Today is a busy day for me. I not only have my own blog post up ( here) but it’s also my turn on both the ROMANCE GEMS and ROMANCING THE GENRES blogs.
Good thing we are all in self quarantine, no? Hee hee
More time to read … and write.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
New in #Audiobooks Will Rise from Ashes by Jean Grant; @audible
I love audiobooks, don’t you?? My fellow Wild Rose Press writer and friend, Jean Grant, has just released one of her books in audio and she’s sharing a little sumthin’ sumthin’ about it here to day with me! So exciting.
Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Living is more than mere survival.
Blurb:
Living is more than mere survival.
Young widow AJ Sinclair has persevered through much heartache. Has she met her match when the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, leaving her separated from her youngest son and her brother? Tens of thousands are dead or missing in a swath of massive destruction. She and her nine-year-old autistic son, Will, embark on a risky road trip from Maine to the epicenter to find her family. She can’t lose another loved one.
Along the way, they meet Reid Gregory, who travels his own road to perdition looking for his sister. Drawn together by AJ’s fear of driving and Reid’s military and local expertise, their journey to Colorado is fraught with the chaotic aftermath of the eruption. AJ’s anxiety and faith in humanity are put to the test as she heals her past, accepts her family’s present, and embraces uncertainty as Will and Reid show her a world she had almost forgotten.
How did I do my research for Will Rise from Ashes?
Simply put, heaps of reading, exploring, and travel. My background is in science (microbiology, immunology, biology, and marine science—I spent a lot of time fine-tuning my interests in college and graduate school), and I love traveling and hiking. The idea of Will Rise from Ashes came from a bit of my own life (as a parent with an autistic child) and my love of nature…I asked myself what would happen if the Yellowstone supervolcano erupted? Volcanoes are a constant topic in our household. Bam! My story came.
Then, road trip time! I’d already visited the lovely national park in the corner of Wyoming as a child and took another trip this time with my family, 4 years ago. This highlight of our national park system did not let me down. I was walking on ground zero—research moments were everywhere! We also toured other geothermal wonders throughout the Pacific Northwest on that trip. The bright sapphire-blue Crater Lake was one of my favorites and meandering through the observation areas of Mount St. Helens gave me shivers. I returned home with piles of books and dug into the story. Along the way, I’d stop to dig deeper with research. And up front, I take careful character development into consideration. My stories tend to have journeys of the body and heart, and this one takes my characters from Maine to Colorado. Talk about a road trip. The experts say “write what you know” and for me that was science, journeys, and parenting. I hope my readers enjoy AJ and Will’s journey in Will Rise from Ashes as much as I do.
Get your copy here:
Audible ~ Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ Google books
A little about Jean:
Jean’s background is in science and she draws from her interests in history, nature, and her family for inspiration. She writes historical and contemporary romances and women’s fiction. She also writes articles for family-oriented travel magazines and websites. When she’s not writing or chasing children, she enjoys tending to her flower gardens, hiking, and doing just about anything in the outdoors.
You can find Jean here:
Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Bookbub ~ Amazon Author Page ~ The Wild Rose Press ~ Instagram
Filed under Uncategorized
#coping during #covid19 The #NewNormal , part 2
So the other day I had so many responses to my question about how my writer friends are coping with the new normal in the pandemic world, that I had to write 2 blogs to post them all! hee hee. I have really great friends.
Writer Lucy Kubash sent me this:
My husband and I retired two years ago and we’ve gotten use to being home a lot more in that time, but knowing we can’t just jump in the car and go somewhere is a bit unnerving. Since we live where it’s still quite cold (Michigan), we also have learned to deal with staying home more in the winter weather. But, here are a few things I do to try to keep from going too stir crazy when stuck at home, and so I’m not just at the computer all day.
Get outside at least once a day. Fill the bird feeders and feed the squirrels. Take the dogs out in the back yard (My husband tries to walk one dog every day. I say try because Ace doesn’t always want to go, lol!)
Choose one household project per day to finish, something I’ve been putting off for a while. Then I feel like I’ve accomplished something. I have a long list!
Have a treat in the afternoon; hot chocolate, coffee cake, something that makes me feel good.
Post soothing/fun photos on Facebook/Instagram and try to avoid the scary stuff.
WRP sistah and friend Julie Howard has these recommendations for sanity:
I thought I’d chime in on my own sanity tip for your blog.
Spending too much time indoors is a guarantee for craziness, no matter if there’s a pandemic or not. I have to get outside and walk. Fortunately, it’s spring and there are blossoms and buds to admire on nearly every tree. Daffodils are in full bloom which means tulips aren’t far behind. This is a wonderful time to clear the cobwebs in my brain, process all that’s happening, and even conjure a plot or two in one of my books. I always return home refreshed. Who knows what tomorrow brings, and so I focus on the moment. Small pleasures, like a simple walk.
Another wonderful WRP sistah, N. Christine Samuelson sent me this:
I, too, pretty much prefer the isolation of the writing life; but it’s curious, now that I’m told I have to stay home, I want to go out visiting & shopping, esp. the bookstores, lol! Human nature, I guess. So, like yo, my routine isn’t changed drastically except no more last minute running to store or restaurant for take out dinners; and no more escape to a movie theater once a week. Instead, I’ve changed my routine like this:
Cooking meals instead of eating out- I’m finding it soothing and something to look forward to — finding a new recipe and making a great meal for family. Never thought I’d have fun finding new dishes & actually taking the time to cook them!
Sharing information: I know many elderly people/family who either don’t use a computer or are limited in its use. So I’m researching local stores & restaurants to find hours, & places that have pickup service and/or deliver groceries & meals, & even medications. I also offered to bring food & place at their front door if they run out or can’t cook. Helping others takes me out of my own head & problems.
Getting out for fresh air & sunlight to walk even just for 20 min where others are not congregated, ie: around a pretty-much deserted neighborhood or beach. Or if I start getting really claustrophobic, we just drive around in the car and look at nature or a sunset. Find something each day to do for yourself that takes you away from all the bad news and your own fears. (Thank goodness for Netflix, Prime & wonderful BOOKS!)
Faith & prayer. When fear of the future grabs me, praying and reaching out to family & friends via internet/phone/skype always helps. We’re all in this together.
Click to learn : How to wash your hands correctly
My dear friend and fellow New York sistah Charlotte O’Shay has been self isolating for the past few weeks and gives these tips for coping:
“Covid-19 is war. With a large immediate and extended family in the New York metro area and with some including me with underlying respiratory vulnerabilities, we have to win it.
Living as we do, cheek by jowl in NYC, is a challenge even in the best of times and these days are not the best of times. Here are some of my coping methods.
#1-Stay connected
FaceTime conference calls with family and friends, photo-sharing, recipe sharing, story sharing, joke sharing. We’re sitting around a big virtual dinner table cheering each other up and on. This is not easy as many of us have been furloughed, let go or business has plain stopped during the pandemic.
#2- Structure
My husband and I have been self-isolated for 10 days. We structure our days as work days, take a break to walk at day’s end while keeping social distance. Saturday spent cleaning.
#3- Daily
Constant hand washing, reading, writing, meditation, prayer, listening to music. Last night we had a mini James Taylor concert via Spotify. After actual though virtual work, husband reads Hemingway and binge watches the Last Kingdom. I’ve written 75% of a new indie romance.
#4-Food
My mom raised us to respect a dollar and water down eggs and tomato sauce to stretch the meal and I’ve been doing the same. It’s a challenge to see what I can come up with out of my pantry and it’s distressing and depressing to see some hoard. My sister and I scoured NYC to grocery shop for my disabled brother and elderly mom. We continue to give to charities like Food Bank. Their work providing food to those with food insecurity is more important than ever and my kids have given as well. When I couldn’t buy corned beef anywhere, we picked up corned beef takeout for St. Patrick’s Day and I’ve ordered takeout from two local restaurants which we are allowed to do with precautions of surface cleaning and hand washing.
I’m not really baking aside from sodabread for St. Patrick’s Day. With all of the enforced inactivity and pasta, I don’t need the calories though I confess I’ve eaten much more than my fair share of cheese lately.
#5-Only listen to/read trusted news sources. This is very important. Gov. Cuomo’s news conferences, WHO, Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Info, NHI, CDC are the sources of my information.
#6-Social media distancing-while I try to find the humor in anything I post or read in this unnerving time, I confess I’ve never been a big fan of social media. I’m having trouble watching people via FB or Instagram or Twitter who aren’t seeing this pandemic for what it is when so many of their fellow American health care professionals, first responders and other essential workers are going all out and risking their health to serve and protect.
#7-I’m reading A LOT and I’m guessing others are too. I’ve put my books on sale.”
When this is over I want to give everyone in my life a big hug.!
Peggy here: me, too!!!
One of my newer WRP sistahs, Marilyn Barr sent me this heartfelt email about getting through these trying times:
Six years ago, my son was diagnosed with multiple autoimmune diseases and declared too sick for school by our local private school. I quit my job as a public school teacher to manage his medical care and homeschool him. He has grown stronger over the years and can now handle moderate groups of kids for short periods. He will be exhausted but with his immunotherapy, he will not contract illnesses from the limited exposure. We must carefully examine every acceptable risk which leads to some hard choices for my husband and me. When we made these life changes, it was a difficult transition but it has been worth it. These are my top 5 tips and tricks to being in isolation.
· Replace the rhythm supplied by school and work. Having work or school meant a schedule of activities leading to a natural rhythm. Being devoid of this can be jarring to our systems and can cause anxiety. You can recreate the rhythm by setting alarms on your phone at the same time each day for a special activity or having a theme each day of the week. In my house, Laundry Day is Friday, In-house Date Night with my spouse is Thursday, Baking Day is Wednesday, Deep Cleaning is Tuesday, Trash Day is Monday, Sunday is Yardwork Day (year-round) and Saturday is Game Tournament day. Some daily themes are more fun than others. Every day my phone has alarms for 5:00 am writing time, 11:11 am meditation, 2:30 pm yoga, 4:00 pm silent reading, and 9:30 pm star-gazing and moon-spotting.
· Balance screen time with screen-free activities. Screens provide enjoyment but can eat up a large portion of our day. Parents are grateful for the temporary peace screen-time provides until their children become dysregulated from too much exposure to artificial lights and stimulation. By utilizing the alarms on my phone, I can break up blocks of screen time with low-tech activities to give my son’s eyes a rest. My favorite screen reset activities are yoga and meditation because they calm his nervous system further. However, a nature walk, time spent playing with the cats and practicing his piano are all healthy activities. Silent reading, playing cards, and craft projects also help process some of the stimulus provided by screen time.
· Maintain pride in your appearance and surroundings. While pajama day once in a while is fun, ignoring hygiene makes for unpleasant-smelling roommates. I always feel better when I look better and hypothesize it is the real reason why Donna Reed vacuumed in her pearls while her family was at work/school. Maintaining shower schedules, housecleaning schedules, and hygiene routines all contribute to the daily rhythm which regulates our emotions. I highly recommend taking this one step further and dressing up once a week for a candlelight dinner in your dining room complete with your favorite outfit, make-up (if you wear it), heels, special jewelry, and cologne. You will be amazed at how special you feel being dressed up when you have nowhere to go.
· Utilize technology to create worldwide social opportunities. While my son has never been to school, he takes live classes on Outschool.com. In his French book club, he met his best friend who lives in Belgium. He sings in a choir whose director is in Calgary Canada. He learned electronic dance music equipment and toured his teacher’s club booth in England in virtual music remixing class. He met some of his French social club friends on our last vacation to Montreal. Zoom, Facetime and some MMOs provide ways to connect with friends virtually.
· Brainstorm curiosities you didn’t previously have time to pursue. Instead of lamenting the extra time you have, you can turn it into a positive one. What have you always wanted to study but never had the time? I have always wanted to visit the megaliths of England and was excited to find free virtual tours of the world’s landmarks offered to bust quarantine boredom. Also, if you are like me, your TBR tower reaches for the ceiling. Reading new books and having the time to leave reviews has been a bonus for both myself and my son. Nothing gives him more satisfaction than reading his opinions on his school materials to us. (My last planned science lesson got “zero stars – does not recommend” with “change science to poetry” as the suggested recommendation for service improvement.)
I hope this can provide some inspiration for those thrust into a different lifestyle. The hardest part of isolation is providing the natural rhythm and structure for yourself and maintaining your standards of living with no outside motivation. By balancing the fun of reduced responsibilities with the needs of our sensory systems, we can recreate the inner harmony to stay happy and well-adjusted.
And my friend Maria Imbalzano has this wonderful take on how to cope:
We all have predictable schedules during our normal lives and we usually can’t get it all done. Now that we are working from home and have more time for ourselves, you may want to consider some of the things I do every day when I take a break from working on my novel.
- Read the New York Times and a Local Paper
- Do a Crossword Puzzle, cryptoquip, scramble, and/or sudoku
- Read a book
- Pick up the phone and have a conversation with a friend or relative
- Start a jigsaw puzzle (can you tell I like puzzles of all kinds)
- Take a walk outside or some other exercise
The following I should add to my list, but the jury is out.
- Clean out a closet or drawer
- Cook something good
Great ideas I saw on the internet
- Take a virtual tour of one of 12 museums around the world
- Take a dance lesson
- Borrow one of 500,000 books free from the New York Public Library
- Take a virtual trip to an aquarium or zoo
Take a virtual tour of Buckingham Palace, the Galapagos Islands, the Great Barrier Reef
Is it any wonder I love my writing sistahs sososos much??
Until next time, peeps: WASH YOUR HANDS!!!
Filed under Uncategorized, WIld Rose Press AUthor
A #5starreview & an ego boost!
I just adore InD’tale magazine! They not only gave me a 5 star review for A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: RICK, they also made the lovely graphic above for me AND put the book in you tube video:
This entire week just got waaaaaaaaay better, peeps!
today’s #coronapocalypse2020 PSA from…me
Had to do it…sorry for the shameless selfpromotion….
Filed under It's a trust thing, Uncategorized
Are you self isolating because of Covid 19? I’m a recluse, so here are some tips for survival
Panic, it appears, has infected the globe.
While I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to take all these precautions against spreading and/or catching the corona virus, most people are not used to being isolated in their home, unable to go outside to do anything for a minimum of 14 days JUST IN CASE they have the virus. Most people are social beings and need to be around others to talk, interact, bitch and gossip.
I’m not like most people. I self isolate routinely.
I could use the excuse it’s because I have a solitary career, being a writer and all, but that’s only half of it. I like being alone. I truly do.
So because I am used to being sequestered in the house, where sometimes a week can go by and I have only left it once to grocery shop and care for my parents, I know how to survive the long days where you may feel as if you are the only person on the planet. Here are a few tips so you don’t go crazy.
- even if you are not leaving the house, get up and take a shower and get dressed every day. This is your norm, isn’t it? Even when you go on vacay you still do this. Do it now. (Full disclosure here: sometimes I don’t do this until about 5 in the evening when I know hubby will be home in a few hours! )
- if you are working from home, work. Don’t watch TV, play a video game, or binge watch sixteen seasons of MASH on Netflix. Do what you’re supposed to be doing. Believe me, it helps off set depression and keeps you on schedule mentally and physically.
- make your bed. The desire to crawl back into it during the day is lessened if it’s already make. And don’t grab you laptop and work in you bed. The bed is for sleeping, recreational…sports, and making babies. Not for WORK.
- get some exercise. If you can walk outside even for a little while and you can avoid crowds, do it. I have a home gym so I get to exercise everyday no matter what the weather. If you live someplace with a gym on premises, or even have a home gym like I do, utilize it.
- Take a lunch break. You do when you’re at the office, or wherever you work, right? This is the one time you can watch tv if you want. When I take a lunch break I typically watch THE VIEW on ABC and walk on my treadmill for an hour. I combine a break with exercise. Works for me.
- if you are truly isolating or working at home because YOU MAY have come in contact with Covid 19, you can still interact and talk with people via Skype, Face time, or any of the other phone/computer apps where you can actually SEE people you are talking to. My daughter’s company has made them all work at home until the end of March and we have had “lunch” together a few times via facetime. She’s eating, I’m eating, and we’re talking and planning.
- eat on schedule. DON’T GRAZE or snack. When you have to get back into work clothes after doing this for a few weeks you will be pissed at the weight gain you could have prevented.
- if you no longer work but are isolating at home, my number one thing to do to drive off the boredom is READ. This, I feel, is why e-devices were invented. Even if you don’t have a kindle, but you have an IPAD, you can upload the kindle app for free or even the Nook app. There are literally thousands of free books you can borrow from Amazon, but you can also find oodles of 99cents books from new-to-you authors or recommendations from other people for good books. The other day on my FB page I asked my author friends to post links to their current books so people who were at home could download them to read. Check it out, here: Recommend a book via FB
And now I just want to get a few things off my chest about this panic and why people are making me insane.
- If your kid’s school is CLOSED it’s not a license to take them on fields trips to museums, the movies, the mall, MacDonald’s playland, or anywhere where they are around crowds. The school is closed to keep them safe from catching the virus. Dragging them all over the place because they are bored – or you are – is putting them in danger, precisely what closing the schools was to meant prevent! Think with your brains, people!
- Corvid 19 is a RESPIRATORY virus not a GASTRIC one. If you get it you will be SNOTTY not SHITTY. STOP HOARDING TOILET PAPER!!! No person alive needs a gross of tp for 2 weeks of isolation. Even the Duggars don’t go through that much much in 14 days!!!
- If you are not feeling well – STAY HOME!!!
- Stop touching your face. I was at Mass last week and the priest on the altar kept swiping at his nose. Why my husband got mad at me because I didn’t want to receive from this guy is a mystery!!!! My nails are starting to grow for the first time in decades because I haven’t been biting them.
- Cough and sneeze into your elbow and teach your snotty little kids to do it, too! I was at Mass – again- last week and a six year old sneezed full faced so hard I thought he was gonna push out brain matter. Did he cover his nose and mouth? That would be NO! HE just let lose all over the people in the pew in front of him. It took every Catholic bone in my body not to scream at him and his parents.
- Don’t wipe up disinfectant after you spray or swipe it on a surface. The purpose of disinfectant is to DRY on the area you put it on in order to kill the germs. If you spray it on something and then wipe it off, you are doing no good.
- WASH YOUR HANDS. EVERY SINGLE TIME. I’m a nurse, so I was taught to wash my hands BEFORE AND AFTER I use the bathroom. Still do to this day.
- Use hand sanitizer LIBERALLY. Rub it in. I don’t care if you smell like bleach and no one else does either. Bleach is a good, clean smell. Use it as cologne for all I care, just use it.
Truly the most important thing you can do to get through this trying time is not panic.
Panic benefits no one.
Listen to the suggestions and isolate at home, wash your hands, avoid crowds, and cough or sneeze into your elbow.
This, too, will pass. And it will do so much quicker if we all use common sense and take necessary precautions.
And above all else STOP HARDING TOILET PAPER!!!!!!!!
Rant over…until next time, peeps ~Peg
Filed under Uncategorized
#LongandShortreviews #Wednesdaybloggingchallenge 3.11.2020
Today’s topic ONE SKILL I WISH I HAD BUT DON’T.
There are so many ways I could go with this.
I can’t: read a map, speak French, weld, powerlift, ski, hit a baseball, write poetry, home-brew beer, change a tire.
I’ve tried ( and failed at) making a souffle, knitting a sweater, snowshoeing, garden design, leaning to speak Spanish, adding washer fluid to a car ( don’t even ask about this one!).
I have no desire to: sing, act in play, write anything other than romance, learn ballet, deep sea dive, cliff dive.
So, since I’ve ruled everything else physical out, it makes the most sense that the skill I wish I had but don’t is the ability to keep my mouth shut and think before I speak.
This inability has lead to some hairy situations throughout my life, none of which I feel confident sharing on this platform. Suffice it to say, learning this skill would greatly benefit my life.
Let’s see what some of the other authors in this challenge have to say: L&SR
Until next time ~ peeps
You can usually find me here :Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// Book Me
Filed under Long and SHort Reviews, Uncategorized
A matter of #POV…
The other day on my Facebook page I posted this:
“Hey kids. I just read a rather scathing article about how “Sub-par” writing in the first POV is. Since many – but not all – of my books are written in First person, I was wondering if you could help me out here: Are you automatically turned off to reading anything in the first POV, or do you give the author a chance and see if the book is a worthwhile read?
I have to admit, most of my books written in fist POV are the ones I’ve had the best sales with. But…. Thanks for any feedback. “
Peeps, that simple question garnered me more traffic on those pages than I’ve seen in eons!!
The general consensus was that most people don’t care if a book is written in first or third person as long as: the story is good, the voice is engaging, and the characters are worth reading about.
Since more than half of the books I’ve written are in first person ( the other half in third) I was so thrilled to hear this.
I, too, don’t care if a book is in first or third as long as the story and characters sweep me away. I have so many writers that I love to read and each of them write in different voices and points of view.
There were some comments of people who don’t like first person for various reasons, and that’s fine with me. I say, the more writers we have offering good stories and their unique telling of those stories in the form of viewpoint, the better!
I should put questions like that up more on my page, no? Hee hee
You can get a gander at all my books on my Amazon webpage here: Peggy Jaeger Books
And just for giggles ( and info!) here’s the breakdown of my books in first and in third POV
First person POV ( the narrator is speaking)
It’s A Trust Thing, Dirty Damsels, Christmas & Cannolis, 3 Wishes, A Kiss under the Christmas Lights, Dearly Beloved, Today, tomorrow, always,
Third person POV
Skater’s Waltz, The Voices of Angels, Passion’s Palette, First Impressions, There’s no Place like home, Hope’s Dream, COoking with Kandy, A Shot at Love, Cant Stand The Heat, A Pride of Brothers:Rick
Until next time ~ Peg
Looking for me? I’m right here:Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// Book Me
Filed under Romance Books, Uncategorized
TRUE DREAMS by @KariLemor #releaseday
Today, my lovely friend and uber-talented writer, Kari Lemor, has a new book out and it’s waiting for me on my kindle, so I wanted to get this post up lickity split! Hee hee. TRUE DREAMS is the secondbook in the Storms of New England series and if you’ve Elusive Dreams, book 1, you know you’re in for an emotional rollercoaster of delight!
Kari writes real people with real emotions and issues like no one I know! I read her books in a sitting, letting life go on around me, while I sit and lose myself in her stories. I’m delighted to share this new release with you all.
Here’s a little sumthin’ sumthin’ from the book:
TRUE DREAMS by KARI LEMOR
True “TJ” Bannister, haunted by his past, abandons the world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll to live a peaceful life as a bookstore owner on Cape Cod. The reformed bad boy thinks no “nice” girl will ever see beyond his tormented soul.
Innocent Sara Storm barges into his shop, and his life, with her sunshine personality. She looks beyond TJ’s past and helps heal his damaged heart. But her goal to be a singer is one TJ can’t support. Her dreams take place in the shattered world he left behind.
Can he choose between his newfound serenity and a life that nearly destroyed him, or is their romance doomed before the last note is sung?
Excerpt:
“She’s sweet, isn’t she?” Mary asked at his shoulder. His manager needed a bell around her neck.
“Who? Sara Sunshine? That’s a little too much happiness for me.”
“Only because you’re a miserable old grouch. She’d be good for you. Make you start living again.”
He frowned, proving her point. His first eighteen years he’d done more living than anyone should. Look at where it’d gotten him.
“Enough with the Cupid’s arrow. She’d never be interested if she knew who I was…what I really am.”
Mary pointed her finger at his face. “Stop. You aren’t the same wild teen you were ten years ago. Or even the young man who asked me for a job six years ago. You need to let it go.”
Damn, he wanted to. But deep inside, he was still the same twisted person. He might be a revised edition with a shiny new cover and up to date formatting, but the story was still trash. If Sara stuck around long enough, she’d see it. That would wipe the smile off even her face.
Buy Links: Amazon // B&N // Applebooks ( ibooks)
Kobo // Books-a-million // Google Play ( Books)
A little about Kari….
Award winning author, Kari Lemor writes forever and always love stories. She is the author of the Love on the Line romantic suspense series as well as the Storms of New England contemporary romance series. Her books focus on the characters and the challenges they face. She loves writing stories in the genre of hope, where characters push past all the hurt and conflict and find a way to love each other and be together.
She and her husband of 33 years spend their time split between beautiful New England and historic St. Augustine. But always near the ocean.
Here’s where you can stalk her:
Website // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // Instagram // Goodreads // Book bub // Amazon
FB page – The Lit Lounge with Kari, Lee and Peggy
Okay peeps – I’ve gotta go now because I’ve got a hot date with my Kindle!
Until next time ~Peg
Filed under Uncategorized, WIld Rose Press AUthor
#LongandShortReviews #Wednesdaybloggingchallenge 2.26.2020
Today’s topic prompt is: My favorite memory and why.
Easy Peasy. My favorite memory is tied to a Christmas gift 40 years in the making.
I don’t get a lot of gifts. I didn’t as a child and I haven’t as an adult. I tell you that so you’ll know how precious the gift I’m going to tell you about really is to me.
Obviously, I’m a girl. Duh. I was a child in the 1960’s a time when stereotypical gender roles were still very much in place. Boys got baseball cards, BBguns, and sports equipment for Christmas and birthday gifts. Girls got Barbies, Easy Bake Ovens, and board games like Mystery Date.
I hated all those girly-girly toys. Still do, to be truthful. Even back then I knew they were designed to keep girls in their places, hoping and dreaming of the perfect boy/man to come along and take care of us for eternity.
Gag me now. I so did not buy into that dream. But that’s a blog for another day. Today’s is about my favorite memory.
When I was eight I asked Santa ( that’s right. I still believed in Santa at 8. Still do, in fact.) for a toy I’d seen advertised on Saturday mornings during the cartoon hours. It was aimed at the boy buying market but I didn’t care. I asked Santa that year for Rock’em Sock’em robots!
Lordy, I wanted that toy!!! I said a prayer every night that Santa would leave it for me. I was extra good around the house, doing my chores and even doing things I wasn’t asked to do just to score some brownie points with Old St. Nick.
Christmas morning came and….no robots. I think I opened a new outfit or two for the Barbie doll he’d brought me the year before – the one I NEVER played with, and some Barbie coloring books.
Devastated is too tame for how I felt. My mother asked me why I was so pissed ( and yes, she did say it like that to an 8 year old. Is it any wonder I am the way I am today?) I told her I’d asked Santa for Rock’em Sock’em Robots and couldn’t understand why I didn’t get it. I’d been good, did well in school, went to church. Did everything I was told and supposed to do.
Her explanation was very telling. She shrugged, took a puff of her cigarette and said, “‘Cause you’re a girl, not a boy. Santa doesn’t give boy toys to girls or girl toys to boys. That’s not right.”
See? Telling.
Now, you’re probably wondering why I told you that story. Stick with me and you’ll understand why.
Flash forward 48 years. I’m sitting at dinner with my entire in-law family a few days before Christmas and we go around the table telling stories about Christmas’s of the past. My father-in-law asks me what the best gift I ever got was. I told him, instead, about the Rock’em Sock’em Robots debacle and how much I’d really wanted that toy and how upset I’d been when I didn’t get it. On to the next person for another story.
Christmas morning comes and we are spending it with my in-laws. I wake up and we all start to unwrap gifts. My husband hands me a huge box wrapped with a big red bow and a tag that said, “to Peg, from Santa”. Since I hadn’t asked for anything that year, I was in a quandary about what it could be. When I opened it I started bawling my eyes out. Yup – you guessed it. He’d given me the toy I’d always wanted. Apparently, after hearing the story I’d told a few nights before, he’d sent my brother-in-law to Toys R Us with instructions to get it for me.
Is it any wonder I love this man and have for over 30+ years?
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Filed under Dearly Beloved, Long and SHort Reviews, Uncategorized
Peggy Jaeger, Author 