April 5, 2019 · 2:00 pm

#99cent #EBook sale going on right now! #WIllCookForLoveSeries

For a limited time, Kensington/Lyrical has placed the entire WILL COOK FOR LOVE series on sale for just 99cents per ebook. This is a great opportunity to grab the series before it goes back to the original prices.

My WILL COOK FOR LOVE series was my first #Foodie romance series, featuring cheflebrity KANDY LAINE and her sisters and cousins.

Here are easy links to each book:

#1 COOKING WITH KANDY

Kandy Laine built her wildly popular food empire the old-fashioned way—starting with the basic ingredients of her grandmother’s recipes and flavoring it all with her particular brand of sweet spice. From her cookbooks to her hit TV show, Kandy is a kitchen queen—and suddenly someone is determined to poison her cup. With odd accidents and threatening messages piling up, strong-willed Kandy can’t protest when her team hires someone to keep her safe—but she can’t deny that the man for the job looks delicious. . .

Josh Keane is a private investigator, not a bodyguard. But with one eyeful of Kandy’s ebony curls and dimpled smile, he’s signing on to uncover who’s cooking up trouble for the gorgeous chef. As the attraction between them starts to simmer, it’s not easy to keep his mind on the job, but when the strange distractions turn to true danger, he’ll stop at nothing to keep Kandy safe—and show her that a future together is on the menu. . .

#2 A SHOT AT LOVE 

Photographer Gemma Laine is looking for arresting faces on the streets of Manhattan when her camera captures something shocking—a triple murder. In that moment, she becomes a target for the mob—and a top priority for a very determined, breathtakingly handsome, FBI special agent. With deadlines to meet and photo shoots on her calendar, Gemma chafes at the idea of protection, but every moment she spends under his watchful eye is a temptation to lose herself in his muscular arms . . .

With two of his men and one crucial witness dead, Special Agent Kyros Pappandreos can’t afford to be distracted. But Gemma is dazzling—and her connection to Kandy Laine’s high-profile cooking empire makes her an especially easy mark for some very bad people. Keeping her safe is much more pleasure than business, but as the heat between them starts to sizzle, Ky is set to investigate whether they have a shot at love . . .

# 3 CAN’T STAND THE HEAT 

With three successful TV series under her belt, including her cousin Kandy’s, executive producer Stacy Peters is ready to helm her own show. But to make that happen, she has to do her network boss one favor first—spend two months on a ranch in Montana wrangling the notoriously difficult director of Beef Battles. Apparently, he eats producers for breakfast. Yet all Stacy can think when she meets the lean, rugged man is how hungry he makes her . . .

Dominic Stamp—Nikko to his very few friends—has had enough interference from TV newbies. And when Stacy climbs out of the car in Montana, he’s not convinced she’s even old enough to drive, much less produce his show. But he can’t deny that the long-legged blonde with the stubborn will and the dazzling smile whets his appetite. And as Stacy proves her talent with the crew and the budget alike, Nikko vows to prove to her that love is on the menu for both of them . . .

Get the entire series…you won’t be disappointed!

LOVE SO HOT, IT SIZZLES!

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April 5, 2019 · 12:15 am

#AuthorInterview with Karilyn Bentley

 

I’ve got a favorite Wild Rose sistah with me today, talking about her newest book release and giving us a little insight into her writing life. Please welcome Paranormal and Urban Fantasy writer  KARILYN BENTLEY.

Karilyn has been my guest before but today I asked her some indepth questions about her writing, her writing process, and her life in general. Stick around, because after the interview, she’s giving us a peek at her newest book release DEVIL FORGET ME and you won’t want to miss it!

Karilyn, the Writer:

  1. What drives you to write?

I like to create stories that make people smile.

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

I write paranormal and urban fantasy because I love to explore the possibilities of extra-normal abilities. In other words, I’ve watched too many superhero movies and shows.

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

I read paranormal, urban fantasy, and historical. I read paranormal for the same reason I write it and historical because it transports me to a different time and place.

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

Right now I write every day in the evenings after I finish the day job.

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

At the moment I’m writing in the kitchen. I have a desk, but it is in my husband’s office in the basement and the view from the kitchen is more inspiring.

  1. 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?

I prefer quiet but can write with noise or the TV as long as I’m not in front of it.

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

If I do listen, it has to be instrumental because I’ll start singing to the songs and that interrupts my writing flow.

 

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

I knew the theme was greed but one of my writing friends helped me with the plot.

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

Usually the plot and then I “what if” the characters to go with the plot. The process is very interwoven together for me.

What 3 words describe you, the writer?

Slow and steady, a little funny, snarky (Peggy here: Lovelovelove those three descriptions!!!)

Karilyn, the Gal:

  • Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I taught a puppy training class for a couple of months when I was in grad school.
  • Who was your first love and what age were you? My first love was a little boy who was my friend. I was three. Mom set up a playdate and I hid under the couch because I was embarrassed he would learn I liked him. Silly, eh? My first real love was my husband.
  • 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…. I have no idea! Maybe a vacation day?
  • Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando? Briefs
  • If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? Eyeliner
  • What three words describe you, the person? Funny, loyal and loving
  • If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? I can’t sing so I have no idea!
  • 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? Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. Why? The man has unexplored depths. I’d love to just talk with him, maybe take a stroll across the ground of Hogwarts. I’m assuming he’d talk with a Muggle.

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

Favorite sound: Birds chirping

Least favorite sound: cars backfiring

Best song every written: Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey and Hotel California by The Eagles (yes, I know, that’s two, not one)

Worst song ever written: No idea

Favorite actor and actress: Harrison Ford and Sophie Turner

Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? (It can be anyone living or dead): The Queen of England. I’d like to see how the rich and famous really live.

What turns you on? Kindness and people who really listen to you

What turns you off? Rudeness and an inability to listen to other people’s ideas

Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”): I can’t remember so I guess nothing said was that bad!

What’s your version of a perfect day? Sleeping in then drinking coffee on the deck while reading a book

(Peggy here – Karilyn, you’re such a fascinating person! Thanks for taking time to talk with me today. Now, as promised, here’s a view of DEVIL FORGET ME)

DEVIL FORGET ME

What appears to be a simple crime, unmasks a chilling deception…

Gin Crawford, the world’s newest demon huntress, kills two minions who are breaking into a financial adviser’s office. But what she thinks of as another night in the life of a demon huntress leads to a cover-up of epic proportions. A demon haunts her employer, the Agency, and only she can stop it.

Aidan Smythe, her guardian mage and lover, along with her brother T, and the healer Eloise, join her search in discovering the demon’s identity. A search thwarted by a powerful spell.

Breaking the spell requires her to join forces with Zagan, the demon of deceit, the demon who marked her as his. But working together comes with a price. One Gin is not sure she can pay.

EXCERPT:

She chuckles as I sip my beer. “Not nothing. I am trying to discover the identity of the demon at theAgency.” She frowns. “It’s not going well. I know I know who the demon is, but every time I think of its identity”—her hands move in a poof motion—“it

vanishes.”

“Yeah, I have the same problem.”

A memory pops into my mind. Two memories, actually. The first was of last night’s fight with Rahab. How the demon said he only had one demon left to kill in order to rule Hell. Mammon, the demon of greed. The second memory was from last week when Smythe and I went to the Agency. We ran into Chuck Tweedy, the Big Boss of the Agency, and my justitia couldn’t stop chanting “greedy.” I assumed the bracelet got its

words mixed up, exchanging Tweedy for greedy. But what if there was a connection?

A dull pain hammers my head. I rub my brow. What was I thinking? We were talking about the Agency demon. Who could it be?

“You do have the same problem.” Eloise touches my leg, and the headache disappears. “That’s what happened to me.”

“How did you know?” Eloise was blind, although I swear at times she sees fine. “I could feel your pain.” Her brow furrows. “Like a spell had been thrown at you that caused the headache. I wonder if the same thing happens when I get a headache from thinking on the demon’s identity.”

“Wait. You mean whenever I think about who the demon is, my thoughts trigger a spell? What does the spell do?”

You can get y our copy of DEVIL FORGET ME here: Amazon // B&N // ibooks //

A little more about Karilyn…

Karilyn Bentley’s love of reading stories and preference of sitting in front of a computer at home instead of in a cube, drove her to pen her own works, blending fantasy and romance mixed with a touch of funny.

Her paranormal romance novella, Werewolves in London, placed in the Got Wolf contest and started her writing career as an author of sexy heroes and lush fantasy worlds.

Karilyn lives in Colorado with her own hunky hero, two crazy dogs, aka The Kraken and Sir Barks-A-Lot, and a handful of colorful saltwater fish.

You can find Karilyn here:

Website // Newsletter // Facebook  // Twitter // Goodreads // Pinterest  // Book bub

 

 

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April 4, 2019 · 12:10 am

A little sample to whet your #bookreading appetites

I love when one of my publishers comes up with something new and exciting. The Wild Rose Press has put together a collection of 1st chapter samplers from many of its authors to whet the book reading appetites of readers.

Don’t know if you really want to read that new book you saw marketed all over Twitter? Not sure you want to take on a new-to-you author without first reading something by them? This is the perfect opportunity for you, then.

The first sampler is a collection of 10 Contemporary Romance first chapters, titled FALLING FOR YOU: Contemporary Romance Sampler,

and my own book DEARLY BELOVED is included.

 

The other fabulous authors  and their books included are:
Sunset in Laguna by Claire Marti
Dearly Beloved by Peggy Jaeger 
The Millionaire Mountain Climber by Laura Boon 
Morgan’s Walk by Suzelle Johnston 
Only the Beginning by Daphne Dubois 
Saying Yes to the Mess by M. Kate Quinn 
The Saffron Conspiracy: A Novel by Marilyn Baron 
Operation Sizzle by Darcy Lundeen 
Without Love by Theresa Stillwagon 
Don’t Let Him Go by Kay Harris

At just $.99cents, this is a great way to find some really good books to read and fabulous authors to get to know. In the coming months there will be more samplers in different genres released and I’ll be spotlighting them here.

Until then, I hope you find your new favorite author among this list ( and I hope it’s me! Shameless, thy name is Peggy!)

Find me here:

Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me

Here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB

and the link to my recent interview on NewHampshirePublicRadio

And I can’t forget the OKRWA 2018 Award video

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April 3, 2019 · 4:06 am

#L&SRWednesdayBloggingChallenge 4.3.19

I almost skipped writing this blog entry this week. My comfort food recipes are like  children to me: how can I choose my favorite?? Especially since each one serves to comfort in a different way, for different emotional needs??

There was really only one way to do it and that was to throw a mental dart at the ones that people request I make the most. I narrowed it down to three, then threw that dart. This is the absolute fav: CHOCOLATE TRIFLE. 

I find it very TELLING that my favorite comfort food is a dessert. But that’s a topic for another blog, so…..

Looks good, doesn’t it? It is, trust me.

So here’s the easy recipe:

You’ll need: chocolate cake, 2 tubs of  Cool Whip, instant chocolate pudding and a Cadbury Chocolate/Orange ball ( Or a Hershey’s chocolate bar – your choice)

For the cake you will need:

  • 2 cups granulated sugar, sifted
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup cold regular milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water

To make the cake:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Then grease and flour 2 9 inch round baking tins

  1. After sifting the dry ingredients mix the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder and the salt into a mixer.
  2. Add in the eggs one at a time, then the milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
  3. This is a weird step, but once the ingredients are mixed, slowly mix in the boiling water. The batter will become very thin. This is okay.
  4. Halve the mixture and pour each half into the 2 baking rounds. Then, bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and flakey.
  5. Let the cake cook completely for about 3-4 hours. Then, slice the cake in half, length-wise to form 2 identical round discs.
To make the pudding: This one is easy. Just buy 2 large boxes of any commercial chocolate instant pudding mix and prepare them according to the box. Let them cool completely, even though they are instant. You want the pudding to be firmly formed, not watery or jiggly.
Once the cake is cooled and sliced, crumble one round and place it in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Press it down so the cake pieces cover the entire bottom of the bowl. Then, spoon in half the chocolate pudding, spreading it around the cake to form a layer ( refer to the picture above. ) Then spread a layer of cool whip -use about 1/2-2/3 of the tub. Again, refer to the above picture to see what it looks like.
So you now have 3 layers: cake crumbles, pudding, cool whip.
Do it again until you reach almost to the top of the bowl. If you have any pudding or cool whip left over, top the top off with it.
Take your Cadbury Chocolate orange and shave it using a small peeler to form chocolate shavings on the top.
Or, score a  Hershey’s chocolate bar into pieces for a bigger candy rush. On the above trifle I shaved the orange first then added Hershey’s pieces for a powerful chocolate punch.
Let the whole thing sit, covered with cellophane on the top, in the fridge, overnight.
Serve cold. Disclaimer: When I feel the emotional need to make this, NO ONE ELSE is allowed to have any.
Just saying.
WARNING: This is NOT for anyone on a  diet!!! hee hee.  You can reduce some of the calories by using SUGAR FREE INSTANT CHOCOLATE PUDDING and COOL WHIP FREE ( or FAT FREE COOL WHIP. )
Let’s see what some of the other authors in the blog challenge consider their fav recipes. L&SRWednesdayBlogChallenge
Bon Appetite ~Peg

Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me

Here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB

and the link to my recent interview on NewHampshirePublicRadio

And I can’t forget the OKRWA 2018 Award video

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April 1, 2019 · 12:15 am

A new week, a new attitude, a new chapter in my life….

 

So, last Monday I published a pity party post ( say that 5 times fast. I dare ya!) titled The Struggle Is Real…

If you haven’t read it ( shame on you!) it detailed the mental and emotional struggle I’ve been gong thru lately with my writing career. It was written when I was tired, crabby, pitying myself over the non-Rita nomination I surely thought I was going to get this year, and I think some seasonal affect disorder syndrome whittled its way in there, too.

It’s amazing how much can change in just one week’s time.

I’ve been holding on to making this information public for a few days because I wanted to publicize it at the beginning of the week as a way to brighten the week ahead. Just when I thought my writing career was pretty much going nowhere fast, I got a new publishing contract from a new ( to me) publishing house, LIMITLESS PUBLISHERS. The name of the house means so much to me because I truly feel I have no limitations on me right now.

Again, what a change a week can make in one’s attitude.

After I wrote the pity party post I was notified I’m a finalist in the New England Reader’s Choice Awards for my newest book DEARLY BELOVED;

Last week I felt hopeless my career was never going to move forward. This week I know it will.

Last week I despaired that I’d make the wrong decision in ever retiring and devoting myself to writing full time. This week I am optimistic that the choice was the correct one for my mental and spiritual well being, especially when one of my short stories, THE HOUSE ON CRIMSON STREET was published in Long and Short Reviews.

 

Last week I bemoaned the fact that once again I didn’t become a finalist in an industry award. This week, the video of the OKRWA International Digital winners was put up on YouTube and my winning entry, COOKING WITH KANDY, is the first one listed.

Again, so much can change in a mere seven days.

God sure knew what she was doing when she made the world in just one week!

Smile, peeps. It’s the start of a new day…

~ Peg

Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me

Here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB

and the link to my recent interview on NewHampshirePublicRadio

And I can’t forget the OKRWA 2018 Award video

 

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March 29, 2019 · 12:02 am

#1stKissFriday 3.29.19

SHHHH! Don’t tell any of my other books that FIRST IMPRESSIONS is my favorite! This was my first – and to date only – book where the hero came to me fully formed and first, before my heroine. I lovelovelove Pat Cleary so much I can’t even begin to tell you. He’s a bit of a playa, but once he sets his sights – and his heart – on Clarissa Rogers, all bets are now and forever off.

Here’s a little about the book first:

Family Practice Doctor Clarissa Rogers’ first impression of Padric Cleary is biased and based on gossip. The handsome, charming veterinarian is considered a serial dater and commitment-phobic by his family and most of the town. Relationship shy, Clarissa refuses to lose her heart to a man who can’t pledge himself to her forever.
Pat Cleary, despite his reputation, is actually looking for “The One.” When he does give his heart away, he wants it to be for life. With his parent’s marriage as his guidebook, he wants a woman who will be his equal and soul mate in every way. 
Can Pat convince everyone – including Clarissa – she’s the only woman for him?

~~~

When she looked back to him, she could see a question in his eyes. “Pat?”

“Hear me out,” he said, putting his hands on her upper arms. Like a bolt of lightning striking, his touch zoomed all the way through her. “The kittens are too young right now to adopt. We need to get them hydrated, nourished and neutered. My guess is they’re about three weeks old. Four, tops. Without a mother to socialize them, they need extra care here first. Then they’ll need to be acclimated. This is where I’m hoping you’ll come in.” He removed his hands and stroked a finger down the cat’s neck.

“What do you mean?”

“When they’re ready to go, I’m hoping you’ll take this one to foster. You don’t need to adopt her, and I’m not asking you to. But we’ve found when animals are placed in good homes during developing periods, they adapt better when they’re adopted out. I can’t think of a better person to socialize and foster a kitten then you, Clarissa.”

Touched more than she could ever have thought to be by a statement with such thoughtfulness, Clarissa found herself tightening her hold on the kitten and loosening the grip on her heart.

Without a thought to what it would entail by having a new kitten in her life, the time consumption, the routine kitten messes she’d need to clean, Clarissa followed her heart and said, “Yes.”

Pat’s smile widened. “I was really hoping you’d agree.”

“How can I not?” She pulled the kitten to face level and planted a sweet kiss to its nose. Striking gray-blue eyes, peered at her from barely-opened lids. A tiny yowl burst from her and morphed into a wide, mouth- broadening yawn. The kitten shook its head back and forth a few times, its entire body going with the motion and then stretched its front and back paws wide. Clarissa laughed, looked up at Pat and her heart stopped. His pupils had dilated to the point where she could barely make out the ripe color in the irises. His mouth was slightly parted, and she could see his chest rising underneath his lab coat. With his fingers still scratching at the kitten’s neck, he bent his head toward her.

Every nerve in her body went on high alert. She knew he was going to kiss her and all she could think was: Yes, please.

With the kitten buffering their bodies, Pat brought his head down, stopping for the merest of moments to gaze across her face. She didn’t know what he was looking for, but whatever it was, must have pleased him because he put his lips to hers. It was the briefest of touches, his mouth sliding along hers in a gentle caress. His breath, moist and warm, drifted over her as he let it out. Neither closed their eyes, as if not to miss a moment of the encounter. On a whisper, he said her name. His hands rose up her arms, wound around her neck and rested on either side of her face. Cupping her cheeks, he rubbed her mouth with the pad of his thumb. Clarissa’s tongue grazed across it and his breath whistled out between his lips. In the next second his mouth came back to hers and took it again. This time there was no hesitation.

His fingers gently turned her head. With a tiny tug on her chin he swiped at her bottom lip with his tongue, waiting for her response. She needed no further request. Her own lips parted, and when his tongue entered her mouth she tilted her head backward giving him free access.

He tasted like nothing she’d ever tasted before. Spicy. Bold. Vibrant. His tongue pulled hers into his mouth as he expertly twined it with his own. If she hadn’t been leaning up against him, Clarissa knew she would have dropped to her knees from the jolt pounding through her at his touch.

His lips pressed against hers, the tantalizing way his fingers rubbed across her cheeks, the sound of his breathing as it grew more rapid and coarse when he deepened the kiss, was almost too much for her to wrap her analytical mind around.

So she didn’t. She simply kissed him back. With everything she had.

And the man knew how to kiss. Boy, did he know how. The thought shouldn’t have surprised her, given what she knew of his reputation.

His hands continued to hold her head in place, but when one of them dipped below her shoulders to trail down her back and settle above her waist, pulling her closer, she felt the kitten begin to squirm.

A hot blast of reality exploded in her head at the same time she heard the murmur of voices coming closer.

Pat must have heard them too because he pulled back and stared down at her. The confusion across his face came and went so fast she wasn’t even sure she’d seen it.

“Dr. Cleary?”

He tore his gaze from her and smiled when he turned to the younger man standing in the doorway.

“You guys get some food?” Pat asked. She was amazed his voice sounded as calm as it did. He moved from Clarissa and pulled another kitten from the box as she cuddled the now squirming one in her hands.

“We’re all set. Hi, Dr. Rogers.”

Intrigued? Here’s where you can get a copy:

Amazon // Apple // Google // Kobo // Nook 

Read a preview of FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Goodreads Reviews

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March 28, 2019 · 12:19 am

How cool is this?

OKRWA International Digital  Awards Winner’s trailer 

Check out whose book is the first to be shown on this impressive list!!! hee hee

and if you’re looking for me anyplace else, look here:

Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me

Here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB

and the link to my recent interview on NewHampshirePublicRadio

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March 27, 2019 · 4:16 am

#L&SR #WednesdayBlogChallenge 3.27.19

 

Today’s prompt are your favorite Websites/Podcasts/Blogs.

I’ll admit this straight up: I don’t listen to podcasts. In all reality, I don’t know how. Do you listen on a computer? Your phone? Never mind- don’t tell me. I don’t have the spare time anyway.

I do follow a lot of blogs, though, and read the posts that are put up.

My favs include:

Joanne Guidoccio’s blog ,  On the Road to Reinvention

Katie O’Sullivan’s Blog:  Read, Write, Repeat

The Romance Gems Blog ( which I write for once a month) : Talking, Laughing, Writing, Reading

Websites in which I can get lost in include:

One Stop for Writers : Onestopforwriters.com ~these are the fabulous folks behind The Emotional Thesaurus, et al, books.

All the Kissing. Allthekissing.com

Love Romance reads : LoveRomaceReads.com

Long and Short Reviews : L&SR.com

And NNLights Bookheaven : A husband and wife book blogging, book writing, book promotions team that does it all!

As a writer my surfing time is limited, so I seek refuge in the sites and people I love and know best!

Since this  is a blog challenge, let’s see what the other authors blogging today have to say. Long and Short Reviews WednesdayBloggingChallenge.

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March 27, 2019 · 12:18 am

A new #DeerbourneInn release by #Author Laura Boon

 

Today, another wonderful Deerbourne Inn book releases. This one is titled LION DANCING FOR LOVE and it’s by WRP sistah, Laura Boon.

When I knew the book was going to be released into the romance reading world, I asked Laura to write up a little sumthin’ sumthin. on research she did for the book because she’s not a native Vermonter ( the book’s locale). In fact, she lives outside the U.S. so I knew her research story was going to be a goodie! Allow me to let her tell it in her own words. Here’s Laura…

When The Wild Rose Press put out a call for submissions for their Deerbourne Inn series, I was intrigued. I liked the collaborative nature of the series which meant I would be working with other writers (such as the wonderful Peggy Jaeger who is hosting me today) as well as the team at WRP. In the story bible, I read about Corey Duncan, third generation business owner and a man widowed too early in life. I had found my hero. I just needed a heroine to pull him out of the bubble he had withdrawn into. Up popped Caitlin and Lion Dancing for Love was born. Time to get to work! There was just one problem. I live in Australia and have never been to Vermont. (Peggy here: yes, that would be a problem, hee hee!)

Fortunately, I was lucky enough to study in Kansas many years ago, courtesy of a tennis scholarship. The team travelled around a good bit, but mostly in the Midwest and South. I never got to New England. So, I knew something about America and Americans but nothing specific about Vermont.

Thank goodness for Google!

I started by researching the geography of Vermont. What was the weather like in February and March (the time period covering my story)? What drives the economy? What is its history? Is a particular architectural style favored? What transport is favored? Who are its people? What sports do they play? What do they do for fun? What are their values? One of my characters is half Chinese, so I wanted to know how people in Vermont would treat her.

I approached the Vermont travel board, who were extremely helpful and mailed me a package, which reminded me that Vermont is a foodie state, committed to local produce and so I disappeared down another, mouthwatering, rabbit hole, exploring the menus of Vermont restaurants. I downloaded images to create an electronic pin board so I could look at visuals and maps for when I need to imagine the Inn, Main Street and Town Square in Willow Springs. And I read books like Peggy’s Hope’s Dream to see how she portrayed Willow Springs.

Fingers crossed, readers will enjoy my interpretation of Willow Springs. My editor, who doubles as my first American reader, seemed to (more finger crossing). However, for me, the most important thing to remember is that people are people. We may differ on the surface in terms of accent, cultural backgrounds, education and ethnicity – all of which provide wonderful color and diversity to our world – but on the inside, we have the same hopes, fears and passions, the same conflicted relationships with our mothers, and the same appreciation for loyalty, kindness, strength – and a good-looking man in a pair of blue jeans. 😉

Peggy here, again: OMG! I love how you did your research. I live next door to Vermont in New Hampshire and I didn’t know they were considered a foodie state. I’m gonna have to spend more time in Vermont, for sure! Thanks so much for joining me today, Laura. Now, let’s hear about LION DANCING FOR LOVE and your wonderful characters!

 

 

Licking her wounds after a bad relationship, San Diego accountant Caitlyn Summers travels to Willow Springs to help her friend gear up for the annual Maple Sugar Ball. She isn’t planning on staying long, but one encounter with the delicious Corey Duncan has her re-evaluating her plans. 

Corey swore off love when his wife Annie died from breast cancer. Caitlyn is too young, too citified, and vibrates with a passion and energy that will upend the safe, comfortable rhythm of his life. Corey has to choose between playing it safe and taking a risk on love. Caitlyn needs to find the patience to let Corey lead. If not, the Maple Sugar Ball might end in a sticky mess, instead of a slow dance with the man who has captured her heart.

Will their fire burn hot enough to erase doubts and past hurts?

Excerpt:

“You don’t have to be good at it. You have to be able to follow and count to three.”

She put her hands on her hips. It was his turn to raise a brow. “I can follow—if I choose to.”

He chuckled. “Such sass. Prove it.”

He held out his left hand, and she moved forward and placed her right inside it. He twined their fingers and pulled her into position. A heady combination of scents rose from her, vanilla and pheromones and something uniquely Caitlin. Her skin was slick against his. “Rest your head against my chest,” he murmured.

“I don’t recall that as an official position.”

“It’s the one I favor. Stand on my feet. That’s it.” He adjusted her arm, so she had a good hold around his neck and drew her even closer. “Step with your right foot first…back across, together. Forward, across, together. Back, across, together. Forward, across, together.”

Halfway through the song, he let her feet slip to the ground. At the end he kept a firm grip on her waist while he hit replay, then led her through a series of fast twirls, their bodies so close they were almost one. When the song ended, they collapsed in a heap against the wall. She was giggling.

“What?”

“I get why it was considered scandalous when it was first introduced.”

He smiled and tipped her chin toward him with a finger. “It’s only scandalous if you do it properly.” He brushed his lips softly across hers, then claimed her mouth as she breathed into him.

You can purchase LION DANCING FOR LOVE here:

Amazon // i tunes // Kobo // GooglePlay // Deerbourne Series ( WRP)

A little about Laura Boon….

Laura Boon stole her first romance from her father’s bookshelves as a teenager, The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss, and was immediately captivated. After holding a variety of positions in publishing, from bookseller to sales rep and publicist, she eventually found the courage to write her own stories. She was born in Zambia, grew up in South Africa, and went to university in America. She now lives in Australia with her husband and their fur babies Beau and Arro. When she is not reading or writing, she enjoys sleuthing for artisan chocolate and beautiful stationery, watching tennis, and walking alongside Sydney’s beautiful harbor. You can find Laura online via her blog or Facebook page and on Twitter, Instagram, GoodReads, Bookbub and Amazon.

Peggy here: click here to read my review of LION DANCING FOR LOVE.

Be sure to discover the other, already released books of the Deerbourne Inn series – and watch for more releases in 2019 and 2010!

By Reservation Only      Hope’s Dream     Freedom’s Path   

      

Lyrical Embrace     Spirited Quest       Soul of the Storm

              

 

 

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March 25, 2019 · 1:00 am

The struggle is real…

I know we’ve all heard that saying, and most have us have probably quoted it a time or three. But the underlying meaning is true: I’ve been really struggling for some time and am finally able to give voice to it.

It started last year when I had a bit of mini-breakdown. Several personal things were happening to me all at once and in the span of one week I was responsible for so many things that I simply couldn’t function, so I stopped; functioning. I didn’t talk, I didn’t sleep, I didn’t write. ( I did eat, tho, so once again losing weight wasn’t something I was struggling with – because I wasn’t!! Losing weight, I mean!)

Any hoo.

The situations, slowly, resolved, and I thought I was back on top of my game again.

Yeah, not so much as it turns out.

For the past two months I’ve been struggling with wanting to continue on my writing journey. Despite several efforts and the best intentions on my part, I still haven’t been able to find an agent who would want to take me on as a client. You’d think 15 books published traditionally would count for something. Apparently, not.

One of my publishers dropped me, and the editor I thought I had a really good relationship with won’t return my emails. Any of them. I even emailed her assistant who assured me she’d let the editor know I wanted to “speak” to her. Nothing.

I write in such a glutted market – contemporary romance – and trying to garner any kind of attention means I spend hours daily on social media, talking up my books and trying to make connections with readers. It’s exhausting – mentally, physically, spiritually. And let’s not forget financially. All my marketing, despite being traditionally published, is arranged for and paid by me. And as my mother used to tell me, money doesn’t grow on trees. I know that saying is true because I live in the woods and my diminishing funds aren’t being replaced by leaf currency.

The kicker came when the RITA finalists were announced last week. I submitted three books from last year that I wrote, one of which I really thought I had a shot at finaling with because it’s gotten nothing but 5 star reviews – most from people who don’t know me personally, either. Alas, March 21 came and went and I received no phone call.  Now I know what everyone says when you don’t get the call: it doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer or the book wasn’t good. It simply means 5 judges thought other books were better.

Yeah, you know what? That doesn’t make me feel any better.

At all.

I’ve always surmised the RITAS were a bit of a popularity contest, and this year I KNOW they are. Combined with the utter lack of diversity in the finalists – an egregious act – and I’m seriously considering whether the award really means anything at all anymore. I read two absolutely wonderful books that featured h/h as people of color (POC). I graded them sososososo high, too. Know what? Neither of them finaled. I rated one truly horrible book ( so many misplaced modifiers, spelling and tense mistakes) low and know what? It finaled. After finding out about how un-diverse the awards are, I stopped feeling sorry for myself about not finaling. Some amazeballs POC writers have never been given the honor of finaling or winner either, so who am I to have a pity party??!!

But as far as entering in the future, I give up. Truly.

I’m trying to chalk up this feeling of inadequacy and apathy to a passing funk, seasonal affect disorder, and not having a  vacation away in years. I’m trying really hard, as it happens.

Maybe I’ll come out of this stronger and more determined than ever.

That’s the hope anyway.

I didn’t write this as a subtle means of begging for positive reinforcement, or a way of garnering sympathy in the hopes people will buy my books. I may craft for a hobby, but believe me, I’m not crafty that way.

I simply wanted to put my thoughts and feelings down on paper and try and make some sense of why I’m feeling down in the dumps, writing-wise when so many other wonderful things ARE happening for me in my new career. I’ve finaled and even won other contests this year; I’m about to sign with a new publishing company ( more on that later!) and I recently was offered contracts for two books I’ve submitted to my first publisher.

So, life really is good, career-wise for me. I have to chalk this feeling of worthlessness and crabbiness up to winter.

I blame everything else that happens to me on the weather, so why not this, too? heehee

Any hoo…thanks for listening.

~ Peg

 

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