Sadira Stone’s New Release ~ LOVE, ART, AND OTHER OBSTACLES

19 Tuesday May 2020

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

Tags

art world, artist, bookshop, contemporary romance, Love Art and Other Obstacles, new adult romance, Sadira Stone, steamy romance, The Book Nirvana Series, The Wild Rose Press

I’m excited to welcome sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) Sadira Stone today! We’ll get a peek between the pages of her new release, Love, Art, and Other Obstacles, which is part of her Book Nirvana series. She’s also here to tell us about her inspiration for the series. Take it away, Sadira!

Until 2016, I was one of those readers—literary snobs who look down their noses at romance for the usual stupid reasons: too corny, too predictable, too fluffy. Then I read about how fun and lucrative writing erotica can be. I thought, what the heck? Let’s try.

I have never had so much fun with a writing project! My first steamy romance, Through the Red Door, nearly wrote itself, though it damn sure didn’t edit itself. Now I’m totally addicted to passionate, heartfelt stories with happy endings, both as a reader and as a writer.

Why set the series in a bookshop? Ever since I was a wee lass, I dreamed of owning one. Add to that my fascination with historical erotic art and literature, and you’ve got the Book Nirvana series, set in an indie bookshop with an extensive erotica collection behind a locked red door.

I love writing stories in which a couple’s powerful physical attraction leads them to consider a partner outside their usual M.O.—one who just might turn out to be their perfect match. That’s how it happened for my husband and me!

I wanted to set my series in a college town, so I chose Eugene, home of the University of Oregon, with its lively arts scene and rich counterculture legacy from the hippie era. It’s now my favorite Oregon town to visit!

The scoop on Love, Art, and Other Obstacles:

Rejected by her family for her bisexuality, graphic artist Margot DuPont yearns for a life with no fences, no limits, and no family ties. Between college, work at Book Nirvana, and an art competition, she barely has time for her part-time girlfriend, much less a flirtation with her competitor.

Dumped into the foster system at a young age, ceramics artist Elmer Byrne craves a big, loving family of the heart. His artist family almost fills that need, but something is missing…until Margot. But when he offers his heart, her thorny defenses shatter him.

Thrown together in an art competition that could jump-start one artist’s career, but not both, their irresistible attraction forces them to reconsider the meaning of success.

A peek inside:

“Tell you what,” he said. “How about if we have drinks and talk about anything but the competition?”

“Because…why?”

“You’re a real hard-ass, aren’t you?” He rolled his eyes. “Because I like you, Margot.”

“Why?”

He leaned so close their foreheads almost touched, a challenge simmering in his smile. “Have a drink with me and find out.”

If there was one thing she couldn’t resist, it was a challenge. On the other hand, he might not like her so much if he knew about Darcy. Let that be the test, then. Let him prove he wasn’t one of those possessive, controlling guys Darcy warned her about.

“Okay. I will.” She stepped back. “But you should know, I’m sort of seeing someone.”

His thick auburn brows contracted. “Sort of?”

“A woman.”

His nostrils flared on a deep inhalation, but he held her gaze. “Is it serious?”

“Not really.” Might as well serve up the truth, raw and ungarnished. Might as well be honest with herself too. “She lives in Berkeley. I only see her every month or two.”

Holding her gaze, he nodded. “Okay then. Thanks for telling me.” The tense lines of his mouth relaxed into a casual grin. “So, drinks?”

Well I’ll be damned.

The e-book is currently on sale for $2.99. Buy it today!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play

More about Sadira:

Ever since her first kiss, Sadira’s been spinning steamy tales in her head. After leaving her teaching career in Germany, she finally tried her hand at writing one. Now she’s a happy citizen of Romancelandia, penning contemporary romance from her new home in Washington State, U.S.A. When not writing, which is seldom, she explores the Pacific Northwest with her charming husband, enjoys the local music scene, plays darts (pretty well), plays guitar (badly), and gobbles all the books.

Where to find her:

Website: http://sadirastone.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sadirastone/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SadiraStone

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18568049.Sadira_Stone

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sadira-stone

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Sadira-Stone/e/B07KWK5FBX

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sadira0641/

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

Author newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dKLMP2

Thanks so much for joining us today, Sadira. Best of luck with the book!

Celebrate Mothers Bookish Event ~ N. N. Light’s Book Heaven

08 Friday May 2020

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

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Celebrate Mothers Bookish Event, contemporary romance, e-books, Judith Sterling, literary giveaway, medieval romance series, Mother's Day, N. N. Light's Book Heaven, romance giveaway, Shadow of the Swan, The Novels of Ravenwood

In honor of Mother’s Day, I’m participating in the Celebrate Mothers Bookish Event at N. N. Light’s Book Heaven. They’re spotlighting 26 books, including one of mine: Shadow of the Swan, the third book in my medieval romance series, The Novels of Ravenwood.

You can read excerpts from my book and others here and enter to win an e-book bundle of all 26 books featured in the event.

Open internationally.

Runs May 7 – 10, 2020.

Winner will be drawn on May 18, 2020.

Enter here and good luck! And happy (early) Mother’s Day! 🙂

WHAT WAS I THINKING by Donna Simonetta

29 Wednesday Jan 2020

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

A Sweeter Spot, contemporary romance, Donna Simonetta, Judith Sterling, Las Vegas, new release, Rivers Bend Trilogy, The Wild Rose Press, What Was I Thinking

A Vegas fling never leads to love…does it?

We’re about to find out in What Was I Thinking! It’s the new release from one of my dear friends, Donna Simonetta, who also happens to be a sister Rose (published by The Wile Rose Press). This is the third book in her Rivers Bend Trilogy, and I have to say, I LOVED the first one, A Sweeter Spot.

Here’s the scoop on the new story:

A wild Vegas fling isn’t the traditional Thanksgiving celebration, and Lily and Jason have been like oil and water since they met. Blaming their steamy hook-up on too many shots at the bar, they head home.

Back in the real world, Jason wonders if he’s ready to give up his crown as the Playboy King of Rivers Bend to be with just one woman. And Lily has enough on her plate right now without adding Jason Braden to the mix, even if their attraction is crazy-strong.

But life is good at throwing curveballs, and a lot can happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day. Maybe even enough to lead these two polar opposites home to each other in Rivers Bend.

A peek between the pages:

“I think about a lot of things.”

She felt him stiffen up behind her, and Jason’s tone of voice was defensive. She hadn’t meant to hurt his feelings. “I know you do; I didn’t mean anything by it. We poke at each other”—she shrugged—“it’s kind of our thing.”

His grip on her hand loosened, and then he took control of the dance, by twirling her until her back was pressed to his front, and he began to move sinuously in time to the rhythm. His breath tickled her ear, as he spoke right in it to be heard over the music. “We’ve got a thing, Moonbeam?”

Jason had ditched the tie and suit jacket after the wedding, and his body heat scorched her through his crisp white dress shirt. And man-oh-Maneschewitz, his lean, hard body felt good. Really good. The Marine might be bulked up, but Jason’s body felt like it had been made for hers, which given their mutual antagonism, seemed like proof Fate was enjoying a good laugh at her expense. Against Lily’s better judgment, her body melted into his warmth and began to move with his.

“Sure, we’ve got a thing,” she said over her shoulder, and was irritated to hear a trace of breathlessness in her voice. She cleared her throat and continued, “Like that—you calling me Moonbeam, because you know it bugs me.”

Where to buy the book:

Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble

More about Donna:

Donna Simonetta writes the kind of books she loves to read––contemporary romances to help you escape the real world for a little while. Writing is her third career. She toiled in the business world, and when she decided being an Account Executive wasn’t for her went back to school to get her MLS degree. Next, she worked in a school library for many years. But, Donna dreamed of being an author since she was a little girl, and began to squeeze writing into her day. After the publication of her second book, she decided to leave the library and become a full-time author. It can be a solitary job, so she loves to connect with her readers.

Donna lives in Maryland with her husband, who is her real-life romance hero. They enjoy traveling to visit far-flung family and friends, and spending time on the beach with an umbrella drink and a good book.

Where to find her:

Lovely to feature your latest release, Donna. Wishing you all the best with it!

Peggy Jaeger’s New Release ~ A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: RICK

07 Tuesday Jan 2020

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

A Pride of Brothers: Rick, contemporary romance, Cooking with Kandy, guest post, Judith Sterling, New England authors, Peggy Jaeger, The Wild Rose Press, Will Cook for Love

I’m thrilled to welcome sister Rose (published by the Wild Rose Press) Peggy Jaeger back to my blog! She’s written a lovely guest post about Abigail Lane, the heroine in her upcoming release, A Pride of Brothers: Rick. Take it away, Peggy!

Lawyer Abby Laine made an appearance in my first WILL COOK FOR LOVE series book COOKING WITH KANDY. Abby is the second oldest of the Laine girls (right behind Kandy) and when we meet her in the first book she is working as a paralegal in a law firm and attending law school at night.

Abby’s backstory is a deep one. Her father left the family after multiple affairs when Abby was a child. His defection impacted her greatly because she saw what it did to her mother emotionally and to the family financially. Left with no means of support and with nothing but a high school education, Abby’s mother, Hannah, had to work 3 jobs to support herself and her 7 girls, and the family was forced to live with Hannah’s parents. Abby saw the way her mother was treated by her father – dumped and discarded – and by society – an uneducated, unskilled woman – and vowed to never allow herself to be treated so horribly by anyone. She was determined to be self sufficient and financially sound, get a good education and be successful.

Since she was the second oldest, she and Kandy were tasked with taking care of the younger girls while Hannah worked, and it instilled a great sense of family obligation in her. She loves her sisters, there is no doubt of that, but she never really got to be a kid. Assuming adult responsibilities at such a tender age left no room for friends, outside the home activates, or anything fun related.

When we meet Abby in A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: RICK she is confronted by the angry abusive husband of one of her clients in her office while Kandy is visiting. Abby stands up to him and when he threatens her, has him arrested. The fact that her sister deals with such violent people in her practice scares Kandy, and she asks her Private Investigator/Bodyguard husband to place someone in Abby’s office as protection. Abby, of course, refuses the help.

When Rick Bannerman, Josh’s partner, hears about what happened, he wants to help protect Abby. The two of them have a subtle history that ended when he walked away from her after they shared a hot kiss 4 years ago. Abby has always had a thing for Rick, but his dismissal hurt, so she has kept her distance from him, despite the fact that their families are together a great deal.

Abby has a three-legged cat, adopted from a shelter, and whom no one wanted because she wasn’t deemed “perfect.” In her cat, Abby saw a kindred spirit and it was love at first sight. Despite the hardened, take no prisoners personality Abby shows the world, she is truly a softie at heart and wants nothing more than to be loved for the person she is.

A peek between the pages:

“Right there.” She aimed her fork at him as if it were a spear. “Perfect example. You know I hate being called Abigail. I’ve lost count of the hundreds of times I’ve told you and you still do it, knowing it pisses me off. And”—she cut him off before he could speak— “your usual response is to lift your hands and say ‘and still’ when you’re called on it. Who does that? What kind of person persistently and purposefully annoys people?”

“So you’re saying I’m intentionally annoying?”

“Persistently, so. Yes. Makes the lawyer in me wonder why.”

Just the lawyer? “Any answers come to mind?”

“Plenty.”

“Care to share?”

She placed her fork down next to her plate and regarded him across the table. “You really want to hear this? Because if you know anything about me, you know I’m truthful. I don’t hold back.”

Oh, he was sure she didn’t. And wouldn’t. Her tenacity was one of the things he’d first been drawn to.

That and her fabulous ass.

“I’m a big boy,” he said with a grin. “I can take it.

She took a sip of water first, her eyes trained on him the entire time. “Okay. If you really want to hear this.”

He waved his hand for her to continue.

“I think you use your cocky, aren’t-I-simply-too-witty attitude to keep people at a distance.”

Buy the book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Books-a-Million

More about Peggy:

Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance writer who writes Romantic Comedies about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them. If she can make you cry on one page and bring you out of tears rolling with laughter the next, she’s done her job as a writer!

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, she brings all topics of daily 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’s created the families she wanted as that lonely child.

When she’s not writing Peggy is usually painting, crafting, scrapbooking or decoupaging old steamer trunks she finds at rummage stores and garage sales.

A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, Peggy is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.

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??!”

Where to find her:

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_author/

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

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

Thanks so much for being my guest, Peggy. Best of luck with the new book!

TODAY, TOMORROW, ALWAYS by Peggy Jaeger

10 Tuesday Dec 2019

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 19 Comments

Tags

A Match Made in Heaven, contemporary romance, excerpt, guest post, Judith Sterling, new release, Peggy Jaeger, romantic comedy, secondary characters, The Wild Rose Press

I’m thrilled to have a sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) here with me today. We’re celebrating her new release, Today, Tomorrow, Always, and she’s written a lovely guest post about secondary characters who move the story along. Let’s see what she has to say:

When I decided to write my first romance series, I knew I needed to have engaging primary characters the reader could root for. I also knew I needed great secondary characters who’d pop up from book to book and who, also, the reader would want to connect with.

In my Match Made in Heaven series, the second book of which – TODAY, TOMORROW, ALWAYS – is out now, that secondary character is 93-year-old O’Dowd grandmother, Nanny Fee.

Her real, full name is Fiona Bridget Mary Darcy Sullivan O’Dowd Heaven Scallopini because she’s been married 4 times and widowed 4 times, each husband’s passing more difficult emotionally than the one before it. Fiona hasn’t only let her romantic heart be guided to the matrimonial bed. In her younger years she was a classical pianist and traveled with a world famous symphony all through Europe where she had affairs (between hubbies, of course) with a Duke, a Baron, an Earl and one or two other, lesser royals. With her flaming and natural red, waist length hair, sparkling periwinkle colored eyes, a quick wit and a naughty mind, Fee can charm the pants off any man – and has! But she’s also fiercely loyal and protective of her granddaughters.

One of her many quirks is calling her granddaughters by the numerical number of their birth. Cathy is referred to as “Number One,” Maureen, “Number Four.” Her twin, Eileen was three, but she died. Colleen is the one scarred the most by the use of the numerical naming system because as the second child, she’s called “Number Two,” a name she can’t stomach and really hated as a child. Especially since Nanny taught communion classes. Colleen was referred to one too many times as Number two in front of a classroom of her peers, and has been emotionally traumatized because of it.

The reason behind the numerical names is that Fiona and her daughter-in-law despise one another. When the girls’ mother named them all with the same sounding names (Cathleen, Colleen, Eileen & Maureen) Nanny thought it sounded obnoxious and voiced her opinion on the topic loud and long. To get back at her DIL, the number names were born. But Nanny didn’t figure in how the numbers would affect her granddaughters into adulthood.

I adore Nanny Fee and she plays a prominent role in TODAY, TOMORROW, ALWAYS, so when you read it, I hope you love her as much as I do.

The story in a nutshell:

Lawyer Cathleen O’Dowd wants to break free from her boring image. Widowed young, she’s toed the good-girl line but now wants a little fun and laughter in her days…and nights. Living in a small town, though, she can’t do anything that would tarnish her professional reputation.

Mac Frayne’s tragic past has turned him into a sullen loner. In town to write a book on the city’s founder, his plan is to get it done, then head home to his solitary existence.

When circumstances force them to work together, their opposing personalities clash, but the sexual attraction between them is palpable.

Can a simple affair with an end date be just the thing to brighten up their lives?

A peek between the pages:

His expression changed from wide-eyed with excitement to something entirely different. Something deep and dark and—gulp—wild.

He repeated my name, and before I could blink, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist and a torso I knew was as solid and defined as a redwood tree flattened against the front of me.

He dipped his head, those dreamy eyes dark now with desire, and zeroed in on my own like a laser pointer. Hypnotized by the naked need facing me, I took a breath—a physical and a mental one—and pushed up on my unshod toes until my lips pressed against his.

For a nanosecond, Frayne stilled. The notion that he didn’t want this blew across my mind. A beat later and the thought died as his arms tightened and he pulled me fully against his body.

And then kissed me back.

Where to buy the book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books

More about Peggy:

When she’s not writing Peggy is usually painting, crafting, scrapbooking or decoupaging old steamer trunks she finds at rummage stores and garage sales.

A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, Peggy is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.

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??!”

Where to find her:

Best of luck with the book, Peggy! 🙂

An Interview with Liv Arnold, Author of LAW & DISORDER

20 Thursday Jun 2019

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

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books on sale, contemporary romance, Guardians of Erin, Judith Sterling, Liv Arnold, The Wild Rose Press, YA paranormal fantasy, YA series

I’m excited to have a sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) here today. Please welcome Liv Arnold, author of Law & Disorder, which just happens to be on sale!

At what age did you write your first story? I think when I was four. I used to love making up picture books and stories. Was my favourite thing to do.

Which genre was the first to hook you? I read a lot of Enid Blyton when I was young. I would read The Children of the Cherry Tree Farm to my younger brothers before bed.

What was your first published book? This one, Law & Disorder, by The Wild Rose Press. I also have a novel called Etched in Stone, a contemporary romance, contracted with them.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Brainstorming? Research? Outlining? Writing? Editing? When I’ve almost finished the novel. Gives me a sense of accomplishment.

What are you working on now? A YA fantasy romance set in the Netherworld. I’ve almost finished it and I’m so excited.

Cool! My YA fantasy series, Guardians of Erin, has several scenes set in the Netherworld! Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite? Why? The above story set in the Netherworld. Fantasy is one of my favourite genres. I love being taken into another world. Always wished I had magic when I was young or could fly.

Have you ever dreamed about a character you created? I usually don’t remember my dreams. So I haven’t dreamt of any of my characters yet. I do have my book boyfriends though I wouldn’t mind dreaming about.

If you could have a conversation with anyone—dead or alive—who would it be? JK Rowling. Would love to know everything about her. Especially her marketing tips and where she gets her ideas from. I get writer’s block so often.

If you could travel to any time and place, when and where would that be? Maybe the 70s. It could be because I’ve seen most the episodes of That 70s Show. But things seemed like so much fun back then.

I was a little kid in the ’70s, and yes, it was fun! If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose? Harry Potter. I’m obsessed and have all the merchandise.

If a fairy godmother appeared and offered you one thing—anything at all—what would you request? To be able to write novels full time. I’m so tired coming back from work everyday but I have to push myself to write.

I hear ya! Okay…it’s time to learn some of your favorites.

Sound: The pitter patter of my dog’s feet.

Eye color: Dark brown.

Song: Anything by the Spice Girls

Book: Harry Potter

Movie: Harry Potter

TV show: Neighbours

I watched a bit of that show when I lived in Scotland! Cuisine: Italian

Cookie: White choc chip

US location: I’ve only been to NY and Hawaii

Foreign location: Vietnam

And finally, list your preference from the following choices:

Tea or coffee? Tea

Cake or pie? Cake

Halloween or Christmas? Christmas

Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes? Sherlock Holmes

Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters? Jane Austen

A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover? Fae

English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy? English gent

Thanks so much for joining me today, Liv. Best of luck with your future releases and this sale! Now, here’s the scoop on Law & Disorder:

Lawyer Juliet Jackson has come head to head with Sergeant Jesse Burns on numerous occasions in court. He is provoking. Pigheaded. Punch-worthy. They don’t get along. Not one little bit. The unfortunate fact he’s also her next-door neighbor brings her loathing off the charts. But when Juliet’s caught locked outside her home in nothing but a skimpy towel, she must swallow her pride and turn to Jesse for help. She doesn’t expect the explosive chemistry between them and can’t help but wonder if Jesse’s as demanding in the bedroom as he is in the courtroom.

A peek between the pages:

His handsome face smirked before he averted his eyes and turned his head, but she could still see the profile of his face. His police uniform stretched across his chest. Wonder if that chest is chiseled underneath all those clothes.

Her ears burned hotter than chili sauce, spreading to her neck and chest. No point in putting on a mask this time, because there was no escaping this. Her fingers found the ends of the towel to cover her naked body, but her legs froze on the spot. “I got locked out of my house.”

“You got locked out of your house…naked?” A grin spread across his face, revealing the dimple on the bottom lip. She wanted to bite it but didn’t know if it was to hurt him or because of the temperature between her legs.

Scowling at his sarcasm, her fingers gripped the bricks of her house and she pulled herself up. “Yes. Why are you even here? Didn’t you have enough of me this morning?

“Never enough.”

More about Liv:

Liv Arnold has worked as a copywriter for several global companies and now runs her own freelance business. She grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and lives with her husband and their spoiled dog, who only eats freshly cooked meals. When she’s not writing, Liv’s avoiding the gym, devouring a cheese platter, or marathoning way too much TV. And of course, she’s a massive book addict and often reads until all hours of the night.

Liv would love to hear from you! Here’s where to find her:

Buy Law & Disorder for 99 cents!

Amazon US

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Guest Author Peggy Jaeger ~ DEARLY BELOVED on sale!

06 Thursday Jun 2019

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

A Match Made in Heaven, books on sale, contemporary romance, Dearly Beloved, guest author, Judith Sterling, Peggy Jaeger, The Wild Rose Press, weddings

I’m thrilled to have a sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) as my guest today. Welcome, Peggy Jaeger! Dearly Beloved, Book One of her contemporary romance series A Match Made in Heaven, is currently on sale for 99 cents, and she’s here to tell us what inspired the series in the first place. Take it away, Peggy…

Three years ago my daughter was in the wedding party of one of her sorority sisters from college. The bride hailed from one side of the country, the groom, the other. Where to have their ceremony so that all could participate proved quite the question for them.

They decided to have a “destination” wedding, but the destination was in the continental US so that both families could attend without breaking their bankbooks on air fares, exorbitant hotel fees and the thousand other little wedding costs that pop up. They chose a venue where they could have the marriage ceremony, the reception, the afterparty, and also, where the guests could stay, all in the same place. My daughter jokingly called it “a one-stop wedding.”

It’s amazing how something like that simple statement can spark an idea.

The moment she uttered those words a new book series jumped into my mind and A Match Made in Heaven was born. Book 1, DEARLY BELOVED, was released in November 2018, and the ecopy is currently on sale for just 99cents until 6.21.19.

I love a good wedding and I adore a good wedding romance. Luckily for me, I get to write about them, too!

And your lucky readers get to read about them! Thanks so much for joining me today, Peggy. Now, here’s the scoop on the story itself:

Colleen O’Dowd manages a thriving bridal business with her sisters in Heaven, New Hampshire. After fleeing Manhattan and her cheating ex-fiancé, Colleen still believes in happily ever afters. But with a demanding business to run, her sisters to look after, and their 93-year-old grandmother to keep out of trouble, she’s worried she’ll never find Mr. Right.

Playboy Slade Harrington doesn’t believe in marriage. His father’s six weddings have taught him life is better as an unencumbered single guy. But Slade loves his little sister. He’ll do anything for her, including footing the bill for her dream wedding. He doesn’t plan on losing his heart to a smart-mouthed, gorgeous wedding planner, though.

When her ex-fiancé comes back into the picture, Colleen must choose between Mr. Right and Mr. Right Now.

A peek inside the pages:

I stared at him for a moment, mulling over how I wanted to ask him what I’d been dying to ask since we’d been in my office.

Finally, because there was no other way to get around it but bluntly, I said, “I feel like we need to discuss your father. Come to a decision about where he fits in the wedding.”

When the warmth in his expression shifted to ice, a weaker-willed person might have stopped there. Since I’m not weak and my parents have always told me I have a real problem with knowing when to quit, I pushed on. “It seems to me as if Isabella wants him to be included. Whether in a father-of-the-bride role, or simply as a guest, I really do think she’d like him to attend, but, for whatever reason, she’s reluctant to press you on it.”

Did I say ice? What’s colder than ice? Because whatever it is, that was the expression floating in Slade’s eyes right then as he glared at me.

Warning bells blared in my head, but that thing about me not knowing when to quit? Yeah, it’s real.

“I think Isabella’s afraid of upsetting you if she tells you how she feels or asks your permission. She loves you so much and respects your opinion.”

“You don’t know anything about my sister. Or me.” He lowered his hands from his hips, kept them fisted at his sides. “Or our relationship with our father.”

“True, but I get the sense—”

He barreled over me as if I hadn’t said a word.

“You’ve been hired to do a job, Miss O’Dowd. I suggest you do it and keep your thoughts about my family to yourself. You’re a wedding planner, not a family counselor.” His voice dropped a level, deepening as it became softer. The cadence became clipped, the tone more…lethal.

If this was the way he acted in business, it was a wonder he hadn’t been convicted of corporate homicide yet.

“Look, I’m not asking simply to be nosy,” I said, my voice rising in opposition to his. “I really do have to plan all this out. There’s still the rehearsal and the dinner after it left to deal with. Then there’s the reception seating. Plus, if he is included, I’ll need to make sure he has a room, a tuxedo, and find out if he’s bringing a guest.”

“What aren’t you understanding about this, Miss O’Dowd?” Slade asked, taking a step toward me. If he’d thought to intimidate me with his height, he’d miscalculated. Retreat wasn’t a word in my lexicon. I simply lifted my chin and stared right back at him.

“I understand a lot more than you think, Mr. Harrington. About all sorts of things. Arrogant and pigheaded men included.”

When he continued to stand like a plank of wood in front of me, his mouth turning down and creasing the sides of his jaw, I knew—knew—I should stop.

But…

Where to buy the book:

More about Peggy:

When she’s not writing Peggy is usually painting, crafting, scrapbooking or decoupaging old steamer trunks she finds at rummage stores and garage sales.

A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, Peggy is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.

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??!”

Where to find her:

An Interview with Donna Simonetta, author of A SWEETER SPOT

06 Wednesday Jun 2018

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

A Sweeter Spot, Author Interview, contemporary romance, Donna Simonetta, Judith Sterling, Love Is Lovelier, Rivers Bend Trilogy, sale

I’m excited to have my fellow author and dear friend, Donna Simonetta, here with me today. Book One of her Rivers Bend Trilogy, A Sweeter Spot, is currently on sale for 99 cents! And beginning on June 8, the second in the series, Love Is Lovelier, will also be on sale, so snap these up while you can!

Welcome, Donna. Let’s get this interview started!

At what age did you write your first story?
I don’t actually remember how old I was. I’ve always loved books and stories, and do remember going to the library as a child, and looking in the stacks to see where my books would go. Ironically, I became BOTH a librarian and an author.

I never became a full-fledged librarian, but I worked in a library for a while, too! Which genre was the first to hook you?
Mystery. As a kid, I loved Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Donna Parker…and then grew into Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. As a teen, I began to read romance too. Working in a boys middle school library for 17 years, I developed a love for fantasy fiction as an adult. I really am a genre fiction lover!

Ooh…Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie. Love them! What was your first published book?
Angels Fly, from the Wild Rose Press. It was not the first book I wrote, but it IS the first I had published. Combining contemporary romance with fantasy elements, I have a major soft spot for it!

What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Brainstorming? Research? Outlining? Writing? Editing?
The actual writing. When it’s flowing…there is nothing like it! Although, the librarian in me does enjoy the research too.

What are you working on now?
I’m in the editing stage of Book 3 of the Rivers Bend Trilogy, Jason and Lily’s story of opposites attracting. I need to polish it up, and then submit it to my publisher. Fingers crossed! And I just finished reviewing the audiobook of Angels Fly…my first book going to audio! It sounds great, and I’m so excited to share it with all of you!

Wonderful! Congratulations! Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite? Why?
Angels Fly is set in San Diego, and a self-avowed winter hater, (Sorry, Judy! I know this is an area upon which we disagree! Teehee!) I love the Forever Summer climate there.

I know you love the heat! Growing up in Florida, I had my “Forever Summer”; now I relish four seasons. Speaking of “forever,” if you could have a conversation with anyone—dead or alive—who would it be?
Hmm…this is an interesting questions. Personally, I would love the chance to talk to my late father one more time. He passed away too soon, and never saw my happy marriage, or me become a published author. I would also love to ask Agatha Christie where she was when she disappeared for that short time in her youth. I do love a mystery!

Yes, I’d love to learn where she was during that period, too! If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose? I’m torn between Nancy Drew or the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters. I would love the chance to solve a mystery with Nancy, Bess, and George! But, the setting of an archeological expedition in Egypt during the height of all those exciting discoveries, makes me want to spend a week on a dig with Amelia and Emerson.

I love your choices! They would be mine as well, and you’re right: it’s hard to choose between Nancy and her friends and Peabody and Emerson! If a fairy godmother appeared and offered you one thing—anything at all—what would you request? A home on the beach, where Leo and I could live, and I could write.

Sounds perfect for the two of you! Now, it’s time to learn some of your favorites!

Sound: Beach sounds. Waves gently rolling in to shore.

Eye color: Brown, like my Leo.

Song: I like lots of different music. Don’t really have one favorite song. Maybe Joni Mitchell’s Carey. I really enjoy belting out that one in the car when I listen to it.

Book: Hmm…I don’t think I can choose just one!

Movie: Bringing Up Baby. An oldie, but a goodie.

TV show: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Cuisine: Italian

Cookie: Chocolate chip

US location: The Don CeSar Hotel on St. Pete Beach, FL. A big, pink Moorish palace on a white sand Gulf beach. Just lovely! My happy place.

Foreign location: My best friend lives in Ireland, and I love the chance to get to spend time with her and her family, so I’d have to say West Cork, for personal reasons! But, for geography, probably a beach in the Caribbean somewhere…like Antigua, where Leo & I spent our honeymoon.

And finally, list your preference from the following choices:

Tea or coffee? Coffee

Cake or pie? Cake

Halloween or Christmas? Christmas

Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes? Nancy Drew (although I love both!)

Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters? Jane Austen

A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover? Mortal—the others have too much baggage.

English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy? All-American guy

Thanks so much for joining me today, Donna. Now, here’s a little about A Sweeter Spot:

Magda knows a 28-year-old shouldn’t run away from home, but Rivers Bend is the ideal escape. Helping out her best friend will get her away from her uber-wealthy, controlling grandmother and duplicitous ex. She doesn’t expect the quirky little town to feel so much like home. Add in hotter-than-the-sun Jeff and his daughter, and leaving seems as unthinkable as it is inevitable.

Raising Sam alone, Jeff knew he wanted her to grow up in his supportive hometown. The arrival of a feisty new tenant sends Jeff’s world spinning. Magda fills a void in his life that he’d like to make permanent.

Will love triumph over the most powerful woman in the country, and can they figure out how to make this happy-for-now in Rivers Bend into their happy-ever-after?

And here’s a peek inside the pages:

“Being cheated on is no fun. It happened to me once. Up here,” he tapped his forehead. “You know it’s not your fault. But here,” he tapped his chest over his heart. “You feel like it has to be your fault – like you could’ve done something to prevent it. But you couldn’t have. It’s all on him, Maggie. Not you.”

She picked a dandelion, whose flower had turned into a puffball, and blew on it, scattering the fluff to the wind. “Maybe. Maybe not. But thanks for the support.”

She pushed to her feet and took a couple of steps toward the river. Jeff rose and followed.

How could he be so angry at a man he didn’t even know? How could this Pierce jerk have slept around on a woman like Maggie? And the prick had even made her doubt herself in the process. It was written all over her anguished face.

He stood behind her and gently kneaded her shoulders. He turned her to face him and cupped her face in his big hands.

“This Pierce guy is the biggest fool on earth to go to someone else when he had you at home, Maggie.”

She blinked away tears, and he felt his heart constrict. Before he could think it through and decide it was a really bad idea, Jeff dipped his head and captured Magda’s lips in a gentle kiss.

Buy links:

Amazon:
https://www.amzn.com/dp/B01N1S1K06/

TWRP:
http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4862-a-sweeter-spot.html

Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-sweeter-spot-donna-simonetta/1125338511?ean=2940157374921

A bit more about Donna, in her own words:

My career has been a winding road. I worked in the business world for years, got my MLS and worked in a school library, and am now living my dream as an author. I love to read and write contemporary and fantasy romance. I live in Maryland, with my husband, who is my real-life romance hero. We both enjoy traveling to visit our far-flung family and friends, and spending time on the beach with an umbrella drink and a good book.

Where to find her:

https://www.facebook.com/donnasimonettaauthor

https://twitter.com/donna_simonettahttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15422407.Donna_Simonetta

https://www.amazon.com/Donna-Simonetta/e/B06X415TWW/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donna-simonetta

An Interview with Peggy Jaeger, Author of CAN’T STAND THE HEAT

04 Wednesday Apr 2018

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Baked With Love, Can't Stand the Heat, contemporary romance, JD Robb, Judith Sterling, Macquire Women, Peggy Jaeger, Will Cook for Love

I’m thrilled to have Peggy Jaeger, one of my sister authors at The Wild Rose Press, here today. Welcome, Peggy, and congrats on your new release, Can’t Stand the Heat! I wish you great success with it. I have lots of questions for you, so let’s get started.

At what age did you write your first story? If I’m remembering right, I was 6. It was about a lonely, neglected girl who made a wish for a family and got that wish granted!

Sounds like a wonderful story! Which genre was the first to hook you? Mystery. I devoured every Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon book in my local library when I discovered them. Then I moved on to Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. At one point in my 20’s I had a copy of every Agatha Christie book in print. This was waaaaaaaaaaaay before ebooks!

Wow! I love all of those, and my childhood wouldn’t have been the same without Nancy Drew! I think those books inspired many future authors. What was your first published book? THE KINDNESS TALES, published in 1994. It was a children’s book from a very small press that has since gone the way of the dinosaur.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Brainstorming? Research? Outlining? Writing? Editing? Actually, my favorite part is coming up with my characters. I’m a huge and unabashed eavesdropper and people watcher. I watch and listen to people all the time when I am in public. On the line at the grocery store. In Panera. At the drugstore. Even when I go out to dinner with my hubby. I am always thinking of scenarios and backstories for interesting people I see. It gets kinda hard in the small town I live in, since I know so many of the people already! But outside of that town and when I travel, my creative juices really start to flow.

What are you working on now? I am currently in edits for my third San Valentino book which will be coming out Christmas-time 2018 from the Wild Rose Press, titled BAKED WITH LOVE (A San Valentine Christmas Romance). This book tells the love story of baker Regina, and the handsome stranger who comes into her bakery looking for a custom cake and winds up leaving with her heart!

I loved reading about the San Valentino family in A KISS UNDER THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. They remind me a lot of a large Italian family I knew when I was growing up. I’m sure BAKED WITH LOVE will be a fun read, too! Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite? My fictional town of Heaven, NH for my book series (as of yet unpublished) A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN. Why? It’s about a tiny town in New Hampshire. I live in a tiny town in New Hampshire. The setting of the book plays a pivotal role in each of the 4 books. There’s something about a small community of people, esp. New Englanders, that just warms my heart. So many backstories, so much history. Secrets everyone knows but never speak about. Love that!

Have you ever dreamed about a character you created? Actually, yes. In Book 3 of my Macquire Women series, the character (hero) Pat Cleary, came to me fully formed in a dream. I saw him, knew him, heard him speak all in one dream. That entire book was written for him.

Very cool! If you could have a conversation with anyone—dead or alive—who would it be? Love this question. Jane Austen’s Elizabeth Bennett. I’d like to ask her, for once and for all, to settle a dispute in my head: Did she marry Darcy because she truly loved him, or because she loved Pemberton and wanted to be its lady and the only way to do that was to marry the onwer?

Great answer! I love Elizabeth Bennett, and I’m guessing she truly came to love him. If you could travel to any time and place, when and where would that be? You know, I’m kinda happy where I am right now!

If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose? Hands down JD Robb’s IN DEATH series. I would love to work with Eve Dallas and Delia Peabody and just sit around and stare at Roarke!

If a fairy godmother appeared and offered you one thing—anything at all—what would you request? Oh boy, what a question! Well, I could take the moral high road and ask for world peace. Or the fiscally sound one and say a billion dollars so I could make sure my family is secure for the rest of my life. Or I could be selfish and ask for the body I had at 20 back (HeeHee). But I think the thing I would ask for is the power to end world hunger. To make sure everyone, everywhere has enough to eat for the rest of their lives. I don’t want anyone ever to know what it’s like to go hungry. Ever again!

A wonderful wish! Now, it’s time to learn some of your favorites.

Sound: babies giggling

Eye color: Green

Foreign language (whether or not you speak it!): Italian (lovelovelove the way it sounds on someone’s lips)

Song: “Secret Agent Man” by Johnny Rivers

Book: New York to Dallas by JD Robb (the last 3 pages make me cry every single time I read it!)

Movie: Gone with The Wind

TV show: Hawaii 5-0 (the original one with Jack Lord and James MacArthur)

Cuisine: cake (Trust me, it’s a cuisine!)

Cookie: Plain sugar cookies. Yummo

US location: Hawaii

Foreign location: Tuscany

And finally, list your preference from the following choices:

Tea or coffee? Neither. I drink DIET MOUNTAIN DEW by the gallon!

Cake or pie? Cake. Always and forever

Halloween or Christmas? Christmas

Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes? Nancy

Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters? Jane, always!

A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover? Don’t know what a fae is, but I do know that I love the fact that vampires got it right when they discovered that the neck is a supreme erogenous zone, so I’d have to say, Dracula.

English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy? All American guy, every single time!!!

Thanks so much for being here, Peggy. And now, here’s a little about Can’t Stand the Heat, Book 3 in the Will Cook for Love series:

In Peggy Jaeger’s delectable series, delicious food is just an appetizer for life’s main course: the kind of love that feeds your soul.

With three successful TV series under her belt, including her cousin Kandy’s, executive producer Stacy Peters is ready to helm her own show. But to make that happen, she has to do her network boss one favor first—spend two months on a ranch in Montana wrangling the notoriously difficult director of Beef Battles. Apparently, he eats producers for breakfast. Yet all Stacy can think when she meets the lean, rugged man is how hungry he makes her . . .

Dominic Stamp—Nikko to his very few friends—has had enough interference from TV newbies. And when Stacy climbs out of the car in Montana, he’s not convinced she’s even old enough to drive, much less produce his show. But he can’t deny that the long-legged blonde with the stubborn will and the dazzling smile whets his appetite. And as Stacy proves her talent with the crew and the budget alike, Nikko vows to prove to her that love is on the menu for both of them . . .

Look for exclusive recipes in each book!

Excerpt:

This couldn’t be the new executive producer.

She looked like an intern, barely out of college, not the seasoned television producer Teddy Davis had emailed him about.

The one he’d emailed back saying he neither wanted nor needed.

Hair the color of freshly uncorked champagne fell just below her shoulders in a soft cascade of waves and ripples. Even in the heat and humidity engulfing them it looked fresh. Her face was a perfect heart, a tiny dip in the center of the hairline bifurcating her brow into two perfectly aligned sections, her flawless chin falling into a delicate point. She had one hand out to shake his, the other shading her eyes from the strong and harsh afternoon sun, but underneath her fingers he was able to make out a pair of sloe-shaped eyes in a deep, forest green.

Taller than average but small boned, her legs took up most of the lissome body. With her lips held together in a tight line, she reached him.

“I’m Stacy Peters, Mr. Stamp.”

He stopped and planted his feet, his gaze shifting to her outstretched hand and then back up to her face without taking it. Her eyes narrowed into a determined glare and it looked as if she wasn’t going to back down until he shook it. With reluctance, he did.

Like the rest of her, her fingers were narrow and thin as they coiled around his.

A blast of heat instantly warmed and calmed his entire body like a few shots of his favorite Irish whiskey did after a rough and painful day. The subtle aroma of vanilla floated to him, filling his senses with the sweet fragrance. The persistent, throbbing ache in his left leg the liquor helped chase away, was momentarily forgotten with his hand rooted in hers.

As soon as she pressed her fingers firmly against his palm once, she pulled her hand back.

For a split second, Nikko missed the touch.

In the next, he found his anger again.

Buy Links:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=9781516101092
Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cant-stand-the-heat-peggy-jaeger/1126718088?ean=9781516101092&st=AFF&2sid=Kensington%20Publishing%20Corp._8067221_NA&sourceId=AFFKensington%20Publishing%20Corp.
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/can-t-stand-the-heat-8

A bit more about Peggy:

Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance writer who writes 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 topics of daily 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.

A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, she is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.

Where to find her:

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://instagram.com/mmj122687/

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