This book is from Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi, the authors of The Emotion Thesaurus. I’m such a fan of their writing guides I joined their Street Team. Every time they release a book they do something epic and fun to celebrate, and I get to tell you all about it!
But first, you’re probably curious about this book, so let me break it down. The Conflict Thesaurus is set up like the other books in their series: part how-to, part thesaurus. This guide shows writers how to maximize conflict and use it to build tension, drive the plot, reveal your character’s inner layers, and most importantly, keep readers glued to the page.
It’s packed with conflict scenarios like Moral Dilemmas, Ticking Clocks, Obstacles, No-Win Scenarios, Temptations and more. It can help you nail down your plot and character arc, so check it out!
Now, speaking of conflict, I have a BIG question for you.
Can You Survive Danger as Well as Your Favorite Protagonist?
You’re probably pretty good at throwing problems at your characters and making life difficult for them. After all, that’s part of being a writer. But do you ever think about how you’d do if you had to face the same situations? If you were the protagonist, would you hold up to the pressure? Would you make good decisions and succeed, or screw up and fail?
Let’s find out.
Introducing… The Conflict Challenge
Become the protagonist in a story Angela & Becca created using scenarios found in the Conflict Thesaurus to see if you’ve got what it takes to win.
While you’re checking out the Conflict Challenge at Writers Helping Writers, make sure to also enter theirConflict Thesaurus release day giveaway, too. But hurry – it ends October 15th.
I’m so thrilled my new women’s fiction, NYC romance, BALANCEreleased into the book reading world today. Every book release day fills me with a sense of euphoria mixed with dread!
The euphoria is because I am so proud and excited to have a new book – one of my babies – out in the world.
The dread because I know not everyone will like it and the reviews may be mixed.
But I’ve developed a thick skin over these past few years, so that helps some with the negativity!
Phillip and Decker’s road to an HEA is winding and at times tortuous. As one of the book’s reviewers put it: “She( Peggy Jaeger) had me laughing, crying, angry, and hopeful, all between the first and last pages of this book.”
Love that!
I hope if you read the book, you’ll agree with that sentiment.
She’s a wealthy socialite who survived an abusive marriage. He’s a hardworking guy raising his son and caring for his widowed father. They come from different worlds, but it’s said…opposites attract. Can they find the balance between their two lifestyles to make their love work? Or will their differences tear them apart?
This weekend, my WIld Rose Press sistah Marilyn Barr is celebrating the SPUMONI FESTIVAL with a post and the release of her One Scoop or Two novella from WRP SMOOTHER THAN SPUMONI
Do you like your ice cream by the slice? If so, this weekend is the Spumoni Festival across the globe. From its home in Naples, Italy to its commercial center in New York City, USA, the tri-colored ice cream is celebrated. Flavor combination taste testing, largest cube contests, and fastest scooping races are just some of the fun activities at Spumoni Festivals. Even my small town in Kentucky is celebrating with an ice cream toss for prizes. How many times could you volley a scoop of ice cream from cone-to-cone in the late August heat? I know my number…it’s 5.
The festival ends on 8/23/2021 which is the release date for Smoother Than Spumoni. Allow me to introduce you to Susie Larkin, the dolphin shifter in the Strawberry Shifters spin-off novella. Dolphins can’t eat ice cream so what is the connection? Susie is the heiress to Larkin’s Dairy Dip on Seagrass Island and our main character in Smoother Than Spumoni, part of the One Scoop Or Two series. Susie may be pedaling ice carts on the beach this summer, but once she has her MBA – she is building a frozen confection empire.
Susie has her eyes on the prize and it is in the opposite direction of the fated-mate meat market. While her friends are batting their eyelashes at every shifter of age, Susie is studying dairy prices and flavor trends. She is laser-focused until she meets Frank Paulino, an intern from the Strawberry pack. Here’s a snippet from Smoother Than Spumoni that will melt your heart:
“You put your sign away before I could read your flavor choices. Do you have spumoni by chance?”
“I-I,” I stammer. A decade of childhood speech therapy is reversed in milliseconds. With each syllable, my face boils from heat not related to the sun. Where is confident, professional Susie? I need my educated side to wake up and say something intelligent. Like…like…
“What’s a spumoni?” Oh, my goodness gracious, say anything but that. Of course, I know spumoni is an ice cream flavor, I have been making ice cream since childhood.
“Spumoni is an Italian flavor combo of ice cream. My mom makes it all the time and I thought I could ward off homesickness with it,” he says with a shy smile. Awww, he misses home. Could he be any cuter?
Okay, my turn to talk but my mouth fails to work. Scoop something, scoop something. “Here is Neapolitan,” I say, pointing the scoop into the case. “It is almost spumoni.”
He crinkles his nose at me, and I swoon like a doofus. “Neapolitan isn’t spumoni. Where are the dried fruit, the nuts, the Italian flag?”
“Of course, the Italian Americans ditched the patriotism for marketability when they substituted chocolate for the vanilla portion of the flag.” Phew, now I sound more like myself.
“Exactly, you can’t begrudge an American their chocolate. It is an instant moneymaker. A chocolate dessert boosts our profits by five percent at the restaurant back home.”
“Our chocolate ice cream flies out of the case during the busy season. If I were in charge, we would be packaging it to sell in grocery stores. A safe flavor would be a soft launch though,” I say, waving the scoop at him.
Is spumoni related to Neapolitan? The answer can be found in 1870s Americana when spumoni was first brought from Naples, Italy. Spuma is Italian for foams and Spumoni is its plural form. The original recipe had three ice creams of cherry, vanilla, and pistachio, all topped with whipped cream (foam) mixed with dried fruit and nuts. The dessert was sliced like ice cream cake (still is in Italy and Argentina). (from National Spumoni Day Facts).
As you can guess, America went wild for sliced spumoni even after the foam was removed for ease of eating. Imagine walking down a New York street with your slice of pizza in one hand and your slice of spumoni in the other. Having the foam would be a messy affair! The greater the popularity, the more the spumoni makers experimented. Chocolate was swapped out for vanilla to capitalize on America’s favorite flavor by 1880.
Spumoni is the grandfather to all tri-flavored ice cream, including Neapolitan. In 1885, you could purchase a slice of a Neapolitan Box which was three flavors of the day frozen side-by-side. They started with the traditional spumoni flavors but later added coffee, strawberry, and orange. With success came wild flavors like pineapple, black current, brandy brown butter, and tea. No matter what combinations were created, the classic strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate Neapolitan was the best seller. As the ice cream industry changed from slices to scoops around 1900, the Neapolitan box became the tri-flavored scoops we know today. (from Good Eats Ice Cream)
Today, spumoni festivals have taste testing of the wildest new flavors. How about Dragon’s Breath (cayenne chocolate), Unicorn (cotton candy), and Elf Ears (egg nog)? When my family visited a spumoni festival in Little Italy, my favorite was a floral combination of lemon thyme, strawberry rose, and orange blossom. My son surprised me by picking lavender, blueberry lemon, and orange crème as his favorite combination. I thought the Dragon’s Breath would have been a winner.
My mother and grandmother still serve their spumoni sliced with foam filled with pistachios, dried cherries, and chocolate chips. I’m the rebel who scoops hers. I also make mine with bourbon-soaked cherries. I do live near Louisville, Kentucky after all. While I have inspired you to drive to your local ice cream parlor, I need to get back to Smoother Than Spumoni. Here’s another snippet from Susie and Frank:
“Listen to me babble on about pasta and cheese prices while the rain has started falling,” he says, raking his fingers through his hair leaving a curl standing up. I must resist making a fool out of myself by smoothing it down. My hands twitch as I watch it wave at me from his head.
“No, the price of dairy is the driving force, beyond petroleum pricing, behind our price points in the ice cream world too,” I say to reassure him. I love studying commodities but somehow the subject becomes captivating when delivered in his soft, velvet voice.
“To take on the dairy industry for price points, you must really believe in your chocolate ice cream. I believe I’m sold,” he says. I’m too busy mooning over him to realize I’m supposed to be selling. We stand there for a moment with my scoop in midair. I am releasing the dry ice at the bottom of the case. Soon I will be the only frozen part of this operation.
Aww, nerd love. Will Susie and Frank put their ambitions aside long enough to give their relationship a chance? Once you finish that slice of ice cream, check out Smoother Than Spumoni, a sweet, new adult shifter romance with the summer lovin’ of Grease and the environmental conspiracy of the Pelican Brief.
Susie Larkin is a dolphin shifter and heir to the humble Larkin’s Dairy Dip on Seagrass Island, FL. Pedaling ice cream from bicycle carts on the beach is just a stepping-stone for this future CEO of a frozen confection empire—or so she hopes.
Frank Paulino Jr. receives his first taste of freedom from Strawberry, KY in a summer internship at Bart’s Oyster bar. His pasta creations save the restaurant when red tide poisons the fresh fish of the bay, making him the most popular werewolf on Seagrass island.
Frank and Susie uncover a conspiracy that threatens not only the wildlife of the area but also their lives. Can these two shifters put their ambitions aside long enough to give their relationship a chance, or will Frank pay the ultimate price to protect Susie and the island she loves?
They move quickly, efficiently, and silently, only stopping to check over their shoulders every few minutes. When the exchange is complete, the truck starts again. Even though it is dark, without headlights they navigate unerringly through the native swamp.
“That was weird. You thought it was weird right?”
“Yeah, I want to know what is in those barrels.”
“Let’s leave it alone. We have been gone for months and have no idea how this area has changed. Let’s go home and ask our parents or Wilson.”
“Why? When one look at the label will answer all our questions? Besides, the truck has already left.”
“They could return.”
“As shady as they were acting, they aren’t coming back. Come on—”
“No way, Susie Q. We are going home.” Her voice shakes as she lays down her ultimatum. She can’t abandon me here in case I succumb to Red Tide on the swim home. However, tears have already started rolling down her cheeks. My bestie is terrified.
“You are right. Let’s go ask,” I say calmly. Why upset her more when I can bring a braver companion tomorrow? Surely a demon-slaying werewolf won’t be scared of a few barrels?
Marilyn Barr currently resides in the wilds of Kentucky with her husband, son, and rescue cats. She has a diverse background containing experiences as a child prodigy turned medical school reject, published microbiologist, special education/inclusion science teacher, homeschool mother of a savant, certified spiritual/energy healer, and advocate for the autistic community. This puts her in the position to bring tales containing heroes who are regular people with different ability levels and body types, in a light where they are powerful, lovable, and appreciated.
When engaging with the real world, she is collecting characters, empty coffee cups, and unused homeschool curricula. She is a sucker (haha) for cheesy horror movies, Italian food, punk music, black cats, bad puns, and all things witchy.
I love when my WIld Rose Press sistahs come to call! Today, I’ve got paranormal and award winning sistah, TENA STETLER with me. She’s got a new book out – the 6th in her Demon’s Witch Series and she’s sharing with me – and you – the top 10 reasons this book should be on your TBR list!
Hey there Peggy! I’m thrilled to be on your fantastic blog today. Thank you for allowing me to share a few teasers why your readers should read my upcoming new release, A WITCH’S QUANDARY, sixth book in the award winning A Demon’s Witch Series. All books in the series can be read as standalones.
Top 10 Reasons You Should Read A WITCH’S QUANDARY.
1. A Broken Engagement leads to the discovery of stolen magic and malice.
2. You love stories set in Ireland and Scotland.
3. Find out why Dillon is summoned back to Scotland and why did Gale refused to leave Ireland.
4. Someone is being blackmailed.
5. A hidden secret in Gale’s family is brought into the light that puts them in danger.
6. There is the cutest puppy introduced into the story. Yes, she almost steals the story and quite a few scenes.
7. Find out what rare magical talent Gale possesses.
8. Secrets abound in this story, what are Dillon’s father and brother are hiding?
9. You get to revisit characters from the other books in the series.
10. You need a break from your ordinary world to be swept into a romantic, fantasy adventure tinged with mystery that you may never want to leave.
Gale’s engagement is off because she refuses to leave her thriving business in Ireland to follow Dillon to Scotland. Her family and friends are on the emerald isle. Yet, when Dillon returns with the whole story and asks for her help, she must follow her heart.
Becoming a Solicitor, then partner in the family law firm was never Dillon’s dream. Now it’s his nightmare. Called to Scotland, his father demands he take his rightful place in the firm or be disowned and disinherited. Something is terribly amiss in the firm and family.
During Gale and Dillon’s investigation, they discover the enforcer for the Demon Overlord is also delving into rumors the firm is acting illegally. Magic has been stolen, someone is being blackmailed, and a member of the Witch’s council is corrupt. If Gale and Dillon want a life together in Ireland, they have to unearth secrets threatening to destroy the firm and family in Scotland.
A sneak peek between the pages of A Witch’s Quandary:
“This is an outrage. It’s my firm.” Bram bellowed slamming his fist down on the table. Sparks flew in all directions creating a red-hot spider web of power crackling across the tabletop. Everyone at the table scrambled back or stood. Dillon caught the malevolent spark in his father’s eye a split-second after Gale. She had already brought her hands together, the room sizzled as she conjured a ball of fire and with a few words sent the witch fire and spell at him.
“What have you done?” Bram screeched as the fire and spell hit him center mass. “Witchfire too? Bitch.” He slid to the floor.
Iris ran to his side, tears spilling her cheeks, she wiped his sweat-soaked brow with a napkin. “You just couldn’t stop, could you? What did you do? Make a deal with the devil? We should have put a stop to it. To you. But…” She helped him into a chair. “I’m afraid you’ve messed with the wrong witch, this time. Brought this on yourself. You did. But I won’t let you take this family—the firm—down with you.” Giving his shoulders a little shake, she gazed into his shocked eyes. “What have you done?”
Bram slowly shook his head and murmured, “It’s my firm.” He raised his gaze and glared at Gale pointing a bony finger at her. “You’ll pay for this.” Then turned his attention to Dillon. “I told you nothing good would come from aligning yourself with this witch. Her blood is not pure. Diluted by the Fae power of her…” He broke off.
Dillon stood at Gale’s back his hands steady and supportive on her shoulders as she said nothing for several beats. Eventually, she turned her emerald green eyes to him and held his gaze. “I couldn’t let him divide the family with that dark magic. I tempered my deadly witch fire with the spell.” She tore her gaze from Dillon’s, touching her fingertips to the scorched marks radiating across the table stopping an inch from the edge all around. “If he’d succeeded, there’d been no turning back. If the tendrils of that spell had left the table and reached one of you…” She shook her head.
Appearing to gather his wits about him faster than the rest of his family, Sturgen surveyed the scene, wiped his brow with a monogrammed handkerchief, and sucked in a breath. “The firm is no longer yours.” He squeezed Olivia to him, starting for the door. “We’ve had enough for one night. Let’s adjourn until a full audit of the cases and firm can be conducted.”
About the Author:
Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance with an over-active imagination. She wrote her first vampire romance as a tween, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. Colorado is home; shared with her husband, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-five-year-old box turtle. When she’s not writing, her time is spent kayaking, camping, hiking, biking or just relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors.
Her books tell tales of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure, and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.
My good friend, and amazeballs writer, KATHRYN HILLS, is re-releasing her 2020 LAST CHANCE BEACH book, SECONDHANDS HEARTS today as a standalone read.
And it’s a goodie, too!! I know – I read it last year.
Life takes you down many winding paths. Will theirs lead to love on Last Chance Beach?
Tasked with convincing her beloved grandmother to move back to the mainland, Kat Worthington returns to Last Chance Beach. This vacation island paradise is filled with cherished memories, and the thought of relocating her loved one weighs heavy on Kat’s heart. Is the alternative to uproot her life, stay on the island, and help run Gran’s charming B&B and antique shop?
Handsome neighbor, Ben Hadley, sure hopes it is. He and his playful pup are doing their best to upend Kat’s plans. Will their efforts convince her to stay?
Or will it require some of Gran’s special island magic?
Excerpt
“Look at that… Didn’t even break the pot.” Gran gave her a sassy little wink. “You’ve always been one for divine timing, Kitty.”
“Pot?”
“Yup, I knew I had a matching teapot to the set that came in yesterday.” Gran stood a little straighter and squared her chin. “Besides, I’m not alone. Ben is here.”
“Who the heck is Ben?”
“That’d be me.” A deep, male voice came from behind, startling Kat. Spinning with a gasp, her eyes widened when connecting with six feet plus of drop-dead gorgeous, dark-haired man. He met her stare full-on without so much as a hint of humility, and he nodded a curt greeting.
“Haddie Marshall, are you up to your old tricks again?” Ben brushed past Kat. “I told you to wait and I’d look with you.”
“Well, I didn’t want you fussing. I know you’re busy.”
“Excuse me,” Kat interrupted, not bothering to disguise the irritation in her voice. “Who are you, and why would you allow my seventy-seven-year-old grandmother to climb to the scorching top of a barn and up a ladder for a teapot?”
The man stared at her in silence. One dark brow cocked in obvious annoyance.
“Ben Hadley…meet my first grandbaby, Kitty Worthington,” Gran announced with a proud smile.
“It’s Kat, Gran. Or Katrina,” she grumbled. “No one has called me Kitty since the fifth grade.”
“Oh, shush, child. You’ll always be Kitty to me and Grandpa Mike.” The elderly woman’s smile fell away. She took a wobbly step forward to hand Ben the box. “Be a love and take this down for me. I think I’d better hang on extra tight to the railing after all this excitement.”
“I’ll take the box,” Kat snapped. “You help my grandmother back to the house, where we can turn on some air conditioning.”
The rich history and many mysteries of New England are the perfect backdrop for many of KATHRYN’s books. Winding roads lined by old stone walls, forgotten cemeteries, grand homes with shadowy pasts…all sparks for her imagination. Whether it’s a quaint seaside town or the vibrant city of Boston, it’s easy for this “hauntingly romantic” author to envision the past mingling with the present. No surprise, some of Kathryn’s favorite stories involve time travel. And ghosts! Sprinkle in some magic, and you’re off on a great adventure.
When not writing, this best-selling author is researching, gardening, or cooking up something special in her chaotic kitchen. She shares her colonial home in the north woods with those she loves most – her wonderful husband and daughter, and three crazy dogs.
The running joke that Kyle never sticks with anything—not a career or a woman—will continue to plague him. Unless he brings a knockout of a date to the weekend-long event. Cassandra Corwin fits the bill perfectly. Kyle’s had his eye on his brilliant, beautiful coworker since day one. But Cassie is an enigma, a loner. There’s no room in her life for anyone except Odin, her goofball of a Great Dane.
This is the very first time my new ROMANCE GEMS sistah, prolific author M.J. Schiller, has visited me and WOW! am I thrilled. She’s just had a brand new book release yesterday, book 3 in her LOVE AND CHAOS series ROCK IT TO THE MOON and man-oh-man does this book ( and the series ) look fabulous! The cover alone is enough to get me all hot and bothered!
Check it out:
She’s given her life up for others. Maybe Dex’s form of chaos is just what she needs.
Blurb ~
While love had come to some of the other members of Just Short Of Chaos, Dex Rogan had no interest in getting tangled up in that mess. That is, until he stumbled upon Tatum backstage.
Before Tatum, I would have told you love was for chumps. But I would have been wrong. The moment I saw her, it was like BAM! This driving urge to be with her was more jarring than someone smacking me in the face with my drumsticks would be. And every moment since has just solidified her place in my heart. By the time I found out she was off limits, it was too late. I was all in.
Tatum Salvetti doesn’t have time for love. If it can’t be color-coded or found on the periodic table, she doesn’t need it. But when an ugly incident drives her into Dex’s arms, she’s shaken enough to step out of character for once.
I wasn’t looking for love that night, I was looking to escape, and Dex was the perfect distraction from my train wreck of a life. …He was perfect, period.
But I’m in astrophysics. I’m not stupid. I knew it wasn’t going anywhere. Even if he wasn’t just interested in a one night stand, we wouldn’t be able to hide a relationship from Zane. My brother seemed to still think of me as the ten-year-old he met when our parents wed. Well, it wasn’t any ten-year-old girl in Dex Rogan’s bed that night, and if Zane found out about it, he would go apeshit. I was trying to get away from chaos, not create it.
Tatum has sacrificed her whole life for others. But maybe this time she could think of her own desires. Could Dex’s brand of chaos be just what she needs?
Excerpt~
She had one hand on the cinderblock wall and with the other she was messing with her shoe strap. The shoes themselves were sexy as hell, but as my gaze rose up her legs to the black dress she wore, farther along a shapely body all the way to her golden hair twisted neatly behind her, glowing in the fluorescent lights…she simply stole my breath away. Like I couldn’t breathe. She looked like she was dressed more for a municipal orchestra pit somewhere, not like someone attending one of our concerts, and that alone made her stand out. Then the way she rocked that prim little dress of hers…. It wasn’t low-cut or revealing in any way, but the soft sway of the fabric against her curves was magical. Then she laid those big baby blues on me, and I was a goner.
It dawned on me suddenly that she was standing outside of Zane’s dressing room, waiting for him. My heart dropped.
Damn it.
The lead singer always scored the hottest women. It didn’t even seem to matter that Zane was getting married soon. He’d never cheat on Grace, but this angel was waiting for him, not for me. Normally this would have me cursing under my breath, slinking off like a dog with its tail between its legs. But I was just so struck. I couldn’t walk away. I had to have her.
Admittedly, I was pretty floored by that fact. I’d never felt anything close to that for a woman before. It was like this instant, driving urge to make her mine. The kind of thing they wrote about in those romance novels Grace read.
Our gaze connected and she froze for an instant. “Oh, hi. I…umm…don’t have a pass but I’m—” She hopped around, still trying to adjust her shoe strap and losing her balance, a little purse that dangled from a gold chain falling off her shoulder.
Her obvious nervousness and bumbling made me feel like she was more attainable, more on my level, and my confidence surged. I took her arms to stabilize her. “I’m not here to bust you. Relax.” I flashed her a smile.
M.J. Schiller is a lunch lady/romance-romantic suspense writer. She enjoys writing novels whose characters include rock stars, desert princes, teachers, futuristic Knights, construction workers, cops, and a wide variety of others. In her mind everybody has a romance. She is the mother of a twenty-two-year-old and three twenty-year-olds. That’s right, triplets! So having recently taught four children to drive, she likes to escape from life on occasion by pretending to be a rock star at karaoke. However…you won’t be seeing her name on any record labels soon.
Tomorrow, Saturday 4.3.2021, I have the honor of being one of several authors to help one of my favorite authors, Jennifer Wilck, celebrate the release of her newest book, A RECKLESS HEART. We’ll be having fun at the Facebook party for A Reckless Heart from Noon until 7pm EST.
I go on livelivelive at 2:30 pm and I’d love to “see” some friendly faces, hee hee!
Here’s a little about Jenn’s book:
Meg Thurgood, former society girl, took the blame for her friend and paid a steep price. Now all she wants is solitude and a chance to rebuild her life. She thinks she’s found that in an isolated house she rents from a mysterious stranger.
Simon McAlter has hidden in his house on the coast of Maine since a fire left him scarred. A successful landscape architect who conducts his business and teaches his classes remotely, he’s lost his inspiration and is trying to pretend he’s not lonely.
Simon’s new neighbor is more than he bargained for. When he learns Meg’s secret, will he retreat into the shadows or will he learn to see past the surface and trust in Meg’s love?
Sounds great, doesn’t it? Here’s my review: Goodreads
My writing friend ( and wonderful human being) Jennifer Wilck, is visiting me today, talking about writing, marketing, and her new book release. Please, give her a big show of love!
Here’s Jennifer….
One of the first things I do when it’s time to market a new book is contact my writer friends to see if they have any guest spots open on their blog. I love meeting new readers, and blog visits are the perfect way to do this. Peggy is always extra generous with her time and enthusiasm, and I’m so grateful that she offered me a guest spot.
She and I are both authors at the same publisher—The Wild Rose Press. We were lucky enough to meet in person at a writer’s conference in New York City two years ago. Ahh, the good days, when we could go places and do things and hug people. Anyway, I was so excited to finally meet her in person, after spending lots of time speaking virtually over social media and on our publisher’s author loop. She is even more joyful and supportive and fun in person as she is online.
While writers might be known for being solitary creatures, we can’t do our jobs without the help of other people. I’m lucky enough to have a host of people who support me in so many ways—whether it’s help with plotting, critiquing my writing, marketing my books, or just cheering me on. The support system is essential, and I couldn’t do what I do without them.
For my latest book, A Reckless Heart, another one of my writer friends helped me with the backstory for my heroine, Meg. I needed a reason for Meg to be rebuilding her life. My friend told me about a story she’d read in the newspaper about a publicist to the stars who caused an accident at a club. We then started brainstorming—what if… I can’t tell you where we went from there, because it will give away part of the plot, but I can tell you that it’s because of the help I received from my friend that I was able to tie everything together so nicely (although it took a lot of work to get there!).
A Reckless Heart is the first in a four-book series, Scarred Hearts. Friends play a huge role in the entire series. I hope you enjoy reading the books, and I hope you are lucky enough to have a group of friends who support you when you need them. I couldn’t do this without them.
A Reckless Heart
Meg Thurgood, former society girl, took the blame for her friend and paid a steep price. Now all she wants is solitude and a chance to rebuild her life. She thinks she’s found that in an isolated house she rents from a mysterious stranger.
Simon McAlter has hidden in his house on the coast of Maine since a fire left him scarred. A successful landscape architect who conducts his business and teaches his classes remotely, he’s lost his inspiration and is trying to pretend he’s not lonely.
Simon’s new neighbor is more than he bargained for. When he learns Meg’s secret, will he retreat into the shadows or will he learn to see past the surface and trust in Meg’s love?
Simon opened his email to find a new message from Claire. “I met your tenant today. You didn’t tell me she was our age! She seems nice. Do you have her phone number? I want to invite her over for coffee.”
Simon shook his head and responded. “Oh. You didn’t ask. Okay. Yes. Why?”
He was difficult on purpose. Claire was one of his oldest friends. They’d both gone away to college and returned, although for different reasons. His family’s wealth never fazed her; she was the only one who continued to try to get him into the world. He admired her useless tenacity.
Scrolling through his other emails, he responded to clients and students and sent inquiries to contractors over the next few hours. None of his projects inspired him. Not even the project he worked on for Claire. Especially that one, truth be told. All he saw when he looked at the drawings were plants and flowers. They didn’t speak to him, didn’t provide dimension, offer a creative outlet, or touch his soul. They didn’t convince him to bear the scrutiny he’d receive if he provided alternate plans to Claire for the town’s open land. He already regretted agreeing to design the land into a community park.
Meg distracted him from all of it.
She’d run away from him. Despite her actions, he thought about her all day. It was annoying.
He didn’t let Claire see him. Why in the world would he interact with a complete stranger, regardless of how pretty she was? Because the sound of her voice, other than the shriek, intrigued him. Because he needed to thank her for the zucchini bread. Because he’d scared her. Because he was a complete idiot.
His email dinged, and he opened Claire’s response. “Because.”
Annoying female. His mouse hovered over the trash icon. What if Claire didn’t take no for an answer and came over to his house to get Meg’s number? She often went to great lengths to get what she wanted. And he could further imagine Claire deciding he needed a visitor. Or several. She would shatter his seclusion and peace. He responded.
Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.
In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. When she’s not writing, she loves to laugh with her family and friends, is a pro at finding whatever her kids lost in plain sight, and spends way too much time closing doors that should never have been left open in the first place. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate.
She writes contemporary romance, some of which are mainstream and some of which involve Jewish characters. She’s published with The Wild Rose Press and all her books are available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Recently, my indie published RomCom IT’S A TRUST THING went wide, meaning it’s now available across all digital devices. Here’s the link : IATT.
Today’s snippet is from the book.
A few “’Night, professors,” reached my ears and when I lifted my gaze to the entranceway, Charlie was standing there again, much the way he’d been before the class started: one shoulder relaxed against the doorjamb, his briefcase in one hand, his other in his pants pocket.
Lord, the man could have popped off the cover of a fashionable menswear magazine. No one should look that delectable in real life.
When the last of the students exited, he entered. My pulse rate tripled the closer he came. With a smile I can only describe as irresistible and devastatingly sensual, he leaned down once he reached the podium, those lips twitching at the corners, and said, “Looks like I’m not the only one who’s smitten with you.”
And then he pressed that gorgeous mouth right to mine.
I inhaled him as he smiled against my lips, and just like that, without a word or a notion of a warning, my heart turned over.
Was it possible to fall in love in an instant? To know the person you were with was the one; the true one? The one meant for you, destined to be yours for eternity?
In the time it took me to consider how dumb it all sounded in this day and age, I countered with the ferocity of the emotions coursing through me.
Was this love? Was this what the poets clamored on about and romance writers swore truly did exist?
I didn’t have an answer, since I’d never felt this way before. No other man had ever caused such a commotion and chaos inside my mind and heart as this one did.
The thought was terrifying, enlightening, and hopeful all at once.
But even if what I was experiencing was love it didn’t mean Charlie felt the same. Smitten wasn’t exactly an I’ll love you forevermore declaration, maybe more just a pronouncement of intent. We’d gotten past my third date rule, so the question of exploring one another on a more intimate basis was definitely on the table.
But sex didn’t equate with love, this I knew for fact.
No, my feelings were my own and since they were new and raw and unfamiliar, I didn’t want them revealed, so when he pulled back from the kiss I reverted to type.
“Are you sure you don’t teach English Lit? Because ‘smitten’ simply screams Jane Austen.”
His grin grew to a wicked cheek-wide smirk that had my insides going bonkers again.
“They’re considered classics for a reason,” he said as he reached over and grabbed my briefcase. “Come on. I’m hungry and I’ve been looking forward all day to spending some time alone with you.”
Awww. Forget flutter. My tummy muscles moved into disco dance mode.
My writing friend, Vicki Batman, the gal I call the “Queen of the Quirky Short Stories'” has a new book out titled TEMPORARILY OUT OF LUCK. Today, she’s giving us an introduction to her two main characters, Allan Wellborn and Hattie Cooks, and what better way to get to know them, then listening to them as they answer speed dating questions??!! So cute!
Here’s Vicki ( the Q in Questioner) and her peeps:
You think you know somebody. But do you really? Today, we’re kinda speeding dating with (interrogating) Allan Wellborn and Hattie Cooks, the hero and heroine, from Temporarily out of Luck, a romantic comedy mystery.
Q/How do your friends describe you in a word?
A/*friendly snort* nice
H/nice *quirks mouth*
Q/Do you like to call or text?
A/whatever it takes
H/text
Q/Which is your favorite car?
A/I’m happy with my 4-Runner.
H/Just before I was let go from my favorite job at Tucker’s Department store, I bought a brand-new white Jeep Wrangler. Allan’s 4-Runner is cool.
Q/What kind of pizza do you like?
A/most any kind. Just give me food.
H/Canadian bacon and bacon with lots of cholesterol.
A/I’m guessing her arteries could be clogged.
H/Maybe. *batting lashes* Wouldn’t you like to know?
Q/Which movie can you watch again and again?
A/Stalag 17, a war film set on Christmas Day.
H/Really, Allan? A war movie…at Christmas?
A/It’s good. Lots of action.
H/ Bridget Jones’ Diary-lots of crazy there And speaking of Christmas…add White Christmas. *hand cradling fist* I bet you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie, Allan?
A/Duh.
H/Because it takes place at Christmas—right?
Q/What embarrassing thing happened recently to you?
A/tango lessons for Hattie’s sister’s wedding.
H/being locked in a ladies’ room with Allan. I went there to escape my mom, and he showed up with fried chicken and chocolate cake.
A/what the doctor ordered. *laughing*
H/*adjusts her jacket* The food was much appreciated.
A/ Back to the tango lessons…everyone stares at Hattie and me. Are they waiting for us to drop on the floor and do it?
H/Of course not. It just feels that way. The eyeball thing is pretty bad.
Q/Who are you closest to?
A/my parents, my sister, and Hattie.
H/my family, Allan’s sister, and the Funsisters.
Q/Do you play any musical instrument?
A/trombone. Started in middle school.
H/oh, heck no. *hand cups mouth* P.S. You should hear his trombone.
A/*swivels her way* What’s wrong with the trombone?
H/What’s right with it? I’m just sayin…
A/Got me a college scholarship.
Q/If someone came to your house, what would you cook?
A/pasta. Everyone loves it.
H/popcorn. Ham sandwich. I’m not so much into cooking, more like…assembling. *sits up and raises a finger* Tuna sand.
Q/Do you have pets?
H/A/big gray cat I found at McDonald’s. Named him Lucky.
H/You named him Lucky?
A/You wanted to get lucky.
H/That would be you. All guys want to get lucky.
A/Never knew I would adopt a cat. He’s cool.
H/I once had a betta named One Fish. Like most fish in a bowl, he died. Lucky is a great cat. Sometimes, I take care of him when Allan goes out of town.
Q/Why are you speed dating?
A/so Vicki’s readers can get to know us.
H/ We’re speed dating? I wouldn’t call this speed dating. *whispers* More like an interrogation.
A/Just answer the questions.
H/*crossing arms* Who would date Mr. Bossypants?
A/*rolling eyes* You, sweetheart.
H/Sweetheart?
A/*very big grin* Sweetheart.
Temporarily out of Luck:Great job. What man? And murder.
Newly employed at Wedding Wonderland, Hattie Cooks is learning the industry from a woman she greatly admires. When her former brother-in-law is found dead in his luxury SUV, all fingers point to Hattie’s sister, who is planning her own I Dos.
Detective Allan Wellborn is caught between a rock and a hard place—Hattie’s family and investigating the murder of a well-connected Sommerville resident, the same loser who was once married to Hattie’s sister. Determining who’s the bad guy—or gal—isn’t going to be easy and sure to piss off someone.
Can Hattie beat the clock to find out who murdered Tracey’s ex before she is charged with the crime and her wedding is ruined?
Excerpt:
In my Book of Debts, I didn’t owe him one iota. However, I could hear my mother in my ear, trotting out a page from the “Right Thing to Do” lecture. What Stuart’s mom did broke all wedding protocol, and Allan doing his saintly thing told her he would help, which translated meant he desperately needed somebody else’s help.
“Fine. I’m in, but you owe me more, like a date to the”—I grasped on the first thing that popped in my head—“opera.”
“Opera? Since when do you like opera?”
I held back a giggle. “Since yesterday.”
Allan blew a huge sigh. “Done.” He paused. “Opera?”
Funny, sweet, and quirky, Vicki Batman’s stories are full of her hallmark humor, romance, and will delight all readers. She has sold many award-winning and bestselling romantic comedy works to magazines and, most recently, three humorous romantic mysteries. An avid Jazzerciser. Handbag lover. Mahjong player. Yoga practitioner. Movie fan. Book devourer. Cat fancier. Best Mom ever. And adores Handsome Hubby.
Peggy Jaeger, Author 
