Peggy Jaeger's Blog - Posts Tagged "alpha-hero"
MY Sexy Saturday # 117
While you were sexy.....This week’s theme is a take on the movie, While You Were Sleeping, and can be fun, quirky or not. So many things can happen while you were sexy…things like falling in love with someone other than your boyfriend/girlfriend…or maybe taking a risk you wouldn’t normally take. That’s what the movie is all about…having a dream and risking for that dream…only to find it wasn’t what you really wanted or needed anyway. Our stories have lots of those type themes.
Love is a dream for some, a risk for others. Sometimes it’s fulfilled or sometimes it just isn’t what the characters imagined. Remember Scarlett O’Hara at the end of Gone With The Wind…she realized she never really loved Ashley to begin with…it was Rhett all along. We think you get the drift of what this week’s theme is. But we want more and we definitely want it hotter than ever before. So show us those sexy, hot characters in those sexy, hot stories.
Sexy can be anything, such as romantic moments like walks on the beach, a home cooked meal or even in another galaxy. It could be two lovers here on Earth dreaming about the day where they go on a magical vacation to another planet. Or staying right here at one of those wonderful places we can find in our own world.
Sexy has nothing to do with looks or status or even wealth. It doesn’t demand perfection and it isn’t pretentious but it does make us want to read those books.
click on this link to read the other authors in this weeks MSSBlogHop.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Here’s a little thought process from Pat Cleary. He’s beginning to realize Clarissa Rogers may just be what he’s needed in his hectic busy like.
He grabbed his cell phone from where it rested on his desk, and pressed the screen. He’d programmed one of the pictures he’d taken of him and Clarissa in the apple orchard as his screen display. He’d stared at it so many times since that day. Just seeing how happy and relaxed they both looked made him feel better no matter how busy or tiring his day was. He wanted to see her smile like that every day.
And at him.
Buy LInks:
Amazon Wild Rose Press B&N
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Love is a dream for some, a risk for others. Sometimes it’s fulfilled or sometimes it just isn’t what the characters imagined. Remember Scarlett O’Hara at the end of Gone With The Wind…she realized she never really loved Ashley to begin with…it was Rhett all along. We think you get the drift of what this week’s theme is. But we want more and we definitely want it hotter than ever before. So show us those sexy, hot characters in those sexy, hot stories.
Sexy can be anything, such as romantic moments like walks on the beach, a home cooked meal or even in another galaxy. It could be two lovers here on Earth dreaming about the day where they go on a magical vacation to another planet. Or staying right here at one of those wonderful places we can find in our own world.
Sexy has nothing to do with looks or status or even wealth. It doesn’t demand perfection and it isn’t pretentious but it does make us want to read those books.
click on this link to read the other authors in this weeks MSSBlogHop.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Here’s a little thought process from Pat Cleary. He’s beginning to realize Clarissa Rogers may just be what he’s needed in his hectic busy like.
He grabbed his cell phone from where it rested on his desk, and pressed the screen. He’d programmed one of the pictures he’d taken of him and Clarissa in the apple orchard as his screen display. He’d stared at it so many times since that day. Just seeing how happy and relaxed they both looked made him feel better no matter how busy or tiring his day was. He wanted to see her smile like that every day.
And at him.
Buy LInks:
Amazon Wild Rose Press B&N
Tweet Me Read Me Visit Me
Pin Me Friend Me Picture Me
One down and now gearing up for another…
So I guess this isn’t really something to complain about, but….lol
I just finished my book/release tour of 3 WISHES and now, on March 11, my 4th book in the MacQuire Women THE VOICES OF ANGELS is being released into the book reading world. Two books in two months! Yeah, I’m a little full of myself at the moment (hahahah).
To get you as excited as I am about this, here’s a little sumthin’ sumthin from VOICES. For those of you in the know, this is the story of Carly Lennox and Mike Woodard, Tiffany and Cole’s parents from SKATER’s WALTZ, my debut novel. I went prequel with this one because I loved the story of how Mike and Carly got together and wanted to share it.
And, of course, I’ve enclosed the pre-order buy link, just in case, you know, you want to…buy it!
THE VOICES OF ANGELS
perf5.000x8.000.indd
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.
Excerpt:
“I…” Carly began, then stopped.
“Oh, hell. I’m not good with words in situations like this.”
His laugh came quick, charmed by her nerves. “Pretty pathetic declaration for a writer.”
Carly stuck out her bottom lip in a very alluring pout. He was tempted to stop and take her mouth with his again.
“Don’t mock me. When it’s on paper I can get it right. Real life has no re-writes, no editing.”
“Granted.” The sunlight played with the alternating auburn and fire-red highlights in her hair as they began to walk again. He was convinced no color had ever been so alive.
Carly squared her shoulders. “I don’t want you to get the wrong impression about me. Concerning men.”
When he didn’t comment, she continued. “It’s only, well…I haven’t been involved with anyone since my husband died. I’ve been busy with my daughter and my writing. I haven’t met anyone I’ve been interested in, I guess.”
“Until now.”
Carly turned to look at him. Irritation crossed in her narrowed eyes. “You’re pretty sure of yourself.”
“No,” he replied. “I’m more sure of you, though.”
“Excuse me?”
Mike laughed again. He stopped and cupped her cheeks. “You’re even more beautiful when you’re angry. Your left eyebrow arches ever so slightly and your eyes turn the most incredible forest green.” He kissed her and felt her pulse trip again under his fingers.
Buy Links: The WIld Rose Press /// Amazon
Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me //Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
to see the actual images, click on to http://peggyjaeger.com
I just finished my book/release tour of 3 WISHES and now, on March 11, my 4th book in the MacQuire Women THE VOICES OF ANGELS is being released into the book reading world. Two books in two months! Yeah, I’m a little full of myself at the moment (hahahah).
To get you as excited as I am about this, here’s a little sumthin’ sumthin from VOICES. For those of you in the know, this is the story of Carly Lennox and Mike Woodard, Tiffany and Cole’s parents from SKATER’s WALTZ, my debut novel. I went prequel with this one because I loved the story of how Mike and Carly got together and wanted to share it.
And, of course, I’ve enclosed the pre-order buy link, just in case, you know, you want to…buy it!
THE VOICES OF ANGELS
perf5.000x8.000.indd
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.
Excerpt:
“I…” Carly began, then stopped.
“Oh, hell. I’m not good with words in situations like this.”
His laugh came quick, charmed by her nerves. “Pretty pathetic declaration for a writer.”
Carly stuck out her bottom lip in a very alluring pout. He was tempted to stop and take her mouth with his again.
“Don’t mock me. When it’s on paper I can get it right. Real life has no re-writes, no editing.”
“Granted.” The sunlight played with the alternating auburn and fire-red highlights in her hair as they began to walk again. He was convinced no color had ever been so alive.
Carly squared her shoulders. “I don’t want you to get the wrong impression about me. Concerning men.”
When he didn’t comment, she continued. “It’s only, well…I haven’t been involved with anyone since my husband died. I’ve been busy with my daughter and my writing. I haven’t met anyone I’ve been interested in, I guess.”
“Until now.”
Carly turned to look at him. Irritation crossed in her narrowed eyes. “You’re pretty sure of yourself.”
“No,” he replied. “I’m more sure of you, though.”
“Excuse me?”
Mike laughed again. He stopped and cupped her cheeks. “You’re even more beautiful when you’re angry. Your left eyebrow arches ever so slightly and your eyes turn the most incredible forest green.” He kissed her and felt her pulse trip again under his fingers.
Buy Links: The WIld Rose Press /// Amazon
Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me //Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
to see the actual images, click on to http://peggyjaeger.com
Blank, blocked, and bored….
Can you guess what today’s blog is about? Here’s a hint: it’s not Cookie Monster’s version of a dictionary filled with the letter B!
For the past three weeks, I have been in the throes of a blockage the likes of which I have never experienced before in my adult – or even childhood- life. NOOOOOO – get your minds out of the gutter and the bathroom! I have a severe case of writer’s BLOCK and it is driving me batty.
writersblock
I would think this is funny – and by funny I mean hahaha funny, not “oh-shit-I’m-terrified-I’ll-never-wrte-again-funny” if I had nothing going on for the next few months; if I had time on my hands to just wait for inspiration to flow through my fingers, piped directly from my brain again.
But NO. I don’t have the luxury of time. What I do have are deadlines. 4 big ones, in fact!!! And no ideas…no inspiration…no insights. Nothing. Nada. Niente.
writersblock2Even my dreams have been boring and uninspired of late. I have listened to many writers’ treatments to cure writer’s block. I’ve walked away from the laptop for a time; I’ve forced myself to sit down at it and write something, ANYTHING, just to keep my hands and fingers busy. I’ve taken a walk – too many, in fact. I’ve got shin splints. I’ve taken a nap; I’ve made enough soothing cups of tea until my teeth need to be whitened professionally, they are so stained.
I’ve read, watched tv, painted, cooked. I’ve had a manicure, pedicure, gotten my blonde hair dyed. I’ve gone grocery shopping, therapy shopping ( women will get this!) and cleaned my house until it glows like a binary nuclear assault has come. Oh, and I’ve procrastinated myself into a stupor and still – STILL – nothing.
writersblock3
So here’s what I’m going to do…….
Sorry, I fell asleep because I’m boring myself…. For the sake of discussion,( because, really? What else do I have to do?) how do you get through writer’s blockage if you suffer from it? And if you don’t – I hate you. Just saying.
While I wait for inspiration, at least I have a new release coming out on 3/11/16 that I can talk and write about. Here’s a little sumthin’ sumthin’ from THE VOICE OF ANGELS and the buy links if you are so inclined….please be inclined!THE VOICE OF ANGELS and the buy links if you are so inclined….please be inclined!
Blurb
perf5.000x8.000.indd
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.
Excerpt
“Now for a check on the weather. Carl?”
When the monitor light changed colors, Mike turned back to her. “Well done.”
“Thanks for being so patient. I almost lost it for a second there.”
Her beautiful mouth quirked at the corners, and his own went drought-desert dry. He swallowed and ran his suddenly sandpapered tongue across his lips.
“You know, I read parts of your book last night as prep,” he said as she stood, noticing how long and shapely her legs were under her short green skirt. “I was taken with the stories and the details in it.”
“Thanks.” She glanced down at her wristwatch and then offered her hand. The shockwave electrifying through his body at her touch staggered him. A bolt of lightning, hot, fast, and bright surged straight to his core.
What seemed like confusion clouded her eyes as she looked at him. “I-I have to go. I’ve got to be across town by nine. God only knows what the traffic’s like. Thanks again for plugging my book. Tell Sharon I’ll call her soon. Bye. And thanks, again.”
Mike watched her bolt through the studio doors and was only brought out of his musings by the director calling him back to the news desk.
For the rest of the broadcast he was distracted by thoughts of her, resulting in him flubbing some of his lines and intro’s, something he rarely-if ever-did. How compassionate and warm her face had been as she’d told her touching story; the subtle fragrance of roses surrounding her; the deep coppery sheen of her hair as the hot, bright studio lights intensified its color.
By the end of the program he vowed he’d find a way to see her again.
Buy Links Amazon // The WIld Rose Press // Nook // Kobo
Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me //Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
*** to see the actual pictures and memes goes to the address: https://peggyjaeger.com/2016/03/04/bl...
For the past three weeks, I have been in the throes of a blockage the likes of which I have never experienced before in my adult – or even childhood- life. NOOOOOO – get your minds out of the gutter and the bathroom! I have a severe case of writer’s BLOCK and it is driving me batty.
writersblock
I would think this is funny – and by funny I mean hahaha funny, not “oh-shit-I’m-terrified-I’ll-never-wrte-again-funny” if I had nothing going on for the next few months; if I had time on my hands to just wait for inspiration to flow through my fingers, piped directly from my brain again.
But NO. I don’t have the luxury of time. What I do have are deadlines. 4 big ones, in fact!!! And no ideas…no inspiration…no insights. Nothing. Nada. Niente.
writersblock2Even my dreams have been boring and uninspired of late. I have listened to many writers’ treatments to cure writer’s block. I’ve walked away from the laptop for a time; I’ve forced myself to sit down at it and write something, ANYTHING, just to keep my hands and fingers busy. I’ve taken a walk – too many, in fact. I’ve got shin splints. I’ve taken a nap; I’ve made enough soothing cups of tea until my teeth need to be whitened professionally, they are so stained.
I’ve read, watched tv, painted, cooked. I’ve had a manicure, pedicure, gotten my blonde hair dyed. I’ve gone grocery shopping, therapy shopping ( women will get this!) and cleaned my house until it glows like a binary nuclear assault has come. Oh, and I’ve procrastinated myself into a stupor and still – STILL – nothing.
writersblock3
So here’s what I’m going to do…….
Sorry, I fell asleep because I’m boring myself…. For the sake of discussion,( because, really? What else do I have to do?) how do you get through writer’s blockage if you suffer from it? And if you don’t – I hate you. Just saying.
While I wait for inspiration, at least I have a new release coming out on 3/11/16 that I can talk and write about. Here’s a little sumthin’ sumthin’ from THE VOICE OF ANGELS and the buy links if you are so inclined….please be inclined!THE VOICE OF ANGELS and the buy links if you are so inclined….please be inclined!
Blurb
perf5.000x8.000.indd
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.
Excerpt
“Now for a check on the weather. Carl?”
When the monitor light changed colors, Mike turned back to her. “Well done.”
“Thanks for being so patient. I almost lost it for a second there.”
Her beautiful mouth quirked at the corners, and his own went drought-desert dry. He swallowed and ran his suddenly sandpapered tongue across his lips.
“You know, I read parts of your book last night as prep,” he said as she stood, noticing how long and shapely her legs were under her short green skirt. “I was taken with the stories and the details in it.”
“Thanks.” She glanced down at her wristwatch and then offered her hand. The shockwave electrifying through his body at her touch staggered him. A bolt of lightning, hot, fast, and bright surged straight to his core.
What seemed like confusion clouded her eyes as she looked at him. “I-I have to go. I’ve got to be across town by nine. God only knows what the traffic’s like. Thanks again for plugging my book. Tell Sharon I’ll call her soon. Bye. And thanks, again.”
Mike watched her bolt through the studio doors and was only brought out of his musings by the director calling him back to the news desk.
For the rest of the broadcast he was distracted by thoughts of her, resulting in him flubbing some of his lines and intro’s, something he rarely-if ever-did. How compassionate and warm her face had been as she’d told her touching story; the subtle fragrance of roses surrounding her; the deep coppery sheen of her hair as the hot, bright studio lights intensified its color.
By the end of the program he vowed he’d find a way to see her again.
Buy Links Amazon // The WIld Rose Press // Nook // Kobo
Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me //Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
*** to see the actual pictures and memes goes to the address: https://peggyjaeger.com/2016/03/04/bl...
Location, location, location…
A few days ago I wrote a blog piece about the use of reality and real situations in fiction writing. I’ve taken events that have occurred in my life and added them to the lives of my characters at times when I needed something to propel the story forward. I realized this morning I do the same thing when I set the locales for my books.
I’ve lived in 3 places long term in my life: New York ( and 3 of the 5 boroughs), Wisconsin and now New Hampshire. Three very diverse places in so far as culture, weather, and language go. Language, you say? Well, yes. There is a world of difference between the way a New Yorker “tawks” and a Wisconsonite speaks. But that’s a blog for another day…
Today I am talking about setting and local. Every book I have written ( all of them!!) have been in either NYC, or New England. Why? Because those are the places I know best. Why not Wisconsin you ask? Well, I’ll tell you….I just don’t know why I’ve never penned a book set there. Maybe in the future…maybe.
I lovelovelove New York. I am at heart a “city girl” and if you know what that term really means, you are from NY, too! Setting books there is fun, scary, and fast-paced because NYC is fun, scary and fast-paced! The books set in NYC have all given the readers a little glimpse of the exciting city.
I adore New Hampshire and New England – especially in the autumn. Four of my MacQuire women books are set in New England and all of them, as well, highlight the terrain. The weather may be unpredictable on the best of days, but there is nothing NOTHING as beautiful as a New England Autumn.
So, here’s the question of the day ( you had to see this coming!) In your writing, do you have go-to locales, or do you find places to it switch up, places you’ve been, or only dreamed about? Let’s discuss….
And while we discuss, here’s a shameful plug for my book that releases tomorrow THE VOICE OF ANGELS, set in ( surprise!) NYC AND New England!!
THE VOICES OF ANGELS
Blurb:
Can she trust her heart to love again?
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.
Available at: Amazon /// The Wild Rose Press/// Kobo /// Nook
Find me here:
Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me //Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
I’ve lived in 3 places long term in my life: New York ( and 3 of the 5 boroughs), Wisconsin and now New Hampshire. Three very diverse places in so far as culture, weather, and language go. Language, you say? Well, yes. There is a world of difference between the way a New Yorker “tawks” and a Wisconsonite speaks. But that’s a blog for another day…
Today I am talking about setting and local. Every book I have written ( all of them!!) have been in either NYC, or New England. Why? Because those are the places I know best. Why not Wisconsin you ask? Well, I’ll tell you….I just don’t know why I’ve never penned a book set there. Maybe in the future…maybe.
I lovelovelove New York. I am at heart a “city girl” and if you know what that term really means, you are from NY, too! Setting books there is fun, scary, and fast-paced because NYC is fun, scary and fast-paced! The books set in NYC have all given the readers a little glimpse of the exciting city.
I adore New Hampshire and New England – especially in the autumn. Four of my MacQuire women books are set in New England and all of them, as well, highlight the terrain. The weather may be unpredictable on the best of days, but there is nothing NOTHING as beautiful as a New England Autumn.
So, here’s the question of the day ( you had to see this coming!) In your writing, do you have go-to locales, or do you find places to it switch up, places you’ve been, or only dreamed about? Let’s discuss….
And while we discuss, here’s a shameful plug for my book that releases tomorrow THE VOICE OF ANGELS, set in ( surprise!) NYC AND New England!!
THE VOICES OF ANGELS
Blurb:
Can she trust her heart to love again?
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.
Available at: Amazon /// The Wild Rose Press/// Kobo /// Nook
Find me here:
Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me //Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
Evolving Romance reader….
**Please click on to http://peggyjaeger.com/2016/08/03/evo... to view the images
When I was a teenager ( 175 years ago!), my taste in, and selection of, romance books was a tad different from what it is today. Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and Rosemary Rogers were my top reads back in the day and this little sheltered Catholic girl learned a whole lot about love, sex, and romance ( you thought I was gonna say Rock and Roll, admit it!) from those talented writers. In a world before the Internet, cell phones, reality TV and fame for fame’s sake, these books educated me in the ways of seduction, foreplay, and the real difference between men and women. Being transported back to the times when manners mattered, words could be used to seduce or slay, and women came to a marriage bed untouched and unknowing was fun to read.
Flash forward to the present day and I’m invested in, and now read a, different kind of romance story. While Regency tales of naughty noblemen and lascivious Lords are still fun for me to loose myself in, I know all about sex now, firsthand (!) so my eyes don’t need to be opened from reading about it, and I have a different perspective on what I want to read in today’s romance book.
Contemporary romantic fiction runs the gamut from sweet (no sex) tales of Amish women finding their true loves, to mild ( some sex, bedroom door closed) stories of women embarking on new life challenges; from sensual (sex with bedroom door wide open) stories of women discovering the meaning of their lives, to spicy (LOTS of sex in every place imaginable!) tales of women who are discovering their sexual – and personal – identities.
The common denominator in all the books I like to read now? The word contemporary.
I lovelovelove reading about present day women of any age who are struggling, trying to make a better life, wondering if they will ever find their own happily ever after. Contemporary women in the here and now are my tribe. They live their lives with passion, fight for the ideas they believe in, aren’t afraid to speak their minds, and would do anything for, and sacrifice everything for, the people they love. The men they let into their hearts may not always be deserving of such a place of honor in the beginning of the tale, but by the end of it, my contemporary girls have brought about a profound change in them – and in herself – that it facilitates their lifetime love. Their own happily ever after.
The contemporary romances I read – I will freely admit – run from sensual to spicy. Unlike when I was growing up, women can have sex freely these days without the dread of being burned at the stake ( don’t laugh – it happened), without fear of being abandoned by family and society, and without worry about getting pregnant – although this last one is a popular romantic trope to this day ( the unplanned OOPS baby). They can engage in behavior that at one time would have lead to their banishment from society, their public censure, and their economic downfall. And they can have fun doing it now. Some of my favorite books to read are romantic comedies where the laughs equal the sexy parts, measure for measure.
In my youth, the heroines I read fell into a very small category: ladies of noble birth or not. No in between. No shopkeepers, governesses, scullery maids.
Today, the heroines I read about are brilliant doctors, powerful lawyers, CEO’s of their own companies, tech executives. They are nurses, teachers, veterinary techs, bus drivers, race car enthusiasts, television producers. And they are stay-at-home moms, policewomen. writers. They are all the women I know.
So, in the past several decades I can truly say I have evolved as a romance reader.
But I have to admit I still love a Regency rake!
Since I love contemporary romances, here’s where you can find the ones I write – stories about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them. Amazon author page
My most recent book, THE VOICES OF ANGELS.
Blurb:
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.
Buy Links: Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook
If you need to find me, you can: Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
When I was a teenager ( 175 years ago!), my taste in, and selection of, romance books was a tad different from what it is today. Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and Rosemary Rogers were my top reads back in the day and this little sheltered Catholic girl learned a whole lot about love, sex, and romance ( you thought I was gonna say Rock and Roll, admit it!) from those talented writers. In a world before the Internet, cell phones, reality TV and fame for fame’s sake, these books educated me in the ways of seduction, foreplay, and the real difference between men and women. Being transported back to the times when manners mattered, words could be used to seduce or slay, and women came to a marriage bed untouched and unknowing was fun to read.
Flash forward to the present day and I’m invested in, and now read a, different kind of romance story. While Regency tales of naughty noblemen and lascivious Lords are still fun for me to loose myself in, I know all about sex now, firsthand (!) so my eyes don’t need to be opened from reading about it, and I have a different perspective on what I want to read in today’s romance book.
Contemporary romantic fiction runs the gamut from sweet (no sex) tales of Amish women finding their true loves, to mild ( some sex, bedroom door closed) stories of women embarking on new life challenges; from sensual (sex with bedroom door wide open) stories of women discovering the meaning of their lives, to spicy (LOTS of sex in every place imaginable!) tales of women who are discovering their sexual – and personal – identities.
The common denominator in all the books I like to read now? The word contemporary.
I lovelovelove reading about present day women of any age who are struggling, trying to make a better life, wondering if they will ever find their own happily ever after. Contemporary women in the here and now are my tribe. They live their lives with passion, fight for the ideas they believe in, aren’t afraid to speak their minds, and would do anything for, and sacrifice everything for, the people they love. The men they let into their hearts may not always be deserving of such a place of honor in the beginning of the tale, but by the end of it, my contemporary girls have brought about a profound change in them – and in herself – that it facilitates their lifetime love. Their own happily ever after.
The contemporary romances I read – I will freely admit – run from sensual to spicy. Unlike when I was growing up, women can have sex freely these days without the dread of being burned at the stake ( don’t laugh – it happened), without fear of being abandoned by family and society, and without worry about getting pregnant – although this last one is a popular romantic trope to this day ( the unplanned OOPS baby). They can engage in behavior that at one time would have lead to their banishment from society, their public censure, and their economic downfall. And they can have fun doing it now. Some of my favorite books to read are romantic comedies where the laughs equal the sexy parts, measure for measure.
In my youth, the heroines I read fell into a very small category: ladies of noble birth or not. No in between. No shopkeepers, governesses, scullery maids.
Today, the heroines I read about are brilliant doctors, powerful lawyers, CEO’s of their own companies, tech executives. They are nurses, teachers, veterinary techs, bus drivers, race car enthusiasts, television producers. And they are stay-at-home moms, policewomen. writers. They are all the women I know.
So, in the past several decades I can truly say I have evolved as a romance reader.
But I have to admit I still love a Regency rake!
Since I love contemporary romances, here’s where you can find the ones I write – stories about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them. Amazon author page
My most recent book, THE VOICES OF ANGELS.
Blurb:
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.
Buy Links: Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook
If you need to find me, you can: Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
Book 3
please click on to the following link to see the images: https://peggyjaeger.com/2016/08/18/bo..., I just started working on the third book in my WILL COOK FOR LOVE series for Kensington/Lyrical/Shine and it’s going a little slow, so I decided to take a break ( i.e. procrastinate!) and let you see some of the images I’m using for my characters.
Here’s what I imagine my heroine Stacy Peters looks like:
Here’s my hero, Dominck Nikko Stamp
Here’s Dominick’s teenaged daughter, Melora
and last–but not least–Riley MacNeill, the chef ( and Melora’s crush!)
I Know… I have such a hard job!!!!
Haven’t come up with a title yet, so I’m calling it: COOKING FOR COWBOYS right now. I just know that is going to change!!!
Stay tuned.
here’s where you can find me: Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
Here’s what I imagine my heroine Stacy Peters looks like:
Here’s my hero, Dominck Nikko Stamp
Here’s Dominick’s teenaged daughter, Melora
and last–but not least–Riley MacNeill, the chef ( and Melora’s crush!)
I Know… I have such a hard job!!!!
Haven’t come up with a title yet, so I’m calling it: COOKING FOR COWBOYS right now. I just know that is going to change!!!
Stay tuned.
here’s where you can find me: Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
An Ego Check
to see images, go to https://peggyjaeger.com/2016/08/29/an...
So, I was walking by a used bookstore in my town today and happened to glance at the front window. This is what I saw reflected back at me:
Take a close look, peeps. That’s my debut novel in the window.
My first thought was : cool, my book’s in the window for everyone to see!
My second thought was : wait a minute: why is my book in a used bookstore? That means someone who bought it – or worse, someone whom I gave it to as a present – actually donated it to the store. They didn’t want to keep it forever!
My third thought was : how dare they!!!
My fourth thought was : wake up and smell the coffee, Felicia. You’re not Nora Roberts. No one is going to keep your books for posterity, except for your family and close friends ( I hope!!)
My fifth thought: Oh. My. God! They hated it! They didn’t even think it was worthy enough to keep in their homes, on a bookshelf, tucked away getting dusty and molded. It was so terrible they wanted it out of their house. Forever.
My sixth and final thought was: get over yourself.
So, how was your day?
When I’m not having an ego crisis, here’s where you can find me…
Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
So, I was walking by a used bookstore in my town today and happened to glance at the front window. This is what I saw reflected back at me:
Take a close look, peeps. That’s my debut novel in the window.
My first thought was : cool, my book’s in the window for everyone to see!
My second thought was : wait a minute: why is my book in a used bookstore? That means someone who bought it – or worse, someone whom I gave it to as a present – actually donated it to the store. They didn’t want to keep it forever!
My third thought was : how dare they!!!
My fourth thought was : wake up and smell the coffee, Felicia. You’re not Nora Roberts. No one is going to keep your books for posterity, except for your family and close friends ( I hope!!)
My fifth thought: Oh. My. God! They hated it! They didn’t even think it was worthy enough to keep in their homes, on a bookshelf, tucked away getting dusty and molded. It was so terrible they wanted it out of their house. Forever.
My sixth and final thought was: get over yourself.
So, how was your day?
When I’m not having an ego crisis, here’s where you can find me…
Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//
An Interview with Author Lorelei Confer
I love a good interview with a great author; getting to know them better, finding out what makes their writing come to life. This is like nectar of the Gods for me! Recently, I did an interview with one of my all time favorite authors AND PEOPLE(!) Lorelei Confer.
If you haven’t met her yet or read her books, you have no idea what you are missing. This woman is a powerhouse – in person and on the page! She writes romantic suspense ( one of my favorite sub-genres to enjoy by a blazing fire at midnight!). Read all about her first, then enjoy a little snippet of her newest release, SECRETS AND DECEPTIONS
Donna, The Writer:
What drives you to write? The stories in my head I just need to get out.
What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why? I write romantic suspense. It is the genre I prefer to read along with some thrillers from Harlan Coben and Andrew Gross. I love the sweet love story but like the conflict to be suspenseful and use fear as a real emotion; live or die situations.
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? See above
What’s your writing schedule? I usually write everyday but not on a daily schedule. Sometimes its early in the morning, and other times late afternoon. My stories, plot and characters mull around in my head for days, weeks or months sometimes before I actually take the time to put them down on paper. Once a week I skip a day to mentor other writers who need help with plotting or characterization.
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. I write in the living room sitting on the end of the couch, which automatically reclines. To the left is a wall of windows with a fantastic view. Sometimes, while writing I find myself daydreaming about my story and it helps me get into the scene, into the characters head and into the environment. Makes it so much more realistic.
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 tunnelvision? I do like it quiet when I write at home but have no problem writing at Panera Bread or Crispers or Starbucks. I’ve even taken advantage of the opportunity to glance around and use some of the body language and facial expressions from others around me.
Do you listen to music while you write? Not at home but I do enjoy music when I’m out writing at a different place, i.e. Panera Bread. I prefer country music and enjoy the lyrics of a love gone wrong or a how much a broken heart hurts, and what one does to forget a bad relationship.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current work? I began this series, Saddle Creek, with the idea of four young men graduating high school together and going off on their own; each going their own way but remaining loyal to one another regardless of which direction they are led. This book, Secrets and Deceptions, is the third in the series and this young man can’t keep or find a job he likes so decides to enlist in the military. He leaves the love of his life, his high school sweetheart, and ends up being gone over four years. When he returns, of course, his friends’ lives have changed and his high school sweetheart is with another man. The story unfolds with plot twists and turns and sexy, speechless confrontations. As they both try to determine if there have been too many years apart, two many secrets, and too many deceptions.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? Plot comes first, then character development. Once that happens they, the characters, drive by them.
What 3 words describes you, the writer? Sincere. Caring. Loyal.
Donna, The Lovely Person:
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I love scrapbooking. I get to tell many stories through pictures and I love genealogy. I like to know the history behind the story of my ancestors.
Who was your first love and what age were you? My husband, knight in shining armor, my high school sweetheart, and my first love. We met at school and I asked him to my eighth grade dance, (not sure how old I was) my dad dropped me off and we danced and held hands. He kissed my cheek before the last dance was over and I never forgot. Summer arrived and he worked, bought a car and we lost touch. In eleventh grade I asked his sister how he was doing and that night he called and we talked for hours. He asked me out on a date. I wasn’t sure about going since it had been a couple years but he was persistent and picked me up after school the next day. We’ve been together ever since, made it through the Viet Nam war, raised two boys, have grandchildren, and have traveled many highways together,
If you could relive one day, which one would it be? ….Our wedding day. We eloped in between his two tours of duty in Viet Nam and it was like it ‘could be our last time together’ and extremely emotional and memorable.
Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando? Commando, of course!
What three words describes you, the person? Loving, sympathetic, truthful
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound Doorbell
Least favorite sound car horn
Best song every written Lay, Lady, Lay by Bob Dylan
Worst song ever written Don’t Worry, Be Happy (too monotonous)
Favorite actor and actress Antonio Banderas and Ann Margaret
What turns you on? Great visits and talks with friends
What turns you off? Loud crowds
What’s your version of a perfect day? Sleeping late, morning sex, lazy breakfast, reading and quiet time.
Read that last answer again, folks. Le sigh!.
Here’s a sneak peak at her newest release, SECRETS and DECEPTIONS
When Avri Lawrence’s high school sweetheart leaves her to enlist in the military, she nurses a broken heart. When Dillon returns four years later, their attraction to each other is stronger than ever, but life’s experiences has changed them. When her life is threatened she’s not sure he’ll come to her rescue or like what he finds. She has secrets and she’s not ready to share.
Dillon Davidson wants to advance in his military career but didn’t plan on having to kill so many people to do so. On a Special Opps mission he’s captured and tortured for eighteen long months. After his escape, he ends his four-year career in deception. He wants to start over with his soul mate, Avri in Saddle Creek, Wyoming.
But are there too many years of separation, too many secrets, and too many memories between them for them to overcome?
Excerpt:
Dillon skimmed his fingers lazily over the soft supple skin of Avri’s naked thigh. The lingering fragrance of sex filled his nostrils. They only had tonight, he’d be leaving in the morning, and he couldn’t get enough of her. His heart still pounded with desire, he wanted, needed to make love to her over and over again. He wanted to run his fingers over every inch of her, all night long, wanted to fill his memory with the scent of her, remember every smooth curve, every sweet hollow of her body.
Her body quivered against his, her breath hitched and she gulped back a sob. He pulled her against his chest, whispering in her ear, “It’s going to be all right,” before kissing her neck. His throat constricted. “We’ve talked about this…remember? We’ve planned this for six months.” His voice cracked slightly. “W-we need to look forward now. When I come back, I’ll be able to get a job, a good one doing something I like. Everything will be fine.”
He blinked the dampness in his eyes away several times as he ran his fingers through her hair memorizing the softness of her wavy auburn curls, the contours of her body, and the way she fit so perfectly against him. For a moment overcome with emotion, he couldn’t speak, couldn’t console her, hell…he couldn’t console himself.
The neon light from Rosie’s Diner downstairs cast a reddish glow in her small apartment. He’d always remember this time with her–the overwhelming pleasure, the contentment–and then the painful realization hit him again, like a bomb. He had to leave her in the morning. They had tonight, a few more precious hours together that he’d never forget, before he had to leave her. Her sob split the silence; he cupped her head and caressed her cheeks and jawline, wiping away the tears with his thumbs.
She was special to him, always had been. It was as if she’d been made just for him, fulfilling all his wants and needs. She was his closest confidante, his best friend, the woman he loved, would always love…his soul mate.
“How am I going to go on without you?” Avri whispered, her voice trembling. “You mean so much to me. You’re important to my life. You are my life.”
“You won’t have time to miss me.” Dillon tried to smile. “You’re going to finish law school and study your ass off to pass the bar.” His heart dropped in his chest and his throat burned with the thought. Not being at her side for those major events in her life…well, the thought broke his heart. Leaving her was killing him. It was harder than he ever imagined it would be when he enlisted in the military.
“I’ll wait for you, I swear. And I’ll write to you every day, but you have to promise me one thing, Dillon.” She sputtered and hiccupped trying to speak. Her sadness echoed in the small space.
He hesitated. “What’s that?” Apprehension rolled through him sticking in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. “Promise you’ll come back to me. Promise?” she pleaded.
How could he make such a promise when he didn’t know if he would come back dead or alive or damaged? “I’m not sure where I’m going or how long I’ll be gone. You know how I feel about you. I will if I can. You know that, don’t you?”
He searched for her bright green eyes in the dimness, but she’d glanced away. Pulling her closer, he left no space between their two bodies. Placing a finger beneath her chin, he turned her face toward his and bent to brush her lips. As soon as their lips touched, the kiss went from gentle to desperate. He plundered her mouth, sucking on her lips, invading her mouth with his tongue. He couldn’t get enough of her, her taste, her touch, her feel, or her scent. He ingrained them in his memory. A lasting memory; one he’d never forget.
As soon as he ended the kiss she clutched at his chest, sobbing hysterically. He held her in his arms until she fell asleep, shuddering occasionally. Finally, she quieted.
He lay beside her, too anxious to sleep. Savoring the warmth and soft skin against his, he listened to her breathing, waiting for it to even out, an indication she’d fallen asleep.
An hour or so later, he glanced at the lighted dial of his watch. It was time to go. Time to leave her.
He’d miss the Wyoming way of life, the ranch, his buddies, the horses, the small town of Saddle Creek…mostly though he’d miss her. She was the love of his life. The reason he’d enlisted in the military in the first place—to make something of himself, learn a trade and be able to hold down a job, and make her proud of him. Now he had to let her go or he wouldn’t be strong enough to walk away later. He’d signed up, and he had to honor his commitment.
Dillon carefully moved away from her, slipped out of her bed, allowed himself one last, loving look at her, but had to stifle a gasp. Moonlight blanketed Avri in an ethereal light streaming over her auburn tresses splayed across her pillow, enhancing the light freckles on her tiny tipped-up nose. The moistness of her plump lips gave him an irresistible urge to kiss her good-bye, just once more. But he didn’t dare.
Grabbing a scrap of paper and an envelope from her small desk, he wrote a note, stuffed it into the envelope and placed it on his pillow where she’d be sure to find it.
Avri rolled onto her side, but didn’t wake. He took a step toward her, longing to rob her lips the way he had most of the night. He sought control and stopped. Together their uninhibited sex was the best he’d ever had, but then perhaps it was because of how he felt about her.
Bio:
Lorelei lives on a peninsula on the mid west coast of Florida with her husband, 1 cat, and AJ, a long haired Chihuahua.
She wrote her first story in the fourth grade in the form of a play, which actually was produced by the teacher for parents and students. She continued writing and majored in English in College. She practices everyday to improve her craft.
She loves reading almost as much as writing and has filled her book shelves with her favorites, i.e. Harlan Colban, Eliza March, Johanna Lindsey, Roxanne St. Claire, Terri Garey, B.H. Daniels, and Bobbi Smith just to mention a few, as well as all the classics.
She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America), TARA (Tampa Area Romance Authors), PRO, Kiss of Death, Lethal Ladies, and CSI (Crime Scene Investigations), just to mention a few.
Visit Lorelei here: www.loreleiconfer.com
If you haven’t met her yet or read her books, you have no idea what you are missing. This woman is a powerhouse – in person and on the page! She writes romantic suspense ( one of my favorite sub-genres to enjoy by a blazing fire at midnight!). Read all about her first, then enjoy a little snippet of her newest release, SECRETS AND DECEPTIONS
Donna, The Writer:
What drives you to write? The stories in my head I just need to get out.
What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why? I write romantic suspense. It is the genre I prefer to read along with some thrillers from Harlan Coben and Andrew Gross. I love the sweet love story but like the conflict to be suspenseful and use fear as a real emotion; live or die situations.
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? See above
What’s your writing schedule? I usually write everyday but not on a daily schedule. Sometimes its early in the morning, and other times late afternoon. My stories, plot and characters mull around in my head for days, weeks or months sometimes before I actually take the time to put them down on paper. Once a week I skip a day to mentor other writers who need help with plotting or characterization.
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. I write in the living room sitting on the end of the couch, which automatically reclines. To the left is a wall of windows with a fantastic view. Sometimes, while writing I find myself daydreaming about my story and it helps me get into the scene, into the characters head and into the environment. Makes it so much more realistic.
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 tunnelvision? I do like it quiet when I write at home but have no problem writing at Panera Bread or Crispers or Starbucks. I’ve even taken advantage of the opportunity to glance around and use some of the body language and facial expressions from others around me.
Do you listen to music while you write? Not at home but I do enjoy music when I’m out writing at a different place, i.e. Panera Bread. I prefer country music and enjoy the lyrics of a love gone wrong or a how much a broken heart hurts, and what one does to forget a bad relationship.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current work? I began this series, Saddle Creek, with the idea of four young men graduating high school together and going off on their own; each going their own way but remaining loyal to one another regardless of which direction they are led. This book, Secrets and Deceptions, is the third in the series and this young man can’t keep or find a job he likes so decides to enlist in the military. He leaves the love of his life, his high school sweetheart, and ends up being gone over four years. When he returns, of course, his friends’ lives have changed and his high school sweetheart is with another man. The story unfolds with plot twists and turns and sexy, speechless confrontations. As they both try to determine if there have been too many years apart, two many secrets, and too many deceptions.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? Plot comes first, then character development. Once that happens they, the characters, drive by them.
What 3 words describes you, the writer? Sincere. Caring. Loyal.
Donna, The Lovely Person:
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I love scrapbooking. I get to tell many stories through pictures and I love genealogy. I like to know the history behind the story of my ancestors.
Who was your first love and what age were you? My husband, knight in shining armor, my high school sweetheart, and my first love. We met at school and I asked him to my eighth grade dance, (not sure how old I was) my dad dropped me off and we danced and held hands. He kissed my cheek before the last dance was over and I never forgot. Summer arrived and he worked, bought a car and we lost touch. In eleventh grade I asked his sister how he was doing and that night he called and we talked for hours. He asked me out on a date. I wasn’t sure about going since it had been a couple years but he was persistent and picked me up after school the next day. We’ve been together ever since, made it through the Viet Nam war, raised two boys, have grandchildren, and have traveled many highways together,
If you could relive one day, which one would it be? ….Our wedding day. We eloped in between his two tours of duty in Viet Nam and it was like it ‘could be our last time together’ and extremely emotional and memorable.
Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando? Commando, of course!
What three words describes you, the person? Loving, sympathetic, truthful
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound Doorbell
Least favorite sound car horn
Best song every written Lay, Lady, Lay by Bob Dylan
Worst song ever written Don’t Worry, Be Happy (too monotonous)
Favorite actor and actress Antonio Banderas and Ann Margaret
What turns you on? Great visits and talks with friends
What turns you off? Loud crowds
What’s your version of a perfect day? Sleeping late, morning sex, lazy breakfast, reading and quiet time.
Read that last answer again, folks. Le sigh!.
Here’s a sneak peak at her newest release, SECRETS and DECEPTIONS
When Avri Lawrence’s high school sweetheart leaves her to enlist in the military, she nurses a broken heart. When Dillon returns four years later, their attraction to each other is stronger than ever, but life’s experiences has changed them. When her life is threatened she’s not sure he’ll come to her rescue or like what he finds. She has secrets and she’s not ready to share.
Dillon Davidson wants to advance in his military career but didn’t plan on having to kill so many people to do so. On a Special Opps mission he’s captured and tortured for eighteen long months. After his escape, he ends his four-year career in deception. He wants to start over with his soul mate, Avri in Saddle Creek, Wyoming.
But are there too many years of separation, too many secrets, and too many memories between them for them to overcome?
Excerpt:
Dillon skimmed his fingers lazily over the soft supple skin of Avri’s naked thigh. The lingering fragrance of sex filled his nostrils. They only had tonight, he’d be leaving in the morning, and he couldn’t get enough of her. His heart still pounded with desire, he wanted, needed to make love to her over and over again. He wanted to run his fingers over every inch of her, all night long, wanted to fill his memory with the scent of her, remember every smooth curve, every sweet hollow of her body.
Her body quivered against his, her breath hitched and she gulped back a sob. He pulled her against his chest, whispering in her ear, “It’s going to be all right,” before kissing her neck. His throat constricted. “We’ve talked about this…remember? We’ve planned this for six months.” His voice cracked slightly. “W-we need to look forward now. When I come back, I’ll be able to get a job, a good one doing something I like. Everything will be fine.”
He blinked the dampness in his eyes away several times as he ran his fingers through her hair memorizing the softness of her wavy auburn curls, the contours of her body, and the way she fit so perfectly against him. For a moment overcome with emotion, he couldn’t speak, couldn’t console her, hell…he couldn’t console himself.
The neon light from Rosie’s Diner downstairs cast a reddish glow in her small apartment. He’d always remember this time with her–the overwhelming pleasure, the contentment–and then the painful realization hit him again, like a bomb. He had to leave her in the morning. They had tonight, a few more precious hours together that he’d never forget, before he had to leave her. Her sob split the silence; he cupped her head and caressed her cheeks and jawline, wiping away the tears with his thumbs.
She was special to him, always had been. It was as if she’d been made just for him, fulfilling all his wants and needs. She was his closest confidante, his best friend, the woman he loved, would always love…his soul mate.
“How am I going to go on without you?” Avri whispered, her voice trembling. “You mean so much to me. You’re important to my life. You are my life.”
“You won’t have time to miss me.” Dillon tried to smile. “You’re going to finish law school and study your ass off to pass the bar.” His heart dropped in his chest and his throat burned with the thought. Not being at her side for those major events in her life…well, the thought broke his heart. Leaving her was killing him. It was harder than he ever imagined it would be when he enlisted in the military.
“I’ll wait for you, I swear. And I’ll write to you every day, but you have to promise me one thing, Dillon.” She sputtered and hiccupped trying to speak. Her sadness echoed in the small space.
He hesitated. “What’s that?” Apprehension rolled through him sticking in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. “Promise you’ll come back to me. Promise?” she pleaded.
How could he make such a promise when he didn’t know if he would come back dead or alive or damaged? “I’m not sure where I’m going or how long I’ll be gone. You know how I feel about you. I will if I can. You know that, don’t you?”
He searched for her bright green eyes in the dimness, but she’d glanced away. Pulling her closer, he left no space between their two bodies. Placing a finger beneath her chin, he turned her face toward his and bent to brush her lips. As soon as their lips touched, the kiss went from gentle to desperate. He plundered her mouth, sucking on her lips, invading her mouth with his tongue. He couldn’t get enough of her, her taste, her touch, her feel, or her scent. He ingrained them in his memory. A lasting memory; one he’d never forget.
As soon as he ended the kiss she clutched at his chest, sobbing hysterically. He held her in his arms until she fell asleep, shuddering occasionally. Finally, she quieted.
He lay beside her, too anxious to sleep. Savoring the warmth and soft skin against his, he listened to her breathing, waiting for it to even out, an indication she’d fallen asleep.
An hour or so later, he glanced at the lighted dial of his watch. It was time to go. Time to leave her.
He’d miss the Wyoming way of life, the ranch, his buddies, the horses, the small town of Saddle Creek…mostly though he’d miss her. She was the love of his life. The reason he’d enlisted in the military in the first place—to make something of himself, learn a trade and be able to hold down a job, and make her proud of him. Now he had to let her go or he wouldn’t be strong enough to walk away later. He’d signed up, and he had to honor his commitment.
Dillon carefully moved away from her, slipped out of her bed, allowed himself one last, loving look at her, but had to stifle a gasp. Moonlight blanketed Avri in an ethereal light streaming over her auburn tresses splayed across her pillow, enhancing the light freckles on her tiny tipped-up nose. The moistness of her plump lips gave him an irresistible urge to kiss her good-bye, just once more. But he didn’t dare.
Grabbing a scrap of paper and an envelope from her small desk, he wrote a note, stuffed it into the envelope and placed it on his pillow where she’d be sure to find it.
Avri rolled onto her side, but didn’t wake. He took a step toward her, longing to rob her lips the way he had most of the night. He sought control and stopped. Together their uninhibited sex was the best he’d ever had, but then perhaps it was because of how he felt about her.
Bio:
Lorelei lives on a peninsula on the mid west coast of Florida with her husband, 1 cat, and AJ, a long haired Chihuahua.
She wrote her first story in the fourth grade in the form of a play, which actually was produced by the teacher for parents and students. She continued writing and majored in English in College. She practices everyday to improve her craft.
She loves reading almost as much as writing and has filled her book shelves with her favorites, i.e. Harlan Colban, Eliza March, Johanna Lindsey, Roxanne St. Claire, Terri Garey, B.H. Daniels, and Bobbi Smith just to mention a few, as well as all the classics.
She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America), TARA (Tampa Area Romance Authors), PRO, Kiss of Death, Lethal Ladies, and CSI (Crime Scene Investigations), just to mention a few.
Visit Lorelei here: www.loreleiconfer.com
Introducing author Kathryn Hills
You all know I lovelovelove finding and introducing you to fabulous authors. Author Kathryn Hills is such a find!!! I met her through our mutual RWA chapter and the moment she introduced herself to me I knew we were going to be writing friends forever. Her warmth, humor, and love of writing shine through in her work. Kathryn’s debut novel, HAUNTING HIGHLAND HOUSE releases tomorrow and she’s letting me give you a little taste of what’s to come, today. I’m so excited for her. I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this book and let me just tell you – it’s fabulous. When you read it, you’ll agree!
Here’s Kathryn:
Blurb- Haunting Highland House
Take one lone woman from Manhattan. Add a sexy ghost and a secluded Victorian mansion. Stir often. Heat thoroughly. Enjoy! Fun Fact… Haunting Highland House was inspired by a real place.
Excerpt
Summoning all her strength, she stepped into the light before him. Her heart pounded as if it would explode right out of her chest. “Why are you haunting me?” she demanded in her bravest ghost hunter voice.
“Haunting?” He gave a bitter laugh though he still did not look at her. “Is that what I am doing? I believed you to be the spirit, sent to torment me.” Vacant eyes traveled up her body and then widened. “Samantha!” He jumped to his feet and snared her wrist. “Dear God, where have you been?”
“Let me go,” she cried, twisting in his grasp.
“But Samantha, it’s me.” He pulled her close.
“Help!” She yelled, though no one would hear.
“I’ll not harm you, I swear.” His arms encircled her. “How could I hurt the woman I love?”
“No,” she cried fighting with renewed strength. “I don’t know you.”
“You do, Samantha, remember. Remember me,” he commanded. He captured her face, forcing her to look at him. His voice dropped to a pleading whisper. “It’s just the doorway working its evil. You know me. You must.”
Sam went still. She dared to meet his gaze. He was sinfully gorgeous, like some dark fallen angel. Golden firelight flickered across his features. It was madness. She was alone in a far off mansion with a stranger, and yet… Sanity fought for a toehold.
“I’m not who you think I am,” she rasped barely able to speak.
He caressed her cheek. “I know everything about you.”
“Don’t,” she warned, looking away. She squirmed against him until he released her with a tortured groan.
“Then all is lost. There is nothing more.” Wavering as if about to collapse, he sank to the couch. “You are only a dream then, another hallucination. Fool doctors with their laudanum.” He shook his head as if to clear it. “I’ve longed for you, night after night, alone in the darkness. Prayed you would come back to me.” His gaze roamed over her. “I remember everything. Your hair falling over me, the smell of your skin, your sweet lips parting. How can you not?”
Mesmerized, Sam was powerless against the dark magic he wove. Solid ground crumbled beneath her feet. Her body pulsed where they had touched. The very air around them seemed electrified. With a low growl, he pulled her down into the space between his legs and wrapped his arms around her again. This time, she didn’t fight.
“You knew me once, took me deep into your body. Let me love you. If only we could travel back in time.”
Bio:
The rich history and many mysteries of New England are the perfect backdrop for 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. Taking it further – to have characters experience the past and present, opposite to “when” they belong – is the fun part. 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, she’s taking photographs of the beautiful landscape that surrounds her. Kathryn shares her colonial home with those she loves most…her wonderful husband and daughter, and three crazy dogs.
When Kathryn isn’t writing or ghost-hunting, you can find her here:
Website // Facebook: // Twitter: // The Wild Rose Press Author Page: // Amazon Author Page: // Goodreads
My review of HAUNTING HIGHLAND HOUSE. Here’s a hint: I LOVEDLOVEDLOVED it! Click here – review
Here’s Kathryn:
Blurb- Haunting Highland House
Take one lone woman from Manhattan. Add a sexy ghost and a secluded Victorian mansion. Stir often. Heat thoroughly. Enjoy! Fun Fact… Haunting Highland House was inspired by a real place.
Excerpt
Summoning all her strength, she stepped into the light before him. Her heart pounded as if it would explode right out of her chest. “Why are you haunting me?” she demanded in her bravest ghost hunter voice.
“Haunting?” He gave a bitter laugh though he still did not look at her. “Is that what I am doing? I believed you to be the spirit, sent to torment me.” Vacant eyes traveled up her body and then widened. “Samantha!” He jumped to his feet and snared her wrist. “Dear God, where have you been?”
“Let me go,” she cried, twisting in his grasp.
“But Samantha, it’s me.” He pulled her close.
“Help!” She yelled, though no one would hear.
“I’ll not harm you, I swear.” His arms encircled her. “How could I hurt the woman I love?”
“No,” she cried fighting with renewed strength. “I don’t know you.”
“You do, Samantha, remember. Remember me,” he commanded. He captured her face, forcing her to look at him. His voice dropped to a pleading whisper. “It’s just the doorway working its evil. You know me. You must.”
Sam went still. She dared to meet his gaze. He was sinfully gorgeous, like some dark fallen angel. Golden firelight flickered across his features. It was madness. She was alone in a far off mansion with a stranger, and yet… Sanity fought for a toehold.
“I’m not who you think I am,” she rasped barely able to speak.
He caressed her cheek. “I know everything about you.”
“Don’t,” she warned, looking away. She squirmed against him until he released her with a tortured groan.
“Then all is lost. There is nothing more.” Wavering as if about to collapse, he sank to the couch. “You are only a dream then, another hallucination. Fool doctors with their laudanum.” He shook his head as if to clear it. “I’ve longed for you, night after night, alone in the darkness. Prayed you would come back to me.” His gaze roamed over her. “I remember everything. Your hair falling over me, the smell of your skin, your sweet lips parting. How can you not?”
Mesmerized, Sam was powerless against the dark magic he wove. Solid ground crumbled beneath her feet. Her body pulsed where they had touched. The very air around them seemed electrified. With a low growl, he pulled her down into the space between his legs and wrapped his arms around her again. This time, she didn’t fight.
“You knew me once, took me deep into your body. Let me love you. If only we could travel back in time.”
Bio:
The rich history and many mysteries of New England are the perfect backdrop for 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. Taking it further – to have characters experience the past and present, opposite to “when” they belong – is the fun part. 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, she’s taking photographs of the beautiful landscape that surrounds her. Kathryn shares her colonial home with those she loves most…her wonderful husband and daughter, and three crazy dogs.
When Kathryn isn’t writing or ghost-hunting, you can find her here:
Website // Facebook: // Twitter: // The Wild Rose Press Author Page: // Amazon Author Page: // Goodreads
My review of HAUNTING HIGHLAND HOUSE. Here’s a hint: I LOVEDLOVEDLOVED it! Click here – review
A Visit with #HistoricalRomance #writer Clair Brett
To view images, click on this link:
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/01/18/a-...
One of the nicest, most talented writers I know is releasing her debut novel, DEALING WITH THE VISCOUNT at the end of this month and I have the privilege of introducing her to you today in anticipation of that wonderful event. I met Clair Brett 3 years ago at a romance writing meeting and was instantly capitated by her quick wit, her intelligence, and her kindness. Plus, she’s a helluva good writer. So, sit back and get to know the writer I call a friend ( and I’m always so pleased to say those 2 words in the same sentence – writer and friend!)
Clair, The Writer
What drives you to write?
I have written since I can remember. As an only child, I would create stories in my head. Now, as an adult, I love the feeling of bringing my characters to life and since I am a pantser at heart, even though I do plot in my own way, I want to see how the story will end. I write the stories for me first.
What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why?
Right now I am writing Historical Romance set in the Regency period with a spatter of suspense because that is what I love to read. When I started reading for pleasure again after college, I was teaching full time, had two babies 12 months apart and we were a typical young struggling couple. I liked the historical romance genre, because it was so far removed from my own life and let me step into a world that was glitzy and glamourous, but not familiar. I believe reading for pleasure should be an escape. I do have a couple of contemporary ideas and even a YA dystopia retelling of a childhood classic, oh and there is that Scottish Highland hero who keeps raising his hand now and then…
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?
Obviously, I love Historical romance, but find when I am writing a new book, I can’t have another historical writer banging around in my head. I also love a good romantic suspense. I am also fortunate enough to edit for some writers so I get to read a variety of genres then as well. One of my goals for 2017 is to read more. As a writer I find I have less and less time to just read, not to mention I feel guilty when I sit down to “just” read. I am starting my list of books for 2017 on goodreads and I am trying to branch out.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day?
Ha, funny. Seriously, I am still working on that. It depends on the day and my workload from the day job. My goal is to write or edit every day, but I haven’t gotten there yet. I try to get emails and some marketing out of the way when I first sit down, because my brain is too scattered with everything that I have to do that day, but once I have been able to settle my mind, I usually open the MS mid-morning and I will set a timer to make sure I don’t get distracted. Once I begin writing, I already know where that scene has to go and I can bang out 2000 words fairly quickly. I work away from home two days a week, and don’t usually get much writing done on those days. My goal is to get to the point where I can write in the morning, earlier than I do now, and then work on edits in the afternoon, with the other business stuff stuck in between.
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?
When I got done teaching 5 years ago now I had a wish for an office. For a while I moved into what I thought of as our dining room, but was not being used as that, at the time. Two years ago, my contractor husband finally agreed to move forward with some major remodels on our house and we closed in the middle part of our wrap around porch and created a very cozy office for me. I will eventually have sliding pocket doors for more privacy, but it has a bank of windows to let in the sun and warm breeze in the summer, and it is just big enough to fit my desk, an over-stuffed chair for editing and reading, and my two bookcases. It is by far my favorite spot in our house now! Before we put up the drywall, my daughters and I went around on the studs and wrote inspirational messages, one of which above the doorway says “bestsellers are written here”, so I feel like I am surrounded by positive thoughts.
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 tunnelvision?
I am fine with normal “noise”, but when people are talking, or yelling as teenaged girls are prone to do, I can’t get into the scene. That is why I can’t wait for my sliding doors. I did find recently at a writers’ meeting when we did a write in for NaNoWrimo that I also am calmed by the sound of clicking keyboards. Yes, I am letting my geek flag fly. I went home and I now have a download of clicking keyboards that I can play when I don’t want to listen to music.
Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?
I usually play instrumental music. I choose classical most days because I am not familiar with any lyrics, because if it is a song I know I have caught myself singing it in my head. I have a writing and editing playlist I listen to on Spotify and it helps me settle into the mood of writing, since I only listen to it when I am writing or editing.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?
My current WIP is the second book in my debut series Improper Wives for Proper Lords. The hero, Lord Breakerton was meant to be a secondary character in Dealing with the Viscount, which debut’s on January 31. Instead he tried to take over every scene he was in. I knew he needed his own book and was trying to figure out his story. At a writers’ meeting we learned how to use tarot cards to help plot a story. During that workshop I kept getting cards with swords and like a lightening bolt I got a scene of my hero having a sword fight with the heroine and just like that I knew she was a highwaywoman dressed as a man, and he was sent to apprehend, or kill the highwayman, and a story idea was born.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?
That is a hard question. My first reaction would be to say character, but usually I get a full scene, which may or may not end up in the book, but it is the main character, sometimes hero, sometimes heroine doing something, from there I start asking questions and might just sit and journal freestyle for a bit to try and get a handle on what I saw. Then, I will have to find the romantic interest. Sometimes as I am writing one story I have a character, like Lord Breakerton, who screams for their own story, then I will try to learn about them as they evolve throughout that story. My stories are, as most romances, character based and so I would guess I have my characters and try to figure out their stories, instead of coming up with a plot and sticking a character in to fit it.
What 3 words describe you, the writer? Determined. Scared. Perfectionist.
Clair, The Person :
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!
My nickname growing up was Charlie. I didn’t always like it and the first day of first grade I hit an older boy in the chin with my metal “Sigmund the Sea Monster” lunchbox for calling me by it. (he still has a little scar). I grew into it however, and there are still people in my little town, and family that only call me Charlie. (My dad used to call me Charlie Brown and it got shortened)
Who was your first love and what age were you?
Donny Osmond, and I was 6 or 7 maybe younger. (Peggy here – I lovedlovedloved Donny Osmond!!!)
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….
Ooo, this is tough… I would have to say the second day of my honeymoon. We were officially married and unpacked at the hotel. We had two weeks of vacation ahead of us, with no worries and plenty of money for tropical drinks. No worries, oh and his snoring didn’t yet drive me nuts. lol
Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando?
I like a little mystery, so I’m going to say boxers. They have a tendency to be a bit more fun with the patterns lending to a laid back feel, and I am not a fan of commando. A girls like a little mystery. Wink, wink.
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be?
Hair dryer. Without it my hair is curly, and not the “oh, look at her beautiful curls” curly, more like “Is she trying to create dreads?” curly.
What three words describes you, the person? Loyal..Reserved (some would say repressed. =) ).Focused
If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be?
“My Fight Song” is my current favorite song. But I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, so I hope I never have to do 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?
It is no secret that I have an unhealthy love of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, so I would pick Elizabeth Bennett, because she really was very modern for her time and out spoken. To have a woman that self-possessed during that time period was unique. I would like to sit with her, have tea, and talk about the topics of the day to see how they affected her and her sisters, and also to get her thoughts on how life should be.
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound; Rain, or ocean waves, but water definitely!
Least favorite sound: An alarm clock
Best song every written: “Light My Fire” by the doors (love all Jim Morrison’s lyrics):
Worst song ever written: Any of the “screaming music” if it sounds like you need a laxative or an ambulance, it isn’t music.
Favorite actor/actress Gerard Butler// Kate Hudson
Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead)
I would like to be Eloisa James, Historical romance writer extraordinaire, for a day. She is wildly talented, and she is married to Italian aristocracy. She gets to travel all over the world, and she just always looks so elegant and composed. I would love to be her and then take what I learn to get myself to where she is.
What turns you on? Humor and thoughtfulness
What turns you off? Cockiness or conceit
Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) “You remind me of my ex.” Ok, it is 6 words, but you get the idea. =)
What’s your version of a perfect day?
Summer, a warm breeze comes off the ocean and floats into my bedroom waking me with the sounds of ocean waves and birds chirping. My hardworking husband brings me a cup of tea and we sit and talk enjoying the sunrise and the warm weather. Then I get dressed and go to my obscenely opulent patio and have the entire day to write, with no marketing, advertising, or “business stuff” to do because my assistant has that under control. In the afternoon, after my massage and a snorkeling session, I would stroll into town and sit at a café eating something rich, but non- caloric. I would end the evening with my hardworking husband, and a dinner of lobster and steak with champagne, and maybe a chance to curl up in the moonlight and read a good book, before we go to bed…
Have you ever thought of going into intelligence gathering, Peggy? What a list of questions. Lol!
Love ya! Clair!
Peggy here: Love ya, back!!!
And now……
DEALING WITH THE VISCOUNT
Blurb:
After making a wager of marriage to settle her father’s gambling debts, Ella Bowen-Thorn Renwick escaped the husband she foolishly began to fall for and disappeared into the Scottish countryside carrying a secret. Four years later, and the owner of her own bakery, she is still not free of the demands of men when a violent and anonymous blackmailer threatens her, her livelihood…and her daughter. And then, there is him…
Viscount Renwick still mourns the wife he began to love before her untimely death–that is until he discovers her alive and well living in Scotland. Now, Devon’s face to face with the wife he thought he’d buried and the daughter he never knew existed. He’d like nothing more than to welcome Ella back into his arms, but mysterious and troubling incidents and a history with an unloving father have Ella trusting no one.
But, if Renwick convinces his wife he’s the husband she always dreamed of and the father their daughter deserves, will the scandalous secret the blackmailer is holding threaten their future together once more?
Buy Links:
Amazon Kindle: Nook: Kobo: Apple:
A Little about the author:
Dragon keeper and historical romance author, Clair Brett lives in NH with her hard working husband and two teenaged daughters. Her office staff during the day consists of Cinta, a black cat and the matriarch of the fur babies, Mojo, a yellow kitten who spends his day holding Clair down in her seat to get her word count in, a boxer/beagle mix puppy named Willow, who sleeps next to her chair to make it hard to do an Oreo run without doing a pee run as well, a hermit crab who keeps to himself, and a bearded dragon, who is kind of upper management.
A former middle and high school English teacher, Clair has had a lifetime love affair with reading. Once she read Pride and Prejudice as an extra read in high school, she was hooked. Clair began pursuit of publication when she was a new mother in need of a hobby. Her oldest daughter will be graduating in 2017, so you do the math. Clair is a firm believer that a reader finds a piece of who they are or learns something about the world with every book they read. She wants her readers to be empowered and to have a refreshed belief in the goodness of people and the power of love after reading her work.
Visit Clair on the web
Website: Facebook: Twitter Goodreads: Amazon Author Page: Pinterest: Newsletter signup:
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/01/18/a-...
One of the nicest, most talented writers I know is releasing her debut novel, DEALING WITH THE VISCOUNT at the end of this month and I have the privilege of introducing her to you today in anticipation of that wonderful event. I met Clair Brett 3 years ago at a romance writing meeting and was instantly capitated by her quick wit, her intelligence, and her kindness. Plus, she’s a helluva good writer. So, sit back and get to know the writer I call a friend ( and I’m always so pleased to say those 2 words in the same sentence – writer and friend!)
Clair, The Writer
What drives you to write?
I have written since I can remember. As an only child, I would create stories in my head. Now, as an adult, I love the feeling of bringing my characters to life and since I am a pantser at heart, even though I do plot in my own way, I want to see how the story will end. I write the stories for me first.
What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why?
Right now I am writing Historical Romance set in the Regency period with a spatter of suspense because that is what I love to read. When I started reading for pleasure again after college, I was teaching full time, had two babies 12 months apart and we were a typical young struggling couple. I liked the historical romance genre, because it was so far removed from my own life and let me step into a world that was glitzy and glamourous, but not familiar. I believe reading for pleasure should be an escape. I do have a couple of contemporary ideas and even a YA dystopia retelling of a childhood classic, oh and there is that Scottish Highland hero who keeps raising his hand now and then…
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?
Obviously, I love Historical romance, but find when I am writing a new book, I can’t have another historical writer banging around in my head. I also love a good romantic suspense. I am also fortunate enough to edit for some writers so I get to read a variety of genres then as well. One of my goals for 2017 is to read more. As a writer I find I have less and less time to just read, not to mention I feel guilty when I sit down to “just” read. I am starting my list of books for 2017 on goodreads and I am trying to branch out.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day?
Ha, funny. Seriously, I am still working on that. It depends on the day and my workload from the day job. My goal is to write or edit every day, but I haven’t gotten there yet. I try to get emails and some marketing out of the way when I first sit down, because my brain is too scattered with everything that I have to do that day, but once I have been able to settle my mind, I usually open the MS mid-morning and I will set a timer to make sure I don’t get distracted. Once I begin writing, I already know where that scene has to go and I can bang out 2000 words fairly quickly. I work away from home two days a week, and don’t usually get much writing done on those days. My goal is to get to the point where I can write in the morning, earlier than I do now, and then work on edits in the afternoon, with the other business stuff stuck in between.
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?
When I got done teaching 5 years ago now I had a wish for an office. For a while I moved into what I thought of as our dining room, but was not being used as that, at the time. Two years ago, my contractor husband finally agreed to move forward with some major remodels on our house and we closed in the middle part of our wrap around porch and created a very cozy office for me. I will eventually have sliding pocket doors for more privacy, but it has a bank of windows to let in the sun and warm breeze in the summer, and it is just big enough to fit my desk, an over-stuffed chair for editing and reading, and my two bookcases. It is by far my favorite spot in our house now! Before we put up the drywall, my daughters and I went around on the studs and wrote inspirational messages, one of which above the doorway says “bestsellers are written here”, so I feel like I am surrounded by positive thoughts.
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 tunnelvision?
I am fine with normal “noise”, but when people are talking, or yelling as teenaged girls are prone to do, I can’t get into the scene. That is why I can’t wait for my sliding doors. I did find recently at a writers’ meeting when we did a write in for NaNoWrimo that I also am calmed by the sound of clicking keyboards. Yes, I am letting my geek flag fly. I went home and I now have a download of clicking keyboards that I can play when I don’t want to listen to music.
Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?
I usually play instrumental music. I choose classical most days because I am not familiar with any lyrics, because if it is a song I know I have caught myself singing it in my head. I have a writing and editing playlist I listen to on Spotify and it helps me settle into the mood of writing, since I only listen to it when I am writing or editing.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?
My current WIP is the second book in my debut series Improper Wives for Proper Lords. The hero, Lord Breakerton was meant to be a secondary character in Dealing with the Viscount, which debut’s on January 31. Instead he tried to take over every scene he was in. I knew he needed his own book and was trying to figure out his story. At a writers’ meeting we learned how to use tarot cards to help plot a story. During that workshop I kept getting cards with swords and like a lightening bolt I got a scene of my hero having a sword fight with the heroine and just like that I knew she was a highwaywoman dressed as a man, and he was sent to apprehend, or kill the highwayman, and a story idea was born.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?
That is a hard question. My first reaction would be to say character, but usually I get a full scene, which may or may not end up in the book, but it is the main character, sometimes hero, sometimes heroine doing something, from there I start asking questions and might just sit and journal freestyle for a bit to try and get a handle on what I saw. Then, I will have to find the romantic interest. Sometimes as I am writing one story I have a character, like Lord Breakerton, who screams for their own story, then I will try to learn about them as they evolve throughout that story. My stories are, as most romances, character based and so I would guess I have my characters and try to figure out their stories, instead of coming up with a plot and sticking a character in to fit it.
What 3 words describe you, the writer? Determined. Scared. Perfectionist.
Clair, The Person :
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!
My nickname growing up was Charlie. I didn’t always like it and the first day of first grade I hit an older boy in the chin with my metal “Sigmund the Sea Monster” lunchbox for calling me by it. (he still has a little scar). I grew into it however, and there are still people in my little town, and family that only call me Charlie. (My dad used to call me Charlie Brown and it got shortened)
Who was your first love and what age were you?
Donny Osmond, and I was 6 or 7 maybe younger. (Peggy here – I lovedlovedloved Donny Osmond!!!)
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….
Ooo, this is tough… I would have to say the second day of my honeymoon. We were officially married and unpacked at the hotel. We had two weeks of vacation ahead of us, with no worries and plenty of money for tropical drinks. No worries, oh and his snoring didn’t yet drive me nuts. lol
Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando?
I like a little mystery, so I’m going to say boxers. They have a tendency to be a bit more fun with the patterns lending to a laid back feel, and I am not a fan of commando. A girls like a little mystery. Wink, wink.
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be?
Hair dryer. Without it my hair is curly, and not the “oh, look at her beautiful curls” curly, more like “Is she trying to create dreads?” curly.
What three words describes you, the person? Loyal..Reserved (some would say repressed. =) ).Focused
If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be?
“My Fight Song” is my current favorite song. But I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, so I hope I never have to do 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?
It is no secret that I have an unhealthy love of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, so I would pick Elizabeth Bennett, because she really was very modern for her time and out spoken. To have a woman that self-possessed during that time period was unique. I would like to sit with her, have tea, and talk about the topics of the day to see how they affected her and her sisters, and also to get her thoughts on how life should be.
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound; Rain, or ocean waves, but water definitely!
Least favorite sound: An alarm clock
Best song every written: “Light My Fire” by the doors (love all Jim Morrison’s lyrics):
Worst song ever written: Any of the “screaming music” if it sounds like you need a laxative or an ambulance, it isn’t music.
Favorite actor/actress Gerard Butler// Kate Hudson
Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead)
I would like to be Eloisa James, Historical romance writer extraordinaire, for a day. She is wildly talented, and she is married to Italian aristocracy. She gets to travel all over the world, and she just always looks so elegant and composed. I would love to be her and then take what I learn to get myself to where she is.
What turns you on? Humor and thoughtfulness
What turns you off? Cockiness or conceit
Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) “You remind me of my ex.” Ok, it is 6 words, but you get the idea. =)
What’s your version of a perfect day?
Summer, a warm breeze comes off the ocean and floats into my bedroom waking me with the sounds of ocean waves and birds chirping. My hardworking husband brings me a cup of tea and we sit and talk enjoying the sunrise and the warm weather. Then I get dressed and go to my obscenely opulent patio and have the entire day to write, with no marketing, advertising, or “business stuff” to do because my assistant has that under control. In the afternoon, after my massage and a snorkeling session, I would stroll into town and sit at a café eating something rich, but non- caloric. I would end the evening with my hardworking husband, and a dinner of lobster and steak with champagne, and maybe a chance to curl up in the moonlight and read a good book, before we go to bed…
Have you ever thought of going into intelligence gathering, Peggy? What a list of questions. Lol!
Love ya! Clair!
Peggy here: Love ya, back!!!
And now……
DEALING WITH THE VISCOUNT
Blurb:
After making a wager of marriage to settle her father’s gambling debts, Ella Bowen-Thorn Renwick escaped the husband she foolishly began to fall for and disappeared into the Scottish countryside carrying a secret. Four years later, and the owner of her own bakery, she is still not free of the demands of men when a violent and anonymous blackmailer threatens her, her livelihood…and her daughter. And then, there is him…
Viscount Renwick still mourns the wife he began to love before her untimely death–that is until he discovers her alive and well living in Scotland. Now, Devon’s face to face with the wife he thought he’d buried and the daughter he never knew existed. He’d like nothing more than to welcome Ella back into his arms, but mysterious and troubling incidents and a history with an unloving father have Ella trusting no one.
But, if Renwick convinces his wife he’s the husband she always dreamed of and the father their daughter deserves, will the scandalous secret the blackmailer is holding threaten their future together once more?
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A Little about the author:
Dragon keeper and historical romance author, Clair Brett lives in NH with her hard working husband and two teenaged daughters. Her office staff during the day consists of Cinta, a black cat and the matriarch of the fur babies, Mojo, a yellow kitten who spends his day holding Clair down in her seat to get her word count in, a boxer/beagle mix puppy named Willow, who sleeps next to her chair to make it hard to do an Oreo run without doing a pee run as well, a hermit crab who keeps to himself, and a bearded dragon, who is kind of upper management.
A former middle and high school English teacher, Clair has had a lifetime love affair with reading. Once she read Pride and Prejudice as an extra read in high school, she was hooked. Clair began pursuit of publication when she was a new mother in need of a hobby. Her oldest daughter will be graduating in 2017, so you do the math. Clair is a firm believer that a reader finds a piece of who they are or learns something about the world with every book they read. She wants her readers to be empowered and to have a refreshed belief in the goodness of people and the power of love after reading her work.
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