tweet me     Read me    Pin me    Find me 

 

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Filed under Alpha Male, Author, Characters, Contemporary Romance, First Impressions, love, MacQuire Women, Romance, Romance Books, Strong Women

Where would you like to go?

As a writer, I can put my characters anywhere in the world I’d like to see them. I can take them to exotic tropical locales, heart-stopping mountainsides, even underwater to a coral reef. Of course, I can also leave them at home and just have them wish  and pine to be taken elsewhere.Hawaii-maui

One of the underlying themes in all my books is that there really is – as Dorothy asserted – no place like home. We’re comfortable there; it’s familiar; for most of us, safe. Home is where that proverbial heart is and many characters never leave the comfy confines of the places they grew up in. Some of the best stories I’ve ever read concern characters who were born, lived and died in the same place. And they were happy. I love to write coming-home stories because I feel as Dorothy did. Surrounded by the people who love you best, homecoming stories have a special place in my heart.

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But isn’t it kind of great to have wanderlust? To dream about being shipwrecked on a tropical island, or snowbound on a majestic mountainside? Of course, since I write romance stories, it would have to be the hero and heroine who are snowbound and shipwrecked, because, where’s the fun if it’s just one character? Unfamiliar territory brings with it all sorts of plot lines, character growth and development, and of course the ability to bring two people together who might never have met otherwise. Agatha Christie was famous for taking her characters and dropping them all over the world.

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Let your imagination take you – and your characters  – anywhere they want to go.

 

 

 

 

 

What if your H/H were running from  a band of thieves in a Moroccan souk?

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Or trying to escape from a group of militant terrorists in the African jungle?

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You have the power to put your characters anywhere you want them to be, whether it’s in a small town in the middle of America or the largest city in the world. Like your kids, they go where you take them. And like your kids they complain, moan about almost everything, but ultimately come to the conclusion that the trip was worthwhile and fun.

So, where in the world have your characters gone? Let’s discuss….

smalltonamerica

 

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How does your heroine smell?

A while back I did a blog titled How does your hero smell? It was a light-hearted, but serious-intended piece about using your sense of smell as writer. Today, the tables are being metaphorically turned onto your heroine. So, for lack of a better title, How does your heroine smell?

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Girls are supposed to smell, well, like girls. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a female character referred to as smelling “manly” in a book…not in any I’ve read, anyway. But aside from describing to your reader how your protagonist smells like the inside of an exotic flowering hothouse, or dousing her in buckets of eau d’parfume, what sensory motivators can you use?

We’ve all heard the line sugar and spice and everything nice; that’s what little girls are made of. Well, what about big girls? I kind of think the same thing applies.smell3

Let me ‘splain it you, Lucy.

What does sugar really smell like? Well, we know it tastes sweet, so that colors what our sense of smell tells us it’s like. What, aside from sugar, is sweet? A few things come to mind for me: chocolate, vanilla, cherries, apples. You get the idea. Maybe your heroine smells like warm vanilla pudding, or caramels melting over ripe apples. She sounds good enough to eat, right? And if she does to us, she does to the hero, too (don’t even go there! This is a G-rated blog).

So what spices come to mind when you hear the above saying? When I think of spices I think of tangy, potent ones like cinnamon and nutmeg, citrus and lemongrass. Stuff that I recognize when it hits my tastebuds. Spicy can also be hot, like peppers – although I’d rather name a character Pepper than describe her as smelling like one. Maybe it’s just me, but if I read a character described as smelling like a chili pepper, I’d first think she worked in a Mexican restaurant and I’d have an immediate vision of her that might not be anything like the author wanted. Although now that I think that through….hummmmm.

Back to smells.

The end of the saying tells us girls smell like everything nice. Well, what smells nice to you may not smell nice to me. For instance, I love the smell of coffee brewing, but wouldn’t want to go around smelling like an urn all day. There’s a commercial out right now for – I think, Honey Bunches of Oats – where the line worker goes shopping after working all day at the cereal plant and she says people around her sniff and say they smell cookies. She tells them, “nah, that’s me. I just came from work. You’re just smelling Honey Bunches of Oats.” Now, I don’t think I want to smell like cereal, but you certainly remember the commercial, and therefore the product, so somebody wrote something good there! What smells nice to you? Cotton sheets that have been line-dried smell nice; lemonaid smells nice. Lots of things do.

The lesson learned here is that men and women smell very differently and when we write sensory descriptions, we really need to keep sex ( read: Gender) in mind. I wouldn’t want to write my hero as smelling like a full blooming hothouse jasmine flower laced with sin, but I would describe my heroine that way. Only better, because that line is a little cheesy… and very poorly written. But you get the idea.

So, how do your heroines smell? Let’s discuss…

'I like a boy in my class. Do you have anything that smells like peanut butter?'

‘I like a boy in my class. Do you have anything that smells like peanut butter?’

 

 

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MySexy Saturday # 108

 

Here’s a sexy scene from my upcoming 9/23/15 release FIRST IMPRESSIONS

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Her fingernails raked over the muscles of his torso, and with feather-light movements, twirled and dipped around his nipples, now as taut as hers.

He pulsed against her lap, hot and solid, and every time her tongue sucked at his, he grew even harder.

“I want to be inside you,” he whispered into her ear, taking the lobe between his teeth and biting, “pounding into you until we’re both senseless. But I want to go slow, too. I want to learn every beautiful inch of you, everything that gives you pleasure.” He pulled back and gazed into half closed lids, drunk and hooded with desire. “And then I want to make you come as many times as I can. Over and over.”

He watched her open those cocoa-colored eyes wide, so dark now he couldn’t see where the pupils ended and the color began, and swallowed. Hard.

Her cheeks flushed with a rosy pink hue, offsetting the paleness of her perfect skin. Skin he wanted to run his hands, his teeth, and his tongue across. And then do it again.
“No one’s ever said that to you before, have they?”

She shook her head, the movement causing her unsecured breasts to sway enticingly against his hands.

“I intend to say it to you as often as I can.” He took her face between his hands and gently rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs. “Clarissa. I want you so much. So much.”

BUY LINKS:

amazon.com:

The WIld Rose press:

Barnes & Noble

 

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10 things I should have said better…if I’d only stopped to think first

I love lists and top 10 lists – like Letterman’s – are my favorites. Here are the things my impulse control issues could have done without giving a voice to:

DuhKid

  1. That’s not really your natural hair color, is it?
  2. You can’t raise someone else’s kids, but someone should volunteer to raise yours.
  3. Nosey, much?
  4. When was the actual last time you washed your hair?
  5. That color does nothing for you sallow complexion.
  6. Oh yeah… a diet that includes French fries and beer and you can’t figure out why you can’t lose weight? Really?
  7. Stupid, much?
  8. The last time I looked, stupid and ignorant weren’t things to be proud of.
  9. Did I just say that out loud? Shit.
  10. ….and the absolute worst thing I ever said to someone: You went to an actual school to learn how to do that? Really? They pay someone to teach that?

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I’ll leave it to your imaginations to figure out what I was referring to. ( LOL)

Ever say something you wish you’d said in a nicer, better way? Let’s discuss….

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Author, Contemporary Romance, Life challenges, Romance, Strong Women

Reflecting…

Yesterday was the 18th anniversary of the shocking death of Princess Diana. It’s so hard to believe it’s been that many years.

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In 1997 I was 37, my daughter was 8.  When the news broke, I’ll admit it, I lost it. Completely. I came apart so emotionally that day, I scared my daughter. She’d never had someone die in her life up to that time and was unprepared for how I took it, how it effected a person.

There’s a lot about that day, and the next week until her burial, that I’ll never forget. I sat glued to my living room chair, watching the news 24/7. It was the lead story everywhere, every station, every channel whether it was cable or broadcast tv. What I remember most was the shock, the jaw dropping shock, the looks of utter befuddlement, that crossed anyone and everyone who was interviewed. No one could have predicted the loss of such an amazing, vital, beautiful person  at such a young age from such a stupid event as a drunken driver.

One of the news broadcasters asked if we’d be as shocked and horrified as a people if she’d died from an illness, or been assassinated by a terrorist group. Why was it her death at the hands of someone not in control that was so hard to believe? The amount of grief running through the world from her death was incalculable. I thought it was a stupid question at the time and still do. We’d have been shocked at any way in which she’d be taken from us.

Diana was one year younger than I was. I, like one hundred million people worldwide, watched her get married. I celebrated the true romantic fairytale-come-to-life that we were led to believe was real. I celebrated the birth of her sons with her, and then mourned the death of her marriage, because a fairy tale doesn’t really end at “they lived happily ever after.”

Diana was my age-peer, but we had so much more in common than just our chronological age. We both suffered from very public eating disorders, exacerbated by stress and loneliness; both felt the ravishes of being from divorced parents; both wanted to  be people pleasers so we’d know our value in the world. Sure, she married a prince and I married an ophthalmologist, but even though she was considered a Royal, the world – myself included – considered her one of us. No other Royal to date has been able to garnish the love from the common man that Diana did.

A short week later, on September 5, 1997, Mother Teresa died and I remember my daughter asked me why two such beloved women had to die at the same time. I had no wisdom for her, only what my heart told me: God must have needed them in Heaven really badly for him to take them both from us.

The world has changed dramatically  since August 31, 1997. For a very brief time we were given the gift of having Diana in it. All she ever wanted was to be the Queen of People’s Hearts. It’s too bad she had to leave us before she knew she was…..

diana-princess-of-wales

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Dream a dream…wish a wish….

I receive a GOODREADS email/update almost every day – for which I am thankful. I lovelovelove Goodreads. One thing I’ve noticed in my notifications ( too much alliteration, there?) are the reader updates. A listing of what people I follow or my “friends” are currently reading.  If you have a KINDLE, the device – or I guess Amazon, really, plugs you into Goodreads when you start and finish the book so you can update your progress. I do this too, I list the book I’m into at the moment, and then mark it when I’m done as “read.” I always rate it, sometimes review it.

Yesterday, I received an email update with what 74 of my friends are reading. Goodreads lists the person’s name, along with book title and cover. Of those 74 updates ( and there were 531 books being read or added to my friend’s lists) I didn’t see mine, once. I realized, at that moment, how much it would really mean to me as an author to see my book cover and title plastered onto someone’s Currently Reading or Read column.

Conceited, much??

Nah, just a hopeful author looking for readers who like my work. So, if you’re on Goodreads and you’ve read one of my books……….

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