Tag Archives: #ambloggingaboutbooks

#SundaySnippet 5.24.2020

Well, since I had a new book release this week, I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a snippet from that, wouldn’t I?  ( Hee hee) 

From Vanilla with a Twist…Tandy’s just a little suspicious of why Deacon is so ready and willing to help her. She thinks there must be something motivating him and it can’t just be free ice cream….

 

“Why are you doing this?” she asked. “You’re here on vacation, not to do manual labor. You’re supposed to be resting and rehabbing. Plus, you don’t even know me. My own family doesn’t give me presents, especially not expensive ones like top-of-the- line tools.”

With his head angled and his arms crossed over his chest, he studied her much the way she suspected he would a motor he was attempting to fix: thoughtful glaze in his eyes, the skin above them wrinkled in curiosity.

“First of all, tinkering and working on mechanical problems is fun for me. I’ve told you that. As strange as it may sound, trying to figure out how to fix something….calms me. And vacations are supposed to be calming, right?”

She nodded. “What’s second?”
“What?”
“You said, first of all. So what’s second of all?”
The bottoms of his ears turned flaming red, and for a hot second she thought she’d embarrassed him. Nothing she’d said, though, should have, so his visceral reaction was confusing.

Confusing and utterly charming. He had to be pushing forty, thirty-five at the least, and he was blushing. Actually blushing.

He ran a hand under his collar and cupped the back of his neck as he had earlier, a sign she was coming to recognize as a personal tic. A grin, part sheepish and to her mind wildly appealing, shot across his face.

“I guess I really don’t have a second reason.” He dipped his head a bit and regarded her with a side eye.

The air surrounding them felt charged, and if she touched him, even just a finger on his arm, Tandy knew a spark would ignite. The electricity flowing between them hummed like a neon sign.

Intrigued? You can get your copy here: Amazon // Nook  // Applebooks // Google play //Rakuten/Kobo

Until next week, peeps ~ Peg

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#SundaySnippet 5.3.2020

Today’s little gem comes from my Deerbourne Inn Novella HOPE’S DREAM which has just become available in PRINT form for the very first time. In this tiny snippet, Tyler Coleman realizes his plan to get Hope to sign a legal document is messing with the emotions he’s developing for her. 

As he started back toward the inn, his hands secured in his pockets against the night chill and his neck burrowed under his scarf, he realized he needed to tell her who he was before this went any further. He should have done it tonight, as he’d originally planned. Why he hadn’t was as clear to him as the night sky above: he was frightened once she knew the truth she’d want nothing to do with him.

Could he blame her? While he hadn’t outright lied, he hadn’t told her the truth, either.

Which was worse? An intentional fabrication or a lie of omission? Both felt equally wrong right now.

Disappointment had clouded her face when he’d broken their kiss. She felt something for him. That look proved it. He could only hope once she knew who he really was and why he was in her home town, she’d be able to forgive his subterfuge.

Available in print exclusively from The Wild Rose Press here: Hope’s Dream

Or, you can get your copy digitally, here: Amazon // Nook // itunes //

And, if you like to listen, Hope’s Dream is also available at Audible, here: Audible

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

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An #interview with #WildRosePress #author D.V.Stone

It’s no secret I love to interview my fellow writers. And for some reason, my Wild Rose Press Authors have been some of the BEST interviews I’ve done. Today is no exception. Today I introduce to you ( if you don’t already know her!) D.V.Stone. She was a real trouper and answered all my weird questions!! She’s got a new book coming out on April 6 – check out this great cover:

And now, meet My friend, D.V. Stone:

D.V., the author….

  1. What drives you to write?

There’s always been this creative muse inside me. I’ve tried my hand at painting, sketching, jewelry making, music etc. But for some reason it wasn’t until I was older that duh writing was the thing, I’d spent my life looking for.

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

My first manuscripts were fantasy. I now consider myself a multi-genre author. I read all types of books. Why should I limit what I write?

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

See above. I started out in the long-ago past with the bodice busters. I love so many different types. My kindle is like my music quiet eclectic. I will admit though, at this time I tend to lean toward paranormal romance. Ask me tomorrow and you might get a different answer.

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

I try to write every day. I do have a full-time job so sometimes I can’t. But, that said, I don’t go a day without being in a manuscript to pull out something for a writing prompt on Twitter or Instagram. I work in the afternoons, so after the first cup of coffee I start and go until I have to leave.

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

Depending on my mood and the weather, I can be found in my library, on my deck, in the kitchen or if I’m feeling the need for a change of pace my camper. I travel with my laptop which we call The Football, so when I have appointments like getting my car serviced I pull it out and tinker with something. Sometimes the change of location helps, and I love the outdoors.

  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’m hearing impaired. The loss of hearing makes me the best at tuning noise out. Silver lining.

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

I often listen to music and it depends on my book. Rock House Grill is based on mostly classic rock. Jazz House the next book will encompass many different types of Jazz. I’m a big fan of jazz, swing, blues. If fantasy is on the monitor my go to is Celtic.

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

I’m super competitive even with myself. I heard there was a challenge called NaNoWriMo. 50,000 words in the 30 days of November. How do you accomplish that? I wrote what I knew. As a former EMT and restaurant owner, I have a lot of stories.

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

They sort of develop together. Something will strike me. Often a picture or a lyric. Then I ask, “what if.” It kind of runs from there. Throughout the writing things often change, straying from the original idea. Even though, something sparks. I recently signed another contract with Wild Rose Press for a short story for their summer anthology One Scoop or Two. I had a name rolling around my head, Gloriana. I started the story based on her name.

10. What 3 words describe you, the writer? Stubborn, committed, enthusiastic.

D.V., the gal….

~ Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I got engaged in prison.

~ Who was your first love and what age were you? Shaun Cassidy. And a lady never reveals her age. (Peggy here: Girl. I knew I liked you. His pretty face was plastered all over my wall ***** years ago. Hee hee)

~ 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 don’t think I’d want to. Each day is a revelation of itself. I think life would lose much if we got a do over

~ What’s one thing you love about your significant other? LOL! My husband is sitting in my library on the loveseat with my dog as I’m writing this. I turned to look at him and read him the question. Then I looked at the dog and said, “she’s really cute.” He laughed. He gets me.

~ If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it item, what would it be? My house. I would live in my RV. No, regrets.

~ What three words describe you, the person? Competitive, Impulsive, Empathetic.

~ If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? It’s a Beautiful World. (Sometimes it’s hard to see and remember that.)

~ 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? Hermione Granger. I think JK Rowling should bring her back as headmistress of Hogwarts. We would pull all kinds of things out of her bottomless bag and make magical spells.

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

Favorite sound:  A baby’s hysterical laugh

Least favorite sound :Alarm clock

Best song every written : Simple Man

Worst song ever written : Baby Shark song. I have grands who torture me with it

Favorite actor and actress :Hard one. Today it’s Sean Connery/ Lucille Ball

Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? (It can be anyone living or dead) ;JRR Tolkien. I want to see how his mind worked

What turns you on? ;Kindness

What turns you off? :Rudeness

Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date (here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”): This is absolutely true. I was on a double date—first and last. The couple in the back seat were making out, I’ll stop right there, there was a lot going on. This guy reaches over for me and said, “Man does not live by bread alone.” Okay, its 7 words, but really? (Peggy here: you can have those 2 extra words because this, right here? It’s perfect!)

What’s your version of a perfect day? : Camping with my family. The Firepit is lit. There’s something good bubbling away in the Dutch oven. A glass of wine and some great music playing

 And now, here’s a little sumthin’ sumthin’ from ROCK HOUSE GRILL

 

 

One man’s choices—One woman’s impact

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?

Excerpt

“Easy, you’re going to be okay.” A soft voice eased through the chaos around him. The owner of the voice grabbed his arms and held them in a firm but gentle grip. “I’m right here with you. You are not alone.” “Can hardly m-move.” His voice slurred. “C-can’t see anything.” “You’ve been in an accident. I’m an EMT with the ambulance squad,” the velvety voice calmly explained. “You can’t see well because we’re under a tarp. Hold still, okay?” “‘K.” A small light flickered at the edge of his vision. It shone into a bag next to him. Penlight. “You’re restrained to a board. It’s to keep your head from moving and causing more injury.” She continued to talk to him. The voice reached down somewhere inside him, calming and peaceful, so he focused on it. A glow from spotlights on the outside lit whatever covered them. The shadow gave the woman the appearance of a halo—like an angel.

Get your copy here:

Amazon          Barnes & Noble

 

A little more about D.V….

“Hi, my name is D. V. Stone. Rock House Grill, a contemporary romance, is scheduled for release by Wild Rose Press. I host Welcome to the Campfire, a weekly blog. I am also a multi-genre author of two independently published books. Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar is a fantasy romance. Agent Sam Carter and the Mystery at Branch Lake is a mid-grade paranormal. Here’s a little more about me.

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 adopted Hali, a mixed breed from the local shelter, who is still working things out with 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.”

D.V. Stone

Find out more about D. V.

Website         Facebook       Twitter       Instagram

Pinterest        Bookbub       Goodreads    Newsletter

Welcome to the Campfire Blog     Amazon Author Page

 

 

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On Book reviews – good ones, bad ones, and ones that make you go “WHAT??!”

I’m not gonna lie….I read my book reviews.

Many authors will tell you they never do because they don’t want to hear anything negative about the book, or that it makes them uncomfortable, or anxious or ( insert your own descriptor).

Not me.

I read every single, friggin, review I find, especially those from people I don’t know. You kind of expect the people you know to say something nice about your book. But it’s the ones I’ve never met, who don’t know me from Eve, who when they take time to write something about one of my books, I sit up and take notice. I’m not arrogant enough to think my words will inspire, entertain, and bring happiness into every single reader’s lives. It’s my hope, but not my reality, peeps, heehee.

What I always find intriguing though, is when one book has polarizing reviews – both ends of the spectrum from 5 stars to 1.

Let me e’splain….

This was a recent review from a very famous author I know through a publisher connection. We have never met, but I thoroughly enjoy reading her books and she is a one-click author for me. For TODAY, TOMORROW, ALWAYS this is her review, up on Amazon:

Katie O’Sullivan

Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2020

Format: Paperback

Peggy Jaeger has done it once more, proving why I keep returning to her stories again and again. The vivid portrait of small town life, the depth of the characters and the breadth of emotions… I love escaping to the worlds this author creates on the pages.

Ms. Jaeger writes in a first person point of view that drags the reader along on a sometimes chaotic ride with Cathy O’Dowd, a small-town lawyer and the eldest O’Dowd sister in the small town of Heaven, New Hampshire. She took over her father’s practice and responsibilities when her parents retired, one of which was sitting on the board of the local Historical Society. When a well-known author comes to town to research his new book, the pair are thrown together and sparks begin to fly.

Okay, none of that sounds terribly exciting, does it?

Small town lawyer. Author doing research. Historical Society.

It all reeks of dusty pages and yawns hidden behind polite hands. And yet…

This story crackles with emotion and tension, as the main characters are instantly drawn to each other but trying desperately to ignore the electric connection. The stubbornly broken characters kept me glued to my Kindle rooting for them to give into their feelings, to get over their sad pasts and find a happily ever after with each other. The scenes with Cathy’s grandmother, Nanny Fee, add comical humor and lightness to the overall story. Ms. Jaeger does a wonderful job of creating real characters we can relate to and root for, with the strong background themes of family and forgiveness running throughout.

I finished this book in a day, and loved escaping into the world Ms. Jaeger created. The first book in this series, Dearly Beloved introduced the town of Heaven and the sisters… And I know there’s one more O’Dowd sister whose story has yet to be published (I can’t wait!)

Amazing, right? And such an ego stroke I can’t tell you!
Now, here’s the same book and a review from Netgalley from someone I don’t know from Adam:
Maggie – 1 star
I have thoroughly enjoyed what I have read so far in Today, Tomorrow, Always. I love the small town atmosphere, the family surrounding Cathy, and the love and patience she has for her family, her sweet dog and her community. The buildup of Mac’s background and loss of his family add to an intriguing mystery. Why did you throw in a gay marriage? My decision is to not finish this book and not request any more of Peggy Jaegar’s books. I read Christmas and Cannolis last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thus, I requested this book. Please leave LBGTQ topics no matter how small under LBGTQ headings. It may be only a minor one-page item, but I am not interested in finding out. I will not be leaving a review on Twitter or Amazon as I do not believe in writing negative reviews.
The last sentence made me laugh. THAT’S exactly what she’s done, isn’t it??
Like it’s been said many times in the past : You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.
Now, if this reviewer had said the story was boring, or the writing was sophomoric, or even that the characters were unrealistic, I would have taken her words to heart and chalked up the bad review to someone who just didn’t like the book. This is still America, people, and we are allowed to have opinions that differ.
But…. this isn’t really a review of the book, is it?
Think about it.
Reread her words.
This is about 1 scene, 250 words, 1 page of a book that she even claims she was enjoying up until these 250 words came into play. For whatever reason this was a trigger for her and she decided to condemn me for the rest of my book writing life.
This is just one of those aspects of being an author that makes me go… WHAT??!
If you’re looking for me I’m usually here ( or out reading my reviews!)Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// Book Me // Watch me
…And liked Katie mentioned above, Book 3 BAKED IN LOVE is with my editor, but you can read the opening scene here: PJBlog
Until next time, kids ~Peg

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#longandShortReviews #Weeklyblogchallenge 2.12.2020

This week’s topic is another goodie and I’m sure it’s gonna be controversial. Not is a bad way – but in a get people talking way.

This week, we’re talking about BOOKS I REREAD OR WANT TO REREAD.

I have several friends who typically say once they read a book, that’s it. Done. Fine. Put it on the shelf and forget about it.

Whenever I tell these friends that I’m rereading a book they look at me with horror  slashed across their faces and the first question out of their mouths is, “You couldn’t find anything new to read??”

Well, yes, I could. And I’ve got my next new book lined up on my Kindle, thank you very much. But I wanted to reread this book.

Curiosity ensues and it never ends well, believe me.

I’ve reread GONE WITH WIND 5 times. The last time I was especially cognizant of how racially horrible the book is since we are living in the time of socially consciousness. While it is a terrible book about hatred and racism, it is at it’s heart a love story between Rhett and Scarlett, unfortunately set in the most heinous time our of American History.

Pride and Prejudice is another book I’ve read at least 10 times and each time I do I fall in love all over again with the English language.

I’ve reread every single IN DEATH novel 5 times, starting a marathon read each time with the first book and moving all the way to whatever book is current. Right now, that’s number 50 – Golden in Death. Reading these books is enjoyable, yes, but it’s also a masterclass in how to write a fictional series, character development, world building, and a marriage/love story between two people who are wrong for each other but are sosososos right! My favorite ( and I’ve read it 10 times) is NEW YORK TO DALLAS ( the only book without the IN DEATH moniker.) And yes, every single time, even though I know it’s coming, I cry my eyes out at the last 5 pages.

That’s it for my list. List see what some of the other authors in this blog hop have to say about re-reading. I bet we’re gonna get some really diverse opinions and books! L&SR

And don’t forget I’ve got a brand new ROMANTIC SUSPENSE out, the first in a new series titled, A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: RICK.

 

Until next week, peeps ~ Peg

And if you’re looking for me I’m usually here:Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// Book Me // Watch me

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#longandShortReviews #bloggingchallenge 1.29.2020

Happy Wednesday, all. Today’s Long and Short Reviews blogging challenge is one I can get behind: Best book/movie/TVcouples.

I’ve got one of each! hee hee

BEST BOOK COUPLE:
Hands down ( for me) it’s Eve Dallas and Roarke from the IN DEATH Series by JD Robb ( Nora Robert’s doppelganger). Both are in their 30’s and have had horrible, dark pasts. Once they find each other in the first In Death book, neither ever looks away. Their heat level together is off the charts, but though the sex is great between them, what I love more than anything is the way Roarke cares for Eve. He makes sure she eats when the responsibilities of her job make her forget to. He makes sure she sleeps and when nightmares attack her he’s right there to hold her through them. He helps her when she needs help whether she asks for it or not, and he truly is a touchstone in her life. I could read about these two and their escapades for the rest of my life!

BEST TV COUPLE:

Now, realize  when I tell you who I think make the best TV couple that I am not 20. Not even 40 or 50. My favorite TV couple of all time is Lucy and Rick Ricardo. Why? Again, I go with the love first. Despite being a ditzy, non-thinking, always up for anything wife who gets into trouble more than she is out of it, Ricky LOVES Lucy with all his heart. That love shows in every single episode of their groundbreaking television show. Real life couldn’t compete with tvlife, though, and these two divorced. But by all accounts they loved one another until the day they died.

 

BEST MOVIE COUPLE:

Again, not 20, 40 or even 50, kids! My favorite movie couple of all time is Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn in every single movie they did together in the 1930’s and 40’s when romcoms were king and movie stars really were stars and not celebrities! From Bringing up Baby to the Philadelphia Story ( a personal fav) these two epitomized the zany, wacky, and convoluted scenarios they where thrown into on screen. Laugh out loud funny, wildly chic, and always heartwarming, these two could do no wrong on the big screen.

Let’s see what some of the other authors in this challenge have to say. L&SR

And because self promotion is king of the hill in publishing nowadays, don’t forget I’ve got two new books out, one of them the first in a new series.

TODAY, TOMORROW, ALWAYS ( A Match Made in Heaven, bk 2)

Lawyer Cathleen O’Dowd wants to break free from her boring image. Widowed young, she’s toed the good-girl line but now wants a little fun and laughter in her days…and nights. Living in a small town, though, she can’t do anything that would tarnish her professional reputation. Mac Frayne’s tragic past has turned him into a sullen loner. In town to write a book on the city’s founder, his plan is to get it done, then head home to his solitary existence. When circumstances force them to work together, their opposing personalities clash, but the sexual attraction between them is palpable. Can a simple affair with an end date be just the thing to brighten up their lives?

and A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: RICK

Elite bodyguard and P.I. Rick Bannerman’s job is to protect. He doesn’t get emotional with his clients, but when a woman from his past is threatened, his next job becomes personal.
Family lawyer Abigail Laine is the target of a client’s vengeful husband, but refuses Rick’s offer of protection. He walked away from her four years ago, and she swore to forget him.
Now her reluctance to accept his help could cost Abby her life.

Until next Wednesday, peeps ~ Peg

Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// Book Me // Watch me

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#Pricereduction IT’S A TRUST THING is now 99cents for life!

The beauty of being indie published is that you can change something at will! I’ve done that and it feels so good ( and powerful! heehee)

IT’S A TRUST THING is now 99cents for life! If you haven’t read it yet and you’re not a Kindle Unlimited user, this is the perfect time to download it.

Nell Newbery has trust issues. It’s hard to trust when you’re the daughter of a fallen financial scion who bilked people out of billions. Nell’s done everything in her power to keep away from men who see her as their ticket to fortune and fame. All she wants to do is run her ultra-successful business, HELPFUL HUNKS, in peace.

But it wouldn’t hurt to find a guy who doesn’t know a thing about her father’s felonious past; one she can give her heart to and trust it won’t come back to her battered, bruised, and broken.

Is Charlie Churchill that guy? On the surface he seems perfect, all polished manners and quiet mirth. Nell’s convinced he knows nothing about her, other than she likes superhero movies and views junk food as a food group.

Can she trust him to be what he appears to be? Or is he just pretending?

For Nell, trust is everything in life…and in love.

So, if you’re heading someplace warm and romantic for your winter vacation ( and I’m uber jealous because I’m not!) download IT’S A TRUST THING today and you’ll have a great read to wile away on the beach or at the pool.

Ot if you’ve just been looking for something new – or a new author to read – now’s the perfect time to put IT’S A TRUST THING on your #2020mustread list or your #2020TBRlist.

Happy reading, peeps.

Until next time ~Peg

Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// Book Me // Watch me

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#SDSXXTours @RomanceNovelGiv A PRIDE OF BROTHERS:RICK

I’m still on my book tour and today I’m visiting one of my favorite places ROMANCE NOVEL GIVEWAYS. They asked me a question I get asked a lot as a writer and wrote about it for them,  here.

So stop by, read all about it and enter the rafflelcopter the tour set up for me. And if you do visit, please leave a comment so I can chat with ya!

Until next time ~ Peg

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#LongandShortReviews #WednesdayBloggingChallenge 11.27.19

The day before Thanksgiving and as I get the bread and cookies ready for tomorrow’s feast, I’m pondering on today’s topic: BOOKS THAT INFLUENCED MY LIFE. I’m wondering if this can be a positive influence and/or a negative one.  Hmmmm….

I’m gonna go with the positive.

  1. THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD.  I know I’ve stated at least a million times in previous blog posts that this is one of my favorite books of all time. The reason it is is also the same reason it has influenced my life. Self Motivation, positive affirmations, and believing in yourself are major concepts in my daily life. This book is the best example of all three of those traits rolled into one message: that little engine believed in himself enough to take on a monumental task, armed with just determination and self-belief, and accomplished his goal. As a child that was a profound message that I could do anything I set my mind to. As an adult, the message broadened: I could accomplish anything I not only set my mind to, but if I truly believed in myself, nothing was impossible in life. To a shy, introverted, bookworm, that concept was and is huge.
  • Under the Banner of Heaven.I read this book in less than 2 days which, believe me, I never do for a non-fiction work. But the story and the way it is told was so compelling, I had to finish it. This extraordinary piece of investigative journalism takes readers inside America’s isolated Mormon Fundamentalist communities. At the core of the book are brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a commandment from God to kill a blameless woman and her baby girl. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this appalling double murder, Krakauer constructs a multi-layered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, polygamy, savage violence, and unyielding faith. Along the way he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America’s fastest growing religion, and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief. I was changed forever in my view of how religious fanaticism can influence people to do evil things in the name of God.
  • Pride and Prejudice. This is a no-brainer because from the very first time I read it I knew one day I wanted to write a romance novel. This book opened up an entire new world for me – romantic literature/fiction – and I’ve never looked back.
  • Naked In Death.The very first Eve Dallas/Roarke novel. This book -and the subsequent 49 – changed the way I wrote. In the past, I’d penned one standalone novel at a time. Reading this series taught me the benefits of writing series romance and how to keep readers invested in the characters from story to story.

Let’s see what some of the other authors in this blog challenge have to say about the books that have influenced them: L&SR

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, peeps.

Until next time ~ Peg

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A question for book bloggers, book reviewers, and authors

So yesterday there was a tweet thread from a wonderful book blogger/reviewer who received an email from an author stating this:  I screen shotted it so you could see the actual tweet thread)

This struck me wrong on so many levels that my head actually hurt. Talk about elitist. Now, I recognize the author ( to play Devil’s advocate here) is probably an indie author who has to pay for her books and wants to make money. If she gives out arcs that don’t have the ROI in terms of a “good” review or no review at all, she probably feels she is losing money.

You know what? Too bad, Madame Author.

If you don’t want to take the chance that you will get anything less than 5 stars, then you’d better write a 10 star novel. My guess? Not gonna happen.

Did you ever think the people who aren’t leaving reviews are trying to spare your feelings? That maybe your books are so horrible they feel bad for you and don’t want to leave bad reviews for fear of hurting your feelings? Or that maybe they couldn’t finish your lousy book and that’s why they didn’t leave a review??’

I get lousy reviews when I put up arcs, too. All authors do, even the ones who have publishing contracts with major houses and rake in oodles of cash every year. Every single person on the planet has an opinion and not everyone who reads your book is going to adore it. To state categorically that if you, as a book reviewer, don’t leave a high review you will be removed from further arcs is tantamount to bullying in my book, and you know what? I would never read an author’s work who stated something like that.

I use Booksprout.co and Netgalley for my arc reviews. On Netgalley, some of the reviewers can be downright mean spirited, but that’s the nature of the game. Recently, I realized that several people who requested arcs on Booksprout never left reviews and I wondered why, so for my new set of arcs I put up a statement that said, if you don’t leave a review I won’t authorize further books for you. I immediately took that statement down because I realized what I’ve said above. Maybe the people who didn’t leave reviews didn’t like the book and instead of giving a low review, they simply didn’t write one. Or maybe they haven’t gotten to the book yet since everyone reads at a different speed. Whatever the reason, I knew right away that was the wrong thing to say, so I took the statement down.

Too bad the author of the above statement didn’t think as quick as I did.

So I have a question for anyone reading this who reviews books or blogs about them: would you continue to read an author who said something as blatant as the above mentioned author did? What are your feelings about her/his statement? For authors, do you think the author had a valid point to stating what she did, and if so, why?

Inquiring minds ( okay mine! ) want to know.

Until next time ~ Peg

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