A week or so ago, I was honored to be interviewed along with Clair Brett, romance writer and former President of RWA, on Turning Pages by host, Margaret Porter.
I forgot to post the interview here, so since I just remembered…here ya go.
(I swear this menopause brain is killing me!)
Also, note to self: the next time you are interviewed for television, wear something that shows off your 70-pound weight loss and not something that makes you look bigger than you are!
Filed under Writing
Today’s five are a little self-reveling about my writing career. I’m gonna have to bite the bullet and realize I could embarrass myself here, but hey: it wouldn’t be the first time, LOL!
Okay, here we go.
Filed under #fridayfive
This one’s been ruminating in my brain for years!! Years, I tell ya.
Okay. None of us like unsolicited advice. I don’t, especially. I never listen to it and I rarely accept it. But over the years, when I’ve told people I write for a living, these are just some of the things I’ve been told or that have been said to me in the guise of being good advice I should listen to – and my mental, unspoken, responses.
I’ll let you decide if they are snarky. ( I think they are!)
Believe it or not, there are waaaaaaaay more of these I could share. But I’m not going to give them breath.
Filed under #fridayfive
My wonderful New Hampshire chapter of RWA is holding a BLURB contest. Details are below, but this is a great way to get some reader eyes on a blurb for a book you’re writing to see how it stands up! Afterall,you want that blurb to attract readers to your work, don’t you??!!
NHRWA’s 2024 Romance Novel Blurb* Contest
Win a Consultation with a Professional Editor
—and Attract Your Ideal Readers—
in 200 words or less!
HAVE AN UNPUBLISHED ROMANCE NOVEL?
IS YOUR BOOK BLURB STRONG ENOUGH TO HOOK READERS TO BUY?
* What’s a blurb? It’s “…a short description of a book that is usually found on its back cover. Its purpose is to entice readers into buying the book by revealing details about its plot, setting, or subject. Blurbs are often 150-200 words long, though this may vary between genres and publishers.” (Reedsy.com)
A select group of romance readers will score your blurb on characters, intrigue, goal, motivation, conflict, and grammar. The top 10 scored blurbs will be reviewed and scored by three industry professionals – a book publisher, a librarian, and an indie Romance bookstore owner.
The three highest-scoring entrants (from a maximum of 100 entries) will win a short copy review and follow-up consultation ($100 value) with one of these renowned editors:
· Anna J. Stewart Services for Writers – Anna J. Stewart (authorannastewart.com)
· Robin Baskerville robin.baskerville.23104 – Editorial Freelancers Association (the-efa.org)
· Rona Gofstein Certified Book Coach & Manuscript Muse (ronagofstein.com)
Winners also receive a digital certificate plus a digital contest sticker/badge advertising their accomplishment that can be featured on websites, Facebook, emails, etc.
How and When to Enter:
On or after March 15, 2024, submit an application that includes a PDF of your blurb and a fee of $20 per contest submission (maximum of two; fee is $15 for New Hampshire Romance Writers of America members) See https://nhrwa.wordpress.com/special-events/2024-blurb-contest/
1. Submissions will close on April 30 or earlier if 100 qualified submissions have been received. If submissions close, it will be clearly stated on the contest webpage.
Don’t delay! Polish your blurb and submit your contest application before our submission maximum is reached!
For more information, see https://nhrwa.wordpress.com/special-events/2024-blurb-contest/
Filed under NHRWA
This weekend I am off to Boxboro, MA for the annual FALL IN LOVE NEW ENGLAND READER/AUTHOR Conference.
Two days of total immersion with romance authors and romance book readers. This is one of the most fun events I go to every year because I get to meet, talk with, and have a blast with romance readers – the most wonderful readers and fans on the planet!
You can click on the above link to get the details, but the panels, workshops, the costume party…they are all perfection.
See you in Boxboro ( I hope!)
Filed under Writing
Today, I get to do something I haven’t done in quite a while: Attend a New Hampshire Romance Writers of America meeting IN PERSON!! I’ve been zooming the once-monthly meeting since the pandemic forced us all to shelter in place but today I get to go livelivelive!
Added to the wonderful feeling of seeing – in person – all my writer friends again, I am presenting the workshop today to the members.
It’s been a minute ( and then some) since I gave a live talk to a group. Thankfully, this group is so accepting, welcoming, and just plain fun, that I know even if I stumble, I will not fall with them holding me up.
If you’re a writer, I hope you have the blessing of a supportive collection of other writers you can hang out with and learn from, too!
Filed under RWA
Yesterday I sat down with the wonderful Cathy Mesaric-Bartlett for this wonderful interview for the S.A.W Book Club on facebook. SAW stands for SHARING AUTHORS WORDS and it’s an open group, so if you lovelovelove books, you may want to join it! Here’s the interview;
Filed under author promotion
I’m pretty stoked about this, kids! My first in person, livelivelive author event in almost 2 years. I can’t believe it’s been so long since I was at a book signing, or reading.
This coming Saturday, August 7, 2021, at the Goffstown Public Library, I have the thrill and honor of being one of 8 authors who will be meeting the public, doing a reading from one of our books, and selling print copies of our books.
Like I said, I am stoked.
Here’s the official blurb/newspaper story from the LIbrary:
Author Fair🖋
Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 9am – 1pm
Join us for the inaugural Goffstown Public Library Author’s Fair; meet and greet artists who use words to fashion action, emotion, and inspiration. Stop by the Speaker’s Corner to hear selections read out loud, chat with the writers, purchase personally inscribed books.
No registration required for attendees. Questions? Please email Elizabeth Weilbacher at elizabethw@Goffstownlibrary.com or ask for her at 603-497-2102.
‣ This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the New Hampshire State Library. Learn more about summer programming at the Library at http://www.goffstownlibrary.com/calendar.
I hope any of you who are near Goffstown, or the surrounding areas, can come out and say hi! It’s been too long since we all connected on a personal, livelivelive level!
Pray for no rain!
~ Peg
Filed under Writing
Games, free books, and fun!
Want a little escape? Join us for a Facebook Party TODAY, April 18th from 12 to 6 PM, California time. THAT’s PCT, folks. Three hours later on the East coast! I’ll be on livelivelive at 7:30 P.M. EST!! ( 4:30 Pacific time.)
Authors will stop by every half hour and host the event – a total of twelve different authors! This is your chance to interact with the people who make love come alive and create Happily Ever Afters for a living.
It’s the ultimate Escape Into Romance while staying at home.
Here’s the link to join us: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LoveRRsRomanceRomp/
Filed under Romance
I’m really loving this year’s themes and topics from L&SR! Today’s is: CHARACTERS WHO REMIND ME OF MYSELF AND WHY.
This could be a really looooooooong blog post, but I’m gonna narrow it down to 2!
The first DR. CHARLOTTE MIRA from the IN DEATH books by JD Robb. Mira is a touchstone in Eve’s life. In the early books she shows her compassion and caring for Eve from a professional standpoint, as she tries to get the (then) detective to see herself as worthy of love and respect, and as more than just her job. Eve’s tragic past has been pushed deep down in her memory banks and as Mira works with Eve, she comes to remember killing her father and the horrible events that lead to it. Throughout the now 50 books and still growing series, Charlotte has come to love Eve like a daughter and has shown Eve a mother’s love that she never had. Mira is smart, soso smart, caring, compassionate and well respected not only by the police department, but by her peers. Since my background is in psychology, I love reading Mira’s profiles on the criminals and murderer’s Eve asks for, plus her husband, the yummy Dennis Mira, is just so wonderful I would love to call him my own! If they ever make an In Death movie, I am going to petition HARD to be cast as Mira…hey, we can all dream, right? Heehee
The second character who reminds me a lot of me is one I wrote: GEMMA LAINE from the WILL COOK FOR LOVE SERIES/ A SHOT AT LOVE. Gemma is such a dichotomy – much like me. She is a successful photographer; she can shoot any gun you give her, and she has two black belts in different styles of karate. She is intensely loyal to her family, yet due to a sexual assault when she was a shy, introverted teenager, she is leery of ever letting a man get under her skin. She keeps people at at distance – except for her family – and uses her snarky, sassy personality to keep people at a distance. She never shows what she is truly feeling and goes after what she wants without regrets. Gemma is my doppelganger in so many ways. I also shoot, have studied 2 styles of karate, and use humor and snarkiness to keep people at a distance. While I may not have been sexually abused at a teen, I was emotionally and physically abandoned by my father, so I know the pain of feeling like you are not worthy or not enough for someone to love.
Let’s see what some of the other authors in this challenge have to say. L&SR
Until next time ~ Peg
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, Strong Women, The Laine Women
Peggy Jaeger, Author 