Peggy Jaeger's Blog - Posts Tagged "amwriting-amblogging"
A visit with #author Stacy Gold; #WildRosePress
February has been an amazeballs month for me to introduce you all to some fabulous new authors. Today I’m hosting writer Stacy Gold, as she talks about her writing life and gives you a peek into her upcoming release JUST FRIENDS. From a writer who writes about strong women, I can tell you I love a writer who says about herself “I write sassy, steamy, contemporary romance novels, packed with strong, independent women finding love and adventure in the great outdoors.” LOVE THAT!
Sit back and learn a little about Stacy…
Stacy Gold, The Writer
What drives you to write? I’ve always enjoyed expressing myself on paper (or screen). As a teen, it was mostly essays and poetry. Until a couple years ago, I made a living as a copywriter, journalist and marketing strategist, so all my writing was non-fiction and most was either promotional or educational. However, I did get to write a number of articles for outdoor sports publications over the years, and loved that. Nowadays I have stories and characters in my head just dying to get out. And I relish having the opportunity to change a reader’s life or perspective for the better.
What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why?
I write steamy, outdoorsy, contemporary romance with strong heroines who kick ass at sports and activities like skiing, mountain biking, kayaking and backpacking. Why? Because these are the kind of women I enjoy hanging out with in real life. And because I believe including these sports adds an extra layer of dynamics to a story. Putting people in tough situations in the outdoors shows you who they really are, deep down inside. It lets me test their mettle in interesting ways. It’s what I want to read, and definitely what I want to spend all day writing.
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?
Steamy contemporary is one of my favorites (go figure), but I also enjoy YA and historical. I’ve read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi over the years, but haven’t dipped into much of it in the romance genre—yet. Basically, if the writing is good, the story interesting, entertaining, or believable, and the characters compelling, I’m in. If it’s got hot sex, even better.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day?
My hubby works a 9-5, so I do my best to sync my schedule to his. That means I write pretty much every weekday, but take the weekends off so we can get outdoors and play in the mountains together. Much of my inspiration comes when I’m about as far from a keyboard as I can get, so from a certain perspective you could consider even that writing time. The other day, on a hike with my dog, I figured out a plot issue and some dialogue for the short story I’m working on. So I dictated it into my phone and kept hiking.
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table? I have my own office with high ceilings and tall windows that let in plenty of natural light, and includes three different workspaces: my treadmill walkstation, a sit down desk with a yoga ball, and a folding Ikea couch. Though if the weather is nice I like to sit on my porch to work, or take the dog and head to a coffee shop patio.
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? At home I generally prefer silence, though sometimes I’ll play music with no lyrics. When I’m in the right mood though, I can get super inspired in a coffee shop with the hum of conversation and music as background. The sound of birds singing and the wind in the trees also works well for me.
Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?
For the most part, I find music distracting. Particularly if it has lyrics. My brain just keeps trying to pay attention to what they’re singing because I’m a lyrics-driven music listener. If I do listen to music, it’s most often jazz or Wyndham Hill recordings.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?
Like most of my ideas, it popped into my head one day, fairly fully formed. My brain is a bit like one of those old supercomputers—I put data and information and experiences in, and it works in the background for days or weeks. Then, at some random point, it spits out an idea that I like. Sometimes I start writing immediately. Other times I keep turning it and playing with it in my head for a bit until I’m inspired to write the opening scene and outline. Many of my best story ideas come to me while I’m skiing or mountain biking.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? A little of both. When a story idea hits me, it might not be fully formed, but I have a pretty good idea of who my characters are, and who they’re going to become, as well as the major plot points or beats. Usually, the first chapter comes out in one big rush like it’s been stored up behind a dam and I’ve just opened the floodgates.
What 3 words describes you, the writer? Fascinated, dedicated, quirky
Stacy, The Person
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I speak fluent French, and thanks to my Mom hold dual citizenship with Switzerland.
Who was your first love and what age were you? Robbie, when I was 17. He was the man that made me realize I was worth loving and deserved to be treated right.
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…. Oh my gosh. Seriously? Just one? My hubby and I have been on so many amazing adventures together on rivers and trails and mountains, I have trouble even picking one season or sport, let alone one day. Okay, maybe the day Mt Baker had about six feet of fresh snow, and we drove for five hours (normally a three hour drive, max) to get there because the roads were as bad as they get in the northwest. At the ski area that day, one of the chairlifts was only open if you had an avalanche beacon, shovel and partner. Lo and behold we did, so we got to ski never-ending bottomless powder together all day long, then enjoyed dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant before heading back to our condo for a relaxing evening. Perfection.
Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando? Boxer-briefs or commando.
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? My awesome Re-Curl curl cream. It allows me to have perfect, scrunch-and-go hair every day and I never have to spend time with a blow dryer or curling iron. Or rollers. I used to do that full head of rollers every morning back in the eighties, but I definitely don’t prioritize anything to do with hair or makeup, and haven’t in thirty years. The sweet southern women I worked with growing up in Atlanta would be appalled.
What three words describes you, the person? Funny, adventurous, caring
If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? Anything by Neil Young. I love his Neil impersonation, and Neil’s songs are generally in a key I can sing without anyone cringing too much.
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? Galadriel from Lord of the Rings because I have always been fascinated by the elves: their long lives, their wisdom, their willingness to sail away to another land. I’d want a tour of Lothlórien and an extended chat over dinner to hear about all the things she’s seen and done in the course of her long life.
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound – My husband’s voice (Peggy here: awwwwwwwwwwwww!)
Least favorite sound-Siren
Best song every written—Suite Judy Blue Eyes by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Gets me every time.
Worst song ever written—Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Sirus. I was a cocktail waitress in a pool hall when this came out, and it got played way too much on the jukebox.
Favorite actor and actress: Daniel Day Lewis and Meryl Streep
Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? (It can be anyone living or dead)- Honestly, it’s confusing and difficult enough just being myself, without spending a day as someone else. If I had to pick, I guess I’d choose Misty Copeland. I danced for years but never on pointe, and she makes it look so beautiful and easy.
What turns you on? Laughter
What turns you off? Negativity
Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) “Are you my brown-eyed girl?” Nope. My eyes are green.
What’s your version of a perfect day? Sleep in until eight or eight thirty, have a morning quickie, enjoy a delicious breakfast of grits and eggs courtesy of my hubby, then, depending on the season, ski two feet of untracked powder or go paddling or mountain biking, followed by a nice soak in a natural hot spring, love making, dinner al fresco and dancing. Yep. That would be perfect.
Stacy’s newest release, JUST FRIENDS is Available for Pre-Order Now (Release Date March 3rd, 2017)
Blurb
Taya Monroe is trying to pick up the pieces of her failed writing career and broken life after walking out on her cheating fiancé. The last thing she needs is a serious relationship. The last thing she wants is a fling. Then she runs into an old friend and ski partner—the one man she always wanted who never wanted her.
Ski Patroller Jordan Wiley is a single dad with zero time or energy for dating. When he reconnects with Taya, his attraction to her is even stronger than before she left him behind for a career in the city. But with a young son to think about, he’s determined to ignore his feelings. Again.
After a magical day on the slopes, a snow storm traps them in an avalanche of chemistry neither can deny. Will their friendship survive the weight of their passion or will they surface as more than friends?
Excerpt:
My eyes followed the curve of his lips. They weren’t thin, and they weren’t full either. But they had a kissable shape that begged me to trace their subtle contours with the tip of my tongue. To nip. To explore and taste.
Not that it would ever happen. Not again. I had proof of that.
We’d kissed once, on a drunken night years ago, right after he’d split with his long-term girlfriend. It started out toe-curling, but ended when he pulled away and made it clear he wasn’t attracted to me. At least, not in the way I was attracted to him. Mortified, I pretended it was the alcohol and vowed never to let him know how much I wanted him.
A good vow to remember. Especially now, when I needed a friend more than anything else. Definitely more than I needed a romantic distraction.
“It’s great to see you.” His words, and his smile, flowed over me like liquid caramel.
“You too.” The connection between us buzzed in me like high-tension power lines. Same as always. So powerful I couldn’t understand how, or why, he didn’t feel it too.
Our noses were inches apart. I tasted his breath, minty and sweet, and licked my lips in anticipation of a kiss I knew would never come. Some habits die hard. I was determined to choke this one until it gave up the ghost.
Buy Links: Wild Rose Press // Amazon // B&N
A little more about Stacy Gold
Compulsive tea drinker. Outdoor sports junkie. Lover of good (and bad) puns.
Stacy Gold gave up her day job as Communications Director of a nonprofit mountain biking organization to write sassy, steamy, contemporary romance novels. Her stories are packed with strong, independent women, and the men who can’t resist them, finding love and adventure in the great outdoors. When Stacy’s not busy reading or writing, you can find her dancing, laughing or playing hard in the mountains with her wonderful hubby and happy dog.
After a magical day on the slopes, a snow storm traps them in an avalanche of chemistry neither can deny. Will their friendship survive the weight of their passion or will they surface as more than friends?
You can connect with Stacy here:
Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Amazon // Goodreads // Website
Special Offer
Enter to Win a $25 REI Gift Card and be the First to Know About Contests, Freebies & Releases by Joining the Gold Club!
http://stacygold.com/goldclub
Sit back and learn a little about Stacy…
Stacy Gold, The Writer
What drives you to write? I’ve always enjoyed expressing myself on paper (or screen). As a teen, it was mostly essays and poetry. Until a couple years ago, I made a living as a copywriter, journalist and marketing strategist, so all my writing was non-fiction and most was either promotional or educational. However, I did get to write a number of articles for outdoor sports publications over the years, and loved that. Nowadays I have stories and characters in my head just dying to get out. And I relish having the opportunity to change a reader’s life or perspective for the better.
What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why?
I write steamy, outdoorsy, contemporary romance with strong heroines who kick ass at sports and activities like skiing, mountain biking, kayaking and backpacking. Why? Because these are the kind of women I enjoy hanging out with in real life. And because I believe including these sports adds an extra layer of dynamics to a story. Putting people in tough situations in the outdoors shows you who they really are, deep down inside. It lets me test their mettle in interesting ways. It’s what I want to read, and definitely what I want to spend all day writing.
What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?
Steamy contemporary is one of my favorites (go figure), but I also enjoy YA and historical. I’ve read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi over the years, but haven’t dipped into much of it in the romance genre—yet. Basically, if the writing is good, the story interesting, entertaining, or believable, and the characters compelling, I’m in. If it’s got hot sex, even better.
What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day?
My hubby works a 9-5, so I do my best to sync my schedule to his. That means I write pretty much every weekday, but take the weekends off so we can get outdoors and play in the mountains together. Much of my inspiration comes when I’m about as far from a keyboard as I can get, so from a certain perspective you could consider even that writing time. The other day, on a hike with my dog, I figured out a plot issue and some dialogue for the short story I’m working on. So I dictated it into my phone and kept hiking.
Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table? I have my own office with high ceilings and tall windows that let in plenty of natural light, and includes three different workspaces: my treadmill walkstation, a sit down desk with a yoga ball, and a folding Ikea couch. Though if the weather is nice I like to sit on my porch to work, or take the dog and head to a coffee shop patio.
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? At home I generally prefer silence, though sometimes I’ll play music with no lyrics. When I’m in the right mood though, I can get super inspired in a coffee shop with the hum of conversation and music as background. The sound of birds singing and the wind in the trees also works well for me.
Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?
For the most part, I find music distracting. Particularly if it has lyrics. My brain just keeps trying to pay attention to what they’re singing because I’m a lyrics-driven music listener. If I do listen to music, it’s most often jazz or Wyndham Hill recordings.
How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?
Like most of my ideas, it popped into my head one day, fairly fully formed. My brain is a bit like one of those old supercomputers—I put data and information and experiences in, and it works in the background for days or weeks. Then, at some random point, it spits out an idea that I like. Sometimes I start writing immediately. Other times I keep turning it and playing with it in my head for a bit until I’m inspired to write the opening scene and outline. Many of my best story ideas come to me while I’m skiing or mountain biking.
Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? A little of both. When a story idea hits me, it might not be fully formed, but I have a pretty good idea of who my characters are, and who they’re going to become, as well as the major plot points or beats. Usually, the first chapter comes out in one big rush like it’s been stored up behind a dam and I’ve just opened the floodgates.
What 3 words describes you, the writer? Fascinated, dedicated, quirky
Stacy, The Person
Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! I speak fluent French, and thanks to my Mom hold dual citizenship with Switzerland.
Who was your first love and what age were you? Robbie, when I was 17. He was the man that made me realize I was worth loving and deserved to be treated right.
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…. Oh my gosh. Seriously? Just one? My hubby and I have been on so many amazing adventures together on rivers and trails and mountains, I have trouble even picking one season or sport, let alone one day. Okay, maybe the day Mt Baker had about six feet of fresh snow, and we drove for five hours (normally a three hour drive, max) to get there because the roads were as bad as they get in the northwest. At the ski area that day, one of the chairlifts was only open if you had an avalanche beacon, shovel and partner. Lo and behold we did, so we got to ski never-ending bottomless powder together all day long, then enjoyed dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant before heading back to our condo for a relaxing evening. Perfection.
Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando? Boxer-briefs or commando.
If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? My awesome Re-Curl curl cream. It allows me to have perfect, scrunch-and-go hair every day and I never have to spend time with a blow dryer or curling iron. Or rollers. I used to do that full head of rollers every morning back in the eighties, but I definitely don’t prioritize anything to do with hair or makeup, and haven’t in thirty years. The sweet southern women I worked with growing up in Atlanta would be appalled.
What three words describes you, the person? Funny, adventurous, caring
If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? Anything by Neil Young. I love his Neil impersonation, and Neil’s songs are generally in a key I can sing without anyone cringing too much.
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? Galadriel from Lord of the Rings because I have always been fascinated by the elves: their long lives, their wisdom, their willingness to sail away to another land. I’d want a tour of Lothlórien and an extended chat over dinner to hear about all the things she’s seen and done in the course of her long life.
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
Favorite sound – My husband’s voice (Peggy here: awwwwwwwwwwwww!)
Least favorite sound-Siren
Best song every written—Suite Judy Blue Eyes by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Gets me every time.
Worst song ever written—Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Sirus. I was a cocktail waitress in a pool hall when this came out, and it got played way too much on the jukebox.
Favorite actor and actress: Daniel Day Lewis and Meryl Streep
Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? (It can be anyone living or dead)- Honestly, it’s confusing and difficult enough just being myself, without spending a day as someone else. If I had to pick, I guess I’d choose Misty Copeland. I danced for years but never on pointe, and she makes it look so beautiful and easy.
What turns you on? Laughter
What turns you off? Negativity
Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) “Are you my brown-eyed girl?” Nope. My eyes are green.
What’s your version of a perfect day? Sleep in until eight or eight thirty, have a morning quickie, enjoy a delicious breakfast of grits and eggs courtesy of my hubby, then, depending on the season, ski two feet of untracked powder or go paddling or mountain biking, followed by a nice soak in a natural hot spring, love making, dinner al fresco and dancing. Yep. That would be perfect.
Stacy’s newest release, JUST FRIENDS is Available for Pre-Order Now (Release Date March 3rd, 2017)
Blurb
Taya Monroe is trying to pick up the pieces of her failed writing career and broken life after walking out on her cheating fiancé. The last thing she needs is a serious relationship. The last thing she wants is a fling. Then she runs into an old friend and ski partner—the one man she always wanted who never wanted her.
Ski Patroller Jordan Wiley is a single dad with zero time or energy for dating. When he reconnects with Taya, his attraction to her is even stronger than before she left him behind for a career in the city. But with a young son to think about, he’s determined to ignore his feelings. Again.
After a magical day on the slopes, a snow storm traps them in an avalanche of chemistry neither can deny. Will their friendship survive the weight of their passion or will they surface as more than friends?
Excerpt:
My eyes followed the curve of his lips. They weren’t thin, and they weren’t full either. But they had a kissable shape that begged me to trace their subtle contours with the tip of my tongue. To nip. To explore and taste.
Not that it would ever happen. Not again. I had proof of that.
We’d kissed once, on a drunken night years ago, right after he’d split with his long-term girlfriend. It started out toe-curling, but ended when he pulled away and made it clear he wasn’t attracted to me. At least, not in the way I was attracted to him. Mortified, I pretended it was the alcohol and vowed never to let him know how much I wanted him.
A good vow to remember. Especially now, when I needed a friend more than anything else. Definitely more than I needed a romantic distraction.
“It’s great to see you.” His words, and his smile, flowed over me like liquid caramel.
“You too.” The connection between us buzzed in me like high-tension power lines. Same as always. So powerful I couldn’t understand how, or why, he didn’t feel it too.
Our noses were inches apart. I tasted his breath, minty and sweet, and licked my lips in anticipation of a kiss I knew would never come. Some habits die hard. I was determined to choke this one until it gave up the ghost.
Buy Links: Wild Rose Press // Amazon // B&N
A little more about Stacy Gold
Compulsive tea drinker. Outdoor sports junkie. Lover of good (and bad) puns.
Stacy Gold gave up her day job as Communications Director of a nonprofit mountain biking organization to write sassy, steamy, contemporary romance novels. Her stories are packed with strong, independent women, and the men who can’t resist them, finding love and adventure in the great outdoors. When Stacy’s not busy reading or writing, you can find her dancing, laughing or playing hard in the mountains with her wonderful hubby and happy dog.
After a magical day on the slopes, a snow storm traps them in an avalanche of chemistry neither can deny. Will their friendship survive the weight of their passion or will they surface as more than friends?
You can connect with Stacy here:
Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Amazon // Goodreads // Website
Special Offer
Enter to Win a $25 REI Gift Card and be the First to Know About Contests, Freebies & Releases by Joining the Gold Club!
http://stacygold.com/goldclub
#InternationalWomensDay2017; #StrengthknowsNoGender; My Super power is that I’m a Woman!
to see images, click on the link:
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/03/08/in...
As a woman, a mother, a mother of a woman,…today I will embrace the celebration of National Women’s Day 2017. Today I will remember what it means to be a woman and all the wonderful things that go along with that. Things that only a woman can do, like give birth. Hey, men can’t…just saying.
But in celebrating I will also remember the things that women can’t do. There are still parts of the world where women can’t choose for themselves who they will marry, or even if they want to get married. There are still countries where women can’t drive, go to school, walk about free in public. There are still places where women are viewed as the property of the men and are treated and abused as such. And there are still governments that would rather see a woman die, shamed and vilified than give birth to her eight ( or more) child.
I grew up in the time Title IX came into effect. Prior to that, girls sports in schools weren’t funded.
My mother grew up in the time where if she didn’t want to have a baby she had 2 choices: don’t have sex, or procure an illegal abortion.
My grandmother grew up in a time where she was struck down and beaten in the streets by men when she protested for the right to vote for the leaders of HER country.
That’s just three generations of women who saw the need to effect change for the better. And did.
My daughter lives in a world where she knows no limits on what she can do with her life. She has the benefit of education, status, choice. What she still doesn’t have is equal pay for equal work. And if things keep going the way they are currently, she will lose even more of those hard-fought RIGHTS the women who came before her died for.
Today, in 2017, I proudly stand on the shoulders of the courageous, fearless, determined women who came before me. Who fought convention, misogyny, and hate. I won’t forget them or their struggles.
And I will continue to fight –EVERY DAY — to ensure that they didn’t die in vain.
But today…today I will celebrate my gender. Tomorrow..well, tomorrow is another day.
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/03/08/in...
As a woman, a mother, a mother of a woman,…today I will embrace the celebration of National Women’s Day 2017. Today I will remember what it means to be a woman and all the wonderful things that go along with that. Things that only a woman can do, like give birth. Hey, men can’t…just saying.
But in celebrating I will also remember the things that women can’t do. There are still parts of the world where women can’t choose for themselves who they will marry, or even if they want to get married. There are still countries where women can’t drive, go to school, walk about free in public. There are still places where women are viewed as the property of the men and are treated and abused as such. And there are still governments that would rather see a woman die, shamed and vilified than give birth to her eight ( or more) child.
I grew up in the time Title IX came into effect. Prior to that, girls sports in schools weren’t funded.
My mother grew up in the time where if she didn’t want to have a baby she had 2 choices: don’t have sex, or procure an illegal abortion.
My grandmother grew up in a time where she was struck down and beaten in the streets by men when she protested for the right to vote for the leaders of HER country.
That’s just three generations of women who saw the need to effect change for the better. And did.
My daughter lives in a world where she knows no limits on what she can do with her life. She has the benefit of education, status, choice. What she still doesn’t have is equal pay for equal work. And if things keep going the way they are currently, she will lose even more of those hard-fought RIGHTS the women who came before her died for.
Today, in 2017, I proudly stand on the shoulders of the courageous, fearless, determined women who came before me. Who fought convention, misogyny, and hate. I won’t forget them or their struggles.
And I will continue to fight –EVERY DAY — to ensure that they didn’t die in vain.
But today…today I will celebrate my gender. Tomorrow..well, tomorrow is another day.
Why I need to see my characters before I write them
this is one of those cases where you need to see the images and I just don't have the skills ( yet) to upload them here, so click on this link to really see them:
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/03/29/wh...
I love a good vision board – especially for one of my own books. Since my writing tends to fall out of a visual tendency, I make vision -or story- boards for each of my books. Knowing what the characters actually look like while I am writing about them helps me “see” the story as it unfolds from their eyes and viewpoints. For instance, here’s the board I worked with for my October 2017 release, A SHOT AT LOVE:
You can see how I envisioned Gemma Laine and Ky Pappandreos, plus how I categorized aspects of their lives, such as photography info for Gemma and law enforcement stuff for Ky. I sent their pictures to Lyrical when I was asked how I “SAW” my hero and heroine looking. I think they did a great job with portraying my vision on the cover:
This is my working vision board for the third book in the series, tentatively titled CAN’T STAND THE HEAT”
This book has few more integral characters, but the H/H look like Grace Kelly ( Stacy Peters) and Pierce Brosnan ( Nikko Stamp)
I’m currently working on 2 more books in this series. and the first one, (working title: IT STARTED WITH HIS KISS) looks like this:
You can see I don’t have too much filled in yet, but I will….no worries.
More about vision boards and how they help writers in tomorrow’s edition of PEGGYJAEGER.COM
In the meantime, did you know that COOKING WITH KANDY, book 1 in the WILL COOK FOR LOVE SERIES releases next week on April 4?? Here’s a little sumthin’ to whet your romance-reading appetites.
Sugar and spice and everything sexy make the perfect recipe for romance in this brand-new series by Peggy Jaeger. Look for exclusive recipes in each book!
Kandy Laine built her wildly popular food empire the old-fashioned way—starting with the basic ingredients of her grandmother’s recipes and flavoring it all with her particular brand of sweet spice. From her cookbooks to her hit TV show, Kandy is a kitchen queen—and suddenly someone is determined to poison her cup. With odd accidents and threatening messages piling up, strong-willed Kandy can’t protest when her team hires someone to keep her safe—but she can’t deny that the man for the job looks delicious. . .
Josh Keane is a private investigator, not a bodyguard. But with one eyeful of Kandy’s ebony curls and dimpled smile, he’s signing on to uncover who’s cooking up trouble for the gorgeous chef. As the attraction between them starts to simmer, it’s not easy to keep his mind on the job, but when the strange distractions turn to true danger, he’ll stop at nothing to keep Kandy safe—and show her that a future together is on the menu. . .
Excerpt:
“Clock stops at five-thirty,” she told him, spying the way he glanced at the empty desks. “That’s a rule I never break. No matter how busy we are, or what our deadline is, I make sure everyone up here is out by then.”
“Why? I would think in this business long hours are the norm.”
“Everyone deserves free time, time with family, time to wind down. I won’t have people working for me when they’re exhausted, or thinking about the soccer game they’re missing for their kid. No one’s productive then. I like everyone to be rested, fresh and on the ball. I realized early on it was the way to bring out the creative, productive best in people.”
“But you don’t adhere to your own rules.”
She leveled a gaze at him. “That’s because I’m the boss. I thrive on deadlines and do some of my finest work when I’m exhausted.”
The slow grin that spread across his face made her stomach muscles giddy-up again.
“I bet you give great holiday bonuses,” he said, rocking back on his heels.
Because it was true, she smiled.
“My office is in here.”
She pushed through another set of doors and preceded him in.
While he took in the surroundings Kandy wondered if he saw the room the same way she did. She’d chosen this space simply because of the windows. A corner office, it had full-length, floor to ceiling matted glass surrounding the outer perimeter of the office on three sides. Her view was of downtown Manhattan, an unobstructed visage of Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty.
The interior design was her own and she’d gone for comfort and ease in the furnishings. Three couches circled one another in the center of the room, and in the middle sat an impressive glass table, currently covered with files, paper, magazines, and a few fabric swatches. A grandfather clock sat, unwound, on the far wall, the hour hand stuck at nine, the minute hand at twelve.
A large, cherry wood desk faced the windows, not the inner room, complete with two computers, a laptop, and two printers on a pull-out stand next to the desk.
“Interesting.” Josh gazed around the room. “I assume the reason your desk faces this way is for the great view?”
She lifted her shoulders to her ears and then brought them down again. “Why waste it by having my back to it?”
“Good thought. What’s up with the clock?”
She glanced over at it. “That’s the exact time my first book went on sale.”
“So, what? Time stopped for you then?”
“No. The way I see it my life started precisely at that moment.”
His eyebrows rose. “Says a lot about what you expect and want out of life.”
“Don’t read too much into it,” she said, unaccustomed embarrassment washing through her. Without even knowing her he’d hit her personality right on the head. “The clock also has sentimental value. It was Grandma’s.”
Kandy moved to the couches. “Come on, have a seat. Let’s talk specifics.”
Josh sat opposite her, leaned back into the couch, crossing one long leg over the other.
“I’m going to say this once because I feel we should get it out of the way,” she started. “I don’t think I need a body guard, and I don’t think anything that’s happened recently can’t be explained away. I find this whole situation of having someone follow every move I make unnerving. I’m not used to it. Not used to working this way. I don’t want to have to stop every five minutes to explain where I’m going, who I’m going to be meeting with. I just go. I have too much to do in a day to worry about someone keeping up with me.”
When he nodded, she continued. “I’m willing to go along with the entire scheme until you prove there’s really no reason for it, which I think you’ll discover pretty quickly. But I won’t be hampered in going about my day in any way. Understand?”
Buy Links: Amazon //Nook // Kensington/Lyrical // Kobo // Apple // Google
available in e-copy and Print on Demand ( POD) fro Amazon and Kensington.
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/03/29/wh...
I love a good vision board – especially for one of my own books. Since my writing tends to fall out of a visual tendency, I make vision -or story- boards for each of my books. Knowing what the characters actually look like while I am writing about them helps me “see” the story as it unfolds from their eyes and viewpoints. For instance, here’s the board I worked with for my October 2017 release, A SHOT AT LOVE:
You can see how I envisioned Gemma Laine and Ky Pappandreos, plus how I categorized aspects of their lives, such as photography info for Gemma and law enforcement stuff for Ky. I sent their pictures to Lyrical when I was asked how I “SAW” my hero and heroine looking. I think they did a great job with portraying my vision on the cover:
This is my working vision board for the third book in the series, tentatively titled CAN’T STAND THE HEAT”
This book has few more integral characters, but the H/H look like Grace Kelly ( Stacy Peters) and Pierce Brosnan ( Nikko Stamp)
I’m currently working on 2 more books in this series. and the first one, (working title: IT STARTED WITH HIS KISS) looks like this:
You can see I don’t have too much filled in yet, but I will….no worries.
More about vision boards and how they help writers in tomorrow’s edition of PEGGYJAEGER.COM
In the meantime, did you know that COOKING WITH KANDY, book 1 in the WILL COOK FOR LOVE SERIES releases next week on April 4?? Here’s a little sumthin’ to whet your romance-reading appetites.
Sugar and spice and everything sexy make the perfect recipe for romance in this brand-new series by Peggy Jaeger. Look for exclusive recipes in each book!
Kandy Laine built her wildly popular food empire the old-fashioned way—starting with the basic ingredients of her grandmother’s recipes and flavoring it all with her particular brand of sweet spice. From her cookbooks to her hit TV show, Kandy is a kitchen queen—and suddenly someone is determined to poison her cup. With odd accidents and threatening messages piling up, strong-willed Kandy can’t protest when her team hires someone to keep her safe—but she can’t deny that the man for the job looks delicious. . .
Josh Keane is a private investigator, not a bodyguard. But with one eyeful of Kandy’s ebony curls and dimpled smile, he’s signing on to uncover who’s cooking up trouble for the gorgeous chef. As the attraction between them starts to simmer, it’s not easy to keep his mind on the job, but when the strange distractions turn to true danger, he’ll stop at nothing to keep Kandy safe—and show her that a future together is on the menu. . .
Excerpt:
“Clock stops at five-thirty,” she told him, spying the way he glanced at the empty desks. “That’s a rule I never break. No matter how busy we are, or what our deadline is, I make sure everyone up here is out by then.”
“Why? I would think in this business long hours are the norm.”
“Everyone deserves free time, time with family, time to wind down. I won’t have people working for me when they’re exhausted, or thinking about the soccer game they’re missing for their kid. No one’s productive then. I like everyone to be rested, fresh and on the ball. I realized early on it was the way to bring out the creative, productive best in people.”
“But you don’t adhere to your own rules.”
She leveled a gaze at him. “That’s because I’m the boss. I thrive on deadlines and do some of my finest work when I’m exhausted.”
The slow grin that spread across his face made her stomach muscles giddy-up again.
“I bet you give great holiday bonuses,” he said, rocking back on his heels.
Because it was true, she smiled.
“My office is in here.”
She pushed through another set of doors and preceded him in.
While he took in the surroundings Kandy wondered if he saw the room the same way she did. She’d chosen this space simply because of the windows. A corner office, it had full-length, floor to ceiling matted glass surrounding the outer perimeter of the office on three sides. Her view was of downtown Manhattan, an unobstructed visage of Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty.
The interior design was her own and she’d gone for comfort and ease in the furnishings. Three couches circled one another in the center of the room, and in the middle sat an impressive glass table, currently covered with files, paper, magazines, and a few fabric swatches. A grandfather clock sat, unwound, on the far wall, the hour hand stuck at nine, the minute hand at twelve.
A large, cherry wood desk faced the windows, not the inner room, complete with two computers, a laptop, and two printers on a pull-out stand next to the desk.
“Interesting.” Josh gazed around the room. “I assume the reason your desk faces this way is for the great view?”
She lifted her shoulders to her ears and then brought them down again. “Why waste it by having my back to it?”
“Good thought. What’s up with the clock?”
She glanced over at it. “That’s the exact time my first book went on sale.”
“So, what? Time stopped for you then?”
“No. The way I see it my life started precisely at that moment.”
His eyebrows rose. “Says a lot about what you expect and want out of life.”
“Don’t read too much into it,” she said, unaccustomed embarrassment washing through her. Without even knowing her he’d hit her personality right on the head. “The clock also has sentimental value. It was Grandma’s.”
Kandy moved to the couches. “Come on, have a seat. Let’s talk specifics.”
Josh sat opposite her, leaned back into the couch, crossing one long leg over the other.
“I’m going to say this once because I feel we should get it out of the way,” she started. “I don’t think I need a body guard, and I don’t think anything that’s happened recently can’t be explained away. I find this whole situation of having someone follow every move I make unnerving. I’m not used to it. Not used to working this way. I don’t want to have to stop every five minutes to explain where I’m going, who I’m going to be meeting with. I just go. I have too much to do in a day to worry about someone keeping up with me.”
When he nodded, she continued. “I’m willing to go along with the entire scheme until you prove there’s really no reason for it, which I think you’ll discover pretty quickly. But I won’t be hampered in going about my day in any way. Understand?”
Buy Links: Amazon //Nook // Kensington/Lyrical // Kobo // Apple // Google
available in e-copy and Print on Demand ( POD) fro Amazon and Kensington.
On #Libraries, #Librarians, feelings of connection, and #books
Apparently, it’s National Library Week. This is one celebration I can get behind and actually enjoy. Enjoy writing about; enjoy celebrating.
I’ve mentioned many times before in this blog that I — for all intents and purposes — grew up in my local library. I was what was called ( during my youth) a latchkey kid, meaning, after school, I was on my own, home alone, because both the adults in my life had full-time jobs that didn’t let out until 5 or 6 each night. School let out at 3, so that meant five afternoons a week I needed a babysitter until I got old enough to be left on my own for a few hours, which in my case was at the age of 7.
I’m remembering what my daughter was like at 7 and am horrified that my mother believed it was an appropriate age for independent responsibility, but that’s another blog topic entirely.
Anyway….
Every day after school I would be dismissed after the bell and then trek to my local library to stay until it was time to get on home.
I loved the library.
I loved the safety of it.
I loved all the books.
I loved loved loved the Librarians.
I loved the quiet.
Like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, all I wanted to do was read. I wanted to be transported to other places, live lives that weren’t my own; be loved and cherished like a princess and rule a kingdom with wisdom and grace. I could be anything I wanted to be and I could explore everything. It was in the library that I discovered my imagination and my joy of storytelling.
Once I was through the library doors each afternoon, after a 15 block walk along city streets from my school, I’d let out a sigh, safe in the knowledge that nothing bad could happen to me here. I was secure now, protected. Bad people didn’t come into the library, only good ones. People who wanted to be educated, and who wanted to escape from their everyday, boring lives and live richer, happier, more exciting ones. The library wasn’t the place where the bullies who tormented me in school “hung out.” I was free from the cruel insults, tormenting taunts, and physical violence that had become my daily life at school.
The Librarians all knew me by name and were my first, actual, REAL teachers. I learned facts in school. The Librarians taught me about life. They’d recommend books for me to read and once I was through the kids’ section selection, they moved me onto what would now be called YA ( young adult) novels. I may have been 8 or 9 years old, but I was reading about the lives of pre-teens and teenagers, living in their shoes as they drifted through life, and getting a feel for what was to come my way once I was their age.
The Librarians talked to me about books, asked me my opinion on ones I’d read. They actually valued my thoughts. They showed me the strength there is in knowledge and the beauty there is in imagination. They fostered in me that desire to tell a tale, tell it well, and change a reader’s life. They taught me how to be entertained, and in so doing, how to entertain. They taught me how to gather knowledge, the beauty there is in research, and how to prioritize. To this day, my home library follows a basic Dewey Decimal system. To some, that may be a bit extreme. But to me, it is a real tribute to the librarians who helped form my mind and fed my soul.
In the library, we spoke in hushed tones and whispers. We used the original inside voices. In my house, the voices were more often raised than hushed, loud than peaceful, tormented than quiet.
In the library, I found myself…as a girl, a person, a student, and, ultimately, as a writer.
Every day I thank God for the women and men who worked and still work in local libraries. They are unsung heroes to countless children and adults. Where some may think that the previous statement is a tad theatrical, it isn’t to me. The Librarians I knew as a child were my heroes. They kept me safe, loved and cared about me, and opened a world for me I never knew existed.
Heroes, every last one of them.
So, help me celebrate National Library Week. Support your local libraries by donating old, in-good-condition books, attend book sales and fund drives and become a Friend of the Library. Encourage your children and grandchildren to get Library cards and to use them! Often and with enthusiasm.
Finding your local library is just a Google search away!
I’ve mentioned many times before in this blog that I — for all intents and purposes — grew up in my local library. I was what was called ( during my youth) a latchkey kid, meaning, after school, I was on my own, home alone, because both the adults in my life had full-time jobs that didn’t let out until 5 or 6 each night. School let out at 3, so that meant five afternoons a week I needed a babysitter until I got old enough to be left on my own for a few hours, which in my case was at the age of 7.
I’m remembering what my daughter was like at 7 and am horrified that my mother believed it was an appropriate age for independent responsibility, but that’s another blog topic entirely.
Anyway….
Every day after school I would be dismissed after the bell and then trek to my local library to stay until it was time to get on home.
I loved the library.
I loved the safety of it.
I loved all the books.
I loved loved loved the Librarians.
I loved the quiet.
Like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, all I wanted to do was read. I wanted to be transported to other places, live lives that weren’t my own; be loved and cherished like a princess and rule a kingdom with wisdom and grace. I could be anything I wanted to be and I could explore everything. It was in the library that I discovered my imagination and my joy of storytelling.
Once I was through the library doors each afternoon, after a 15 block walk along city streets from my school, I’d let out a sigh, safe in the knowledge that nothing bad could happen to me here. I was secure now, protected. Bad people didn’t come into the library, only good ones. People who wanted to be educated, and who wanted to escape from their everyday, boring lives and live richer, happier, more exciting ones. The library wasn’t the place where the bullies who tormented me in school “hung out.” I was free from the cruel insults, tormenting taunts, and physical violence that had become my daily life at school.
The Librarians all knew me by name and were my first, actual, REAL teachers. I learned facts in school. The Librarians taught me about life. They’d recommend books for me to read and once I was through the kids’ section selection, they moved me onto what would now be called YA ( young adult) novels. I may have been 8 or 9 years old, but I was reading about the lives of pre-teens and teenagers, living in their shoes as they drifted through life, and getting a feel for what was to come my way once I was their age.
The Librarians talked to me about books, asked me my opinion on ones I’d read. They actually valued my thoughts. They showed me the strength there is in knowledge and the beauty there is in imagination. They fostered in me that desire to tell a tale, tell it well, and change a reader’s life. They taught me how to be entertained, and in so doing, how to entertain. They taught me how to gather knowledge, the beauty there is in research, and how to prioritize. To this day, my home library follows a basic Dewey Decimal system. To some, that may be a bit extreme. But to me, it is a real tribute to the librarians who helped form my mind and fed my soul.
In the library, we spoke in hushed tones and whispers. We used the original inside voices. In my house, the voices were more often raised than hushed, loud than peaceful, tormented than quiet.
In the library, I found myself…as a girl, a person, a student, and, ultimately, as a writer.
Every day I thank God for the women and men who worked and still work in local libraries. They are unsung heroes to countless children and adults. Where some may think that the previous statement is a tad theatrical, it isn’t to me. The Librarians I knew as a child were my heroes. They kept me safe, loved and cared about me, and opened a world for me I never knew existed.
Heroes, every last one of them.
So, help me celebrate National Library Week. Support your local libraries by donating old, in-good-condition books, attend book sales and fund drives and become a Friend of the Library. Encourage your children and grandchildren to get Library cards and to use them! Often and with enthusiasm.
Finding your local library is just a Google search away!
Highway Cafe April Blog Tour
I just love a blog tour and hop!
The arrival of April signals–in my neck of the woods–the arrival of Spring. Or as we natives call it, black fly season. You know: those pesky, annoying, pain-in-the-a** noseeums that swarm around your face, ears, eyes and cleavage?
God, I hate those bugs. I really do. Since I live in the woods I typically get inundated from the very first beautiful dry day we have to signify Spring, right up until Memorial day rolls around. Having an outside barbeque becomes aggravating, not to mention dangerous from everyone running into one another armed with cutlery to try and escape the odious little buggers. Gardening is a nightmare unless you are swathed from head to toe like an uber-mummy or rabid beekeeper. Trying to get in a little exercise walk outside becomes an occupation just to make sure you are doused in every bug repellant known to man– and those little PIA’s still swarm!
Every year I hope, pray, and offer up sacrifices to the Gods that this year–this year–we will be spared the invasion. And every year…we aren’t.
I don’t anticipate this year will be any different. Le sigh.
Oh well. At least I can stay inside and read a good book. And speaking of a good book ( shameless plug coming) this is my latest from Kensington/Lyrical. COOKING WITH KANDY
Sugar and spice and everything sexy make the perfect recipe for romance in this brand-new series by Peggy Jaeger. Look for exclusive recipes in each book!
Kandy Laine built her wildly popular food empire the old-fashioned way—starting with the basic ingredients of her grandmother’s recipes and flavoring it all with her particular brand of sweet spice. From her cookbooks to her hit TV show, Kandy is a kitchen queen—and suddenly someone is determined to poison her cup. With odd accidents and threatening messages piling up, strong-willed Kandy can’t protest when her team hires someone to keep her safe—but she can’t deny that the man for the job looks delicious. . .
Josh Keane is a private investigator, not a bodyguard. But with one eyeful of Kandy’s ebony curls and dimpled smile, he’s signing on to uncover who’s cooking up trouble for the gorgeous chef. As the attraction between them starts to simmer, it’s not easy to keep his mind on the job, but when the strange distractions turn to true danger, he’ll stop at nothing to keep Kandy safe—and show her that a future together is on the menu. . .
Buy Links: amazon
And…since this is blog tour that means GIVEAWAYS and prizes. I’ll be giving one luck winner an e-copy to COOKING WITH KANDY at the end of the tour. Click here for the link to visit other author blogs and to qualify for prizes and giveaways! And good luck! BLOG TOUR
if you can't see the links to the tour, click here:
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/04/24/hi...
The arrival of April signals–in my neck of the woods–the arrival of Spring. Or as we natives call it, black fly season. You know: those pesky, annoying, pain-in-the-a** noseeums that swarm around your face, ears, eyes and cleavage?
God, I hate those bugs. I really do. Since I live in the woods I typically get inundated from the very first beautiful dry day we have to signify Spring, right up until Memorial day rolls around. Having an outside barbeque becomes aggravating, not to mention dangerous from everyone running into one another armed with cutlery to try and escape the odious little buggers. Gardening is a nightmare unless you are swathed from head to toe like an uber-mummy or rabid beekeeper. Trying to get in a little exercise walk outside becomes an occupation just to make sure you are doused in every bug repellant known to man– and those little PIA’s still swarm!
Every year I hope, pray, and offer up sacrifices to the Gods that this year–this year–we will be spared the invasion. And every year…we aren’t.
I don’t anticipate this year will be any different. Le sigh.
Oh well. At least I can stay inside and read a good book. And speaking of a good book ( shameless plug coming) this is my latest from Kensington/Lyrical. COOKING WITH KANDY
Sugar and spice and everything sexy make the perfect recipe for romance in this brand-new series by Peggy Jaeger. Look for exclusive recipes in each book!
Kandy Laine built her wildly popular food empire the old-fashioned way—starting with the basic ingredients of her grandmother’s recipes and flavoring it all with her particular brand of sweet spice. From her cookbooks to her hit TV show, Kandy is a kitchen queen—and suddenly someone is determined to poison her cup. With odd accidents and threatening messages piling up, strong-willed Kandy can’t protest when her team hires someone to keep her safe—but she can’t deny that the man for the job looks delicious. . .
Josh Keane is a private investigator, not a bodyguard. But with one eyeful of Kandy’s ebony curls and dimpled smile, he’s signing on to uncover who’s cooking up trouble for the gorgeous chef. As the attraction between them starts to simmer, it’s not easy to keep his mind on the job, but when the strange distractions turn to true danger, he’ll stop at nothing to keep Kandy safe—and show her that a future together is on the menu. . .
Buy Links: amazon
And…since this is blog tour that means GIVEAWAYS and prizes. I’ll be giving one luck winner an e-copy to COOKING WITH KANDY at the end of the tour. Click here for the link to visit other author blogs and to qualify for prizes and giveaways! And good luck! BLOG TOUR
if you can't see the links to the tour, click here:
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/04/24/hi...
Commencement...a funny word for the end
to see images click here :
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/05/23/co...
My facebook page has been deluged for the past two weeks with happy pictures of graduations, both high school, and college. I love sharing in the excitement and joy of all my friends and their families at these monumental achievements.
These young people have so much in store for them, ahead of them, and concerning them, their futures, their successes, and –let’s be honest — their disappointments, too.
I can clearly see the days I graduated from high school, nursing school, college, and then from my Master’s program. Clearly! At each, I remember certain emotions of the day that seem almost prophetic now.
High school: “Thank God I can get legally get out of the house now!”
Nursing School: “Thank God I can get a good job now!”
College: “I did something no one else in my family has ever done – graduate from a school of higher learning! Thank you, God, for giving me the strength and fortitude to do this.”
Masters: “Done! Now I can get married knowing my formal education is done!” ( I never wanted a Ph.D., so I knew I was stopping here.)
I was 27 when I got my Masters degree and married the man who gave my life meaning.
I’m now 57 and all I can think about is how fast those 30 years went by.
Marriage, moves to different states, childbirth, back to work, family obligations, deaths, more births… yadayadayada. Those 30 years flew. Really. Flew by. If the insurance statisticians are correct and the average American born woman lives to 79 years of age, I’ve already lived more than half my life. Way more.
People call this The Second Act of your life. What you’re supposed to do now, since you’ve gotten all the obligatory things out of way, are the things you’ve always wanted to do. Travel, invest, take up those hobbies you never had enough time for before now. Retire, learn to do the things you’ve always dreamed about learning to do. In the great scheme of things I shouldn’t be writing – that should have happened in the first act. But…it didn’t. The writing career I wanted– the one where I could financially support myself with my writing and have it be my primary job, my career, my way of existing — didn’t happen when it was supposed to. No. It happened when I turned 55. Way after graduation. Way after my life was already settled.
At my college commencement, the speaker asked the graduates to evaluate their education. Did it prepare us for the future we wanted? Did we feel we were adequately informed and prepared for what was in front of us? Did we feel we could go out into the world and change it?
My answer was a resounding NO to all those questions. Looking back now, I’m changing that to “HELL, NO!”
Life is longitudinal. You keep moving on that line, having some success, having some failure, reformalizing goals and aspirations, but always moving. Sometimes the line moves up, sometimes down. Sometimes it just moves straight and steady from one point to another without fluctuating. But it always moves and we are always learning.
Our education doesn’t end simply because we’ve been given a piece of paper that says Graduate. No. We are lifetime learners. I learn something new every day. Every friggin’ single day. And yes, some of it I wish I didn’t know!
If I was giving a commencement speech the one thing I would emphatically tell the graduates if this: This is not the end of your education, of your learning, your schooling. Nor is it the beginning. It’s simply part of a continuum. Meet every day as a new challenge, a new learning experience. Keep your eyes, minds, and hearts open to new things, new thoughts, new ways of doing something. Don’t be static. Be dynamic instead. Embrace the new while learning from the old. Plan for the future, yes. Please do that. But don’t forget about the present. Enjoy it, don’t just look at it as a means to an end. Don’t NOT do something you dream about doing because you’re worried you might fail. Do it anyway. Failure is a form of learning; people tend to forget that.
Learn something new every day. Every. Day. You don’t want to get to a certain age in your life and think: “I wish I’d done that. I wish I’d gone after that dream. I can’t now because it’s too late.”
It’s never too late, especially for a dream.
I really think Mother Teresa said it best:
LIfe is an opportunity...benefit from it
I can usually be found learning something new every day here:Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triberr
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/05/23/co...
My facebook page has been deluged for the past two weeks with happy pictures of graduations, both high school, and college. I love sharing in the excitement and joy of all my friends and their families at these monumental achievements.
These young people have so much in store for them, ahead of them, and concerning them, their futures, their successes, and –let’s be honest — their disappointments, too.
I can clearly see the days I graduated from high school, nursing school, college, and then from my Master’s program. Clearly! At each, I remember certain emotions of the day that seem almost prophetic now.
High school: “Thank God I can get legally get out of the house now!”
Nursing School: “Thank God I can get a good job now!”
College: “I did something no one else in my family has ever done – graduate from a school of higher learning! Thank you, God, for giving me the strength and fortitude to do this.”
Masters: “Done! Now I can get married knowing my formal education is done!” ( I never wanted a Ph.D., so I knew I was stopping here.)
I was 27 when I got my Masters degree and married the man who gave my life meaning.
I’m now 57 and all I can think about is how fast those 30 years went by.
Marriage, moves to different states, childbirth, back to work, family obligations, deaths, more births… yadayadayada. Those 30 years flew. Really. Flew by. If the insurance statisticians are correct and the average American born woman lives to 79 years of age, I’ve already lived more than half my life. Way more.
People call this The Second Act of your life. What you’re supposed to do now, since you’ve gotten all the obligatory things out of way, are the things you’ve always wanted to do. Travel, invest, take up those hobbies you never had enough time for before now. Retire, learn to do the things you’ve always dreamed about learning to do. In the great scheme of things I shouldn’t be writing – that should have happened in the first act. But…it didn’t. The writing career I wanted– the one where I could financially support myself with my writing and have it be my primary job, my career, my way of existing — didn’t happen when it was supposed to. No. It happened when I turned 55. Way after graduation. Way after my life was already settled.
At my college commencement, the speaker asked the graduates to evaluate their education. Did it prepare us for the future we wanted? Did we feel we were adequately informed and prepared for what was in front of us? Did we feel we could go out into the world and change it?
My answer was a resounding NO to all those questions. Looking back now, I’m changing that to “HELL, NO!”
Life is longitudinal. You keep moving on that line, having some success, having some failure, reformalizing goals and aspirations, but always moving. Sometimes the line moves up, sometimes down. Sometimes it just moves straight and steady from one point to another without fluctuating. But it always moves and we are always learning.
Our education doesn’t end simply because we’ve been given a piece of paper that says Graduate. No. We are lifetime learners. I learn something new every day. Every friggin’ single day. And yes, some of it I wish I didn’t know!
If I was giving a commencement speech the one thing I would emphatically tell the graduates if this: This is not the end of your education, of your learning, your schooling. Nor is it the beginning. It’s simply part of a continuum. Meet every day as a new challenge, a new learning experience. Keep your eyes, minds, and hearts open to new things, new thoughts, new ways of doing something. Don’t be static. Be dynamic instead. Embrace the new while learning from the old. Plan for the future, yes. Please do that. But don’t forget about the present. Enjoy it, don’t just look at it as a means to an end. Don’t NOT do something you dream about doing because you’re worried you might fail. Do it anyway. Failure is a form of learning; people tend to forget that.
Learn something new every day. Every. Day. You don’t want to get to a certain age in your life and think: “I wish I’d done that. I wish I’d gone after that dream. I can’t now because it’s too late.”
It’s never too late, especially for a dream.
I really think Mother Teresa said it best:
LIfe is an opportunity...benefit from it
I can usually be found learning something new every day here:Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triberr
The Happiness challenge…
to see the images, click here:
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/06/12/th...
I was conducting research the other day — okay, full disclosure: I was scrolling through Facebook– when I came across a shared message called the HAPPINESS CHALLENGE.
It’s a little difficult to read here, but some of the things to do on any given day are: Go for a drive with no destination; watch a funny movie; take a nap; start a new book( my favorite one!)
Has it really come to this? do we need to challenge ourselves to be happy? To schedule something to do to try to smile? To find our joy again? To experience bliss?
Unfortunately, I think we do.
So many people trudge through their days just existing. Work issues and stress, getting the kids to school on time – or any of their overscheduled events, trying to live a healthy lifestyle in a fast-paced world, family issues, the destruction of our economy…our environment…our way of life.
It’s enough to cause any happiness we can garner to take a seat in the wayback of the car. Remember the wayback? Not the second seat, or the third seat in minivans, but the one in the station wagon that faced the opposite way from where you were going? The one that, as a kid, you loved to ride in?
The very first item on this list is a NO SOCIAL MEDIA DAY. I’m all for that one. My question, though, is can it be done? ( remember – I found this challenge on face book!) Psychiatrists are actually espousing now that there is such a thing as social media and device addiction. If this is true, it’s a pandemic in teens and kids, for sure.
Item number two is CALL A FRIEND ( not a text). Does anyone remember that our phones are – first and foremost- PHONES? What do you do with a phone, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you: YOU CALL PEOPLE. You actually speak to them. It’s a sad commentary on our humanity that we can’t devote any time to looking at one another and engaging with each other face to face instead of device to device.
A really sad commentary!
Down the list is another of my favorites ( in addition to START A NEW BOOK!): NO COMPLAINING ALL DAY. Think about that one….yeah. I know. Can you do it? What would happen if you suddenly let every little piddly – and all the big puddly – things that stress you out and piss you off – just ….go? Not engage in the negativity of complaining about them? Keep your cool? I think you’d find inner happiness pretty fast because your soul would appreciate the quiet!
If you think you need to be challenged to get your happy back, click on the link above and read the article about the happiness challenge. If this resonates with you, then, a. I feel bad for you, but b. here’s a way to fix it.
This is the way I think we should all be going about life every day. Every. Day. Every friggin’ day!:
I’m usually pretty happy in any of these places:
Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triberr
https://peggyjaeger.com/2017/06/12/th...
I was conducting research the other day — okay, full disclosure: I was scrolling through Facebook– when I came across a shared message called the HAPPINESS CHALLENGE.
It’s a little difficult to read here, but some of the things to do on any given day are: Go for a drive with no destination; watch a funny movie; take a nap; start a new book( my favorite one!)
Has it really come to this? do we need to challenge ourselves to be happy? To schedule something to do to try to smile? To find our joy again? To experience bliss?
Unfortunately, I think we do.
So many people trudge through their days just existing. Work issues and stress, getting the kids to school on time – or any of their overscheduled events, trying to live a healthy lifestyle in a fast-paced world, family issues, the destruction of our economy…our environment…our way of life.
It’s enough to cause any happiness we can garner to take a seat in the wayback of the car. Remember the wayback? Not the second seat, or the third seat in minivans, but the one in the station wagon that faced the opposite way from where you were going? The one that, as a kid, you loved to ride in?
The very first item on this list is a NO SOCIAL MEDIA DAY. I’m all for that one. My question, though, is can it be done? ( remember – I found this challenge on face book!) Psychiatrists are actually espousing now that there is such a thing as social media and device addiction. If this is true, it’s a pandemic in teens and kids, for sure.
Item number two is CALL A FRIEND ( not a text). Does anyone remember that our phones are – first and foremost- PHONES? What do you do with a phone, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you: YOU CALL PEOPLE. You actually speak to them. It’s a sad commentary on our humanity that we can’t devote any time to looking at one another and engaging with each other face to face instead of device to device.
A really sad commentary!
Down the list is another of my favorites ( in addition to START A NEW BOOK!): NO COMPLAINING ALL DAY. Think about that one….yeah. I know. Can you do it? What would happen if you suddenly let every little piddly – and all the big puddly – things that stress you out and piss you off – just ….go? Not engage in the negativity of complaining about them? Keep your cool? I think you’d find inner happiness pretty fast because your soul would appreciate the quiet!
If you think you need to be challenged to get your happy back, click on the link above and read the article about the happiness challenge. If this resonates with you, then, a. I feel bad for you, but b. here’s a way to fix it.
This is the way I think we should all be going about life every day. Every. Day. Every friggin’ day!:
I’m usually pretty happy in any of these places:
Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triberr
