I’m excited to announce that many of my indie books, will be available as part of a promotion on Smashwords through January 1 as part of their 2023 End of Year Sale! This is a chance to get some of my indie romances for FREE so you can get right to reading.
You will find my books listed here starting on December 15, so save the link: SMASHWORDS:PEGGYJAEGER
Please share this promo with the people in your life who like books about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them!!!
Lonely transit worker Lucy Eleanor Moderatz (Sandra Bullock) pulls her longtime crush, Peter (Peter Gallagher), from the path of an oncoming train. At the hospital, doctors report that he’s in a coma, and a misplaced comment from Lucy causes Peter’s family to assume that she is his fiancée. When Lucy doesn’t correct them, they take her into their home and confidence. Things get even more complicated when she finds herself falling for Peter’s sheepish brother, Jack (Bill Pullman).
I very – VERY – rarely offer any of my books for free, be they reader or print copy.
BUT…
For the next 5 days 12/15-19, my bestselling and newest addition to the NYC Socialites series, INFLUENCE, will be free – yes free! ZERO MONEY – exclusively on Amazon Kindle.
Why am I doing this? It’s the season for giving, after all, and I want everyone to have an opportunity to read one of my favorite books in the series. So, if you like stories about women who had it all, lost it, then got it back on their own and found love along the way, the NYC Socialites are for you. Why not start with INFLUENCE. I mean…it’s FREE!! LOL. What have you got to lose?
Today’s choice is NOT a romcom. I need to say that right away and if you’ve seen the movie, you know why it isn’t. Not in the true definition of a romance, anyway. But it is a good movie!
Nothing seems to go right for young Kate, a frustrated Londoner who works as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. But things soon take a turn for the better when she meets Tom — a handsome charmer who seems too good to be true. As the city transforms into the most wonderful time of the year, Tom and Kate’s growing attraction turns into the best gift of all — a Yuletide romance.
Day 3 gives us THE PREACHER’S WIFE, a remake of the original The Bishop’s Wife.
A cleric (Courtney B. Vance) begins to doubt himself and is visited by an angel (Denzel Washington). The heavenly emissary is supposed to help the good reverend over his midlife crisis, but he is distracted by the cleric’s lovely young wife (Whitney Houston).
Day two of my ambitious 12 days brings you A CHRISTMAS STORY
Based on the humorous writings of author Jean Shepherd, this beloved holiday movie follows the wintry exploits of youngster Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), who spends most of his time dodging a bully (Zack Ward) and dreaming of his ideal Christmas gift, a “Red Ryder air rifle.” Frequently at odds with his cranky dad (Darren McGavin) but comforted by his doting mother (Melinda Dillon), Ralphie struggles to make it to Christmas Day with his glasses and his hopes intact.
I’m kicking off my 12 days of my favorite holiday movies with a classic: Miracle on 34th street, the original 1947 version with child star Natalie Wood.
In this Christmas classic, an old man going by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an intoxicated Santa in Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Kringle proves to be such a hit that he is soon appearing regularly at the chain’s main store in midtown Manhattan. When Kringle surprises customers and employees alike by claiming that he really is Santa Claus, it leads to a court case to determine his mental health and, more importantly, his authenticity.
On Saturday, December 16, 2023, from 11 am until 1pm I will be at the TOADSTOOLBOOKSHOP in Keene, NH, discussing and signing my newest releases. Hope to see you there! And remember: Books make great gifts – for others and yourself, so why not treat yourself to a little romance this holiday season?!
Because we’re all in the holiday mood, here’s a snippet from this year’s Dickens Holiday Romance addition, DON’T MESS WITH THE MISTLETOE, out now in print and e-copy. Books make great gifts, kids – for the romance reader on your list and you!
I love when siblings tease one another because there is such a wealth of history behind it. In this snippet, Michael’s sister Abra goes all out in the tease-department.
When his sisters walked into the diner five minutes later, he had his answer.
“I need your help,” he said without preamble as he sidled up to their table, two glasses of ice water and menus in his hands. He plopped them all down on the countertop.
“Shove in,” he commanded Sasha.
His sisters looked up at him, eyes questioning, then at one another. Abra’s left eyebrow rose to kiss her hairline, while Sasha stifled a laugh as she moved so he could sit next to her.
With the privilege of birth rank and the dry sarcasm her book fans adored, Abra spoke first. “Good morning to you, too, little brother. We’re good, thanks for asking. Both a little tired, but that’s to be expected in our ready-to-pop-states. And how are you on this fine, cold day?” She took a sip of her water.
Exasperation drilled through him. While Sasha ultimately let the laugh go, Michael’s jaw clamped down so hard his back molars whacked against one another. He’d for sure be using the bottle of Ibuprofen Amy kept in her desk sometime today.
He fisted his hands on the table then opened and flexed them a few times as he told himself to keep calm. “Listen. I’m in a bind.”
Both their teasing smiles dissolved.
“What’s wrong?” Sasha asked, at the same time Abra said, “What happened?”
“Nothing happened.” He explained about the late hours and the way things were looking back at the house. Dragging a hand through his hair the knowledge it was a month or so behind a cut just added to the list of things needing tending in his life.
“I don’t know how mom manages to run this place and keep the house looking so good. In addition to the baking she does for here, which I haven’t done, just FYI, because –hello! – I have no idea what to do and no time to do it even if I did.”
“I can help with that,” Sasha said. “I’ve got mom’s pie recipes at home. I’ll bake a few today and have Steve bring them by in the morning when he heads to the hospital.”
“Thanks, Sash.” He looked across the table at Abra.
“What?”
“Think you can stop by the house and run a load or two of laundry for me? I’m not asking you to clean the place up. I don’t want you lifting anything, but I need,” he glanced furtively around them, “stuff. I haven’t done laundry since I’ve been here and I’ve run out of everything.”
“And by everything you mean underwear?” she asked.
“Jesus, Abs. Keep your voice down, will ya?”
“You wearing repeats?” she asked, having difficulty keeping the laugh from ringing in her voice, “Or are you commando underneath those pants?”
Embarrassing him had been her full-time job when he was a teenager. Six years older, Sasha always felt she needed to look out for him as a kid. When he grew seven inches between his twelfth and thirteenth birthdays and had started towering over her, she’d decided taking him down a peg or two was her lot in life as a big sis. As adults, she still felt the need to exert her birth order status.
Heat rose up his neck at her question. The fact Julia happened to arrive at their table, her order book poised in her hand, at the same moment made him want to dissipate into a plume of mortified smoke and dissolve away. No way she hadn’t heard Abra’s question.
Today’s Friday five is a holiday version… Here are the five things I think you should do – or consider doing -during the holiday season:
attend a holiday concert. It can be your kid’s high school band concert or a midnight mass carol concert. But the music of the season is special and should be enjoyed.
Have a gift-wrapping party with your friends. You provide the wrapping, they provide the…wine. LOL
Play holiday music in your house and the car whenever you are driving. And then, don’t be afraid to sing along, even if people stare at you from other cars. Who cares? You’re in the holiday spirit!
bake cookies. I routinely make 30 dozen every year to give out to friends and people my husband works with. Your house will smell great and you’ll finally get to use all your baking skills.
Volunteer. There’s nothing that denoted the holiday spirit than giving back. Ring bells for the Salvation Army. Spend a few hours at your local food bank or soup kitchen. Donate to Toys for Tots or better yet, be a deliverer!
The holiday season is a time of remembrance, giving, and sharing. It’s not just for overeating, getting smashed at parties, and getting presents. Remember that.
Peggy Jaeger, Author 