Friday, January 11, 2019

VBT Christmas & Cannolis by Peggy Jaeger ~ What inspired you to write this story?


It's a virtual tour and there are prizes to be won. What book am I featuring? Christmas and Cannolis by Peggy Jaeger. There's a guest post here, too! But I mentioned prizes. Like? You could win a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Want more chances to win? Then follow the tour. You can do that here: https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2018/09/vbt-christmas-canollis-by-peggy-jaeger.html

Christmas and Cannolis by Peggy Jaeger

With Christmas season in full swing, baker Regina San Valentino is up to her elbows in cake batter and cookie dough. Between running her own business, filling her bursting holiday order book, and managing her crazy Italian family, she’s got no time to relax, no room for more custom cake orders, and no desire to find love. A failed marriage and a personal tragedy have convinced her she’s better off alone. Then a handsome stranger enters her bakery begging for help. Regina can’t find it in her heart to refuse him.

Connor Gilhooly is in a bind. He needs a specialty cake for an upcoming fundraiser and puts himself—and his company’s reputation—in Regina’s capable hands. What he doesn’t plan on is falling for a woman with heartbreak in her eyes or dealing with a wise-guy father and a disapproving family.

Can Regina lay her past to rest and trust the man who’s awoken her heart?



Now for that Post: 

I’ve had 2 San Valentino books published since 2015, 3 WISHES and A KISS UNDER THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. Sonny San Valentino appeared as a minor, yet pivotal secondary character, in both and after A Kiss Under the Christmas Lights was published, I had several readers tell me they wanted me to write Sonny’s story. They loved his old world, wise-guy wanna be ways and wanted to know more about him, his past and the type of woman who could stay married to him for over 50 years.

Sonny not only had to have a strong wife, but a family who could respect him, put up with his charming, con-man ways, and still respect and love him enough that they listened to his advice. Since he has his fingers in so many business pies and has so many connections – both nefarious, and, just this side of legal – he would need to be strong and commanding, yet show vulnerability towards the people he loves the best - his family.

This is the first book I’ve ever written that was reader-pushed. I had no intentions of ever writing any other San Valentino stories after A Kiss Under The Christmas Lights. What’s that old saw? Never say never?

#Truth!

Now for an Excerpt!

I spotted my customer in the seat my mother indicated. His back was toward me, but I could tell he was tall from how much of him shot up from the chair. Since I didn’t know how to address him, I simply said, “Excuse me?” when I finally arrived at the table. I was all set to introduce myself and ask how I could help him, but before the words could form in my throat I was struck mute. Truly. I stopped short, my mouth falling open like unfilled cannoli shells, and no sound came out.

He turned to me at the exact moment a slice of midday November sunlight streamed through the window, landing right on him and surrounding his head in a halo of bright, brilliant light. I wouldn’t have been surprised if a choir of angels started belting out celestial high notes because the guy could have been a charter member of the Messenger of God club.

Facially, he looked a little older than my thirty-two, but not over the forty-year mark yet. Where my hair is the color of wet ink, his was a shock of silver threaded with faint stripes of peppery black above his ears. It looked so thick and touch-worthy, the tips of my fingers were actually tingling to clutch the ends and grab on. Eyes the color of threatening storm clouds—gray and tinged with pale shards of blue—peered up at me, a question pulling at their corners. Eyelashes most women had to pay for framed his lids naturally. His jaw was square, his cheekbones carved from marble by a master sculptor.

But his mouth—Madre di Dio, his mouth. It was about as perfect as two lips meeting in the center of a face could be. Full and thick with that natural rimmed outline women were forced to create with a liner pencil, it was the most kissable mouth I’d ever seen. Tinted the color of aged Barolo—my father’s favorite wine—ripe and smooth, full-bodied and intense, it simply stopped me in my tracks.


About the Author:

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.

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.

In 2017 she came in 3rd in the New England Reader's Choice contest for A KISS UNDER THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS and was a finalist in the 2017 STILETTO contest for the same title.

In 2018, Peggy was a finalist in the HOLT MEDALLION Award and once again in the 2018 Stiletto Contest.

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

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

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

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JF1WQKT/

The Wild Rose Press: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/6235-christmas-and-cannolis.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

10 comments:

peggy jaeger said...

thank you so much for introducing CHRSITMAS & CANNOLIS to your readers and followers.

Goddess Fish Promotions said...

Thanks for hosting!

JENNIFER WILCK said...

But how great that readers wanted more!

peggy jaeger said...

Jennifer - I know, right?! I was stunned and I have to admit very ego inflated!!!!! Thanks for stopping by and for being so supportive!

Karen H said...

Last day of the tour and I have enjoyed reading all of your guest posts and interviews. Lots of great Q&A and POV too. Along with some very nice reviews...makes the tour a fun ride. Thanks for everything and the giveaway too!

peggy jaeger said...

Karen -0 thanks for being such a big tour supporter and for your kind words!!!!

Victoria Alexander said...

I really enjoyed following the tour for Christmas and Cannolis and I'm looking forward to reading it. Thanks for sharing all of the great posts along the way :)

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing!

peggy jaeger said...

Victoria- thank you for your kind words and for being such a supportive tour follower! good luck andhappy reading

peggy jaeger said...

Chelsey - you are very welcome. Happy reading