I’ve been thinking about this a great deal lately. With the holidays approaching – my first Christmas season without my mother – I want to remember the reasons I am truly grateful she was in my life. We may have had a tortured relationship, but she was still, in the end, my mother. So, what are you grateful for from your parents?
Your eye color? Skin texture? Sense of humor? The way they guided you to adulthood? The wisdom they imparted?
A thoughtful question for this Sunday…
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I made this graphic the other day when someone asked me what my favorite book is. If you know me, you know it’s THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD by Watty Piper. An oldie ( real oldie) but a goodie. Why is it my favorite? It’s the best book about self-motivation I’ve ever read. That little engine believed he/she could get over that hill, set their mind to do it, and…did!
Just like that little engine, I always had a dream to be a published author. I worked at the craft, wrote a lot of crap – and a few good things along the way, and never gave up on my dream. I researched, wrote, entered contests, and wrote some more. The end goal was my dream – to be a published writer. To get my words and stories to the masses. I didn’t need adulation; I didn’t do it for fame or to have my name on everyone’s lips. God knows I didn’t do it for the money, because there simply is no way to get hyperrich writing despite what all those webpundits tell you when they offer online courses to make you an instant bestselling author.
I wanted to be published because I had stories to tell and felt other people may react to them favorably, see themselves in the storyline, and simply be able to fade away for a few hours of reading pleasure in a chaotic world.
My first book was published when I was 55 years old. I’m 63 now, have gone through 4 publishers and have now turned into a hybrid indie author. 46 books later and I still get the giggles and chills when I see a new book I’ve penned up on Amazon. And I get emotional when I read a positive review or when a reader comes up to me at a conference and says she loved my book because….
Never give up on your dreams, kids. They do come true. I’m a living example of that. ~ Peg
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So, yesterday hubby and I took Maple up to the local pond for a hike/walk and a swim – Maple is the swimmer, not hubby nor I, hee hee.
It was a beautiful Autumn New England day. About 68 degrees, with no wind, and clear skies without clouds. The type of day that makes living through all the rain and snow and blackfly season tolerable. The leaves are starting to turn – some faster than others, but the day was perfect in every way.
Maple agreed…
A year ago at this time, she got injured. Her hind cruciate ligament tore after a vigorous round of competitive frisbee. She limped for a few weeks before we realized it was worse than just a simple sprain. Three vets later and she needed surgery to repair it. There were a few times this past year we thought we might lose her, or need to put her down. Her pain, postoperatively, was horrible – for her and us. But, we persevered. And now, twelve months, a major surgery behind her and a sixteen-week recuperative period, plus a dramatic weight shift and she’s swimming and having the time of her life again.
What a difference a year makes…
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Today’s #fridayfive is all about my favorite season of the year, FALL/Autumn.
I was today years old when I finally realized the reason it’s called Fall is because that’s what the leaves do…yikes!!! Oh well. I guess an old dog can learn something new.
Anyhoo…
Here are the 5 things I love about Fall:
Filed under Writing
On Sunday, 10.1.2023., the whole cover for DON’T MESS WITH THE MISTLETOE will be revealed, including the preorder link!!
For now, here’s a little teaser from the book…
Humbled was something he could truthfully say he’d never felt before. But he was. Added to it was his hyperawareness of her and the fact she’d referred to him by his Christian name. The sound of it on those perfect lips, in that voice handmade for seduction by the god of temptation, had things happening to his body he was worried she’d notice. Things, specifically, south of his belt.
He didn’t want to scare her; have her think he was just another guy on the make, out to use her; hurt her. He certainly didn’t want her to think he’d ever take advantage of the power situation they were in with him as her de facto boss while his mother was gone. That was a whole world of worry he didn’t sign up for.
Why, then, did she have to feel so good in his arms? Smell so alluring? Be so naturally appealing? And why did he want to do everything in his power to make her life manageable again?
It didn’t take a genius to decipher how attracted he was to her. Even his sisters had seen something going on with him that morning. Try though he did not to, his gaze tracked her wherever she was in the diner. He knew when she entered the kitchen even if his back was to the swing door. He wanted to protect her, erase all the bad things going on in her life, and at the same time take her to bed where he could show her what a man who truly desired her could do for her.
If ever there was time to not tempt fate and act on his feelings, it was right now.
Michael took a giant mental breath. Nodding, he slid his hands from around her waist and stepped back until he was certain he couldn’t reach her again if he stretched out his arms.
And Lord, did he want to touch her again. For as long as she’d let him.
“My mother raised us with the philosophy that kindness and caring are what truly make the world a better place,” he said when he could trust himself to keep the lust from weaving into his voice. He took another step backward. “I’ll let you go on up now. Thanks again for Saturday. You saved me a huge scheduling headache and I’m grateful.”
It was her turn to nod. “I’m the one who’s grateful,” she said, with a lopsided grin as she swiped at her wet cheeks. “Good night. I’ll see you in the morning. I’ve got opening shift.”
Want to know what happens next?? You’ll need to…read the book, LOL!!
Filed under Writing
I’ve written so much on this blog about book reviews- my own and those I write for other authors/books. I even have a page on Writing is My Oxygen devoted to reviews of my books. A good review can garner you more sales on your work, just like a bad one can hinder them. A great review can do many things, but what a really great review does for me is make me cry happy, ugly tears.
Why?
The validation that I’ve done what I set out to do -move someone with my story – hits home and just makes me thankful I did my job.
I won’t lie about this like some writers do: I read my reviews. Every. Single One. On Goodreads, bookbub, Amazon, even other authors’ blogging sites when I happen to find them.
I’ve received glowing 5-star-plus reviews that had me dancing in my office like Elaine Benes and a few 1 stars that have left me running to the cabinet for emergency chocolate.
I have a review for A PRIDE OF BROTHERS; DYLAN that I recently received which left me exhausted from crying those happy tears. Really. My body not only had the tired cry exhaustion going on after I read it three times ( you know – lungs hurt, fingers tingly, chest sore), but that ugly cry as well.
For any bookreader to take the time and write or give one of my books a review – whether they liked it or not, is something that I appreciated greatly. And even if they didn’t like I am thankful. Why? Because they still read it…
If you are an author do you – truthfully – read your reviews? Even the bad ones?
Inquiring minds ( mine, it’s mine!) want to know.
Filed under Writing
I will be at Books Books Books 2023 tomorrow in Lititz, PA, signing, selling, and talking about my books to wonderful readers of romance, and all genres of fiction.
Here are 5 reasons why I think you should come out and see me (LOL, such narcissism!!!)
3. Books make great gifts and the holidays are coming! Giving a reader a signed copy of their newest release is a great gift.
4. It’s a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon, especially since I heard it’s going to rain, hee hee.
5. Free stuff, free tote bag, swag, lunch trucks, raffle basket prizes!
Here’s the link to the FB group: BBB
here’s the link to the event: BBB
I did a tiktok about the even, here: bbb
Filed under Writing
August 18, 2023
6 months today.
I’d like to say it’s gone by quickly.
I’d like to say I’ve started moving on from my grief and guilt.
I’d like to say I’ve accepted everything that happened and am now at peace with it.
I’d like to say I still don’t have periods where I suddenly burst into tears, or feel my heart pounding like a drum line marching o n a football field.
I’d like to say I am moving on. That I’m not paralyzed at times with indecision, or making choices I will either come to regret or instantly do.
I’d really like to say my life has finally gotten manageable again.
But I can’t.
I can’t say any of those things and be telling the truth.
What I can say is that I am taking it one day – sometimes one hour – at a time.
What I can say, truthfully, is that talking about it helps. Saying my feelings aloud not only validates them but fills me with a strange sense of purpose.
What I can say, is that each day is slightly better than the day before.
What I’ll never be able to say is that I don’t miss my mother.
Because I do. Every hour of every day.
Despite our tortured relationship…maybe even because of it…I miss her.
Terribly.
I miss the crazy malapropisms she unconsciously made almost daily.
I miss the way she’d ask me a thousand questions about the same thing.
I miss the way she referred to herself in third person when she was speaking hypothetically.
Does it make me sound crazy to say I miss fighting with her? Verbally sparring with her? Getting her to understand a different point of view than just hers?
I’m sad she only got to meet her great-grandson once.
I’m sad she’ll never meet her great-granddaughter when she arrives this winter.
I’m sad she’s not around to cook for anymore.
I’m just…sad.
6 months today.
The time flew by in a blink and yet dragged mercilessly.
6 months today…
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Peggy Jaeger, Author 