This has been some week, hasn’t it? Since last Tuesday our little corner of the world went through something I sincerely hope it never does again.
So, let’s focus on the positive….what was one GOOD thing that happened since last we met ( 1.5.2021)
For me, I exercised every single day this week – which I haven’t done since the Pandemic hit!!!
Now you…what happened that made you smile or filled you with joy this week? Comment, below!
Filed under Writing
Today’s challenge topic is very apropos the season: THINGS I’M THANKFUL FOR.
Every year, author, author ANGELA HAYES does a November month long THANKFUL AUTHORS promotion, where other authors tell what they are thankful for. This was my post this year: TA
One of the things I wrote that I am most thankful for this year is that I still have my mother with me. I am an only child and therefore the sole caretaker and advocate for my mother and stepfather. Since my father doesn’t want a relationship with me and hasn’t for some years, my primary focus as a daughter has been to mom and stepdad.
My aging parents continue to, well…age, and bring with that all the problems and complaints specific to the infirm elderly with them.I need to take them places now because they don’t drive, can’t be waiting for buses in the winter cold and can’t afford taxis to take them to weekly doctor appointments or even grocery shopping. My mother fell and broke her hip last year and every movement she makes worries me because I am afraid she will fall again. They live about 25 miles from me, so I need to set aside one entire day every week to get them where they need to be. I’m not complaining, even though it may sound as if I am. They want to remain in their own home for as long as they can live somewhat independently and I will not take that away from them. They know if the decision ever needs to be made that they will need to move to elder care, I will support whatever they want to do. I feel having as much independence that they can, albeit limited, is much more sound emotionally and mentally for them. Luckily, I am afforded the luxury of being able to cater to their needs – which aren’t many, but still…
So when I say my prayers at night and when I sit down to Thanksgiving dinner this year, this is the thought uppermost in my mind and what I am thankful for: in this age when families are fractured, relationships are fragile, and people care more about themselves and their own needs than those of others who need help, I am thankful I have the capacity to care for my aging parents and to try and make their lives a little better. They don’t have much time left in this physical world. I want it to be as happy as I can help make it.
Let’s see what some of the other authors in this blog challenge are thankful for this year: L&SR
Until next time ~ Peg
Filed under Uncategorized
Procrastinate: delay or postpone action; put off doing something.
When you open a dictionary and look up the meaning of this word, you will see my picture as the illustration of what a procrastinator looks like.
Truly. This is what you’ll see.
Just sayin’.
Over the weekend I was all alone. Hubby was away and I had the house all to myself. I’d planned on doing my usual daily stuff – gym, laundry, book reviews – and write all I wanted to. I wouldn’t have to stop to cook a meal or take a shower. I could stay in my jammies all day and eat cereal if I wanted to for dinner.
I had such wonderful ideas about how much I was going to be able to write, since I’m working on three projects right now. I could devote all the time I wanted to to each of them, even writing in bed if I wanted to.
You’ve heard these two expressions, I’m sure: delusions of grandeur and the best laid plans?
That about sums up the amount of writing I got done over this alone-time weekend.
What did I do instead, you ask? Well, I’ll tell ya… I binge watched Hollywood Medium and the new season of Queer Eye ( Tan France is my favorite! @tanfrance)
And the term BINGE WATCHED is an accurate one. One right after the other without a pause or a thought that I should be working.
Not even an ounce of regret, either.
Hope your weekend was more productive. ~ Peg
OH – I almost forgot. This happened: 
Yeah, I’m pretty stoked right now. It’s for the first book in my Match Made in Heaven series DEARLY BELOVED.
Life is good – even though I didn’t get any writing done over the weekend…..
When I’m not procrastinating you can usually find me working, here:
Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me
Here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB
and the link to my recent interview on NewHampshirePublicRadio
Filed under Author
It’s no secret I’m almost 100% Irish extraction. I didn’t need to spit in the Ancestry.com cup to know that. I did anyway and the results came back 98% Irish with 2% some obscure Middle European.
I’m disregarding that 2% because, really, why bother?
So, like I said, it’s no secret I’m of Irish extraction. When I was a kid people would tell my mother I had the map of Ireland stamped on my face. By that they meant my pale skin, dark hair, light eyes and plethora of facial freckles denoted I was a member of the Old Sod. I still have that pale skin and light eyes. The hair went gray at 16 so it’s been many shades since I was a kid, settling on some kind of ashy blonde mix right now. And for years I tried to bleach the hated freckles away with Porcelana fade cream. ( I have since stopped doing that, having embraced my freckles and heritage a while back).
I love my Irish roots. Truly. While I may not crave corned beef and cabbage ( ick) and I don’t drink beer ( hate the taste), I am a stalwart Daughter of Erin. I even marched in the NY City St. Patrick’s Day parade for years while I was in college. This is a of shot me at the parade holding my school banner when I was a senior.
The picture is grainy because I had to copy it from my yearbook, but I’m the second one in from the left with the glasses, short curly hair ( I was still dying it black back then), and total glee on my face despite the fact it was 34 degrees that day and raining non-stop.
There’s a saying that everyone is Irish on St. Paddy’s day. If you’re lucky enough to really have some Irish in your DNA, then yay! Welcome to the club. If not, then take advantage of this great day and become an honorary member. If you want to know the history behind the celebration of St. Patrick, do a Google search and find out why he was made a Saint and the reason Irishman are so keen on celebrating him.
For me, I’m gonna go make a couple of loaves of Irish soda bread and put on something with a bit’o green in it.
Happy St. Patricks Day ~ Peg
Looking for me? When I’m not celebrating the special days of Irish Saints, I’m usually here:
Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me
Here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB
and the link to my recent interview on NewHampshirePublicRadio
Filed under Uncategorized
So the prompt this week is Characters I’d name a baby after. Great idea, no?
So why am I having so much trouble with it??
Here’s what I do know – characters I wouldn’t name a baby under any circumstances:
Boys first: Christian, Addicus, Ashley, Rhett, Fitzwilliam, Tom, Marvin, Bruce, Elvis
Girls next: Scarlett, Melanie, Lisbeth, Portia, Juliette, Mulva, Hermione, Anastasia, Scout
Those names are so recognizable, and some of them are iconic, that I fear the poor child would be doomed to always being compared to his/her fictional counterparts.
Can you imagine a tomboy named Scarlett? Or a WWF fighter named Ashley?
I can’t either, but maybe to other writers, those would be perfect character names for their mismatched personality-typed characters.
But not for me. I like ethic names for my characters to enhance their heritage. I like naming my characters after their fictional grandparents or great aunts and uncles. I like the idea of family names and nicknames, like number-naming. You know what I mean: Harry is grandpa, Pop in H-Two, grandson in called Trey ( for third). I know this is quirky, but I love it.
So I guess I’d better get to the actual prompt for today. Characters I’d name a baby after.
Girls first this time: Isabella, Jane, Nora, Eve
Boys next: Roarke, Dylan, Edward, Sonny
Since this is a blog challenge, here’s where you can find other authors who are participating and get their take on character baby names: L&SR WednesdayBlogging Challenge.
And if you’re looking for me, I’ll be busy naming my characters here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me
and here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB
Filed under Uncategorized
Carly Lennox strode into the television studio armed with the self-confidence she’d been born with.
THE VOICES OF ANGELS, The MacQuire Women, book 4
Love is the last thing Carly Lennox is looking for when she sets out on her new book tour. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine profile based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.
Mike Woodard is ambitious, and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else. As he tells her, he’s a patient man. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. Carly Lennox is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him-may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.
Amazon // Wild Rose Press // B&N // Kobo // Walmart // Books-a-million // Google Play
Also available on AUDIBLE:
Find your bliss today, peeps, and let your beauty shine.
And you know I’m always here if you need me:
Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me
and here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB
I ended 2018 exhausted.
How’s that for an opening line, eh?
But it’s true. From November 4th until December 12th I had three brand new books released and was so wrapped up in promoting them, doing book tours, and fulfilling all my blog obligations to myself and other authors, that I had no time to truly enjoy the releases as I’d done with past ones. The circumstances that led to 3 books at one time ( plus my inclusion in a Holiday Anthology) was a perfect storm of creativity, publisher time schedules, and the season-specific stories I wrote.
That this all came to fruition around the busiest time – typically – of the year for me was another factor in my fatigue- both mental and physical. I can probably even add spiritual. By the time January 1 rolled around I wanted a redo on the previous month.
Well, since I don’t have a time machine, we all know that wasn’t gonna happen.
With 2019, I decided to switch things up a little bit for me, career-wise. I currently have no books on the publishing schedule for 2019. I know that’s gonna change at least once, as soon as I finish book 2 in my bridal series, but that’s it. And that’s horrible. The reason I’ve got nothing going into production is because I spread myself too thin and too wide in 2018. I blogged 5-6 times per week, plus did numerous blog tours for all my books. In addition I attended 5 conferences and all the travel that went along with them and amped up my Netgalley reviews. The daily social media promotion that went along with all those books – because you gotta sell ’em – also wore me down. In the long run, all of that etched away at my personal writing time.
Before 2018 I used to write a minimum of 1000 words every morning before I did the adulting stuff that needed tending to like laundry, exercise, etc. I stopped doing that in 2018 and started letting life and business and other things intrude on that writing goal. Not anymore.
With the New Year comes a new attitude and desire to get myself back to doing what I love more than anything: write.
Simply, write.
So. Now, there have been a few changes made:
I’m not abandoning my writing sistahs in all this. If they have a new book releasing or a sale going on, I will continue to promote them because I fully believe our strength lies in our commitment to one another, so no worries there.
But, I’m taking Peggy writing time seriously. Like, wicked seriously.
Find your bliss today, peeps, and let your beauty shine.
And you know I’m always here, so no worries on that front, either:
Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me
and here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB
Filed under Uncategorized
Just today and tomorrow left peeps, in my Goddess Fish Blog tour for CHRISTMAS AND CANNOLIS.
Today, I’m over at IT’S RAINING BOOKS, so stop by and show me some love. And remember: tomorrow is the last stop of the tour, so you need to sign up for my rafflecopter by then – you gotta be in it to win it!
And if you’re trying to find me during the day, I’m typically here:
Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me
and here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB
Filed under Goddess Fish Tours and Promotion
Seems appropriate that I title this one a look ahead when the last blog was about looking back.
I’m nothing if not consistent, peeps. Hee hee
I’ve got some career goals for 2019 that I want to accomplish, in addition to some personal ones that need doing, as well.
First, a little backstory. This is me, afterall.
In November 2018 you may remember I attended a conference where Jack Canfield was the primary speaker. He spoke about many things – all of them wonderful – but one thing he said stuck with me and resounded so completely, I’ve already begun putting its intention into use. Jack said, “You can’t have an uncluttered, focused life and mind, if your workspace and environment is cluttered, filled with detritus, and unfocused.”
Can I just tell you how that was a Come to Jesus moment for me?!
Since the day I arrived home from that conference I have been culling, cleaning, reorganizing, and reprioritizing my life, my environment, and my workspace. I started with the closets. All 15 of them. I’ve moved on to the bedrooms. After that, the kitchen, bathrooms, and then the living spaces will all be refreshed, culled of unnecessary items, and cleaned.
Yes, it’s exhausting work, and yes I find myself stopping at times to remember why I have this object, or obsess about whether or not I still need it – just in case! But then I remember what the point of this exercise in selective personal item culling is all about and I get on with it.
So, everything should be done by 12.31.18
On 1.1.19, in my newly refreshed, reorganized and restructured workplace/office, I will being writing the next 2 books on my TBWritten list and start planning out the next 3.
About those goals for 2019: here they are, in no apparent order.
1.Write a minimum of 1000 words before you start your actual day – what this means is that while I’m still in jammies, I write, Once 1000 words is achieved I get to get dressed, and do the adulting things I need to – like gym, laundry, etc. When they are done, I can write more.
2. Finish 2 complete manuscripts in 2019; have 2 published that are already completed.
3.Meditate for 20 minutes every day. No excuses. No matter what.
4. Gym 4-6 times per week.
5. Eat better, and by better I mean, cut out the crap!!
6. Blog no more than 2-3 times per week. I blogged upwards of 5 times a week in 2018 and it just got to be too much for me.
7. Perform daily aspirations re: career goals and personal issues. – these are private, so don’t ask!
I think that’s a good start, don’t you. We’ll see how far they get, which ones drop off by the wayside, and which ones become habits-for-life.
The happiest of New Years, peeps. ~Peg
If you’re looking for me while I’m culling, here I am:Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// BookMe // Monkey me //Watch me
and here’s the link to my TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK podcast interview, just in case you missed it: TMAYDB
Filed under Uncategorized
