So I was watching a tiktok video the other day from a book creator who said she is disgusted with her arc readers because they haven’t been keeping up their end of the bargain.
What bargain, you ask? Well, this one: When you make an arc signup list, send it out into the cyber ether and people sign up to read your book prior to publication, there is an unwritten rule ( shall we say) that you will read the book in a timely fashion and post a review to any of the review sites. Now, Goodreads, Bookbub and a few others will let you post a review of an advanced reader copy ( ARC) prior to publication while amazon will not until after the publication date and then a verified purchase of the said book, in most cases.
This author was disgusted because she approved and sent out 200 arcs of her newest book and only 2 people have posted reviews.
Let’s unpack that…
First: 200 arcs???!!! I don’t even sell a quarter of that amount of books when I publish a new book, much less give that many away, because that is what an arc book is: a gift. You will make no money from it as an author. In fact, you lose money because you have to pay for the physical copy ( an author’s proof), then pay for shipping. Now some places and people only do e-copies as arcs, Netgalley comes to mind and some indie authors. But the majority do physical copies. So…loss, loss, loss. I am not in this business to lose money, kids.
Second: Unless stated in the sign- up form explicitly stating that the arc reader MUST post to certain sites on such and such a date, the author can’t complain that things weren’t done in a timely manner.
Third: If such dates and sites were listed as a requirement to getting the arc copy, and again, it’s FREE to the reader, the only recourse the author has is to never give another book to that reader again. You can’t sue them, or publicly out them for not doing what they agreed to because that’s slander and could open you up to a litigious situation. Having said that I’ve seen tiktoks where authors have done this and they have been censured, vilified, and canceled for “outing” their arc readers in a poor light.
This is why I choose not to give out public arcs. I barely have time to do my media marketing, much less chase down people who aren’t posting reviews for my books.
I use Booksprout exclusively for my arcs from people I don’t know because Booksprout has a verified and true system for making sure their readers do what they are supposed to, namely, read and review in a timely fashion. I have a selected few readers of my own whom I will always send a new book to for review prior to publication because I trust them to be honest ( even if they don’t like the book) and post their reviews in the time frame I ask. I trust them which is more than I can say for stangers. I will continue to use these readers as long as they want to read my words, which, hopefully, is forever.
I have been told by other authors that I am missing out on reviews by not sending out multiple arcs to people, especially book influencers. To that I say, bologne! First of all, I don’t have a big name in the industry (yet!) and big name book influencers don’t have reputations for reading authors who aren’t big names. They want to get traction for their videos and reviews and big name authors give them that. Second, I don’t have the money to be sending out books to people all over the world. Paying for author copies and then postage is cost prohibitive to me. I had one author say to me, well, that is a way for you to get your work seen. Sure, but at what cost? I am paying for the book, then the cost to mail it, and with no real guarantee spending that money will get me anywhere, career and publicity-wise. The response I got to that was “it pays to take a chance.” Not when you don’t have the money to begin with and I am not putting myself in debt on the odd chance I’ll get a 5 star review that will not garner me any new real organic readers.
Do I sound bitter? I don’t mean to. It’s just that with the advent of AI – where people are shoving out books by the ton daily that are computer written – and tiktok influencers, it is harder than ever for an author to gain any traction and find new readers.
Now, more than any time in recent memory, we as women need to stand up, fight, protest, be heard and be our own advocates because it’s obvious there are powers that are trying to silence us, strip us of our freedoms, and tell us what we can do with our bodies.
Today is International Women’s Day. D something today to celebrate the day with your daughters, nieces, gal friends, mothers and co-horts. Call your local representatives and make sure they are supporting women’s rights. If not, vote them out.
We need to lift one another up, back each other up, and show up for one another in every way possible so that we can protect our rights as human beings. We are half the population of this earth. We deserve a place at the table – a prominent place – and it is our right as human beings to be seen, respected, revered, and heard.
Sable groaned as she spotted her oldest aunt, Teresa, moving like a heat-seeking missile across the ballroom straight for her.
ALWAYS BEING A BRIDESMAID IS GETTING OLD…
Pediatrician Sable Miller is sick and tired of being the go-to, dependable bridesmaid in all her family and friends’ weddings. But her demanding job, the ridiculous hours, and endless family commitments keep her from finding the perfect man. A matchmaking service? Sounds like too much work. Swipe right dating? Not her thing. The bar scene? When was the last time she even had an evening free to go to a bar?
And forget about dating the myriad of on-the-make doctors and residents in her hospital. Besides, workplace romances never work out.
Sable’s options to meet the man of her dreams and start a family are dwindling and time is running out, because she promised herself the next wedding she would attend would be her own.
Kristopher Lee, the Physician’s Assistant assigned to Sable has a crush on his new mentor. But she’s got a hands-off rule when it comes to dating someone she works with. Kris is nothing if not persistent, though. After all, he didn’t survive three tours in the Army without focusing on a goal. And making Sable Miller fall in love with him is his best goal yet.
By now you’ve guessed I’m in the middle of a media marketing blitz to make sure I can let as many people as possible know about my upcoming crime drama, Vendetta.
Today, I want to tell you 5 things about the book to hopefully whet your appetite and get you to preorder it.
It’s a revenge plot – something I love to read and write!
It has a backstory of grooming. Nothing is actually shown on the page with this, but the implication is all in the backstory, so if this is a mental issue for you, you shouldn’t be triggered.
It concerns a family annihilator and the aftereffects on the people involved in his life.
There’s a high-speed car crash, a car bombing, and another dramatic car chase, all resulting in injuries to the protagonists.
The book is told in 3 time capsules: before, now, and the in-between.
Book Blurb:
A high-speed car accident and the bombing of his wife’s car convince FBI SSA Tucker Petrie that he is the target of a killer. Discovering who the person is before another attempt is made becomes the focus of Tucker’s life. With his former partner and best friend, Kella Calloway, by his side, Tucker and his team form a shadow investigation into a series of FBI agent killings no one in power has connected the dots to yet.
With the clock ticking and another agent killed, Tucker, Kella, and the team do everything in their power to put an end to the killer’s plan of revenge.
I hope I’ve convinced you to preorder the book. It’s available in print ( hardback and paperback) and ecopy and the ecopy is only #99cents now and for the first week after the publication. On April 7, 2026, the price returns to its regular sum of 3.99 for ecopy.
If you like CSI, Criminal Minds, and SVU and are a true crime netflix junkie, this book is for you.
Reviews:
Goodreads:
5 stars “I was hooked from page one until the end.”
5 stars: “Reading this story is like being in an episode of Criminal Minds, which is one of my favorite shows.”
5 stars: “The tension is brilliantly built and with everything happening in the story, I kept turning page after page!”
Add it to you GOODREADS WANT TO READ LIST: VENDETTA
“I swear, if one more aunt corners me and says she’s got the perfect girl for me, I’m gonna pull a Usain and Bolt outta here,” Chance Miller said as he plopped into his assigned seat at his cousin’s wedding reception.
Chance Miller, divorce lawyer extraordinaire, knows the whole happily ever after dream is an urban myth. He deals with miserable and wedded warring couples every day and swears staying single keeps him sane and happy. His friends and family consider him the last single man standing and fear he’ll never find someone and settle down. But Chance relishes his carefree status and unencumbered lifestyle and has no plans to change anything.
If only his relatives would stop trying to set him up with their version of the perfect woman.
Fredrika Poole already experienced her one great love, and the widow can’t read any future romance in her tea leaves. She’s content to bake, run her business, and care for her daughter.
When Chance meets Freddie and discovers her marriage thoughts run on the same road his do, he realizes she’s the answer to his prayer for keeping the relatives at bay. But the pixie barista has a way of making Chance question everything he’s always thought about love, marriage, and wedded bliss.
Will his last man standing status go unchallenged? Or will Freddie be the one woman he wants…but can never have?
2026 is a scaled down personal event year for me for several reasons, not the least of which is financial.
But I am doing a few, and in April this one has me so excited I can’t stand it! The New England Book Ball is a debut event at the top of one of New Hampshire’s premier vacation spots!
2 days of communing with authors, a book signing, a ball! An actual get dressed up ball! That one has me on pins and needles with excitement. I’ve got to get a dress!!!
There’s a book cover contest where the readers present will vote on their favorite author book covers.
This is a great way to get new to me readers to engage with my books and me!
On the instagram page, you have to scroll all the way down to the very first post to see this picture:
because I jumped on the bandwagon EARLY when this event was announced. I love a debut event and this one promises to be fabulous.
There are also going to be author panels with reader discussions and I’m a few of those as well, so yay!
I hope you can make it. I will surely be posting and filming from this event to let everyone know how it goes.
A high-speed car accident and the bombing of his wife’s car convince FBI SSA Tucker Petrie that he is the target of a killer. Discovering who the person is before another attempt is made becomes the focus of Tucker’s life. With his former partner and best friend, Kella Calloway, by his side, Tucker and his team form a shadow investigation into a series of FBI agent killings no one in power has connected the dots to yet.
With the clock ticking and another agent killed, Tucker, Kella, and the team do everything in their power to put an end to the killer’s plan of revenge.
By now you’ve all seen this picture and/or the video of Alysa Liu winning the gold at the Milan 2026 Olympics
20 years old and one of the wisest, smartest humans on the planet.
Why do I say this?
If you don’t know her story, you should Google it. After a disappointing showing at the last Olympics, she hung up her skates, stopped skating altogether, and did what a normal teenager should do. She hung out with friends, started college, and basically took a mental health break away from the grueling competition mindset because she couldn’t find the joy in skating any longer.
Alysa loved ice skating since the moment she went on skates. But that love became tarnished when the stress of always being in competitive mode took a toll on her. So, she stepped away and rediscovered her life, and eventually, her love of skating again just for the sheer joy of it.
If you watched her performance last week, you saw a confident, happy, strong – both physically and mentally – young woman who was doing what she loved and didn’t care if she won a medal or not. She is a true performer, and you could see how much she loved her sport and how much she was enjoying herself while she skated with billions of eyes on her. Throughout her program she never lost her smile; her sass; her absolute euphoria at skating.
And for the girl who didn’t care if she medaled or not, she took home the biggest prize of all ( and I don’t mean just the gold medal, which of course, she won). She took home the fact that when you take time and simply enjoy what you are doing because you love it more than anything else, you will always be a winner.
We’ve seen this attitude before.
Remember Simone Biles at the last 2 Olympics? She quit one because of the mental stressors coming at her from every angle. She lost her focus and desire to compete and began doubting herself. So she stopped competing, took a break and just took time to be Simone Biles, young woman, not Olympic gymnast. And with time, she regained her love for the sport, came back, competed, and won – both physically, mentally, and, of course, medally!
What have these two beautiful, talented, and strong women shown us?
First and foremost, your mental health is everything. In any part of life, be it competition, your job, your marriage, anything, if you are struggling with stress, depression, fear, you will not be the best person you can be or experience happiness.
Second, it’s okay to step away. Ignore the critics who say you are copping out. They don’t live in your head. Ignore the nay-sayers. Get over the disappointment on the faces of people. They don’t get to shame you for something you are struggling with. Surround yourself with the people who truly believe in you- you the person, not the athlete, or writer, or any other profession.
I have struggled often in the past 11 years with my writing career. No sales, poor reviews, not feeling motivated to put myself out there to do all the social media crap and publicity authors need to do to get their work in front of readers. Lost revenue from events where I paid out thousands and didn’t sell one book. I struggle daily with anxiety that I am not good enough, my writing sucks, and there’s a monumental reason no one is reading what I write.
But I haven’t stepped away. I’ve barreled through because that’s what I was always told to do. My generation ( gen Jones) were pushed by parents, teachers, bosses, and told to “buck up” and “get over it,” and all that has done is increase my anxiety.
This is why I say Alysa Liu is one of the smartest people on the planet. She walked away from something she loved when her joy abated and her spirit was stressed. I don’t consider what she did a fault at all. I am proud of her and anyone who makes this decision. The world right now is a dark, sad, frightening place. I struggle daily with trying to write light and fluffy romance to help bring a few hours of happiness to readers, a few hours of escape from the issues surrounding us all when I am in constant fear of my rights being torn away and my granddaughter havinga future where she doesn’t have autonomy over herself and her body. I never thought I would need to escape those issues, too, but Alysa and Simone, although they are generations and decades younger than I am, have taught me it’s okay to stop; to say no to more pressure; to take care of yourself when no one else will. And in doing so, you can come back on your own terms, hopefully with your joy restored and your focus sharp once again.
Who says you can’t teach an old dog – or a post menopausal romance writer – something new?
Living in the northeast, where the winters are long, cold, dreary, and snowy, can cause lots of mental health issues, not to mention work ennui. Since I work from home, writing, this can hit hard. One way to stay motivated for me is to have writing challenges.
This March, typically the worst month for depression and weather where I hang my hat, the New Hampshire Romance Writers of America is sponsoring a month-long 31,000 word writing challenge that I am not only participating in, but co-chairing as well, called the MARCH WINDS WRITING CHALLENGE.
From March 1 until the 31st, you will have the opportunity to write 31,000 words. This mean if you are starting a new book, or finishing one up, editing, or revising, you can dedicate the entire month to the challenge. There will be daily motivational memes to tickle your funny bones and get you started on your writing day, and also daily cheering from our writing volunteers, MOI included!
If you’re looking to get motivated on your writing journey, or stay on course, this challenge has your name all over it. Click on this link to join us: ENTRY FORM
This is no secret to anyone who knows me. Why I elect to live in one of the snowiest, coldest states in America is a question I ask my husband every single year when cabin fever starts to take over my soul.
I have ways to help me get through it, though that don’t require me to get dressed in 15 layers of clothing or do ridiculous outdoor sports I will never do with any kind of mastery. I mean, I DID break my ankle ice skating in my 40s if that tells you anything about how poor of an athlete I am. Alysa Liu has nothing to worry about from me.
During these long, cold, dreary ( you get the picture) months of deep winter, I usually hibernate and write almost nonstop during the day. But after a while, this gets old too. So I need motivation to get those words on the page.
This year and this month, that motivation has come from the New Jersey Romance Writers in the form of their 30,000-word writing challenge. The premise is simple: write/edit 30k in the month of February 2026. And just the other day, I achieved my goal, going over the 30k line in 19 days.
I’m proud of myself because I really dedicated myself to finishing up one of the books I’ve got slated for publication later this year. I am still writing it, but the end is so close that I am celebrating early!
So, thank you NJRW for the motivation! And to everyone else doing the challenge: Way to go! You can do this!
I am so proud to be an official RWA MENTOR for 2026! My Mentee ( a fabulous writer) and I will be deep diving into her unpublished manuscript to get it ready for presentation to editors, agents, and readers.
This is just a wonderful way for published authors to lift new authors up on their shoulders, and encourage them to pursue their writing goals.
We were all, once up a time, neophyte writers with a dream to see our words, our stories, our babies, in print, published, and for people to read and enjoy. We all know what it feels like to experience the ting of rejection, the hurt of being told “this story just wasn’t for me” from agents and editors, and the disappointment that another query gets returned with a form letter rejection.
Having a mentor program is a way to help the pre-published writer travers some of the issues with writing industry and get them to a place where their work will be polished and profession and seen and evaluated fairly.
I am honored to be a mentor and am determined to see my mentee through this entire process.
Innkeeper Maureen O’Dowd lives to cook and bake, spoils her family and friends, and is an expert at keeping secrets, especially about the man who’s held her heart for years.
Police Chief Lucas Alexander is dealing with an aging father and a moody teenage son, and he’s in love with a woman who only wants to be friends.
How can these two fiercely private people reveal their feelings for one another without destroying the friendship they already have? And if they’re successful, will another secret, if revealed, drive a wedge between Maureen and Lucas that can never be repaired?
Another Best book rating from Long and Short magazine with a BEST SERIES rating to go along with it. I’m not too proud, lol!
When I first started out in my writing career 11 years ago, I was a traditionally published author, meaning that a publishing house, WILD ROSE PRESS, published my first books. After that, I signed with Kensington/Lyrical Press, Limitless Press, and Magnolia Press at varying times. In all that time I felt safe and secure, knowing a publishing house had my back with editing, copyrighting, and distribution.
But there were and are drawbacks to being a traditionally published author without a big name in the industry. No advertising dollars get thrown toward your book, so you have to do all the marketing by yourself. The bigger names get the advertising bucks. You don’t get any kind of advance on your work, so you can go years with no royalty income. You have no say in your cover art. You can’t pick your editor and have to hope they have the same vision as you do for the book. Many times this is not the case. The biggest drawback to me is the time it takes from first view by an editor to actually getting your book into print and into the hands of readers. With some houses, it can take up to two years.
A lot can happen to a person in two years, no? So that time frame started proving prohibitive for me, and I made the brave ( foolish?) decision to go the indie author route and began self-publishing my books.
Drawbacks: same as with trad pubbing in the marketing department: I have to do everything and pay for everything. I have to pay for editing, cover design, and formatting. I’ll tell the truth and say I learned to do all those things myself so I could cut down on costs.
Better outcome: Independent publishing schedule means I can get my books in front of readers faster.
Best outcome: all the royalites ( such as they are) are mine. I don’t have to split with agents, publishers, ect.
One of the things my publishers never did was put my books in Kindle Unlimited, the subscription service of KDP/Amazon. The reason is because so little money is made for the publishers, even less for the author, with most of the money going directly to Amazon in the way of subscriptions from readers. So when I went indie, I put all my indie books into this service. I figured it was a good way to get my books and name in front of readers who ordinarily wouldn’t know who I was, what I wrote, or in what genre. If they didn’t have to pay, independently for my book, they just might want to read it more since I was an unknown author to them. This was the entire premise behind the KU subscription platform for me: get my books in front of readers who didn’t go searching for my books or name, independently.
It is safe to say I never made a killing in KU. I never even got to 100,000 page reads in total for all my books, which is a benchmark for writers. I had my books in KU for almost 6 years and never picked up any traction. Then, Amazon decided to change the rules of KU and allow readers to share digital copies among themselves with no reimbursement to the author.
So people could now read our book with no financial recompense to the author.
Can you say: HELL TO THE NO??!
Before this rule went into effect, I pulled all my books out of KU and did what we writers call “Go wide,” which in effect means I put all my books into Draft 2 Digital, where the service published them to Barnes and Nobel, Kobo, Smashwords, a few other divisions and libraries, like Hoopla and Overlook.
The amount of money I now make by going wide isn’t even comparable to what I was ( or wasn’t!) making in KU, so it was a wise publishing decision for me.
Is it a pain the neck to have to manage all these different publishing divisions all by myself? Yup.
Is it a time suck to get all the books formatted correctly and uploaded into the system without problems? Yup.
One of the drawbacks to D2D is that once you upload you can only make changes to your manuscript every 30 days. So if you find a typo and submit a new manuscript and then find another one, you have to wait 3 months. In KDp you can do it endlessly.
Is it worth it in the end to be a discoverable author on more than just amazon? YUPYUPYUPYUPYUP!
So, for me, pulling out of KU was the right thing to do. Maybe it isn’t for every author, and that’s okay. But for me? It was totally the right thing to do and I have zero regrets having done it.
If you are an author, I would like to hear your thoughts about KU and whether or not you utilize the service. Or if you don’t, why you don’t.
If you are a reader, I would like to know if you subscribe to KU, why, and if you feel it is worth the expense to you – or if it isn’t.
I don’t regret my decision to pull out of KU in the least.
“Cathy, don’t forget you’ve got the historical society luncheon today,” my secretary-slash-office-manager-be-all-end-all Martha told me as she placed a client brief on my desk.
Lawyer Cathleen O’Dowd wants to break free from her boring image. Widowed young, she’s toed the good-girl line but now wants a little fun and laughter in her days…and nights. Living in a small town, though, she can’t do anything that would tarnish her professional reputation.
Mac Frayne’s tragic past has turned him into a sullen loner. In town to write a book on the city’s founder, his plan is to get it done, then head home to his solitary existence.
When circumstances force them to work together, their opposing personalities clash, but the sexual attraction between them is palpable.
Can a simple affair with an end date be just the thing to brighten up their lives?
THIS book earned a BEST BOOK RATING from Long and Short magazine.
So, are you looking for a little sweetness this Valentine’s Day that doesn’t involve thousands of calories in chocolate or allergy-inducing floral arrangements? If so, I’ve got a deal for you.
3 WISHES is my Valentine’s Day romance and it’s the first book featuring the San Valentino family.
Valentine’s Day is chocolatier Chloe San Valentino’s favorite day of the year. Not only is it the busiest day in her candy shop, Caramelle de Chloe, but it’s also her birthday.
Chloe’s got a birthday wish list for the perfect man she pulls out every year: he’d fall in love with her in a heartbeat, he’d be someone who cares about people, and he’d have one blue eye and one green eye, just like her. So far, Chloe’s fantasy man hasn’t materialized, despite the matchmaking efforts of her big, close-knit Italian family.
But this year for her 30th birthday, she just might get her three wishes.
The ecopy is just 99cents, or if you prefer print, 5.99
Either way you read it, it’s a nice way to celebrate Valentine’s Day without and excess calories! Heehee
I’m so excited to announce my first official reader meet/greet/booksigning is coming up in 2 short months.
THE NEW ENGLAND BOOK BALL willo take place in the beautiful Mountain View Grand Resort and spa from April 25-26.
There will be over 55 authors, 3 narrators, and a few vendors all pariticipating in the weekend.
Multiple author panels on topics important to the book community are scheduled throughout the two days, in addition to a huge Ball planned for the night of Saturday, April 26th.
All in all, this weekend is sounding like it’s going to be, well, A BALL! lol.
So, I told you the other day that A CHEF’S KISS CHRISTMAS was a finalist in the New Jersey Golden leaf 2025 contest.
I’ve already ordered stickers for the front of the books from Vistaprint!
But I wanted to share the entire finalist list because I have some friends who are very talented writers who are also finalists.
Congrats to Jennifer Wilck, Clair Marti, Gracie Guy and Diana Rock and to all the other finalists in this great contest. You are all winners in my book! ( See what I did there, LOL?)
Right now I am participating in another chapter writing challenge to motivate me to finish the two books I’m currently writing. I need more motivation than just 1 month, though, so I am participating the NHRWA MARCH WINDS writing challenge to keep me going!
If you’re in a writing slump, or need to finish or start your next book project, please consider joining us for the challenge. Here’s the link to do so:
“9-1-1 Colleen! I’ve got a 9-1-1 in the Bawl room!”
(Why not start off with a bang, right? LOL
DEARLY BELOVED
Colleen O’Dowd manages a thriving bridal business with her sisters in Heaven, New Hampshire. After fleeing Manhattan and her cheating ex-fiancé, Colleen still believes in happily ever afters. But with a demanding business to run, her sisters to look after, and their 93-year-old grandmother to keep out of trouble, she’s worried she’ll never find Mr. Right.
Playboy Slade Harrington doesn’t believe in marriage. His father’s six weddings have taught him life is better as an unencumbered single guy. But Slade loves his little sister. He’ll do anything for her, including footing the bill for her dream wedding. He doesn’t plan on losing his heart to a smart-mouthed, gorgeous wedding planner, though.
When her ex-fiancé comes back into the picture, Colleen must choose between Mr. Right and Mr. Right Now.
DEARLY BELOVED was voted a 2019 TOP PICK in the BBB – the Book Buyers Best – contest.
Here a just a few of the 5 star reviews for the book:
See that big black dot? It’s next to my name as a finalist in the 2025 New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf contest! The finalist book is A CHEF’S KISS CHRISTMAS, my very last Dickens Holiday romance book.
To say I’m honored it too small a statement. I’m thrilled to be a finalist in this prestigious contest.
Even after 11 years of writing full-time, and over 70 books in print, entering writing contests is still a way for me to offset the horrible imposter syndrome that cripples me on certain days. And it’s a real thing. There are some mornings I worry that the words I put down that day are going to be trite, cliches, and worst of all – boring.
But then something like this happens and serves to validate that I can still tell a good story – so good, it’s a finalist in a writing contest.
So…yeah, I’m gonna keep entering contests, keep writing my books, and keep hoping someone, somewhere, is moved by my words.
Many of you know that several months ago I obtained the rights back to the first book in the NYC Socialites series, DIRTY DAMSELS. This was the book that started it all for me writing my female billionaire series, the tag line of which is: books about women who had it all, lost it all, then got it back – all on their own – finding love along the way.
Well, I took DIRTY DAMSELS, updated it, added an epilogue that I’d had to remove the first time around ( don’t ask) and today it went out into the book-reading world!
You can get your updated version on AMAZON or through my website for a reduced price.
DIRTY DAMSELS :THE BEGINNING
What happens when a modern day Cinderella has a one night stand with a man named Prince?
Cynderella Jones, Ella to her friends and family, owns a thriving and successful cleaning service called Dirty Damsels. 32, single and a self imposed recycled-virgin, Ella is looking to keep her company private. But when her business manager tells her he’s heard scuttlebutt about a takeover, she realizes she needs a plan to protect her business. Before she can, she has to navigate through a week where sick calls and marriages lighten her workforce. When she goes out on a cleaning call for a very influential client, she meets a man so hot, so exciting, she literally comes out of her exiled celibate-state and has a one-night fling with him.
But when Cynderella discovers he’s the frontman for the supposed takeover, she scrambles to protect her company…and her heart.
Dylan Keane knew if he hadn’t been forced to walk the straight and narrow by his parents he would have had a lucrative career as a con man insteadof a private investigator.
Cyber-security specialist Dylan Keane is working undercover to suss out a corporate thief. When he zeroes in on Harper Vale, he thinks he’s found his mole.
Harper has a reputation as a coding savant and an introvert. Dylan’s interest is flattering, but after she’s implicated in the theft of the company’s protected software, she doubts everything he’s told her.
When a series of potentially deadly accidents occur involving Harper, Dylan wonders if she is being set up to take the fall. One thing is certain: the more time they spend together, the more Dylan realizes he’s the one who’s falling—for Harper.
On a previous social media post, I mentioned that someone I’ve admired greatly turned out to be a magahole Because of this, I no longer admire them.
Let me be clear on a few points I believe, wholeheartedly.
~ Love is love is love is love. I don’t care what color you are, religion, creed, nationality, or who you identify as. You deserve to be seen, loved, honored, and revered as a child of God.
~ you love your children unconditionally no matter what pronouns they have and use. There’s no argument to be made here; it’s an absolute.
~my body is mine and the choices I make or don’t make concern no one but me, my family, and my doctors.
~ if you think people who don’t look just like you don’t belong in this country, but you’re not of Native American heritage, then look in a mirror, because you don’t belong here, either.
~ I believe what I see with my own eyes. I am not hypnotized into believing what a gaggle of corrupt, lying, power-hungry assholes think is what I should see. The Emperor is naked, kids. Believe your own eyes and the evidence you see with them.
~ Release the Epstein files if there is nothing embarrassing in them to Orangina.
~It was always about attaining power and money, never about any kind of love or support of the American people.
~ ICE is Orangina’s American Gestapo. Don’t believe that? Ask the families of Renne Good and Alex Perretti and the other people this murderous enclave have murdered recently.
~ absolute power corrupts, absolutely.
~ silence is cowardice and complicity.
~calling yourself a Christian and condoning what is happening in our country right now is not what the definition of Christianity or being Christ-like is.
Now, I write books, and as such I have an expectation to sell them. This is how I make a living.
But if I never sell another book because of my beliefs, then so be it.
If you think I’m delusional, have my head in my ass, and am a flaming lib-tard, so be it. I’m not. I’m actually an Independent, and have always been a strong fiscal conservative and a social liberal, plus a believer in the right to bear arms legally under strong gun laws, but you won’t believe that.
If you believe it’s okay to murder people in the streets of this country, or arrest them without due process, or deport them without legal representation, so be it. That’s on your soul, not mine.
I know with my whole heart that when I go to meet the Lord, he’ll know I was on the right side of history, humanity, and morality.
And I know it, too.
So if you disagree with any of the bullet points I’ve made, or you think I am wrong on any and every point, then go ahead and unfollow me on all platforms and don’t buy any future books of mine. We will both sleep better for it.
One more thing. I have no remorse for deleting negative comments, blocking magahole lies and rhetoric, and reporting abusive posts/comments/quotes/threats. And I’m an excellent researcher. Remember that lady who drove 3 hours to confront someone who posted hate-filled speech on her TikTok post? Yeah, that chick’s got nothing on my research and deep-dive skills. So, like Liam Neeson says, “I will find you.”
Today’s first line comes from my the second book in my Pride of Brothers series, Aiden.
“Here you go, sir.” The waitress dropped Aiden’s order next to his beer and placed the billfold alongside it. “I’ll take this when you’re ready.”
Lexi Buckley wants answers about her younger sister’s death. The police have labeled it a suicide, but Lexi doesn’t believe it. Stymied in her investigation, she doesn’t know where to turn next. After a chance encounter with a private investigator, she thinks her prayers have been answered.
Aiden Keane has never been an answer to a prayer before, but he agrees to help Lexi. A quirky combo of brains and beauty, the pixie blonde makes him feel things no professional ever should for a client.
When their investigation puts Lexi’s life in jeopardy, her safety becomes his number one priority. The hard part is not falling for her.
A high-speed car accident and the bombing of his wife’s car convince FBI SSA Tucker Petrie that he is the target of a killer. Discovering who the person is before another attempt is made becomes the focus of Tucker’s life. With his former partner and best friend, Kella Calloway, by his side, Tucker and his team form a shadow investigation into a series of FBI agent killings no one in power has connected the dots to yet.
With the clock ticking, and another agent killed, Tucker, Kella, and the team do everything in their power to put an end to the killer’s plan of revenge.
“Maybe you want to slow down the champagne chugging, Abs,” Gemma Laine said, her tone more suggestive of a parent than a sibling, as she lowered her camera and regarded her older sister.
Elite bodyguard and P.I. Rick Bannerman’s job is to protect. He doesn’t get emotional with his clients, but when a woman from his past is threatened, his next job becomes personal.
Family lawyer Abigail Laine is the target of a client’s vengeful husband, but refuses Rick’s offer of protection. He walked away from her four years ago, and she swore to forget him.
Now her reluctance to accept his help could cost Abby her life.
Today’s first line friday entry comes from my very first non-romance book, RETRIBUTION.
“How does it feel to know you’re dying, Agent O’Brian?”
6 teenage girls have been kidnapped, brutalized, and murdered in the Washington DC area and the FBI’s SPCD Unit – the Sexual Predators of Children Profilers – are nowhere close to finding the monster responsible. How are the victims chosen? How does the killer find them, contact them, lure them into his sick web? Questions the team has no answers for.
When a high-ranking US Senator’s daughter is the next victim, SPCD team leader, Tucker Petrie, is forced to call upon retired profiler — and his last partner — Kella O’Brien for help. Kella’s been out of the game for 10 years, but her expertise and insights into a serial killer’s mind are unparalleled. If anyone can discover who this madman is, it’s Kella.
But as the team rushes to prevent another young girl’s death, clues the killer leaves behind have Kella wondering if his endgame is all about…her.
Book 2 in my FBI Profilers series, VENDETTA, drops on 3.31.26. It’s up for preorder across all digital media and is also available in print.
Here are 5 things to know about the book to whet your appetite.
Tucker Petrie and Kella Calloway are back working together again.
FBI agents are being murdered but no one in authority has figured this out yet because the deaths look random.
Anna and Tucker are married and Anna is pregnant with their first child
A family annihilator is executed.
Tucker is involved in a car crash that almost kills him.
Here’s the blurb:
A high speed car accident and the bombing of his wife’s car convinces FBI SSA Tucker Petrie that he is the target of a killer. Discovering who the person is before another attempt is made becomes the focus of Tucker’s life. With his former partner and best friend, Kella Calloway, by his side, Tucker and his team form a shadow investigation into a series of FBI agent killings no one in power has connected the dots to yet. With the clock ticking, and another agent killed, Tucker, Kella, and the team do everything in their power to put an end to the killer’s plan of revenge.
Calling all readers! It’s a new year and I’m ringing in 2026 with N. N. Light’s Book Heaven New Year New Books Fete. 16 books from multiple genres featured plus a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card.
I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. My book, Retribution,is featured on today! I even talk about my resolutions/goals for 2026. You won’t want to miss it.
Bookmark this bookish get-together and tell your friends:
Did you make a resolution to read more books in 2026? Join in the festivities at N. N. Light’s Book Heaven New Year, New Books Fete. Fill your e-reader with 16 books plus enter the huge giveaway. https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/new-year-new-books-fete
SO for 2026, I am re-charging my #firstlinefriday blog post, where every Friday I will post the first line from one of my books.
Today’s book is the soon-to-be-released book VENDETTA, coming 3.31.26
“The relief was orgasmic.”
VENDETTA: The FBI Profilers
A high speed car accident and the bombing of his wife’s car convince FBI SSA Tucker Petrie that he is the target of a killer. Discovering who the person is before another attempt is made becomes the focus of Tucker’s life. With his former partner and best friend, Kella Calloway, by his side, Tucker and his team form a shadow investigation into a series of FBI agent killings no one in power has connected the dots to yet.
With the clock ticking, and another agent killed, Tucker, Kella, and the team do everything in their power to put an end to the killer’s plan of revenge.
Here’s hoping this year is better than 2025 because that one was a s**t-show if ever there was a year.
Now, every January 1st I choose a word for the year that will define, shape, and guide me through my career, life, and health. This year the word is: DISCIPLINE.
discipline | ˈdisəplən | noun 1 the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience: a lack of proper parental and school discipline. • the controlled behavior resulting from discipline: he was able to maintain discipline among his men. • activity or experience that provides mental or physical training: the tariqa offered spiritual discipline | Kung fu is a discipline open to old and young. • a system of rules of conduct: he doesn’t have to submit to normal disciplines.
2 a branch of knowledge, typically one studied in higher education: sociology is a fairly new discipline. verb [with object] train (someone) to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience: many parents have been afraid to discipline their children. • punish or rebuke (someone) formally for an offense: a member of the staff was to be disciplined by management. • (discipline oneself to do something) train oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way: every month discipline yourself to go through the file.
For 2026 I have specific goals that I want to meet – and will – by being disciplined in my daily life with regards to my career, personal relationships, and health. By staying focused and performing disciplined actions daily, I will meet them, that is assured.
Come along on this journey with me. And tell me…do you have a word of the year that you want to define the next 365 days of your life?
I’ve never done this publicly before, but since joining Booktok, I felt like I wanted to. This year I read over 100 books and every month I picked a favorite in my reading journal. These are the top 12, one for each month, that I chose. They were all 5 stars and amazing books. They were all pretty eclectic, too. An autobiography, a few suspense books, some women’s fiction and some romance. All were by authors I love – and a few new ones that have turned into one-click authors for me.
Death of a Spouse Alcoholism One-Night Stand Reverse Age-gap Gender Sexuality The emotional price of fame and celebrity
All of these topics are dealt with humorously and tenderly in the newest book by one of my one-click authors, Elissa Sussman, TOTALLY AND COMPLETE FINE.
The title is a misnomer because none of the main characters in this book are fine. Either totally, completely, or any other way.
The Parker family has known tragedy in spades. Lauren and Gabe lost their father at a young age; Lauren lost her husband Spencer, who was Gabe’s best friend, and now she is dealing with a confused, frightened, and moody teenager as a single mom. She lives in a small town and we all know how vicious and gossipy those can be.
Gabe is a mega movie star and invites them both to a movie shoot where Lauren meets his much younger bisexual costar, Ben Walsh. Sparks fly and the two (Lauren and Ben) enjoy a very hot interlude. Just once.
That’s enough for Lauren. Or so she thinks.
I don’t want to give out any spoilers, but this book was an emotional rollercoaster after that one-night stand that was so filled with drama balanced with humor that I had to finish it in one sitting.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and Random House for a sneak peek at this wonderful book. 5 stars from me. I highly recommend this author’s works and this book.
It is really a relationship if it’s based just on sex? Or kinky sex, really? That’s about at much of the plot as I a will to give away. Suffice it to say this was quintessential Hazelwood. Strong Stem character, this one a college diver. Quiet, reserved hero. Lots of sex. Kinky sex. Oh, my.
Bless her heart, this woman in everything! If you haven’t heard any of her Netflix specials, then read this book. If you HAVE watched any of her Netflix specials, then read this book! Just read this book. I listened to it via audio and Leanne narrates it, which is a blessing in itself. Her voice is her trademark and her life story is a woman’s anthem! 5 stars – which I could give it more!
Book three in this delightful series did not disappoint. There are many secrets woven into this story – for the main characters, the secondary characters, even the house they are all rehabbing. The ending, where everything is displayed, is perfection. Harper and Reid’s love story is a rocky one. Physical attraction is one this and they have it in spades. But for a relationship to foster they need to trust one another and for a large percent of the book they do not. But when they do, when they both finally let go of the fear, it’s a perfect union. 5 stars for this end of the series. Thankyou to Netgally and Lexi Blake for a sneak peek. The entire series was fab but this one was the best.
It’s no secret I am a huge Ali Hazelwood fan. I would probably read her version of the phone book if she wrote it. This latest work, PROBLEMATIC SUMMER ROMANCE is one of the reasons I adore her writing. Let’s be honest: it’s not just her writing. Hazelwood has the ability to make me forget I have work to do, dinner to cook, the dog to walk. Her stories are simply put: unputdownable. I inhaled this book. Read it in one sitting. And would do it again. Maya and Conor’s love story is so filled with angest, even I got nervous reading some parts that they would never find their hea. not to worry, though. A contemporary age gap romance that is not ick or cringe-y is rare, but this book is that rarity! I hate spoilers, so none here about the story, just a few highlights; Sicily Erupting Volcano Kickass/STEM heroine/witty and fun A doomed wedding that really isn’t…doomed Dogs Friends Lots of wine! 5 stars – wish I could give it more! Brava. Ms. Hazelwood.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s press for an advanced peek at JDRobb’s next In Death series book, FRAMED IN DEATH. The saying ‘art imitating life’ is turned on its ear in September of 2061. Someone is killing LCs ( Licensed Companions), dressing them up as famous paintings and depositing them on gallery-adjacent properties. The reader learns pretty fast the killer artist is a trust fund baby with ego and narcissism issues who thinks he’s the next best thing ever. Eve Dallas and her team are called in to investigate the first death, which rapidly accelerates to three victims in three days. Through non-stop investigative work and with everyone on the team from ME Morris down to New Detective Truheart, with ADA Reo and even Nadine Furst thrown in, the story quickly unfolds until a name is assigned to the killer. For the first time that I can remember in an IN DEATH book, the story doesn’t end with the typical “get themin the box and get a confession” scene. For the first time, we are taken into the arraignment hearing. I admit, I liked this. I liked Eve not getting a slam dunk out of the box. IYKYK that she will eventually, but the trip toward it is perfection. As always, these books just keep getting better and better and everytime a new one is released I am thrilled to revisit old friends. The shared house of Mavis/Leonardo and Peabody./McNab is finally finished and getting to visit with Bella is just perfection. Since Summerset was such a big facto in the previous book, Bonded in Death, he is only featured in one scene in this book and that was fine. The full story surrounded the police team and I’m glad we got to spend so much time with them. Another 5 star story from the Queen of Fiction.
What happens when two people who don’t think they’re worthy of love actually find it? With each other? HE FALLS FIRST, the newest fabulous book from Jill Shalvis, answers that question! Both Penny Rose and Ryder Colburn are the “responsible” people in their family’s lives. Penny helps support her grandmother and her little brother, while Ryder runs a family business. Neither have time for romantic love, and in fact, neither is looking for anything in that realm. Penny’s just come out of a physically and emotionally abusive relationship and Ryder has too many other responsibilities to add a woman to the mix. Now, if you believe in legends, the 3 shooting star legend of Star Falls, the town they live in, states that if you see 3 falling stars in a row, you’ll get your HEA. And guess what? One of them sees the stars. I hate spoilers so I’m not going to tell you who sees them, but when it happens, a lot of things fall into place in the story. Told with the wit and great banter that is common to a Shalvis story, the heavy themes of spousal death, grief, and domestic violence are interwoven into a very often laugh-out-loud narrative. Penny is awkward and feels she has a black cloud following her around, which may be true. An errant Cheeto tells a tale of this awkwardness ( IYKYK!) Thanks to Netgalley, Ms. Shalvis, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for a sneak peek at this soon to be released romance, the first in a new series – I can’t wait for the rest of the Colburn kids to get their HEAs!!! 5 stars for an emotional and fun read!
Brilliant. Simply…brilliant. Brilliant characters. Brilliant plot. Brilliant writing. There’s nothing I can say that comes close to describing how fabulous this book was. I simply adore Rory Moore and this story – her story is one of the best books i’ve read in quite a long time. Bravo, Mr. Donlea. Bravo.
Another 5 star story from the Queen of the futuristic police procedural! The death of a tech company nepo baby leads to the discovery of a vault filled with stolen priceless art pieces and jewelry decades in the hording. Eve Dallas is cited to solve the murder, but the discovery of the vault and what it houses poses problems in a very personal way. Her beloved Roarke was the thief of many of the items in the vault during his misspent youth. Keeping his name out of the investigation proves one of her biggest work challenges to date. When the current thief is identified by Eve, and proves to be an old nemesis of both she and her husband, the story takes a decided turn. Protect Roarke, recover the stolen items, solve the murder AND make sure the person responsible is sent away forever. No easy feat. One part of this story that I especially liked is the way Robb is softening up the relationship between Summerset and Eve. They will never be friends, but their animosity is definitely cooling and he respects the hell out of her, something he didn’t always feel. Twists, turns, suspects, and an international inquiry finally allow Eve to get her person – or in this case, persons – responsible for the murder and theft. I hate spoilers so you wont get any from me, but suffice it to say, the ending is pure Robb gold. 5 stars-wish_i-could-give-it-more from me.
The Colburn Bros. Book 2 , FREE FALLING is as wonderful a read as book 1 was. Maybe…even better. There’s Caleb, the middle brother in the trio. Former college hockey star. Charming, Witty. Sexy as all you know what. And for me the best part…he wears glasses! Swoon. But he has to wear them to ward off the migraines that cripple him from a devastating career-ending fall during a hockey game. Caleb works with his brothers in their rehabbing/construction business and has been put in charge of a new project. The lead architect of that project? Emma Sumner, a girl he knew in college and who was immune to his wit, charm, and celebrity status. Or so he thought… Emma is at a crossroads in her difficult life. She has no real job – she is just subbing for an architect out on maternity leave right now – her apartment building recently burned down so she has nowhere to live but her car, and she has no touchstone family like Caleb does. In college, she was the smartest girl int he room, the one that did 99 percent of the work and took no credit while Caleb got 100% of the adoration. To say she’s not his biggest fan is to downplay her feelings. But…the more these two work together, the more they each realize they were wrong about the other. Caleb comes to see her as someone so worthy of the love she’s never gotten from anyone, and Emma learns that the man she thought was shallow and narcissist is anything but. He’s adopted two boxers he found abandoned; his once abusive father now lives with him. He cares for his niece and nephew and his siblings as if his life depends on. Is it any wonder Emma falls for him, hard? Is it any wonder I did, too? LOL Thank you to Jill Shalvis for an advanced reader copy of what is sure to be one of my top 5 books of 2026! 5 stars- why can’t I give it more??
Any story by Annabel Monaghan is a must read for me. DOLLY ALL THE TIME has everything I love about her writing. Witty dialogue, a strong female character, a quiet love story that develops naturally and without and ridiculous plot clichés.
This is a fake dating, later in life romance between two people who are absolutely perfect together.
Dolly Brick, single mom, never married, comes back to her hometown for the summer to help her father with his business after a fire at her childhood home. If Dolly were a man she’d be called a factotum – someone who can do everything from plastering to changing a tire, to installing drywall, to managing a business. She is wired for leadership.
Stewert Whitfield, scion to the Whitfield family real estate business, is her polar opposite. He does business stuff. That’s all. He can’t even change a blown tire, which is how these two meet on one of the worst days of his life. His fiancée has been seen canoodling with another man and now Stewert feels his family will not be able to trust his judgement with running the family business and will choose his horrible cousin Grant to run it instead. Grant is everything Stewert is not, most of all, married.
Fiance-less he offers Dolly a proposition: Pretend to be his girlfriend and he’ll make it worth her while, financially.
This deal can’t come at a more opportune time for Dolly because the roof on her family home needs to be replaced. A bargain is struck, and the two begin a fake dating relationship.
Of course, this turns out to be more than either of them expected, and through the lovely telling of their fall into love, Monaghan gives us insight into how two opposites can make a whole.
I adored this book and just know it’s going to be another bestseller for this talented author. 5 stars – wish I could rate it more!
There’s nothing I love more to read than a heroine I can get behind one million percent, and in Katherine Center’s new romcom, THE SHIPPERS, I found that person in Josephine “JoJo Burton. Wicked smart – hey, she’s a STEM math gal, ridiculously funny and quick witted, she is also gloriously flawed in the love and relationship department. She’s dumped every guy she’s ever dated, and now she’s leaving her fiancé at the altar. The reason she can’t commit to one guy? Well, she thinks it’s because none of them have ever given her the heart-stopping kiss she received when she was 10 years old ( yeah, you read that right!) from her heartthrob, neighborhood boy Finn. But now she’s going to be on a wedding cruise with him for 8 days while her sister gets married, so JoJo’s determined to make Finn fall in love with her because she really thinks he’s the one. JoJo’s best friend-for-life, Cooper Watts, doesn’t agree. But he’ll do anything to make his bestie happy, including buying into her plan to make a guy who’s so wrong for her fall in love with her. What ensues is a tale of miscommunication, missed timed, and everlasting love. Before the story begins, the author tells us that she loves a romance story because you always get the happily ever after, and that’s what we’re all searching for. It’s the journey to that HEA that matters, the growth, the longing, the commitment. In THE SHIPPERS, Ms. Center has given us an HEA that was decades in the making and so satisfying, I re-read the last two chapters three times because I was so happy. Brava for an amazing story of love, longing, forgiveness, and humor. 5 stars-wish-I-could-give-it-more
And my absolute favorite book of the year was… THE SHIPPERS. Everything I want in a book and a FMC was in this story!! Everything.
Can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store for me!!!
While the plot of this tale was good – really good! – it took forever for something to happen. Sop much telling, rehashing, and backstory told out of sequence. I struggled to finish it, glad I did because the payoff was nice. But still… not the best thing I’ve read, to be sure …more
MY 2025 BOOKS
it was amazing
it was amazing
it was amazing
it was amazing
it was amazing
it was amazing
it was amazing
it was amazing
it was amazing
it was amazing
it was amazing
My last review of the year
it was amazing
this book was way too short!!! I Want more Vero and Victor!!!! So good. So good!!!
If you’re looking to stuff that kindle/ nook or however you read digitally, now is the time. Midnight, January 1, starts a new year and the end of this amazing sale.
On a very cold and windy December 26, 1987, I got married.
Yeah…it surprised me, too! Lol
From those first seven years in Wisconsin, which saw us buy our first home, experience parenthood, and sit on too many hospital and community boards to remember…
To our move to New Hampshire and the new life we started.
From all the family vacations and visits…
and my ever-changing weight and hair…
To our daughter’s marriage…
and becoming grandparents ( which we both agree is just the best thing ever!)
From the good times, the bad, the illnesses, the family deaths; our first dog, cat, and rabbit, and now our present “baby”
We’ve weathered every storm, every hiccup, every setback, every difference of opinion, by remembering the three tenets we always agreed on: Family, Faith and Finances.
Here’s to the next 38 years…still dancing through life together.
Since I’ve been working so diligently these past few months on a few new projects for 2026, I figured now was a good time to start promoting them – which in itself is a shameless plug for my work, but…hee hee.
First…new books.
March brings VENDETTA, the second book in the FBI Profiler series.
A high-speed car accident and the bombing of his wife’s car convince FBI SSA Tucker Petrie that he is the target of a killer. Discovering who the person is before another attempt is made becomes the focus of Tucker’s life. With his former partner and best friend, Kella Calloway, by his side, Tucker and his team form a shadow investigation into a series of FBI agent killings no one in power has connected the dots to yet. With the clock ticking, and another agent killed, Tucker, Kella, and the team do everything in their power to put an end to the killer’s plan of revenge.
In May, I’m releasing a book about the grieving process I went through when my mother died, suddenly, in 2023, titled, “My love to you all.”: A daughter’s journey through grief.
“Grief comes in waves, tsunamis, and droplets.”
When her mother died unexpectedly, Peggy Jaeger used her writing blog to help her navigate through her grief. Detailing her mother’s tortured life – and their oftentimes contentious relationship – allowed her to understand the decisions and events that comprised her mother’s 87 years and made her the woman she’d grown to be. With brutal and, at times painful honesty, Peggy details her mother’s life; one that knew suffering, heartache, supreme loss, mental illness and paranoia.
This is the story of how two women – mother and daughter – learned the power behind the gift of forgiveness and helped Peggy come out on the other side of her grief a stronger, wiser, and more understanding person.
No date is set for this book yet, but another suspense, CHILDREN OF THE PROPHET, will hopefully becoming to you sometime in the early fall.
I don’t have the blurb officially written for this yet, but the premise came to me a few years ago when the 25th anniversary of Waco occurred. I watched a documentary about it and started wondering what in the world happened to all the kids who’d survived the tragedy. That’s when an idea sparked about 2 girls, members of a religious cult, and a similar tragedy occurs and they are left as the only survivors. What happened to their lives as they grew up? This one is a suspense and there have been times when I’ve been writing it I’ve had to step away because it’s…too much.
As far as reprints go, I got the rights back to Dirty Damsels and am going to release it under my own brand, independently, probably in July 2026. Here’s the new cover – and I’ve added an epilogue and changed a few things inside, so if you’ve already read it, there are some new parts you might want to explore.
What happens when a modern day Cinderella has a one-night stand with a man named Prince?
Cynderella Jones, Ella to her friends and family, owns a thriving and successful cleaning service called Dirty Damsels. 32, single and a self-imposed recycled-virgin, Ella is looking to keep her company private and her bed empty of going-nowhere relationships, But when her business manager tells her he’s heard scuttlebutt about a takeover, she realizes she needs a plan to protect her business. Before she can, she has to navigate through a week where sick calls and marriages lighten her workforce. When she goes out on a cleaning call for a very influential client, she meets a man so hot, so exciting, she literally comes out of her exiled celibate-state and has one hot night of passion with him.
But when Cynderella discovers he’s the front man for the supposed takeover, she scrambles to protect her company…and her heart.
That’s it for now. I have a new series in the works but want to keep it on the down low for a while because I want to get at least two of the books written before I start promoting it…but it’ll be a goodie!
Every year I make a new vision board for the year ahead of me.
Why, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you…
A Vision Board allows me to see, visually, what I want to manifest in my life for the year ahead. Whether it’s financially, career-wise, or in personal relationships, defining and actually seeing every day what I want my life to look like is something I believe in, wholeheartedly. I truthfully feel if you speak what you want into the universe, and make a visualization of those wants, they will come true for you.
This is my 2026 vision board: (ignore my feet at the bottom of the photo!)
There are some key elements I want to point out.
My word of the year, 2026, is DISCIPLINE. ( more on that in another blog to come)
my mantra of the year, 2026 is SUCCESS IS MY DESTINY
I am dreaming BIG for this year and manifesting an increase in book sales, personal wealth and in my relationships.
I am going to be FOCUSED and FEARLESS in my undertakings as I try several new things to elevate my writing career, gain new readers, and increase sales of my books.
This board sits on the windowsill in front of my desk ( as do all my vision boards each year) so that I can look at it several times a day while working and remember the goals I have for the year. I will speak into the universe over and over the things I want to happen to my life, and while I am speaking them, I am performing tasks to ensure they happen.
You may think this sounds like a lot of hooey, nonsense, and extra work that isn’t needed. If you think that, fine. I won’t try to change your mind. I’ll just tell you two facts.
11 years ago, I wrote a story and entered it in a contest. My vision board that year (2014) had a picture that said, “Get published this year.” I won the contest, and my first traditionally published book was contracted and published in 2015.
5 years ago ( 2020) while in the middle of lockdown, my vision board had a picture that said, “I want to teach.” I did 4 writing lectures via zoom that year when I had never done any before, and since then have gone on to do dozens in person and via zoom.
Still believe it doesn’t work? Okay. But for those of you who see this as a tool to change your views on what you want in life and how to get it, a vision board just may be the thing that takes you there, or at least to the next level.
If you have questions, or if you are in a writing chapter and need a guest speaker, I actually have an entire class on vision boards. Just hit me up and we can discuss.
Saturday, 12.13.25, I attended the premier A VERY MERRY BOOKMAS FAIRE in Manchester, NH. When I say premier, it was because this was the first time this event has been put on. Billed as a holiday book fair, it was meant to draw romance readers and encourage a little book holiday shopping. As a first time event, I had some hopes it would go well, but my expectations weren’t too high because it was, after all, a first time event.
I lovelovelove when I am wrong. And I was…SO WRONG!
Not only was this the most organized event I have been at in years ( YEARS!) it was also unbelievably well attended by the romance book reading community. I spoke with two women who drove 4 hours to attend that morning. Several had stayed over in hotels the night before, having traveled from up to six and seven hours away!!
MINDBOGGLING, I tell you. And so very heart-warming.
Lila Gray and her incredibly well-trained crew of volunteers, were what made this event the absolute success it was. I have never been to an event where the authors and readers were so well taken care of and seen to. This is what a reader event should be. I even told Lila at the end that I think she should do this full time – be an event organizer, because she is brilliant at it!! She is also a brilliant writer, so I don’t think she’s going to take me up on my suggestion, lol!
I met so many wonderful readers and influencers that I actually follow on Instagram and TIktok! And guess what? They follow me, too! Again…mindboggling.
I am a horrible picture taker when I am at these events because I am always so busy talking to people, selling my books, and generally having a great time that I forget to use my phone and snap away. These are the only ones I took before the event started of my table:
Whenever I go to one of these events I am hopeful I will sell a few books to new readers. This event? I sold out of 4 titles ( a first for me!) and did some serious sell-damage to the rest. Everyone was in the mood for holiday romance books, and these are the titles I brought with me.
I came home exhausted because the drive was 1.5 hours for me, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but my sciatica says it’s too much, lol, but so elated emotionally, spiritually, and career-wise that I had trouble sleeping Saturday night because my excitement level was still so high.
I saw old, treasured author friends and readers, and made some new reader friends as well.
In all, it was day I am not going to soon forget. I can’t do the event in 2026 ( and yes, it’s already booked solid with authors) but I am hopeful Lila Gray, the organizer, will let me know when the 2027 sign up form comes out because I am definitely going to move hell and high water to be at that one! Thank you to all the organizers and volunteers. I seriously don’t know how you will surpass this event next year, but you know what? I have a feeling you will.
Happy holidays, everyone. And don’t forget: Books make great gifts!
Just a reminder, kids, I have a bunch of my books for sale on the SMASHWORDS end of 2025 sale – some are half price, some are dropped by 75%!!! this would be a good time to take a stroll over to the site and see for yourself. There are thousands of books on sale this year, so have fun choosing ( and I hope you choose mine! LOL) When you get to my page, scroll all the way down, don’t just stop at the top. Many of the books are listed way down the page. I wouldn’t want you to miss any of the sale prices.
Yesterday I did a post about book arcs and the expense they incur for the author. I stated why I don’t really do book arcs to too many people (only ones I trust) because of the price to order the book and then send it out to people. You can read that post here for context: 3.10.26
Today I want to explain why I have decided to forgo many of the booksignings I have done in the past to meet readers and, hopefully, sell some books.
The main reason, and you could probably guess this, is the money involved. I don’t know if readers know what the expense sheet looks like for authors when they attend these massive booksignings with multiple authors, but let me give you a little rundown.
First, you have to pay for your table. Table fees run anywhere from $150 to $500 ( yes, that’s true!). So right away, if you are the author, you are thinking about how many books you have to sell to break even on that fee.
Next, if the signing is somewhere a distance from where you live – as most are – you have either gas money for the car, or airfare for travel to get there.
If you must travel to the booksiging, you then have lodging fees. And you have to eat, so add food to the sum as well.
Next, most readers like freebies, as do we all, so you have to offer book swag. Chapsticks with your name on them. Book marks, drink cozzies, pens, anything and everything you can think of that you can give away – for FREE – to readers to entice them to remember your name and read your book, I always have candy at my tables, too, so…another expense.
Most authors now have banners with their names/books/social sites on them. These run anywhere from $120 to $ 250. Table runners with your names emboldened on them are another expense. All of this is to get name recognition for readers.
If you live in another state and need air travel to get where you are going, shipping your books to the venue is the way to go to avoid over-poundage luggage fees. I don’t know about you, but have you seen the postal delivery rates recently???
So, factoring in everything above, you can spend anywhere from $500 to $2000 on a booksigning event. If your book costs $15 that means you need to sell anywhere from 33 to 133 just to break even. The most books I have ever sold at an event was 20.
Yeah, I’m not getting rich from doing this.
That isn’t the point, of course, for writing, But I also don’t want to go into massive debt just to sell a book or two, so I have decided to drastically reduce the number of sales events I am going to in the future, In 2026, I am only doing 2 big ones, and 1 library one so far. In 2027, I have 1 big one scheduled.
Do I hate missing out on meeting readers face to face? Of course. That connection between the reader and the author is so important. But I can’t go into debt just to satisfy the wish of meeting people in the flesh.
If I ever become a big name in the industry or get a bestseller attached to my name where I am actually making money and not just spending it, this may change. For the foreseeable future, though, I’m scaling back.
Peggy Jaeger, Author 