Peggy Jaeger's Blog, page 45

#mondaymusings

I could actually write this blog any day of the week but since I like the alliteration of Monday musings, today seems worthy.

I’m at the point in my writing career – if you could call it that – where I thought I would be seeing a return on all the hard word I’ve been doing for the past 8 years. I’m not.

Let me e’splain.

Yesterday I put together all my receipts for the year so far because my hubby will be wanting to start our taxes soon. I have an entire folder of everything I’ve paid for regarding my writing this year – advertising, conferences, buying books from Amazon ( author copies), all things related to the fact I can have WRITER written on my occupation line on the tax form.

Then I went through my income for the year. Sales, royalties from publishers, KDP royalties, VEllA income.

Income vs expenses for the year? Not even close.

In fact, so disparate, it’s laughable. Or in my case, cryable.

If I weren’t married I wouldn’t be able to support myself on what I write. The national poverty level for a single income in 2023 is $14,580. This number is so much closer to my expenses than my income that – again – cryable.

I don’t think I’m the only writer experiencing this disparity in finances. In fact, most of the people I know who write are in a fairly similar boat to me.

So, why do we do it? Why do we take a loss year after year? Why do we bang our heads against our laptops when advertising dollars go up but the reward of those spent dollars goes down?

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Okay, maybe writers are a little insane. But aren’t most creatives? LOL

For me, writing is a luxury I am afforded because I have a husband who can support the two of us, so I devote my entire workday to writing. That’s not the case with most writers. They have jobs outside the home in order to pay for an existence that will allow them to do what they truly want to: write.

If I were forced to support myself I would. No debate about it. And I would still write. Long into the night, early into the morning, on work breaks, whatever, simply because I must.

That’s the answer to the above questions. Why do we do what we do? Because we must.

A new podcast about A PRIDE OF BROTHERS; DYLAN

About six weeks ago I was a guest on a podcast discussing my new romantic suspense A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: DYLAN. Have a listen:

BookPartyPodcast

Cyber-security specialist Dylan Keane is working undercover to suss out a corporate thief. When he zeroes in on Harper Vale, he thinks he’s found his mole.

Harper has a reputation as a coding savant and an introvert. Dylan’s interest is flattering, but after she’s implicated in the theft of the company’s protected software, she doubts everything he’s told her.

When a series of potentially deadly accidents occur involving Harper, Dylan wonders if she is being set up to take the fall. One thing is certain: the more time they spend together, the more Dylan realizes he’s the one who’s falling—for Harper.

#fridayfive 11.10.2023 5 things I love about doing #NanoWrimo

So this is my 11th year participating in National Novel Writing Month ( Nanowrimo.) I just looked at my stats from past years and the very first book I wrote in 30 days in 2013 was THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, the second book my MacQuire Women Series. That book and every other one since I’ve written in the month of November during the challenge has gone on to be published.

Yay!

These are my five top reasons why I love love love doing NanoWrimo each year for today’s edition of the Friday Five.

doing the challenge forces me to write every single day. I don’t get a chance to slouch off like I routinely would during the other 11 months.doing the challenge fosters habituation. If I write every day for a month, it becomes a habit in my brain and I want to continue doing it after November ends.I see instant progress daily as my word count increases because I never edit until the book is finished.I get to meet new authors on my buddy listI get to encourage and motivate other authors in the challenge

Are you a writer who participates in Nano? If so, drop a comment and tell me why you love it – or hate it!!

See ya on the flip side, kids. ~ Peg

#Thursdaytease 11.9.2023

Can you stand one more little snippet from DON’T MESS WITH THE MISTLETOE, lol?

She was nervous. It was in the way she twined her fingers together and then unclasped them a few times. No old robe tonight, just the same clothes she’d worked in. The monkey slippers were on her feet, though, and he grinned down at them.

“My sister, Abra, had a pair of slips like yours when she was in high school. Hers were purple cats, though. She claimed they were the most comfortable things she’d ever worn.”

Julia nodded, still not making eye contact. Michael decided it was time to find out why.

“Are you mad at me?”

Her head snapped up and finally – finally – she looked at him. Those delicate, platinum brows tugged together, a thin, deep line forming between her eyes.

“Mad? No. No, not at all.” Her head shook with the declaration.

Michael stayed still, his body resting against the jam. He nodded. “Okay, if not mad, then…what? You haven’t looked at me for days. Whenever I have to speak to you, you acknowledge I do without ever saying a word back or looking at my face. Makes me feel I did something to hurt or insult you.”

Years of being a silent observer to the behaviors of his sisters taught him many things. Most importantly, when they said the word fine they were anything but, and if they gnawed on any body part – especially one on their faces – it meant they were upset about something.

Julia fit into the lip-chewing category.

A hot burst of lust exploded in his midsection when she pulled a corner in tight, and bit down.

How was it possible to be jealous of teeth?

“I’m…sorry.” Her gaze dropped to the floor as she shook her head.

“There’s no need to apologize. Just talk to me, Julia. What’s going on? Is the schedule too much for you? Do you need some time off? Or is your asshole ex still bothering you?”

“No, it’s none of those.” Her body folded in on itself with a sigh and she moved to sit at the table. Michael joined her.

“Talk to me.”

She stared down at her hands for a few beats. Then, “Did you ever feel like despite everything you were doing, you were never making a dent in anything?”

“Every single second of the past week.” He snorted.

Her head shot up, that delicate quirk in her brow showing itself again.

“Don’t look surprised,” he said. “It’s not a secret I’m drowning here. I had to stoop way below my comfort level today and ask my sisters for help. Believe me, that’s no easy thing to do, especially with Abra. She’ll never let me live it down.”

His joking tone finally had her relaxing. Her torso slid backward in the chair and she unwrapped her fingers from one another.

“I truthfully do not know how my mother does everything she does, every day, and still manages to remain upright when she turns the open sign to closed every evening.”

A grin split the mouth she’d been gnawing moments before. “Your mother is amazing,” she said. “And the kindest person I’ve ever met.”

“Truth. So tell me, why are you feeling like you’re on the down escalator when you’re trying to go up?”

Julia blinked a few times. “That’s a fairly accurate analogy.”

“Wish I could take the credit but I read it in one of Abra’s books. It stuck with me because I feel that way more than I’d like to admit.”

She studied him, her gaze drifting across his face, down to his mouth, then shoulders. He had the insane notion to sit up straighter, like he was back in school and being graded on good posture.

The breath she let loose was as pregnant as his sisters.

“Remember when I told you about Jeff and…everything?”

He nodded.

“Everything he did had a short-term and a long-term consequence. Short term, he stole from me and left me with no available savings. Long term, I now have legal fees for lawyers I needed to hire to get me out of the financial mess he put me in. Unraveling every account he opened in my name, then drew funds from, has made my credit score plummet. I need to pay back a portion of what he took. There are legal ramifications if I don’t. My lawyer is trying to get all the penalties waved since I was the victim of identity theft, but that takes time. And money for court fees. Money I don’t have.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t know if you know this but your mother is letting me live here for free. If she didn’t I’d be in a shelter somewhere with Blake because I can’t afford housing.”

“What about your parents? Wouldn’t they take you in?”

The thin, harsh line her beautiful mouth pulled into told him the answer.

“My parents want nothing to do with me or Blake. They blame me for bringing Jeff into their lives and question my judgment about people. In truth they weren’t big fans of my husband, Tony, either. But at least he was honest. The worst thing he ever did was die, in their opinion, and leave me nothing but medical bills. Which I paid off, in full.  I sold our house, paid off the mortgage and then used the remainder for the hospital and care bills, leaving me with nothing. I was just starting to get back on my financial feet again when I met Jeff.”

“And we know how that ended.”

He wasn’t surprised his mother had given her a place to stay, free of charge, or a job. Which had him asking, “Is waitressing something you’ve done before?”

Enjoy! Peg

Books make great holiday gifts!

Did you know I have my own Holiday Web store where you can order books directly from me to give as gifts – or to keep for yourself?

The store is only open until 12.15.2023 and only for Continental US readers ( Sorry, Canada and Hawaii! Shipping costs are prohibitive.)

If you’d like one of the titles listed of my titles, just indicate which one(s) and fill out the sheet – and remember: you can also purchase my handpainted bookboxes if you’re giving the book as a gift. I can hand design any cover title I offer. It’s a beautiful way to present it to the romance reader on your list.

Here’s the form: HOLIDAY 2023 order form

Happy reading and happy Holidays ~ Peg

#wednesdaywisdom 11.8.2023

True story… I wrote for most of my life. First publishing contract came at the age of 55.

It’s never too late…just stick to it.

Price change coming…

So, DON’T MESS WITH THE MISTLETOE will officially be available for purchase for 1 week this coming Wednesday. By the rules of Dickens authors, the preorder and first-week price of 99 cents will end on 11.8 and go to its regular price of $2.99 per Kindle copy, in time for the next book to be released on 11.8. It’s still available in KU, though, so if you subscribe there, you can read it as part of your subscription.

For everyone else, the price will be $2.99.

So….

Why not get your copy now if you haven’t already done so? I love a book bargain and if it’s for a holiday romance, so much the better! You have 48 more hours to take advantage of the #99cent price, so download your copy now before the time runs out. Here, I’ll make it super easy for you: DMWTM

Happy holiday reading, peeps. ~ Peg

#bookreviews DON’T MESS WITH THE MISTLETOE #Smalltownromance #workplaceromance

I’ve said this so many times I’m even annoying myself, but to an author, book reviews are the joy of your life and the bane of your professional existence. Luckily, I haven’t received too many egregious and soul-sucking ones ( although, I have received them!)

My newest book, DON’T MESS WITH THE MISTLETOE, has been receiving overwhelming 5-star reviews from readers. I am beyond thrilled with the response to Michael Charles’ story. Across the board reviewers and readers are thrilled with the HEA I gave this deserving man.

From Goodreads, “This is the perfect small town holiday romance.”

From Amazon: “Loved the characters and the vivid locales. Entertaining situations and banter kept the pages turning. Terrific ending.”

From Bookbub: “What a beautiful Christmas story about family, hope, love, together, happiness, taking a chance of forever along with a little bit of Christmas Magic thrown in for good measure. I loved this book so much and I can’t wait to read more books in the future.”

All 5-star reviews!

If you love a holiday romance as much as I do – and my readers do, grab this one. Right now it’s only 99 cents on Kindle, but in 11.8 it goes to full price. So, save some cash and enjoy a fabulous, heartwarming Holiday romance story, too. And enjoy all the other Dorrit’s Diner Dickens books, as well!

#fridayfive 11.3.2023

Today’s Friday Five is all about my online Holiday Website and why you should take advantage of it this year.

I’m offering the books way cheaper than the major online retailers. Who doesn’t want to save money during the holidays? LOLYou’ll receive the books autographed. Can’t say that when you order from a commercial retailer.You have the opportunity to buy one of my handpainted book boxes with your book purchase.Shopping from the comfort of your home computer is very convenient.you’re supporting an indie author and a small business with your purchase.

Here’s the link to my store – one caveat – US continental orders only ( NO Hawaii or Canada). Shipping costs are ridiculous. In that instance, it is easier and cheaper to buy the books from a retailer.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17Ve1YnqXBl034ujM-Ygq7Af2-03AApZwABtGygzMBIE/edit

N.N. Lights Holiday Gift Guide #contemporaryromance #booksasgifts

Looking for some great books to give as gifts this year? How about getting a little something for yourself but you don’t want to battle the bookstore crowds? NNLight’s got you covered. Their annual Holiday Gift guide has hundreds of books and audiobooks you can scroll through to find the perfect gift.

Today, they’re featuring Contemporary romances, and my newest NYC Socialites book, INFLUENCE is highlighted.

Check out the link, here: GIFTGUIDE to see my book and dozens more!! Happy shopping, kids!

Remember – books makes great gifts!! And if you want to get INFLUENCE at a deep discount, consider shopping in my Website Holiday store.