First Impressions by Peggy Jaeger ~ Presented by Rogue's Angels

Please welcome Peggy Jaeger author of First Impressions.

Peggy Jaeger will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn host.

First Impressions

by Peggy Jaeger

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GENRE:  Contemporary Romance

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INTERVIEW:

1. What or who inspired you to start writing?

            I really don’t have that one defining moment when I consciously started writing. For as long as I can remember I had a diary. Writing was the one thing that was my own, that gave me pleasure in an otherwise crummy childhood. I used to write little snippets about my day, teachers, arguments with my parents, in it. But I soon found myself inventing stories based on people I knew and liked – or didn’t like. I realized at about 7 I enjoyed the stories in my imagination much more than the actual stories of my life and just started expounding on them.

2. What elements are necessary components for this genre?

            Since I write Contemporary Romance, the most important components and elements for a good story here are a likeable and strong hero and heroine and a happily-ever-after-ending – or at least the assumption of one. No one wants to read a romance where everyone dies or leaves one another. If you like that kind of story, read Romeo and Juliet. The characters have to move through emotional growth points, overcome obstacles that could prevent them from being together, and come to realize the other person is their soul mate. Romance is based on faith and hope. Hope you will find the person of your dreams and faith it will all work out in the end. I’d also have to say the timeliness of the setting is important too. Since I write in the here and now it wouldn’t make sense for me to create characters who don’t own laptops, automatic cars, or use email.

3. How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

            The book before this one, THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, told the story of Moira Cleary. Moira has a twin brother, Padric (Pat) and I liked him so much when I was writing him in the first book I wanted to give him his own story and love interest. He’s a very misunderstood man and I wanted to explore his life and his road to his own happily-ever-after.

4. What expertise did you bring to your writing?

            I don’t now if you’d call it expertise but, my heroine is a doctor and a prodigy. I’ve been involved in the health field for over 30 years as a Registered Nurse, I have a Master’s degree in Geriatric Psychology, and I have a wide background in sub-specialties within nursing and health care, so I took a lot of what I know – clinically – for Clarissa Roger’s (my doctor heroine) day-to-day activities, to give an authentic feel to how she interacts as a physician with her patients. Clarissa is in private practice and that’s a very different lifestyle than being involved with a clinic or as a hospital staff physician. It’s like being a business owner when you are in private practice – you are responsible for the day to day operations of the business like payroll, insurance claims, etc, not to mention doing all the doctor care.

6. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

             I just sent off the 4^th book in the series to my editor and have been working on the 5^th. I’m also actively seeking an agent because it’s just getting too hard and time-consuming trying to get book contracts and take my career to the next level. I’d rather just be writing and have someone else – someone more experienced and publishing savvy – do the leg and ground work. SO, if there are any willing-to-read-some-of-my-newest-stuff-not-yet-contracted agents out there reading this, I’m you’re girl! Drop me a line.

7. If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why? 

            Such an easy answer for me: Serena Cleary, Pat’s mom. She is the mom I always dreamed of having and being. Kind, caring, smart, talented, unendingly loyal to her family and those she loves. Plus she’s skinny and has waist length hair! She is always the best sounding board for anyone in the room and lives to see her children happy in their lives. And she’s a great matchmaker, something I would lovelovelove to be. Serena is the mom who always has fresh baked cookies available after school and never minds if the kids get dirty and track it through her house. Since she is an artist, she understands moodiness and is rarely angry with her children. The best punishment for her kids is in seeing her disappointed in them if they do something stupid, dangerous, or hurtful.

8. Can you give us a sneak peak into this book?

            Love to: Family Practice Doctor Clarissa Rogers’ first impression of Padric Cleary is biased and based on gossip. The handsome, charming veterinarian is considered a serial dater and commitment-phobic by his family and most of the town. Relationship shy, Clarissa refuses to lose her heart to a man who can’t pledge himself to her forever.

Pat Cleary, despite his reputation, is actually looking for "The One." When he does give his heart away, he wants it to be for life. With his parent’s marriage as his guidebook, he wants a woman who will be his equal and soul mate in every way. 
 
Can Pat convince everyone – including Clarissa – she’s the only woman for him?

10. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

             I’ve always written, even though I had a family and a full time job. But I never submitted anything because I really wrote just for me. In 2013 I was downsized from my job and found myself with more time than ever to write, so I used it and pumped out my first romance book, SKATER’S WALTZ, in about 2 months. I thought it was pretty decent, and I wanted to know if it really was any good, so I entered a contest. Rhonda Penders, the Publisher of Wild Rose Press was the judge. I won my division and she asked me to submit the manuscript. One year after I entered that contest my book was released and set me on my new path to publication. I have since quit my job – retired from it really – and write full time. If Rhonda Penders hadn’t taken a chance on me as a new and unproven romance writer, I would probably still be looking for agents/editors/publishers to view my work.

11. What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)        Best advice came from an agent who sent me a reply I have framed on my wall near my desk. She was rejecting representing me, but added this; “…you are a wonderful writer and I am sure I am going to see your name on book jackets in the future. Please keep writing and submitting. It only takes one yes for your life to change forever.” I live by those words.

             Worst advice I ever received also came from an agent. Her reply to my query was “don’t give up your day job.” Truth! She really did write this in the letter.

12. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

            I am a diehard plotter and outliner. I have tried just pantsing and it never goes well. I wind up surfing Youtube videos, checking emails and hanging out on facebook for hours on end. I need structure. Maybe it is the old Nurse in me, but I do well when I have ordered tasks to complete and a deadline in which to accomplish them. Plotting serves this purpose perfectly because I always know where I am going. Now, do I get detoured sometimes by plot holes or character changes? Of course. But once I have the idea, the major plotting of it guides my writing until I can type THE END on the last page.

13. How do you maintain your creativity?

            Without sounding conceited – and it’s hard not to when answering this – but I have more stories swimming around in my head than I could ever have time to write down! I think growing up as an only child and living in a solitary fantasy world helps to this day. I never worry about not having enough stories to tell, it’s more I don’t have enough time to tell them. For me character always comes first. Moira and Pat came to me, fully formed, in a dream. Once I realized they were twins, foils, and fun, I started writing their stories.

14. Who is your favorite character in the book. Can you tell us why?

             Gosh. I know now what it feels like now when someone asks which of your kids do you love best! LOL. I would have to say my favorite is Pat Cleary. He is so misunderstood by people- including his twin sister - that it’s laughable to me at times. This poor guy is known as a player just because he’s dated a lot of girls. People think he’s just out for a good time and has a use em’ and then lose em’ personality. What no one realizes is that Pat is truly looking for the one woman he can commit to for life. He wants his own happily-ever-after and realizes that old adage you’ve got to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince, applies to men as well as girls. He is a very confident man but when he’s around Clarissa, his ego – as he tells her often – suffers badly. She is the first woman who hasn’t thrown herself on the Pat alter-of-devotion, and he is truly befuddled because she’s the first woman he’s ever been able to actually envision a future with.

15. Are your plotting bunnies angels or demons? Angels – always! Beautiful cherubic, and giving – thank God! But with just a titch of devilry in their baby blues.


Thanks the Angels

BLURB:

Family Practice Doctor Clarissa Rogers’ first impression of Padric Cleary is biased and based on gossip. The handsome, charming veterinarian is considered a serial dater and commitment-phobic by his family and most of the town. Relationship shy, Clarissa refuses to lose her heart to a man who can’t pledge himself to her forever.

Pat Cleary, despite his reputation, is actually looking for "The One." When he does give his heart away, he wants it to be for life. With his parent’s marriage as his guidebook, he wants a woman who will be his equal and soul mate in every way.

Can Pat convince everyone – including Clarissa – she’s the only woman for him?

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EXCERPT:

Have you ever been friends with a girl before?” she finally asked. “Friends?”

“Yes. Friends.”

“Have a beer and shoot some pool friends? Or the kind with benefits?”

She laughed out loud, shook her head and grinned. “Have you ever been friends with a girl without having sex mixed into the equation?”

“Not since I was sixteen,” he admitted and then felt his neck heat. “Why?”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance author who writes about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can't live without them.

Her current titles, available now, include SKATER'S WALTZ and THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, books 1 and 2 in her 6-book The MacQuire Women Series, published by The Wild Rose Press.

Tying into her love of families, her children's book, THE KINDNESS TALES, was illustrated by her artist mother-in-law.

Peggy holds a master's degree in Nursing Administration and first found publication with several articles she authored on Alzheimer's Disease during her time running an Alzheimer's in-patient care unit during the 1990s.

In 2013, she placed first in two categories in the Dixie Kane Memorial Contest: Single Title Contemporary Romance and Short/Long Contemporary Romance.

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

Website/Blog: http://peggyjaeger.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/peggy_jaeger

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

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

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

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Peggy Jaeger will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn host.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f1283