Peggy Bird's Blog - Posts Tagged "romance"
Tony and Margo are live!
The third book in my Second Chances series was released as an ebook on Monday. It's odd that this book ended up as #3--it was the first book I wrote about four years ago when a couple high school classmates of mine started talking about a reunion coming up.
Now, I'm not a big reunion goer. I live 3,000 miles away from where I went to high school and haven't kept in touch with anyone there. (Well, until Facebook, when three of my old yearbook mates friended me.) I went to college off and on for over a decade, here in Portland, while I was working, married and raising a daughter so I don't have people ties at my college, either.
But I got to thinking about stories I'd heard from women friends who'd gone to a reunion and seen an old boyfriend. I started making up stories about what could happen when you saw someone you'd once loved or had a crush on. When Tony and Margo appeared in those stories, I started to write about them.
It didn't work. The first, second, third tries--I'm embarrassed to say how many drafts I went through, actually--were not good. I finally put it away and moved on to Sam and Amanda ("Loving Again" which is also out as an ebook) and a novella--Liz and Collins story, "Beginning Again," which is out both as an ebook and in paperback.
The novella got picked up first for publication which meant some changes in Sam and Amanda's story. After that, I did a total rewrite of "Together Again."
But I'm finally satisfied. It's a story I love because I got to write about both my birthplace--Philly--and my long-time home, Portland. And Tony and Margo are satisfied, too. I gave them their happily-ever-after so they're completely out of my system.
Well, they might be a minor part of another story. You never know. After all, Tony is a hot guy and I did like spending time writing about him.
Now, I'm not a big reunion goer. I live 3,000 miles away from where I went to high school and haven't kept in touch with anyone there. (Well, until Facebook, when three of my old yearbook mates friended me.) I went to college off and on for over a decade, here in Portland, while I was working, married and raising a daughter so I don't have people ties at my college, either.
But I got to thinking about stories I'd heard from women friends who'd gone to a reunion and seen an old boyfriend. I started making up stories about what could happen when you saw someone you'd once loved or had a crush on. When Tony and Margo appeared in those stories, I started to write about them.
It didn't work. The first, second, third tries--I'm embarrassed to say how many drafts I went through, actually--were not good. I finally put it away and moved on to Sam and Amanda ("Loving Again" which is also out as an ebook) and a novella--Liz and Collins story, "Beginning Again," which is out both as an ebook and in paperback.
The novella got picked up first for publication which meant some changes in Sam and Amanda's story. After that, I did a total rewrite of "Together Again."
But I'm finally satisfied. It's a story I love because I got to write about both my birthplace--Philly--and my long-time home, Portland. And Tony and Margo are satisfied, too. I gave them their happily-ever-after so they're completely out of my system.
Well, they might be a minor part of another story. You never know. After all, Tony is a hot guy and I did like spending time writing about him.
And Here Comes Number Four
I'm so excited--this June will mark the year birthday of my publisher Crimson Romance and the year anniversary of the release of the first book in my Second Chances series.
June will also bring the release of "Trusting Again," book #4 in the series. On the 3rd, the story of Marius and Cynthia's romance will hit the ebook shelves.
This story takes place mostly in Seattle and is a straightforward romance--unlike the last two books, the only bodies here belong to the couple in love, Not one dead person shows up. But it's still a story with a few plot twists before they get to their happily-ever-after.
Marius is a handsome, successful coffee broker. Cynthia is a high-end jewelry designer. She's been burned by a man a lot like Marius. He's not looking for a long-term relationship. Of course, they have an immediate attraction. And over several cups of good coffee and on a romantic sailing trip among the San Juan Islands northwest of Seattle, he convinces her he's not like her ex.
Then he goes away on an extended business trip. Just before he returns, Cynthia gets shocking news. She runs to Portland to talk to her best friend and gets another shock--Marius isn't where he said he was. He's in Portland, with another woman.
He has to use all his charm to get this sorted out.
June will also bring the release of "Trusting Again," book #4 in the series. On the 3rd, the story of Marius and Cynthia's romance will hit the ebook shelves.
This story takes place mostly in Seattle and is a straightforward romance--unlike the last two books, the only bodies here belong to the couple in love, Not one dead person shows up. But it's still a story with a few plot twists before they get to their happily-ever-after.
Marius is a handsome, successful coffee broker. Cynthia is a high-end jewelry designer. She's been burned by a man a lot like Marius. He's not looking for a long-term relationship. Of course, they have an immediate attraction. And over several cups of good coffee and on a romantic sailing trip among the San Juan Islands northwest of Seattle, he convinces her he's not like her ex.
Then he goes away on an extended business trip. Just before he returns, Cynthia gets shocking news. She runs to Portland to talk to her best friend and gets another shock--Marius isn't where he said he was. He's in Portland, with another woman.
He has to use all his charm to get this sorted out.
Number Five is Live!
"Believing Again," book number five in the Second Chances series, is out today. It's the story of Detective Danny Hartmann who loves and lives through her job. Until she meets Jake Abrams, a thoracic surgeon with a few demons from his service in the National Guard in Iraq. The chemistry is immediate. But can Danny let her guard down long enough to allow Jake to reach her? And will Jake's past interfere with his future with Danny?
The end is in sight. So's the beginning.
"Falling Again," the sixth and final book in the Second Chances series, will be released on Monday, January 27th. I'm sad to let go of the characters--the people--I have lived with for years now. But they've had their happy endings and now it's time for me to move on.
That means the next series, Holiday for Romance. The first one will be released in mid-June and you can be sure I'll be shouting it from the rooftops when the time gets closer.
Meanwhile, here's the blurb for "Falling Again," the story of Nick and Fiona.
Fiona McCarthy, an investigative reporter for Portland’s alternative newspaper, is following a hot story. Rumor has it that a white supremacist group, financed by the deep pockets of a local businessman, has moved into Portland. In Washington, DC to attend a wedding, she wants to find out if her connections on Capitol Hill can give her some leads to follow.
Nick St. Claire is an internationally known photojournalist. He’s also the “baby brother” of Fiona’s good friend, Amanda who describes her brother as a “love-‘em-and leave-‘em when a good assignment comes along” kind of guy. But Nick was intrigued by Fiona when he met her at his sister’s house, so when he runs into her on his home turf in DC, he decides it’s time to get to know her better.
Flattered by his attention, Fiona goes to dinner with him. One dinner turns into a week of evenings in his favorite restaurants and nights in his bed. But after she returns home, she doesn’t hear from him. Is he on assignment or has he forgotten her?
She writes Nick off as a vacation fling and buries herself in her story. Until he arrives in Portland for what he says will be an extended stay while he works on two assignments. Everything seems headed for happily-ever-after until her story and his assignment intersect in a mysterious cabin in the Mt. Hood National Forest.
Can their feelings for each other survive her need to get the story and his to frame the perfect shot? Or will the bad guys ruin not only the peace of laid-back Portland but Fiona and Nick's chance for happily-ever-after?
That means the next series, Holiday for Romance. The first one will be released in mid-June and you can be sure I'll be shouting it from the rooftops when the time gets closer.
Meanwhile, here's the blurb for "Falling Again," the story of Nick and Fiona.
Fiona McCarthy, an investigative reporter for Portland’s alternative newspaper, is following a hot story. Rumor has it that a white supremacist group, financed by the deep pockets of a local businessman, has moved into Portland. In Washington, DC to attend a wedding, she wants to find out if her connections on Capitol Hill can give her some leads to follow.
Nick St. Claire is an internationally known photojournalist. He’s also the “baby brother” of Fiona’s good friend, Amanda who describes her brother as a “love-‘em-and leave-‘em when a good assignment comes along” kind of guy. But Nick was intrigued by Fiona when he met her at his sister’s house, so when he runs into her on his home turf in DC, he decides it’s time to get to know her better.
Flattered by his attention, Fiona goes to dinner with him. One dinner turns into a week of evenings in his favorite restaurants and nights in his bed. But after she returns home, she doesn’t hear from him. Is he on assignment or has he forgotten her?
She writes Nick off as a vacation fling and buries herself in her story. Until he arrives in Portland for what he says will be an extended stay while he works on two assignments. Everything seems headed for happily-ever-after until her story and his assignment intersect in a mysterious cabin in the Mt. Hood National Forest.
Can their feelings for each other survive her need to get the story and his to frame the perfect shot? Or will the bad guys ruin not only the peace of laid-back Portland but Fiona and Nick's chance for happily-ever-after?
Time to Celebrate
Starting anything new is exciting. And beginning a new series of stories is, for a writer, about as good as it gets. So, you can imagine how over the moon I am about the release of the first book in my new series, A Holiday For Romance. "Sparked By Love," which ends with spectacular fireworks (of many kinds) on July Fourth, will be released by Crimson Romance on June 16th.
This story takes place in my hometown, Vancouver, Washington, where we have a huge fireworks display every Independence Day. That inspired me as well as the hero of the book--Leo Wilson is a glass blower who is awarded a grant to create glass fireworks to display at the event. Along the way he meets Shannon Morgan. The fireworks they create between them rival both the art Leo creates and the pyrotechnics the city of Vancouver puts on in July.
I hope you'll join Leo, Shannon and me in making the summer a little hotter and a lot more fun with "Sparked By Love."
This story takes place in my hometown, Vancouver, Washington, where we have a huge fireworks display every Independence Day. That inspired me as well as the hero of the book--Leo Wilson is a glass blower who is awarded a grant to create glass fireworks to display at the event. Along the way he meets Shannon Morgan. The fireworks they create between them rival both the art Leo creates and the pyrotechnics the city of Vancouver puts on in July.
I hope you'll join Leo, Shannon and me in making the summer a little hotter and a lot more fun with "Sparked By Love."
Bundles of Good News
It's an exciting summer for me. First up, the release on June 16th of the first book in my new Holiday for Romance series. "Sparked By Love" takes place in my hometown, Vancouver, Washington, around the big Independence Day celebration. It's the story of Leo Wilson, a glassblower with an important art installation to get organized for the Fourth, and Shannon Morgan, the woman who can make or break his big chance.
Then in July Modern Love, a bundle of ten ebooks from my publisher Crimson Romance, will be released. It includes "Beginning Again," the book that started this whole crazy ride two years ago, as well as nine other wonderful love stories from some amazing authors. It's a summer of love for only 99 cents!! Check out the Crimson Romance website for more information.
Stock up for your beach/hammock/deck or patio reading this summer. It'll be fun!
Then in July Modern Love, a bundle of ten ebooks from my publisher Crimson Romance, will be released. It includes "Beginning Again," the book that started this whole crazy ride two years ago, as well as nine other wonderful love stories from some amazing authors. It's a summer of love for only 99 cents!! Check out the Crimson Romance website for more information.
Stock up for your beach/hammock/deck or patio reading this summer. It'll be fun!
