Jennifer Wilck's Blog, page 6

Welcome, LB Griffin

Title: The Twenty-One-Year Contract
Tagline:
Only a simple shoebox, but with life-changing secrets…
 
The Twenty-One-Year Contract
Kathleen Gray—talented, a little wild, at times rebellious, but always popular—has a fun, easy life in rural Somerset, with a doting family. 
Suddenly, they are gone, everything is changed, and she has only Uncle Jack. Try as he might, he cannot be father and mother to her—he has a business to run and his own life to manage.
Kathleen takes a chance and becomes Kate Westfield, fending for herself in London, with a new life built on her hopes and dreams and new friends. She could hardly have imagined that one of those friends has a shoebox full of answers.
20th Century fiction>romance>mystery>suspense>drama>thriller
 
The Twenty-One-Year Contract was inspired by a whole host of people I’ve been fortunate to know, teach, and work with over the years. My stories are based on courage and survival. The people I met don’t think or see themselves as courageous or survivors, but they sure are. 
 
SNIPPET FROM The Twenty-One-Year Contract 
‘After a glass of water, Jack made himself a cup of tea and returned to the job in hand. This was going to be much harder than he could ever have imagined. Working deep through the night, Jack methodically sifted through volumes of paperwork until light inched its way through the curtain. Though he felt thoroughly ready for bed, he continued searching, his aim to find at least a smidgen of information about his niece. Randomly tidying up as he went, Jack noticed an encyclopaedia oddly extended over one of the top shelves. He tried pushing it back into place. It was jammed. It looked awkward. Pulling it out to check the depth of the book, he found a box file hidden behind. Upon the side panel was one word, capitalized in thick bold lettering: KATHLEEN As the hazy sunlight grew, puzzled, Jack pulled the curtains to lend natural light, took the file off the shelf, sat back in Henry’s chair, and looked inside…’

 
A bit about the author:
There is one thing that LB Griffin loves more than writing, or travelling, and that is her family. She is happily married and lives in the UK surrounded by her family. She loves a good cup of tea and British strawberries, but always enjoy a glass of fizz. She has always worked around the full-time job to help to pay the bills. She held a variety of jobs which she believes has informed her characters honesty. She has worked in school kitchens, been a cleaner and bar work, was a secretary, social worker and Lecturer. When she submitted her debut Secrets, Shame and a Shoebox in 2020 she was planning to ‘trek’ the world. Her debut was released in 2021. The sequel, The Twenty-One-Year contract will be released late Spring 2022. Both books are standalone, but if you love Harriet, she will most definitely pop up in the Sequel. 
 

I Need Your Help!

Hey all, I need your help.

A Reckless Heart is up for a Rone Award (a prestigious award in the indie romance community, of which I am a part). The first round of judging* starts today and I would love it if all my friends would vote. 

Go to https://indtale.com/user?current=node/1

2.     Create an account if you don't already have one (it's safe, I promise, and once you've voted you can unsubscribe to any emails you might get).

3.     Check your email and VERIFY the account.

4.     Click on https://indtale.com/2022-rone-award-r... and scroll to WEEK 2.

5.     There are 3 categories. A Reckless Heart is in Contemporary: Steamy. Click on it. Then go to the bottom of the category and click VOTE.

6.     THAT'S IT, YOU'RE DONE!

*This first round is purely a popularity contest (which I hate) and so you don't have to have read the book. BUT, if I make it past this round, my book gets in front of editors, agents, and others in the industry and THAT will help my career. 

Support Ukraine!

I’m so thrilled to be a guest on this blog. Thank you so much for hosting me. My name is N. N. Light, otherwise known as Mrs. N. I write uplifting stories with my husband and better half, Mr. N. 

 

In late February of this year, Russia invaded Ukraine. My heart plummeted as I saw the brute force of Russia’s army attach a sovereign nation. Can this really be happening? After all we have been through as a people, can we just sit by and watch the elimination of a race of people? I knew I needed to find some way to help. I certainly didn’t have the resources to fly over there but what could I do? The answer came in an Instagram post about two weeks ago. My fellow author, Dania Voss, put out a message on Instagram asking for more romance stories for a charity anthology. I signed up right away and I’m so honored to be a part of the Love Wins anthology. 100% of the proceeds go to a charity with boots on the ground helping Ukrainians in need. 

We can’t stop the bombs from falling but we can do our part from this corner of our world. Please consider purchasing the anthology for $1.99. Not only will you be helping innocent people struggling to stay alive, but you’ll get fifteen romance novellas/short stories. These stories vary between sweet and contemporary. 

 

Series Title: 

Love Wins: A Ukraine Charity Anthology

 

Series Authors: 

Dania Voss, Maribelle McCrea, Marlene Cheng, K.M. Jenkins, Deborah King, Annie McEwen, Pamela Clayfield, Tiffany Carby, Aimee O’Brian, R.A. Clarke, N. N. Light, Judy Fisher, Robert Beech, E.J. Powell, Alex Grehy, Maris Parker

 

Genre: 

Contemporary Romance, Charity Anthology, Romance Short Stories

 

Book Blurb:

 

LOVE WINS—a Charity Anthology to support Ukrainian refugees

More than 15 contemporary romance authors have joined forces to create this unique collection of stories, covering an assortment of different sub-genres and tropes.

LOVE WINS is set to publish on April 21, 2022, with . This organization has people on the ground in the Ukraine and Romania, providing food, shelter, medical aid, and all necessary assistance for the needy, with the focus of making sure children are safe and provided for.

LOVE WINS is available for a limited time only. Make a difference for the people of Ukraine—buy your copy today!

 

Stories include:

 

ALL ROADS LEAD TO SHEPHERD GROVE--DANIA VOSS

PAST, PERFECT, POLO--MARIBELLE MCCREA

THE MADAM’S FRIEND--MARLENE F CHENG

THE SUNFLOWER MEADOW--K.M. JENKINS

DESTINED DREAMER--DEBORAH KING

THE SLEEPLESS CAFÉ--ANNIE MCEWEN

HAVEN OF SECRETS--PAMELA CLAYFIELD

GOLD MINE--TIFFANY CARBY

MISROUTED BY LOVE ~ A TALE OF MAYBE--AIMEE O’BRIAN

CLICKING--R.A. CLARKE

PLANTING THE SEEDS OF LOVE--N. N. LIGHT

THE POWER OF LOVE--JUDY FISHER

LOVE, ETERNAL--ROBERT BEECH

SHIFTER: A WERE-CAT’S TALE--E.J. POWELL

ON THE WINGS OF KITES--ALEX GREHY 

MOANA ACCOUNTANT--KERRY CARLISLE

TWO WEEKS IN THE TETONS--MARIS PARKER

Authors include Dania Voss, Maribelle McCrea, Marlene Cheng, K.M. Jenkins, Deborah King, Annie McEwen, Pamela Clayfield, Tiffany Carby, Aimee O’Brian, R.A. Clarke, N. N. Light, Judy Fisher, Robert Beech, E.J. Powell, Alex Grehy, Maris Parker

THANK YOU so much for supporting those in need.

 

Excerpt from Planting the Seeds of Love:

 

Jack took a step back letting go of her pinky. He crossed his arms; his eyes glittered angrily.

 

"You love me?" He snorted. "You don't even know I exist."

 

Sally's nostrils flared. Taking a step back, she crossed her arms.

 

"That's a fine thing to say to me after all we've been through." She turned to leave. "Maybe Trevor's right..."

 

"What?" Jack sat down on the cot, not looking at her. "What did Trevor tell you?"

 

"Trevor has a buyer for the farm. It's a friend of his father's and he loves the idea of a brewery out here in the country. He wants to add a restaurant and make it some sort of oasis for city folk." She ran her fingers through her blonde hair.

 

"A buyer?" He put his head in his hands and sighed. "It's too fast."

 

"What are you talking about?" She looked down at her watch, wishing she hadn't come. Her sister was right; men were nothing but trouble.

 

"Look, I know I've messed things up." He stood and walked towards her. "But you've got to give the farm and me a second chance." He extended his hand through the bars.

 

Sally's emotions shook her body. Guilt, love, pain, regret, anger and hope battled for supremacy in her heart. She eyed his outstretched hand warily. Could she trust him? Could he be depended upon?

 

"Why should I give you another chance, Jack?" She let her arms fall to her sides. A force not her own pulled her body closer to his. She whispered, "You hurt me." Tears welled up but she didn't care.

 

He reached up and wiped her tears away.

 

"Oh Sally," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. 

 

Her lower lip quivered.

 

"I'm so sorry. I'm a first-class jerk." He cupped her face with his hands. "Please don't cry."

 

Sally closed her eyes. She felt like a tiny dingy in the middle of the ocean, battered and torn in pieces. She leaned her head against the bars.

 

"Your opinion matters most, it always has. When you say things like you just did, it tears me apart." She lifted her head. "I needyou, Jack. I can't do this without you."

 

Jack exhaled slowly.

 

"That wasn't me; it was my jealousy rearing its ugly head."

 

"What do you mean? What do you have to be jealous of?" Her brows furrowed, she thought hard. 

 

“I’m jealous of how happy you seem to be with Trevor,” he replied. 

 

Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):

 

Preorder your e-copy for only $1.99. The price goes up to $4.99 after release week!  100% of the proceeds going to World Vision’s Ukrainian Refugee Fund.

 

Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WP6XHRF

 

Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09WP6XHRF

 

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09WP6XHRF

 

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60739931-love-wins

 

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/books/love-wins-a-ukraine-charity-anthology-by-dania-voss-and-pamela-clayfield

 

Author Biography:

 

N. N. Light is the award-winning husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Books are their addiction and lifeblood.

 

Life is meant to be lived; cherish the exciting moments, and relish in those all too brief moments of relaxation. They are here to live their own lives, read as many books as humanly possible and live it passionately. N. N. Light's Book Heaven serves as a vessel to project their passions, and clue in their loyal readers as to what inspires them in this crazy world. So, sit back, relax, and read on. https://bio.link/nnlightsbookheaven

 

Social Media Links:

 

One link to rule them all: https://bio.link/nnlightsbookheaven

Website http://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/NNP_W_Light

Instagram https://instagram.com/nnlightsbookheaven

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7873791.N_N_Light

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/n-n-light

The Passover Timeline

It’s the week before Passover and I totally messed up. Big time.

 

When I started hosting Passover, I didn’t exactly know what to do. I mean, I knew I had to clean and cook, but how and when and what? So I bought a book. The book was very helpful—it explained everything and provided a timeline for what to do when. I mean, what’s the point of cleaning your sink if you still need the same sink to clean the other things? I started following the instructions. And then we got to the blowtorch.

 

The book is written by and for Orthodox families. While I might observe some of the traditions a little more rigorously than some, I am not Orthodox. And if I have to clean my stove with a blowtorch in order to make it Kosher for Passover, then I’m going to have to buy a new house, because there is no way I’ll be able to use a blowtorch without setting my entire house on fire. Therefore, I adapted. Before long, I realized there were too many things in this book that didn’t apply to me or that I wasn’t comfortable with, and I needed something else.

 

Enter our friend, Lisa. A college friend of my husband’s, she was raised Reform but is now Orthodox, and she’s very helpful. She sent me the most amazing document ever. I mean, it has saved me numerous times. It’s a checklist and a timeline and I don’t even know what else. All I know is that I follow it every year and it is amazing.

 

This year, however, I messed up. Since Passover follows the lunar calendar, the date changes every year on the regular calendar. Each year I open the document in February, calculate when the holiday is, and adjust her timeline accordingly. For some reason, please don’t ask me why, I looked at the secular calendar to figure out when Passover was this year. 

 

Now, the secular calendar has always, always, ALWAYS gotten the date wrong. Or rather, labeled the first DAY of Passover. Jewish holidays actually start the night before. So I saw Passover on the secular calendar and made my adjustments based on when the first seder was supposed to me. 

 

It’s 2022. I should know better. Of course, THIS year, the secular calendar I followed decided it would be more appropriate to label the date of the first seder as Passover, which it is, but maybe they could give people like me a little warning? 

 

Anyway, I set up my entire timeline based on the wrong date. It wasn’t until I was coordinating with the Princess, finding out when she’d be home, that I realized all my prep was off by a day. After freaking out for a moment, and then being relieved that I was actually early rather than late, I tried to adjust the timeline. 

 

Apparently, I was still jetlagged. Or coffee deprived. Because once again, I adjusted the wrong way. Instead of one day early, I’m now three days early. Which honestly wouldn’t be a bad thing. It means I’ll be less tired at the actual seder—obviously, whomever decided we needed to finish the crazy amount of cleaning we have to do a couple of hours before making the biggest meal of the year was someone who didn’t have to do the actual cooking and cleaning. However, no one likes having to start eating the Passover food any earlier than necessary. And having to be extra careful where we put ingredients and utensils, watching out for crumbs, and generally being on high alert for an extra few days is not helpful.

 

So now I’m trying to re-readjust my timeline again, and figure out what I can push off until tomorrow, while battling my “fear of procrastinating” and my “really not in the mood to do anything.” 

 

Bottom line: once again, Passover is going to last more than eight days in this house. Sorry!

Welcome Back, Vicky Burkholder

I'm delighted to welcome back Vicky Burkholder to my blog.

What inspired the story: That’s probably the hardest question to answer. I was just “what iffing” and went through the “what if you were really rich (I wish!) and everyone thinks you have everything going for you. What if you don’t? What if there’s a madman who wants what you have and will do anything—including killing—to get it? What if this all happens on a spaceship so there’s no escape? What if…? Like that. I do a lot of that kind of thinking when I’m working on a book. 

 

In writing Lost Among the Stars, what was the most fun? I’ll admit it, I’m a nerd. So the research on what makes a planet livable for humans was the most fun for me. I have a master’s degree in library science and absolutely love doing research. So much so that I often get lost in the world building. But… how far does it have to be from a sun? What are the climates like? The land forms? The animals? And so on. I love that stuff. 

 

Are you working on other books in this series? Yes, definitely. I have two more books to come in this series: “Searching Among the Stars” and “Found Among the Stars”  

Tagline: How do you escape death when you are lost in space and a killer is aboard your ship?

Blurb/Synopsis: Amanda Ki's humanitarian trip to Xy-Three is fraught with assassins and saboteurs who are popping up faster than she can deal with them. Caught up in a web of intrigue, kidnapping, and terror, Mandy joins forces with the captain of the Phoenix, Declan Chalmers. Declan is tall, dark, handsome, and probably the most arrogant, dictatorial man she has ever met. He's also one of the few people she can trust. Declan doesn't know what to expect from the VIP who heads up a million-dollar enterprise, when she boards his ship. The tiny, exotic, and packed full of grit woman is not only drop dead gorgeous and smart, she's also deadly when it comes to martial arts. A skill he wants on his side when the space craft is sabotaged. Thrown together, the two form a tight bond, but if they aren't careful, they could end up dead.

 

Excerpt:

Declan took in the woman sitting in front of him, from the long, coal-black hair held back with a tie, to the expensive, but practical jumpsuit. She was everything Declan disliked—a bureaucrat of the worst type—stubborn, fiery, and determined. Revising his earlier thoughts, she was neither old, nor wrinkled, but Dec wasn’t sure about the coddling yet. “There’s no need to thank me. You handled the situation exceedingly well. However,” his voice changed from silky smooth to one of warning, “in the future, please don’t give my crew any orders without checking with me first.” 

 

Miss Ki stared at him. He could see the muscles in her jaw working. Fine, so she was angry. Dec wasn’t exactly happy with the way this trip was starting out either. 

 

“I wasn’t aware I needed your permission to do my job. These people are my responsibility.” 

 

“And this ship and her crew are mine. While you’re on my ship, you will follow my orders. Is that clear, Ms. Ki?” 

 

Mandy stood, bracing her hands on the desk. “Like hell I will. You may be in charge of this ship, but I am in charge of this mission. Is that clear, Captain?” Without waiting for an answer, she stalked from the room.

Book Links 

 

The Wild Rose Press: https://www.thewildrosepress.com/bookauthor/vicky-burkholder

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Among-Stars-Galactic-Danger-ebook/dp/B09QJJL8ZH

Barnes & Noble: Lost Among the Stars by Vicky Burkholder | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ 

Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/d... 

Bio

As her alter-ego, Vicky has multiple homes all over the universe. She looks human - for the most part - but when she starts writing about characters being able to move things or flicking fire from their fingertips, or changing the course of rivers, people tend to get a little freaked out. She found the one guy out there in the universe who loves her for who she is and they've been together forever and raised four wonderful (now) adults. Her career includes work as a technical writer/editor, a stringer for the local newspaper, and an editor and copy editor for various publishers. At various times in her life, she has been a teacher, a secretary, a short-order cook, a computer specialist, a DJ, and a librarian. When not editing or writing, she can be found in the kitchen creating gluten free goodies for her family.

 

Author Links 

Website:  http://www.vicky-burkholder.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Vicky-Burkholder

Goodreads Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1264928.Vicky_Burkholder

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vicky-Burkholder-535739543163598/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vickyburkholder

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/vicky-burkholder

Muscle Mania

Writing is like a muscle. You must use it, even when you don’t want to, in order to keep it supple and strong. With that in mind, I jumped into the 30K writing challenge sponsored by my local writing chapter during the month of February. Because I’m me (read anal, type A, etc), I divided the words by the number of days and made my goal 1072 words per day.

 

I’ve had a hard time writing ever since the pandemic began. My brain has been focused on keeping everyone I love alive and worrying over them, and even though things are much better, my brain has been slow to recover. Add in new working styles—my husband now works from home full time—and new studying styles, plus the normal stress of everyday life, and well, it’s been a struggle. So, I figured a challenge would be a great way to get that writing muscle into shape.

 

I’ve participated in the challenge in the past. Back then, I consistently hit that 1072 words daily. No matter what. This time around? Some days were better than others. Part of the challenge is that we report our word count daily. One person keeps track of everyone’s progress, and several people serve as cheerleaders. There is no “bad day.” Even if you get zero words on the page, you’re still cheered on and encouraged to try again tomorrow. So, I worked hard to report my word counts without any negativity. And I was one of the cheerleaders for the group—no pompoms, but I’m excellent at encouraging others (myself, not so much).

 

I succeeded, with about two or three days to spare. I made great headway on a new story I’m working on, thanks to my oldest daughter’s inspiration. More on that another time. Once the month was over, I took a deep breath and decided that I could continue the challenge on my own, at least until I finished this manuscript. Almost thirty days of practice should make it a habit, right?

 

Sort of. We took a two-week long vacation, where I didn’t write at all. Preparation for said trip, and jetlag afterwards made me miss a lot of the month of March. And now we have Passover preparation. But I’m determined to write daily and striving for approximately 1,000 words (or a scene) a day. I’m not keeping track on an excel spreadsheet, and I’m not receiving a cool pin for my achievement, but I’m plodding along (plotting along?  ). And ultimately, I’ll finish this manuscript—hopefully by this summer.

 

What muscle are you working?

Welcome, Tena Stetler!

Participating in a Multi-Author Series – Interesting and Fun.

Have you ever started a project only to discover it's not going to be anything like you envisioned? Such is the constant situation of a writer who writes by the seat of her pants. The characters involved in the story take over and run with the plot, character arc, and anything else within their grasp. 

Because I can't plot my way out of a paper bag, and I've tried, I endure the escapades of my characters. Nine times out of ten, I end up with an imaginative and well-written book. Such is the case of my new release, An Angel's Wylder Assignment, part of The Wild Rose Press multi-author Wyld West series.

Creating a fictional community with other authors is fun if a little daunting. So many individuals' points of view and writing technics melded into one world. Sharing characters in the many storylines and making it all cohesive can be challenging but fun for all. Readers get to engage with characters they already know and love, then discover new characters added to the mix in a town or community familiar to them.  

If you have never read or written a multi-author series, I highly recommend The Wylder West Series. There are genres to satisfy all readers tastes.  

My contribution is An Angel’s Wylder Assignment. 

Warrior Angel Killian Dugan’s annual trip to the family castle in Scotland is shattered by the arrival of Legion Commander North. Killian’s skills are needed for an urgent time travel assignment. A rogue demon has escaped back in time. He must discover the why and where and stop the demon before it can damage the past and change the future.

 

Killian’s girlfriend Chinoah Grace, a Native American shapeshifter is included in the mission which takes them to the wild west town of Wylder, Wyoming in the year 1878. She will have her hands full fitting in and making friends.

 

Nothing is as it seems.  They encounter visions, spirit quests, and a mysterious shaman.  On top of it all, blending in as a blacksmith is more physically difficult than he imagined. But not as challenging as keeping his hands off his undercover wife. Will they complete their assignment or run out of time? 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Angels-Wylder-Assignment-West-ebook/dp/B09PJQYXMX/

 

Amazon UK  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Angels-Wylder-Assignment-West-ebook/dp/B09PJQYXMX/

 

Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/Angels-Wylder-Assignment-West-ebook/dp/B09PJQYXMX/

 

Amazson.DE (Germany) https://www.amazon.de/s?k=An+Angel%27s+Wylder+Assignment&crid=NFFBV3DYG5P

 

 

Barnes&Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-angels-wylder-assignment-tena-stetler/1140834339?ean=9781509240050

 

 

Ibooks - https://books.apple.com/us/book/an-angels-wylder-assignment/id1602043436

 

 

Googleplay – Not available yet

 

KOBO – Not available yet 

 

Excerpt 

Killian landed feet first in the rocky soil of Healing Waters just a few feet from the canyon edge at the rushing waters of the Big Horn River. Adventure, the dog, whined at his side. The bags were precariously balanced next to the edge. But no Chinoah. He jumped up and shaded his eyes as he searched for her. His pulse quickened. Had she landed in the river?  

A few seconds later, she hit the ground a few feet from him.

Relief flooded through him. He rushed to snatch her up off the ground. “I told you to hang on. Getting separated is not something we want to happen. You could be lost in…” Her huge dark chocolate brown eyes were the size of saucers staring up at him. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound. He grabbed her shoulders and gave a little shake. “Chinoah? You all right?” 

Finally, she huffed out a breath. “What the hell happened? One minute I’ve got a firm hold on your arm, the next a huge jolt. I saw the ground, then you slipped from my grasp, and the swirling vortex of colors sucked me back inside. Almost like some kind of warning. Weird. A second later, it spit me out.”

Heart pounding like a trip hammer, he tried to present calm for both their sakes. “Can’t say. I’ve never had that kind of experience. But, to be fair, never ported with so many things and people before. Up until a few months ago, I was a loner. Then poof—” he made a starburst motion with his hand “—you crashed into my life. Things have never been the same. Wyoming seems to be the catalyst of all the changes in my world.”

A feeling of being watched washed over Killian. He whirled around and the shaman stood in front of him. 

 

Author bio and social media links

In Tena’s past lives she’s been a savings and loan branch manager, a paralegal for a criminal law firm, IT Manager for an electrical contracting firm, and now a published writer.  After trying on many hats, she finally found the one that fits the best. Or in other words, she loves making things up to entertain others.  LOL 

Social Media Links:

Website: https://www.tenastetler.com

Authors’ Secret’s Blog - https://www.tenastetler.com/category/authors-secrets-blog/

My Say What Blog - http://www.tenastetler.com/category/m...

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author

Twitter Page: https://www.twitter.com/TenaStetler   

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14187532.Tena_Stetler

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/author/tenastetler

Newsletter: https://www.tenastetler.com/newsletter-signup/

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/tenastetler

Tribber - http://triberr.com/TenaStetler

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tena-stetler

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tenastetler/

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/tenajean2014

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tena-stetler-10057978/

 

Review quote:

Still Moments Magazine – Darlene Fredette

The story is engaging with a beautiful setting in Wylder, WY, but it’s the characters that make this story fun to read.  This western, paranormal book was an enjoyable read! 

 

Welcome, Terry Segan

PRECIOUS TREASURE

By Terry Segan

 

 

Thanks for hosting me today, Jennifer. My writing journey is a true example of how the twists and turns of life can surprise you. I only began writing about fifteen years ago. (And I’m approaching the big 6-0 this year—that’s still considered middle-aged, right?) While I’d attempted crafting stories before, it was never the right time.

 

I’ve worked as a secretary all my life in several different industries (movie studio, airline, office of a large theme park to name a few), but it wasn’t until I became a stay-at-home mom that my fingers flew across the keyboard for pleasure. My first jaunts were a couple of articles for an online travel newsletter, which led to my creating short fiction stories. My venture into a full-length novel came shortly afterward.

 

About six years ago I joined a local writers’ group, and that’s when things got real for me. I guess you could say I found my tribe. They’ve given me inspiration, guidance, and friendship. Getting together with other writers, all in different stages of their writing careers, was the component I’d been missing. Now, at any given time, I’m juggling two or three projects, while getting great feedback from other authors. On top of that, I have complete support from my husband, who believes in my talent and drive to write.

 

If you were to pin down my genre, I fit best in the paranormal mystery section. My first book, Photographs in Time, involved matchmaking mixed with time travel and murder. Ready to be released on March 9 by The Wild Rose Press is my second book, Precious Treasure. You can read more about this one below.

 

 

Tagline:

 

Eight years ago her husband disappeared. Does a hundred and fifty-year-old journal hold the answer as to why?

 

Blurb:

 

Janie Holcomb prays for closure once the courts declare her missing husband dead. Instead, she's sent spiraling down a dangerous path.

 

When her lawyer delivers a package held in trust, she finds a cryptic warning along with a Civil War journal promising buried treasure. While seeking a connection between her spouse and the decades-old diary, Janie attracts the spirit of a Confederate soldier pleading for help.

 

Enlisting her brother's assistance to chase down clues, they discover that not everyone they know should be trusted. Janie overlooks potential threats when the promise of new love stirs her emotions. Will her digging uncover the answers she craves or doom her to a similar fate?

 

 

Sneak Peek from Precious Treasure:

 

Janie dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom. Turning on the tap to fill the sink, she bent over and splashed cold water on her face. The refreshing drops rolled down her forehead, cheeks and chin, pulling her out of her funk. Sightless, Janie reached for the hand towel hanging nearby and dried her face as she stood upright. Opening her eyes, she leaned in to examine the damage of the late night on her complexion. Her reflection looked back, as well as that of a young man standing behind her. Janie’s heart leapt to her throat as she whipped around and found no one there. Looking back in the mirror, she saw only herself.

This is too much, she thought. First nightmares and now hallucinations. Janie shook her head. With the assault of information thrown at her in the last twenty-four hours, her imagination cartwheeled out of control.

Knowing the visions were a result of the wine, newspaper articles and journal, didn’t calm the raised hackles on the back of her neck. The foreboding in Brian’s letter snaked its way up her spine threatening to encircle her throat and squeeze tight. His writing had a tone of uncertainty and fear—uncharacteristic of the man she had married.

 

 

 

Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B09PJXMD9Z

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/precious-treasure-terry-segan/1140834503

 

 

 

Bio:

 

Terry Segan resides in Nevada. The beach is her happy place, but any opportunity to travel soothes her gypsy soul. The stories conjured by her imagination while riding backseat on her husband’s motorcycle can be found throughout the pages of her paranormal mysteries.

 

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerrySegan

Author Website: https://terrysegan.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrysegan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeganTerry

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Terry-Segan/e/B087YQGXMD

My Book Is Coming Out!

 Leave it to me to have a new book coming out a few days before we leave on vacation. Actually, if you think about it, the timing shouldn’t be a surprise. I’ve had books release the day after my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, and right around the time of the Passover seder, which I host. So a few days prior to vacation should be neither a surprise nor a big deal.

 

Except that it is. I have a new book coming out! That event is always exciting, whether or not it’s my first. I just looked, and it’s actually my fourteenth! Wow. 

 

Releasing a book is a lot of work. It involves much more than just writing it. After the entire process of writing, editing, cover design, formatting, etc. is complete, comes the marketing. And that starts prior to the launch date. 

 

From the moment I received my release date—March 2—I’ve been working on my marketing plan. I contacted other authors to see if I could be a guest on their blogs. Being a guest blogger gives me the chance to talk about something related to my book, or introduce myself, to their audience. It means a lot of content writing, since I don’t want to say the same thing on everyone’s blogs.

 

I revealed my cover on my Instagram account—and on other Instagrammers' accounts who were kind enough to share. Some of those Instagrammers even created cool graphics about my book, which was awesome!

 

Thank you to Mommy's Book Escape!
I contacted people to read the book in advance and provide me with reviews on release day. I also provided my books to review sites, in the hopes that they’ll write a positive review and people will buy it. Hopefully, they did and will remember to post it on Wednesday or soon after.

 

My website has been, and will be, updated to include the new book and buy links. Same with my Facebook page, my Facebook reader’s group, my Twitter, and all my other social media accounts. I’ve stretched my graphics ability about as far as I can, creating them to announce my cover, the preorder links, and soon, the release of the book. 

 

I mailed postcards announcing my upcoming book to almost everyone for whom I have a mailing address—sorry/not sorry for the junk mail. 

 

I even put the previous book on sale for 99 cents to encourage readers and hopefully gain follow through. And of course, I've kept my newsletter mailing list up to date with my latest news.

 

All of those things take time. It’s part of the whole “being an author” thing, and it’s fun but exhausting. And scary. Because the part I love about being an author is creating the story. The part I love less is trying to convince people to buy my book or get it from their library. But it’s a necessary part of the process, so I do it. 

 

Now, all that’s left is for me to finish up a few blog posts, and then sit and wait and hope all of you buy my book. 

 

I hope you will. And if you do buy it and read it, I hope you’ll post a review to Goodreads, Amazon, or social media. Or tell your friends about it. That’s the best way for you to help me. Thank you!

Welcome Back, Peggy Jaeger

 Jennifer, as always, thank you so much for hosting me today to talk about my newest book release, MIX & MATCH. I love being here with you, your fans, and your followers!

 

Today I want to talk about book covers, namely, the one for MIX & MATCH.

As an indie author I could hire someone to make my book covers for me – and have in the past. For this newest book and the entire Heaven’s Matchmaker series, I decided to do my own. The reason? Money is part of it, but I simply adore this picture so much.

 

You see, this is a picture of my daughter holding her flowers on her wedding day. When I saw the proof of this picture from her wedding photographer, the first thing out of my mouth was. “This would make a great book cover!”

 

When I decided to write the Heaven’s Matchmaker series I knew in my heart I wanted to use this photo for one of the covers. Since the first book takes place in autumn – like my daughter’s wedding – it seemed perfect to start the series with it.

 

Now since I didn’t own the copyright to the photo I couldn’t just copy it and slap it on the front of the book. I needed permission from the photographer. So, I emailed him, told him what I wanted to do, and asked if I could use the picture.

 

He said yes immediately and then quoted a price I couldn’t afford – not for a book cover. I never even thought to haggle with him, thinking he’s a professional and knows what a photo is worth. I was a bit disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to use it and told my daughter.  Unbeknownst to me, she took the situation in hand. She called the photographer, negotiated a price – which she paid -  and then presented the proof to me as a birthday present.

 

I simply adore this child!

 

And she agreed to have her hands and bouquet used on the cover because you can’t see her face. I’ve always honored her privacy. She didn’t sign up to be in the public eye – that was my decision, so by just showing the torso and flowers, it’s a fabulous compromise.

 

And a pretty darn fabulous cover, too, if I do say so.

 

The book releases on March 1 and is exclusive to Amazon and KU, here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09P48WPZC

 

Jennifer – again, thank you so much for letting me invade your blog today! I hope everyone who reads Mix & Match enjoys it. There are 3 more books planned for the next 12 months and I’ve got four more installments swimming around in my head! ~ Peg

 

1st in a new series

#smalltown #laterinliferomance #sweetromance #matchmaker #divorce #familyissues #friendstolovers

 

Blurb: 

Divorced and lonely, nurse Jasmine Green retains the services of Heaven, NH’s very own successful matchmaker, Olivia Joyner. The bar scene and dating apps give Jasmine hives and Liv’s reputation is stellar. If anyone can help guide her through the quagmire that dating has become, Olivia can. 

 

Architect Donovan Boyd is ready to settle down. He wants the kind of marriage his parents have; long lasting, filled with love, children, and joy. But even after a year of living and working in Heaven he’s still considered an outsider by many. Meeting the type of woman he’s looking for is hard in the tightknit community. Retaining Olivia Joyner to help him find his forever love is one of the smartest things he’s done, especially after she sets him up with Jasmine Green.

 

But the red-haired, green-eyed beauty wants a different kind of marriage from the one Donovan considers ideal. 

 

Can these two strong willed people learn to compromise so they can both find their happily ever after? Or will their relationship forever be relegated to the friend zone?

 

Excerpt ( PG)

Jasmine scanned the bar where Olivia told her her date would be waiting.  There were three men scattered down along the rail. Two she recognized from high school and one guy whose face she couldn’t see because his back was to her. When he turned she realized immediately this was not the man she was due to have drinks with.

First, there was no way this guy was 36 years old. Her mother would have called him Gramps.

Clue number two was the wedding band on the hand holding his beer. It was so tight, the skin surrounding it swollen, his knuckle hair squeezed around it, indicating it had been there for decades.

Nope. This wasn’t her guy. A cursory glance around the place showed most of the tables were taken with couples.

Her date had yet to arrive.

“Hey, Jazz,” the bartender and owner, Kick Loomis said from his perch drying beer glasses behind the bar. 

“Kick.”

“You squattin’ or sittin’, sweetheart?”

She’d been in the place enough times in her life to know he meant was she going to sit at the bar or take a table.

Jasmine was self-conscious enough she didn’t want to be seated on a bar stool, sitting alone while waiting for her date, especially when one of the guys she’d gone to school with tossed her an inquiring eye and a raised eyebrow. She didn’t want to get into a how-you-doing-what-you-been-up-to-since-high school chat. If her memory served, and it always did, the guy had been one of the football heroes of Heaven High back in the day. Those glory days were long gone and she had no desire to listen to him dredge them up.

She spotted an empty table in the corner and nodded toward it. 

“I’ll send Raylynn over with a menu.”

She nodded and as she was about to head for it felt a tap on her arm.

“Excuse me. Jasmine?”

She turned at the sound of her name, spoken in a deep, soft voice blessed with a charming accent and found herself face to face with the gorgeous guy she’d spotted in her mom’s office. The one Sharmaine had been sucked on to like a tick.

Good Lord, he was even better looking up close and personal than he’d been, seated, and ten feet away from her. Stunning blue eyes, the color of freshly laid Robin’s eggs topped a face with high cut cheeks and a jaw forged from granite. Midnight hair curled around his ears and caressed the nape of his neck. Layered waves fell across his head in a chaos of perfection.

She’d been right about his height. Most men she could stare straight in the eyes due to her own long legs. But she had to tilt her head back a bit to look into this man’s striking ones.

“You are Jasmine, aye?” 

Even his voice was gorgeous, the song of Ireland singing through it.

She nodded, her own voice deciding now would be a good time to leave on vacation. And when his smile took a slow stroll from one corner of his full, thick lips to the other, showing perfect, straight white teeth, the tips of her fingertips began to tingle like she’d fallen asleep on them and spent the night with them cuddled beneath the weight of her body.

He-of-the-handsome-face stuck out his hand and declared, “Good. Olivia said to meet you here. Donovan Boyd, but everyone calls me Van. Lovely to meet you.”

Jasmine knew she should shake his hand. It was the polite thing to do, wasn’t it? For some reason, her brain wasn’t sending any signals down her arm to lift it up to his outstretched one. 

Donovan, or Van, kept his hand out, his smile in place, and ticked his head to the left a hair. A clap of booming laughter rang out from somewhere behind her and finally propelled the gears in her brain to start turning again.

After a headshake where she actually heard her brains rattle, she extended her hand and slipped it into his.

Warmth, like she’d just stepped into a bubbling hot tub, spread along her fingers, shot across her palm, then jumped all the way up to her neck.  A feeling of familiarity bolted through her. With a shock, she recognized it for what it was – desire. Pure and simple. Something she hadn’t felt in almost forever.

She swallowed, said,  “It’s nice to meet you,” then shook her head again as she slid her hand back.

“Would you like to sit at the bar or would ya prefer a table?” he asked.

At the bar she’d have to sit next to him, shoulder to shoulder. That seemed a bit too intimate right now, especially when the nerves she’d thought to quell had started bounding through her again. Better to be across from him, keep them at a bit of a physical distance.

Van thrust his chin toward the empty table she’d been aiming for, extended his hand and said, “Shall we?”

He got points for good manners, that was for sure.

 

Exclusive to Amazon and KU : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09P48WPZC

Bio:

Peggy Jaeger writes contemporary romances and rom coms about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them.

Family and food play huge roles in Peggy’s stories because she believes there is nothing that holds a family structure together like sharing a meal…or two…or ten. Dotted with humor and characters that are as real as they are loving, Peggy brings all aspects of life into her stories: life, death, sibling rivalry, illness, and the desire for everyone to find their own happily ever after. Growing up the only child of divorced parents she longed for sisters, brothers and a family that vowed to stick together no matter what came their way. Through her books, she has created the families she wanted as that lonely child.

As a lifelong diarist, she caught the blogging bug early on, and you can visit her at peggyjaeger.com where she blogs daily about life, writing, and stuff that makes her go "What??!"

 

Website/Blog: http://peggyjaeger.com/

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/peggy_jaeger

 

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00T8E5LN0

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peggy-Jaeger-Author/825914814095072?ref=bookmarks

 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/peggyjaeger/

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13478796.Peggy_Jaeger

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peggyjaeger...

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/peggy-jaeger

 

You-Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDR8RRIlssIyS0FYZWeGqsg/videos?view_as=subscriber