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Judith Sterling

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Judith Sterling

Tag Archives: women’s fiction

A New Release by Peggy Jaeger ~ A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: AIDEN

03 Friday Sep 2021

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 13 Comments

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A Pride of Brothers: Aiden, contemporary romance, military dogs, NYC romance, Peggy Jaeger, romantic suspense, service dogs, women's fiction

I’m excited to welcome back Peggy Jaeger! Her upcoming release is the second book in the series A Pride of Brothers, and this time, Aiden Keane is the hero. His service dog also has a leading role in the story, and Peggy’s here to tell us all about her. Take it away, Peggy!

One of the main characters in A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: AIDEN is Bronte, Aiden’s service dog, a female chocolate Labrador who is more his best friend than anything else.

I wrote APOB:A in late 2019, early 2020 and did a great deal of research on training dogs, especially dogs trained as service animals and as military dogs. I knew that with Aiden’s issues, there may be some times he was too weak to speak, so when I read that the US Army requires their dogs to learn commands with a verbal cue, as well as a visual cue, such as a hand signal, I knew I needed Bronte and Aiden to communicate this way as well. It just makes sense.

The training that dogs go through when they serve in the military is intense. They train with their handles daily, for a minimum of 30 minutes at a time. This not only fosters obedience and recognition, but bonding as well. These dogs would – and do – give their lives over for their partners, just like any soldier would to a fellow comrade in arms.

Now, as serendipity would have it, in September of 2020, my husband and I adopted an 8-week-old chocolate lab we named Maple, since we live in New Hampshire. I trained Maple using verbal and nonverbal cues just like those military dogs. She’s up to about 30 commands now and I think it’s easier for her to remember the nonverbal hand gestures than it is for me!

More about Aiden’s story:

Lexi Buckley wants answers about her younger sister’s death. The police have labeled it a suicide, but Lexi doesn’t believe it. Stymied in her investigation, she doesn’t know where to turn next. After a chance encounter with a private investigator, she thinks her prayers have been answered.

Aiden Keane has never been an answer to a prayer before, but he agrees to help Lexi. A quirky combo of brains and beauty, the pixie blonde makes him feel things no professional ever should for a client.

When their investigation puts Lexi’s life in jeopardy, her safety becomes his number one priority. The hard part is not falling for her.

A peek between the pages:

Were you close with your sister?” Aiden asked.

Not the way we should have been. Not at the end.

“We had a sizable age difference between us. Almost ten years. I was the big sis. The oldest.” Her lips trembled when she pulled them into a sad line. Rolling her eyes she added, “The bossy one, according to her. She was the baby and took full advantage of her status from the moment she realized it.”

“And rightly so.” The corners of his eyes crinkled. “I’m the youngest of my brothers and I can tell you with one hundred percent honesty, my oldest brother is the bossiest one of us. I think it comes with birth order. Although he takes his so called right uber-seriously. Especially at work.”

This time her grin was steadier.  “What kind of business do you all own together?”

“We run a private security company.”

“Security?”

“Personal bodyguards, if a client needs protection from something. Background checks for employers. Mostly we do investigations.”

“What, like private eyes? Like on television?”

He laughed. “Nothing so glamorous. The fast cars and hot babes are all fantasy. It’s a lot of boring research, computer work, and surveillance, but yeah, you could say I’m a private eye.”

Lexi’s entire mood turned on his words. The sorrow flew, the hurt dissolved. Even her nervous trivia-speak went dormant. She sat bolt upright, her knees bumping against the tabletop when she shifted. Excitement shot from her system as she turned her body, placed a hand across his forearm and declared, “Oh, my God. You’re the answer to my prayers.”

Buy the book!

More about Peggy:

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??!”

Where to find her:

Website | Twitter | Amazon | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Instagram | BookBub | YouTube

Thanks so much for joining us today, Peggy. Wishing you great success with the new book!

FREE AUDIOBOOKS!

03 Saturday Oct 2020

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

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Benjamin Fife, Bill & Mia Belew, Charity Bradford, coming of age, Emily Heebner, free audiobooks, Guardians of Erin, Halloween read, Jean M. Grant, Judith Sterling, Laura Heffernan, listen and review, new adult romance, Seneca Lake, Shereen Vedam, Story Origin, The Cauldron Stirred, Uvi Poznansky, women's fiction, YA paranormal fantasy, YA series, young adult

What’s better than audiobooks? Free audiobooks! I’ve teamed up with several authors in a month-long event on Story Origin, featuring the following genres: young adult, women’s fiction, coming of age, and new adult. All of the audiobooks in this promo–including The Cauldron Stirred, the first book in my YA paranormal fantasy series, Guardians of Erin–are FREE for listeners willing to review.

I have US and UK audio codes to give away, so don’t be shy about requesting a copy!

This event will run through October 31. (Halloween, my favorite holiday!) Coincidentally, the climax in The Cauldron Stirred takes place on Halloween, so it may just be the “listen” you’ve been looking for to put you in a magical mood. Here’s a little about the story:

Ashling Donoghue never dreamed moving to Ireland would rock her perception of reality and plunge her into a mystery that brings legend to life.

At seventeen, she’s never had a boyfriend, but she feels an immediate connection to Aengus Breasal, the son of the wealthy Irishman who’s invited her family to stay at his Killarney estate. For the first time in her life, a guy she likes seems attracted to her.

But Aengus is secretive, with good reason. He and his family are the Tuatha Dé Danann, ageless, mythical guardians adept at shifting between this reality and the magical dimension known as the Otherworld. Evil forces from that world threaten the Breasals, the Donoghues, and all of Ireland. Ashling must open her heart, face her fears, and embrace a destiny greater than she could ever have imagined.

Request it and/or other titles you’d like to review on Story Origin (free account needed) by following this link.

Happy listening, and have a great weekend!  🙂

MIDDLE AGEISH by Shirley Goldberg

24 Thursday Sep 2020

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Judith Sterling, Middle Ageish, online dating, romantic comedy, Shirley Goldberg, The Wild Rose Press, women's fiction

Please welcome Shirley Goldberg! She’s a sister Rose (published by The Wild Rose Press) and here to talk about her recent release, Middle Ageish. Let’s see what she has to say…

Tell us something about yourself.

When I was in my teens all I wanted to do was travel. At nineteen, my best friend and I quit university and went to Ireland.

We hitchhiked all around the country, me with a suitcase as big as a sheep. (I ended up sending most of the clothes I’d brought back home.) A sweet couple put us up in their barn for the night and served us a four-course breakfast in the morning.

They would have given us a room, but my friend, Elise, wanted to sleep in a real barn. We hitched all around Europe and ended up meeting a group of travelers at the Youth Hostel in Rome, continued on to Greece with them. We’re still in touch to this day.

Funny that I ended up marrying a Greek physics professor and living in Crete for eleven years.  

Why did you choose the cover concept you did for Middle Ageish?

My novel is romantic women’s fiction. Since the title of the book, Middle Ageish, immediately tells the reader the characters are older, I wanted a cover that conveyed the idea of a rom com for the over-45 reader. A fun, beachy read, but with the real life problems that come with life experience.

Who would you recommend this book to and what should readers be aware of before reading it?

Here’s what a reader said about my book in a review:

“In the beginning I thought, ‘I’m not sure this book is for me. I’ve been married for 50 years.’ I quickly changed my mind. I loved the book.”

My readers are probably in their forties and older, married or divorced and looking for a light read––although there’s some heartbreak and angst in the novel. The heat level is low and the door closes when it ratchets up.

Also, since the book centers around online dating it will appeal to anyone who’s dated online, or is curious about it. If you’d like to read more how-tos about dating, check out my website link below.

And, if you think Sunny’s dating escapades are exaggerated, ask your friends who’ve dated. They’ll give you the real scoop––just as it plays out in the story. 

Relationships are what our books are all about, all different kinds of relationships. What interests you about how people find one another?

Everything about relationships fascinates me, from the meeting and greeting aspect to the reasons couples break up. The book grew out of my own dating experiences, but I needed time and perspective before I began writing. I worked my way gradually from taking notes after dates to transferring the notes to the computer in story form.

And I compared notes with friends, usually over a glass of wine. Our experiences had so many similarities, I began to see a pattern. Everyone wants a special someone. No matter what we say to the contrary, the craving for the one person who understands you is universally important to almost everyone on the planet. 

What defines you as an author?

I want to make my reader laugh. I want her to recognize a little bit of herself in my characters.

It’s been a pleasure having you here, Shirley! Middle Ageish sounds like a wonderful, fun read.

And now, a peek between the pages:

An email from Noah, the guy who lived on Long Island, slid into my inbox. What was I doing meeting some far away guy? What if we hit it off? New Haven to Long Island. A ridiculous commute.

A little thump, thump warning from my chest, an adrenalin rush. Don’t get carried away here. No expectations. We were meeting, only if I liked his phone persona.

Meeting. Nothing more.

I skimmed the email, smiling like an idiot.

To: Sunny

From: Noah

May I please have your most honuorable presence to enlarge by far the companionment of my pleasurelyness on Saturday the eighth of December MCMXXVVIIMZQX at 1030 hrs under the auspiciscisable weather conditions of shine or no shine or falling snow or sleat yes, even that for the purpose of our ffffirst date in the way of a nice slow freaky amble on the Canal in the Towne of Hamden and of my dreams. Boat optional.

My warmest thoughts, hopes

Respect. Fully. Noah

Ps. May I call you? Please.

I emailed my phone number and sat on my bed waiting for the phone to ring. All I could think of was Luke, the day we emailed back and forth until he said I can’t stand it anymore, and I’d sent him my phone number.

Well, Noah wasn’t Luke.

The phone rang.

“Hello.”

“Hello, this is Noah—your blind date.”

“Aren’t we being polite?”

“Yes, should we be something else?”

“Well, I’m nervous, and you claim to be shy.” I picked at my toenail polish.

“You don’t believe I’m shy?”

“No, I don’t. You’re definitely not shy in email.”

“No. But I have the chance to think about what I’m writing.”

“Yes, that’s an advantage.” This guy has a great voice. I wonder if he knows it. “But it can be a problem because then you have to live up to your email potential.”

Plus, he was fun to tease.

“My email potential?” He sounded worried. “Now you’ve got me scared. Running scared.”

“So,” I said, “should we walk and then meet?”

He laughed, a friendly, reassuring laugh. “I liked it when you said that. Made fun of you, too. Did I get you mad?”

“Absolutely. Did I make you jealous when I went on that Harley date?”

“Definitely.”

“Is that why you wanted to meet me?” I asked.

“I wanted to meet you from the beginning.”

“What beginning?” This is fun.

“Oh, I think it was when you called me “honey” in your email.”

“You liked that?”

“I did,” he said. “It sorta broke the ice.”

“Oh. You have a New York accent. I hear something there, especially when you say “becawze.”

“That’s because I live in New York and grew up there, too.”

“Of course.”

“So, let me tell you something, but I don’t want to scare you.”

“You’re scaring me. Do you have a record or something?”

What a waste. That’s all I could think. All those lovely emails, the funny French and Italian translations, the great voice. The man was hiding something.

“No, it’s not that kind of scared.” His voice became faint, as if he’d turned his head away.

“Just say it then.”

A long pause before he spoke. “I was thinking, just in case we fall madly in love, well, I rented a room there.”

“Where?”

“There.”

“Here?” I said, bewildered.

“Holy crap, yes. There. Look, I thought if we hit it off, I could stay over and see you tomorrow. That’s my idea.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? Is that all?” He sounded genuinely hurt.

“Well, I feel pressured, and I haven’t even met you.”

“Don’t feel pressured.”

“OK.” And after a long pause I told him I felt pressured.

“Forget it. It was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Yes, you should have.”  He shouldn’t have.

Buy the book:

Amazon | Apple | B & N | Google | Kobo

A little more about Shirley:

Shirley Goldberg is a writer, novelist, and former ESL and French teacher who’s lived in Paris, Crete, and Casablanca. She writes about men and women of a certain age starting over. Her website http://midagedating.com offers a humorous look at living single and dating in mid life, and her friends like to guess which stories are true.  Middle Ageish is her first book in the series Starting Over. Her character believes you should never leave home without your sense of humor and Shirley agrees.

Visit her website for another excerpt from the book. Sign up and grab a copy of Happy Hour, a short story about an online meet and a tiny misunderstanding. 

Find her here:

Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon

 

WILL RISE FROM ASHES by Jean M. Grant

07 Tuesday Apr 2020

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

audiobook, Jean M. Grant, Judith Sterling, New England authors, new release, The Wild Rose Press, Will Rise from Ashes, women's fiction, Yellowstone National Park

Author Jean M. Grant–one of my sister Roses (published by The Wild Rose Press)–has a new audio book out: Will Rise from Ashes, narrated by Caroline Hewitt and Andrew Perkins.  Congratulations, Jean!

If you enjoy women’s fiction, check it out.  Here’s a little about the story:

Living is more than mere survival.

Young widow AJ Sinclair has persevered through much heartache. Has she met her match when the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, leaving her separated from her youngest son and her brother? Tens of thousands are dead or missing in a swath of massive destruction. She and her nine-year-old autistic son, Will, embark on a risky road trip from Maine to the epicenter to find her family. She can’t lose another loved one.

Along the way, they meet Reid Gregory, who travels his own road to perdition looking for his sister. Drawn together by AJ’s fear of driving and Reid’s military and local expertise, their journey to Colorado is fraught with the chaotic aftermath of the eruption. AJ’s anxiety and faith in humanity are put to the test as she heals her past, accepts her family’s present, and embraces uncertainty as Will and Reid show her a world she had almost forgotten.

Where to buy the audio book:

Audible ~ Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ Google books

What Jean has to say about the book and some fun facts about Yellowstone National Park:

Yellowstone is a scientist’s Disneyworld. My background is in microbiology, immunology, and marine science, but our family loves all things geology and natural wonders. Research for this book was hands-on.

How about a few fun facts?

  1. It became the first National Park in 1872. Over 5 million people visit it annually.
  2. Yellowstone is a hydrothermal wonderland with over 10,000 hydrothermal features: geysers, hot springs, mudpots, steam vents, and over 500 geysers.
  3. The park is the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined, covering 2.2 million acres.
  4. Yellowstone is a supervolcano. Two massive magma bodies bubble beneath the park.
  5. There are over 20 supervolcanoes across the globe, Yellowstone being one of them.
  6. The park is not all geology wonderland…there are hundreds of unique bird, fish, and mammal species in this gem in northwest Wyoming. Some signatures: bears (black and brown/Grizzly), bison, and wolves. Because of extensive programs, endangered species now flourish in the park.
  7. Old Faithful has been very faithful, erupting approximately every 90 minutes.
  8. Sadly, human trash and pollution has caused many of the vibrant hot pools to lose their color over the years. However, Yellowstone has created innovated programs to manage waste and human impact.
  9. Yellowstone has had 3 [2 of them being “supervolcanic”] caldera-forming eruptions over the past 3 million years (2.1 million, 1.3 million, and 640,000 years ago, respectively). Will it erupt again? Yes. Soon, like tomorrow? Not likely. The last eruption: 174,000 years ago, with 60 smaller ones since.
  10. The VEI scale measures explosivity of volcanoes and runs from 0 to 8.
  11. Be safe and read danger signs! To date over 92 people have died in the park, mostly from falling into burning hot springs, off ledges, or tempting fate with a bison.

More about Jean:

Jean’s background is in science and she draws from her interests in history, nature, and her family for inspiration. She writes historical and contemporary romances and women’s fiction. She also writes articles for family-oriented travel magazines and websites. When she’s not writing or chasing children, she enjoys tending to her flower gardens, hiking, and doing just about anything in the outdoors.

Where to find her:

Website ~ Twitter  ~ Facebook ~  Goodreads ~ Bookbub ~ Amazon Author Page ~  The Wild Rose Press ~ Instagram

Best of luck with the audio book, Jean!

Be Mine Bookish Giveaway ~ N. N. Light’s Book Heaven

03 Monday Feb 2020

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

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#bookish, author swag, Be Mine Bookish Giveaway, fantasy, free books, Guardians of Erin, Judith Sterling, literary giveaway, N. N. Light's Book Heaven, romance, suspense, The Cauldron Stirred, Valentine's Day, women's fiction, YA paranormal fantasy

Many people think of hearts and flowers when Valentine’s Day approaches. I say, give me books and I’ll be your forever sweetheart! I’ve teamed up with several authors to bring you the sweetest giveaway filled with all your favorite things: books. We’re giving away autographed print copies, digital books, and swag. It’s heavy on the romance, but you’ll also find women’s fiction, suspense, and fantasy.  You could even win The Cauldron Stirred, the first book in my Guardians of Erin YA series, which has romance, suspense, fantasy, and all things paranormal.

We want you to be our valentine. Say yes by entering to win below. If there’s a particular book or prize you’d like to win, be sure to say which one when you enter via Rafflecopter. Enter below and good luck!

Be Mine Bookish Giveaway

Literary Giveaway Portal

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