December 16, 2020 · 3:00 am

A visit with Wild Rose Press Author Glenda Thompson, author of BROKEN TOYS

I adore when my Wild Rose Press sistahs come for a visit and today I’m introducing a new one to you, GLENDA THOMPSON.

Glenda graciously sat down with me recently and answered all my nosy questions, plus gave me a sneak peek at her new book BROKEN TOYS which releases today!!

Here’s our interview…

Glenda, The Writer Questions

  1. What drives you to write?

The people who live in my head and tap on the inside of my eyeballs when I try to sleep drive me to write. It’s the only way to get them to go away. Each is so determined to have his or her story shared with the world.

  1. What genre(s) of Romance do you write, and why?

I’ve never written pure romance before. I write more suspense or thriller with a side of romance. Why? Too many years married to a Texas lawman. A majority of our conversations revolve around crimes, bad guys, and motives. My favorite word is why.

  1. What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?

I read every genre but do seem to be drawn to paranormal romances or historical romances. I love being swept away into someone else’s world so I can forget about mine for a tiny bit.

  1. What’s your writing schedule? Do you write everyday?

My writing schedule is chaotic at best. I do try to write every day but we have five children and eight grandchildren so Darlin’ and I spend a lot of time on the road running from one sporting or school event to another. I also have a full-time day job. I squeeze writing in wherever I can. I also record ideas on my phone and keep bath crayons in the shower. It never fails. As soon as I have a head full of shampoo, the perfect scene will pop into my head. With the bath crayons, I can scribble the ideas on the shower walls and after I finish my shower, grab my cell phone and take a photo of the walls to be transcribed a bit later.

  1. Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?

Darlin’ talked me into buying a small, pre-fab wooden building. Three-quarters of it is his knife shop. The other quarter is my writing cave. The interior walls are covered with whiteboard so I can scribble notes for quick reference on the wall. It also has two decent size windows so I can stare out at the mesquite brush and cactus when I need to think.

6.Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnel-vision?

Hello, mom of five kids *chuckle* I am good at tuning things out. Sometimes, Darlin’ has to tap me on the shoulder a few times to bring me back to the real world.

  1. Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?

It really depends on my mood. Sometimes I have music going. Other times, I don’t. I have eclectic tastes in music ranging from Texas/Red Dirt/Outlaw music to Scottish bagpipes, 80s hair bands, Native American flutes, Metallica, and yes, even Puddle of Mud.

  1. How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?

Okay, this may be a bit macabre but… a friend of Darlin’s owns a crematorium. The friend gave us a hip replacement implant that no one claimed. Darlin’ was examining it and one end comes to this sharp point. I had just come home from having a tire replaced on my truck. When I saw the point, I told Darlin’ that could do a ton of damage to a tire. About the same time, two calls came across his radio from dispatch—one for a missing child, the other for a complaint about Travelers scamming the elderly with roofing and driveway repairs. It just kind of clicked in my brain and Broken Toys was born.

  1. Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?

Definitely character. It all goes back to those people living in my head. On a more serious note, I am fascinated by psychology and my favorite word is why. I love diving deep inside people’s psyches… even my imaginary people.

  1. What 3 words describe you, the writer?

Oh, this is a hard question. Intense, reckless, emotional ( Peggy here: I love that description!)

Glenda, the Gal…

  1. Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!

I love to bottle raise exotic animals. They used to call me Mrs. Noah because any time anyone had an orphaned animal, they brought it to me to raise. Didn’t matter what kind… oryx, axis, whitetail deer, blackbuck antelope, pigs, goats, kittens… I love animals.

  1. Who was your first love and what age were you?

Now you are trying to get me in trouble. My first love was a bull rider named Travis. We went to high school together. I was probably seventeen or eighteen.

  1. If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and….

Probably November 11, 2018… it was the first time in forever that we had all the kids and grandkids together. We took family photos, played at the park and went to dinner to celebrate my birthday.

  1. What’s one thing you love about your significant other?

Finally, an easy question! His heart. I swear it’s bigger than the state of Texas. I’ve never met a kinder, more genuine, more real person in my life. He’s a true Sheepdog… a protector, a provider, and so very supportive. I never would have considered sharing my writing with the world if it hadn’t been for his encouragement.

5.What three words describe you, the person? Unique, Curious, Shy

6.If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? Nope, not going to happen. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. The only time I sing is when I’m alone in my pickup truck racing down the back country roads.

7.If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it by, why, and what would you do together?

Jo Marsh, from Little Women. I feel like we have a lot in common. Neither of us fit into a neat pigeonhole. We would write and put on plays.

Bonus round

I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:

 

  • Favorite sound – children’s laughter
  • Least favorite sound – whining
  • Best song every written – You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like That by Toby Keith or How Great Thou Art
  • Worst song ever written – Welcome To The Jungle by Guns and Roses
  • Favorite actor and actress – don’t have one
  • What turns you on? Kindness and Wrangler Butts ;p
  • What turns you off? Feet
  • Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) My wife just left me. ( Peggy here: OMG!!!)
  • What’s your version of a perfect day? A warm but not too hot day spent surrounded by family and friends preferably near living water
  • And now for a little glimpse at BROKEN TOYS…

    Blurb: Texas Ranger Noah Morgan has his life together—with a great job and the girl of his dreams. Too bad it’s all based on a lie. A single phone call threatens to bring it all crashing down. After an irate citizen complains shoddy workmanship has left him with a booby-trapped driveway, and the local sheriff’s office is too busy to respond, Noah takes the call. The investigation of local scam artists uncovers a human trafficking ring, Noah fights to avoid being swept back into the sights of his murderous family—people he escaped at the age of seventeen.Can he keep his past a secret or will his carefully crafted life come to a violent end?Tagline: “His life is perfect. Too bad it’s built on a lie.”“While we wait for the mobile crime scene lab to arrive from Austin, I need you to sign this consent-to-search form. Next, Ranger Trammell and I will photograph the scene to preserve it in situ—as it currently is.”“Now you wait one cotton-picking minute,” the old man growled. “How long will all that take? What if I don’t want to sign your verdammt form? I need my car. The old lady has several doctors’ appointments in San Antonio this afternoon.”

    Noah lifted his hat again and brushed sweat off his forehead before it rolled into his eyes. “Tell you what. Sign this piece of paper giving us permission to search your driveway, and as soon as we finish the photography, Ranger Trammell and I will change your tire. Then you can pull your car out of the driveway. If you don’t sign it, we will have to find a judge and get a warrant. Going the warrant route will delay things considerably.” Noah shrugged. “The choice is yours. Either way it goes, you won’t be able to pull back in for some time. We’re going to have to tape off your driveway and process it as a crime scene. Is there somewhere you could stay for a few days?”

    “Crime scene?” Mr. Schmidt crumpled as if he’d been kicked in the solar plexus. Bewilderment flooded his features. For the first time since the rangers arrived, the man looked old. “My driveway is a crime scene?”

    “I’m afraid so, sir,” Noah said, using the tone he reserved for scared kids, grieving family members and sagging old men who hadn’t tasted sweet tea in more than sixty years. “Hip implants, bits of bone and teeth are not normally used for road base. It looks like someone may have disposed of a body in your driveway.”

    Get your copy here:

    Amazon: B&N  Kobo

     

A sixth-generation Texan with Scottish roots, Glenda Thompson can ‘bless your heart’ with the best of them. As a former emergency medical technician married to a south Texas Lawman, she’s used insider information from both their careers as inspiration to build her Broken world of Texas Rangers with hidden pasts and dark secrets.When she’s not busy embarrassing her children or grandchildren by dancing in the middle of a country road during a rainstorm, she can be found huddled in her writing cave with her law enforcement technical adviser/husband working on another story in her Broken universe.You can keep up with the future crazy cat lady’s hi-jinks at http://www.glendathompson.com or follow her on Twitter @PressRattler or Facebook @Glenda Thompson, Author.Social Media Links

Facebook * Twitter * Newsletter*website

 

 

 Glenda – thank you so much for being here today, introducing yourself to us and for giving us a little glimpse into BROKEN TOYS. Happy Release day!!! ~ peg 

 

 

6 Comments

Filed under Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

December 15, 2020 · 3:00 am

New today: RELEASING THE CATCH by Jeny Heckman

One of my favorite writers has a new book out TODAY!!! Award-Winning Author Jeny Heckman’s new book, RELEASING THE CATCH drops today and she graciously gave me a sneak peek at it…

Women. Crab fishing. The Bering Sea. Some men don’t think they belong together. One woman wants to prove them wrong.

Mack Carter’s life is circling the drain. When he hears about how lucrative the fishing industry is in Alaska, he decides to try his luck on the frigid Aleutian Chain. There he meets, Nels Pearson, who teaches the younger man how to be a crab fisherman on the deadly Bering Sea and becomes the friend and father-figure Mack’s never known. Carter must learn to navigate both the foreign world on the water and home life on land, finding a tenuous balance with both.

Through circumstances beyond her control, Faith Pearson is inserted into the dangerous life the men live in. To most fishermen in this high-velocity world, women onboard a crab boat is a bad omen. Faith finds life on the sea difficult to maneuver, not just the conditions but the men and superstitions she must also endure.

When tragedy strikes her life again, Faith strives to overcome great obstacles, and prove herself worthy mentally and physically, as she navigates self-discovery in a man’s bleak yet adventurous world. She also discovers lessons about love from a delicious new co-worker and just how deadly the Bering Sea can be when her own life is on the line, possibly never releasing her from the catch.

Releasing the Catch, is a story of fathers and daughters, letting go of the past, self-discovery, and overcoming odds made harder simply for your gender. It’s the story of two individuals at different times in an intertwined and extraordinary life, with so much to teach one another.

Excerpt:

“Oh no, I think we’re good here, thanks sweetheart,” Andy said, mistaking her for the waitress and darted a questioning gaze back at the men. “Unless anyone needs another round?”

Faith drew in a deep, irritated breath, lifted her chin and peered down her nose at Jake, who gazed back with a hesitant twitch at the corner of his mouth. Oh, yeah, he’s getting it. At least she’d give him marks for some intelligence.

Squaring her shoulders, she shifted her eyes back to Andy and stuck out a hand. “Actually, I’m Faith. Mack says you’re looking for a seasoned deckhand to help you through the winter, that, right?”

Confused, Andy’s stared first at her face, then her chest region, then at her outstretched hand. In complete bewilderment, he checked Mack’s face, then his brother’s.

Jake, long legs sprawled out in front of him, an elbow on the table, and hand supporting his chin, serpentined a slow, genuine smile across his face. He flicked his index finger up over his lips and used only his eyes to measure his brother’s reaction. Since the skipper didn’t appear to snap out of it any time soon, his younger brother outstretched his own hand, and shifted his gaze back up to Faith.

“That’s right. I’m Jakob Rassmussen, deck boss. You can call me Jake. This is my brother, Andy, he’s capt’n.” They shook hands and Jake returned his observation to Andy, whose face started to turn colors. A gurgle of laughter escaped from the younger man, before covering it up with a cough. Mack never stopped peering into his drink.

“Oh, for chrissake!” Faith said, disgusted, and all three men jerked their attention toward her, as if slapped. “My father,” she gestured at Mack. “Is an asshole. It’s not his fault, he was just born that way. He didn’t tell me about any of this,” -she waved a hand at them and the table- “Until I got here, a little over an hour ago.”

She flicked an accusatory glare at Mack, who had the excellent sense to stay quiet. “Look, I don’t have time for any of your good-ole-boy superstitious bullshit. I’ve lived on a crab boat since I was eight-years-old. I became a full share deckhand at sixteen, and I’ve worked as deck boss and as an engineer.” Her glare now fell on Jake, who stared back in fascination. “I just left my last job because it was time for a change, not because I couldn’t hack it. I work well on the hydraulics, stack, rail, bait, wherever the hell you want to put me. I’m a fast learner and I don’t expect to find your boat to be the space shuttle. Either you want me or not. I’ll be on the pier tomorrow at seven a.m., so you have the night to decide. Right now, I’m tired and I want to go to bed.”

She grabbed Jake’s drink, the closest and fullest, with three fingers of some strange, yet horrific alcohol, she discovered. She drained it in one large gulp, turned on her heel and left the bar. All three men stared in her wake, open-mouthed. Her stomach roiled by the time she got upstairs, and puked.

“What the hell was in that?” she asked the room at large. The idiot didn’t even have the sense to drink whiskey. She shuddered with disgust and lifted a hand to her mouth at the lingering taste of vomit and licorice, before sitting down next to the toilet, and flinging her arm across the closed lid. At least the first pissing match went to her. She reached up and grabbed her toothbrush off the counter, smiled for a few seconds, then put a hand back to her stomach as it roiled again, lifting the lid for another digestive pyrotechnic experience.

Get your copy here: Amazon

A little about Jeny…

Jeny Heckman is the award-winning author of the paranormal-romance series, Heaven & Earth. When she isn’t writing, you will find her boating with her husband, enjoying game night with her kids, cocktails with her friends, getting frustrated with photography or dreaming and plotting her next adventure. Jeny lives in Washington state with her husband of over twenty-eight years.

Website ~   Amazon Author Central~       Facebook: Twitter:      Instagram:     Pinterest: GoodReads:

BookBub:    Newsletter:

4 Comments

Filed under Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

December 13, 2020 · 12:00 am

#sundaySnippet 12.13.2020

Since this was release week for BAKED WITH LOVE, I decided to put one more snippet up about it. Here, we get a glimpse of just how close the sisters are to one another, and how much they know about each other. I love this scene because I can just SEE sisters talking like this. ( it’s told, BTW, from Maureen’s POV)

 

“Here’s your wedding album,” I said, holding it up.

“Let me see.”
I handed it to her, and she started flipping through the pages.
“We were so stinkin’ young, and I was so stupid,” she said after a few minutes.

“It still boggles my mind Mom and Daddy didn’t try to talk me out of getting married at barely eighteen.”

“You weren’t stupid.” Colleen reached out and rubbed Cathy’s arm. “Young, yes, but you’d known Danny practically since birth. Everyone who knew the two of you knew you were going to get married someday. And we all loved Danny. He was perfect for you.”

“Not everyone,” I said, flipping through another album. “Eileen didn’t like Dan and never had, even when we were little.”

“What! Why not?” Cathy asked.

I put the album down and took another out of the container. “You know Eileen. She was a natural bullshit detector. Inherited the trait from Nanny.”

“Truth,” Colleen said, then sipped her tea.

“She told me she didn’t think Danny was the wonderful guy he seemed and he wasn’t being totally truthful, maybe even lying to you about something. She never told me what it was, but she believed it right up until he died.”

“How come you never told me this?”

“Why would I? From the outside, you two appeared happy, and you never gave any indication you weren’t. Neither Coll nor I knew anything to the contrary until you confessed what had been going on in your marriage.”

“Eileen was always a little fey, as Nanny would call it,” Colleen said. “Sensitive to what was going on around her.” She flipped through the album in her hand.

I nodded.

“Hey, found your picture,” Colleen said a moment later. “Good gravy, I forgot all about Lucas’s hideous tuxedo.”

“Let’s see.” Cathy stretched out her hand for the book.

There were about a half dozen pictures of Cathy and Danny, then a few of Lucas, taken in the same living room we were all currently sprawled in.

Cathy laughed as she flipped a page and found a photo of Lucas and Eileen and me. He was dressed to attend prom, that dumb tuxedo shining back from the camera flash, while we were in our pajamas.

“I remember when this was taken. Eileen dragged you down the staircase screaming she wanted a picture of the three of you. What were you guys, ten?”

“Nine,” Colleen said.

Lucas had picked us up and settled us each on a hip. Eileen was smiling like she’d just won the lottery, while I was staring at Lucas.

“She loved him so much,” Cathy said, a mote of wistfulness in her voice. “Followed him around every time he was here, wanting to sit in his lap, show him some new gymnastics move she’d learned in class.”

“He was always so patient with her, too,” Colleen said. “With the two of you, really. He never got annoyed about all the oxygen Eileen sucked out of a room whenever she was in one.”

“Lucas never got annoyed at anything,” I said, staring at the picture. “Still doesn’t.”

Cathy peered over the album at me, her head at an angle and a question in her eyes.

“Eileen wasn’t the only twin who thought Lucas hung the moon,” she said, pointedly.

When I didn’t respond to her baited statement, she held the album up. “Look at this picture.”

I did. “Okay. So?”

“You’re the only one not staring at the camera. All your attention is focused on Lucas, like you can’t take your eyes off him.”

“In these pictures, too,” Colleen said, flipping through Cathy’s wedding and graduation album. “There isn’t one time you’re not staring at him.”

I’d never noticed it before, but they were right. We’d had hundreds of pictures taken over the years before camera phones became a thing, and in almost every one where Lucas was present while I was, I was looking at him.

“And now he looks at you whenever you’re in a room together,” Cathy said with a smug smirk gliding across her mouth.

I rolled my eyes and took a sip from my teacup.

“She’s not wrong,” Colleen added.

I shrugged and flipped through the album in my hands.

“I find it interesting she isn’t arguing with us on this,” Cathy said to Colleen.

“Hmm. Makes you wonder why not.”

“Oh, I know why she isn’t. You do, too. I just wonder if she realizes we know.”

I tossed the album down onto the cocktail table and stared at both of them. “You know, that crap didn’t work when I was a kid. It certainly isn’t going to now.”

Intrigued? I hope so. If so, here’s where you can get your copy: BWL

 

4 Comments

Filed under A Match Made in Heaven

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

December 10, 2020 · 4:02 am

A Podcast, a book Release, and an unexpected gift.

Yesterday was a bit of a whirlwind.

Not just because we had our first substantial snow this season  and the temps were freezing – that’s expected in my neck of the woods.

No, I had a very busy day yesterday and it’s still busy right now at 3:40 in the morning here on the East Coast.

On Wednesday’s I visit my parents who live in the next state over from me and, basically, take care of them for the day. I do their grocery shopping, cook for the week for them, clean their house, and do any errands they can’t do since Covid hit. My parents don’t drive – and never have – so I am their errand girl, picking up their prescriptions and shopping for their needs. They have been social isolating since February because they both have underlying health concerns. Since I am truthfully the only person they “see” if they get sick, I know it’s because I brought it into them, so to say we have all been diligent in preventing that wouldn’t be a lie. So that was my morning.

Now, unless you’ve been living under a rock and not following me ( lol) you know that BAKED WITH LOVE released yesterday.

Release day for an author is a busy one for a myriad of reasons, none of which I’ll go into here. Suffice it to say I logged in mucho hours yesterday on my social sites. The reviews that have come in so far have been amazeballs, so at least that’s one worry off my back.

A few weeks ago, while I was promoting this year’s Holiday RomCom release MISTLETOE, MOBSTERS, & MOZZARELLA

I did a podcast with author/blogger Kristine Raymond. That episode released yesterday, so I had to listen to it to make sure I sounded coherent ( I did, most of the time) and then because I wanted to garner support for her podcast, and let’s be honest – my book  – I did a large scale social shoutout for it over all my sites as well.

When the mail arrived yesterday afternoon I received the loveliest of surprises. One of my readers sent me a beautiful holiday gift. I embroider myself so I know just how much time and effort went into making the 8×11 counted cross stitch. If you don’t sew, believe me when I say it’s considerable!

And…just so you understand the reason I’m an insomniac ( because there aren’t enough hours in the day, truthfully!) today I’ve got an extra blog piece over on the Romance Gems about what’s coming up for me in 2021.

No rest for the weary, peeps. Today I’ve got a full schedule as well!!

I need a vaca….desperately! Heehee.

Until next time ~ Peg

Leave a comment

Filed under A Match Made in Heaven

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

December 9, 2020 · 3:30 am

Finally! BAKED WITH LOVE releases into the bookreading world!

It’s been a little over a year since book 2 in the MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN series released, so I am sososososo happy BAKED WITH LOVE, book 3 is finally — FINALLY – here!

Of the 3 O’Dowd sisters, I must confess, Maureen is my favorite. Quiet and shy, but possessing a backbone of steel, this youngest sister has waited a lifetime for her own HEA and it was a rocky road the whole way. A secret that she needs to keep hidden from those she loves best is about to be revealed and Maureen is terrified the people who love her best- including Police Chief Lucas Alexander – will want nothing more to do with her.

I’m so happy to introduce Maureen to you all and I hope you love her as much as I do!!

BAKED WITH LOVE ( A Match Made in Heaven, Book 3)

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?

Book trailer:

Here’s a little release day game for you. Nancy Fraser made me a puzzle of the cover. It took me a long time to get all the pieces, so if you click here, PUZZLE and put the book cover together, and time yourself ( there’s a time in the the game) and then send me your time in the comments section, I promise if you beat my time ( which I’m not gonna tell until tomorrow!) I’ll send you a special gift!!!

Reviews:

Goodreads

Long and Short Reviews

Bookbub

And if you haven’t read books 1 and 2 in the series, don’t worry – you can read them out of order. But…

Dearly Beloved ( book 1)

Today, Tomorrow, Always ( Book 2)

 

Happy reading peeps~ I’m going out to celebrate and have…cake! ~ peg

 

5 Comments

Filed under A Match Made in Heaven

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

December 6, 2020 · 12:00 am

#sundaySnippet 12.6.2020

Since BAKED WITH LOVE releases in 3 more days ( YAY!!!!) I thought today’s snippet should be from the book to whet your bookreading appetites.

In this little snippet, Maureen and Lucas are discussing Lucas’s teenaged son’s first day of working at Inn Heaven – Maureen’s B&B. We get a little glimpse of Lucas’s feelings for Maureen – as does she – and for the first time see that he thinks more of her than just as a friend.

Lucas nodded. “He seems pretty stoked about working, something I’m surprised about. Glad, for sure, but surprised. I figured…” He shrugged.

“I know. I thought a fifteen-year-old boy would rather be any place than in a kitchen every day, but he actually asked to work most days during the week and on weekends for the weddings. We’ll see how long this enthusiasm lasts.” I grinned up at him while I towel- dried a mug.

“I don’t know, Mo. If it was me, I wouldn’t mind being stuck in a kitchen every day—”

“That’s because you’re always hungry.”

“—if it was with you.”

My hand stopped rubbing the porcelain. Okay, what?

I’m usually fairly adept at not showing my feelings or have what’s running through my mind cross my face. Nanny has commented many times over the years I’m the person she least likes playing poker with because she can’t read me. The ability to hide my true feelings has gotten me through some testy times with my parents, a bad breakup with a verbally abusive boyfriend, and my twin’s illness then death. Plus, for as many times as we’d been together over the years, Lucas had never once guessed how I truly felt about him.

Right now, though, I was finding it next to impossible to school my features and body into its usual calm nonchalance. I can only imagine how I must have appeared to him, standing there with the towel thrust into the mug, my hand paralyzed—my body as well— as I stared up at him, silent.

“What’s wrong?” He uncrossed his arms and took a step toward me, his brows grooving toward the middle of his forehead. “Maureen?”

I blinked a few times when his hand snaked around my upper arm. A soothing, comforting warmth seeped through me from his touch. I wanted to move in closer, melt into his arms, and snuggle into all his heat. When I found myself shifting so I could, I took a step backward, mentally and physically. Lucas didn’t drop his hold but kept his hand on my arm, his other one following suit.

“Nothing. Sorry. I’m fine.” I shook my head a few times and planted what I hoped looked like a self- deprecating grin on my face.

“I lost you there for a second.” His gaze swept across my face, searching, silently questioning.

“Sorry. I’ve got a lot going on up here.” I pointed a finger at my head. “Thinking fifteen steps ahead about what needs to be done around this place.”

He waited a beat, those intelligent, intense eyes never wavering from my own. “Why don’t I believe that’s all it is?”

It was no wonder he was such a good lawman. With his gaze zeroed in on me, piercing and probing, and his voice low, deep, and commanding, almost seductively sly in its cadence, I imagined people who’d broken the law were no match for him when it came to his garnering confessions.

I pulled a Colleen-worthy eye roll. “Because you’re a cop and you’re naturally suspicious. It’s ground into your DNA. Like the green in your eyes.”

One eyebrow quirked high up on his forehead. “The green in my eyes?”

His mouth stayed perfectly straight, but I got the distinct impression he was laughing at me.

“It’s true. Your eyes are green, and you’re naturally nosy.”

His inspection grew more intense as he dipped his chin and glared at me. The heat in his stare shot straight down to my core and exploded.

I’m pretty sure I shuddered.

Lucas’s fingers kneaded my arms. Every nerve ending in my body stood straight up, like I’d walked across a rug in the dead of winter and then touched something metal, sparking an electric shock. I licked lips that had suddenly gone desert-dry.

His gaze took a slow stroll down to my mouth and lingered. Enough so those butterflies finally made a break for freedom. Without any will to prevent it, my mouth fell open and I dragged in about a quart of air, my shoulders lifting, then dropping with the effort. I lost the grip on the mug and when it slipped out of my hand, Lucas let go of my arms as we both reached for it at the same time.

My reflexes are quick. Lucas’s are like lightning.

Both our hands went around the cup at the same time, but in moving for it, Lucas had to bend from his substantial height. When he did, our heads connected and a resounding thwack echoed around us.

“Ow.” I let the mug go free into his hand and palmed the spot of contact on my forehead. “Your skull’s made of cement.”

Lucas placed the mug on the counter, then tugged my hand off my head.

I swatted him away. It was like slicing air because it had no effect on halting him from touching me.

“Let me see. Stop squirming.” He cupped my chin to hold me in place.

In all honesty, I’d gone statue-still again the moment his hand curled around my jaw. I knew Lucas’s fingers were strong, an effect of being a life-long shooter. Thick-skinned, coarse, and powerful, his grip was surprising gentle though, as he held my face in one hand and pressed against the throbbing notch on my forehead with the other.

“You’re gonna have a goose egg.”

“And whose fault is that?” I mumbled.

“Better get some ice on it, fast.”

This time when I glanced up at him, he was attempting—and failing—to hide a grin.

Through narrowed eyes, I said, “Thanks for the advice. Mind letting go of me so I can?”

Lucas glanced at the hand wrapped around my chin, frowned, then drew his attention back up to meet my eyes.

Calling them green hadn’t done them a bit of justice. There are so many variations of the simple color, and none of them applied to Lucas.

They weren’t the bright green of a shamrock or the metallic sheen of jade. Neither were they pale like sage nor brilliant like winking emeralds. The purest and most accurate way to describe them was they mimicked the color of fresh moss at midnight: deep and dark with shards of yellow in the mix reflected in moonlight. Long lashed with a tiny tilt at the corners and subtle lines fanning out to his temples, Lucas’s eyes had always been captivating to me. Right now, with his hand holding my chin, and his body so close I could detect the brand of soap he’d used in the shower, they were mesmerizing.

The air between us changed in a finger snap. Energized. Ignited.

Something in Lucas changed, as well. His shoulders were drawn up almost to his ears, and his breathing went a little deeper, a little louder as we stood there. The groove between his eyebrows folded inward even more than it usually did. When his tongue flicked out and crossed over his bottom lip like mine had a few moments ago, I bit down on the need to press my own mouth to his.

I may have moaned.

The swift inhale Lucas took convinced me he’d heard the sound and recognized it for the naked desire it was. The hand at my chin tensed and drew me in closer. So close, I could count every hair of the afternoon stubble shading his etched cheeks and strong jaw.

An insane urge to run my tongue along the length of that shadow hopscotched through me. I might have succumbed to the impulse if Robert’s voice hadn’t spilt into the room.

“Dad?” We both blinked at the sound.
 “What’s going on?”

“Maureen dropped a cup,” Lucas told him after a moment, his attention never wavering from me. His voice was thick and low. “We bumped heads when we went to get it. Grab some ice from the freezer, would ya, son?”

Intrigued? You can preorder your copy here and have it when it releases on 12.9.2020 :BWL

And, if you’d like a PRINT version of the book, My website store is selling them for only $10.00 Waaaay below every retailer – including Amazon. You can order a copy here: BWL 

And…….if you’d like to get an autographed print copy for free, you can enter to win 1 0f 3 copies in my Goodreads Giveaway, here: GRG

So many ways to read!!!

Happy Sunday, peeps ~ Peg

3 Comments

Filed under A Match Made in Heaven

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

December 2, 2020 · 12:00 am

Book of the Month from #LASR… Vote for BAKED WITH LOVE

BAKED WITH LOVE (A match Made in Heaven, bk 3) doesn’t even release until next Wednesday, 12.9, but it’s already up for BOOK OF THE MONTH over on Long and Short reviews. The reason it is is because of the BEST BOOK RATING the book received earlier in the month. In case you missed it, here’s the review: LASR

You can vote for the book until tonight, here: BOM

Thanks if you do decide to vote for it!
You can also enter to win 1 of 3 signed print copies of the book over on my Goodreads Giveaway. Here’s the link to enter: GOODREADS

(Don’t click the ENTER GIVEAWAY link in the picture. It’s not activated for this blog.)

And…..one more, then I promise I’m done!
If you like PRINT editions of your book, BAKED WITH LOVE is available in my Website store for only $10.00 per copy – waaaaaay below any retailer. Order you cope today and you’ll have it before the book even releases next week! Here’s the link to order any of the books in the store: PEGGYS BOOK STORE

Good luck to all who enter the Goodreads Giveaway, and thanks to all who vote for me for Book Of The Month.

Until next time, peeps ~ Peg

1 Comment

Filed under A Match Made in Heaven

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

December 1, 2020 · 4:01 am

Happy December! Start off your month with a GOODREADS GIVEAWAY…

I’m so excited about this!!! I’ve got a GOODREADS GIVEAWAY currently running for BAKED WITH LOVE. You can enter to win 1 of 3 autographed, print copies just in time for the Holiday book reading season!

To enter, just click this link: GOODREADS GIVEAWAY

Good luck and I hope to be sending you a winner’s copy next week!

And don’t forget, if you don’t want to enter the giveaway, or you want to get the book for yourself or a gift, my WEBSITE BOOKSTORE is still up and running. BAKED WITH LOVE is just one of a dozen print books that are deeplu discounted at $10.00 a piece ( waaaaaaaay below any other retailer!) Check it out: Peggy’s bookstore

Good luck and happy holiday shopping! ~Peg

 

Leave a comment

Filed under A Match Made in Heaven

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

November 30, 2020 · 12:00 am

SIlver Dagger Tour for ROCK HOUSE GRILL by D.V.Stone #booktour #rafflecopter

 

My WIld Rose Press sistah, D.V.Stone is on a huge book tour for her novel ROCK HOUSE GRILL ~ The Impact Series, and today she’s joining me. We’re talking about every little thing, including the book!

 

Aden House, successful but driven chef and TV personality, refuses to slow down. His life implodes one night, damaging him both physically and emotionally. He’s rescued by a woman he thinks of as his angel.
Shay McDowell has rebuilt her life after her divorce. She juggles volunteer EMT duties and her job, while dreaming of becoming a chef. She finds her way to Rock House Grill and back into the life of the man she helped save.
Can love be the ingredient needed to survive the many obstacles they face?

Book Trailer:

https://youtu.be/pzSAPGLf_Ls

 

Aden scratched his head. The woman could climb into a shredded car and deal with lives in the balance. Hard to believe the thought of cooking a piece of chicken made her melt down.

His angel was close to the edge of breaking down. The teacher in Aden took over. “Of course you can.

You’ve helped with the basic menu for weeks now.”

“I know, but…”

“No buts. Eli and the line-cooks have already begun. My people know their jobs.”

“You’ve got this, Shay.” Gloria sidled up next to her. The smaller woman smiled, and shoulder bumped her. “And chica, we’ve got you.”

Shay released a ragged breath and turned to the staff.

All the kitchen workers were smiling and nodding with encouragement.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

Aden scratched his head. The woman could climb into a shredded car and deal with lives in the balance. Hard to believe the thought of cooking a piece of chicken made her melt down.

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo

$10 Amazon

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/rock-house-grill-book-tour-and-giveaway

 

What are your top 10 favorite books/authors? 

Wow, that’s a tough question. My reading is quite varied, depending on my mood. And this isn’t in any particular order just as they come to me. They also encompass books I fondly remember from my childhood up.

Black Beauty, Heidi, Misty of Chincoteague

Thea Harrison, CL Wilson, Jan Karon, JRR Tolkein, C.S. Lewis

The Hiding Place, Hinds Feet On High Places

That was easier than I thought. I didn’t even get to Stephen King, Michael Crichton, Francine Rivers.

Pretty eclectic, huh?

Do you see writing as a career? 

Absolutely! This is my next stage in life. I’ve been so many things and had so many jobs. But writing is the place where I’ve found my creative outlet. I’ve tried painting, sketching, music, jewelry making, and photography. I still enjoy these things, but writing is my passion. I’ve even come to enjoy the editing process. When retirement rolls around next year, I hope to finish all the works I have in progress. To continue with creating new stories. I have a very active imagination.

A day in the life of the author? 

Right now, I’m on a hamster wheel. The country band Alabama has a song that goes.

I’m in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life’s no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I’m in a hurry and don’t know why.

It seems to be my life these days. After returning to work from Covid furlough, my hours changed. I used to have the whole morning to write before heading off to work. But now I only have a short time in the morning and then off to my full-time job in a medical office. I get home around 7ish and try to wrap up anything that needs to be done. In addition to my writing and marketing, I also do two blogs a week on my website. Welcome To The Campfire is on Saturdays, and A Peek Through The Window is on Wednesday. I love talking to other authors and highlighting their books. Also, on the 1st of the month, my newsletter goes out. In addition to sharing about my life, I also review books I’ve enjoyed throughout the month and what’s on my TBR (to be read) pile. I just exhausted myself writing that.

Describe your writing style. 

Life is hard. I’m sure many of you agree. That said, my writing style can take serious situations, maybe inject a little humor, always hope. My stories are about family, and not only blood relations but the larger family of friends. I write what could be called sweet or clean. All sex is behind closed doors, but intimacy is there. I try not to curse in my real life and my writing reflects that. I want my readers to walk away fulfilled, and thoughtful.

What is your writing Kryptonite?

Research. I tend to follow the rabbit trails and get lost in whatever I’m interested in. One website leads to the next, and before you know it, hours have passed. Social media is also a significant time drain.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

Despite Rock House Grill being first drafted in thirty days, I’m not a fast author. I have no idea how some can put out multiple books a year. 2020 was a big year for me. I had both Rock House Grill and Rainbow Sprinkles release and, hopefully, my second Agent Carter book by the end of the year. But both RS and AC are short. RHG took several years from writing to publication.

Born in Brooklyn, D.V. Stone has moved around a bit and even lived for a time on a dairy farm in Minnesota before moving back east. Throughout her wandering, she always considered herself a Jersey Girl. She met and married the love of her life, Pete–a lifelong Jersey Man, and moved this time to Sussex County. They live with Hali, a mixed breed from the local shelter and their cat Baby.

D.V.’s career path varied from working with the disabled to become a volunteer EMT, which in turn led to working in hospital emergency rooms and then in a women’s state prison. After a few years, she took a break from medicine and became the owner of Heavenly Brew, a specialty coffee shop in Sparta NJ, and a small restaurant in Lafayette. Life handed some setbacks, and she ended up back in the medical field, but this time in a veterinary emergency hospital.

During the poor economy, she was laid-off from a long-time position she cared about. Devastated, D.V. wondered what to do with her life. Finding comfort in her love of reading, she realized it was now time to follow her dream of writing. It’s been a long road but worth every minute of it. Now a published author, she also works in a people medical office again.

“Thank you for taking the time to read about me. Each time you open the pages to one of my books, I hope you’ll be swept away by the story and find encouragement in your own life, never to give up on hope.”

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon *

 

5 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

November 28, 2020 · 4:13 am

#ShopSmall All writers are small business owners…

There’s no better time to Shop Local and support Small businesses than during this pandemic. The times of going to big malls should be over until this scourge is eradicated. It’s so much easier to shop on line or in your own home town ( if you can). And I fully believe that every single writer is their own small business, because sales are important to a writer garnering new readers.

So, having said that, I invite you to visit my website store for print book gift items for the romance book lovers on your list- or for yourself. Every print book is priced way below even what Amazon can offer. WEBSITE STORE

And please, if you can, shop local stores – not only today – but all year round. This economy needs small business owners and people to support them.

Happy shopping, peeps. ~ Peg

Looking for me? Here I am:

Website: ~ Facebook~ Twitter~ Goodreads~ BookBub~ YouTube

~ Instagram~ Pinterest:~ LinkedIn ~ Amazon Author Page:~ Authors database~ Triberr

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,