Rising Star Spotlight: Peggy Jaeger

You were originally in Nursing Administration - So, what exactly started you on your path to becoming an author?
 I’ve been a life-long diarist ever since I was given my first lock-and-key diary when I was 8 years old. I filled that little pink book up in about 8 weeks – not with meanderings about my daily life, but with stories about a girl who went on adventures, had a big family and lots of friends, and discovered new and exciting people and places everyday. In high school I was a big short story writer and my English teachers at the time told me I had a good ear for dialogue and should pursue some type of writing in my future, maybe screen writing because of my ability to “hear” the nuances of people’s voice. But I’d always wanted to be a nurse. The idea of helping people who were sick, dying, or lonely was a deep-rooted dream in my heart. So, I went to nursing school and got my BSN.  As a requirement for my Masters’ degree a few years later I had to write a thesis, so even though I was in Nursing I was using my writing skills. Flash forward several years. I wrote nursing trade articles for magazines, got married, had a daughter and started writing articles for local newspapers and periodicals on raising an only child. So you can see, even though my path didn’t lead straight to a writing career from that young 8 year old, after a few twists and turns it eventually got there! In 2014 I was going through the worse menopause Mother Nature ever bestowed on a female and was up all night sweating and hot-flashing. I don’t think I slept more than one hour a night for three years running. To pass the time, I could have become a Home Shopping Network-aholic, but I started writing a story that had been swimming around in my head for a while about an ice-skater instead. Three months later I had a manuscript but didn’t know if it was any good, so I entered a contest hoping for feedback. I needed someone to tell me the story had merit or that it was crap. Cinderella stories are relevant for a reason, because I won my division and the judge who read and rated it was the publisher of a writing press. She requested it be sent to one of her editors. One year later I had my first book published by the Wild Rose Press, SKATER’S WALTZ. Now I write full time and I’ve never been happier! A twisty, winding road to be sure, but one that got me to my ultimate destination!
What drew you to the genre of contemporary romance?
 I’m a live-in-the-here-and-now type of girl. While I lovelovelove to read Regency romances, I knew I didn’t have the knowledge needed to get the time period right on the page- and let’s be honest: historical readers are detail oriented and will let you know when you got something wrong! My ego can’t take that kind of pressure. I love the time we are living in right now, even with all the craziness of politics and the horrible things going on around the world, I feel the present time is my time. So, it made sense that was the genre I chose to write in. Plus, in a contemporary you have so many subgenres to choose from: RomCom, small town, military, suspense, paranormal. I love that.

Read the entire interview in the March 2019 issue of InD'Tale magazine.

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