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.
February 6, 2014 · 6:34 pm

My Calendar

I was checking my writing calendar today – and yes, I have one that tells me what I’m going to be working on on any given day in the month – and today I was suppose to blog on my menopause site, Moments from Menopause. I realized I had nothing new to say on the topic, and since I hadn’t done any research so far this week for a blog entry, I decided to move over to this site and give you a little insight into my writing process. I realize that sounds slightly arrogant ( or more than slightly) my saying “my writing process,” but there really is a method to what I do.

Since I only have two days off during the week from my job that pays me a salary, and I’m usually involved with things during the weekend with hubby, I only have these two days in which to unleash my always spinning mind. Believe me, if I could type in my sleep, or even bring my laptop to my job, I would. During the night I can awaken two to three times with ideas that have formed, or character motivations that are always popping up in my unconscious mind. I try hard to remember them and when I wake up for good in the morning, I usually run to my laptop and jot them down. Usually. Menopause really has done a number on my memory and I’m lucky if I can remember half of what woke me up.

But back to my calendar. At the beginning of every month I make a notation on almost every day about what I want to write about or work on for that day. For instance, in january I blogged 14 times. This corresponded to the 14 post-its I had secured to certain days of the month. If I’m working on a new fiction story, I write the name of the work on the day I wish to work on it, so that serves as a reminder and then that day I’m devoted to just that work. This actually keeps me focused on one project at a time, since I have four to five that are going at any given time. It’s easier to devote an entire month to one work, than to try and split the time I do have free between all of them. Like I said, my mind is always spinning.

I hope one day to have a job that pays me to stay home and write every day of the week. In fact, I say a prayer to that effect every night.

And prayers, like wishes, do come true if you wish/pray hard enough.

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

February 4, 2014 · 8:07 pm

The origin of “TAWK TO ME”

Those of you who know me personally and have heard me speak, know there is little doubt that I grew up in Brooklyn, NY. My diction, the way I can’t pronounce the letters “er ” at the end of words ( I say “mutha” for “mother”) and my oft times nasal twang all give my birthplace a shout out.  So instead of calling  part of this site “Talk to Me,” I wanted you to really hear my voice when I said it, so “Tawk to me” is how it would sound if we were face to face.

This got me to thinking about my writing and writing in general when you want to bring your characters to life. The United States language is a huge mix of  accents, colloquialisms, and  cliched metaphors all melded together to form our wonderful country.  No one speaks the same way as someone else, and neither should your characters. They can share phrases, accents, and even diction, but each character should “sound” different even if they are from the same place.

I lived in Wisconsin for seven years and the natives called a water fountain a “bubbler,” and soda, “pop.”   In Brooklyn, my aunt called “Oil”, “Earl,” as in “they delivered some earl to the burna ( Burner!) yesterday and now I’ve got to pay for it.”

Wouldn’t you recognize someone who was from Ireland, if they said, “aye” and ‘Tis?” Or our neighbors to the north when they end every sentence with “eh?” Valley girls in California  spew “Oh, m’Gawd! and “Fer sures!” to this day. In the U.K. the words “Brilliant” and “bloody” are descriptive staples. Australians call each other “Sheila” and “Mate.”

Southerners say “Hey,” while northerners say “Hi.” Highly educated people wouldn’t think of saying “Gotta” or “lotta,” and my cousins would never end a sentence with “Don’t you agree?” They’d be more likely to say, “ya know?”

I live in New Hampshire now. Wicked weather, eh? (Get it?!)

So, “TAWK TO ME.” Tell me something, ask me a question, give me some needed guidance.  Just “TAWK TO ME.”

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February 2, 2014 · 10:55 am

Writing is my Oxygen

Peggy Jaeger’s love of writing began in the third grade when she won her first writing contest with a short story titled THE CLOWN. After that, there was no stopping her. Throughout college and after she became a Registered Nurse, she had several Nursing Journal articles published, in addition to many mystery short stories in Literary Magazines. When her daughter was born, Peggy had an article titled THE VOICES OF ANGELS published and reprinted in several parenting magazines, detailing the birth and the accident that almost turned this wonderful event into a tragedy. She had two children’s books published in 1995 titled THE KINDNESS TALES and EMILY AND THE EASTER EGGS, which was illustrated by her artist Mother-in-Law. While her daughter grew, Peggy would write age appropriate stories for her to read along with, and finally, to read on her own. Her YA stories are usually mysteries involving smart and funny 12-13 year old girls and an unusual collection of friends and relatives. They all take place in the 1980’s.

In 2005 she was thrilled to have an article on motherhood placed in the CHICKEN SOUP FOR EVERY MOTHER’S SOUL edition. She has won several awards in various Writer’s Digest short story and personal article categories over the years. Recently, she has placed first in the Dixie Kane 2013 Memorial Contest in the Short/Long Contemporary romance Category, and in the Single Title Contemporary Category, and third place in the ICO Romance Contest for 2013.

A life-long and avid romance reader and writer, she is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter. She has been a member of Sisters In Crime as well.

Peggy has embraced the techno age and writes for three blogs, all detailing events in her life. One titled, 50 pounds for 50 years is a personal blog about weight loss, one about her life as an EMPTY NESTER and her most recent one MOMENTS FROM MENOPAUSE, a humorous and informative guide through this time in a woman’s life.

She has a Master’s Degree in Nursing Administration and Geriatric Psychology and had several articles published on Alzheimer’s Disease when she ran an Alzheimer’s In-Patient care unit during the 1990’s.

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