Cathy Pegau

Nov 15, 2024: It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? Sorry for the delay in….everything. I wish I could say there was a reason, but alas. Will try to do better 🙂

May20, 2024: Blood Remains is out now! Find it wherever you get your favorite books! And thanks for reading 🙂

April 29, 2024: Happy Spring! Finally! Yes, we seem to be past the “Could that be snow?” concerns here, though I have learned to never say never.

BLOOD REMAINS drops in about 2 weeks! Want to read the first chapter? Of course you do! 

And hey! There’s a giveaway over at GoodReads through May 11! Three signed physical copies are up for grabs, plus I have a little fun thing I’ll toss in for each winner 😁

March 1, 2024: It’s getting closer to spring, but we aren’t *quite* there yet. But things are a-happening! I have a new book coming out with Bywater Books in May! BLOOD REMAINS is a historical paranormal Sapphic romance set in 1932 Seattle with a blood mage and a gangster. I’ll add to the book page soon, but here’s the fabulous cover:

And more great news! My amazing agent Natalie Lakosil landed a deal with Minotaur Books for a historical cozy(ish) mystery with queer lady characters! A MURDEROUS BUSINESS will release in July 2025!

I’ll try to be better about updates, but you know me ;P

Jan. 15, 2024: Happy New Year! Things are happening. Including some website weirdness? Oy. Stay tuned!

Oct. 31, 2023: A loooong wet summer of fishiness and bears. Luckily, all the bears got was a sleeve of frozen bagels and a case of sports drink. Yeah. Anyhoo…Working on edits for a new book coming out in May (more on that as we get closer) and will announce another bit of news when it is official 🙂 Hope you’re having a great fall!

May 22, 2023: Looks like I’m checking in every couple of months ;P Not terrible. Working on edits for a historical set in 1930s Seattle with a lady gangster and a blood mage. Should be out late 2023/early 2024 if I get my arse in gear. Otherwise, all is humming along. Hope things are well with you!

March 5, 2023: Happy almost spring! Though not by the temperature outside my door. Eventually. Probably.

January 6, 2023: Happy New Year! I hope 2023 brings you love, peace, and joy!

October 10, 2022: Much has happened in the last few months on a personal level, if not on an authorly one. Youngest graduated from college and moved on to grad school, much travel, and a bout of COVID. Luckily, having been vaxed and boostered, my symptoms are relatively minor.

On the writing front, I turned in another historical paranormal and will let you know what happens. No demons this time. There is a blood mage and a lady gangster, however. But my big focus is on finishing edits on a historical cozy mystery. Two female leads. No romance between them. Definitely queerness, however 😉

On that note, off to do that thing I should do. Ciao for now, friends!

July 30, 2022: Busy summer has been busy. Didn’t get the short out as I was hoping, but maybe this fall. Hope everyone is doing well 🙂

March 18, 2022: Spring is nearly upon us! Two stories are in the works, and I hope to have a short out sooner rather than later. We’ll see. Meanwhile, The Demon Equilibrium  and my entire backlist is out there for your enjoyment 😉

December 21, 2021: Happy Solstice, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!

November 10, 2021: The Demon Equilibrium has been out for a week and folks seem to be digging it!

“Action, drama, demon-slaying, love and magic. What’s not to love?” ~Corrie, Lez Review Books

“The Demon Equilibrium is an exciting and entertaining book which is sure to please all those who crack open the spine.” ~Della B., on GoodReads

“…a story that is well-paced and doesn’t waste its words.” ~Julie, on GoodReads and Amazon

Thanks to all who have read/are reading!

November 2, 2021: Woo hoo! It’s release day!!!! The Demon Equilibrium is available everywhere! Well, pretty much everywhere. Grab a copy and let me know what you thing ; )

October 4, 2021: The summer was busy busy busy! Hence the absolute lack of updates. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! But things have slowed, my seasonal gig is up in a few weeks, and The Demon Equilibrium comes out in less than a month!!!!  Yep, November 2 is the everywhere drop date! And in case you forgot what the GORGEOUS cover looks like:

Pop on over to Bywater Books or Amazon or wherever you pick up your reads to pre-order 🙂

June 6, 2021: Happy Pride Month, friends! Things are hopping all over, and my seasonal gig started back up last month. Lots going on! But better busy than bored. OK, I like a little boredom now and again. Gives me a reason to read or nap. Or both.

February 15, 2021: Busy busy! Lots happening on The Demon Equilibrium. You don’t want to know about the nitty gritty of edits (they’re going well, actually) but you might be interested in the blurb and cover. Hope so! Pop on over to The Demon Equilibrium page and check it out 😉

December 24, 2020: At the rate I update, this is likely the last of the year. And what a year it’s been. Ups, downs, and sidewayses. I’m excited about being part of the Bywater Books family and being back on the publishing horse. Edits have been eye-opening and comforting (yes, I’m one of those authors who loves to edit). While there were some good things this year, it’s been a tough one overall. Let’s hope 2021 is more reasonable. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

October 14, 2020:BIG NEWS!!!! My historical paranormal sapphic romance, The Demon Equilibrium will be published by Bywater Books in 2021! Check out my author page over there. As soon as I have more info and a cover and such, I’ll be sure to share 🙂 Many thanks to the folks at Bywater!!! Looking forward to working with a great group and sharing Grace and Maggie with everyone!

September 29, 2020: Busy summer and now here it is, autumn! I will have some !!!!! news coming soon, so hang tight. In the meantime, pick up a copy of Haunted or Rulebreaker or one of my Charlotte Brody mysteries. They’re pretty good, IMHO ; )

June 15, 2020: It’s release day for Haunted!!!!!! Check it out on its book page ! Thanks to so many who had faith in me and this story. You are the best!

May 14, 2020: Pre-orders are live for my first ever self-publishing journey! Head on over to the page for Haunted and check out the fabu cover!

Many thanks to Jody, Alyssa, and Natalie for their help getting this story ready!

May 8, 2020: Not quite two months since my last post?! Wow! Some sort of record for me. But I have a reason. While I’m still waiting on word for the demon hunter and still writing on the girl gang/magic realism story, I’ve decided to go the indie route with another manuscript.

If you look waaaaaaaaaay back, you may find some reference to my cozy mystery ghost story Haunted. Well, I’m getting Georgie and Min ready to go out into the world. I don’t have an exact date yet, but will update as I get ARCs and pre-order info set. Lots to do and all new to me, so it’s sort of slow.

I DO have a fabulous cover from MIBLART.com. I’m not ready to reveal the entire thing yet, but here’s a hint:

The rest of the cover is gorgeous, trust me : )

So stay tuned, friends!

March 12, 2020: Spring is in the air. Well, it is if you call 33F spring, which we do around here! At least the snow is taking a break for a little bit.

Still doing the writing thing. Still waiting on responses. Such is the life in this profession.

Happy Spring, Friends!

Nov. 4, 2019: The demon hunters are out looking for a home. Fingers crossed! Now working on a historical with a girl gang and magic realism set in 1932 Seattle. Methinks a research trip to the Emerald City is in order ; )

We’re settling into the shorter days and earlier darkness here in the Semi-Far North. The doggos are not fans of sitting around for *too* long, but trapping season starts next week, and our favorite run amok location will be off limits :/ Time to ask about the defacto dog park.

Aug. 13, 2019: I moved my short story HighFlyer from WattPad to a page here . Why? Why not? Someone suggested putting it up on Kindle or KU or something, but it’s been out in the world long enough that it would probably be more trouble than it;s worth. If you get a chance to read it, thanks!

Stay cool!

July 11, 2019: Busy with bouts of lazy seems to be my M.O. around here ; P  Ah, well. You’re used to it, yeah? Finished up some edits on notes from Lovely Agent (yes, from that submission of previous note) and I again find myself wondering what to write next. The thing I was working on isn’t gelling. The things I want to work on are exciting, but I also have a week-long, intense gig coming up. So maybe more mulling and giving my brain a break will have me raring to go come July 21. We’ll see!

In the meantime, life is good and my people are healthy and happy : )  Hope you are too!

April 20, 2019: Spring almost came to our corner of the semi-far north, then the current storm system moved it. Ah, well. It’ll melt sooner or later.

In the meantime, Lovely Agent has the latest manuscript. I’m taking a couple of days to catch up on reading, then will get back to writing…something. A sequel of some sort? A new project in the same genre? Not sure yet.

Happy Spring, all!

Feb. 4, 2019: I should really get back to regular blog posts. Just don’t know what topics to blog about. Sure, writing stuff, but what else? Suggestions welcome! Drop me a note on Twitter @CathyPegau or email me with suggestions : )

Jan. 7, 2019: Happy New Year, friends! Still waiting for this, that, and the other thing. Will share more as it happens. Here’s to a productive and positive 2019!

Oct. 27, 2018: Halloween is nearly upon us. As a kid, I loved scary movies and haunted houses. Now, not so much. Maybe the world is scary enough. But I will spend the evening with friends watching a scary movie. Maybe that’s the way to go. Face fears with loved ones around to help you make it to The End.

Sept. 22, 2018: On the home front, K2 is settling into life as a college student. Big changes all around, but things are going well. DD1 is in her final year. Where did the time go?

Writing-wise, waiting to hear back on a manuscript, still plugging away on revisions and edits on others.

FYI: Carina Press will no longer be selling Rulebreaker, Caught in Amber, and Deep Deception via their website. They’ll still be pubbing (and have great stuff on the way as well as on backlist!) but the actual sales will be through the Harlequin.com shop. Mine are here : ) And remember: Rulebreaker actually came out before Caught in Amber, in 2011. A reissue/revamp of site in 2013 tweaked the date. So if you want to read them in order (helpful, but not super necessary) start with Rulebreaker, then Caught in Amber, then Deep Deception : )

June 23, 2018: In my defense…OK, I have no real excuse for not updating sooner. But you aren’t surprised, are you?

So what’s new? Still writing, leaning more toward spec fic/paranormal than anything else. Keeping fingers crossed on the current submission. Plugging away at two new manuscripts in the mean time.

K2 has graduated from high school and will be heading to the States for college in early September. They are currently in WA learning about fish disease. Not, that’s not what they plan on studying, but K2 has eclectic interests, to say the least. DD1 is also in WA, working at a tech camp for kids. That isn’t her major either, but her minor, and she’s looking forward to sharing her love of robots etc.

DH and I will be empty nesters (sort of, since they haven’t moved out completely yet). Any advice?

Feb. 3, 2018: I really need to get my act together on regular updates… So. Busted ankle is healed up and I can do pretty much all I did before. I haven’t tried running, but I only run when necessary. I am wary of icy surfaces, of course. The idea of slipping and reinjuring scares the bejeebus out of me.

Pups are 8 months old, weighing in at 65 lbs. or so. Their listening skills are better, but I don’t trust them alone in the house. Luckily, they have taken to kenneling. They don’t love it, but they tolerate it. And I feel much less guilty about that than I do coming home to my house having been destroyed and going ballistic.

Writing wise, a new manuscript is in the submission pipe. More details when I can give them.

And oh! Here was a nice surprise. Rulebreaker has been translated into French! Transgresser les regles! It goes on sale there in April 🙂

Oct. 24, 2017: Thanks to all who entered my GoodReads birthday giveaway. Prizes have been sent. I appreciate all who entered. And many thanks to those who read my stuff. I hope you enjoy it.

Things are going well on the healing leg front. I’m 8 weeks post-op and getting around without crutches or cane, no boot. I do have a fairly light brace so I can feel a little more secure as the muscles and ligaments strengthen. But I can wear my shoes, which is handy as the temperatures drop and the wet increases.  Limping some as I attend physical therapy. I may never get full range of motion and use, but if I can get close, I’ll be okay.

Puppies are 5 months old. And challenging. Adorable, fun, smart, goofy, and making me nuts. A new couch AND new carpeting are in our future. Damn digging instinct : P

Sept. 20, 2017: Happy Pre/Post birthday to me! Yes, it’s almost my birthday, but I’m offering you a gift! Pop on over to GoodReads for a chance to win a signed set of the three Charlotte Brody Mysteries (Murder on the Last Frontier, Borrowing Death, and Murder on Location), and three other entrants will win signed copies of the third book, Murder on Location.

Sept 6, 2017: A lot has happened in the last two-ish months, friends. A lot. As mentioned, I went on a lovely trip to Europe during August. Saw tons of stuff, reconnected with DH’s family, walked a gazillion steps. Got nothing worse than a blister (and a slight cold) then came home and broke my ankle (high on the fibula, to be exact) : P Yeah, did a good number on it. Now sporting a plate, 6 screws, and something called a tightrope fixation to keep my fibula and tibia together. No weight bearing for 6 weeks. Brilliant, eh?

Fun, especially when I’m home alone with puppies. Yes, puppies. We opted to get two rather than just the one pictured below. Nagoon (in pic) and Monk (~same physically as Nagoon, but all black) are 3.5 months old, German Shepherd/Newfoundland/Great Pyrenees crosses. We already have a 7 year old mastiff/lab. To say we like big dogs is an understatement. The pups are already half the older dog’s height. Our two cats are learning to deal with the rambunctious pair with swift warnings and whacks with paws. No major clawings so far. Hopefully the pups are smart enough to learn cats have sharp ends.

Anyway, that is life at the moment. Hobbling around and keeping puppies from eating rocks. Writing things are slowly getting back on track. On the plus side, I am required to be less mobile, so maybe I can get things done.

July 13, 2017: I think we got our summer here in the Semi-Far North. It’s *supposed* to get to near 70F today, but looking at the overcast sky, I have my doubts. Could clear up. Probably won’t.

Still plugging away at edits and development of series. Yes, more than one. Nothing to officially report yet, but vague best wishes are appreciated!

In the meantime, things are happening IRL. Our local music camp is next week, so I’ll be busy with that. Then, at the end of the month, we head out on a 3+ week trip to Scotland, England, and Switzerland. Pics when I get back. And hopefully authorly news.

On the news note, author friend Jody Wallace has browbeaten encouraged me to get a newsletter started. You can sign up here. I’ll have the inaugural edition out soon. Expect bookish updates, maybe a short fiction piece here and there, and at least one Alaska or Alaska-related picture. Or pictures of our critters, as we are getting a puppy when we return in late August.

June 12, 2017: Happy Pride! In case you weren’t aware of it, two of my sci fi romance novels feature two women as the main couple. In the third Charlotte Brody book , Murder on Location, there are actually two lesbian couples mentioned. And FYI, one of the secondary characters is bi 😉  I also have short wlw (women loving women) pieces published in anthologies, another on Wattpad.

Why am I telling you this? Because it’s important to me that the LGBTQ+ community is given as much love and opportunity as everyone else gets. It’s not special rights or privileges, it’s the same. And if you don’t agree with me, if you don’t like what I write or what I’m saying, well, that’s for you to deal with.

Happy Pride to all my  LGBTQ+ friends! You are amazing!

May 3, 2017: Spring rains are in full force here in the Soggy Semi-North. April showers bring May flowers, but May showers are just showers. At least it isn’t snow!

Writing is chugging along. The Charlotte Brody series is on hold for the moment as we figure out our next move. Will let folks know when I do! Meanwhile, I’m returning to my spec fic roots. I revised an old paranormal women’s fiction manuscript, updating tech (flip phones were in, that’s how old it was!) and revamping the plot some. We’ll see what happens. I also have a sword and sorcery fantasy triology I’m tweaking. Again, work and wait on reaction. Ah, this writers’ life.

Shoot, I promised a link to reviews for Murder on Location. Well, here’s a recent one from the Historical Novel Society: “…Charlotte is an utterly engaging character, and the setting, the Alaska Territory in the 1920s, is equally fascinating.” Thanks, HNS : )

April 7, 2017: Never let it be said that I’m any good at keeping up to date, because, really, it would be a total lie. Sorry for the gap. We can blame life, the universe, and everything.

First, thanks to all who have purchased/read/reviewed Murder on Location and anything else of mine. You are amazing. I’ll get some review links up soon.

Second, OMG! I got to do a podcast with Smart Bitches, Trashy Books! Sarah, Carrie, and I talked about living in Alaska, books, all sorts of things. It was great fun and I really appreciate getting to do that. You can find the podcast here and the transcript here.

Spring is doing its best to arrive in the Semi-Far North. Unfortunately, I changed over from studded tires to the regular ones on my car. That means we’ll get snow. Sorry, neighbors!

Feb. 27, 2017: Well, friends, Murder on Location drops in one day. Pop on over here to the blog to check out a little bit about its inception. I’ll be having a giveaway to celebrate as soon as I can get things together.

Jan. 24, 2017: Winter is getting messy here in the Semi-Far North. Not that we expected anything different.

Murder on Location drops in about a month! I’m giving away 5 signed ARCs over at GoodReads . Use the link or the widget below to enter!

Jan. 3, 2017: Happy New Year, Friends! 2016 was a rough ride on some fronts, but there was some good stuff too. Let’s hope 2017 is a bit brighter.

Writing-wise, I have had to back burner one WIP due to a plot hole the size of a truck. Hopefully I’ll tease it out soon. In the meantime, I’m reworking an older story. Fingers crossed.

Murder on Location, the third Charlotte Brody mystery, drops in less than two months!!!!! I’m both excited and terrified, as one is when a book comes out. Will this be the last Charlotte book? Hard to say. I’m definitely willing to write more, but I don’t necessarily have the final word on that. Buy the current books and give them smashing reviews, if you want to see more : )

Nov. 25, 2016: Hello, Friends! While mulling changes to the current WIP, I decided to write a freebie short story. It’s called “HighFlyer”. You can find it here on Wattpad for now. I’m looking at other formats etc. like a downloadable file or GoogleDocs or something. This method is new to me, as I usually just post in the “Fun Reads” section of the site. I will likely do that too and will update links/pages as it happens!

Nov. 13, 2016: It’s been a busy month and a rough week, friends. The world is on edge. I won’t go into it here, but events are affecting the mindset of a lot of people, myself included.

I am forever grateful for readers who are leaving reviews or contacting me about Murder on the Last Frontier and Borrowing Death. Yes, even those comments and reviews that aren’t bursting with praise. Why? Because criticism makes a writer think or rethink and we need that to be better. So drop me a note on Twitter @CathyPegau or email cathy@cathypegau.com or in a quick review if you have something to say or just to say hello. That’s nice too 🙂

Oct. 12, 2016: We’ve been quite lucky here in the semi-far north, enjoying a dry, crisp autumn. I don’t think it’ll last much longer, but that’s okay too. I live in a rainforest. We need rain. Eventually.

Final edits for Murder on Location are back at the publisher. It’s amazing how many little things you don’t see. Having sent those off is bittersweet. I’m looking forward to having another Charlotte book out, but who knows what will happen next. What I DO need to do is get the MoL page up here! Okay, so that’s next 😉

Sept. 4, 2016: It’s unofficially Fall here in the semi-far north. The fireweed has gone to seed, there’s a nip in the air, and moose hunting has begun (Husband is 0-4 so far, having gone out 4 days and not getting a moose). Eldest child is off at college (a sophomore this year!) and youngest is a junior in high school. Where did the summer go? Where did the years go???

Edits on book 3 of the Charlotte Brody Mystery series are back at the publisher. There’s always something I think about AFTER hitting send that I meant to do. I’ll squeeze it in on finals, I hope.

I have a birthday coming up this month and will do a giveaway for that, I think. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, working and writing. Writing and working. Life is good : )

Aug. 11, 2016: Had a great time in Kennecott/McCarthy and then in Anchorage and Palmer for signings. Blog post with pictures on the blog tab (of course :). Here’s a hint at what we saw:

July 17, 2016: It’s been a busy couple of weeks of work and promo. Thanks to all who have read Borrowing Death. Let me know what you think of it either via an Amazon or GoodReads review or even a quick email.

The local reading/signing went well. I need to get some pictures up on the blog. Many thanks to all the folks who came out to the local library on such a gorgeous evening!

It’ll be a busy couple of weeks here. I’m involved in a local music camp this week, then next week is a quick research/mini-vacation to the closed copper mine that will hopefully be featured in another Charlotte Brody book. Then signings in Palmer and Anchorage. Fingers crossed the weather holds!

When I get back, I think I’ll have a two-book giveaway. Stay tuned!

June 30, 2016: Release week is off to a smashing start! Thanks to those who have read Borrowing Death and those who have bought it and are hopefully impatiently waiting for its arrival : )  Don’t forget to enter the giveaway on the blog

Also, the lovely folks at Omnimystery News have posted a conversation with me about Charlotte and Borrowing Death as well as an excerpt. Check them out, leave comments if you’d like.

June 28, 2016: Woo hoo! It’s release day for Borrowing Death!!!! I’m so excited to have the second book in the Charlotte Brody Mystery series out there. So excited that I have a giveaway going on at the blog with some really cool Cordova/Alaska goodies. Head on over and leave a comment for a chance to win things.

Books are written by one or two authors, but it takes a great team effort to get them out. I can’t say enough about my lovely agent Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency, my editor John Scognamiglio at Kensington Books, Morgan the publicist, Kris the cover artist, Paula the production editor, and a host of others who put a lot of time and effort into gettin Borrowing Death and Murder on the Last Frontier ont the shelves. Thank you all!!! And big thanks to my family, who understands why I do this, who support me every step of the way, and put up with my requests for assistance with how a fight scene needs to be choreographed.

Thank you too, to readers and friends everywhere! Your support and kind words mean so much!

May 16, 2016: My GoodReads giveaway for Borrowing Death is over and 10 winners have been chosen by the folks at GR. Thanks to EVERYONE who entered. If you didn’t win this time, however, you’ll get another chance in June when Kensington runs their own giveaway : )

May 10, 2016: The reviews for Borrowing Death (June 28, 2016) are starting to roll in. This one from Publishers Weekly is quite nice. Thanks, PW!

May 3, 2016: I’m in New York for a bit, having grabbed DD1 from school in Mass. But that doesn’t mean the fun ends! Au contraire! From May 3 to May 15 I have a giveaway happening over at GoodReads! You can win one of ten signed ARCs (Advanced Reader Copy). It isn’t the final edition that will drop June 28, but it’s pretty much the same. If you’re interested, check it out here:

April 23, 2016: Rain rain rainy rain. But that’s better than snow, right? Borrowing Death comes out in a couple of months! Very excited to have another Charlotte Brody story to offer. BROKEN LINK ALERT: The buy links to Carina Press for Rulebreaker, Deep Deception, and Caught in Amber are temporarily out of whack as technical glitches are being fixed. Will let you know when they are up again. In the meantime, you can still find them at the Carina site via my author page 🙂   March 25, 2016: Wow! Spring already! Actually, we never got much of winter here in the semi-far north after Christmas. Not that I’m complaining about not shoveling. Fingers crossed a spring snow storm doesn’t hit us with 3′ of the white stuff! Went back East for Spring Break with Kid2 to see DD1 and do a little tour of MA. Lovely area! Lots of accidental navigation as we made our way to Salem for a couple of days. Still early in the season for some of the museums/exhibits to be open, but we got into a few and had a grand time. ETA: A super sweet review for Murder on the Last Frontier from Miss Bates at Miss Bates Reads Romance. 

Many are [Pegau’s] Murder On the Last Frontier‘s pleasures. Primarily, Miss Bates loved the heroine, setting, and secondary characters (especially the delicious Deputy Marshal Eddington).

There are some more lovely bits, including the rating of “Miss Bates…would say of Murder On the Last Frontier, here is evidence of “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.” Thank you, Miss Bates! Borrowing Death comes out in a few months! I’m nervously waiting to hear back on the early reviews of it. They say the sophomore book is a tough one. Let’s hope not! Murder on Location was re-tweaked and sent off. It’s also in the hand of a friend who’s an Alaska Native. He’s making sure my treatment of the folks and culture are correct. There’s a lot of talk lately about diversity and representation. NonPOC authors who write POC should have work checked. If you haven’t lived the experience, get your story looked at by someone who has. Respect is the word to live by. So while I wait on edits for MoL, I’ve got a few writing irons in the fire. My editor and agent suggested coming up with three more Charlotte Brody stories. I have a couple of ideas brewing, one of which would require–yes, REQUIRE–a trip to the old copper mine mentioned in the book. It’s about 200 miles from here and is super cool, according to DH. I do believe a road trip is in order. I’m also revisiting the lesbian demon hunter book I started a while ago. It’s giving me a bit of a hard time, but I think I can convince the ladies to work with me. Fingers crossed! Feb. 4, 2016: Whew! Was hunkered down finishing  Murder on Location. Turned it in on time! Then got the okay to take a little more time for tweaking (poor editor is swamped, but yay for me!). Which I will do after going over final proof pages of Borrowing Death. Yep, despite the calendar, the June 28 release isn’t all that far away. I should probably put a cover up soon. Murder on the Last Frontier is getting some good reviews, including this review from the Anchorage Press. I’m usually reluctant to actually talk to people, but David Fox, the review was super easy to chat with and super nice. Thanks, David! All righty then. Back to work 🙂 Jan. 8, 2016: I hope everyone had a lovely holiday! I spent it being lazy but writing. But mostly lazy. I’m wrapping up the third book in the Charlotte Brody Mysteries series and making a list of what to do next. In the meantime, I’ve written about the origins of Murder on the Last Frontier. I’ll do posts on the next two books, Borrowing Death and Murder on Location, in the future. Dec. 23, 2015: Happy Holidays, all! Been a busy bee writing book #3 as well as preparing for DD1’s return home for the holidays. She is here now, so all is right in my little world 🙂  Many thanks to those who have bought/read/reviewed Murder on the Last Frontier! I’ve put up a few review bits on the book page, so if you want to see what other people are saying, check it out 🙂 If I don’t get back here before January 1st (and let’s be honest, I probably won’t ; P ) I want to wish you all the best in the coming year!!!! I know 2016 will be a great one! Nov. 24, 2015: RELEASE DAY!!!!!!!!! Check out the latest blog post for a giveaway of ARCS : ) Nov. 5, 2015: Egad! Over a month since the last update! I am a terrible person. In my defense, such as it is, I was working A LOT in October. And not writing nearly as much as I needed to. Luckily, that’s changed around for November. I’m using NaNoWriMo to keep myself on track with writing book three in the Charlotte Brody series. Speaking of…. OMG! Murder on the Last Frontier comes out in less than three weeks!!!!!  A few early reviews are in and I’m pretty pleased with what folks are saying. Some of it also makes me chuckle, but I won’t go into that. Overall, Charlotte has received a nice welcome into the world and I’m very please. I’ll share more reviews later. On the local and semi-local front, our town library is hosting a reading/signing gig for me on Dec. 3. Isn’t that cool and sweet? I’m sort of nervous, TBH, but the folks here are so supportive and wonderful. The semi-local event will be held at the Anchorage Barnes & Noble on Jan. 23. Also nervous about that too, but the coordinator there is making me feel quite at ease. Then again, it’s a few months away. Plenty of time to get REALLY freaked out 🙂 Any advice regarding author events is welcome! Authors, tell me what you do for your events! Readers, tell me what you like/don’t like about author events! Drop me a note via email or Twitter 🙂 Sept. 28, 2015: Out now! First Ladylove, an anthology of seven stories about that first spark of longing between women. Check them out: Dreams of Flying by Anastasia Vitsky Librarian Karla has always lived by the rules. Now that she’s retiring, will she learn how to break them? Cosmic Sutra by Jessica E. Subject Victoria travels to Thanh Academy to study with beings from across the universe. Can she keep her feelings for a fellow classmate hidden, or will she risk friendships and her scholarship to find true love? Centerfold by Kate Richards Jesse goes to girls’ night at The Reef every week in hopes of getting somewhere with the gorgeous golden-haired Aurora. But sometimes fate has plans a girl getting ready for a night on the town cannot begin to anticipate. Revelation by Cathy Pegau Lizbet and Sahra are on their own behind enemy lines. Will keeping each other safe reveal more than their new-found relationship can handle? Mile High Pleasures by KT Grant Set in a world of flying steam airships and robots, the unappreciative Lottie Bells toils away as a seamstress. The only bright side is a visit from her childhood friend, Diana Russell, a lieutenant in the British Royal Air Navy. But when Lottie sees Diana again, she’s confused by her attraction to the beautiful lieutenant, who makes Lottie an enticing offer that may change their relationship forever. Daring Destiny by Leigh Ellwood Clara has waited the appropriate length of time since Shannon’s death to tell her widow, Desi, that she loves her. Desi doesn’t feel ready to move on, and Clara is determined to help change her mind. Fixin’ Biscuits by Annie Anthony Seasoned Fixin’ Biscuits waitress Cleary’s family falls apart while newcomer Ella’s is just beginning. Can they overcome the choices and secrets of the past and find love and family…together? Sept. 10, 2015: Busy summer of working, getting oldest ready for her first year at college, and prepping for the release of Murder on the Last Frontier. I have a box full of ARCs I’ll need to send out. If you’re willing to post a review, give me a shout cathy @ cathypegau . com (no spaces, of course 🙂 ) Carina Press has revamped their website and links, so I’m in the process of tweaking the links I have on here for Rulebreaker, Caught in Amber, and Deep Deception. I’ll also have a link to my Carina Press author page, which had been glitchy in the past. So Yay! Better links! But I may miss some, so bear with me 🙂 July 25, 2015: Working working working. Editing editing editing. Faffing faffing faffing. That’s been the last month in a nutshell. Four months until Murder on the Last Frontier releases. I’m in that excited/terrified stage. One month until DD1 heads to college. Also in the excited/terrified stage for that. Apparently excited/terrified is my new normal ; P June 10, 2015: We are into our summer schedule here, though the weather isn’t quite summery. Ah well. When you live in a rain forest you sort of have to expect rain. Final edits on MotLF are back at the editor. Yay! I have edits on book two in the works (more info on it to come), and an outline of book 3 solidified in my brain. Getting on that draft soon. Though I am thoroughly enjoying my time in 1919/1920s Alaska, I’m feeling the pang for writing speculative fiction stories. Maybe after this next book in the series is done I’ll get back to the woo-woo stuff. We’ll see. May 15, 2015: Today is the last day of school for DD1. She graduates tomorrow. Then off to college in the fall. I’m sure the summer will fly by, what with all of us doing what we do, but I hope we’ll be able to kick back and enjoy each other before she heads off. And oh, yes, at least one of us will accompany her across the continent for that first day. I’m not letting go that easy 😉 In the meantime, final edits on Murder on the Last Frontier are about done. Yes, it’s still six months before it comes out. Seems like a long time, but there’s still lots to do as far as getting promo and marketing in line. Not my favorite aspect of the business, but word needs to get out somehow 🙂  On the fun side, I’m planning a release party here in town, encouraging period dress, and have a reading/talk at the library in early December. No pressure to stand in front of friends and neighbors who are well-versed in the history of the area! Seriously, it should be fun. After this weekend’s graduation activities, I’ll get back to researching book #3 and maybe mulling #4. Or mull a WIP that’s been waiting patiently. We’ll see 🙂   April 18, 2015: Spring has sprung. Sort of. We actually got a bit of snow earlier this week. Yeah, well, living in Alaska means diddly when it comes to “normal” weather expectations. And I just had my studded tires swapped over for the regular ones. We should be getting a blizzard sometime soon ; P On the writing front, handed in book #2 of the Charlotte Brody Mystery series. Yay! It won’t be out for a year, but these things take time. I’m researching book #3. Really looking forward to this one too. Something a little different ; ) I have a short (15K word) sword and sorcery piece to get in by the end of the month. More on that when I know what’s going on. In the meantime, Happy Spring! : ) March 28, 2015: Holy moly! Only a 15 day gap in updates! To be honest, I’m still in brain break mode : ) Went away with the husband for a week to San Francisco. Sans kids. Yep, we left them alone at home to practice their adulting skills. We had a grand time playing tourist and adulting on our own. The kids kept the critters alive and didn’t burn down the house. And DD1 even made real meals for dinner. So win-win : ) But now, it’s back to work, despite the desire to continue the brain break. DD1 graduates in May (eep!), so there is lots of preparation for that. She was accepted into the school she wanted, so there’s lots of trying to figure finances for *that*. But we are very proud of her and look forward to more adulting : ) March 13, 2015: ANOTHER huge gap in updates! Well, I have been busy. Mostly. Book 2 of the historical mystery series is done for now. It’s at the beta readers then off to the editor. Yay! Book 1, Murder on the Last Frontier, doesn’t come out until November, but you can see the pretty cover (and pre-order 😉 ) here Taking a bit of a brain break, then on to book #3. And a short piece for an anthology. Fun times 🙂 Feb. 6, 2015: Love Spanks 2015 is here! Pop on over to my blog, read my story Gold Rush, comment for a chance at cool prizes, then check out other posts! Feb. 3, 2015: Holy moly! What a busy first month of 2015! And it doesn’t look like things are letting up any time soon. First off, this coming weekend is Love Spanks 2015! A great array of lesbian romance stories from sweet to OMG! There will be chats and giveaways and at some point an anthology. Great cover, yes? : )  Love Spanks kicks off soon and I’ll have a post up. Be sure to check in and visit the fabu authors. On a different note, I got a peek at the cover for my November release Murder on the Last Frontier. It is great! Totally captures the setting and the main character, Charlotte Brody. Can’t wait to share it. OK, time to get on with this writing thing. I’ll post my Love Spanks piece in the next couple days : ) Dec. 31, 21014: Lots of ups and downs in 2014, and I’m grateful for all of the amazing things that happened in the past year. 2015 is going to be busy and wonderful with lots of professional and personal activities. I’m looking forward to all the challenges ahead. For this year’s good stuff, a huge thank you to my agent, my editors, and most of all to everyone and anyone who has read my books. You are the best! I hope your 2015 is bright and beautiful, full of joy and laughter, with challenges met, new friends made, and a life well-lived. Happy New Year! Dec. 18, 2014: I’m not even going to bother apologizing for being so inattentive 😛  Not that folks don’t deserve it, you do, but how many times can you read my “sorry I haven’t posted in months” before you quit believing? I’m sure you’re there now. Book one of the Charlotte Brody Mysteries is revised and awaiting copy edits. Yay! At some point before release (Dec. ’15) I’m going to write a post about the origins of the story. Hey, some people like that stuff! But I think it’s interesting. Meanwhile, I’m on book #2 and have a premise for book #3. Yay me! Now if I could only get them from head to laptop without being distracted by–SHINY! My oldest child isn’t going to be with us for the holidays. No, she’s off with her Girl Scout troop visiting India. Yep. India. They were in Nepal for a bit and are now bouncing around western India. They’ll spend next week at the Girl Scout World Center doing fun and good things, as Girl Scouts do. I miss her terribly, but this is such an amazing opportunity there was not way to say no. So, my holiday mood is a little blue, but DD2 and DH will make it brighter, I’m sure. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, no matter how you choose to celebrate! And as always, thank you for visiting. I appreciate each and every one of you 🙂 Oct. 25, 2014: A month since the last update? Not cool, Cathy, not cool. My excuse? Writing (mostly), working (sort of), faffing (too much). I’ll try to keep on things. yeah, I know. I say that a lot. Sept. 29, 2014: Almost the end of September? Wow! That month flew by. But that means October is right around the corner. Heck, it’s just about next door! And with October we get LGBT History Month and a line up of cool posts at Queer Romance Month, including one from me and my pal Alyssa Linn Palmer. So check it out starting October 1!  Sept. 16, 2014: What a great turnout for the hard copy giveaway of Caught in Amber! Over 1,100 folks entered. Thanks to all! And congrats to Wanda and Erin who each won a personalized signed copy. I will definitely be doing more giveaways in the future! Meanwhile, I’ve started writing book two of the Alaska-set historical mystery. It’s so fun revisiting characters you’ve grown to love and adding more to their lives and troubles 🙂 Sorry, Charlotte, but it has to be done! Anyway, that’s where I’ll be for the time being, deep in the writing cave. When I’m not subbing at school. Or making dinner. Or doing laundry. Ah, the glamorous life of a writer 😉 Sept. 3, 2014: The limited edition giveaway of Caught in Amber is LIVE!

Aug. 26, 2014: Well, if it’s in Publishers Marketplace it must be true, right? ; )

New deals for August 26, 2014

FICTION
Mystery/Crime
Cathy Pegau’s debut MURDER ON THE LAST FRONTIER, about a suffragette in 1919 investigating a murder in Alaska that eerily echoes the past she’s trying to forget, to John Scognamiglio at Kensington, in a three-book deal, byNatalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency (World).

Many thanks to my lovely agent, Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Lit! There were more than a few times during the last few months where she had to reel me in from the brink of authorly self doubt. She is so very patient with me : )

I guess I should write that next book now.

To celebrate this new news and to belatedly celebrate Caught in Amber‘s wins at the Prism Awards, I’m going to have a giveaway of two signed copies of CiA. Stay tuned for deets!

July 25, 2014: Woo hoo! Last night, at the RWA National Conference, during the FF&P’s Gathering, Caught in Amber won the Prism Award for Futuristic Romance *AND* received the Best of the Best award!!! Deep Deception took third in the Futuristic category. The other two Futuristic finalists, Cheryl Brooks’ The Cat Star Chronicles: Wildcat and LA Witt’s Something New Under the Sun, tied for second. Congrats to ALL the winners and finalists! And thank you FF&P judges and members 🙂

July 18, 2014: The Sci Spanks Anthology is live! Check out my blog post for details 🙂

July 14, 2014: Woo hoo! Deep Deception won a Goldie at the 2014 Golden Crown Literary Society awards!!! I am so so very pleased and appreciative! There is some amazing lesbian fiction out there, and to be counted among the stories folks are enjoying makes my authorly heart soar. Thanks so much to the GCLS judges and congrats to all the winners!

July 12, 2014: Good gravy! Nearly mid July! Lots of stuff in the past few weeks. The wedding we attended was fabulous! Celebrating love with friends, old and new, is one of my favorite things.

Back home now and still busy busy. The Sci Spanks event was such a huge success! Thanks to all the authors who helped make it so fun and the readers/commentors who participated. If you didn’t get a chance to read the stories, some if not most are still up BUT there will be an anthology available July 16th with 15 of the 17 authors/stories! More details here! I’m very excited to be part of the anthology : )

This week, the Gold Crown Literary Society has been meeting in Portland OR. Tonight will be the Goldie Awards. I’m all anxious because Deep Deception is a finalist in the Science Fiction/Fantasy category! Fingers crossed!

And on July 24th, during the RWA National Conference in San Antonio TX, the FF&P Chapter of the RWA holds its Prism Awards. Both Deep Deception AND Caught in Amber are finalists in that one : ) More crossed fingers! ; )

Remember, feel free to drop me a note at cathy@cathypegau.com or on Twitter @CathyPegau I love chatting with folks : )

June 21, 2014: It’s been a busy few weeks at Casa Pegau, including a trip to Iowa for an academic competition. And we hit the road again next weekend to attend a wedding. I think things settle a little after mid July. Maybe.

In the meantime, I’ll be participating in a blog hop next week called Sci Spanks. Yes, it’s a bit like the Love Spanks from last year, but all the stories have a speculative fiction element. Some are naughtier than others, but all are fun. Go to the blog for details!

May 30, 2014: School’s out! No more pencils, no more books, and no more fretting an early morning call to come in to substitute! Time to write!

Great news! Both Caught in Amber and Deep Deception have finaled in the RWA FF&P Chapter Prism Awards for published authors! So so very thrilled to be among some fantastic authors and books. The Prism Awards will be held during RWA’s National Convention at the FF&P’s event called The Gathering. I won’t be there, unfortunately, but I’ll be “attending” virtually as best I can. Thanks to all the judges and good luck to everyone!

May 19, 2014: Nearly a month since the last update! It’s been busy here in the not-as-soggy-as-it-should-be semi-far north. We’ve been having a fantastic spring with temps in the low 70s. Not normal, but it sure is nice! Though to be honest, being in a rainforest means we *really* need to have some rain. I just hope these last few weeks of lovely weather weren’t our only good days of the season.

On the writing front, the Alaska historical mystery is being shopped by my lovely agent. Fingers crossed, all! And I continue to write on a couple of speculative fiction books.

Over on the blog, my author pal Jodie Griffin tagged me to talk about my writing process. Check it out, then go check her’s. She’s a boffo writer : ) And see who else *I* tagged too : )

April 23, 2014: Woo hoo! Deep Deception is a finalist in the SF/F category of the 2014 Golden Crown Literary Society Goldie Awards for lesbian fiction! Winners will be announced in at the July GCLS conference. Congrats to all!

April 19, 2014: Spring has finally sprung here in the semi-far north. Pussy willows are out, birds are singing, studded tires are humming on bare asphalt. When the days are nice, as they are now, it’s hard to concentrate on indoor chores. But better to put those off and enjoy the fine weather while we can. Happy Spring!

March 24, 2014: Sweet! A 5 star, “Must Read” review for Deep Deception from The TBR Pile! And a giveaway! So comment to win a copy : )

March 22, 2014: Well, Caught in Amber didn’t make it past the first round of DABWAHA, but it was a close one! Thanks so much to everyone who voted for my book. And best of luck to all in the coming rounds!

Spring is trying to make headway here in the semi-far north. We’ve had some beautiful days and relatively warm weather (30F is warm! Ish.), but we know better than assume winter is over. Will keep you posted.

With a manuscript in my agent’s inbox, it’s time to get back to writing. I went on a little “ground truthing” trip out a road (one of 3 here, tho the longest only extends 36 miles right now) to find a good spot for my post apoc characters to sneak into town. DH gave me some great info on the water conditions and best time to approach. DD2 pointed out a neat little cove. The information changes what I have down, but not by much. And that’s what first drafts are for, right? Working out the hows and why.

Also, waiting to hear if Caught in Amber makes it to the RWA RITA finals, and if Deep Deception finals for the Golden Crown Lit. Society awards. The next week or so will be tense!

March 10, 2014: The ladies at Dear Author and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books have announced the 7 of 8 nominees for each category in the 2014 DABWAHA contest (the eighth in each is nominated by the public) and guess what??!?? Caught in Amber is among the books nominated in the Paranormal/Science Fiction/Fantasy category!!!! I am thrilled to be part of this fun event.

Check out the other great nominees and go put forth a few titles you think deserve the recognition. Thanks again, DA and SB! Congrats and good luck to all the nominees! Let the games begin! [singlepic id=4 w=320 h=240 float=right]

March 5, 2014: Woo hoo! Caught in Amber received a 5 star review from The TBR Pile! I’m giving away a copy, just go comment. And thanks, TBR Pile!

Feb. 27, 2014: Where did February go??? I know it’s a short one, but sheesh!

To end the month with a bang of fun, I’m judging this week’s Thursday Thread flash fiction at Siobhan Muir’s The Weird, the Wild & the Wicked. It’s only for the day, so hurry on over and whip up a short piece related to the prompt. It’s just for fun, and who couldn’t use a little fun? : )

Feb. 7, 2014: The time has come! Love Spanks 2014 is here! Pop on over to the blog to see the way it works AND read a hot little excerpt from moi ; ) Lots of authors participating. Lots of cool prizes in the way of books and things. Let’s have some fun!

Feb. 4, 2014: The 2nd Annual SFR Galaxy Awards were announced on Friday, Jan. 31. I love this recognition of Science Fiction Romance because it steps away from the normal contest categories and gives us such winners as “Most Geeky Fun,””Best Hearth-and-Home” or “Capes Optional” for superhero romance. There are so many great books out there that slip through the “normal” contest cracks. It’s wonderful to have a chance to see what makes SFR so special. Thanks so much to Heather Massey and the other judges. You are wonderful! Congrats to all the winners!

Oh, and BTW, Caught in Amber was a DOUBLE winner at the Galaxy Awards ; ) One for Most Compelling “Film Noir” in Science Fiction Romance and another for Most Addictive Characters. Yay!!! Thanks, Heather and Charlee!

Go check out who else won. Did any of your favorites? Do you have a category to recommend for next year?

Jan. 27, 2014: Coming Soon! SUPER soon! Check here for deets!

Jan. 1, 2014: Happy New Year, friends! I’m looking forward to the upcoming year. New stories! Fun characters! More writing challenges than you can shake a stick at! Interaction with fabulous readers and writers!

Starting with the 2014 Lesbian Fiction Appreciation Event! I’m on the list, tho can’t recall my actual date. Will post the full schedule when I can!

This is a fantastic event Katiebabs puts on, and it’s growing huge! What started as a week-long event has grown to THREE weeks! Check it out for some fun and insights.

Also, what adorable logos!

So the year will start out with gobs of fun. Let’s hope it stays that way.

Dec. 22, 2013: Some people get annoyed if they are wished Happy Holidays rather than a Merry Christmas this time of year. Since there are several holidays associated with the season, why freak over what greeting is used? It’s the sentiment of the season, not what we call it that matters. And that sentiment should be with us all throughout the year.

So, Happy Holidays to you, my friends. No matter how you choose to celebrate or not, I wish you all the best!

Dec. 8, 2013: WOO HOO!!!! Deep Deception took first in the 2013 Rainbow Awards Lesbian Science Fiction category!!!! Yeah, I’m a little excited : )

Many thanks to Elisa and all the judges! Congrats to all the winners and finalists!

Nov. 28, 2013: Yes, I’m updating on Thanksgiving Day. Got a few minutes before I need to clean house and figure out the cooking schedule. We’re not having a traditional turkey dinner here at Casa Pegau. No. There is moose, salmon (two kinds) and crab legs on the menu. An Alaska turf and surf. We’re having a few folks over, and I believe someone is bringing pumpkin pie. That’s as close to tradition as we’ll likely get.

In writerly news, finished the non-spec fiction story I’d been working on and sent it to my agent. Waiting with normal anxiety for her reaction. Changing genres isn’t always easy, but I loved the idea, the characters (especially the MC, Charlotte) and the research. Hopefully the story reads as well to her as it does in my head.

While I wait for Lovely Agent to read, I’ve gone back to science fiction stories left hanging. One is about a space ship pilot bringing a mysterious woman back to her home planet. There are sparks between the two, and during the trip they *ahem* get to know each other. They part ways, each satisfied that it was a fun encounter, figuring they’ll never see each other again (Ha! Silly characters!). The woman encounters some trouble from her past and turns to the pilot for help.

The other story is a post-apocalyptic tale set in Alaska. Two hundred years after a devastating global war (of course) pockets of civilization have managed to survive. A coastal Alaska town controls the only fuel in the area. Most seem satisfied with the arrangement, but a group of increasingly bold pirates have a plan to overtake the town. The semi-military guard protecting the fuel and the people need to know that plan. Dani, a commander in the guard, and her former lover, Rigo, who left the guard to help his late wife’s family and care for his son, must infiltrate the pirate stronghold.

That’s all I have for the moment on either of those 🙂

The 2013 Rainbow Romance Awards will be announced Dec. 8! Deep Deception in a finalist in the Lesbian Science Fiction/Futuristic category. Fingers crossed!

Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Hanukkah!

Nov. 8, 2013: The lovely and talented Jody Wallace is over at my blog. We’re chatting about writing “The End” and her newest release The Whole Truth. Check it out!

Oct. 1, 2013: More Woo Hoo-ing! Deep Deception is a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards in Lesbian Science Fiction Futuristic! Winners will be announced Dec. 8.

Many thanks to the judges, and to Elisa Rolle for this opportunity to spotlight LGBT writing and authors!

Good luck, all!!!!

Sept. 26, 2013: Woo hoo! Deep Deception has an Honorable Mention for the Rainbow Awards! Won’t know if it finals for a few more days, but this is so cool! Thanks to the judges! And great job, everyone!

Sept. 14, 2013: Thanks to all who stopped by the blog and made my pal Veronica Scott feel welcome! I can’t wait to read her book!

Sorry I spaced the link to my own wanderings. Obviously I need to be more on top of things.

In other happenings, working on the Alaska historical is both exciting and frustrating. Keeping things historically accurate is no easy task. But I enjoy a challenge (usually) and look forward to getting it out there some day.

My birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks. Suggestions for a celebration? A gift idea I can give my spouse? He’s always asking and I’m always stumped. Let’s surprise him this year and give him suggestions! Contact me at cathy @ cathypegau . com (no spaces, of course) or on twitter @CathyPegau and give me ideas : )

Sept. 2, 2013: Fall is in the air! Back to the routine of work and school. But never fear! Some fun is still afoot! Veronica Scott will be guest here tomorrow. She’s got a new SFR ESCAPE FROM ZULAIRE out and is having a giveaway. Come check it out!

I’ll be elsewhere on Wednesday (linky dink when I get it!) talking about Natalia and Gennie and giving away a copy of DEEP DECEPTION.

OH! And a WONDERFUL surprise awaited me this morning. Jayne at Dear Author reviewed CAUGHT IN AMBER and gave it a B! Woo hoo! Wake me up with that sort of news everyday ; )

August 18, 2013: School starts in ten days. Silver salmon fishing is hot, hot, hot. DH has limited out (3 fish/day) pretty much each time he’s gone. Not big fish, but oh, so yummy! The weather has been cool and damp, a preview of the autumn to come all too soon. Another few days of actual summer would be nice. Surprising, but nice : )

Still working on the historical set here. Yeah, it’s taking longer than I’d hoped. But it’s a different genre than my usual fare, so I want to do it right. I haven’t abandoned my speculative fiction leanings, by any means, just trying something different. Stay tuned ; )

August 2, 2013: Golly, look at that! August already! We have friends stopping by for a few days as they start their Alaska vacation. Sharron has been here before and went to school with me back in the day up at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Her husband, Chris (or Mayhem, as we call him, because he looks like the All State Insurance guy that gets thrown off the hoods of cars or crashes through roofs). We’re doing a glacier hike and probably some other trundling through the wet wilderness. After that, prep for the school year begins! Oh, and finishing the Alaska historical that I am TOTALLY digging doing research on. Now I need to work all this great info into the manuscript without info dumping : P

July 13, 2013: Summer is half over in our neck of the woods. Hoping there are a few more good days left to get out and enjoy. After our 2+ weeks in civilization, we’ve come to appreciate where we live. And yes, I will have pics and a blog post in the next day or so. Really.

June 29, 2013: I’m visiting family on the Far Right Coast for a bit. Things sure are different here compared to Alaska! Not just the scenery and weather. But it’s good to see the family. Usually ; ) I’ll have pics and such soon (OK, not *that* soon, but eventually ; P ).

SFR MIDSUMMER BLOGHOP!  I’m one of many authors offering fun posts and prizes. There are some great GRAND PRIZES too! So hit the blog button above starting the 21st and join the fun!

More Pride Month Celebrations!

I’ll be part of The Romance Reviews’ Sizzling Summer Reads Party in June!

May 27, 2013: RELEASE DAY!!!! Deep Deception is live! Check out an excerpt at the book page and the blog for a Release Day giveaway!

May 2, 2013: Wow! May already?!? What the heck happened to April? I guess time flies when you’re having fun. That’s what we’re calling it, right? Fun? Okay, as long as we’re clear.

Things are humming along on the writing front. Waiting for word on a submission. Waiting to hear agent’s thoughts on another story. Prepping for the release of Deep Deception. Oh, and getting KICKIN’ reviews ; )

This on Caught in Amber…

My favorite part of these books is the carefully constructed world that Cathy has imagined, which includes meticulous details of religion, food, culture, mining(!), and climate…Grade A. ~Helgagrace at Title and Statement of Responsibility

And these on Deep Deception…

The chemistry between Genevieve and Natalia is palpable, and I appreciated that their relationship had some time and reason to mature. ~Anna M. at The Lesbrary

There’s so much to like about this book. …the world feels totally grounded…like a real place….One thing I admire about Pegau is that she writes both same sex and heterosexual romance, and there’s no difference in how she treats the relationships. Grade B+ ~CarrieS at Smart Bitches Trashy Books

Can I just say how thrilled I am when someone likes my work? Thrilled. Over the moon, dancing a jig thrilled! Thank you so so much, Anna (who is also Helgagrace ; ) and CarrieS!

Speaking of….Deep Deception is out in *gulp* 25 days! I’ll have some posts here and there and a shiny giveaway (or two. Maybe. We’ll see ; ) during release week. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, school is wrapping up, which means summer is almost here, right? *looks out window at chilly rain* Well, at least it isn’t snowing….

April 4, 2013: Over at Scorching Book Reviews on the 7th. Check out info on my blog tab. Up there. Yes. That one. Go ahead.

April 2, 2013: A lovely spring day here in the semi-far north! The sun is out, the birds are tweeting, the temp is hovering at about 25F. OK, so maybe “lovely” is a relative term ; )

[singlepic id=19 w=320 h=240 float=left]A couple of my favorite authors were kind enough to give Deep Deception an early read and comment. I’m so thrilled they liked it!

“Deep Deception combines the best aspects of classic science fiction with grit from a noir crime novel. Intrigue and romance abound in this worthy continuation of the series.” ~Cassandra Duffy The Gunfighter and The Gear-Head

Cathy Pegau’s Deep Deception is a rollercoaster ride of a book. Natalia and Gennie  come from different sides of the law. They’ve got no reason to trust each other, let alone want each other as much as they do, but that’s not under their control. Pegau mixes a sweet, hot love story with outer space mining espionage to create a steaming good read. ~Catherine Lundoff, Crave: Tales of Lust, Love and Longing

March 28, 2013: I have the cover for Deep Deception! Check out the lovely ladies of the next installment of what I like to call the Bad Girls of Nevarro ; ) Read the first chapter here!

March 24, 2013: I’ve been meaning to put this up since I received it. Last month,  German journalist Claudia Carell-Domrose contacted me. My last name is the same as a town in her region of Germany. She wanted to know if I knew this, did I know the origins of the family and asked a few questions about being a writer in Alaska. I told her I married into the name and knew it was a German town, but I would have to ask my father-in-law for family info. What resulted is a nice little article in the Leipziger Volkszeitung ( LVZ Cathy Pegau ). Yes, it’s in German. No, I don’t read German. But I can’t tell you how tickled I was to exchange emails with Claudia. And she was great about translating all my info and web content.  Danke, Claudia : )

March 23, 2013: Supposedly spring, but the two feet of snow along with three foot drifts says otherwise. Ah, Alaska living!

I’ve added a “Fun Read” page to the above tabs. This is a place where I’ll post a variety of things. Outtakes, short short stories, and things similar to the first offering: A prequel of sorts to Caught in Amber where Sasha and Guy first meet. Let me know what you think : )

OK, back to shoveling!

March 6, 2013: Totally tickled by new reviews for Caught in Amber! CarrieS over at Smart Bitches, Trashy books gave it a B, saying, “Even though the story doesn’t shy away from its tougher issues, it stays entertaining and enjoyable, not too bogged down in angst.” She also liked the way Sasha and Nathan’s relationship developed on actual feelings, not just physical attraction. Woo hoo!

And some additional reviews over at GoodReads have given Caught in Amber a 4+ star status. Bella says the “writing is smooth as silk, blending an imaginative sci-fi world with a compelling romance that kept me turning the pages.” And Emily says, “Cathy Pegau is now added to my list of “watch for their books.”” Thank you all so very very much!

March 2, 2013: March! How is this possible? Ah, well. At least that means it’s closer to spring. (Looks out window to see snow and shivering birds.) Or not.

Caught in Amber is getting some great reviews. Thank you to all who have picked it up. Deep Deception will be out soon. I think you’ll love Natalia and Gennie 🙂

February 24, 2013: It’s been a while since the last update, hasn’t it? Sorry about that! Real world issues get in the way sometimes.

I’m visiting three different blogs this week. Over at Veronica Scott’s, there’s an interview with Sasha James, the heroine in Caught in Amber. I learned a lot about Sasha during that Q&A. The lovely AmyBeth Inverness asked me some very interesting questions. Like who do I think shot first, Han or Greedo? And I’m visiting Limecello’s blog giving my take on series, sequels and stand alone books. You’ll learn why I call Rulebreaker, Caught in Amber and Deep Deception a connected series of stand alones. Oh, and there’s a giveaway at Lime’s! Go comment : )

In the meantime, I’ve been working on a short pieces about the time Sasha James first met Guy Christiansen. Knowing what eventually happens to Sasha, I just want to yell at her to stop : )  But it is what it is.

The May 27 release for Deep Deception is coming up fast and furious! It’s available for preorder on Amazon and at $1.99 you can’t go wrong! I’ll get the cove up as soon as final copy is approved. So excited for this story : )

More to come as visitors visit and DD get closer to release!

February 11, 2013: Look, Ma, I made the papers! Well, one anyway ; )

February 6, 2013: Thanks to all who gave kind words this past week since Caught in Amber released! There are some fantastic reviews of Sasha and Sterling’s story and I can’t tell you how pleased and humbled I am. Thank you so much!

There were three giveaways (more to come!) last week. Congrats to winners Bettie, Carol and Louisa! And thank you to Heather at The Galaxy Express and Alaskan author pal Hillary Jacques for hosting. You ladies rock!

Caught in Amber is available at Audible.com now! Grab a copy and listen on your way to work or at the gym or wherever!

January 28, 2013: Release Day for Caught in Amber!!!! The buzz has been fantastic, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the time and effort reviewers put into reviews. I’m tickled pink about the kind words people are saying about CIA.

I have a giveaway up and running on this blog here, but there are TWO other giveaways going on AS WE SPEAK! (not that we’re speaking, but you know what I mean.)

Hillary Jacques, fellow Alaskan author and all around cool chick, asked me some interesting questions and is hosting a giveaway at her blog.

Over at The Galaxy Express, that wonderland of Science Fiction Romance, there’s another opportunity to win a copy of Caught in Amber!

There has already been a winner chosen from Jill Sorenson’s blog/giveaway, and there will be more!

Go comment or register for your chance at a copy! : )

January 25, 2013: Three more days until Caught in Amber releases! Can’t wait for it to drop? Me neither : ) But maybe you can win a copy! Jill Sorenson in hosting a giveaway over at her blog. Comment for a chance to win!

I’m so very excited about CiA and how it’s being received. Heather Massey and Diane Dooley, two lovely and talented science fiction romance authors/reviewers/pushers give a dual review of CiA at The Galaxy Express.

For Monday’s release, I’ll have another giveaway at the blog here. A copy of the book will be up for grabs (Maybe two copies. We’ll see.) and something else. Come on back to check it out : )

January 14, 2013: Caught in Amber has been getting some great reviews! I truly appreciate the time and effort required for reading and reviewing a book. Thanks, all!!! Read a few of the full reviews here, but here’s a taste of what some are saying:[singlepic id=4 w=320 h=240 float=left]

This is science fiction romance done just the way I like it: complex characters, high stakes, and a ‘happy ever after’ that never seems inevitable. ~Diane Dooley, author of Blue Galaxy, Blue Nebula and Mako’s Bounty.

Caught in Amber is a strong story filled with very strong characters. ~Jo, from Mixed Book Bag Reviews

The author kept me on the edge of my seat with action and danger at every turn. ~Charlee Allden, Smart Girls Love SciFi and Paranormal Romance

Couldn’t put it down! Sasha and Nathan’s chemistry was palpable right from the start while her ex- lover, Guy, is just the right amount of charm and malice to keep the characters and the reader on edge. – Kait Gamble, author of Liar’s Game

There will be some fun giveaways and posts for the CiA release. Stay tuned!

Catherine Lundoff will be on the blog soon, so be sure to check back in!

January 3, 2013: Happy New Year! It’s been a busy holiday season here at Casa Pegau. Not so much due to holiday stuff itself, but because I’ve been working. Yes! Like a real job! Not my normal situation, but the cash will pay a few bills : )

On the writing front, I started a new WIP set in post-apocalyptic Alaska. I’ve been doing some interesting research and have learned a lot about the early days of the local area. Yes, I looked into history to create the future. Profound, yes? ; )

In the meantime, I’ll be over at KT/KB Grant’s blog for her annual Lesbian Fiction Appreciation Event that starts January 6. There will be some fantastic posts on lesbian characters and authors in fiction. Mine goes up on January 11.

Caught in Amber releases on January 28! I’ll be putting up some posts elsewhere and there will be giveaways. Books. Shiny things. Stay tuned : )

December 2, 2012: The holiday season is upon us, Friends! As is the holiday blog hop season. Folks will be dropping by my blog and I’ll be elsewhere, so stay tuned! Here’s what’s up so far:

Dec. 6–I’m sharing a yummy recipe at Maria Zannini’s DIY Christmas. There are LOTS of great recipe and craft ideas scheduled, so check it out starting 12/5. And giveaways! Including a certain SFR coming out in January…. ; )

Dec. 10–Jill Sorenson will be here at my blog with a post and a giveaway in connection with her latest, AFTERSHOCK.

Dec. 13–Stacy Gail and her antho sisters’ offerings for A GALACTIC HOLIDAY stop in here next.

Dec. 20–I’ll be over at Jessica Subject’s Backward Momentum talking about….something : )

Jan. 6-12, 2013–KB Grant’s second Lesbian Fiction Appreciation Event will run, giving another great insightful and informative week. Last year’s event generated such a great resopnse, KB extended it. Let’s do that again : ) I’ll be posting Jan. 11 on lesbians in speculative/science fiction. Be sure to check out all the week’s offerings!

That’s it for the moment, but be sure to check in now and again. As I get closer to the release date for CAUGHT IN AMBER, I’ll have a few more announcements of blog visits as well as a release day grand prize giveaway ; )

Still November 2012: Got the news this week that CAUGHT IN AMBER will be at Audible.com! Woo hoo! It’ll be weird/fun to hear my words read aloud other than by me at my kitchen table during edits : ) I’m not sure when it will be available, but links will go up as soon as I have them!

On the home front, we’ve had more snow here (shocker, I know) so shoveling season has officially begun. Keep your fingers crossed for us that it’s not another 30-footer : P

Happy Thanksgiving (U.S.)!

November 2012: It’s winter here, if not elsewhere. That’s okay, though, as I have some upcoming blog posts that will keep us all warm ; ) First up is J.L. Hilton on 11/5. Then a sneak peak at one of my WiPs on 11/7. Make sure you head to the blog to check things out!

The latest edits are done for DEEP DECEPTION. Y’all are gonna love Natalia and Gennie. Seriously. Love : )

[singlepic id=4 w=320 h=240 float=left]Also! CAUGHT IN AMBER is up for pre-order at Amazon! It’s a good one, folks. Trust me ; )

Still October 2012: Woo hoo! The cover for CAUGHT IN AMBER is in! Pop on over to the Books page and check it out as well as an excerpt from Chapter One!

October 2012: Thanks to my BFF and Web Goddess Extraordinaire Sharron McClellan, my website and blog have been made easier for me to update without bothering the heck out of her! You rock, Sharron!!!

So let me tell you what’s been happening.

The final copy of CAUGHT IN AMBER is in. YAY! The blurb is up under the “Books” page. I’ll be doing a cover reveal as soon as I can. Carina Press has amazing covers, so I’m sure CiA’s will rock. I’m exited to see if the artist visualizes Sterling and Sasha the way I do. They certainly nailed Liv and Zia, didn’t they? They did!

DEEP DECEPTION is in edit mode. God, I love this story. Lots of action, and girls with guns and heart. As soon as the blurb is ready I’ll post it. I think you’ll like it too : )

Summer 2012: Great news to share! From a recent Publishers Marketplace:
Cathy Pegau’s CAUGHT IN AMBER, sci-fi suspense about a former drug addict enlisted to get close to her ex-lover and drug dealer to help save a federal agent’s addicted sister, who finds herself falling in love with the sexy agent, and DEEP DECEPTION, to Angela James at Carina Press, for publication in 2013, by Natalie Fischer Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency (World)

Yay!

These two stories involve secondary characters who were in RULEBREAKER. CAUGHT IN AMBER is a M/F romance while the third book, DEEP DECEPTION,  is another F/F. I love all these characters and have enjoyed learning their stories so far. Publication won’t be until early 2013. I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, I’ll be participating in a Mid Summer’s Blog Tour in June (of course), so be sure to pop over and check it out! http://cathypegau.blogspot.com

September 2011

The reviews are in!|

From The Galaxy Express
“RULEBREAKER is a book that made a couple of wishes come true for me, and also a few others I didn’t realize I had.”

“If you enjoy stories with a redemption arc, RULEBREAKER has it. If you like colorful secondary characters, this story has it. And finally, if you’re even a fan of COLUMBO-style investigators, then this story has that, too.”

From Amazon
Bella Street: “I was immediately hooked by the droll humor and great characters who populate this book, and was impressed by the perfect balance of world building and tightly-woven plotline.”

H. Cashman: “I liked all the action, the intrigue, and the twists this story brought.”

Mercurial Times : “I thoroughly enjoyed this SFR espionage novel. The worldbuilding is very good, the main characters are vivid and vivacious.”

From Loving Venus-Loving Mars
“All in all Rulebreaker is an excellent read. It’s suspenseful and has a lot of interesting twists and side corridors that are fun to go down. The writing is smooth with a perfect pace, which kept me on edge until the end.”

From Lesbrary
“I knew I liked Rulebreaker when I kept thinking of other books and fanfiction to compare it to.”
“Pegau showed herself willing to make difficult authorial decisions in order to lend weight to her narrative, and both Liv and Zia were portrayed as sympathetic, if flawed, people.”

From Smexybooks.com
“…let me say that the writing and world-building are excellent. The futuristic details add a lot of flavor but don’t overwhelm the story. There is a stylish, sexy quality to the writing, despite the fact that there is very little sex. Rulebreaker reminded me of a George Clooney caper film. It’s compelling and charismatic.”

July 2011

I can’t believe my first book is almost here! But it is and to celebrate, I’ll be spending more time on the internet that I probably should.

Here are my blog tour dates and the new cover. I’ll have giveaways for most of them, tho not sure how many will be copies of the book.

August Blog Dates
7– The Galaxy Express
8 — Release Day! at Maria Zannini’s Blog
9 — Louisa Bacio’s blog
10 — the Carina Press blog
11 — Shelli Munro’s blog
16 — Sarah Makela’s blog
17 — Maureen Miller’s Blog
23 — Castles and Guns
30 — Heather Cashman’s blog

May 2011: A lot has happened in a month. After many go-arounds with word combinations and catchy phrases, we’ve changed the title of my book from Bad Girl to Rulebreaker. And it was neither myself nor my editor who came up with it but my 11 year old. She is rather tickled that the team chose her offering, and I can’t blame her. I might have to hire the kid.

Also, as you can see, the final cover for Rulebreaker is in. Isn’t it pretty? Frauke Spanuth of Croco Designs does an amazing job for Carina Press and I’m over the moon about my cover.

Rulebreaker is scheduled for release on August 8. I’ll be having a blog tour at a variety of places, so stay tuned for an announcement there. Plus, there will be some guest bloggers popping in to visit the Queen of the Frozen North (that’s me), so drop in once in a while!

April 2011: Spring has sprung….somewhere in the world. We’ve had a relatively cold, very low precipitation winter, and I can only hazard a guess as to what sort of spring/summer we’ll experience. It might be gorgeous, it might be cruddy. You just never know. In writing news, I’ve returned my art fact sheet and can’t wait to see the cover art for Bad Girl. Carina Press has some of the most gorgeous covers around, so I’m sure it’ll be amazing. I plan to print it out and carry it with me, showing everyone I know. In the meantime, the newest manuscript is off to my agent (gosh, I love saying that 🙂 and the next book is percolating in my brain. And I found my pants!

January 2011: Wow! What an ending to 2010! After receiving a revise and resubmit letter from Carina Press in June, my science fiction romance Bad Girl has been accepted for publication! On top of that–yes! There’s more!–I signed with agent Natalie Fischer! (OK, I think I’ve just about used up my allotment of exclamation points.) The release date is scheduled for August, and I can’t wait to get started on edits. I know that may sound strange, but it’s true. Also, I can’t wait to see my cover. Carina Press has put out some amazing covers. Since Bad Girl is coming out as an ebook, and I can’t haul my laptop with me everywhere, when I get the cover I plan on printing it out and carrying it with me to show everyone I know. Even people I don’t know. It will end up here as soon as possible, trust me. Happy New Year, everyone. I think this is going to be an amazing one!

Nov 2010: After a roller coaster ride of emotion due to personal matters, I am VERY pleased to say I’ve signed with an agent. We’ll be working with Bad Girl initially. Things are happening pretty fast right now, so stay tuned. You never know what will happen next : )

January 2010: Wow, another year–another decade!–in the can. I’m not one to reflect too much on what was, except where it can help keep me out of trouble in the future. I look forward to a new year filled with endless possibilities. This one is starting out well, and I’m keeping my chilled fingers crossed on a couple of writerly fronts. Whether you found yourself here by design or by accident, look around and drop me a note if you’d like. Pop back in now and again, and don’t forget to check out my blog. You never know when I might have something important to say. Riiiight.

September 2009: A chill is in the air (okay, the chill has been here since late July with a few exceptions) and it’s time to return to some semblance of a routine after a summer of sleeping in, visitors, visiting, and an overall slow down of progress on the wip. The wip is high on my To Do list, as is returning crits for other writer friends. I also received some good contest and beta reader feedback on Bad Girl and will look at the manuscript again to tweak where needed. I have no problems with tweaking/revising. If it makes the book better, I’m all for it. Getting fresh eyes on the pages is key. So thanks to Sharron, Jody, Jennifer, Meladean, and the contest judges for the input!

March 20, 2009: In theory, this is the first day of spring. I say the calendar is off. Way, way off. Looking out my window at the accumulation of snow proves that much. While I wait for the snow to melt, work on my wip and nervously anticipate responses regarding submissions, feel free to look around, but you can find more excitement on the blog. And since my web diva is leaving on an extended trip to **ahem** “gather research” **ahem** that’s your best bet for new info. No surprise, that.

Nov. 2007: Maybe I should just admit this home page won’t get updated more frequently than once a quarter unless something HUGE happens. Why keep fooling myself, right? As always, please go to my blog if you want to see more timely info.

In the meantime, the American Title IV competition is underway at the Romantic Times. The first round of voting has closed at this writing, but go see the entries. The theme is paranormal this time around, a subgenre near and dear to my heart.

And in case I don’t update any sooner, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, Happy Valentine’s Day, and Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. Please include the holiday of your choosing for those I’ve missed.

August 2007: August? Already? What happened to the first part of the summer? Oh, I remember. We moved in June and spent most of July settling in. Well, we’re settled now, so I have no excuse to not update more regularly. But in case that proves to be more of a promise than I can keep (likely), I recommend checking out my blog. I’m much better about keeping that up to date. No, really. I am. Go look if you don’t believe me.

May 1, 2007: The year is 1/3 over and going fast. Spring has almost sprung here in the Far North (ie: the snow is mostly gone at sea level, the moose have mostly moved up into the hills, and there are bits of green in the lawn). There’s also a new American Title winner (you can check my blog or the Romantic Times site for that info) and another American Title competion open to submissions. Conference season is gearing up, though I won’t be attending any. Too much going on at the home front these days. Summer is just around the corner. Can’t wait for those (relatively) balmy days to come!

March 2007: Awaiting the results of the final round of the American Title III contest. But the OFFICIAL word won’t be out until April’s Romantic Times convention. I don’t envy the anxiety Jenny and Kim, the two writers left standing, must endure until the convention. One of them will be getting their book published with Dorchester. I could wait a month for that announcement. Maybe. Probably not. Who am I kidding? I’d be a wreck! Best of luck to both of them!

February 2007: It’s already February? How’d THAT happen? Well, here’s to a favorable year all around. Be sure to see what the American Title III folks are up to at Romantic Times. The latest round is just about over at this writing, and by next month it’ll be down to the final 2!

Dec 1st: The second round of the American Title III competition is over and the six who will move on will be announced in a couple of weeks. Oh, in case you didn’t know, I didn’t make it past round one. But no worries here. I’m much more relaxed than the folks who moved on : ) When round three starts later this month, go to www.romantictimes.com and vote for your favorite story summary. I sure will.

Oct 16th, Voting for AT3 has begun! Please check it out and remember..the title is HAUNTED. 🙂

Oct 11, 2006: Excerpt from Haunted, American Title III Finalist

Oct 10, 2006: AT3 Interview at TitleWave

Sept 2006: Hauntedis an American Title III Finalist! First round voting begins Oct 16th through the 29th. Be sure to tell your friends–every vote counts!

Like many people on the planet, I have a story to tell. Actually, I have many stories to tell. And quite a few voices vying for attention in my head. So, rather than spend money on therapists, I write.I write Paranormal Chick Lit, among other things. My stories are character driven, funny as well as poignant. And if I don’t give you a completely happy ending, at least a logical and satisfying one.I don’t write with a particular theme in mind, but themes tend to crop up. Most stories fall into at least one category as far as thematic issues are concerned. It’s just the way these things are. My characters and plot don’t reflect any current happenings in the world. They don’t represent any inner demons or revelations I’ve had. Or maybe they do, but I didn’t write it for that reason. I wrote what I wrote because I thought it would make an entertaining story.I write brain candy, not literature. My intent is to have you thoroughly enjoy reading my books while hunkered down among cozy blankets on a chilly winter day, or while basking at the beach. A guilty pleasure. Like double chocolate fudge brownies. Choose your favorite spot and indulge. Find deeper meaning in my work, but don’t hurt yourself. What I really want is for you to have fun. And don’t forget to floss.